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.
624 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
ABR test strategies from RF through content delivery
http://www.btreport.net/articles/2017/05/abr-test-strategies-from-rf-through-content-delivery.html?cmpid=enl_btr_weekly_2017-05-04
As the trend toward over-the-top (OTT) services continues to grow among video service providers and cable operators, so does the demand for a high quality of experience (QoE) on any device and at any time. But delivering the quality viewers expect involves the mastery of very complex adaptive bit rate (ABR) technology and implementation of a comprehensive set of monitoring capabilities and tools.
With ABR going mainstream, you now need to not only ensure that the transcoders are creating the appropriate profiles, but that the video is being monitored from acquisition (e.g., satellite, fiber, file) all the way to the origin server and content delivery network (CDN) servers. If you want the ability to proactively detect and repair errors quickly, you’ll need taps or test points at each of three critical points in your ABR system
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kodi: Open source TV app inspires full-blown copyright panic in the UK
Descended from Xbox Media Center software, it’s a crime wave to copyright cops.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/05/kodi-fully-loaded-boxes-are-they-legal/
You know a technology’s gone mainstream when the tabloids start yelling about it. This year the Sun, the Mirror, the Express, and the Daily Star have run splashes ranging from “Kodi Crackdown” through “Kodi Killers” to “Kodi TOTAL BAN!”. It’s not that they’ve stumbled on an underground hack scene; the stories have been briefed by copyright owners and law enforcement agencies.
Advertisement
Kodi is an open source media player program that started life as XBMC (Xbox Media Center). Today, running on a variety of devices, it provides a friendly interface to play video and audio content, whether from static files, torrents, or a live stream.
Kodi itself provides an interface but no content. Anyone can create add-ons that point to video and audio sources. The XBMC Foundation provides a list of recommended add-ons that may not be endorsed by content owners, but only link to content that’s legitimately available.
Hundreds of other add-ons, however, offer unauthorised access to paid content. For consumers, it’s a tempting way to get box-sets and films for free. For the entertainment industry, it’s a nightmare.
Illicit use of Kodi has reached a point where the UK government’s Intellectual Property Office issued a “Call for Views,” which closed in April, to find out how law enforcement agencies were dealing with infringing use. They use the term “IPTV,” but also refer specifically to Kodi.
What’s the scale of illegal Kodi use? On April 20, YouGov published a survey that suggested nearly five million people in the UK were using “pirated” streaming services of one sort or another, while more than half as many again planned to start using them.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kurt Wagner / Recode:
Twitch says it wants to stream original programming that is interactive, where users can steer the storyline — “Will it happen? There’s a high probability.” — Amazon paid $1 billion for Twitch almost three years ago because it had a big audience of people who love to watch — and talk about —
Amazon’s Twitch wants to stream some ‘choose your own adventure’ TV shows
“Will it happen? There’s a high probability.”
https://www.recode.net/2017/5/5/15551284/amazon-twitch-tv-shows-social
Amazon paid $1 billion for Twitch almost three years ago because it had a big audience of people who love to watch — and talk about — other people playing video games.
Now Twitch is thinking that same audience may want to watch and talk about something a little more polished, like traditional TV. Or at least stuff that looks like traditional TV, but is delivered over the internet.
Twitch wants to stream original programming, according to COO Kevin Lin, but with a catch: It wants to stream TV shows that are actually written and produced along the way with input from Twitch’s viewers. A kind of “choose your own adventure” TV show.
Twitch lets users comment on videos as they happen, and Lin wants to use those comments to steer the programming. If Twitch’s commenters clearly don’t like a storyline from Episode One of a Twitch show, for example, the show’s producers might change that storyline in later episodes as a result of the feedback.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Peter Kafka / Recode:
Memo: Warner Music renews YouTube pact, but CEO Steve Cooper calls deal “short-term” and criticizes safe harbor copyright law — Here’s the full memo from Warner Music CEO Steve Cooper — Warner Music Group has a signed a new deal with YouTube. It’s not happy about it.
Warner Music signs a new deal with YouTube, and promptly complains about YouTube
Here’s the full memo from Warner Music CEO Steve Cooper
https://www.recode.net/2017/5/5/15564782/warner-music-youtube-deal-google-dmca
Warner Music Group has a signed a new deal with YouTube. It’s not happy about it.
Warner Music CEO Steve Cooper says his company has renewed a deal “under very difficult circumstances.” The new pact is a short-term deal which gives Google’s video site continued access to Warner’s official music videos from artists like Bruno Mars, as well as amateur videos that use Warner music.
But in a memo to his company, Cooper says Warner couldn’t get the deal it wants, because YouTube has the protection of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and other rules which give it substantial leeway when it comes to copyright claims.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Financial Times:
Spotify, Deezer, Rocket Internet, others sign letter to European Commission urging antitrust action against Apple and Google — Brussels urged to take action against those abusing mobile and app store dominance — Read next … Spotify and a host of European internet businesses have called …
European tech lobbies for action against Apple and Google
Brussels urged to take action against those abusing mobile and app store dominance
https://www.ft.com/content/e5a5e2a4-30d8-11e7-9555-23ef563ecf9a
Tomi Engdahl says:
HandBrake
The open source video transcode
https://handbrake.fr/
HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs
Tomi Engdahl says:
Speaker with one graphene circuit
The English University of Exeter has developed a loudspeaker with no moving parts. The researchers succeeded in implementing a fingernail-sized graphene circuit with integrated loudspeaker, amplifier and graphic equalizer.
The Exeterian loudspeaker differs quite a lot from existing ones, which produce sound through mechanical oscillation. In the graphene speaker, the graphene film is heated and cooled by changing the applied current.
This causes the film and the surrounding air to expand and decrease, resulting in sound waves.
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/6270-kaiutin-yhdella-grafeenipiirilla
Tomi Engdahl says:
Amazon to control 70 percent of the voice-controlled speaker market this year
https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/08/amazon-to-control-70-percent-of-the-voice-controlled-speaker-market-this-year/?ncid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Amazon is dominating the voice-controlled speaker market, according to a new forecast from eMarketer out this morning. The maker of the Echo-branded speakers will have 70.6 percent of all voice-enabled speaker users in the U.S. this year – well ahead of Google Home’s 23.8 percent and other, smaller players like Lenovo, LG, Harmon Kardon, and Mattel, who combined only account for 5.6 percent of users.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spotify Used ‘Pirate’ MP3 Files In Its Early Days: Report
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/17/05/09/1851240/spotify-used-pirate-mp3-files-in-its-early-days-report
According to Rasmus Fleischer, one of the early The Pirate Bay figures, Spotify used unlicensed music in its early days.
