Here are some audio and video trends picks for the year 2017:
It seems that 3D craze is over. So long, 3DTV – we won’t miss you – BBC News reports that at this year’s CES trade show, there was barely a whimper of 3D TV, compared to just two years ago when it was being heralded as the next big thing. In the cinema, 3D was milked for all it was worth, and even James Cameron, who directed Avatar, is fed up with 3D. There are currently no major manufacturers making 3DTVs as Samsung, LG and Sony have now stopped making 3D-enabled televisions. According to CNet’s report, TV makers are instead focusing on newer technologies such as HDR.
360 degree virtual reality video is hot how. Movie studios are pouring resources into virtual reality story-telling. 360-Degree Video Playback Coming to VLC, VR Headset Support Planned for 2017 article tells that VLC media player previews 360° video and photo support for its desktop apps, says the feature will come to mobile soon; dedicated VLC apps for VR headsets due in 2017.
4K and 8K video resolutions are hot. Test broadcasting of 8K started in August 2016 in Japan and full service is scheduled for 2018. According to Socionext Introduces 8K HEVC Real-Time Encoder Solution press release the virtual reality technology, which is seeing rapid growth in the global market, requires an 8K resolution as the current 4K resolution cannot support a full 360-degree wraparound view with adequate resolution.
Fake News Is About to Get Even Scarier than You Ever Dreamed article tells that advancements in audio and video technology are becoming so sophisticated that they will be able to replicate real news—real TV broadcasts, for instance, or radio interviews—in unprecedented, and truly indecipherable, ways. Adobe showed off a new product that has been nicknamed “Photoshop for audio” that allows type words that are expressed in that exact voice of someone you have recording on. Technologists can also record video of someone talking and then change their facial expressions in real time. Digital avatars can be almost indecipherable from real people – on the latest Star Wars movie it is hard to tell which actors are real and which are computer-generated.
Antique audio formats seem to be making come-back. By now, it isn’t news that vinyl albums continue to sell. It is interesting that UK vinyl sales reach 25-year high to point that Vinyl Records Outsold Digital Downloads In the UK at least for one week.
I would not have quessed that Cassettes Are Back, and Booming. But a new report says that sales of music on cassette are up 140 percent. The antiquated format is being embraced by everyone from indie musicians to Eminem and Justin Bieber. For some strange reason it turns out there’s a place for archaic physical media of questionable audio fidelity—even in the Spotify era.
Enhance! RAISR Sharp Images with Machine Learning. Google RAISR Intelligently Makes Low-Res Images High Quality article tells that with Google’s RAISR machine learning-driven image enhancement technique, images can be up to 75% smaller without losing their detail.
Improving Multiscreen Services article tells that operators have discovered challenges as they try to meet subscribers’ requirements for any content on any device. Operators must choose from a variety of options for preparing and delivering video on multiple screens. And unlike the purpose-built video networks of the past, in multiscreen OTT distribution there are no well-defined quality standards such as IPTV’s SCTE-168.
2017: Digital Advertising to overtake TV Advertising in US this year article tells that according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, “Ad Spend” on digital advertising will surpass TV ads for the first time in 2017.For all these years, television gave a really tough fight to internet with respect to Ad spend, but online advertising to decisively take over the market in 2017. For details check How TV ad spending stacks up against digital ad spending in 4 charts.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
YouTube discontinues paid channels initiative and makes $4.99 sponsorship model available to all YouTube Gaming creators and some others via main YouTube app
YouTube’s Twitch-like ‘Sponsorships’ open to all YouTube Gaming creators, expand to YouTube’s main app
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/19/youtubes-twitch-like-sponsorships-open-to-all-youtube-gaming-creators-expand-to-youtubes-main-app/
Tomi Engdahl says:
YouTube on the Big Screen
http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/youtube-big-screen
For years I’ve been jealous of folks with iOS devices who could just send their phone screens to their Apple TV devices. It seems like the Android screen-mirroring protocols never work right for me. My Sony Xperia has multiple types of screen mirroring, and none of them seem to work on my smart TVs or Roku devices.
YouTube is a completely different story. It doesn’t matter if I’m on a laptop, iPhone, Android device or Chromebook, I can “cast” the video to any of my Roku devices or smart TVs without any problems at all. It works and works well. The great part about casting is you can shut off the connection from the sending device, and it keeps playing! Because 95% of the stuff I want to display on the TV from my phone is YouTube videos
Tomi Engdahl says:
Peter Kafka / Recode:
RIAA: 30M+ pay for streaming, which now accounts for 62% of US music biz; streaming revenue up 48% in first half of 2017 to $2.5B, digital downloads down 24% — Spotify, Apple Music and other services have 30 million U.S. subscribers, and streaming revenue is up 48 percent so far this year.
The music business is growing again — really growing — and it’s because of streaming
https://www.recode.net/2017/9/20/16339484/music-streaming-riaa-spotify-apple-music-youtube-2017-revenue-subscription
Spotify, Apple Music and other services have 30 million U.S. subscribers, and streaming revenue is up 48 percent so far this year.
Familiar song, new tempo: Music streaming is big, and getting bigger fast. Digital downloads are falling off a cliff.
Oh, and one more familiar refrain: The music industry loves the money it’s getting from subscription services like Spotify and Apple Music, but it wants YouTube to pay them much more.
All of this comes from the RIAA, the music industry’s U.S. trade group, which has a new update on sales figures and a standard complaint about Google’s video service.
First, the numbers: You already know this, but we are fully in the streaming era now, and things are accelerating.
More than 30 million people are now paying for a subscription streaming service in the U.S., which pushed streaming revenue up 48 percent, to $2.5 billion, in the first half of the year. Streaming now accounts for 62 percent of the U.S. music business.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nilay Patel / The Verge:NEW
Apple TV 4K review: easy-to-use interface, lots of apps, cheaper 4K movies, but HDR makes some HD videos look bad, no YouTube 4K HDR support, and it’s expensive — Almost all of the lights — It doesn’t light up all of the lights.
Apple TV 4K review: so close, so far
Almost all of the lights
https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/21/16341876/new-apple-tv-4k-review-2017
It doesn’t light up all of the lights.
Listeners of The Vergecast know that I’ve been ridiculously excited about the new Apple TV 4K for weeks now, because there isn’t a great standalone streaming device that supports Dolby Vision 4K HDR and the new Dolby Atmos surround sound format. I just haven’t been able to use the full capabilities of my home theater — lighting up both the Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos lights on my receiver and TV — and I was excited for Apple to put out a polished, high-end product that got me there. Apple is firmly at the high end of the market: the Apple TV 4K starts at $179, much more than competing 4K HDR-capable devices like the $89 Roku Premiere+ or the $69 Google Chromecast Ultra. I was really expecting — hoping! — this thing would blow me away.
