Here are some audio and video trends for 2018.
Buying headphones in 2018 is going to be a fragmented mess because of a silent goodbye to the 3.5mm audio plug, Majority of new headphones introduced at CES were wireless and there are several different wireless systems. Bluetooth audio has historically sacrificed sound quality for convenience relative to a wired connection. However, there are a couple of standards now that promise “better-than-CD” audio quality. For wired connections where we once had the solid reliability of a 3.5mm analog connector working with any jack shaped to receive it, there’s now a divergence of digital alternatives:Lightning, USB-C, and Sony’s 4.4mm Pentaconn connector.
Voice, connectivity and AI took center stage at the Consumer Electronics Show. Alexa Skills and the Voice Experience is really getting off. With over 15 million Amazon Echo devices shipped and 244 million projected by 2022 it is expected to take lead with Google Home Assistant and Apple Homepod with Siri following. Also Google Assistant was mentioned a lot in CES. Google Sold 6.75 Million ‘Google Home’ Devices In the Last 80 Days. ‘Language assistants were a big topic at this year’s CES. More and more manufacturers like JBL and Creative are integrating smart helpers into their WLAN speakers. Alexa support comes to 2018 TVs from Sony, Hisense and LG. Google launches smart displays with JBL, Lenovo, LG and Sony. There will be also other competitors aiming to this market, for example “China’s Google,” shouted out most loudly for voice. Microsoft’s Cortana had a crappy CES so it seems that Amazon Alexa will soon arrive on Windows PCs (HP, ASUS, Acer and others). Introducing Single-Chip Solutions for Building Alexa-Enabled Products.Sony launches a bunch of new headphones and adds Google Assistant functionality to the line.
Binaural, ambisonic, spatial, surround, 3D will be talked about. The most accessible exhibitions of this technology are in Youtube VR and Facebook 360, where users can interact with 360º videos that contain spatial audio. AR/VR was hot topic at CES 2018.
Sound bars are popular for compact home theater setups. Traditional home cinema systems with AV receivers and large speaker arsenals are only used by film and sound enthusiasts who sacrifice space in the living room for this purpose.
People listen to four hours of audio content every day. Streaming platforms like Spotify take a big bit of that. Streaming accounts for 41% of music consumption was the 2017’s most jaw dropping statistic. People will also listen a lot of music from YouTube.
Acoustics-based NFC is being pushed to market as it requires only a microphone and speaker, eliminating tags and chips. Chirp and LISNR are two emerging companies facilitating soundwave communication.
Wireless headphones and speakers become more common. Portable loudspeakers without cables are more popular than ever with music listeners. Most popular connection technology is Bluetooth.More and more manufacturers are breaking away from the cable and are showing new models and updates of completely wireless in-ear headphones at the CES 2018.
There is a bit of nostalgia involved: Several traditional technology tries to make come-back in 2018. The traditionalists among the music lovers continue to use records, so new record players keep coming. Cassette tapes making a comeback thanks to young, independent artists. Artists like Justin Bieber, Eminem and Metallica have all put out material on tape recently as a recent blockbuster film “Guardians of the Galaxy” put a hero center stage with a Sony Walkman. Tube amplifiers are back for traditionalist audiophiles that think that tubes can make your music to sound better.
4K video resolution is hot and 8K going to be pushed to market. TV has progressed to the 4K ultra-high-definition stage with its 3,840 × 2,160 pixel resolution. LG Display has made a 65-inch rollable 4K OLED TV. LG displayed 8K OLED TV at CES. Samsung has technology scales the image resolution to a 8K with AI. LG, Panasonic, and TCL put the spotlight on the chips that do the video processing: For the foreseeable future, any advances in image quality will be coming from these chips, not from the displays themselves.
Welcome ATSC 3.0 in USA: In November, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued new rules that will let TV broadcasters adopt the next-generation wireless TV standard designated ATSC 3.0. This new standard defines the specifications for ultra-high-definition (UHD) or 4K over-the-air (OTA) digital TV. But over-the-air is minority in USA as roughly 75% of households pay for their TV reception for cable or satellite distribution.
Home theater headsets have come a long way. AR/VR is hot. Oculus partners with Xiaomi to launch the Oculus Go and Mi VR Standalone.
Wired peripherals and electronics are still a major part of the market. Cabling for AV systems will have new features: a new HDMI standard and how active cables will provide both power and video to consumer devices.
3D cameras are hot. HP’s Z 3D Camera puts Sprout’s scanning power on your PC. Intel’s new cameras add human-like 3D vision to any machine.
When almost all AV products are pushing more and more features, it seems that almost Everything is too complicated for an average Joe.
Sources:
https://www.smartbrief.com/original/2018/01/10-audio-marketing-trends-2018
http://www.computerbild.de/artikel/avf-News-Audio-Trends-CES-2018-11264743.html
https://www.marketplace.org/2017/11/22/business/cassette-tapes-make-comeback
http://aeaaudio.com/why-tubes-are-back-and-how-to-get-in-on-it/
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/coolest-best-audio-gadgets-ces-2018/
https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/18/16903516/headphones-wireless-analog-jack-future-ces-2018
https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/08/alexa-support-comes-to-2018-tvs-from-sony-and-hisense/
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332845
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYhgJlEn880
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/7368-tekoaly-skaalaa-televisiokuvan-8k-tarkkuuteen
https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/6/16859102/lg-display-rollable-oled-65-inch-ces-2018
https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/08/eagle-wearable-home-theater/
http://www.electronicdesign.com/community-home/free-tv-keeps-getting-better-welcome-atsc-30
https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/18/intel-realsense-ready-to-use-depth-cameras/
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/01/hps-z-3d-camera-puts-sprouts-scanning-power-on-your-pc/
841 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Controlling the Shutter on a Panasonic PT-DZ21K2 Projector using PJLink
http://controlgeek.net/blog/2018/3/11/controlling-the-shutter-on-a-panasonic-pt-dz21k2-projector-using-pjlink
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sean Gallagher / Ars Technica:
Finder, a research program of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, aims to geotag any publicly available image or video taken outdoors — “Finder” will geotag images by terrain, sky features. — Imagine if someone could scan every image on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram …
US spy lab hopes to geotag every outdoor photo on social media
“Finder” will geotag images by terrain, sky features.
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2018/03/us-spy-lab-hopes-to-geotag-every-outdoor-photo-on-social-media/
Imagine if someone could scan every image on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, then instantly determine where each was taken. The ability to combine this location data with information about who appears in those photos—and any social media contacts tied to them—would make it possible for government agencies to quickly track terrorist groups posting propaganda photos. (And, really, just about anyone else.)