Spotify’s Beta Used ‘Pirate’ MP3 Files, Some From Pirate Bay
By Andy on May 9, 2017
https://torrentfreak.com/spotifys-beta-used-pirate-mp3-files-some-from-pirate-bay-170509/
Spotify is often credited as the music service most in tune with the ‘pirate’ mentality, having converted millions of former file-sharers in recent years. Interestingly, according to writer and researcher Rasmus Fleischer, a decade ago the site actually populated its beta with pirate MP3s, including some that were only available on The Pirate Bay.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cliff Kuang / Co.Design:
Google updates Allo with new image-recognition tool that maps facial features then generates 22 custom emojis — According to Google, the tool could generate 563 quadrillion faces. — Machine learning and artificial intelligence have, for a couple years, been hailed as the death knell …
Exclusive: Google’s New AI Tool Turns Your Selfies Into Emoji
According to Google, the tool could generate 563 quadrillion faces.
https://www.fastcodesign.com/90124964/exclusive-new-google-tool-uses-ai-to-create-custom-emoji-of-you-from-a-selfie
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hasselblad’s X1D puts other medium format cameras on notice
https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/11/hasselbads-x1d-puts-other-medium-format-cameras-on-notice/?ncid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
First and foremost, the costs associated with a 50 megapixel medium format camera is something only a professional hardware (or a studio) could actually consider.
When in use, the X1D is processing 8272 × 6200 pixel images, at an average of 1.7 to 2.3 frames per second.
One of my favorite features of the X1D is its colors: they’re 16 bit, with dynamic range up to 14 stops. This really matters most in editing, where a 50MP RAW image and the manner in which it reacts to changes in Lightroom is entirely different from most other cameras.
As of publication, the X1D has only four XCD class lenses available — and they’re all prime lenses
On average, a 16GB card holds 140 images.
The X1D will be best suited for those specialist, professional photographers who find everyday use for 50 megapixels and never went that route because of the sheer size and weight of most medium format cameras.
Price as Reviewed: $12,990 total
Tomi Engdahl says:
Truepic fights photo fraud on apps like Tinder and Airbnb
https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/11/truepic-photo-verification/?ncid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
MenuTechCrunch
Truepic fights photo fraud on apps like Tinder and Airbnb
Posted yesterday by Josh Constine (@joshconstine)
“Is that what they really look like?” “Did they Photoshop the pics of the house we’re renting?” “Is this actually what I’m buying or just a photo ripped off the Internet?” These are the questions Truepic wants to answer with the startup’s photo verification technology. Today Truepic unveils its SDK for embedding its tech in other products plus its own consumer app. Truepic is also announcing its $1.75 million seed round to fuel its hope of becoming “the world’s first digital photo notary”.
Here’s how it works. You either snap a photo (or video) inside Truepic’s consumer iOS or Android app, or within the app of a client that’s embedded its SDK. Truepic’s patented technology verifies that the image hasn’t been altered or edited, and watermarks it with a time stamp, geocode, and other metadata. Truepic stores a version of the photo in its digital vault and assigns it a six-digit code and URL for retrieving it. If necessary, blockchain technology can be used to create distributed copies of the data.
Users can then export the verified and watermarked version of their image for use wherever they want, and viewers can visit the imprinted URL to double-check it with Truepic’s database.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mike James / I Programmer News:
Fraunhofer, the major contributor to MP3, shut down its licensing program in April as MP3 patents expired
MP3 Free At Last
http://www.i-programmer.info/news/181-algorithms/10750-mp3-free-at-last.html
Red Hat has announced that Fedora will include official MP3 decoding and encoding. The reason is that MP3 is now patent free – as far as anyone can tell.
MP3 revolutionized, or killed according to some, the music business, but using it in a project has long been a legal minefield. Many smaller projects simply ignored any patent problems and pressed on. If they had the good fortune to be successful then the patent sharks would notice and either close them down or take a share of the fortune. Open source projects like Fedora had really no choice but to not ship MP3 decoders or encoders
The situation was a bit of mess with patents expiring in some countries but not in others. In the EU all relevant patents expired by 2012. In the US it took till April 2017 for the same patents to expire, leaving MP3 effectively free to use.
A further problem was that there are so many patents that relate to MP3 that it was, and still is, difficult to be sure that there wouldn’t be someone waiting to claim infringement.
Fraunhofer is no longer looking to collect licence fees.
“On April 23, 2017, Technicolor’s mp3 licensing program for certain mp3 related patents and software of Technicolor and Fraunhofer IIS has been terminated.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
It’s Official: The MP3 Is Dead, After Even Its Creators Abandon It
The end of an era.
http://www.sciencealert.com/the-mp3-is-officially-dead-after-its-creators-abandoned-it?perpetual=yes&limitstart=1
Symbolically at least, the MP3 is now officially dead, after the German research institution that helped to develop the famous (and equally infamous) standard announced that all licensing for the file format had been terminated.
While any MP3s in your possession will still play fine on any devices that support the audio format – no matter how you acquired them – it signals the end of the road for the ubiquitous music file, which will no longer be officially supported.
Part of the reason for the inevitable decline is that, while MP3s may still occupy the music libraries of millions of listeners around the world, from a technological standpoint, the format has been eclipsed by later audio codecs that simply do a better job of compressing music into small, manageable file sizes – a point that its original creators fully acknowledge.
“Although there are more efficient audio codecs with advanced features available today, MP3 is still very popular amongst consumers,” the Germany-based Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits explained in a recent announcement signalling the end of the MP3 licensing program.
“However, most state-of-the-art media services such as streaming or TV and radio broadcasting use modern ISO-MPEG codecs such as the AAC family or in the future MPEG-H. Those can deliver more features and a higher audio quality at much lower bitrates compared to MP3.”