But the new Apple TV doesn’t support Atmos. And it doesn’t support YouTube in 4K HDR. And it doesn’t have Disney or Marvel movies in 4K HDR. And it makes some 1080p content look less than great.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Digita is preparing for change – SD broadcasts will end in 2020 in Finland
Current SD television broadcasts will end in Finland on March 31, 2020. Digite is preparing to respond to YLE’s high definition broadcasts during the autumn. Digita already has technical plans ready for the HD transition in 2020.
The Finnish broadcasters’ network of broadcasters have agreed on the simultaneous switchover of free-to-air antennae channels to DVB-T2 transmission technology that enables high definition HD.
At present, Digita’s aerial television broadcasts reach 99.96 percent of the continental population. Antenna TV is used by about half of Finns to receive programs.
Source: https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2017/09/21/digita-valmistautuu-muutokseen-sd-lahetykset-paattyvat-2020/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Big Push For 3D Sensing With iPhone X
Inside the market for 3D sensing technologies.
https://semiengineering.com/big-push-for-3d-sensing-with-iphone-x/
3D sensing is a buzzword that has been thrown around quite a bit this year in connection with the rumors surrounding the tenth-anniversary iPhone. Although the iPhone X will be the first large-scale consumer push for 3D sensing, the technology has been around for years, particularly in industrial applications such as machine vision. 3D sensing is already used in the PC – think Intel’s RealSense 3D camera. For the iPhone X, the TrueDepth 3D camera will be used for facial recognition, referred to as Face ID, replacing Touch ID as a method for unlocking the phone and for mobile payments.
3D sensing is accomplished with either Time of Flight (ToF) or Structured Light technologies. Gesture recognition is achieved by passing an infrared light source through an optical device to spread the light through an entire space, such as a room, to measure the light reflected off of objects. It enables users to control a device without touching it or using an input device like a remote control. In order to be precise enough to track small movements anywhere in a room, “time-of-flight” techniques are used. Time of flight has the advantage over other ways of tracking reflected light that rely on the quantity of light reflected back; black targets will reflect back less light than white ones, even though the distance from the sensor is the same. Time of flight tracks how long it takes the light to reflect off the target and back to the sensor.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Has science gone too far, part 97: Boffins craft code to find protesters on social networks, rate them on their violence
Image-recognition system posited as reporting tool
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/09/21/social_media_turned_into_yardstick_for_violence/
Mining social networks for every scrap of information about our online lives is now common practice for marketers, academics, government agencies, and so on.
Text in tweets, blogs and other posts is valuable because it’s searchable, analyzable, and not terribly costly to crawl, fetch or store. But ongoing computer vision advancements have opened up the wealth of information encoded in images.
Earlier this week, researchers from University of California, Los Angeles described a way to analyze images to find protesters, to characterize their activities and to assess the level of violence depicted.
In a paper titled “Protest Activity Detection and Perceived Violence Estimation from Social Media Images,” graduate student Donghyeon Won, assistant professor of public policy Zachary C Steinert-Threlkeld, and assistant professor of communication studies Jungseock Joo explore how imagery can be used to understand protests, because text may not be reliable.
https://arxiv.org/pdf/1709.06204.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Juli Clover / MacRumors:
Apple says 4K iTunes content cannot be downloaded, only streamed, and that the VP9 codec, which is used by 4K YouTube videos, is not supported on Apple TV 4K
4K iTunes Content Limited to Streaming Only, No Downloads
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/21/itunes-4k-content-streaming-only/
Apple has updated its iTunes Store on iOS devices and the Apple TV with plenty of 4K movies ahead of the launch of the Apple TV 4K, but as made clear in a recent support document, 4K content from Apple can be streamed, but not downloaded directly on a device.
According to Apple, customers can download a local copy of an HD movie, and on occasion, HD movies that support HDR and Dolby Vision, but 4K movies are not available for download and thus can’t be watched without an internet connection.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Peter Kafka / Recode:
RIAA: 30M+ pay for streaming, which now accounts for 62% of US music biz; streaming revenue up 48% in first half of 2017 to $2.5B, digital downloads down 24%
The music business is growing again — really growing — and it’s because of streaming
https://www.recode.net/2017/9/20/16339484/music-streaming-riaa-spotify-apple-music-youtube-2017-revenue-subscription
Spotify, Apple Music and other services have 30 million U.S. subscribers, and streaming revenue is up 48 percent so far this year.
Familiar song, new tempo: Music streaming is big, and getting bigger fast. Digital downloads are falling off a cliff.
Oh, and one more familiar refrain: The music industry loves the money it’s getting from subscription services like Spotify and Apple Music, but it wants YouTube to pay them much more.
All of this comes from the RIAA, the music industry’s U.S. trade group, which has a new update on sales figures and a standard complaint about Google’s video service.
First, the numbers: You already know this, but we are fully in the streaming era now, and things are accelerating.
More than 30 million people are now paying for a subscription streaming service in the U.S., which pushed streaming revenue up 48 percent, to $2.5 billion, in the first half of the year. Streaming now accounts for 62 percent of the U.S. music business.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Giving a 4k Webcam Special Eyes
https://hackaday.com/2017/09/23/giving-a-4k-webcam-special-eyes/
It’s a problem as old as photography: your camera is only as good as your lens. As cameras shrink, so do lenses, and so do the options for upgrading to a better lens. And forget about switching to a different focal length or aperture — it’s often just not an option. Unless you make it an option by adding a CS lens mount to a high-end webcam.
We’ll stipulate that at 4k resolution and packed with all sorts of goodies, the Logitech Brio Pro is a heck of a nice camera. And the lens isn’t bad either,
Logitech Brio 4K webcam rework instructions
http://kurokesu.com/main/2017/09/18/logitech-brio-4k-webcam-rework-instructions/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Compare HD Analog Technologies
See how the different formats stack up…
https://www.supercircuits.com/lp/compare-hd-analog-video-formats
HD Analog technology offers a compelling alternative to traditional analog and IP surveillance options. HD Analog video security solutions deliver megapixel resolution video over coaxial cabling (HD over coax), and are far less complex to install and operate compared to IP.
Since its introduction, several HD Analog formats have emerged, including: HD-SDI, AHD, HD-CVI and HD-TVI. While all HD Analog options offer the same basic benefits compared to analog or IP, each format features a unique set of capabilities and compatibilities.