That’s precisely the goal of Finder, a research program of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency (IARPA), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s dedicated research organization.
https://www.iarpa.gov/index.php/research-programs/finder
Tomi Engdahl says:
Using graphics processors for image compression
https://www.vision-systems.com/articles/print/volume-22/issue-7/features/using-graphics-processors-for-image-compression.html?cmpid=enl_vsd_vsd_newsletter_2018-03-19&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2038140
The CUDA parallel computing platform and application programming interface (API) allows fast JPEG image compression on GPUs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Deep-sea imaging: Imaging systems monitor for pollution and coral health
https://www.vision-systems.com/articles/print/volume-23/issue-1/departments/technology-trends/deep-sea-imaging-imaging-systems-monitor-for-pollution-and-coral-health.html?cmpid=enl_vsd_vsd_newsletter_2018-03-19&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2038140
Scientists from the Ifremer (French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea; Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; wwz.ifremer.fr/en) have used FCB block cameras from Sony Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; http://pro.sony.com) to monitor for pollution and coral health in the vulnerable marine ecosystems of the Bay of Biscay.
“Deep-sea environments pose several imaging challenges. Capturing images in low-light, silt reflecting light back causing glare and the reduced field of view from being under water,” explains Marco Boldrini, Product Manager at Sony Europe Image Sensing Solutions (Weybridge, Surrey, United Kingdom; http://www.image-sensing-solutions.eu). “Plus, the challenge of transmitting data to the surface from depths of greater than 2,000 meters.”
Another challenge is the corrosive nature of salt water, and the pressures the systems will be exposed to (1 additional atmosphere of pressure for every 10 m in depth) means the housing used needs to be exceptionally well designed. In this application, the camera systems must reside inside housings capable of surviving more than 250 atmospheres of pressure to operate at such depths.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Facebook lets all PC games live stream and reward viewers
https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/19/facebook-pc-games-live/
Facebook is challenging Twitch and YouTube for video game live streaming supremacy with the release of its new Games SDK for PC. After testing Live streaming from games like Overwatch from developers like Blizzard since 2016, today Live broadcasting from PC games to the News Feed opens to all developers. And Facebook will let them reward fans who watch by providing in-game items or bonuses.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dirac: High-Fidelity Audio for Your Smartphone
https://spectrum.ieee.org/geek-life/tools-toys/dirac-highfidelity-audio-for-your-smartphone
In the years since the iPhone was launched, in 2007, smartphone manufacturers have competed primarily on the size and resolution of their screens, touting display capabilities sometimes to the exclusion of anything else. But as mobile display technology matures, manufacturers are looking to other areas to distinguish themselves, such as sound.
This is good news for a company like Dirac, which provides algorithmic audio-optimization tools. A few of the bigger brands around the world that already include Dirac’s optimizations are Alcatel, Huawei, Infinix, Motorola, and Tecno.
The problem with acoustic drivers—the components that actually vibrate in speakers and headphones to produce sound—is that as a general rule, going smaller results in compromising sound quality, particularly for lower tones like bass notes. Dirac has created optimizations for small drivers that improve audio quality, both for built-in smartphone speakers and external speakers.
These optimizations come in two flavors. Dirac claims to be able to provide a surround sound–like experience with its Panorama Sound tuning, using just your phone’s speakers. Meanwhile, its Power Sound tuning is supposed to improve clarity, especially by bringing out lower bass registers that are often lost with built-in smartphone speakers
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/design/consumer/4460417/Electrostatic-speaker-teardown—review?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
YouTube rolls out a new feature that lets you ‘go live’ from the desktop without an encoder
https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/20/youtube-rolls-out-a-new-feature-that-lets-you-go-live-from-the-desktop-without-an-encoder/?utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
YouTube today is rolling out a new feature that will allow video creators to start a live stream from their web cam without downloading encoding software, which can be complicated to set up. Now, streamers will be able to click the “Go Live” button in the YouTube header to start the stream, or visit the URL youtube.com/webcam. No additional configuration will be required, the company says.
The feature currently works only on the Google Chrome browser, but will expand to other browsers in time.
Before today, YouTube users would have to use encoding software to capture content – including their desktop, camera, and microphone – and send it to YouTube to be live streamed.
YouTube says that the new web cam feature is only one of several ways it’s planning to make it easier for creators to go live in the future.
The company has also scored deals with several device manufacturers including Asus, LG, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung who will add a live stream feature directly in their camera apps on select upcoming devices in the months ahead.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Power sources for good hi-fi sound
The German ROHM has introduced new power supply circuits that it brags to be as the first integrated hifi audio equipment on the market. Pure power supply is one of the key features of high-quality sound reproduction.
The BD372xx Series Power Circuits are the first audio power source circuits that combine leading analog and audio technologies. The amplifier section is based on a new high-speed response error correction and low-noise architecture.
Other features such as voltage stability, noise levels, and power supply symmetry are optimized with real-world listening tests. These are three key parameters that, with regard to power supply, affect the sound quality.
The BD372xx circuit is capable of repairing errors in a wide band so that the input voltage and output current on the output voltage remain minimal.
Source: http://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7746&via=n&datum=2018-03-22_14:56:56&mottagare=30929
More:
ROHM announces Industry’s First Power Supply ICs for Hi-Fi Audio
Improves audio quality from power supply lines by combining proprietary analog and sound reproduction technologies
http://www.rohm.com/web/eu/news-detail?news-title=2018-03-20_audio_press_release&defaultGroupId=false
ROHM has recently announced the availability of high-fidelity power supply ICs optimized for audio devices requiring high-resolution playback. The BD372xx series are the first audio power supply ICs to combine leading-edge analog and sound reproduction technologies. In addition to integrating a newly developed fast response error amp circuit and low-noise architecture, multiple parameters that were shown to affect audio quality in the development and manufacturing processes were optimized via real-world listening tests, resulting in industry-leading performance in all key characteristics (voltage stability, noise level, and power supply symmetry) required by power supplies for audio equipment.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/22/samsungs-galaxy-s9-is-the-way-to-wean-yourself-off-of-dslrs/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
GoPro to license camera lenses and sensors to third party manufacturers
https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/22/gopro-to-license-camera-lenses-and-sensors-through-jabil/?utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
GoPro is today announcing a multi-year deal with Jabil that aims to put GoPro technology in everything from police body cameras to video conferencing solutions. Through this agreement, Jabil will license GoPro’s design and intellectual property for use in approved third-party devices. This is the first time GoPro is letting other manufacturers build products with GoPro parts. The products will not be branded GoPro at this time.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Electrostatic speaker teardown & review
https://www.edn.com/design/consumer/4460417/Electrostatic-speaker-teardown—review
Tomi Engdahl says:
The complete simulation test bench for op amps, Part 1: Output impedance
https://www.edn.com/design/analog/4460430/The-complete-simulation-test-bench-for-op-amps–Part-1–Output-impedance
In a world of tight timelines and ever-increasing performance requirements, it’s critical to create circuit designs right the first time; thus, engineers in the analog and mixed-signal industry often turn to simulation to improve their chances of success. A circuit simulation is only as good as the models that it contains, however. For crucial designs, it’s important to verify that your models match the specs promised by their data sheets.
