MEMS mics are taking over. Almost every mobile device has ditched its old-fashioned electret microphone invented way back in 1962 at Bell Labs. Expect new piezoelectric MEMS microphones, which promise unheard of signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) of up to 80 dB (versus 65 dB in the best current capacitive microphones) in 2015. MEMS microphones are growing like gangbusters.
Analysts and veterans of the International CES expect to see plenty of 4K ultra-high-definition televisions, new smartwatch uses, and a large section of the show floor dedicated to robotics. 2015 will be the first year CES gets behind 4K in a big way, as lower price points make the technology more attractive to consumers. Samsung, Sony, Sharp, and Toshiba will be big players in the 4K arena. OEMs must solve the problem of intelligence and connectivity before 4K will really take off. CES attendees may also see 4K TVs optimized for certain tasks, along with a variety of sizes. There will be 10-inch and 14-inch and 17-inch UHD displays.
4K is not enough anymore? 8K – finally come true? Korean giant LG has promised to introduce ehdan 8K TV at CES 2015 exhibition in January. 8K means a total of 33.2 million pixels, or 7680 x 4320 resolution. 4K video material fate is still uncertain, 8K video can not with certainty not available for a long time.
Sound bars will be a big issue at shows. One problem with new TVs — the thinner they are, the harder it is to get sound out.
Open file formats Matroska Video (MKV) and Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) gets more widely used as Windows 10 To Feature Native Support For MKV and FLAC.
Watching shows online is more common now. More people are watching videos on smaller screens. You can use a tablet as personal TV. Phablets and portable televisions have taken off in China, Japan, and Korea, where many people watch videos during long commutes. Tablets now have become so ubiquitous and inexpensive that you can buy them for a specific application. Much of the innovation will be in software, rather than hardware — tuning the tablets to boot up like a television instead of an Android tablet
We’re all spending more time with smartphones and tablets. So much so that the “second screen” may now be the “first screen,” depending on the data you read. It seems inevitable that smartphones and tablets will replace the television in terms of time spent. Many metrics firms, including Nielsen, report on the rapid increase of mobile device usage—especially when it comes to apps. Half of YouTube’s views now come from phones and tablets.
Qualcomm will push this year broadcast LTE. That will be picked up more and more by some vendors in tablets, so they can have broadcast TV signals, but it doesn’t have to be generic LTE.
There will be lots of talking on traditional TV vs new streaming services, especially on who gets which program material and at what price. While it’s possible to create a TV platform that doesn’t deal with live channels, smart TVs and game consoles alike generally try to integrate the content as best they can.
Netflix’s new strategy to take on cable involves becoming best friends with cable to get its app included on set-top boxes of cable, fiber and satellite TV operators. Roughly 90 million U.S. households subscribe to cable or other forms of pay TV, and more than 73 million subscribe to the biggest five operators alone. That’s why Netflix has been working hard to team up with one of these major operators.
Google intends to integrate content best it can. Google Publishes ‘Live Channels For Android TV’ App Into The Play Store. G The “Live Channels for Android TV” app is unsurprisingly incompatible with phones and tablets, maybe because for some reason those markets are intentionally artificially tried to be kept separate.
Virtual reality video is trying to get to spotlight. Samsung’s new Milk VR to round up 360-degree videos for Gear VR article tells that Milk VR will provide the videos for free as Samsung hopes to goose interest in virtual reality. Milk VR service will provide free 360-degree videos to anyone using a Gear VR virtual-reality headset (uses Galaxy Note 4). Samsung wants to jump-start the virtual-reality movement as the company is looking at virtual reality as a potential growth engine at a time when one of its key traditional revenue sources — smartphones — has slowed down. The videos will also serve as a model for future filmmakers or artists looking to take advantage of the virtual-reality medium, as well as build up an ecosystem and viewership for VR content.
Although digital video is increasing in popularity, analog video remains in use in many applications.
1,154 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Daniel Ek: Spotify and free music will save the industry, not kill it
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jun/07/daniel-ek-spotify-free-music-save-industry-not-kill-it
The music streaming pioneer has come under fire from critics such as Taylor Swift for giving away songs. Now he faces a new challenge from Apple
Tomi Engdahl says:
George Winslow / Broadcasting & Cable:
US broadcasters, including Cox and Hearst Television, launch a free joint streaming news service called NewsOn — Stations Band Together for Streaming News App — Free streaming news service will offer newscasts from ABC, COX, Hearst, Media General and Raycom stations
Stations Band Together for Streaming News App
Free streaming news service will offer newscasts from ABC, COX, Hearst, Media General and Raycom stations
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/stations-band-together-streaming-news-app/141566
In a notable effort to boost the popularity of local news on digital platforms, five major broadcast television station groups that reach about two thirds of all TV homes in the U.S. have formed a joint venture that will provide live and on-demand newscasts to consumers via apps on mobile and selected connected TV devices.
The NewsOn venture, which is expected to begin service this fall, is backed by ABC Owned Television Station Group, Cox Media Group, Hearst Television, Media General and Raycom Media.
At launch it will reach 112 stations in 84 markets, which would put the streaming service in eight of the top 10 U.S. TV markets and 17 of the top 25.
The partners stressed that they expect the number of stations to increase as additional groups join NewsON.
The free, ad supported service has hired former CNN and The Weather Channel executive Louis Gump as CEO of the joint venture.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Micah Singleton / The Verge:
Dash Radio wants to bring FM radio into the modern age — Despite the proliferation of streaming music, somehow radio is still thriving: 91 percent of Americans still listen to old-fashioned AM/FM terrestrial radio. With those kinds of numbers, it’s no surprise that Dash Radio …
Dash Radio wants to bring FM radio into the modern age
The online radio service has gained over 1 million listeners while in beta
http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/5/8731141/dash-radio-internet-fm-skee
Tomi Engdahl says:
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
Selling packets of channels to subscribers once made sense, but not so much anymore — Selling packets of channels to subscribers once made sense, but not so much anymore — For four decades, the number of channels on the cable-TV dial has risen with seemingly unstoppable momentum, bringing consumers more choices than ever before.
Why Does the Cable-TV Bundle Exist Anyway?
Selling packets of channels to subscribers once made sense, but not so much anymore
http://www.wsj.com/article_email/why-does-the-cable-tv-bundle-exist-anyway-1433807825-lMyQjAxMTE1NjA2OTYwMzk2Wj
For four decades, the number of channels on the cable-TV dial has risen with seemingly unstoppable momentum, bringing consumers more choices than ever before.
Sounds great, except most people don’t want to pay for all 189 channels they typically get.
Bundling scores of networks together has endured in large part because the programmers and distributors both made huge profits from new channels, rising numbers of subscribers and steadily higher cable bills. Plus, until recently, it would have been a logistical nightmare for distributors to sell channels individually.
Now, pushback is building that could finally break the bundle. Pay-TV subscriptions have peaked in the U.S., and viewers have alternatives through Internet services such as Netflix, Hulu and YouTube. Distributors like Verzion’s FiOS are trying to find ways to offer flexibility in pay-TV packages
The typical pay-TV subscriber watches only 17 channels regularly, according to a Nielsen report from last year. That is a big reason why a new generation of viewers are finding online alternatives to avoid paying the average $74 a month it costs for cable. That basic bundle has expanded to more than 100 channels on average, according to SNL Kagan, and is required for consumers to then add on premium networks like HBO or Showtime or specialty services like NFL Network.