At this time, there is no “standard” format – or established “winner” – in the HD Analog space. But, it is clear that certain formats are better positioned to succeed – offering clear competitive advantages that translate to significant and measurable benefits for the end user.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What is HD-CVI?
https://www.securitycameraking.com/what-is-hd-cvi.html
HD-CVI stands for High Definition Composite Video Interface. This is a brand new technology in the security camera industry that provides a different method of transmitting video signals over coaxial cables. Until this new technology surfaced, analog CCTV video was limited to 960h video resolution. 960h resolution refers to the 30% increase in horizontal resolution, so the maximum analog resolution up to this point was 960 x 480 pixels. This has been the accepted limit to analog video transmission for many years. In order to achieve greater transmission would mean switching to digital video using either HD-SDI (High Definition Serial Digital Interface) or Network IP video formats.
HD-CVI uses a licensed video transmitter and receiver that is able to transmit up to 1080p video resolution (1920 x 1080) in an uncompressed format over the same standard coaxial cable that is used for standard CCTV cameras. This uncompressed video format is able to transmit over longer distances than either HD-SDI or Network IP cameras and without the latency and bandwidth issues that are so common. Additionally, HD-CVI is able to transmit video, audio and control (OSD or PTZ) over a single coaxial cable instead of requiring separate cables for each transmission.
In most cases HD-CVI is around the same price as the older analog CCTV technology and is far less expensive than HD-SDI or IP Network transmission.
When comparing HD-CVI to Analog CCTV cameras:
CCTV cameras are limited to 960h resolution which is 960 x 480 pixels. HD-CVI cameras can transmit up to 1080p resolution (2 Megapixel) which is 1920 x 1080 pixels. HD-CVI is capable of up to 450% great resolution and detail than standard CCTV cameras and DVRs.
CCTV can only transmit video over the single coaxial cable. Audio and control must be run over separate cables. HD-CVI can transmit video, audio and control over a single cable saving money and time.
The price point of analog CCTV and HD-CVI is about the same. You get more resolution for the money with HD-CVI.
When comparing HD-CVI to HD-SDI the benefits are:
Longer video transmission distances. HD-SDI is limited to 333 feet for video transmission. HD-CVI can be transmitted up to 1500ft.
HD-SDI can only transmit video. HD-CVI can transmit video, audio and control requiring less cable infrastructure.
HD-SDI can only transmit over high quality copper core coaxial cable. HD-CVI can transmit over any cable used for CCTV cameras. It will work with copper clad aluminum, Ethernet cable with video baluns and even prefabricated plug and play cables.
HD-CVI is less expensive than HD-SDI.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What is AHD CCTV? 960H vs AHD CCTV Cameras
https://videos.cctvcamerapros.com/surveillance-systems/what-is-ahd-cctv.html
AHD CCTV is an analog high definition closed-circuit television video surveillance standard that uses coax cable to transmit HD video from security cameras to DVRs. AHD supports 720p and 1080p HD video resolutions.
What type of cable do AHD cameras use?
AHD CCTV cameras are connected to DVRs using the same type of coaxial cable as traditional analog CCTV cameras, typically RG59 or RG6 coax cable. One of the advantages of AHD over HD-SDI cameras (another HD over coax security camera standard), is that RG59 coax cable can be run long distances without video loss. So far in our experience, installers can reliably use RG59 coax cable up to a max distance of 800 feet for AHD cameras. AHD cameras can also use UTP cable with video baluns to run cable up to 320 Meters / 960 feet with CAT5 cable.
Will AHD replace analog CCTV cameras?
Time will tell.
CCTV technology is extremely stable and prices are very affordable.
Some people in the surveillance industry thought that analog CCTV would have been phased out years ago. Around 2007, megapixel resolution IP cameras were gaining popularity. However, most found that IP cameras tend to be more difficult to setup and the pricing never came down enough for many to justify the higher resolution.
HD-SDI came to the surveillance industry about 2010 (it has been used to make movies and HDTV for years). Although I really like HD-SDI cameras, the acceptance of them has been limited. Some say it is because you can not run coax cable very long distances for HD-SDI and there is no support for video baluns (to use with UTP cable). The image quality of 1080p HD-SDI is outstanding though.
AHD seems to address the main issues that held back the other HD security camera types from taking over the analog CCTV market. Installers can use the same coax cable as traditional analog CCTV cameras and they work at the same max distance. Video baluns for AHD cameras are available for those that prefer to use UTP cable such as CAT5. Pricing on AHD cameras is only slightly more than analog.
Last, there are high quality hybrid DVRs available that let users use both AHD and analog CCTV cameras. This will allow security system owners to use their existing CCTV cameras and upgrade over time to HD, while keeping their DVR in place.
https://www.unifore.net/analog-surveillance/truths-and-facts-you-must-know-about-ahd-camera.html
2# 720p AHD vs 720p IP Camera, which is better?
As a technician in surveillance industry for almost five years. I will recommend IP video surveillance system when customers want to setup a new video surveillance system. It’s undeniable that analog HD-over-coaxial technologies are cheaper and able to deliver so-called “720p / 1080p” HD video, but IP camera system is future proof. Unless you want to upgrading existing analog system because coaxial cables are not easy to replace, HD-over-coaxial products can be good choices. So, 720p AHD/CVI/TVI vs 720p IP camera, which is better? The answer is 720p IP camera is better. From end-user’s report, the 720p AHD image resolution is poorer than 720p IP camera, but 960P (1.3 megapixel resolution) image quality is equal to 720p images from IP cameras.
In summary:
720p AHD/CVI/TVI = Sony Effio 700TVL analog cameras
960P AHD/CVI/TVI = 720p (1.0MP) Network cameras
1080P AHD/CVI/TVI = 960P – 1080P (1.3MP – 2MP) Network cameras
3# Can AHD cameras connect to traditional monitor?
Analog camera + nextchip TX (transmitter) chipset = AHD camera, this means AHD camera can’t connect to traditional monitor. When AHD cameras connect to traditional monitor, the CRT monitor can show image, but it’s black/white color. Additionally, the AHD cameras also can’t work with Analog Matrix and other video transmission, recording & displaying device. Can AHD cameras work with traditional DVR? Well, it’s a bit complex for this question, we answer this may take a paragraph.
4# AHD cameras may work with your 960H DVR
As the above title showed, AHD cameras may work with your 960H DVR. Let me explain:
1. Depending on your AHD cameras: AHD cameras have total three formats; AHD 0.8, AHD 1.0, AHD 2.0. If you choose AHD camera that supports AHD 0.8 format, then camera will deliver 960H resolution, so it works with your traditional 960H DVR. This is the reason why Nextchip claims AHD is back-compatible with conventional analog video surveillance system.