In this series, I’ll provide a complete simulation test bench for operational amplifiers (op amps), covering every key op amp specification, how they impact application performance and the approach behind the test circuit designs.
Open loop output impedance – Zo
One of the most critical (and yet often overlooked) characteristics of an op amp – especially when performing small-signal stability analysis and dealing with small-signal output load transients such as driving an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) – is the open loop small-signal AC output impedance. Before getting into the details of output impedance, let’s first define some terms.
Throughout this series, I’ll use the term Zo to indicate the open loop small-signal AC output impedance of an op amp and the term Zout to indicate the closed loop small-signal AC output impedance of an op amp. It’s important to distinguish between the two, for reasons that will become clear later. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a standard for these terms in the analog semiconductor industry, with data sheets from different manufacturers using Zo, Zout, Ro, and Rout somewhat inconsistently.
Zo is an impedance in the op amp’s small-signal path that occurs between the open loop gain stage (Aol) and the output pin (Vout). This impedance interacts with Aol across frequency to create the op amp’s overall AC response.
Zo is a characteristic of the output stage of the op amp. In the past, when bipolar amplifiers with simpler designs dominated the industry, the open loop output impedance of most devices was resistive, or constant, over frequency. Now, Zo can be a highly complex characteristic with capacitive, inductive, and resistive regions that roll off sharply over frequency.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Multi-microphone reference designs overcome interfering ambient noise
https://www.edn.com/design/analog/4460368/Multi-microphone-reference-designs-overcome-interfering-ambient-noise
Tomi Engdahl says:
CDs and vinyl are more popular than digital downloads once again
But the big story is limited streaming services
https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/22/17152120/digital-downloads-cd-vinyl-riaa-2017-report
Streaming music is taking over the recording industry, and there’s no clearer sign of it than this: digital download sales have fallen so much in the past few years that they’re now smaller than sales of CDs, vinyl, and other physical media, which hasn’t been the case since 2011.
The stats, which come from the RIAA’s newly released 2017 year end report, show that digital downloads fell to $1.3 billion last year, whereas physical media, while also falling, only declined to $1.5 billion.
Of course, both pale in comparison to revenue brought in from streaming, which has taken over the music industry in recent years. In 2016, the music industry made more than half of its revenue from streaming for the first time, and that growth continued into 2017. Last year, nearly two-thirds of all revenue — over $5.7 billion — came from streaming, an increase of 43 percent.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Audio microphones hear up to 100 kHz
https://www.edn.com/electronics-products/other/4460456/Audio-microphones-hear-up-to-100-kHz?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Audio Precision has expanded its line of measurement microphones with the 376M03, a calibrated microphone system that includes a ½-in. microphone cartridge with the 426M16, which the company calls a “phantom-powered” preamplifier. The preamplifier combines precision calibrated measurement microphones with mic accessories that provides power as well as balanced connections to improve immunity to induced noise, and easy connectivity via common XLR cables.
With a starting price of $1,342, the 376M03 can be configured with any of three measurement cartridges that provide a 3 dB frequency of 3.5 Hz to 40 kHz, 2.5 Hz to 22.5 kHz, or 4 Hz to 100 kHz. The 100 kHz configuration uses a ¼-in. cartridge
while the 40 kHz and 22.5 kHz configurations use a ½-in. cartridge
https://www.ap.com/analyzers-accessories/accessories/measurement-mics/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Digitizing VHS with Fedora
https://opensource.com/article/18/3/digitizing-vhs-fedora?sc_cid=7016000000127ECAAY
VCRs won’t be around forever. Here’s how to convert your old VHS tapes to digital format in just a few steps.
To be honest, I’m not that concerned about the commercial movies; those are easy enough to replace. But what about our home movies?
In this article, I’ll describe how I set up my Fedora desktop to convert my VHS tapes into 1s and 0s. Previously, Don Watkins described a different setup for VHS conversion.
Step 1
The first thing I needed was a video capture card.
Step 2
I opened VLC and tried to view the input. No luck. After nosing around in dmesg output, I discovered that I didn’t have the firmware for that card (v4l-cx2341x-enc, specifically). Fortunately, Fedora’s ivtv-firmware package has the files I needed. After a dnf install ivtv-firmware and a reboot, I was off to the races.
Or not. VLC still wasn’t showing me anything, but I could watch the video input from mplayer.
Step 3
The last step was to tell the card which input I wanted it to use. I installed the v4l-utils package, and after some trial and error found that v4l2-ctl -i 2 set it to use the RCA input (instead of coax or S-video).
With that done, mplayer /dev/video0 gave me the output from my VCR. Now to save it to a file. mplayer -cache 8192 /dev/video0 -dumpstream -dumpfile my_video.mp4 was the command I needed. The -cache 8192 helped suppress some occasional error messages about my computer being too slow
That’s a wrap!
That’s all it took; a few steps and I was converting my VHS tapes to digital files. The only downside is that mplayer can’t tell when the tape has reached the end, so it requires some careful babysitting to stop the capture.
Once the files are done, I use Kdenlive to snip off the extra at the beginning and end.
Tomi Engdahl says:
10 reasons to use Flowblade on Linux as your video editor
https://opensource.com/life/16/9/10-reasons-flowblade-linux-video-editor?sc_cid=7016000000127ECAAY
The software racket is like anything else: there are loud projects that get a lot of attention but don’t actually get much done, there are heavyweights that move in and make sure things get done, and there are the quiet ones that work with their head down, diligently, only to turn up at the finish line with a work of art. In this analogy, Kdenlive is my personal heavyweight, but Flowblade has lingered in the background, developing and improving into a surprisingly effective and efficient video editor for Linux.
Tomi Engdahl says:
On Semiconductor’s new cellphone connects to the same image sensor in addition to traditional two-dimensional video, 3D depth measurements. The German engineering office, Framos, provides an image sensor for virtually any virtual imagery, but the cell can be used more widely in different applications.
On Semiconductor AR0430 CMOS image sensor depth mode allows you to measure depth while shooting for example 30 frames per second video.
The depth solution enables new features in addition to various virtual technology applications, including cameras, IoT devices, printing and security technology.