So why does the bundle exist in the first place? It started with John Walson, often credited as the father of the cable industry, charging $2 for three local broadcast channels in 1948 in suburban Philadelphia. Almost simultaneously, cable systems popped up in Arkansas and Oregon.
For cable’s first three decades, its primary purpose was retransmitting broadcast channels to rural areas. By the late 1970s, that need was met and cable operators started investing in original programming to boost subscriptions as satellite technology allowed for mass distribution of a cable network.
“We had to invent more content to deliver,” recalled Gus Hauser, who was chairman of Warner Communications, the cable company that launched Nickelodeon in 1979 and MTV in 1981. “Once there was something to sell, the cable industry developed.”
“Back then the rates were reasonable and you could bundle all these things. It was a bargain for the subscriber,”
Bundling really took off in the 1990s, when the number of channels exploded in large part because of new government regulations.
That led to the creation of networks like ESPN2 by ABC, FX by Fox and MSNBC by NBC, but also gave power to the broadcasters: Each time a deal was up for renewal, broadcasters would create a new channel.
The growing power of cable programming led to a consolidation craze.
‘The history of the pay-TV bundle is the history of a forced private subsidization imposed upon the American public by America’s largest programmers’
—Jimmy Schaeffler, chairman of an industry consulting firm
Programmers argue the bundle keeps lots of channels afloat that otherwise would have a hard time surviving.
“The technology of Internet-delivered TV programming is swamping the argument of whether cable operators ought to bundle or unbundle their cable channels,” he said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
TiVo now lets subscribers stream recordings and live TV via the web but only when device is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the DVR
TiVo Now Lets Subscribers Stream Recordings And Live TV Via The Web
http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/09/tivo-now-lets-subscribers-stream-recordings-and-live-tv-via-the-web/
DVR maker TiVo announced today a new product called TiVo Online that will allow its subscribers to stream both their DVR recordings as well as live TV over the web. The free site also includes an online guide, show recommendations and a search feature that helps customers find what to watch. Other options will help users track favorite shows – even if they’re available on a streaming service like Hulu or Netflix instead of network television.
Tomi Engdahl says:
BT is launching Europe’s first 4K sports channel in August
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/06/09/footballcrazyfootballmad/%E2%9A%BD%EF%B8%8F/
BT announced today that it will be offering football in 4K on its new BT Sport Ultra HD channel from August.
The channel is the first of its kind in Europe and will only be available to BT Infinity customers who have a 4K TV and the new BT TV Ultra HD set top box.
The Community Shield between Chelsea and Arsenal will be the first match shown in August and other live events such as fixtures from the UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, Barclays Premier League and Aviva Premiership Rugby will also be offered in 4K.
The service will be free for all current BT TV customers or you can sign up to BT TV and Internet and get it for £5 or £13.50 if you just want the sports channel on its own.
Tomi Engdahl says:
This is a radio clash: can Radio 1 survive the Apple attack?
http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jun/09/radio-1-apple-attack-nick-grimshaw-zane-lowe-spotify
Breakfast show host Nick Grimshaw has lost almost a million listeners, Zane Lowe has jumped ship and young people are tuning in for less time. With Apple Music and Spotify changing the game, what does it mean for radio’s existing players?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Single-chip IC for 4K Media Playback with Built-in HDMI Tx/Rx
http://www.eeweb.com/company-news/socionext/single-chip-ic-for-4k-media-playback-with-built-in-hdmi-txrx/
Socionext Inc. announced that they have begun the sampling process of their new MN2WS03101A. The MN2WS03101A is a single chip IC used for 4K/p60, HEVC and VP9 playback with a built-in HDMI-Tx/Rx. With the new device, it is capable of real time, multi-channel transcoding and four times faster in transcoding Full HD one-channel video.
As 4K resolution video becomes more popular and a wider variety of video content is available through the network, there is a high need for a playback capability for new video formats in addition to conventional full HD. HEVC, the new data compression technology is being adopted now for 4K Video, in particular. The market requires a compact, low-power chip that performs real-time decoding of HEVC-compressed 4K/p60 video, allowing output of high quality video with various image processing effects.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Les Paul, legendary guitarist and inventor, is born, June 9, 1915
http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/edn-moments/4430577/Les-Paul–legendary-guitarist-and-inventor–is-born–June-9–1915?_mc=NL_EDN_EDT_EDN_today_20150609&cid=NL_EDN_EDT_EDN_today_20150609&elq=a41939d92085425cb45400dae6e8ed3e&elqCampaignId=23360&elqaid=26327&elqat=1&elqTrackId=55a012159c0048e292866f93d86925a0
It’s been said that rock and roll as we know it would not exist without the inventions of Les Paul.
Born June 9, 1915, in Waukesha, WI, Lester Polfuss–who would later use the stage name Les Paul–started inventing at an early age. As a teen, he developed a harmonica holder fashioned out of a coat hanger that allowed him to flip his harmonica with his chin while also still playing his guitar and singing.
During his teen years, Paul played professionally with country bands and recorded hillbilly song
he formed the Les Paul Trio
While continuing to play music, Paul began experimenting with electronics and amplification in the early 1940s because he disliked the hollow bodies on the then-current electric guitars. He believed their vibration led to a thin tone and feedback.
Paul created one of the first solid-body electric guitars in 1941. He built “The Log,” as he called it
He built “The Log,” as he called it
It took another decade, however, before Paul was able to perfect the design. According to Rolling Stone magazine, the Gibson Guitar Corp solid-body guitar that bears his name is “the quintessential rock instrument made famous by such legends as Clapton, Duane Allman, Jimmy Page, and Slash.”
With advances he made in multitrack engineering, tape delay and echo effects, and overdubbing, Paul was also responsible for changes in the way music was recorded.
he developed the eight-track tape recorder with Ampex, which was introduced in 1952.
Paul was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ghost Towns Is the First 8K Video Posted To YouTube — But Can You Watch It?
http://news.slashdot.org/story/15/06/09/1740231/ghost-towns-is-the-first-8k-video-posted-to-youtube—-but-can-you-watch-it
4K videos and movies are still far from common and now 8K seems to start making its appearance online. A few days ago, what might be the first 8K video entitled “Ghost Towns” was published on Youtube and you can now watch it for yourself in its full 7680 × 4320 pixel glory — that is if you happen to have access to a 8K display (or projector).
The video was created by cinematographer Luke Neumann who used a 6K EPIC DRAGON camera using some advanced and complex techniques such as shooting in portrait orientation and then stitched the video together in Adobe After Effects.
Ghost Towns – The First 8K Video on Youtube
https://lensvid.com/gear/ghost-town-the-first-8k-video-on-youtube/
The videographer behind this interesting project called”Ghost Towns” is Luke Neumann who used a 6K EPIC DRAGON camera and according to nofilmschool:
[The Video was shot in] Portrait orientation and then stitched together in Adobe After Effects. Some shots simply scaled up by 125% from 6.1K to meet the 7.6K standard. Handheld stuff was just 6K FF. Scaled up by 125% and sharpened up a bit more than the others. The slider shots that had the secondary pan/tilts in them were also 6K FF. The true 8K shots were the ones that just had pans or tilts or simple dolly moves with no pan/tilt action.
