Monday, August 25, 2008

You Don't Need To Spend A Fortune For A Digital TV

Three of the most prevalent misconceptions about digital TV is that all digital TVs are high definition, large and expensive. None of these statements are correct. Sure, the newspaper flyers and TV commercials are want to show large flat screen TVs the size of city buses with more features then a Swiss Army knife. After all, the mark up on a $2000 TV is much greater than the profit on a $120 TV.

Currently in most homes you will find several TVs of all “flavors.” Some are large screen models in a family room or a home theatre environment. Others are tucked under cabinets in the kitchen or on a table in the bedroom or workshop. There is no reason to believe that this will change once we convert to all digital broadcasting. For sure you may want a large screen TV on which you can watch sporting events or movies with surround sound audio and high definition clarity. For that set up you will pay thousands of dollars. At the same time, if you are in the kitchen watching the evening news or playing along the current “Jeopardy” champ, a smaller TV will do just fine.

I have found new digital TVs in stores for a little as $114. WalMart has a digital set retailing for $129. As the we get closer to the analog shut off date in February, you are certain to see even more small TVs with digital tuners. These may be LCD or small picture tube models. Some will have wide screens some will have a 4 x 3 screen ratio. The important thing is they all will have digital tuners. In fact, for more than one year, it has been against the law to sell a new TV that did not have a digital tuner unless you had a very prominent label indicating that the TV will be obsolete in February 2009.

You may wish to keep this in mind as you decide whether to buy a set top digital converter. If you are planning to connect it to a 10 year old 13” TV that you use in the kitchen, it might be better to just buy a new inexpensive TV.

I have received several letters about battery powered digital TVs. There are some on the market but they are very expensive. I suggest that you wait. They will eventually be in stores after the analog cut off.

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You Don't Need To Spend A Fortune For A Digital TV

Three of the most prevalent misconceptions about digital TV is that all digital TVs are high definition, large and expensive. None of these statements are correct. Sure, the newspaper flyers and TV commercials are want to show large flat screen TVs the size of city buses with more features then a Swiss Army knife. After all, the mark up on a $2000 TV is much greater than the profit on a $120 TV.

Currently in most homes you will find several TVs of all “flavors.” Some are large screen models in a family room or a home theatre environment. Others are tucked under cabinets in the kitchen or on a table in the bedroom or workshop. There is no reason to believe that this will change once we convert to all digital broadcasting. For sure you may want a large screen TV on which you can watch sporting events or movies with surround sound audio and high definition clarity. For that set up you will pay thousands of dollars. At the same time, if you are in the kitchen watching the evening news or playing along the current “Jeopardy” champ, a smaller TV will do just fine.

I have found new digital TVs in stores for a little as $114. WalMart has a digital set retailing for $129. As the we get closer to the analog shut off date in February, you are certain to see even more small TVs with digital tuners. These may be LCD or small picture tube models. Some will have wide screens some will have a 4 x 3 screen ratio. The important thing is they all will have digital tuners. In fact, for more than one year, it has been against the law to sell a new TV that did not have a digital tuner unless you had a very prominent label indicating that the TV will be obsolete in February 2009.

You may wish to keep this in mind as you decide whether to buy a set top digital converter. If you are planning to connect it to a 10 year old 13” TV that you use in the kitchen, it might be better to just buy a new inexpensive TV.

I have received several letters about battery powered digital TVs. There are some on the market but they are very expensive. I suggest that you wait. They will eventually be in stores after the analog cut off.

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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Great Video In A Small Package

If you are a regular reader you know that I often take designers and engineers to task for overloading electronic devices with so many features that the average intelligent person is unable to actually use them. Recently, as I was getting ready for a long bicycle trip, I looked for a video camera that would record good quality video and be very compact and light weight. When you are biking upwards of 100 miles in a day, every ounce of cargo is scrutinized.

While I had read about the “Flip™” camera from PureDigital Technologies®, I had discounted it as a toy. Since it was retailing for about $150, how good could it be? Well I was wrong. The “Flip™” video camera sets the bar very high for anyone designing a device that is simple to use, compact in size and provides superior video quality.

The camera itself is about the size of a large cell phone measuring 2”x 4”x ¾”. It weighs only a few ounces and will easily fit in your pocket or purse. From this small package comes a plethora of features. It has a small LCD screen that serves as the viewfinder and playback window. It has a fixed lens with digital zoom. (Don’t bother to use the digital zoom as it makes the video look bad.) The camera runs on two AA batteries and gets almost four hours of recording or play back time for each set of batteries.