The SD technology, together with the color filter system (CFA) and the microlenses of the pixels, creates a data stream that includes both image and depth data. It is combined with an external algorithm to produce 30 frames per second.
AR0430 The format of the CMOS sensor is 1 / 3.1. It uses two microns of BSI technology and provides a megapixel resolution of 120 frames per second (fps). The pixel group of the cell, in size 2312 (H) x 1746 (V), produces a 4: 3 aspect ratio.
The circuit component consumes 125 milliwatts at 30 frames per second.
Source: https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2018/03/26/virtuaalisilmikkoon-uusi-kamerakenno/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Unisex XLR Male and Female in the same connector for Professional Audio Amplifiers and Cables
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRxwpvguX1o
MX has come up with new unique XLR known as MX Unisex XLR. The best feature about this XLR is it can be used as both Male XLR and Female XLR. Now you can just push down to convert it into a male and push up to convert it into female.
Thus it has Male and Female XLR in just one connector.
Neutrik 3 Pole Convert Con Unisex XLR Line Connector
https://www.acaudio.co.uk/accessories/cable-and-connectors-187/xlr-connectors-188/NENC3FMC.asp
This is a unisex XLR cable connector. No matter if you want to connect a female or male chassis connector, the Convert Con fit’s all. The gender is easy selectable without any tool – converted by sliding the housing back and forth. No adapter is needed.
Product Code: NENC3FMC
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tara Lachapelle / Bloomberg:
Video streaming promised cheap, tailored viewing, but customers still pay for content they don’t watch as more services launch with exclusive content
TV’s Death by a Thousand Streaming Apps
https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2018-03-22/deals-like-at-t-time-warner-won-t-solve-tv-streaming-mess
Media companies are scrambling to get bigger and create their own online-video services, which don’t make much money or even meet consumers’ needs.
Like to binge-watch TV? There’s an app for that. And another. And another. And another.
It seems that overnight, there appeared a deluge of online video-streaming services — all of which hope to capture what Netflix Inc. has. They won’t. In fact, a recent report from The Diffusion Group predicts that every major TV network will have its own streaming service by 2022. But that’s neither good news for media investors nor consumers.
There’s already Netflix and Hulu, and then the cable-like services from Sling TV, YouTube TV, DirecTV Now and PlayStation Vue. Smaller networks rejected from those are pushing Philo, which shuns costly sports programming and broadcast news in favor of the entertainment genre. CBS Corp. offers CBS All Access and a Showtime app. Time Warner Inc.’s HBO has two online versions. Walt Disney Co. is launching an ESPN service alongside an offering for Disney fans. Comcast Corp.’s NBC News division is planning an app, as is Discovery Communications Inc., the new home to HGTV and Food Network. Even World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. and Ultimate Fighting Championship have their own. You get the idea.
While pay-TV companies and network operators are billing their new products as the solution for providing cheaper, more tailored and convenient viewing, it seems they’re instead moving further away from what consumers want. Americans hate their cable providers, mostly because they pay too much for packages full of channels they don’t watch. But the new services aren’t really any more personalized or that much cheaper than cable.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Back to basics: HD over Coax
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/03/back-to-basics-hd-over-coax.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-03-26&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2045271
While HD CCTV technology which enables users to receive HD video surveillance footage over their existing coaxial cable barely existed in 2012 at all, high definition (HD) over coax has risen dramatically to serve as an economical alternative to IP network video, delivering up to seven times more resolution than the standard 640 x 480 analog camera.
Back to Basics: HD over Coax
http://www.securityinfowatch.com/article/12400946/hd-over-coax-technology-overview
In its 2017 Video Surveillance Trends Report, IHS Markit forecasted that shipments of HD CCTV cameras would grow to nearly 29 million units globally in 2017. While HD CCTV technology – which enables users to receive HD video surveillance footage over their existing coaxial cable – barely existed in 2012 at all, high definition (HD) over coax has risen dramatically to serve as an economical alternative to IP network video, delivering up to seven times more resolution than the standard 640 x 480 analog camera.
“Many of the initial barriers to its adoption have been resolved or are in the process of being resolved,” Jon Cropley, Principal Analyst for Video Surveillance at IHS Markit, explains in the report. “HD CCTV equipment has a low price; it offers a much greater cable reach than early products; recorders are now available that can record in multiple formats such as analog, IP and competing HD CCTV formats; higher resolution cameras are being launched including 4K cameras; and power over coax (PoC) is coming soon.”
In the end, analog CCTV applications that require an upgrade can leverage HD-over-coax as a cost-effective backbone that enables a simple installation without the need to replace the analog infrastructure, or to upgrade incrementally for an overall cheaper system. With more than 400 million analog cameras currently in use throughout the world, upgrading the resolution of entire legacy CCTV networks can be costly. HD-over-coax solutions allow for the fundamental components – including the DVR, cameras, and 75 ohm coaxial assemblies – to remain unchanged.
Many HD-over-coax systems also leverage bi-directional data transmission, which drastically reduces the amount of cabling. In the future, power over coax (PoC) will also cut out the power distribution often necessary for many CCTV systems, further simplifying a camera installation. The long transmission distance is a major benefit that HD-over-coax has vs. Ethernet, which often requires fiber optic runs for long-range outdoor security applications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Industry Solutions: Smart camera checks currency for counterfeits
https://www.vision-systems.com/articles/print/volume-22/issue-4/features/industry-solutions-smart-camera-checks-currency-for-counterfeits.html?cmpid=enl_vsd_vsd_newsletter_2018-03-26&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2045930
Open-source software and modular embedded hardware facilitates the rapid development of systems to detect counterfeit banknotes.
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.
The application highlights how counterfeit notes can be identified by scanning the currency with a light source having a specific spectral range, capturing images of the banknotes with a Qtechnology camera and then checking the resulting images
Qtechnology cameras comprise a number of heads into which a variety of CMOS, CCD, InGaAs, and microbolometer sensors are mounted, and a body
Tomi Engdahl says:
CoaXPress gains support as bandwidth rises
https://www.vision-systems.com/articles/print/volume-23/issue-2/features/coaxpress-gains-support-as-bandwidth-rises.html?cmpid=enl_vsd_vsd_newsletter_2018-03-26&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2045930
Faster bandwidths and triggering capability added to increased data integrity will cement CoaXPress as the high-speed camera/computer interface of choice.