This is obviustly a very complex technique which isn’t practical for most video/film creators at the moment. However there are several cameras which can shoot 8K natively without complex post processing. One of them is the new RED 8K Weapon which will be available later this year with an unbelievable resolution of 8192×4320 and a 8K 75fps mode.
8K video has been supported since 2010, but that labeling for 8K video (the 4320p/8K quality setting like pictured above) was added “earlier this year.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Review: Sigma DP3 Quattro
Sub Title: Sigma’s New Shooter Is a Funny-Looking Disappointment
http://www.wired.com/2015/06/review-sigma-dp3-quattro/
The Sigma DP3 Quattro doesn’t look like other cameras, and the Sigma DP3 Quattro doesn’t act like other cameras. If you look past its unique sensor and body—which would require ignoring two of its biggest points of distinction—it’s a good camera for portraits and macro photography: a fixed-lens, fixed focal-length shooter with a 75mm/F2.8 lens. If the environment is just right, it takes stunning pictures that trump most cameras at its price.
However, there are serious usability issues to consider with the DP3. It’s slow to autofocus, it’s scared of the dark, and it suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. While it captures wonderful pictures, it’s a niche camera
The sensor is the big reason to buy this camera—and the big reason not to. It’s an APS-C size sensor, which is the same size found in most consumer DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. However, this one gathers light in an entirely different way.
Rather than capture red, green, and blue light on adjacent photosites like the ubiquitous Bayer-filter sensor, this “Foveon” design stacks the color filters like a Dagwood sandwich. At every pixel, light passes through a blue filter, a green filter, then a red filter. That means at every pixel, every color is captured. The anti-aliasing and interpolation needed for Bayer-filter sensors—factors that negatively impact sharpness and color accuracy—aren’t in play here. Sigma claims those enhancements add up to the equivalent of a 39-megapixel Bayer sensor
From a practical standpoint, that should translate to sharper images and more-accurate colors. For the most part, that’s true.
But there’s a big drawback to that Foveon sensor: Less light gets through to the sensor after traveling through that triple-decker filter stack, and the camera is a disappointing low-light performer for its $1,000 price.
Autofocus performance is frustrating. Across the industry, autofocus speeds have improved dramatically in recent years—they’re regularly measured in speeds less than a tenth of a second nowadays—but the DP3 Quattro often struggles to find its subject.
Luckily, you can fine-tune the focus manually by half-pressing the shutter button and twisting the lens barrel
There’s a bit of an identity crisis going on with this camera’s control scheme. On one hand, it’s refreshingly simple and uncluttered.
That lack of packed-in buttons and dials makes the camera unintimidating to pick up and shoot with, but that’s sort of deceiving. Given its strong suits and manual-control options, this isn’t really a camera for novices.
The Sigma DP3 Quattro certainly isn’t a jack-of-all-trades, but it’s a master of at least one: portraits in good lighting. The image quality is hard to top in that scenario. But you must consider the tradeoffs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nothing beats a projection screen
http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/brians-brain/4439576/Nothing-beats-a-projection-screen?_mc=NL_EDN_EDT_EDN_consumerelectronics_20150610&cid=NL_EDN_EDT_EDN_consumerelectronics_20150610&elq=3d5cd72611e141ff8b4dede809b907ec&elqCampaignId=23401&elqaid=26378&elqat=1&elqTrackId=c0d8ccef399b468ba6dbc2d769da34e0
LCD TVs are getting larger, higher-resolution, lower-priced, and otherwise better all the time. But, as a recent experience personally made clear to me, nothing beats a projection screen if you’ve got the money and space to assemble the necessary system.
The DLA-X75R, as its name cryptically implies, is based on D-ILA (Direct Drive Image Light Amplifier) technology, which is JVC’s brand of LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon).
Do a Google search on “projection screen” and you’ll quickly learn that Elite Screens is one of the leading manufacturers in this particular product space (The Wirecutter agrees).
The specific “AUHD” variant that I selected is acoustically transparent, a necessary attribute given that the screen partially blocks my home theater’s front speakers located behind it when it’s lowered.
Future plans involve trying out the projector’s 3D capabilities via LCD shutter glasses. The DLA-X75R is compatible with two different emitter-plus-glasses schemes: infrared and RF. In both cases, the emitter is projector-located and mates to the DLA-X75R via a back panel connector. The infrared scheme bounces the beam off the screen and onto the glasses worn by audience members, while the RF approach is preferable because it doesn’t require line-of-sight orientation between screen and glasses-based infrared receivers. However, JVC’s branded equipment is pretty pricey
Instead, after doing a bit of research on available third-party alternatives, I bought off Ebay a pair of VIP-branded RF glasses plus an emitter for $63.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nate Swanner / The Next Web:
Apple Music will stream at 256kbps, below the ‘industry standard’ 320kbps
http://thenextweb.com/apple/2015/06/09/apple-music-will-stream-at-256kbps-below-the-industry-standard-320kbps/
Arriving June 30, Apple Music is going to try and curate tracks with a human touch. It won’t stream them at the highest possible bitrate, though.
Apple has confirmed Apple Music’s streaming bitrate is 256kbps. That’s Apple’s standard playback rate for existing iTunes tracks, but below some of the competition.
It’s even below Beats Music’s threshold of 320kbps — the company Apple purchased last year. Spotify, Google Play Music and Tidal all stream at “up to” 320kbps, too.
There’s been no lavish outcry for better iTunes playback quality, suggesting users either can’t tell the difference between 256kbps and 320kbps — or just don’t care.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kellex / Droid Life:
Sources: New Nest Cam is a slimmed down version of Dropcam; new app has updated UI, slide-down menu, button-heavy interface
This is the Nest Cam and the New Nest App for Android
http://www.droid-life.com/2015/06/10/this-is-the-nest-cam-and-the-new-nest-app-for-android/
The new unit appears to have been slimmed down quite substantially to a much more modern and sleek body that should fit quite nicely on a shelf. Dropcams were never the most beautiful piece of technology in your house, but the Nest Cam certainly changes that some.
Nest has been slowly rolling out new features to test units, like full 1080p video streaming (likely recording too) and a simpler setup process that involves Bluetooth and QR codes.
On a related note, the Nest app is about to receive a major overhaul that also brings together Dropcam and Nest products. The new app is getting a UI makeover that looks quite modern, has a slide-down menu (yes, down), and a new button-heavy interface. But maybe more importantly, the new Nest app has the ability to show you Dropcam cameras and their status.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spotify Blog:
Spotify hits 20M paid subscribers, 75M total active users, has paid $3B in artist royalties — 20 Million Reasons to Say Thanks — What a difference a year makes! At the end of May 2014, we reached 10 million paying subscribers and 40 million active users.