2. Depending on your DVRs: Based on DVR hardware, DVR manufacturers developed ADVR (AHD DVR) fast. The most of ADVR supports different resolutions including CIF, D1, 960H/AHDL, AHDM. This enables DVR to work with both conventional CCTV cameras and AHD cameras.
Tomi Engdahl says:
TVI vs AHD – What is the Best HD Security Camera Type?
https://videos.cctvcamerapros.com/surveillance-systems/tvi-vs-ahd-hd-security-cameras.html
What is the best HD security camera type? TVI or AHD. This is a common question asked by CCTV Camera Pros customers. TVI and AHD are two different HD CCTV camera technologies that support 1080p resolution over standard coax cable (RG59 or RG6). This is the same type of coax cable that is used in traditional analog CCTV camera installations.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Brief Comparison on the Four HD Security Camera Formats
https://www.protectiondepot.net/HD-Security-Camera-Formats.html
The HD security camera is leagues apart from a normal CCTV camera. In fact, for a CCTV camera to be deemed true high definition, it needs to be a progressive scan and possess a rating of 720p, 960p or 1080p (1280×720, 1280×860 and 1920×1080 respectively).
HD-SDI
Created by the broadcast industry to transmit HD video, HD-SDI is the format of choice if you’re looking for a camera that can shoot high-quality video without the need for an IP network. HD-SDI work by using RG59 or RG6 cables and connectors – the same as traditional cameras. This simply means that you can use the existing cables you have. HD-SDI cameras however cannot be run using Cat5 or Cat6 cables.
Cameras with HD-SDI technology have resolutions of 720p or 1080p – just like high definition TVs.
HD-TVI
Standing for High Definition Transport Video Interface, this technology transmits video and audio signal, as well as data signal over a coaxial cable. HD-TVI is, more or less, an alternative to HD-SDI. This format was engineered to address the issue of the shorter transmission distance of HD-SDI and its need for higher grade of coaxial cable. The HD-TVI format can send uncompressed analog signals up to 1500 feet over standard coax cables without video lag and also supports bi-directional data transfer. HD-TVI can support video signals of 720p or 1080p.
Most any existing coax video cables can be used for HD-TVI and new cabling can be added up to 1500 feet using RG59 or RG6 cable. Cat5e and Cat6 twisted pair cables can also be used with video baluns up to 600 feet.
AHD
AHD was also developed to provide a solution for the transmission distance and cable quality issues experienced with HD-SDI. AHD which stands for Analog High Definition is the 3rd HD picture format and also produces high quality images up to 1080p. AHD cameras can be run up to 1600 feet using standard coax cables and 500 feet using twisted pair Cat5e or Cat6 cables with baluns.
AHD cameras support 960H output modes so it is backward compatible with traditional analog video recorders and equipment already on the market. However when used with standard video recorders they will only display and record standard resolution images, to see the high definition images will require the AHD video recorder. AHD is capable of transmitting 720p or 1080p resolution video.
HD-CVI
HD-CVI means High Definition Composite Video Interface. It’s a format that is available in both 720p and 1080p resolutions but the 1080p version generally is less available and slightly higher in price. The HD-CVI analog cameras that make use of the traditional RG59 and cable as do the other formats and pre-existing coax cables work fine with HD-CVI too. It is also compatible with composite video cables and Cat5e or Cat6 cables with video baluns however some image issues over twisted pair cabling have been noted but is said to have been fixed.
HD-CVI cameras are proprietary with only one manufacturer so camera choice may be somewhat limited as compared with the other formats.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Compare HD Analog Technology
http://www.hdanalog.com/compare/
Since HD Analog technology launched in 2010, several HD Analog formats have been developed, including: HD-SDI, AHD, HD-CVI and HD-TVI. While all HD Analog options offer the same basic benefits compared to analog or IP – delivering HD video over standard coaxial cable – formats vary in the resolution, transmission distance, camera compatibilities, and configurability.
Here is how HD Analog formats compare
Tomi Engdahl says:
2-Freely Switching The format of Analog signal AHD CVBS PAL NTSC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G72mrxrx7Vw
dome and bullet camera which using the NextChip AHD board all can be add this OSD function.
Tomi Engdahl says:
TVI vs AHD 1080p HD Security Camera Comparison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxNyuPj1lc8
TVI vs AHD – what is the best 1080p HD security camera type? This video will compare surveillance video footage captured from a TVI camera to that of an AHD camera.
Read the complete review here: http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/TVIvsAHD
Both of the HD security cameras used in this test have the same exact specification. They are both enclosed in the same weatherproof outdoor housing. They have the same number of infrared LEDs and they both have a 2.8-12mm lens.
The only difference between them is that one uses a TVI chip and firmware and the other uses AHD.
Tomi Engdahl says:
HD Over Coax Comparison: EX-SDI vs. HD-CVI vs. HD-TVI vs. AHD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtLRtfGdl2k
HD over Coax now represents a cost effective solution to transmit HD video without the complexity of IP. But with multiple HD Over Coax technologies on the market, it’s easy to get confused on which technology is right for you. There are a lot of comparison tables and people touting that their HD solution is better than the others. But the lack of consistency and unbiased information has made it really difficult to find the strengths and weaknesses of each technology. Rather than show you another table that compares and contrasts these differences, we feel that showing actual camera footage will help you make an informed decision.
https://clintonelectronics.com/hdovercoax/
Tomi Engdahl says:
EX-SDI Explained + How EX-SDI differs from HD Analog CCTV (HD-TVI, HD-CVI, AHD)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8u80gfum60
With all the HD Over Coax options on the market and all the misinformation– it’s easy to get confused on what might be the best option for you. There are really two groups to choose from; Analog (HD-TVI, HD-CVI or AHD) and Digital (HD-SDI or EX-SDI).
We feel that Digital (HD-SDI & EX-SDI) is the better option to choose, especially if you’re after the best quality image.
If you’ve tried HD-SDI and love the image quality– but are tired of the distance limitations– then EX-SDI is the perfect choice.
https://clintonelectronics.com/exsdi/
Tomi Engdahl says:
What is SDI & HD SDI Digital cable ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahcIvZK9u4o
Serial digital interface [SDI] standard is based on a 270 Mbps transfer rate, over a single 75 ohm coaxial cable [BNC connector], up to 600 feet. Serial Digital Interface is a [standard definition] digital broadcast television standard providing a lossless digital encoding of standard NTSC and PAL formats [with embedded audio]. SDI is used in Television stations, cable channels, and professional production Equipment. SDI provides a method for transmitting uncompressed digital video, audio and other data between video devices.