Andrew Wilson, European Editor
First unveiled ten years ago at the VISION show in Stuttgart, Germany, CoaXPress (CXP) has become the dominant high-speed interface for machine vision cameras and frame grabbers. Originally the standard was developed by a consortium of Adimec (Eindhoven, The Netherlands, http://www.adimec.com), Eqcologic – now Microchip (Chandler, AZ, USA; http://www.microchip.com) – Active Silicon (Iver, UK; http://www.activesilicon.com), Aval Data (Tokyo, Japan; http://www.avaldata.co.jp), Nippon Electro-Sensory Devices (NED; Osaka, Japan; http://www.ned-sensor.co.jp) and Components Express Inc (CEI; Woodridge, IL, USA; http://www.componentsexpress.com).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Identifying machine vision trends in 2018 and beyond
https://www.vision-systems.com/articles/2018/02/identifying-machine-vision-trends-in-2018-and-beyond.html?cmpid=enl_vsd_vsd_newsletter_2018-03-26&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2045930
Cutting edge technologies to be discussed in the webcast include:
3D imaging components and technology for robotic guidance and inspection
Camera component trends in configurations and interface protocols
Smart camera advances
Definition and growth of embedded computing for machine vision
Multispectral/hyperspectral imaging and application areas
The next steps for deep learning
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/design/consumer/4460417/Electrostatic-speaker-teardown—review
Tomi Engdahl says:
Russia Blocked 8,000 Pirate Sites in 2017, “Visits to Cinemas Up 11%”
https://torrentfreak.com/russia-blocked-8000-pirate-sites-in-2017-visits-to-cinemas-up-11-180325/
Russian telecoms regulator Rozcomnadzor has revealed that in 2017, local ISPs were ordered to block 8,000 ‘pirate’ sites. In parallel, officials and groups connected with the movie industry report a decline in the volumes of content being shared and a growth in cinema revenues.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Google partners with 28 streaming services, not including Netflix, to show users in Play Movies & TV app where to stream content they’re trying to purchase/rent
Google Play Movies & TV App Adds Listings of Third-Party Streaming Services — But Not Netflix
http://variety.com/2018/digital/news/google-movies-tv-app-streaming-services-listings-netflix-1202737035/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vlad Savov / The Verge:
Huawei launches P20 Pro with 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED screen, Kirin 970 processor, 40MP triple-camera system, 4,000mAh battery, Face Unlock, and 6GB RAM — And a home button, too — The Huawei P20 Pro is now official, taking up its place as the company’s new flagship and this year’s most exciting new phone.
Huawei’s P20 Pro has a unique triple camera and a predictable notch
And a home button, too
https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/27/17165822/huawei-p20-pro-specs-price-release-date
The Huawei P20 Pro is now official, taking up its place as the company’s new flagship and this year’s most exciting new phone. Unlike Samsung’s iterative Galaxy S9 update, Huawei’s P20 device family — which includes the regular P20 and a P20 Lite — is full of design and camera novelties that feel fresh and different from the rest of the market. Well, the new phones have notches, too, but those can be disguised if you really hate the look.
But let’s talk about that epic new camera system. First of all, Huawei has added a third lens to the back of the P20 Pro, which provides an 8-megapixel, optically stabilized telephoto camera. This allows for 3x optical zoom or a 5x hybrid zoom. Huawei’s traditional setup of combining the data from a monochrome and a color sensor is still in place, but this time, the color sensor weighs in at a whopping 40 megapixels. You’ll have the option to use that entire resolution to take photos, though the default setting will be to combine the data from four adjacent pixels into one and thus generate clearer, brighter 10-megapixel shots. We’ve seen this technique, which Huawei calls Light Fusion, in the past on devices like the Nokia Lumia 1020 and its “super pixels.” One of these quad-pixel pixels inside the P20 Pro measures in at 2µm, which is huge for a smartphone sensor. Google’s Pixel 2, for comparison, has 1.4µm pixels, while the regular P20, which has a 12-megapixel main sensor, comes with 1.55µm pixels.
There’s a laundry list of P20 camera options and assistive features designed “to bridge the skills gap” between photography amateurs and pros. One that capitalizes on AIS is a promised 5-second-long exposure mode that can be used without a tripod. Handheld exposures of such length usually end up a blurry mess, so Huawei is making a bold promise here. The autofocus system is a combination of a laser, face detection, depth information, and contrast. And there’s a so-called 4D predictive focus for ensuring randomly moving objects — such as a flower being jostled by the wind — remain in focus.
Huawei’s AI object recognition has grown in awareness to now not only recognize food, but to know what sort of food it is that you’re trying to photograph. The company’s worked with food photographers from around the world, and now when it detects a particular style of cuisine, it will apply the image processing tweaks it believes are best suited to it.
Up front, Huawei has a 24-megapixel selfie cam that also uses Light Fusion. The front-facing camera is housed in the notch at the top of the phone’s display — which is a 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED panel on the P20 and a smaller 5.8-inch LCD on the P20 — next to a cute circular earpiece. Unlike Apple’s iPhone X, Huawei’s notch doesn’t house a complex Face ID system, but the P20 is the first P-series phone from the company to come with Face Unlock, which just uses the camera.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sarah Frier / Bloomberg:
Sources: Facebook will not unveil its smart speakers at F8 while it deals with data misuse scandal, but still plans to launch speakers later this year — Social network had hoped to show off devices at F8 in May — Company still plans to launch products later this year
Facebook Delays Home-Speaker Unveil Amid Data Crisis
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-28/facebook-is-said-to-delay-home-speaker-unveil-amid-data-crisis
Social network had hoped to show off devices at F8 in May
Company still plans to launch products later this year
Facebook Inc. has decided not to unveil new home products at its major developer conference in May, in part because the public is currently so outraged about the social network’s data-privacy practices, according to people familiar with the matter.
The company’s new hardware products, connected speakers with digital-assistant and video-chat capabilities, are undergoing a deeper review to ensure that they make the right trade-offs regarding user data, the people said. While the hardware wasn’t expected to be available until the fall, the company had hoped to preview the devices at the largest annual gathering of Facebook developers, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing internal plans.
The devices are part of Facebook’s plan to become more intimately involved with users’ everyday social lives, using artificial intelligence — following a path forged by Amazon.com Inc. and its Echo in-home smart speakers. As concerns escalate about Facebook’s collection and use of personal data, now may be the wrong time to ask consumers to trust it with even more information by placing a connected device in their homes.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Triple Cameras: Are Three Better Than Two?
https://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1333134
While dual camera smartphones are becoming commoditized, the first few triple camera harbingers are on the horizon, starting with Huawei’s P20 Pro just launched this week. Challenges and rewards are explained, several configurations are analyzed.