20 Million Reasons to Say Thanks
https://news.spotify.com/uk/2015/06/10/20-million-reasons-to-say-thanks/
We have now paid more than $3 billion USD in royalties, including more than $300 million in the first three months of 2015 alone. That’s good for music, good for music fans … and good for music makers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Joseph Lichterman / Nieman Lab:
Public radio is seeing a shift in digital listening: Live streaming is slowing, on-demand is growing — There are early indications that the digital listenership habits of the public radio audience are changing, as fewer people listen to live streaming audio and a growing number choose to tune in on demand.
http://www.niemanlab.org/2015/06/public-radio-is-seeing-a-shift-in-digital-listening-live-streaming-is-slowing-on-demand-is-growing/
Tomi Engdahl says:
USB bus is a universal technique that can be found in almost all devices. However, the bus is no longer sufficient, for example, a video transfer of security cameras. HD and UHD- that is, ultra-high-definition video producing such a massive data stream that the old USB 2.0 to the bend. Fortunately, USB 3.0 is becoming.
The five mega pixel camera with 24 frames per second produces a rate of 2.4 Gbps data stream. On older serial-shaped buses such as USB 2.0 and WiFi 802.11n simply do not stay perched on the camera data.
For example, USB 2.0, the actual bandwidth is only 280-320 megabits per second (from 35 to 40 megabytes per second). Most devices only reach 200-240 Mbps. Continuous USB 2.0 -Transmission depends greatly on the software driver and platform optimization.
USB 3.0 is a very effective choice for developers of today’s embedded systems. Its two-bus architecture allows communication with older devices, while SuperSpeed USB bus of up to five gigabits per second data transfer rate.
C-type USB interface will spread quickly, for example, laptops. Cypress Semiconductor has now presented the final development package, which allows equipment manufacturers to develop their own C-USB interface to support in all different display types.
CY4501-package allows you to develop a connection with a laptop and a HDMI, DVI or even equipped with a VGA connection box. The package includes the necessary circuitry and software.
Platform also supports the new USB Billboard function. It allows equipped with a C-type USB output device can discuss with a device that does not support DisplayPort bus. DisplayPort is one of the Cypress driver circuit in an alternate interface mode. Such a connection only needs an HDMI / DVI / VGA protocol conversion circuit, which is offered in the Mega Chip In.
Sources:
http://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2958:vanha-usb-ei-riita-videon-siirtoon&catid=13&Itemid=101
http://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2950:usb-c-liitanta-kaikkiin-nayttoihin&catid=13&Itemid=101
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spooky ghost town vid perfectly sums up YouTube’s 8K playback: It’s virtually no use to anyone (yet)
G’on, give it a go
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/06/10/youtube_8k_google/
Ultra-high definition 8K videos are appearing on YouTube, despite the fact that few home broadband connections on the planet can stream them, and even fewer screens are capable of showing them in their full glory.
The video arm of the Mountain View ad giant turned heads this week when a mini-flick called “Ghost Towns in 8K” emerged on the website. The video showcases a series of empty houses and scenery around an abandoned town.
While the serene content of the two-minute clip is hardly thrilling, the format in which it was shot is raising eyebrows. The clip touts itself as an 8K video: its 7680×4320 resolution is twice that of the 3840 x 2160 4K Ultra-HD format.
According to its filmmakers Luke and Marika Neumann, the ghost town was captured using a “RED Epic Dragon 6K in portrait orientation, and then stitched together in Adobe After Effects. Some shots were simply scaled up by 125 per cent from 6.1K to meet the 7.6K standard.”
The video does show an impressive clarity of image, even on your humble hack’s small notebook: downscaling the 8K or 4K flick to a smaller screen gets it a sharper feel, like popping in your contact lens after a terrific hangover.
Viewing the clip in all of its high-resolution glory, however, is going to be next to impossible for most of the planet.
8K television sets are still almost entirely just prototype devices, and as recently as this year’s CES, vendors could not give a potential date for when they will hit the shops.
The IMAX format boasts a reported 18K resolution, so perhaps if you had a theater on hand you’d be in luck – though you would need a rather formidable broadband connection just to be able to suck down an 8k film. Netflix requires a 5Mbps connection to stream HD and a 25Mbps connection for its limited range of 4K titles. A rate for 8K picture was not given, though doubling the horizontal and vertical resolutions multiplies those requirements.
Actual broadcasts of 8K programming aren’t likely to start until 2020 at the earliest.
Tomi Engdahl says:
One of YouTube’s first 8K videos is almost impossible to watch
http://www.slashgear.com/one-of-youtubes-first-8k-videos-is-almost-impossible-to-watch-10387671/
It’s difficult to guess when 8K will become more commonplace. At this point, there’s little hardware out that’s capable of playing it, so creators are less inclined to produce it. But if there’s little content available, consumers are less interested in upgrading to the necessary hardware. As it is, there are only a few cameras in existence that can record in 8K, and most of them aren’t yet available to consumers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Virtual reality headsets are set to take off. Here’s how the market will grow.
VR shipments will create a $2.8 billion hardware market by 2020, up from an estimated $37 million market this year.
Read more: http://uk.businessinsider.com/virtual-reality-headset-sales-explode-2015-04?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=taboola&utm_campaign=taboola&utm_term=eslmedia-theindependent?r=US#ixzz3ckX4Dk2i
Tomi Engdahl says:
Zack Arias: Sensor Size – Crop Or Crap?
https://lensvid.com/gear/zack-arias-sensor-size-crop-or-crap/
Jul 30 0
Zack Arias: Sensor Size – Crop Or Crap?
Does full frame really matter so much and if so why did pro photographer Zack Arias decided to switch from his professional DSLR to a small mirrorless camera? plus, how big is a really big “sensor” – all these questions and more on this video.
We have already looked at different aspects of sensor size in the past on Matt Granger‘s video “Why Depth of Field is NOT Effected by Sensor Size – A Demonstration” and in “Understanding Crop Factor in Digital Cameras” by photographer Tony Northrup.
Tomi Engdahl says:
James Vincent / The Verge:
Marriott to offer guests Netflix at no extra cost at all properties by the end of 2016 — Marriott is letting guests watch Netflix on their hotel TV — Netflix subscribers staying at Marriott hotels in the US will soon be able to log in to their Netflix accounts just like at home.
Marriott is letting guests watch Netflix on their hotel TV
http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/10/8756265/netflix-marriott-hotel-available
Netflix subscribers staying at Marriott hotels in the US will soon be able to log in to their Netflix accounts just like at home. The hotel chain says it’s created an “adapted” version of the Netflix app that will be available via its internet-connected TVs. Guests simply log in once at the beginning of their stay, and their credentials are wiped clean when they check out. (Guests who aren’t already paying for Netflix can sign up for a free 30-day trial from the app or buy a full subscription.)