HD-SDI stands for High-Definition Serial Digital Interface. It is the common term for a high-definition digital video transmission standard known as SMPTE 292M.
In short, HD-SDI is a standard for transmitting uncompressed broadcast-grade HD video signals over short distances (although longer distances are possible with fibre optic cables).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Austin Mann:
iPhone 8 Plus camera review: Portrait Lighting, HDR in Portrait Mode, and Slow Sync are major improvements this year
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-8-camera-review-india
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Bose headphones with Google Assistant are official now
Push for Google
https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/21/16341742/bose-headphones-qc-35-ii-google-assistant-announced
Google and Bose are today officially announcing a new version of the headphone maker’s great noise cancelling headphones, the QC 35s. The big new addition is Google Assistant — or rather, a dedicated button on the headphones that triggers the Google Assistant.
The new branding is simply QC 35 II, and according to Google you set them up as usual via Bluetooth and then follow some instructions built into the Google Assistant app on either an Android phone (running Marshmallow or above) or an iPhone.
Once that’s done, you’ll hold down the new button that’s on the right ear cup to trigger the Google Assistant. Google says that it can do most things the Assistant can do on your phone — read messages, play music or news, and of course call people. But the Assistant has slightly different capabilities in every place it appears, so it may be that you can’t do everything with these headphones that you can do with, say, a Google Home.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dani Deahl / The Verge:
Amazon drops prices on 4K titles, now ranging from $5 to $19, whereas some new releases previously cost over $30, following Apple TV 4K’s launch
Amazon slashes prices on 4K content in response to Apple TV 4K’s launch
Titles now start at around $5
https://www.theverge.com/tech/2017/9/25/16361682/amazon-slashes-prices-4k-content-apple-tv-4k-launch
Tomi Engdahl says:
Star Trek: Discovery Nearly Cracks Pirate Bay’s Top 10 In Less Than 24 Hours
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/17/09/25/2331210/star-trek-discovery-nearly-cracks-pirate-bays-top-10-in-less-than-24-hours
Yesterday was the season premiere of the first new Star Trek TV series in 12 years. While the first episode aired on the CBS broadcast network Sunday night, the second episode — and all the rest to come — was made available exclusively on the CBS All Access streaming service for $6 a month. Naturally, this upset Trekkies and led many of them to find alternative methods to watch the show. EW reports that Star Trek: Discovery “is on the verge of cracking Pirate Bay’s Top 10 most illegally downloaded shows in less than 24 hours.
Star Trek: Discovery already getting pirated a lot
‘Discovery’ pilot nearly cracks Pirate Bay’s Top 10 in less than 24 hours
http://ew.com/tv/2017/09/25/star-trek-discovery-pirated/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spielberg-backed VR startup grabs $20M led by AMC to bring headsets into movie theaters
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/26/spielberg-backed-vr-startup-grabs-20m-led-by-amc-to-bring-headsets-into-movie-theaters/?ncid=rss
Though consumer VR is off to a slow start, many believe that location-based experiences could represent a more sustainable future for the industry, giving consumers higher-quality content in an experience that’s a lot more like going to see a movie. In fact, trying out VR at the movie theater is exactly what many startups are trying to get done.
Today, a VR startup called Dreamscape Immersive has announced a $20 million Series B led by the world’s biggest movie theater chain, AMC. The startup is already backed by some of Hollywood’s heaviest hitters including Warner Bros., 21St Century Fox, MGM, IMAX Corporation, and Steven Spielberg.
In addition to the cash money, Dreamscape has signed a sizable partnership with AMC to start bringing the company’s full-body motion capture VR tech, which allows up to six simultaneous users in a shared social experience, into movie theaters and standalone locations across the U.S. and U.K. The rollout is coming to as many as six locations over the next 18 months per the deal.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:
Cloudflare launches Stream, a service for sites and apps that want to build businesses hosting and streaming videos, combining encoding, delivery, and player — Cloudflare has made a name for itself as a content delivery platform and security company, offering services to help keep websites up and running …
Cloudflare moves into video with the launch of Cloudflare Stream
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/27/cloudflare-moves-into-video-with-the-launch-of-cloudflare-stream/
Cloudflare has made a name for itself as a content delivery platform and security company, offering services to help keep websites up and running (sometimes running into a little controversy in the process). Now, as the company marks its 7th birthday — it actually launched on September 27, 2010 — it’s moving into another new area, literally and figuratively.
Cloudflare is today taking the wraps off Stream, a new service designed specifically for websites and apps that want to build businesses hosting and streaming videos, similar to what the likes of YouTube, Vimeo, and around 1,000 other sites do today. The service is launching in beta today. Those interested in it can sign up here.
To be clear, Cloudflare has already been working with sites that stream video — some 1 billion people already watch video through Cloudflare daily, the company tells me — but more often than not those videos are either hosted elsewhere, or they are not the central function of the sites themselves.
Cloudflare is building out a new revenue stream for itself. The company has raised around $180 million, and it is now is valued at over $3 billion; and now it is hotly tipped as an IPO prospect, so this would help with that.
Cloudflare Stream, the company says, will offer a service that combines encoding, global delivery and a media player into one product (typically, video streaming from the likes of Akamai but also many others often sees sites taking those services from a hodge-podge of providers). It’s also removing some of the technical headache around hosting and streaming video.
“You shoot a video, upload it to an API endpoint, and within seconds we make it available globally to adaptively stream via an embeddable link we provide,” Cloudflare notes.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Interbrand Releases 2017 Best Global Brands Report: Apple and Google hold the top two spots, while Ferrari, Netflix and Salesforce.com enter the list
http://interbrand.com/newsroom/bgb-report-2017/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Review: Polaroid Originals OneStep 2
Sub Title: Stylish Imperfection
https://www.wired.com/2017/09/review-polaroid-originals-onestep-2
Polaroid is back! Well, sort of. The real Polaroid Corporation is still dead (RIP), but there’s a new Polaroid and it will gladly sell you instant film and cameras.
Earlier this month, a company known as The Impossible Project rebranded itself as Polaroid Originals. Impossible bought the last functional Polaroid instant film plant lock, stock, and barrel in 2008 and has since restarted film production for Polaroid-compatible cameras like the SX-70, Spectra, and 600-type.
Thanks to the reunification of Impossible’s film and the Polaroid brand, the new Polaroid Originals OneStep 2 instant camera is a bit of a homecoming. The brand’s been used on everything from digital cameras to cheap TVs in the past decade, so it makes this Polaroid fan happy to see an instant camera bearing the name once more.