But while MP3′s compression capabilities may have been the format’s chief benefit – reducing CD-quality files up to 95 percent in size – it may also have been the format’s downfall.
Research conducted in 2016 found that the audio codec’s compression strengthened neutral and negative emotional characteristics in music, while weakening positive emotional characteristics.
Part of the problem here is the way in which MP3 was developed around the principle of psychoacoustics – the science of how we perceive sound.
“The engineers who developed the MP3 were working with incomplete information about how our brains process sonic information, and so the MP3 itself was working on false assumptions about how holistically we hear,” Andrew Flanagan reports at NPR.
“As psychoacoustic research has evolved, so has the technology that we use to listen. New audio formats and products, with richer information and that better address mobile music streaming, are arriving.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Streaming Media Devices to Hit 56 Million in 2022
http://www.btreport.net/articles/2017/05/streaming-media-devices-to-hit-56-million-in-2022.html?cmpid=enl_btr_btrvideotechnology_2017-05-15
According to ABI Research, the arrival of linear 24/7 streaming video services, such as DirecTV Now and YouTube TV, is increasing the relevance and uptake of streaming media devices. The research house says worldwide streaming media adapters will reach nearly 56 million shipments in 2022 and forecasts that all those devices shipping in North America and western Europe will be 4K in 2022.
“4K streaming devices are just entering the market in the highest end products,” said Sam Rosen, managing director and vice president at ABI. “4K streaming devices represent about 35% and 24% of streaming device shipments in North America and Western Europe, respectively, in 2017. However, as penetration of 4K TVs grows, so will the revenue opportunities from UltraHD definition purchases and rentals, as well as premium early release content. Pricing premium for these formats represents substantial revenue opportunity for studios and streaming service providers, and this will drive a faster shift to 4K streaming media adapters.”
Khin Sandi Lynn, industry analyst at ABI, said: “Video streaming services are increasingly becoming a replacement alternative for traditional pay TV services”
Tomi Engdahl says:
52% of Cord Cutters Dropped Pay TV in 2015, 2016
http://www.btreport.net/articles/2017/05/52-of-cord-cutters-dropped-pay-tv-in-2015-2016.html?cmpid=enl_btr_btrvideotechnology_2017-05-15
According to the Diffusion Group (TDG), more than half of cord cutters cancelled their legacy pay TV service in the two calendar years of 2015 and 2016, with one-third cancelling service in 2016 alone.
The use inexpensive on-demand streaming services like Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) and Amazon Prime (NASDAQ:AMZN) has gone mainstream, triggering many legacy subscribers to reassess the value of traditional TV services.
“Spending $70+/month for service that provides 2X value seems odd when you can pay $10/month for a service with 1X value,” said Greeson. “The calculus of today’s TV subscriber has been radically altered by the presence of SVOD services like Netflix.
Also, video streaming has evolved to include a growing variety of live linear services that mirror the offerings of legacy providers but are customized to individual viewing segments.
“Whether from independents (Sony Vue, YouTube TV, Hulu) or from incumbents (DirecTV Now, Dish’s Sling TV), consumers now have greater flexibility in deciding for which channels they receive and pay,” Greeson said.
“TDG observed long ago that incumbents were going to have to make a choice: Either resign themselves to being a ‘dumb-pipe’ provider or invest in using IP, change the TV experience, and become the go-to source for all things video.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
comScore Aims to Measure OTT Viewing
http://www.btreport.net/articles/2017/05/comscore-aims-to-measure-ott-viewing.html?cmpid=enl_btr_btrvideotechnology_2017-05-15
comScore (OTC:SCOR) has introduced comScore OTT Intelligence, a syndicated service to measure U.S. household viewing of over-the-top (OTT) content on TV screens. The new service is based on the company’s proprietary Total Home Panel – a research platform designed to measure consumer behavior across home network-connected devices.
OTT content viewing represents a growing segment of the cross-platform TV viewing landscape, but until now the behavior has been difficult to quantify.
“With very limited insight into viewing behavior across providers, the OTT market has largely been a black box,”
The foundation of comScore OTT Intelligence is comScore’s Total Home Panel, a single-source research platform designed to measure cross-platform media consumption. It currently measures media consumption across more than 12,500 households and 150,000 active devices per month.
Tomi Engdahl says:
4K images live via satellite
LG Electronics and satellite company SES present the high-frame rate (HFR) transmission of the OLED television at 4K resolution at the SES Industry Days in Luxembourg today. The 4K content is streamed live via the Astra satellite and is presented on LG’s 2017 OLED television set, utilizing the HFR prototype software.
HFR is a new transmission technology that enhances the 4K Ultra HD image quality by raising frames per second, fps, up to 120 frames per second, which is the maximum frame rate for broadcasts. Most of the broadcast content supports frame rate 50 or less. Higher image frequencies are especially useful for fast motion, such as sports, when playing back.
In addition to television makers, international broadcasters and content providers are preparing for the launch of the Ultra HD second phase using the DVB UHD-1 Phase 2 specification that utilizes 4K HFR technology. The UHD-1 Phase 2 standard also includes other modern technologies such as High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Next-Generation Audio (NGA).
Source: http://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/6320-4k-kuvaa-suorana-satelliitin-kautta
Tomi Engdahl says:
MP3 ‘died’ and nobody noticed
Expired Fraunhofer patents won’t be renewed
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/16/mp3_dies_nobody_noticed/
The owner of the MP3 format killed it off last month – and it’s taken three weeks for anyone to notice. With the last of the patents protecting the MPEG Audio Layer III expiring, the Fraunhofer Institute has declined to renew the IP and terminated its licensing programme.
“Although there are more efficient audio codecs with advanced features available today, mp3 is still very popular amongst consumers. However, most state-of-the-art media services such as streaming or TV and radio broadcasting use modern ISO-MPEG codecs such as the AAC family or in the future MPEG-H. Those can deliver more features and a higher audio quality at much lower bitrates compared to mp3,” the Institute said in a statement.
If you’re looking for bleeding-edge music formats today, have a look at MQA, or Master Quality Authenticated (MQA), a British development in high-res streaming on a par with the original masters. Tidal streams in MQA and music from indie umbrella group Merlin signed a deal with MQA yesterday.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MP3 Is Not Dead, It’s Finally Free
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/17/05/16/1314221/mp3-is-not-dead-its-finally-free
The commentary around IIS Fraunhofer and Technicolor terminating their MP3 licensing program for certain MP3 related patents and software has been amusing. While some are interpreting this development as the demise of the MP3 format, others are cheering about MP3s finally being free.