What impresses me most are the controls, or lack thereof. The camera has an on/off button and only a few other controls. There is a large red button. Push it once and you are recording. Push it again and it stops and saves the video. The only other controls are a volume control, an erase control and a playback control. All the video settings are automatic. The color and picture sharpness are as good or better than cameras selling at five times the price. Audio record volume is automatic.

You can watch the videos on the internal screen or connect the camera to a TV or a PC. Again no settings, just plug and play.

The camera has a fold out USB connector. Using that connector you plug the camera into a computer and the camera automatically downloads special software that allows you to watch and edit your videos on your PC or Mac computer. You can ignore that software and the camera becomes an external hard drive. You can access it and copy any or all the videos into your computer and use programs like Microsoft Movie Maker™ to edit your videos.

The camera works out of the box and comes with everything you need. There are no tapes or memory cards. The video is stored in the camera on the 2 gig internal storage device and will hold one hour of high quality video. It does take some time to get used to holding the camera steady since it is so light. I made a sample of the video. Click here to watch it. I recorded the video recently using the Flip Camera while riding on the Miami Whitewater Forest Shaker Trace Bike Trail.

If you are in the market for an easy to use quality video camera for vacations or family events, you can’t go wrong with the Flip. You will find it a major electronics retailers.

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Great Video In A Small Package

If you are a regular reader you know that I often take designers and engineers to task for overloading electronic devices with so many features that the average intelligent person is unable to actually use them. Recently, as I was getting ready for a long bicycle trip, I looked for a video camera that would record good quality video and be very compact and light weight. When you are biking upwards of 100 miles in a day, every ounce of cargo is scrutinized.

While I had read about the “Flip™” camera from PureDigital Technologies®, I had discounted it as a toy. Since it was retailing for about $150, how good could it be? Well I was wrong. The “Flip™” video camera sets the bar very high for anyone designing a device that is simple to use, compact in size and provides superior video quality.

The camera itself is about the size of a large cell phone measuring 2”x 4”x ¾”. It weighs only a few ounces and will easily fit in your pocket or purse. From this small package comes a plethora of features. It has a small LCD screen that serves as the viewfinder and playback window. It has a fixed lens with digital zoom. (Don’t bother to use the digital zoom as it makes the video look bad.) The camera runs on two AA batteries and gets almost four hours of recording or play back time for each set of batteries.

What impresses me most are the controls, or lack thereof. The camera has an on/off button and only a few other controls. There is a large red button. Push it once and you are recording. Push it again and it stops and saves the video. The only other controls are a volume control, an erase control and a playback control. All the video settings are automatic. The color and picture sharpness are as good or better than cameras selling at five times the price. Audio record volume is automatic.

You can watch the videos on the internal screen or connect the camera to a TV or a PC. Again no settings, just plug and play.

The camera has a fold out USB connector. Using that connector you plug the camera into a computer and the camera automatically downloads special software that allows you to watch and edit your videos on your PC or Mac computer. You can ignore that software and the camera becomes an external hard drive. You can access it and copy any or all the videos into your computer and use programs like Microsoft Movie Maker™ to edit your videos.

The camera works out of the box and comes with everything you need. There are no tapes or memory cards. The video is stored in the camera on the 2 gig internal storage device and will hold one hour of high quality video. It does take some time to get used to holding the camera steady since it is so light. I made a sample of the video. Click here to watch it. I recorded the video recently using the Flip Camera while riding on the Miami Whitewater Forest Shaker Trace Bike Trail.

If you are in the market for an easy to use quality video camera for vacations or family events, you can’t go wrong with the Flip. You will find it a major electronics retailers.

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Monday, August 11, 2008

More About Inexpensive Video Cameras

Last week we discussed the various types of video cameras based on how they actually store the video, i.e. tape, hard drive, DVD, etc. This week we will look at some features that you might wish to consider when choosing a new camera.

One of the most important parts of any camera is the lens. After all, this is the eye of the camera. The better it can “see” the better the final video will be. There have been some great advances in optics and as a result, even a low end camera costing around $200 can have a very good lens. For sure you will want a lens that can zoom in on objects from a distance. This is where marketing hype can be confusing. There are two types of zoom lenses, optical zoom and digital zoom.