This camera is a 21st century take on the classic OneStep Land Camera 1000, with a big, red shutter button and minimalist design.
Like many of these instant cameras, you’ll have to beware of parallax error.
Polaroid’s new color film I shot with the OneStep 2 was decent-looking, and it developed in around 15 minutes. But at $2 per shot, Polaroid’s film is so expensive that it takes away some of the fun of photography. Compared to the ubiquitous Instax Mini film, Polaroid Originals I-type shots are roughly quadruple the price.
So, you get the iconic, big, square Polaroid picture you’ve been missing, but the pictures themselves sometimes disappoint.
Polaroid Originals has made a good camera and the OneStep 2’s $99 price makes it mostly a winner. And, since film’s cheaper than it was under Impossible, the barrier to entry is a little lower. But, when you can get into Fuji’s rock-solid Instax-based cameras for significantly less money,
Tomi Engdahl says:
HomeDiving into emerging AR/VR markets–opportunities for optics
Diving into emerging AR/VR markets–opportunities for optics
http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2017/09/diving-into-emerging-ar-vr-markets-opportunities-for-optics.html
While virtual reality promised and failed to hit 2016 expectations, market projections still show that augmented reality and virtual reality will reach $108 B by 2021. Consumer electronics are a high-volume opportunity for U.S. optical manufacturers, but they often remain elusive due to cost constraints. Does augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) offer some optics and photonics companies a stronghold? Let’s break it down.
While we tend to think of gaming and entertainment, these segments represent less than half the market projections. Training, inspection, and health applications provide a far broader mix of end users and a range of emerging requirements.
Regulatory controls in healthcare and military segments, as well as precision concerns in engineering, may offer U.S. manufacturers an advantage. Many of the optics companies we know are actively engaged in prototyping for AR and VR, but full production depends on widespread adoption.
Specifically, AR/VR is a significant opportunity for companies who offer core competencies in:
- Photonic crystals
- Opto-electronic design and engineering
- Diffractive optics
- Proven path to production and ability to scale
- Flexibility in partnering, requiring a sophisticated ability to qualify prospects and technologies, and a well-articulated internal “investment” policy
The large field of view required for adoption of consumer AR/VR presents a classic industrial design challenge—how to meet cost, size, and weight limitations. Investment is certainly there to fuel this research. In July, WaveOptics raised $15.5M for its display technology.
Beyond the end user apparatus, creator technologies represent opportunities:
- Camera field of view—aspheres will help to meet FOV needs while keeping cameras compact
- Motion sensors—opportunities for IR and optical gyroscopes
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D selfies? What could possibly go wrong?
AI boffins find box marked ‘Pandora’, whack it with the AI-hammer
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/09/28/3d_selfies_what_could_possibly_go_wrong/
With the Internet already groaning under the weight of d!ck pics and facial scanning increasingly used instead of passwords, do we really want AI to turn flat images into accurate 3D renderings of their content?
A group of boffins from the University of Nottingham and Kingston University think so, and alarmingly so do 400,000 Internet randoms who have contributed their (we hope) faces to a project to extrapolate 3D faces from non-3D pics.
The good news, then, is that this particular work only works on faces.
The bad news? The code’s on GitHub under an MIT licence.
https://github.com/AaronJackson/vrn
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lucas Matney / TechCrunch:
GoPro announces the Hero6 with 4K video at 60fps, 2.7K at 120fps, and 1080p at 240fps, available today for $499
GoPro’s Hero6 Black launches today for $499
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/28/gopros-hero6-black-launches-today-for-499/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Corbin Davenport / Android Police:
Amazon quietly announces Fire OS 6, based on Android Nougat 7.1.2; the OS will premiere on the 4K Fire TV — Amazon’s fork of Android is known as Fire OS, and it ships on all of the company’s tablets and TV devices. The current version, Fire OS 5, is getting a bit long in the tooth …
Amazon quietly announces Fire OS 6, based on Android Nougat
http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/09/29/amazon-quietly-announces-fire-os-6-based-android-nougat/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Michael Zhang / PetaPixel:
Getty Images bans images retouched to change body shape or weight as of October 1 in response to French law requiring labels on retouched photos — Getty Images has banned photos that contain subjects whose body shapes have been retouched to make them look thinner or larger.
Effective October 1, 2017 a new French law obliges clients who use commercial images in France to disclose whether the body shape of a model has been retouched to make them look thinner or larger.
As a result, also effective October 1st, we have amended our Creative Stills Submission Requirements to require that you do not submit to us any creative content depicting models whose body shapes have been retouched to make them look thinner or larger.
Please note that other changes made to models like a change of hair color, nose shape, retouching of skin or blemishes, etc., are outside the scope of this new law, and are therefore still acceptable.
It appears that the policy change is a blanket ban affecting worldwide contributors and not just those in France. It’s also unclear what Getty Images plans to do with policy-violating photos that are already part of its massive 80+ million photo collection.
https://petapixel.com/2017/09/26/getty-images-bans-photos-containing-photoshopped-weight/
Tomi Engdahl says:
One Woman Photoshopped by 18 Countries: Beauty Standards Revealed
https://petapixel.com/2015/08/15/one-woman-photoshopped-by-18-countries-beauty-standards-revealed/
Last year, journalist Esther Honig published a viral series of images showing how photo retouchers in 27 countries around the world “enhanced” a portrait of her according to their cultural preferences. Inspired by that project, the UK medical website Superdrug Online Doctor just published a similar experiment that explores body image.
Photoshop Experiment: 1 Photograph, 27 Countries, 27 Definitions of ‘Beautiful’
https://petapixel.com/2014/06/26/photoshop-experiment-1-photograph-27-countries-27-definitions-beautiful/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Joe Rossignol / MacRumors:
Apple says iPhone 7 and 8 don’t have FM radio chips, after FCC chairman Ajit Pai urges Apple to activate iPhone FM radio chips to help after natural disasters
FCC Urges Apple to Protect Safety of Americans by Activating FM Radio Chip in iPhones [Updated]
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/28/fcc-urges-apple-to-activate-fm-radio-chip/
Amidst renewed pressure from the National Association of Broadcasters, FCC chairman Ajit Pai has now issued a statement urging Apple to activate the FM radio capabilities built into the wireless modem of every iPhone.
Pai said he hopes Apple will “reconsider its position” following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which have devastated parts of the United States, including Florida and Texas, and Caribbean islands like Barbuda, Dominica, and Puerto Rico.
Powerful storms can leave thousands or millions of people without power or cellular service for weeks or even months, and over-the-air FM radio can provide vital access to weather alerts and other life-saving information.