“MP3 is no less alive now than it was last month or will be next year — the last known MP3 patents have simply expired. So while there’s a debate to be had — in a moment — about whether MP3 should still be used today, Fraunhofer’s announcement has nothing to do with that, and is simply the ending of its patent-licensing program”
“MP3 is dead” missed the real, much better story
https://marco.org/2017/05/15/mp3-isnt-dead
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arduino (and Camera) Take Amazing Pictures
http://hackaday.com/2017/05/17/arduino-and-camera-take-amazing-pictures/
There’s an old joke where you ask someone what’s the most important thing about comedy. When they get to about the word “important,” you interrupt them and say, “Timing!” Perhaps the same thing can be said for photography. [Ted Kinsman’s] students at the Rochester Institute of Technology would probably agree. They built an Arduino-based rig to do inexpensive stop action photography.
As Arduino projects go, it isn’t very sophisticated. The circuit contains a sound detection module and an optoisolator. The code would easily fit on a piece of notebook paper. When a loud sound occurs, the Arduino triggers the flash. Simple enough, but the resulting pictures are amazing. It also looks like a lot of fun to destroy perfectly good things in the name of art.
How to Build a Simple Sound Trigger for High-Speed Photos With Arduino
https://petapixel.com/2017/05/10/build-simple-sound-trigger-high-speed-photos-arduino/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nicole Lee / Engadget:
DJI launches smart TV app with aerial content and 4k video for Samsung’s Tizen TVs and Apple TV — Just a few months after GoPro threatens to close its entertainment doors, DJI is ready to step in. The drone-cum-camera company has just announced that it’s launching a Smart TV app that’ll stream plenty …
DJI streams drone footage to your television
An app for Samsung TVs and Apple TV also shows action cam clips.
https://www.engadget.com/2017/05/16/dji-streams-drone-footage-to-your-television/
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Make High Performance Sound Absorption Panels for $5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pABvTWSxOes
In this video I explore the possibility of making DIY sound absorption panels on a budget, later comparing them to much more expensive acoustic foam. The results are pretty amazing!
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bye bye MP3: You sucked the life out of music. But vinyl is just as warped
You scratch mine, I’ll scratch yours
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/19/bye_bye_mp3_you_sucked_the_life_out_of_music_but_vinyl_is_just_as_warped/
Despite its current popularity with millennials and old geezers alike, vinyl was, is and always will be a bloody awful medium for playing music.
I’m no audiophile or sonic bore but I have no wish to return to the days when recorded music would be accompanied by an incessant mandatory overdub of pops, fuzz, crackles and farts. It was like camping overnight with a vegan.
Don’t get me wrong: I hold the vinyl format in enormous esteem for its sheer analogue ingenuity. Especially marvellous is the way Alan Blumlein at the beginning of the 1930s devised the method that allows the recording and playback of stereo (he called it “binaural”) within a single groove on a gramophone disc.
During the afternoon lectures, crusty old recording engineers swapped stories and shook their heads unhappily while staring wistfully at the famous parquet wooden flooring.
All were in agreement: how did modern audio get to such a terrible state of affairs?
OK, complaining that the present isn’t as much fun as the past is something that old people always do. We will all end up doing it eventually.
Particular ire was directed at the low expectations of today’s yoof when it comes to aural quality. One engineer said he’d spent his entire professional career sweating blood over ensuring the purity of recorded sound, only to watch his grandson pop a smartphone into a glass tumbler in the kitchen and stream some tinny repetitive shit from KissFM, believing it to be the pinnacle of musical reproduction.
As you will be aware, some key MP3 patents have been allowed to expire in recent weeks, such was the apparent lack of take-up in the music world. Good riddance?
To give it credit, MP3 was useful in making digital music more portable and less reliant on playback devices with fragile moving parts. But it was always a compromise to fool your ear, rather like FM radio: you’re not getting the whole sound and, despite the initial claims that sensible compression settings only discard inaudible frequencies, you do notice the difference.
So is the future in AAC?
Not for the grumbling engineers. “What was wrong with CD?” they said. “The music industry allowed it to be killed off too soon.”
I would go further. The industry’s cack-handed attempts in the 1990s to copy-protect CD audio, often rendering the discs unplayable from a computer, accelerated its plunge in popularity.
I might also suggest that CD audio might have remained a more popular format than it is today if as much engineering design effort had been invested in the plastic jewel cases as the optical technology on the disc. If your smartphone exploded into shards of razor-like fragments every time you launched Spotify, streaming services would die off pretty quickly too.
Going back to crappy vinyl is like getting miffed with Netflix and reverting to VHS.
However, now that the MP3 looks to be heading to a retirement home, things could go either way. On one hand, it could lead to hardware and software developers ditching the format as undesirable and out of date.
On the other, now that MP3 is mostly free of legal strings, it could re-invent itself as a new underground format reminiscent of the Napster days – a kind of gonzo audio platform that provides a suitably pseudo-analogue analogy for millennials.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nathan McAlone / Business Insider:
Facebook signs non-exclusive deal with MLB to offer live broadcasts of 20 Friday night games this season, with the first stream coming this week — Facebook just announced that it has reached a deal with Major League Baseball to broadcast 20 games live on Facebook this season, part of the tech giant’s big push into premium video.
Facebook lands deal to stream 20 MLB games live this season — here’s what we know
http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-mlb-baseball-games-2017-5?op=1&r=US&IR=T&IR=T
Facebook just announced that it has reached a deal with Major League Baseball to broadcast 20 games live on Facebook this season, part of the tech giant’s big push into premium video.
These games will be streamed weekly in a national telecast on Friday nights, accessible to Facebook users in the US.
Tomi Engdahl says:
David Priest / CNET:
Esports company ESL says it will bring 5.5K+ hours of live streaming to Facebook, 1.5K of which will be exclusive, starting June
Facebook is going to start live-streaming esports from ESL
https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-is-going-to-start-streaming-esports/
Facebook and ESL are bringing over 5500 hours of streaming content to the social media platform.