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung reveals plans for new mirror and transparent OLED displays
http://www.engadget.com/2015/06/10/samsung-mirror-transparent-display/
Samsung has unveiled its new mirror and transparent OLED displays in Hong Kong, and from the sound of it, the company has big plans for both of them. While the event has only showcased the screens as ad billboards and as a virtual necklace stand, Samsung believes they have bigger uses in the future once they’re integrated with Intel’s RealSense technology. It plans to develop the mirror display, for instance, as a “virtual fitting room,” made possible by the Intel technology’s 3D cameras and an “automated library of stored perceptions.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Is Ready to Support European Digital Innovation, Says Eric Schmidt
Continent must have a single digital market or fall behind, says tech-giant chairman
http://www.wsj.com/articles/google-ready-to-support-european-digital-innovation-says-eric-schmidt-1433946280
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sony Launches iPad App for PlayStation Vue
First Third-Party Device to Support New OTT-TV Service – See more at: http://www.multichannel.com/news/tv-apps/sony-launches-ipad-app-playstation-vue/391243#sthash.TfrlkQFD.dpuf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Streaming Music Is Fundamentally Changing the Way We Listen
http://recode.net/2015/06/05/streaming-music-is-fundamentally-changing-the-way-we-listen/
Over the past 10 years, we at Sonos have had the privilege of a front-row seat as streaming music has evolved; we’ve watched inspiring innovative ideas and technologies emerge and take shape. Some of these flourished, while others faded away. Through it all, two things remained constant: The passion music fans feel for their favorite artists, and their determination to do whatever it takes to listen to the music they love.
We’ve reached a watershed moment for streaming music. Music fans are taking advantage of a rapidly evolving landscape of technologies and services that are redefining our music experience, and expanding our engagement with music and artists in ways that were previously unimaginable.
While music-streaming growth has long outpaced the purchase of digital downloads and CDs, we now see the tipping point globally. This sea change from ownership to access is comparable only to the invention of recorded music itself. We believe that by 2021, one billion people worldwide will be paying for streaming music.
The recent debate on streaming has been focused on short-term concerns — issues of access, mobile convenience and remuneration.
Our ultimate goal as an industry must be to create a sustainable ecosystem that both ensures artists can succeed and flourish and provides music lovers with seamless access to that music alongside a revitalized listening experience.
A plethora of streaming services — from pioneers such as Spotify, YouTube and Pandora to more recent entrants like Tidal and soon Apple — are introducing hundreds of millions of listeners to streaming music, and making sweeping changes to the listening experience via curated playlists, smart algorithms and other completely new, hyperconnected approaches.
Tomi Engdahl says:
News & Analysis
TI Offers Wearable Evaluation Kit
1080p DLP Fits Head-Mounted Displays
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1326840&
Wearables is just one of the applications of Texas Instruments (TI’s) digital light processing (DLP) 1080p pico-sized display measuring just 0.47 inches announced last fall. Today TI is announcing volume production of the chip plus a DLP LightCrafter Display 4710 Evaluation Module to help engineers get up and running quickly on applications ranging from digital signage to mobile projectors to screen-less TVs to control panels to interactive displays to wearables including Google-Glass-like head-mounted displays.
“We have engineers building applications that we never thought of,” Frank Moizio, business unit manager for DLP told EE Times. “For instance, we have a stove maker working to project their control panel instead of using switches. Another is projecting scenes from other rooms onto the kitchen countertop to keep track of the children while cooking.”
TI has also built up an ecosystem of third party developers to provide the needed items TI does not manufacturer, such as the optical engines that provide just the right amount of illumination onto the mirrored surface of the tilt-and-roll pixel (TRP) arrays that deflect just the right amount of red, green and blue light to form a 1080p image from the Pico 0.47-inch TRP Full-HD DLP.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Creative Commons is building a mobile app to kill stock photos
http://thenextweb.com/apps/2015/06/12/creative-commons-is-building-a-mobile-app-to-kill-stock-photos/
Content sharing nonprofit Creative Commons has been hard at work over a mobile app that lets people and organizations request and use images from users under an open license — ringing the death knell for stock photos.
It’s called The List, because it provides lists of locations, people, objects and events that users need pictures of. Other users can view these requests and publish their own images for public use through the app.
Creative Commons currently allows people to search the Web for images under its open license. Its app will open up an avenue for contributors to share their work directly with those who need it.
https://thelist.creativecommons.org/
No one can be everywhere at once. But everyone can.
NGOs, journalists, government agencies, and cultural institutions all need photographs to tell their story and educate others. But there’s no way for those organizations to be in the right place at the right time, every time. That’s where we come in.
Through The List, organizations will provide lists of locations, people, and events that they need photographs of. And when users are in the right place at the right time, they can claim an item from the list and publish a photograph of it. All photos on The List are openly licensed, meaning that everyone can use them.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wifibroadcast Makes WiFi FPV Video More Like Analog
http://hackaday.com/2015/06/13/wifibroadcast-makes-wifi-fpv-video-more-like-analog/
Normal WiFi is not what you want to send video from your quadcopter back to the first-person-view (FPV) goggles strapped on your head, because it’s designed for 100% correct, two-way transmission of data between just two radios. Transmission of analog video signals, on the other hand, is lossy, one-way, and one-to-many, which is why the longer-range FPV flights all tend to use old-school analog video transmission.
When you’re near the edge of your radios’ range, you care much more about getting any image in a timely fashion than about getting the entire video sequence correctly after a delay.
And that’s why [Befinitiv] wrote wifibroadcast: to give his WiFi FPV video system some of the virtues of analog broadcast.
In particular, two Raspberry Pis combined with WiFi radios that can be put into monitor mode enable him to custom tailor the packets that get sent, allowing his rig to sidestep WiFi’s acknowledgment scheme, add in a custom retransmission routine that helps limit lost packets, and even allow multiple receivers to listen in to the same signal so that a diversity reception scheme could be implemented.
Wifibroadcast – Analog-like transmission of live video data
https://befinitiv.wordpress.com/wifibroadcast-analog-like-transmission-of-live-video-data/
What wifibroadcast makes different
Wifibroadcast puts the wifi cards into monitor mode. This mode allows to send and receive arbitrary packets without association. Additionally, it is also possible to receive erroneous frames (where the checksum does not match). This way a true unidirectional connection is established which mimics the advantageous properties of an analog link.
The traditional scheme “single broadcaster – multiple receivers” works out of the box. If bystanders want to watch the video stream with their devices they just have to “switch to the right channel”
Wifibroadcast allows you to use several low cost receivers in parallel and combine their data to increase probability of correct data reception. This so-called software diversity allows you to use identical receivers to improve relieability as well as complementary receiver
The choice of the embedded computer is free. However, Raspberry Pi’s are highly recommended due to the low price and easy camera integration
Not all wifi cards are compatible with wifibroadcast. This is because wifibroadcast uses injection mode which not fully supported by most wifi chipsets. Tests have shown that the ATHEROS AR9172 delivers good performance under wifibroadcast.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cloud Computing
VPNs Dissolve National Boundaries Online, for Work and Movie-Watching
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/08/in-ways-legal-and-illegal-vpn-technology-is-erasing-international-borders/
Rod Drury, an entrepreneur in Auckland, New Zealand, regularly visits the United States. Sometimes there are multiple visits a day.
“People here can’t get Netflix, so they get a VPN that gives them a U.S. I.P. address, and watch Netflix like they’re in America,” he said. “If I want something off iTunes, I buy U.S. cards online.”