My advice, forget about digital zoom and concentrate only on the optical zoom. Digital zoom is a digital “slight of hand” trick. The results are most often grainy since it just makes the picture larger. Optical zoom provides the best results in most situations. So when comparing zoom ratios, discount the digital zoom numbers which are very often over stated.

The view finder is another feature to compare. I suggest that while the fold-out LCD screen is a great, there are sometimes when a regular view finder is better. In bright light situations, you can often see better by looking though a traditional viewfinder than trying to frame the shot with the LCD screen. Also, it is easier to hold the camera steady if it is held close to your body. Using the fold out LCD screen does not allow that.

Be sure to ask about battery life. Nothing is more frustrating than running low on battery power just when you are ready to get that perfect shot. Most new cameras will give about one hour of use. Indoors, you can often use regular AC power. Make sure the camera is set up to run on regular AC power. If you are going to be out in the field, it is good to have one or two spare batteries all charged up and ready to go. The good news is that modern rechargeable batteries hold their charge for long periods of time and can be recharged anytime. They don’t have to be completely drained to recharge properly.

Simple is often better. Engineers continue to build into cameras features that many of us mere mortals will never use. These features make the controls harder to use and often make using the camera a chore. Spend some time with the camera before you buy it to be sure that you are comfortable with the controls. When you are trying to get that perfect shot you don’t want to wade through a 100 page manual looking for directions. Sometimes simple is better.

I recently purchase a small video “Flip” camera to take on a long distance bike ride. Next week I will review the “Flip” camera. It is an impressively easy to use device.

Labels: ,

More About Inexpensive Video Cameras

Last week we discussed the various types of video cameras based on how they actually store the video, i.e. tape, hard drive, DVD, etc. This week we will look at some features that you might wish to consider when choosing a new camera.

One of the most important parts of any camera is the lens. After all, this is the eye of the camera. The better it can “see” the better the final video will be. There have been some great advances in optics and as a result, even a low end camera costing around $200 can have a very good lens. For sure you will want a lens that can zoom in on objects from a distance. This is where marketing hype can be confusing. There are two types of zoom lenses, optical zoom and digital zoom.

My advice, forget about digital zoom and concentrate only on the optical zoom. Digital zoom is a digital “slight of hand” trick. The results are most often grainy since it just makes the picture larger. Optical zoom provides the best results in most situations. So when comparing zoom ratios, discount the digital zoom numbers which are very often over stated.

The view finder is another feature to compare. I suggest that while the fold-out LCD screen is a great, there are sometimes when a regular view finder is better. In bright light situations, you can often see better by looking though a traditional viewfinder than trying to frame the shot with the LCD screen. Also, it is easier to hold the camera steady if it is held close to your body. Using the fold out LCD screen does not allow that.

Be sure to ask about battery life. Nothing is more frustrating than running low on battery power just when you are ready to get that perfect shot. Most new cameras will give about one hour of use. Indoors, you can often use regular AC power. Make sure the camera is set up to run on regular AC power. If you are going to be out in the field, it is good to have one or two spare batteries all charged up and ready to go. The good news is that modern rechargeable batteries hold their charge for long periods of time and can be recharged anytime. They don’t have to be completely drained to recharge properly.

Simple is often better. Engineers continue to build into cameras features that many of us mere mortals will never use. These features make the controls harder to use and often make using the camera a chore. Spend some time with the camera before you buy it to be sure that you are comfortable with the controls. When you are trying to get that perfect shot you don’t want to wade through a 100 page manual looking for directions. Sometimes simple is better.

I recently purchase a small video “Flip” camera to take on a long distance bike ride. Next week I will review the “Flip” camera. It is an impressively easy to use device.

Labels: ,

Monday, August 04, 2008

Video Cameras Getting Better and Less Expensive

Since I work for a TV station I have never been a real fan of consumer quality video cameras and editing systems. Since they first became available in the 80s, I’ve always found the quality of the final product to be lacking. Even well into the 90s the cameras were not very good. Because at work I was always surrounded by high end, and high priced cameras that provided great video, I was spoiled. Even the best of the consumer grade cameras left me unimpressed.

This has changed big time. The current models aimed at the consumer market are nothing less than amazing. They are small, easy to use, and more important; they will render very high quality pictures and sound. There are some models that will come close to recording video as good as we use in the broadcast industry. Many are able to record high definition video. And good news, prices have dropped.