ESL, the largest esports company in the world, has announced it’ll be partnering with Facebook to bring over 5,500 hours of live streaming content to the social media platform — 1,500 hours of which will be exclusive to Facebook.
It appears the bulk of ESL’s streaming will come from Rank S, an ongoing competitive division that pits professional players practicing Counter Strike: Global Offensive. Each month, $40,000 will be awarded to the point leaders of the league. This sort of competitive play is ripe for streaming and commentary, and ESL aims to bring that to a wider audience through Facebook.
Tomi Engdahl says:
VR: Now starring Hollywood actors under your control
https://www.cnet.com/news/vr-hollywood-cannes-mortimer-nivola-broken-night-eko/
Pairing top actors with a team of interactive-video pros, “Broken Night” lets you direct the action of one couple’s life-and-death night.
For a virtual reality experience that probes a fractured mind, “Broken Night” does a good job putting tricky pieces together.
The experience, set to be showcased Saturday at the Cannes film festival’s VR-heavy Next program, explores a woman’s trauma-skewed memories as she recounts a crime to a detective. The viewer, grappling alongside her to figure out what really happened, chooses which of her memories to follow.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Significant growth expected for global image sensor market in the next five years
http://www.vision-systems.com/articles/2017/05/significant-growth-expected-for-global-image-sensor-market-in-the-next-five-years.html?cmpid=enl_vsd_vsdnewsletter_2017-05-22
In the year 2022, the global image sensor market will ship close to 4.1 million units worth $249 million, according to a new report from Smithers Apex.
The report, The Future of Image Sensors for Machine Vision to 2022, finds that the volume of image sensors used in machine vision applications shows a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3%.
“Industry experts agree that the market growth of image sensors is driven by performance, technologies and applications rather than by price, since the image sensor itself is often not the cost driver of machine vision systems,” said Ronald Müller, report author. “The digitization of the image signal and pre-processing on the sensor influence the complexity and costs of the camera. Yet the positive or negative evaluation of the business case of an image processing system is not dependent on the price of the image sensor in most cases.”
Smithers Apex notes that the trend of image sensor prices is driven by the shift away from CCD image sensors to CMOS image sensors.
“The victory march of CMOS global shutter sensors has already begun,” notes that report.
In the future, CMOS sensors will likely eradicate low-end CCD sensors from the market as a result of better performance and lower pricing, while also driving high-end CCD sensors into niches, where they can still perform CMOS sensors.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Integration Insights: CMOS imagers target high-speed applications
http://www.vision-systems.com/articles/print/volume-22/issue-2/features/integration-insights-cmos-imagers-target-high-speed-applications.html?cmpid=enl_vsd_vsdnewsletter_2017-05-22
Lighting’s role in effective industrial image processing is vital. Illumination (via LED or other light source) needs to be high enough in the area of interest to minimize the camera’s exposure time.
Furthermore, its direction must be highly controlled in order to create a high contrast and allow key features to be recognized and read against their background.
Back end processing / wide dynamic range
These issues can, to a greater or smaller extent, be managed by employing image processing, run on the back-end computer system. But this requires compromises in order to enable the board to be captured in one image-and the ultimate effect on this is that accuracy may be sacrificed
Here, the higher frame rates that are enabled by CMOS imagers enables you to overcome this problem and achieve an illumination consistency-via a process called wide dynamic range (Figure 1). The technique takes multiple shots in sequence, each with a slightly different exposure time.
By combining these and creating a composite photograph you can achieve a much higher bit depth than a single image. And the end result is that shading on parts of the image is corrected without the loss of effective bit depth that would be seen with a single-exposure.
Image capture: Developments in high-dynamic range imagers
http://www.vision-systems.com/articles/print/volume-22/issue-2/departments/technology-trends/image-capture-developments-in-high-dynamic-range-imagers.html?cmpid=enl_vsd_vsdnewsletter_2017-05-22
Faced with the challenge of developing high-dynamic range cameras, vendors can choose from a number of different CCD and CMOS devices. In military, automotive and medical applications, for example, such imagers are useful since the larger the dynamic range, the very bright and very dark components of an image can be captured and then processed for further analysis.
Because the dynamic range is the ratio of the largest non-saturating input signal to the smallest detectable input signal, increasing the dynamic range is achieved by either increasing the largest non-saturating input signal or decreasing the smallest detectable input signal.
To date, a number of vendors have tailored their CMOS sensors to increase this dynamic range (see “CMOS imagers look to increase dynamic range” Vision Systems Design, October 2014; http://bit.ly/VSD-14-CMOS). Of course, the two main techniques used to increase this dynamic range: those that modulate the pixel exposure time and those that modulate pixel conversion gain are also being used by vendors of CCDs and CCD-based cameras.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Industry Solutions: Smart camera checks currency for counterfeits
http://www.vision-systems.com/articles/print/volume-22/issue-4/features/industry-solutions-smart-camera-checks-currency-for-counterfeits.html?cmpid=enl_vsd_vsdnewsletter_2017-05-22
Traditionally, many systems builders have developed custom vision applications using off-the-shelf Windows-based PC hardware and vendor supplied software libraries. However, there is a growing trend to use less expensive embedded systems hardware, open-source operating system software such as Linux, and open-source image processing libraries such as OpenCV (www.opencv.org).
To demonstrate how such an industrial machine vision application can be built quickly and efficiently using embedded systems and open source software, Danish camera vendor Qtechnology (Valby, Denmark; http://www.qtec.com) recently teamed with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD; Sunnyvale, CA, USA; http://www.amd.com) and Mentor Graphics (Wilsonville, OR, USA; http://www.mentor.com).
Using an industrial camera based on AMD’s R series system-on-chip (SoC, formerly codenamed “Merlin Falcon”) running Mentor Embedded Linux operating system, Qtechnology has developed a system to perform high-speed scanning and validation of paper currency.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Recode:
Sources: Facebook’s TV-like shows, set for mid-June launch, have been delayed at least until late July
Facebook is delaying the launch of its original videos until the end of summer
One challenge is figuring out where these shows will live outside of Facebook’s video tab.
https://www.recode.net/2017/5/19/15666906/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-original-video-tab-tv-delay
Facebook’s big push into original video is taking longer than expected.