Decoding the jargon: Millions of people around the world now pay for virtual private computer networks — a security method that uses encryption to hide Internet traffic — and similar services to hook into a server in the United States. As far as the video and retail services can tell, Mr. Drury is one more American customer.
If the Internet breaks down national boundaries, it may happen from the comfort of our couches. VPNs were originally thought of as a way for companies to guarantee security or dissidents to avoid the prying eyes of their governments. Now they are part of a larger movement for people to work and play anywhere on the planet, at all times.
And if the software can’t come to consumers, the customers use VPN to get to the software.
“Unblock geo-restricted websites and web services like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Skype, and many more!” says the webpage of PureVPN, which charges $45 a year to turn you into a virtual American. You might prefer being Canadian, since Netflix Canada has a bigger selection of films.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Machine Vision Algorithm Chooses the Most Creative Paintings in History
http://www.technologyreview.com/view/538281/machine-vision-algorithm-chooses-the-most-creative-paintings-in-history/
Picking the most creative paintings is a network problem akin to finding super spreaders of disease. That’s allowed a machine to pick out the most creative paintings in history.
Tomi Engdahl says:
YouTube Announces YouTube Gaming, A Standalone App To Compete With Twitch
http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/12/youtube-announces-youtube-gaming-a-standalone-app-to-compete-with-twitch/#.utwu3c:V2nM
YouTube’s been dealing with real competition in the last few years, and today it’s launching a new standalone app and site to maintain its grip on gamers’ attention.
Facebook has filled its News Feed with viral videos, news clips, and anything else its users and the brands trying to reach them are willing to upload. Sites like Twitch now capture a huge portion of time spent watching videos by focusing on specific verticals of content, like gaming.
What’s interesting is that, with the exception of premium sites like Hulu or Netflix, YouTube has a lot of the same content as its competitors. It’s a blessing and a curse: being a one-stop shop means you have to somehow match users with the right content at the right time.
Today’s announcement of YouTube Gaming, a standalone app and site focused on video game related content, shows the company isn’t sitting idly by while outside forces steal attention away from its massive library of content. By building a product around a specific vertical, it can build an experience untarnished by the random viewing habits that can throw off its recommendation algorithms.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Facebook says no sex apps on Oculus, but won’t discuss limits on violence
Read more: http://uk.businessinsider.com/facebook-oculus-no-sex-violence-limits-unclear-2015-6?r=US#ixzz3d81WI900
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nobody should have to see their own rear, but that’s what Turnbull’s NBN will do to Australia
4K is just the beginning: Virtual Reality’s second coming will need even more bandwidth
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/04/22/turnbulls_nbn_will_leave_australia_looking_at_its_own_behind/
Last month I had a disorienting and quite frankly unnerving experience: I saw myself from behind.
Twenty-five years ago I was deeply involved in the development of first-generation virtual reality systems. I truly believed VR to be The Next Big ThingTM. It was obvious that by 2015 – twenty five years in the future – we’d all be using virtual reality gear to visit virtual worlds, and communicate with one another.
That future didn’t quite turn out as planned. Sega VR – meant to bring the immersive experience to millions of video game kiddies – disappeared before it reached the market, under a cloud of safety concerns. When Sega pulled the plug, most of the the VR industry went down the gurgler.
For nearly 20 years, VR disappeared from view. But the idea of 3D virtual worlds, well, that went on to become the multi-billion dollar industry of video gaming.
When Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign, a new generation of enthusiasts – too young to remember the crash-and-burn of the early 90s – became the new True Believers.
I’ve rarely been impressed by virtual worlds. Most feel like barebones theatre sets.
So when I walked up to the VideoStitch booth at LAUNCH, I was ready. I’d been ready for almost half my life. I donned the still-too-heavy and still-too-tethered Oculus DK2 headset they offered, and found myself in another world – about two meters to my posterior.
No one should really have the experience of seeing themselves from behind.
That a little tech demo could leave me so thoroughly harrowed speaks to the power of immersive video. I could look anywhere I wanted, in any direction, and see the world around me. When I removed the Oculus, VideoStitch founder Nicolas Burtey pointed to a tripod, two meters behind me, studded with six GoPro cameras. Each fed their HD video into a PC running his software, knitting their different views into a seamless bubble of streaming video that fed into the Oculus.
The view from inside the display seemed relatively low resolution, because even UHD video (4K) provides barely enough pixels to fill the world with any detail. VideoStitch offers a ‘military-grade’ version of their software, and although Burtey remained cagey about specifics, I got the sense the software could handle much higher resolutions.
Later that same day, I donned Samsung’s VR Gear (better than Oculus by a long shot) and watched an LA Lakers basketball game from a seat at centre court. I’d always known immersive video would be huge, but this gave me my first taste of just how big it would be.
Google has already added immersive video capabilities to YouTube with its ‘YouTube 360’ program, and Facebook, partnering with VideoStitch, has announced the same feature.
Immersive video is coming, and the punters are going to love it. Even if most won’t don a head-mounted display to watch the footie, they’ll love the fact that they’ll always be able to pan the view on their big-screen telly. It’s a feature we won’t use all the time (we’ll leave that to well-trained directors and camera operators) but it’ll be another important feature of 21st century broadcasting.
To do immersive video well requires extraordinary amounts of bandwidth. VideoStitch can take the output from an array of RED cameras – each capturing their own UHD stream – and integrate them into a stream that could easily be 8K (Ultra Ultra High Definition), even 16K. Try getting that over any broadband that doesn’t have nearly a gigabit of capacity, and you’re going to have all sorts of problems.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hackaday Prize Entry: An Open Source Industrial Camera
http://hackaday.com/2015/06/14/hackaday-prize-entry-an-open-source-industrial-camera/
Over the last few years, connecting a camera to the Internet has gotten cheaper and cheaper. The advances that made this possible did not come through security cameras, but instead tiny cell phone camera modules, ARM boards, and embedded computing. Right now, if you want a livestream of your back yard, you’d probably get a Raspberry Pi and camera module. This will work for 90% of cases, but what if you want to livestream a slightly harsher environment? What if you want image processing right on the camera? What if you want this camera to have a rating for environmental protection?
Open Source Industrial Smart Camera
https://hackaday.io/project/5005-open-source-industrial-smart-camera
A low cost, full featured open source, industrial camera
This camera will be the first in a line of open source industrial automation machines.
Tomi Engdahl says:
OpenMV
https://hackaday.io/project/1313-openmv
Python-powered machine vision modules
Tomi Engdahl says:
Peter Kafka / Re/code:
Apple will share 71.5% of Apple Music revenue with music rights owners in US, average around 73% outside US, no royalties paid during trial period — Here’s What Happens to Your $10 After You Pay for a Month of Apple Music — You don’t have to pay anything to try Apple’s new streaming music service …
Here’s What Happens to Your $10 After You Pay for a Month of Apple Music
http://recode.net/2015/06/15/heres-what-happens-to-your-10-after-you-pay-for-a-month-of-apple-music/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Catherine Shu / TechCrunch:
Mobli launches EyeIn, an image search engine that crawls social networks for the best pictures for breaking news, trending topics, and live events
After Three Years In Development, Mobli Unveils Real-Time Image Search Engine EyeIn
http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/15/mobli-eyein/
Mobli, the photo- and video-based social network, launched in 2010, but it has just uncovered its flagship product, a real-time image search engine called EyeIn. Now available on the web and as a mobile app, EyeIn’s algorithms filter out content like selfies to return the most relevant results to users almost as soon as they are posted on social networks.