In the past two years we have witnessed mass market adoption of dual camera technologies in most smartphone segments, across almost all manufacturers. We have seen dual cameras adopted both front and back, in various configurations for various end goals. Recent market reports indicate that 30% of smartphones in 2018 will use dual camera technologies, growing to 50% next year. Even though it took the smartphone market more than ten years to add a second camera, it seems that the addition of a third camera is just around the corner, within two years from the adoption of the second camera.
In this article, we will discuss some motivations for adding a third camera to the smartphone imaging complex, the challenges it brings and some possible solutions.
The Road to Dual Cameras
The thickness of smartphone cameras has always been a challenge for mobile photography. The aperture size is tiny, the pixel size gets smaller and smaller as technology advances, and auto-focus and image stabilization are still required to fit in. Until recently, smartphone OEMs were scrambling to achieve decent low-light performance, high resolution, and low SNR, even while zooming in, at a 6mm camera height.
Dual camera technologies came to the rescue and challenged the camera module manufactures and smartphone OEMs with the following approach: If a single camera reached its full potential, why not synthesize the outputs of two cameras, so that each one can contribute its particular advantage?
The early days of dual camera smartphones started with the launch of the HTC One (M8), the first smartphone to utilize two rear cameras, with the sole purpose of enabling depth and focus effects on the resulting image.
This first phase of dual cameras continued until mid-2016, while various OEMs were testing dual camera technologies in some of their flagship smartphones, using different dual camera setups, including depth-only, RGB-Mono and Wide-and-Wider duos. There was still no “killer camera app” identified, nor a winning dual camera configuration.
In September 2016, Apple introduced the iPhone 7 Plus using a rear dual camera. Apple managed to shine the spotlight on a specific dual camera configuration, Wide+Tele, as the premium camera setup, and highlighted two photography features as the most-wanted by consumers: optical zoom and digital bokeh (or “portrait mode”).
And Then There Were Three
Although dual camera smartphones have become a commodity in the high-end market segment, there are still new dual camera topologies that will make their debut in the very near future, in order to further enhance today’s dual camera performance.
Three main challenges
Next, we will review three main challenges that such triple camera systems bring about.
Challenge 1: “Real-estate” & Cost
Challenge 2: Calibration
Challenge 3: Firmware, Algorithms, Power
As a result of these complexities, power consumption for the overall system (cameras + processing platform) of this configuration could be greatly affected.
Camera order has an impact on system performance. For example, placing the wide color camera in the middle allows smoother transition from the wide to tele cameras during video recording as well as simplifies the fusion process between two neighboring cameras (color and mono). This arrangement will come at the expense of stereo depth sensing accuracy that could be improved by placing the wide color camera and the wide mono camera at opposite ends.
Law of Diminishing Returns
In this article we reviewed three key challenges for triple cameras, and three specific configurations that represent a wide variety of triple camera setups, which might soon be adopted by OEMs.
In general, the law of diminishing returns aptly applies to multi-aperture technologies. The second camera in dual setups offers the greatest returns in terms of added user experience, while the third camera in any triple setup would need to provide significant added value to the overall user experience in order to justify its additional cost, size and complexity. Triple camera configurations that adequately resolve low-light performance limitations (both capture and video modes) as well as proper optical zoom capabilities (beyond 3x) would make most sense to OEMs in the near future.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Streaming Group to Pit AV1 Against H.265
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1333129
It’s been a while since internet giants including Google, Cisco, and Microsoft announced their “Alliance for Open Media” (AOMedia) to develop a web-friendly video codec. But the group, formed in September 2015, is finally ready for public release of the AOMedia Video Codec 1.0, dubbed AV1.
AOMedia said that its members will present AV1 demonstrations at various venues during the NAB Show in Las Vegas in early April.
The industry alliance is promising that AV1 can deliver “cross-platform, 4K UHD or higher online video.” However, the most important pitch for the new codec, from their perspective, is that it will be “royalty-free.”
Members of the AOMedia board are web-centric companies — some with streaming service businesses — such as Amazon, Netflix, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Mozilla, and Cisco. Semiconductor companies such as Arm, Intel, and Nvidia also belong.
AV1 is emerging at a critical time. HEVC (High-Efficiency Image File Format), also known as H.265, a codec with which AV1 will compete, has fallen into a quagmire of three competing patent pools — MPEG LA, HEVC Advance, and Velos Media./p>
Paul Gray, a research director at IHS Markit, told EE Times, “The worry for adopters of HEVC (as I see it) is three different patent administrators, enduring uncertainty if anyone else will appear and make demands, and, finally, the feeling by licensees that they were being over-charged.”
Technically speaking, is AV1 a game-changer, whose foundational technologies are dramatically different from HEVC?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Report: US households using only over-the-top streaming services nearly tripled since 2013 to 14.1M but still represent just 11% of all TV households — The number of U.S. households using only over-the-top streaming services to access TV programming and movies has nearly tripled over the past five years …
Over-the-top-only U.S. households nearly tripled since 2013, impacting TV ad dollars
https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/28/over-the-top-only-u-s-households-nearly-tripled-since-2013-impacting-tv-ad-dollars/
he number of U.S. households using only over-the-top streaming services to access TV programming and movies has nearly tripled over the past five years, according to a new report (PDF) from the Video Advertising Bureau out today. While on its own, that figure sounds impressive, the report points out that cord cutters’ slice of the pie is still fairly small – there are 14.1 million over-the-top only households, which is just 11 percent of all U.S. TV households.
http://www.thevab.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/OTT-Ecosystem-Overview-Final.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dan Rys / Billboard:
Amazon Music says it now has “tens of millions” of paid subscribers, with Amazon Music Unlimited subscriptions doubling in the past six months
Amazon Music Says Number of Subscriptions Doubled In the Past Six Months
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8280570/amazon-music-subscriptions-doubled-past-six-months
Tomi Engdahl says:
VentureBeat:
Spotify opens at $165.90/share, up ~25% from its reference price, in its NYSE direct listing, valuing the company at ~$29.5B — Spotify’s stock soared today after making its hotly-anticipated and highly-unusual debut on the public markets. The $165.90 opening price of the stock valued Spotify …
Spotify starts trading at $165.90, up 25% on NYSE reference price
https://venturebeat.com/2018/04/03/spotify-starts-trading-on-the-nyse/
Spotify’s stock soared today after making its hotly anticipated and highly unusual debut on the public markets. The $165.90 opening price of the stock valued Spotify at around $29.5 billion, well above its most recent valuation of $19 billion.
Peter Kafka / Recode:
Spotify, which posted operating loss of $461M in 2017, thinks its reliance on labels will ease; sources: hope is more artists will work directly with Spotify — The streaming music company wants to get more music — and more profitable music — from the little guys.
Spotify relies on the big labels for most of its music. It thinks that will change.