The social network’s plans to release a slate of made-for-Facebook original video shows has been pushed back and may not arrive until the end of summer, according to multiple sources.
Facebook has been in talks with video publishers for months to create these TV-style videos, which will live in a redesigned video tab inside the app. The company initially wanted to have them done by April, and then pushed that rollout to mid-June with the hope of unveiling those shows — or at least some of them — when the media world descends upon the south of France for the Cannes Lions advertising conference next month.
Tomi Engdahl says:
EXCLUSIVE: Amazon Channels to launch in UK and Germany
http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2017/05/20/exclusive-amazon-channels-to-launch-in-uk-and-germany/#more-146066
Amazon will shortly roll out an OTT service with linear TV channels and on-demand content in the UK and Germany.
This was confirmed to Broadband TV News by two people familiar with the situation. Amazon Channels will initially contain around 25 pay-TV channels, both from major broadcast groups and smaller players, according to the sources.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Dish integrates with Amazon Alexa for hands-free TV, the first TV provider to do so
Dish integrates with Amazon Alexa for hands-free TV
https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/22/dish-integrates-with-amazon-alexa-for-hands-free-tv/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Panduit joins Software-Defined Video over Ethernet Alliance
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2017/040/panduit-sdvoe-alliance.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-05-22
The Software-Defined Video over Ethernet Alliance (SDVoE Alliance) recently announced that Panduit joined as a contributing member to the group. “Panduit will work toward the organization’s goals of standardizing the adoption of Ethernet to transport AV signals in professional AV environments, and creating an ecosystem around SDVoE technology that allows software to define AV applications,” the alliance said.
Panduit’s vice president of enterprise business, Dennis Renaud, commented that the company “is excited to be the first cabling and connectivity manufacturer to join the SDVoE Alliance as a contributing member. The alliance and Panduit have similar goals of promoting the expansion and standardization of an AV-over-IP solution. This gives Panduit an opportunity to introduce our high-quality, industry-leading network products and solutions to the pro AV market.”
Software Defined Video Over Ethernet
http://sdvoe.org/
It is universally acknowledged that the transition of the AV industry to IP-based solutions is inevitable. Moving AV distribution to IP offers the possibility to create dramatically new architectures and entirely new user experiences. However, too many different approaches exist and are confusing the market and customers. Furthermore, many technologies simply fail to meet the performance needs of pro AV. For these reasons, adoption of AV over IP has been slow.
The SDVoE Alliance is bringing leading companies in the space together around a standardized hardware and software platform. The SDVoE platform will disrupt the pro AV industry by enabling applications that were previously unrealizable.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hackaday Prize Entry: Rangefinder + Camera = SmartZoom
http://hackaday.com/2017/05/23/hackaday-prize-entry-rangefinder-camera-smartzoom/
The interesting thing about submissions for The Hackaday Prize is seeing unusual projects and concepts that might not otherwise pop up. [ken conrad] has a curious but thoughtfully designed idea for Raspberry Pi-based SmartZoom Imaging that uses a Pi Zero and camera plus some laser emitters to create a device with a very specific capability: a camera that constantly and dynamically resizes the image make the subject appear consistently framed and sized, regardless of its distance from the lens. The idea brings together two separate functions: rangefinding and automated zooming and re-sampling of the camera image.
The Raspberry Pi uses the camera board plus some forward-pointing laser dots as a rangefinder; as long as at least two laser dots are visible on the subject, the distance between the device and the subject can be calculated. The Pi then uses the knowledge of how near or far the subject is to present a final image whose zoom level has been adjusted to match (and offset) the range of the subject from the camera, in effect canceling out the way an object appears larger or smaller based on distance.
Raspberry Pi-based SmartZoom Imaging
https://hackaday.io/project/20846-raspberry-pi-based-smartzoom-imaging
Using a laser rangefinder, distance from camera is calculated and display of image is zoomed in or out dependantly
Tomi Engdahl says:
More Ways To Connect with Friends in Facebook Live
https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2017/05/more-ways-to-connect-with-friends-in-facebook-live/
Live Chat With Friends
One of the best things about Live is that you can discuss what’s happening in the broadcast in real time. In fact, people comment more than 10 times more on Facebook Live videos than on regular videos. When it comes to compelling public broadcasts — such as a breaking news event, a Q&A with your favorite actor or behind-the-scenes action after a big game — watching with the community and reading comments is an exciting part of the experience. We know sometimes people also want the option to interact with only their friends during a public live broadcast, so we’re rolling out Live Chat With Friends.
Live Chat With Friends lets you invite friends to a private chat about a public live broadcast. You can invite friends who are already watching or other friends who you think may want to tune in. You’re able to jump back into the public conversation at any time, and you can still continue chatting with your friends via Messenger after the broadcast ends.
Last year we started rolling out the ability for public figures to go live with a guest. Now available for all profiles and Pages on iOS, Live With lets you invite a friend into your live video so you can hang out together, even if you’re not in the same place. Sharing the screen with a friend can make going live more fun and interactive — for both you and your viewers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jack Marshall / Wall Street Journal:
Facebook is testing a new product, Audience Direct, which it says helps publishers target ads with 90% accuracy; early partners include ESPN
Facebook Tool Handles Media Companies’ Video Ad Sales
‘Audience Direct’ will streamline buying process that has been labor-intensive
https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-tool-handles-media-companies-video-ad-sales-1495551600
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microsoft’s game streaming service Beam rebrands as Mixer, adds co-streaming, a guide & mobile broadcasting
https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/25/microsofts-game-streaming-service-beam-rebrands-as-mixer-adds-co-streaming-a-guide-mobile-broadcasting/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sony Launches First Three-Layer, 960 fps Camera with Sandwich-Stacked DRAM
http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1331734&
Details given in an ISSCC conference paper looked like the real thing; this caught the attention of our image-sensor experts inside TechInsights.
During the ISSCC conference last February, Sony issued a press release describing “Industry’s First 3-Layer Stacked CMOS Image Sensor with DRAM for Smartphones”. There have been rumors of image sensors with embedded DRAM (to speed up the image data processing) for several years, but so far, nothing has been put into production and out in the real world.