Pai has advocated for the activation of the FM tuner in all smartphones before, but this is the first time he has called out Apple by name.
A study by the National Association of Broadcasters last year found only 44 percent of the top-selling smartphones in the United States had FM radio capabilities enabled. 94 percent of the unactivated devices were iPhones.
Both the Qualcomm and Intel chips that enable Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity in every iPhone have a built-in FM tuner that would allow people to listen to FM radio over the air. Apple has not enabled the functionality, forcing users to use an app to stream FM radio over Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Apple hasn’t revealed why it keeps the FM radio functionality disabled.
FCC Chairman Encourages Activation of the FM Radio Receiver Built Into Your iPhone
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/02/16/fcc-chairman-fm-radio-activation-smartphones/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lacey Rose / Hollywood Reporter:
A look at Apple’s video content strategy: slow and deliberate approach led by experienced ex-TV execs, rejecting most offers, bidding on high profile shows
Apple’s TV Strategy Becomes Clearer as Top Stars Jockey for Shows
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/apples-tv-strategy-becomes-clearer-as-top-stars-jockey-shows-1043285
The world’s biggest company is officially taking meetings as everyone from Jennifer Aniston to Steven Spielberg salivates over selling the first big show. One studio chief says, “Who wouldn’t want to be the ‘Mad Men’ or ‘House of Cards’ on Apple?”
Though Apple isn’t looking to replicate the pace or scale of rival Netflix’s $6 billion annual spend, it is eager to be in the prestige content business in a significant way. Per multiple sources briefed on the company’s plans, its executives are looking for big, smart, splashy dramas, with at least one citing Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and The Crown as models. And though there are still plenty of questions — first and foremost, how will an Apple show be distributed? — talent is lining up to provide options.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Is she Photoshopped? In France, they now have to tell you
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41443027
It’s no secret that images of models are often retouched to make their bodies look thinner or curvier in certain places, to lengthen their legs to mannequin-esque proportions, or to smooth out their skin and widen their eyes.
From Sunday, in France, any commercial image that has been digitally altered to make a model look thinner will have a cigarette-packet style warning on it.
“Photographie retouchée”, it will say, which translates to “edited photograph”.
Anyone flouting the new rule could be fined €37,500 (£33,000) or 30% of the cost of creating the ad.
The government is essentially trying to tackle persistent image-doctoring as a public health issue.
It’s hoped the change will help tackle extreme thinness among models, and body image problems among those who aspire to shapes they cannot hope to live up to because they were faked on a computer programme.
‘Ads tell us who we should be’
The veteran lecturer and campaigner Jean Kilbourne, author of Deadly Persuasion: Why Women and Girls Must Fight the Power of Advertising, has said: “Ads sell more than products.
“They sell values, they sell images, they sell concepts of love and sexuality, of success, and perhaps most important, of normalcy.
“To a great extent, they tell us who we are and who we should be.”
Instagram tricks
This is not the only thing the French government has done recently to try and tackle excessive thinness in the country’s world-leading fashion industry. Since May, models have had to show a doctor’s note to prove they are healthy, and some top companies have banned super-thin models.
But it’s important to remember that there are other tricks of the trade besides Photoshop alteration. Posing a certain way, taking a photo from a certain angle, lighting well or just sucking your tummy in can make a model look very different in a very short time.
This applies both to thinness and the current trend of athletic-looking bodies, flat stomachs, and larger, squat-honed, buttocks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The CMOS sensor captures 48 million pixels at a time
CMOS process imagery captures fast CCD cells. CMOSIS, now owned by Austrian ams, has manufactured the first CMOS-based 48 megapixel sensor with global shutter.
The global shutter means that all pixels in the cells are exposed at one go. Typically, such cells are used in highly expensive imaging equipment requiring resolution of motion objects without distortion.
Applications for such cells can be found on film cameras and various industrial imaging solutions. The CMV50000 cell is 35 millimeters and separates 7920 x 6002 points. The resolution is enough for 8K-level video.
12-bit pixels are captured by the cell at 30 frames per second. In 4K mode, the speed increases to 60 frames per second.
Source: http://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6919&via=n&datum=2017-09-29_14:56:45&mottagare=30929
Tomi Engdahl says:
CMV50000
http://www.cmosis.com/products/product_detail/cmv50000
The CMV50000 is a high speed CMOS image sensor with 7920 x 6004 effective pixels (47.5Mp) developed for machine vision and video applications. The image array consists of 4.6μm pipelined 8T global shutter pixels which allow exposure during read out, while performing true CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) operation. The image sensor has 22 12bit sub-LVDS data outputs.
The image sensor also integrates a programmable analog gain amplifier and offset regulation. Each output channel runs up to 830 Mbps maximum which results in 30 fps frame rate at full resolution in 12 bit. Higher frame rates can be achieved in row-windowing mode or row-subsampling mode. These modes are all programmable using the SPI interface.
All internal exposure and read out timings are generated by a programmable on-board sequencer. External triggering and exposure programming is also possible. Extended optical dynamic range can be achieved by a dual exposure HDR mode.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tivi 25 years ago: the memory of a digital camera can fit one picture
Almost every one of us now runs a pocket digital camera for fast recording of all kinds of moments. It was different 25 years ago. Digital cameras were the delight of a few real-life professionals.
The Kodak Professional DCS 200, for its part, was a digital SLR that was co-operated with Nikon. The resolution of the chip was 1524 x 1012 points, or about 1.5 megapixels. Only one black and white photograph was available in a more affordable, only 45,000 markka model. The more expensive, 55,000 markka device saved as many as 50 color images.
Source: http://www.tivi.fi/Kaikki_uutiset/tivi-25-vuotta-sitten-digikameran-muistiin-mahtui-yksi-kuva-6680187
Tomi Engdahl says:
JD Power Sees Balance Between Pay TV, OTT
http://www.broadbandtechreport.com/articles/2017/09/jd-power-sees-balance-between-pay-tv-ott.html?cmpid=enl_btr_btr_video_technology_2017-10-01
According to J.D. Power, pay TV subscribers in the United States are growing increasingly satisfied with over-the-top (OTT) streaming TV services vs. traditional cable TV, but they also are spending nearly an hour more a week watching regularly scheduled TV programming than they did two years ago.
The findings are from the J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction Study.