The streaming music company wants to get more music — and more profitable music — from the little guys.
https://www.recode.net/2018/4/3/17191390/spotify-plan-big-music-labels-platform-marketplace-ipo
Tomi Engdahl says:
The camera can see almost in the dark
ON Semiconductor has introduced a new CCD image sensor for medical and scientific imaging applications, which can be seen not only in bright sunlight but in extremely dark conditions. In the new cell, ON Semi has further improved its IT-EMCCD technology.
The cell’s properties in different light conditions determine the sensitivity and dynamic range. For example, the moonlight is 1 lux, the direct sunlight 10 thousand lux and the stars of the light without the moon yields a luminous intensity of 0.002 lux. The dynamic area refers to the brightness range the cell can capture.
IT-EMCCD (Interline Transfer Electron Multiplying CCD) is a technology developed by On Sem, a combination of two different technologies. The IT-CCD is a scalable electronic global shutter technology that scales the resolution of several megapixels – that is, the pixels of the cell are exposed at one time – which does not produce any distortion caused by motion.
The EM-CCD, for its part, tells the signal coming from the low light, so that the signal strength rises above the noise line of the device. As a result, the noise barrier of the cell – how low the cells can read – to below one lux level.
The KAE-08152 circuit is the new 8.8 megapixel CCD sensor from On Sem, which has been implemented with IT-EMCCD technology.
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/7807-kamera-nakee-lahes-pimeassa
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smartphone manufacturers are running a real racing game on cameras. The two-cell solution is no longer a selling argument when Huawei has already introduced a three-celled P20 model. Samsung has, in turn, patented a solution to the introduction of a fishfinder lens among cameras.
A widescreen image may well be the next tough thing in smartphone cameras. The Sony Xperia XA2 already has a 120-degree widescreen lens, but the Samsung application, found by Letsgodigital, describes a 150-degree wide-screen lens.
The patent application filed last June by WIPO describes a complicated phone camera structure with a lenses of 150 degrees. All in all, the design has six separate lenses.
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/7808-samsung-patentoi-kalansilmalinssin-alypuhelimeen
More:
Samsung smartphone camera met 150° fisheye lens
https://nl.letsgodigital.org/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-smartphone-camera/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Audio microphones hear up to 100 kHz
https://www.edn.com/electronics-products/other/4460456/Audio-microphones-hear-up-to-100-kHz
With so many phones, tablets, and portable music players on the market today, engineers need to verify audio quality. But, you can’t do that over a wire because doing so removes the speaker driver from the measurement loop. Thus, you need to perform “over the air” audio measurements with a microphone.
To get qualified audio measurements, you need to know the characteristics of your microphone as compared to a reference signal. That means, the microphone, like the rest of your measurement system, must be calibrated. To that end, Audio Precision has expanded its line of measurement microphones with the 376M03, a calibrated microphone system that includes a ½-in. microphone cartridge with the 426M16, which the company calls a “phantom-powered” preamplifier. The preamplifier combines precision calibrated measurement microphones with mic accessories that provides power as well as balanced connections to improve immunity to induced noise, and easy connectivity via common XLR cables.
With a starting price of $1,342, the 376M03 can be configured with any of three measurement cartridges that provide a 3 dB frequency of 3.5 Hz to 40 kHz, 2.5 Hz to 22.5 kHz, or 4 Hz to 100 kHz.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Achieving Ultimate Fidelity with Advanced Motion Control—An Engineer’s Perspective
http://www.electronicdesign.com/analog/achieving-ultimate-fidelity-advanced-motion-control-engineer-s-perspective?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20180406_ED-003_111&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=16376&utm_medium=email&elq2=560f2407d3014efc9c6b4de599609e6e
AVDesignHaus’ Dereneville Modulaire MK III is considered the best turntable in the world. Find out how its advanced motion control system works.
The Dereneville Modulaire MK III crafted by AVDesignHaus is considered the best turntable in the world
Although the investment for this fine system might be extremely high, audiophiles love it and will appreciate the excellent value it offers. The complete deck comes with a polished Corian chassis, high-efficiency shock absorbers for enhanced stability, and a heavy, magnetic, contactless bearing turntable.
While all mechanical parts are precision, handmade unique pieces, making the turntable almost look like a Department of Defense scientific instrument, smart microelectronics controlling the system’s electromechanical components are responsible for the “last mile” of sound quality. Its major characteristic—stunningly pure, clear sound output—is made possible by the new fully automatic Dereneville DTT-01-S active linear tracking tonearm. It’s actuated by stepper motors and electromechanically controlled by the latest generation of smart stepper-motor driver chips developed by TRINAMIC Motion Control.
Tomi Engdahl says:
From a Finnish company to spintronics to the tune
Spindeco Technologies, Kuopio, says it has developed a technology based on the polarization of conductivity electrons. Partial parallel alignment of conductor electrodes with spiners reduces losses in wires and devices. The company sells technology already as an electric and audio cable.
Spindeco Technologies’ over ten years of research results have resulted in a lead in which normal chargers carry polarized electrons. Spin polarization produces a coating produced from graphene or carbon nanotubes to a copper conductor with parallel spines at the interface.
The Department of Physics at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) has been involved in the development of the coating. In co-operation with UEF, processing has been finalized for production and is scalable for different types of conductors from microamps to high-current electricity.
In the biosignal conductors at the Kuopio University Hospital, a 10dB improvement in signal readership was achieved. The noise levels decreased by about 6dB and the signal level improved by 4.5dB.
Source: https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2018/04/06/suomalaisyritykselta-spintroniikkaa-piuhaan/
Tomi Engdahl says:
MPEG killer video codec is complete
For AOMedia, Alliance for Open Media has been working on its new video coding technology for three years now. Now AOMedia Video Codec 1.0 Configuration The Elli AV1 codec is ready. It is expected to be rogue free to capture the market from existing MPEG video.
Many believe that the AV1 codec is technically still in MPEG technology. Behind the AV1, however, all major gamers such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Arm, Facebook, Intel, Microsoft, Nvidia, Mozilla and Netflix have set themselves apart.
In addition to the free-of-charge, AV1′s popularity helps ensure that AOMedia has ensured the codec is able to transfer 4K video on all platforms at low bit rates. For example, according to Microsoft, AV1 codec compresses 4K video by 30% stiffer than other codecs. “Others” also refers to the MPEG group’s new HEVC codec.
MPEG standards have long been a confusing business model.
the road is open to royalty-free AV1.