In its earlier 19 Mp image sensor, Sony used dual digital/analog converters to digitize the pixel data, and now we have a 4-tier construction to increase readout speed, and improve processing capability. The DRAM is used to temporarily store the high-speed data, and then output it at the optimal rate for the sensor interface. This design allows it to read a still image of 19.3 million pixels in only 1/120 of a second, and in movie mode it can go up to ~1000 fps, ~4x and ~8x (respectively) faster than the earlier product. This block diagram illustrates the signal path.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel Inside DJI Mini-Drone
Computer vision & image processing in one unit
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1331786&
DJI, the Shenzhen-based world leader in drones and aerial cameras, rolled out Wednesday (May 24) its first mini-drone — called Spark.
DJI was apparently unfazed by a controversial ruling by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) last week that requires all civil-use drones heavier than 250g to be registered online starting June 1.
Packed inside Spark’s compact body — measuring 143×143×55 mm and weighing 300g — is a vision processing unit, dubbed Myriad 2, designed by Movidius, now an Intel company.
DJI claimed that Spark is “the first drone that users can control by hand gestures alone.” Movidius’ Myriad 2 enables the new drone to recognize a user’s face and understand his or her signals.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hacked by Subtitles
http://hackaday.com/2017/05/25/hacked-by-subtitles/
CheckPoint researchers published in the company blog a warning about a vulnerability affecting several video players. They found that VLC, Kodi (XBMC), Popcorn-Time and strem.io are all vulnerable to attack via malicious subtitle files. By carefully crafting a subtitles file they claim to have managed to take complete control over any type of device using the affected players when they try to load a video and the respective subtitles.
Hacked in Translation – from Subtitles to Complete Takeover
http://blog.checkpoint.com/2017/05/23/hacked-in-translation/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Drone Powered 360º Circular Smartphone Camera Rig
https://www.hackster.io/kfernandesign/drone-powered-360-circular-smartphone-camera-rig-de4441?ref=explore&ref_id=recent___&offset=14
This Arduino & XBEE connected camera rig shoots flat 360º degree round video/footage using only one smartphone camera/recording device.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Product Focus: Fiber emerges as an alternative camera-to-computer interface
http://www.vision-systems.com/articles/print/volume-22/issue-5/features/product-focus-fiber-emerges-as-an-alternative-camera-to-computer-interface.html?cmpid=enl_vsd_vsdnewsletter_2017-05-30
In choosing cameras for machine vision applications, systems integrators are faced with a number of options ranging from the resolution of the image sensor, the data rate required and the types of lenses needed. These choices are compounded by the number of different and emerging standards that exist for camera-to-computer connections, each of which has its own price/performance trade-offs. Such standards include networking based interfaces such as Gigabit Ethernet, bus-based designs such as USB3 Vision or point-to-point protocols such as Camera Link, Camera Link HS (CLHS) and CoaXPress (CXP).
Using passive copper cable, each standard has its own limitations. For USB 3 Vision, for example, this is specified as 3-5m, for GigE Vision up to 100m, for Camera Link 7-15m, for CLHS 7-15m and for CXP-6 (6.25 Gbits/s), 35m. For each of these camera interfaces, longer camera-to-computer extensions can be accomplished in a number of ways that include active cables, active optical cables (AOCs), optical repeaters, and fiber-based camera and fiber-based frame grabbers each of which, like the cameras and camera interfaces themselves, have different price/performance trade-offs.
For each of the most popular camera interfaces, active copper cables can be used to extend the distance achievable. These active copper cables use analog ICs integrated within cable connector modules to compensate for the signal degradation associated with passive copper-based cables.
For those deploying cameras using standard networking protocols, there may be no need to deploy active cables since the GigE Vision standard specifies a cable length of up to 100m can be used.
While 10GBaseT cameras such as the HT Series of 10GBaseT CMOS area scan cameras from Emergent Vision Technologies (Maple Ridge, BC, Canada) use RJ45 connectors with copper cable for camera to computer connections of between 1-100m distances, the company uses the SFP+ connector in its HR camera series to support much greater camera to cable interface lengths
Currently the most common type of 10Gbit Ethernet cable is the 10GBase-SR fiber-optic cable that supports an SFP+ connector with an optical transceiver rated for 10Gbits/s
While active optical cables (AOCs) accept the same electrical inputs as traditional copper cable connectors, they use optical fiber between the camera and the computer. At present, though more expensive than passive cables, AOCs offer systems developers the opportunity to increase camera-to-computer distances without sacrificing compatibility with standard electrical interfaces.
For designers of machine vision systems, numerous companies now offer AOCs that are compatible with popular vision interfaces
Using the SFP+ interface, however, allows direct attach passive copper-based cable to be used for distances from 1-10m, SFP+ multi-mode fiber modules/transceivers for distances of 1-300m and SFP+ single-mode fiber modules/transceivers for multiple kilometer distances.
While the use of optical interfaces have benefits such as long distance data transmission and lack of signal degradation due to EMI, such cables often do not supply power to the camera unless optical fiber/metal hybrid cables are used.
http://www.emva.org/wp-content/uploads/FSF_Vision_Standards_Brochure_A4_screen.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Michael Zhang / PetaPixel:
Google quietly announces it will no longer update or add features to its Nik Collection of free photo editing apps — Google received praise from photographers last year when it made its $150 Nik Collection of popular photo editing software 100% free. But alas, all good things come to an end …
Google Abandons Its Nik Collection of Popular Photo Editing Software
https://petapixel.com/2017/05/30/google-abandons-nik-collection-popular-photo-editing-software/
Google received praise from photographers last year when it made its $150 Nik Collection of popular photo editing software 100% free. But alas, all good things come to an end: Google has quietly announced that it will be abandoning the Nik Collection from here on out.
The announcement was made through a simple banner message found on the Nik Collection homepage.
“The Nik Collection is free and compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 through 10.10; Windows Vista, 7, 8; and Adobe Photoshop through CC 2015,” Google writes. “We have no plans to update the Collection or add new features over time.”
If you’re a fan of the Nik Collection, you’ll still be able to use the tools indefinitely for now,
Tomi Engdahl says:
Flexible nanogenerator acts as loudspeaker, microphone
https://semiengineering.com/powerperformance-bits-may-30/
Engineers at Michigan State University developed a paper-thin, flexible ferroelectret nanogenerator, or FENG, that can both generate energy from human motion and act as a loudspeaker and microphone.