These video cameras come in many “flavors” each with a host of features and capabilities. This week and next I will try to provide some pointers on what each type offers so you can compare what you need with what is available.

Let’s start with the recording media itself. In other words how does the camera store the video that you are shooting. There are four basic types. Each type has pros and cons.

Many of the most popular cameras are still tape based. Many use DV tapes. These inexpensive digital tapes are smaller than the older analog 8mm or Hi 8 format tapes and much smaller than the “ancient” VHS tapes. Unlike the former, DV tapes store the video images in digital form. This allows for very high quality images and sound. The tapes do require a motorized system and as a result these cameras consume a bit more electricity than some of the others. This results in shorter battery life. Also there are many mechanical systems and many moving parts in the tape transport mechanism. This can be prone to damage from dirt and sand.

A newer technology is based on DVD storage. Although smaller in size than your regular 4.5 inch DVD, the technology is about the same. The images are stored in digital form on a mini DVD disc and can be played out from the camera or imported into your computer for editing. Again, the DVD drive uses an electric motor but it consumes less energy than the tape based cameras. While the disc reading mechanism has some moving parts, it is much less complex than the tape based systems. You can easily transfer the videos to a computer for editing or play them on a DVD player

The third type of storage is based on “hard drive” technology. Just like the hard drive in your computer or some MP3 players, the images and sound are stored on computer disc. Unlike the hard drive in your computer, these are sealed mechanisms and specially designed for rough handling. They are a permanent part of the camera, so when you have filled it up, you need to transfer the video files to another media before shooting more.

Finally there are cameras that use flash memory. There are no moving parts as the video is recorded onto memory cards just like many digital still cameras. When the card is full you replace it with another. The cards can be inserted into a PC or MAC and you can transfer the video for playback or editing. There are very few moving parts and power consumption is low.

More next week about lens optics and controls

Labels: , , , ,

Video Cameras Getting Better and Less Expensive

Since I work for a TV station I have never been a real fan of consumer quality video cameras and editing systems. Since they first became available in the 80s, I’ve always found the quality of the final product to be lacking. Even well into the 90s the cameras were not very good. Because at work I was always surrounded by high end, and high priced cameras that provided great video, I was spoiled. Even the best of the consumer grade cameras left me unimpressed.

This has changed big time. The current models aimed at the consumer market are nothing less than amazing. They are small, easy to use, and more important; they will render very high quality pictures and sound. There are some models that will come close to recording video as good as we use in the broadcast industry. Many are able to record high definition video. And good news, prices have dropped.

These video cameras come in many “flavors” each with a host of features and capabilities. This week and next I will try to provide some pointers on what each type offers so you can compare what you need with what is available.

Let’s start with the recording media itself. In other words how does the camera store the video that you are shooting. There are four basic types. Each type has pros and cons.

Many of the most popular cameras are still tape based. Many use DV tapes. These inexpensive digital tapes are smaller than the older analog 8mm or Hi 8 format tapes and much smaller than the “ancient” VHS tapes. Unlike the former, DV tapes store the video images in digital form. This allows for very high quality images and sound. The tapes do require a motorized system and as a result these cameras consume a bit more electricity than some of the others. This results in shorter battery life. Also there are many mechanical systems and many moving parts in the tape transport mechanism. This can be prone to damage from dirt and sand.

A newer technology is based on DVD storage. Although smaller in size than your regular 4.5 inch DVD, the technology is about the same. The images are stored in digital form on a mini DVD disc and can be played out from the camera or imported into your computer for editing. Again, the DVD drive uses an electric motor but it consumes less energy than the tape based cameras. While the disc reading mechanism has some moving parts, it is much less complex than the tape based systems. You can easily transfer the videos to a computer for editing or play them on a DVD player

The third type of storage is based on “hard drive” technology. Just like the hard drive in your computer or some MP3 players, the images and sound are stored on computer disc. Unlike the hard drive in your computer, these are sealed mechanisms and specially designed for rough handling. They are a permanent part of the camera, so when you have filled it up, you need to transfer the video files to another media before shooting more.

Finally there are cameras that use flash memory. There are no moving parts as the video is recorded onto memory cards just like many digital still cameras. When the card is full you replace it with another. The cards can be inserted into a PC or MAC and you can transfer the video for playback or editing. There are very few moving parts and power consumption is low.