An embeddable plugin of EyeIn has also been piloted by six sites, including the Huffington Post and News Cult, and will use a revenue share model similar to Outbrain and Taboola.
“We have eyes all over the world. Everything worth seeing is being capture by someone with a smartphone. What we lack is a mechanism to collect those eyes, to enable us to look around,” says Sadeh.
“The other challenge is user-generated content that is not always relevant. For example, at a Lady Gaga concert, 70 percent of images are selfies, which are not the most relevant or interesting content that comes to mind. Our set of algorithms allows us to tune down the noise.”
EyeIn For Publishers
While EyeIn’s target user base is consumers, its program for partner sites is designed to help online companies increase user engagement and partake in ad revenue.
For ongoing event like a sport game, EyeIn’s plugin may get readers to return to the same site by providing ongoing live coverage with very little work required by the publisher.
“We are able to provide in real-time a social album with a very wide perspective as things happen. That is from a content perspective,” says Sadeh.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Video decoder simplifies backup camera designs
http://www.edn.com/electronics-products/other/4439678/Video-decoder-simplifies-backup-camera-designs?_mc=NL_EDN_EDT_EDN_productsandtools_20150615&cid=NL_EDN_EDT_EDN_productsandtools_20150615&elq=e285574a28c84e2691aa66d3095e6b8c&elqCampaignId=23448&elqaid=26454&elqat=1&elqTrackId=5660a06d94604d44bc03345dfa558318
Eliminating the need for an external op amp, the TW9992 analog video decoder from Intersil accepts both single-ended and differential CVBS inputs from a vehicle’s backup safety camera, reducing system cost and saving board space. The device is outfitted with a MIPI CSI-2 interface, which makes it easier to connect to next-generation SoCs, while also lowering the system’s EMI profile.
Software-selectable analog-input control allows any combination of single-ended and differential inputs. In addition to programmable hue, brightness, saturation, contrast, and sharpness, the NTSC/PAL video decoder provides an ACA (automatic contrast adjustment) image-enhancement function that adjusts to rapidly changing lighting conditions for greater visibility and safety.
http://www.intersil.com/en/products/end-market-specific/automotive-ics/video-decoders/TW9992.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vesper Piezoelectric MEMS Microphone with 68 dB SNR
http://www.edn.com/electronics-products/electronic-product-reviews/other/4439679/Vesper-Piezoelectric-MEMS-Microphone-with-68-dB-SNR?_mc=NL_EDN_EDT_EDN_productsandtools_20150615&cid=NL_EDN_EDT_EDN_productsandtools_20150615&elq=e285574a28c84e2691aa66d3095e6b8c&elqCampaignId=23448&elqaid=26454&elqat=1&elqTrackId=8f3ed8e3973143e780a5c0b0d98bb832
Vesper’s recent launch of the VM101, a piezoelectric MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) microphone has achieved 68 dB typical signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) — the highest acoustic-performance benchmark of any commercially available MEMS microphone in the industry.
This is the first ultra-high SNR MEMS microphone and its unique architecture solves major performance issues facing consumer products manufacturers. This new design, first developed by founders at the University of Michigan in 2009, enhances the quality and clarity of audio capture to improve the voice user interface in smartphones, wearables, smart home appliances and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. I was told that this type of architecture was conceived back in 2006 when a cochlear implant model was built with it.
So not only is this the highest SNR device in the market, but it is also the only MEMS microphone that is waterproof, shockproof and dust- and particle-resistant – greatly helping to solve reliability issues with existing products.
A metal mesh used in a capacitive microphone to block dust and water can easily clog up especially with surfactants (soaps) or salt water, sweat or winding up in the laundry.
In the VM101 piezoelectric MEMS design, incoming sound impinges on the moving plates which have an opening for the sound to not be compressed as in the capacitive design.
This microphone design achieves 68 dB SNR, nearly doubling the performance over the current high-end 65 dB SNR capacitive MEMS microphones
MEMS microphones are typically used in microphone arrays of up to four microphones, which makes microphone stability critical. Higher SNR microphones enable larger arrays and give audio processors more signal with which to work. Arrays also give directionality and focus; they can be used with signal processing for effect at the push of a button. Be cautious because endlessly increasing the number of microphones in array will eventually give diminishing returns and actually hurt SNR.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Phonographs Through The Eye Of An Electron Microscope
http://hackaday.com/2015/06/16/phonographs-through-the-eye-of-an-electron-microscope/
Hackaday Prize judge [Ben Krasnow] has been busy lately. He’s put his scanning electron microscope (SEM) to work creating an animation of a phonograph needle playing a record.
Just imaging the record wouldn’t be enough; [Ben] wanted an animation of a needle traveling through the record grove
Electron microscope slow-motion video of vinyl LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuCdsyCWmt8
Tomi Engdahl says:
Amazon Bans Kodi/XBMC App Over Piracy Concerns
By Ernesto on June 16, 2015
http://torrentfreak.com/amazon-bans-kodi-app-over-piracy-concerns-150616/
Amazon has removed the popular media center Kodi from the app store claiming it facilitates piracy. The software, formerly known as XBMC, doesn’t link to or host any infringing content, but third-party add-ons are giving the software a bad reputation.
Taking “infringing” apps out of popular app stores is one of Hollywood’s key anti-piracy priorities for the years to come.
Various entertainment industry groups frequently report “piracy-enabling” apps to Apple, Google, Microsoft and Amazon, alongside requests for the stores to take them offline.
The stores themselves also screen for potentially problematic software.
“In reviewing your app, we determined that it can be used to facilitate the piracy or illegal download of content. Any facilitation of piracy or illegal downloads is not allowed in our program,” Amazon wrote to Kodi.
“Please do not resubmit this app or similar apps in the future,” Amazon’s support team added.
The Kodi software itself is an entirely legal media center that doesn’t come with any infringing features or content. However, there are many third-party addons that allow users to stream pirated movies and TV-shows.
“This is a bad decision on Amazon’s part simply because Kodi is one giant reason people buy Amazon Fire TVs and Amazon Fire TV Sticks. Compatibility with our software makes for a really simple backdoor for entering the Amazon ecosystem.”
“I personally have sideloaded Kodi onto Amazon sticks for a number of my family members, who then found themselves also using Amazon Prime and many other Amazon services,” he adds.
Coincidentally, around the same time Amazon booted Kodi from their market, Google decided to include it in the Play Store. According to the Kodi team this is yet another reason for people to leave Amazon hardware behind.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Emil Protalinski / VentureBeat:
BitTorrent debuts Shoot, a $2 photo sharing app with no file size limits, for Android, iOS, Windows Phone, bets on an ad-free experience that puts privacy first
BitTorrent launches $2 photo sharing app Shoot for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone
http://venturebeat.com/2015/06/16/bittorrent-launches-2-photo-sharing-app-shoot-for-android-ios-and-windows-phone/
BitTorrent launched a new photo and video sharing app today called BitTorrent Shoot. You can download the new paid app now directly from Google Play, Apple’s App Store, and the Windows Phone Store.