“This is the first transducer that is ultrathin, flexible, scalable and bidirectional, meaning it can convert mechanical energy to electrical energy and electrical energy to mechanical energy,” said Nelson Sepulveda, MSU associate professor of electrical and computer engineering.
The FENG starts with a silicone wafer, which is then fabricated with several layers of environmentally friendly substances including silver, polyimide and polypropylene ferroelectret. Ions are added so that each layer in the device contains charged particles.
How scientists turned a flag into a loudspeaker
http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2017/how-scientists-turned-a-flag-into-a-loudspeaker/
A paper-thin, flexible device created at Michigan State University not only can generate energy from human motion, it can act as a loudspeaker and microphone as well, nanotechnology researchers report today in Nature Communications.
The audio breakthrough could eventually lead to such consumer products as a foldable loudspeaker, a voice-activated security patch for computers and even a talking newspaper.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sony Launches First Three-Layer, 960 fps Camera with Sandwich-Stacked DRAM
http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1331734&
Details given in an ISSCC conference paper looked like the real thing; this caught the attention of our image-sensor experts inside TechInsights.
During the ISSCC conference last February, Sony issued a press release describing “Industry’s First 3-Layer Stacked CMOS Image Sensor with DRAM for Smartphones”. There have been rumors of image sensors with embedded DRAM (to speed up the image data processing) for several years, but so far, nothing has been put into production and out in the real world.
The details were given in a paper [1] at the ISSCC conference and it actually looked like the real thing
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vlad Savov / The Verge:
Nest unveils Cam IQ, a smart home camera with a 4K video sensor that uses Google’s AI for facial recognition; preorders open now for $299, ships end of June
Nest cams back from the dead with new home monitoring device
The Cam IQ presents an intriguing mix of high-fidelity video and smart motion detection and alerts
https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/31/15716830/nest-cam-iq-announced-specs-features-release-date-price
today the Alphabet-owned company is making a splashy return to prominence with a new “intelligent” indoor camera called the Nest Cam IQ. Bearing a similar shape and styling to Nest’s signature thermostat, the Cam IQ costs $299 (or $498 for a pair) and will begin shipping by the end of June.
Nest has also built in a powerful speaker, a three-microphone array with noise and echo suppression, and an impressively flexible and strong pivot stand, but the hardware is really not the thing this company’s excited about.
Using some deep-learning tech from Google, the Cam IQ can accurately detect what’s moving within its field of vision — whether it’s just your pet, for instance, or a shadow cast by the changing light. If it’s something more sinister, like a person, the camera can then automatically zoom in and track that person as they move around the room.
Should you opt to subscribe to the Nest Aware service ($10 per month or $100 per year), the Cam IQ will also offer a facial recognition facility that will sort between known friends or family members and any strangers, and alert you accordingly. Additionally, making use of those extra mics, Nest Aware can now also pick up audio cues for alarm, whether it be a dog barking, humans talking, or a window being smashed.
Tomi Engdahl says:
GigE Vision – True Plug and Play Connectivity
https://www.visiononline.org/vision-standards-details.cfm?type=5
GigE Vision® is a global camera interface standard developed using the Gigabit Ethernet communication protocol.GigE Vision GigE Vision allows for fast image transfer using low cost standard cables over very long lengths. With GigE Vision, hardware and software from different vendors can interoperate seamlessly over GigE connections.
Devices such as GigE Vision-enabled lights are automatically recognized by the computers on the network. Version 2.0 introduces support for faster data transfer through 10 gigabit Ethernet and link aggregation. It also enables transmission of compressed images (JPEG, JPEG 2000 and H.264), accurate synchronization of multi-camera systems and enhanced support for multi-tap sensors
Vision Standards
https://www.visiononline.org/vision-standards-details.cfm?id=168&type=5
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bill Simmons Says ESPN Blew It By Not Embracing Tech
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/17/05/31/194208/bill-simmons-says-espn-blew-it-by-not-embracing-tech
ESPN’s problem isn’t competition over content: They didn’t position themselves for a future where cord cutting was a reality, according to former ESPN personality Bill Simmons. “They didn’t see a lot of this coming,” said Simmons. “They didn’t see cord cutting coming. They weren’t ready for it. A lot of decisions were made based on subs staying at a certain level. They had to realize they were a technology company. The ones winning are now Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Hulu. ESPN should have been in that mix, but they’re in Bristol.
Bill Simmons says ESPN blew it by not embracing tech: ‘They should have had a place in Silicon Valley’
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/31/bill-simmons-rips-espn-for-missing-out-on-tech.html
ESPN should have recognized itself as a technology company in order to protect itself from the loss of cable subscriptions, according to former ESPN personality Bill Simmons.
President John Skipper was a good boss when he was executive vice president of content, but his work declined when he took over the top job, Simmons said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chris Welch / The Verge:
YouTube updates “ad friendly” guidelines, takes a stronger stance on hateful and demeaning content, and inappropriate use of family entertainment characters
YouTube adds more details, and restrictions, around which videos can be monetized
More guidance for video creators and three new types of ad-unfriendly content
https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/1/15726092/youtube-ad-restrictions-offensive-content-monetization-hate-inappropriate
YouTube is taking new steps today to get a handle on content that might offend advertisers or, conversely, prevent a YouTube creator from monetizing their videos. Several major brands left the platform’s ad program recently to avoid being linked with hateful and offensive videos. And many creators were upset when videos they saw as benign started to be de-monetized.
YouTube has promised to give advertisers greater control over where their ads appear and to give creators a better sense of what they need to avoid if they want their videos to make money. Today the video service is expanding its creator guidelines on what constitutes an “ad-friendly” video, offering up more details about dos and don’ts, and, importantly, adding three new categories of videos that won’t be eligible for advertising.
YouTube is trying to walk a careful line with these new guidelines.
Lesson: Making advertiser-friendly content
https://creatoracademy.youtube.com/page/lesson/advertiser-friendly?cid=earn-money&hl=en&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=june-2017
If you’re interested in earning money from ads on YouTube, it’s important to understand YouTube’s ads policies and how advertisers choose where their ads appear.