“Although it seems like the world is consumed with the idea of cord-cutting in the wake of Hulu’s first Emmy and the proliferation of new shows on Netflix and Amazon, the number of current pay TV customers who plan to cut the cord has actually declined, and the number of hours spent watching old-fashioned, time-slot television is growing,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tom Warren / The Verge:
Microsoft discontinues Groove Music Pass service, effective December 31, partners with Spotify, which it will recommend to Windows users instead
Microsoft retires Groove Music service, partners with Spotify
https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/2/16401898/microsoft-groove-music-pass-discontinued-spotify-partner
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google to let anyone add to Street View, starting with Insta360’s Pro camera
https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/02/google-to-let-anyone-add-to-street-view-starting-with-insta360s-pro-camera/
Google has a new program called “Street View ready” which will make it possible for anyone with the right hardware to contribute to its Street View imaging database, typically assembled using Google’s official 360-degree camera-toting Street View cars. The first camera officially designated ‘Street View auto ready’ is Insta360’s Pro camera, the 8K 360 camera which captures still images at up to 5 frames per second, and which has real-time image stabilization built-in.
Google will make it possible to control the Insta360 Pro from directly within the Street View app, and will also be allowing device to capture photos and videos and upload them from the official Insta360 Stitcher software. The Pro’s 5 fps 8K shooting mode is a new feature being added to the camera via software update tailor-made for capturing Street View content, and a new USB hardware accessory will also be shipping from Insta360 to attach GPS data to captured imaging data automatically.
This sounds like a very cool way to let adventurous individuals contribute to the Google Street View imagery database, and it’ll help Google cover territory not necessarily easily reached by its own teams
The camera retails for $3,499, and it’s the only hardware currently ‘Street View ready’-certified by Google.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mat Honan / BuzzFeed:
Google debuts Clips, a $249 camera with 12MP, 130° FOV that uses AI to automatically take photos, 8GB storage, 3hr battery life with constant use, no ship date — This is Google’s new camera. It’s called Google Clips. — Wait, but what do you mean it automatically takes candid photos?
Google’s New Camera “Clips” Uses AI To Automatically Get Great Shots
https://www.buzzfeed.com/mathonan/googles-new-camera-clips-uses-ai-to-automatically-get-great?utm_term=.pt5EGXwZ4v#.lmybyoLPzq
Designed for parents and pet owners, it’s meant to help you capture candid moments.
Its entire purpose is to automatically take candid photos of hard-to-capture subjects like kids and pets.
It’s quite small, sort of cute, and is basically a cube with a big lens in the front. There is no display, or viewfinder, and it is meant to be used hands-free via an attached clip that doubles as a stand. It costs $249 and will work with iOS 10 and Android 7 or later. There’s no ship date yet.
Wait, but what do you mean it automatically takes candid photos?
Yeah, so, here’s where the camera gets weird.
The camera uses artificial intelligence to both evaluate picture quality and see if someone it “knows” is within view. If it decides that something is a good picture and it recognizes the subject (which could be a person or a pet), it takes a short clip — which can be saved as a video, a GIF, or as one of Google’s newly announced Motion Photos. You can also select still images if moving pictures are not really your thing.
It saves a stream of these photos to its internal memory. Then, it connects wirelessly to your phone and a new app called Clips shows a feed of “suggested clips.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Akin Oyedele / Business Insider:
GoPro closes down 6.31% after Google unveils its $249 Clips camera
http://www.businessinsider.com/gopro-stock-price-google-clips-camera-2017-10?op=1
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kim Dotcom demos micro-payment service to help stop piracy
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-41094797
Internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom has demonstrated a new micro-payments service that is designed to let people charge small amounts of money for any content they create.
Bitcache will let users make and receive Bitcoin payments.
Mr Dotcom is currently fighting extradition to the US to stand trial for copyright infringement and fraud.
He said the platform will reduce online piracy by letting people pay for content from anywhere in the world.
Micro-payments
The idea behind Bitcache is to turn any file uploaded to the platform into its own “shop”.
Creators can upload any type of content to the service – such as a video, a song, images or computer code – and then choose how much money they want to charge.
That can be anything from $1 (£0.77) up. Bitcache will help to distribute the file across file storage websites, torrent sites and community file-sharing sites.
Even if the file is downloaded multiple times, it is encrypted and cannot be opened unless the user pays the required amount of money.
The service, which will eventually include a web browser extension and a mobile app, would also let media organisations, YouTube vloggers and bloggers accept micro-payments from viewers.
Crowdfunded investment
Over $1m was raised on crowdfunding investment platform Bank To The Future in October 2016 to fund Bitcache, which is still under development.
The demo went live on Tuesday, and 185,000 requests were received asking for access, but only 10,000 invitations were sent out.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Google Clips Camera Puts AI Behind the Lens
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/17/10/04/2336238/the-google-clips-camera-puts-ai-behind-the-lens
You know what a digital camera is. It’s a lens and a sensor, with a display to see what you’re looking at, and a button to take the picture. Google Clips is a camera, but it only has some of those parts. There’s no display. There’s a shutter button, but it’s completely optional to use. Instead, it takes pictures for you, using machine learning to recognize and learn faces and look for interesting moments to record. I don’t know if parents — Google’s target market — will want it.
The Google Clips camera puts AI behind the lens
https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/4/16405200/google-clips-camera-ai-photos-video-hands-on-wi-fi-direct
You know what a digital camera is. It’s a lens and a sensor, with a display to see what you’re looking at, and a button to take the picture. Google Clips is a camera, but it only has some of those parts. There’s no display. There’s a shutter button, but it’s completely optional to use. Instead, it takes pictures for you, using machine learning to recognize and learn faces and look for interesting moments to record.
Snee’s anecdote encapsulates the two ways to look at this little thing: it can capture endearing, heartwarming moments — but only if you’re okay with a camera that is always watching, looking for something to record.
I don’t know if parents — Google’s target market — will want it. I don’t know if Google can find a way to explain everything it is (and isn’t) to a broad enough audience to sell the thing in big numbers, especially at $249.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Debuts Its $400 Google Home Max Speaker To Rival Apple’s HomePod
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/17/10/04/203256/google-debuts-its-400-google-home-max-speaker-to-rival-apples-homepod
Google’s Home Max brings premium audio to its Assistant speaker
https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/04/googles-home-max-brings-premium-audio-to-its-assistant-speaker/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Fiber Skipping TV in New Deployments
http://www.broadbandtechreport.com/articles/2017/10/google-fiber-skipping-tv-in-new-deployments.html?cmpid=enl_btr_weekly_2017-10-05
Google Fiber (NASDAQ:GOOG) says it won’t be offering TV services in its upcoming fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments in Louisville and San Antonio, focusing instead on high-speed Internet only.
The company cites the trend toward online streaming video and over-the-top (OTT) services and says that more and more of its customers are choosing Internet-only options in its existing markets. Though Google Fiber didn’t say so, ever-increasing content costs probably also figured into the decision.