As a way to try the product, BitTorrent lets you make your first three sends for free. You’ll then be prompted to pay $1.99 after these three transfers complete. For the receiver, BitTorrent promises the product will always be free.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nathan Ingraham / The Verge:
Nest’s security camera Cam allows streaming 1080p video at 30 FPS to iOS 8, Android 4 devices, costs $200, allows saving footage with subscription service Aware — Nest’s first security camera is called the Cam — It’s been almost a year to the day since Nest purchased Dropcam for $555 million …
Nest gets into the home security game with the Nest Cam
The legacy of Dropcam lives on
http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/17/8793685/nest-cam-security-cam-announcement
It’s been almost a year to the day since Nest purchased Dropcam for $555 million, and today we’re seeing the first real fruits of that acquisition. At an event in San Francisco this morning, Nest unveiled the new Nest Cam — a home security and monitoring device that looks exactly like the one that leaked just last week.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Christopher Williams / Telegraph:
British Independent music labels balk at Apple’s plans for free trial period, during which they would receive no royalties — Record labels attack Apple deals that would leave them ‘completely screwed’ — Independents claim they could be forced out of business by free trial …
Record labels attack Apple deals that would leave them ‘completely screwed’
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/digital-media/11679030/Record-labels-attack-Apple-deals-that-would-leave-them-completely-screwed.html
Independents claim they could be forced out of business by free trial of new streaming service and withold popular artists such as Adele
Apple is accused of attempting to launch its new Spotify rival, Apple Music, in a way that would leave Britain’s independent record labels “completely screwed” and struggling to survive.
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The Silicon Valley giant is demanding that record labels such as XL Recordings, the home of Adele, and Domino, the label behind the Arctic Monkeys, agree to a free three-month trial of Apple Music, during which they will receive no payment.
The plan, only disclosed since the service was unveiled in at a glitzy event in San Francisco last week, has caused dismay among British labels, according to Andy Heath, the chairman of UK Music, the industry lobby group.
Mr Heath told The Telegraph that to his knowledge no British independent labels have agreed to Apple’s terms or intend to on grounds they will “literally put people out of business”.
“Apple hasn’t thought this through at all and it’s not like them. They can’t spring a contract like this on us three weeks from release.
“They are basically putting all the risk on the labels. People will say ‘oh but you’re on Spotify’. Well yes, but we get paid for that.”
In contrast to Apple’s plans for a free three-month trial, Spotify pays royalties for every song listened to via its mobile app, albeit fractions of a penny per track.
“Apple is sitting there with this massive pile of cash and saying to us, ‘you help us start a new business’. Well I just don’t think it is going to happen on these terms.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stream it! – RZ: Encode and Stream Video in Real Time
http://www.silica.com/product/stream-it-rz-encode-and-stream-video-in-real-t.html
Video Streaming is increasingly becoming a core technology in our lives and not only in entertainment. Security cameras are securing our lives in more and more public places today. Making action videos almost has become a new sport in itself. A whole line-up of high-tech gadgets rely on efficient real-time streaming, including equipment for video chat, teleconferencing and video door phones.
YSTREAM-IT-RZ is the quickest and easiest route to a real-time streaming implementation. The Stream it! kit actually is three kits in one. You can evaluate h.264 video encoding and streaming in real-time with up to 40 frames per second, and you can reload to make the kit a webserver with integrated sensor data logger or you can make it an mp3 player receiving streamed music from your PC. All this comes in one box and reloading is just as simple as pushing a couple of buttons.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple Revokes Monster’s Authority to Make Licensed Accessories
Move follows Monster’s lawsuit against Apple unit Beats
http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-revokes-monsters-authority-to-make-licensed-accessories-1434481512
Audio-equipment maker Monster LLC is finding out the hard way what happens when you cross Apple Inc.
Monster said Apple revoked its authority to make licensed accessories for Apple devices after Monster and its chief executive sued Beats Electronics LLC in January.
Tomi Engdahl says:
NetAtMo Welcome camera is first to offer face recognition
If it knows you, it’ll leave you alone
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2413606/netatmo-welcome-camera-is-first-to-offer-face-recognition
NETATMO has released the first home security camera with active face recognition, allowing the camera to ‘learn’ the inhabitants and visitors to a dwelling and ignore them.
The French company better known for its weather stations and UV fitness bands said that NetAtMo Welcome uses proprietary algorithms to monitor and recognise faces.
Users of the camera can set up their own identity and those of regular visitors, and decide whether their movements are to be tracked or ignored.
All data is held on a microSD card and nothing is held in the cloud. Data is passed through a server only during streaming to the relevant Android, iOS or Apple Watch app.
Unrecognised faces trigger the camera to record footage. The SD card is bank-level encrypted so if it is removed it is unreadable and untraceable.
The camera is currently being sold as a standalone product for £199 and no subscription fees. However, with a range of NetAtMo products already on the market, and an open API available now, the use of face recognition to trigger events and control other home automation is only a matter of time, and a few boffins to build the bridge.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Open Broadcaster Software
Free, open source software for live streaming and recording
https://obsproject.com/
Open Broadcaster Software is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming. Supported features include:
Encoding using H264 (x264) and AAC.
Support for Intel Quick Sync Video (QSV) and NVENC.
Unlimited number of scenes and sources.
Live RTMP streaming to Twitch, YouTube, DailyMotion, Hitbox and more.
File output to MP4 or FLV.
GPU-based game capture for high performance game streaming.
DirectShow capture device support (webcams, capture cards, etc).
Windows 8 high speed monitor capture support.
Bilinear or lanczos3 resampling.
OBS MultiPlatform is a complete rewrite of the original OBS from the ground up, with the main goals of course being multiplatform support, a more thorough feature set, and a much more powerful API.
OBS is completely free! Not a dime! There are no subscriptions or licenses, no payments at all. OBS is available to everyone, with source code publicly available on github for anyone to help contribute.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hackaday Prize Entry: Recording RC Planes With Third Person View
http://hackaday.com/2015/06/18/hackaday-prize-entry-recording-rc-planes-with-third-person-view/
With the latest advancements in small, cheap video transmitters, it’s no surprise First Person View remote-controlled aircraft are so popular.
Despite all the technical challenges of FPV flying, there’s still one underserved part of recording RC aircraft: third person view, or as it’s more commonly called, ‘handing a camcorder to your friend.’
[Walker Eric] would like to do something about that. He’s always wanted nice videos of him flying his plane, and he can’t film and fly at the same time. He can build a robot, though, and that’s his entry for The Hackaday Prize.
[Walker]’s project uses a base station with a camcorder mounted on a gimbal. The electronics for this setup are surprisingly simple – just a GPS beacon transmitting telemetry down to the base station. By comparing this data to a GPS receiver on the ground station, the direction of the plane can be computed.
Autonomous video recording
https://hackaday.io/project/5985-autonomous-video-recording
This project goal is to developp an autonomous way of filming RC plane during flight without the need of a 2nd person to do it.