More next week about lens optics and controls

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Friday, August 01, 2008

It's Getting Crowded on the Info Super Highway

The Internet Super Highway is becoming more like I-75 at rush hour than the Autobahn on a clear sunny day. As more and more of us graduate from using the Internet for simple email exchange and occasional Google® searches to downloading music, TV programs, and even full length movies in high definition, the Internet connections serving our neighborhood as well as the more robust Internet backbone itself are showing signs of congestion.

Email files consume very little “space” on the Internet as the number of bits and bytes being sent or received is miniscule. More important is that email messages do not need to be sent all at once. Even though you may think that all your precious words are sent in one email “envelope,” in reality even the shortest email message is broken up into tiny packets. Each packet travels separately and is reconnected with all the others once they all reach the final destination. Since this all happens at the speed of light you most likely haven’t noticed nor should you care that you email is being dissected.

On the other hand, music or video require very large files. A file containing one minute of good quality video is equivalent to a file containing hundreds or even thousands of emails. If you want to watch these videos on line in real time rather than downloading them and watching at another time, the Internet circuits are taxed even more.

This phenomenon is not lost on the major providers of Internet services, or ISPs as they are called. Comcast and Time Warner have been experimenting with several options. One idea is to charge each user based on their actual use. Currently most of us pay a set monthly charge based on the speed of the connection. We pay the same no matter if we send ten emails a month or if we are on line 24/7 watching videos and downloading music.

Much more controversial is the practice of some ISPs to actually block some online services that use a great deal of bandwidth. Recently Kevin Martin, FCC Chairman, warned Comcast to cease its practice of limiting access to some Comcast Internet subscribers to BitTorrent®, a video sharing service that is a very dependent on free access to the Internet.

Many of the large ISPs and networking organizations have experienced tremendous growth and customer demand. It was recently reported by AT&T, one of the largest broadband services, that traffic on the AT&T network has doubled over the past two years and is on a trajectory of doubling again within less than two years.

In the future your access to the Internet may well be metered like other “utilities.” Those who use more of the bandwidth, especially in peak hours will be charged more than the occasional email user. With more and more of use relying on the Internet for bill paying, banking and shopping, the Internet may become more of a toll road than a freeway.

Labels: , ,

It's Getting Crowded on the Info Super Highway

The Internet Super Highway is becoming more like I-75 at rush hour than the Autobahn on a clear sunny day. As more and more of us graduate from using the Internet for simple email exchange and occasional Google® searches to downloading music, TV programs, and even full length movies in high definition, the Internet connections serving our neighborhood as well as the more robust Internet backbone itself are showing signs of congestion.

Email files consume very little “space” on the Internet as the number of bits and bytes being sent or received is miniscule. More important is that email messages do not need to be sent all at once. Even though you may think that all your precious words are sent in one email “envelope,” in reality even the shortest email message is broken up into tiny packets. Each packet travels separately and is reconnected with all the others once they all reach the final destination. Since this all happens at the speed of light you most likely haven’t noticed nor should you care that you email is being dissected.

On the other hand, music or video require very large files. A file containing one minute of good quality video is equivalent to a file containing hundreds or even thousands of emails. If you want to watch these videos on line in real time rather than downloading them and watching at another time, the Internet circuits are taxed even more.

This phenomenon is not lost on the major providers of Internet services, or ISPs as they are called. Comcast and Time Warner have been experimenting with several options. One idea is to charge each user based on their actual use. Currently most of us pay a set monthly charge based on the speed of the connection. We pay the same no matter if we send ten emails a month or if we are on line 24/7 watching videos and downloading music.

Much more controversial is the practice of some ISPs to actually block some online services that use a great deal of bandwidth. Recently Kevin Martin, FCC Chairman, warned Comcast to cease its practice of limiting access to some Comcast Internet subscribers to BitTorrent®, a video sharing service that is a very dependent on free access to the Internet.

Many of the large ISPs and networking organizations have experienced tremendous growth and customer demand. It was recently reported by AT&T, one of the largest broadband services, that traffic on the AT&T network has doubled over the past two years and is on a trajectory of doubling again within less than two years.

In the future your access to the Internet may well be metered like other “utilities.” Those who use more of the bandwidth, especially in peak hours will be charged more than the occasional email user. With more and more of use relying on the Internet for bill paying, banking and shopping, the Internet may become more of a toll road than a freeway.

Labels: , ,