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/7782-mpeg-videon-tappava-koodekki-valmis
Tomi Engdahl says:
Underwater GPS Inspired by Shrimp Eye
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/robotics/robotics-software/underwater-gps-inspired-by-shrimp-eyes
A diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef may have unlocked a new way to build a GPS-like sensor that works underwater. The device is based on recent scientific understanding of how marine animals sense their geolocation based on the signature polarization patterns of light entering the water.
A few years ago, U.S. and Australian researchers developed a special camera inspired by the eyes of mantis shrimp that can see the polarization patterns of light waves, which resemble those in a rope being waved up and down. That means the bio-inspired camera can detect how light polarization patterns change once the light enters the water and gets deflected or scattered.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Under a millimeter wide and powered by light, these tiny cameras could hide almost anywhere
https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/06/under-a-millimeter-wide-and-powered-by-light-these-tiny-cameras-could-hide-almost-anywhere/?utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
As if there weren’t already cameras enough in this world, researchers created a new type that is both microscopic and self-powered, making it possible to embed just about anywhere and have it work perpetually. It’s undoubtedly cool technology, but it’s probably also going to cause a spike in tinfoil sales.
Engineers have previously investigated the possibility of having a camera sensor power itself with the same light that falls on it. After all, it’s basically just two different functions of a photovoltaic cell — one stores the energy that falls on it while the other records how much energy fell on it.
The prototype sensor they built is less than a square millimeter, and fully self-powered in sunlight. It captured images at up to 15 frames per second of pretty reasonable quality
Ultimately the sensor could be essentially a nearly invisible camera that operates forever with no need for a battery or even wireless power. Sounds great!
In order for this to be a successful spy camera, of course, it needs more than just an imaging component — a storage and transmission medium are necessary for any camera to be useful. But microscopic versions of those are also in development
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spotify’s missing money-maker is artist-to-fan messaging
https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/03/the-rainbow-connection/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
Finally a reason for musicians not to hate it
Josh Constine
Streaming royalties are too expensive for Spotify to thrive as a public company just playing us songs. Spotify’s shares closed down 10 percent today during its NYSE trading debut. Luckily it controls much of the relationship between musicians and their fans on its app, poising it to build a powerful revenue and artist loyalty generator by connecting the two through native advertising and messaging that doesn’t stop the music.
Spotify could win big by following Facebook’s roadmap.
A few years ago, Spotify’s user base was too small for artists to focus on spending money there to get popular. But Spotify has grown to the size where it’s replacing top 40 radio, and over 30 percent of listening now comes from its recommendations and algorithmic playlists like Discover Weekly. The record labels now need Spotify to have a hit.
The no-longer-a-startup has already built the groundwork for this with the launch of its Spotify For Artists analytics dashboard app last year that shows a musician’s top songs, and the demographics of their fans including their location, gender, age, and what else they listen to. Spotify’s proven the power of this data with its Fans First email campaigns that let artists reach their most frequent listeners with access to concert ticket pre-sales and exclusive merchandise.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Spotify invites media to press event on April 24 in New York City; offers that popped up inside the app suggest it might announce a music player for cars — Earlier today, Spotify announced it would be sharing news at an April 24th event. It’s unclear whether the company is planning …
Spotify’s first hardware device might be this music player for your car
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/4/6/17207452/spotify-car-music-player-hardware-leak
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jon Fingas / Engadget:
Skype unveils Content Creators mode, in preview on Windows 10 and Mac now, to record calls via NDI-compatible multi-user streaming software, out this summer — Here’s a little trade secret: podcasters and radio show hosts use Skype a lot. It’s helpful for adding remote guests with minimal fuss.
Skype’s call recording feature is made for podcasters
https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/06/skype-for-content-creators/
Preserve your show for posterity without using extra software.
Here’s a little trade secret: podcasters and radio show hosts use Skype a lot. It’s helpful for adding remote guests with minimal fuss. You usually need to synchronize with a third-party app or device to record the call at the quality you’d like, though, and that can be a pain to set up. Mercifully, Microsoft is aiming to fix that. It’s readying a Skype for Content Creators mode that records calls directly through NDI-capable software like Wirecast, Xsplit and Vmix. The feature provides “clean” copies of all call participants that you can easily drop into audio and video production apps, so you can focus more on posting your show and less on double-checking everyone’s recordings.
The Content Creators feature is available in preview form now, and should be widely available in the summer for both Mac and Windows 10 users.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Alex Kantrowitz / BuzzFeed:
Source: YouTube releasing new version of YouTube Kids within coming weeks with option to turn off algorithmic video suggestions and only show curated channels — YouTube is planning to release a new version of its YouTube Kids app that will do away with algorithmically suggested videos …
YouTube Kids Is Going To Release A Whitelisted, Non-Algorithmic Version Of Its App
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexkantrowitz/youtube-kids-is-going-to-release-a-whitelisted-non?utm_term=.lhRMabQ2P#.ji5GzJl84
YouTube will approve all channels allowed to post, a source told BuzzFeed News, giving parents a firewall against an algorithm that’s often proved lacking.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ashley Renders / Nieman Lab:
Inside Canadian startup OpenFile, which launched in 2010, and ended publication in 2012, and the lessons learned about involving readers in reporting
What a failed media startup can teach us about involving readers in reporting
http://www.niemanlab.org/2018/04/what-a-failed-media-startup-can-teach-us-about-involving-readers-in-reporting/
The Canadian startup OpenFile was a bet on collaboration between journalists and their audience: “We learned that we shouldn’t dismiss [a story] just because it’s not articulated in a way that we would as journalists.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Valeriya Safronova / New York Times:
How Conde Nast’s brands are pivoting to video, experimenting with different formats, moving away from Facebook to YouTube, and creating content for clients
What the ‘Pivot to Video’ Looks Like at Condé Nast
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/style/conde-nast-bon-appetit-food-video.html
It took three men two hours to shoot a 63-second overhead instructional video of Laura Rege, a recipe developer, making a cake for Bon Appétit — what people in the food-video industry call a “hands and pans.”
Now, the company wants to double its current video business. To do so, it will have to move beyond what’s worked in the age of Facebook video, and make something new.
A Less Wasteful Condé Nast
Until now, most of Condé Nast’s food videos were made in its test kitchen in the company’s headquarters at One World Trade Center or in Airbnb rentals. But business has been growing. Over the last two years, Bon Appétit’s YouTube subscriber base increased from 34,000 to more than 1 million. In the same period, the number of monthly unique viewers for the videos on its website grew by nearly 2.5 million, according to comScore. Over all, video now makes up a quarter of revenue for The Lifestyle Collection — that’s Bon Appétit, Architectural Digest, Epicurious, Condé Nast Traveler and the now digital-only publication Self. All told, these brands produce about 40 to 50 videos per week, and that doesn’t include those made for advertisers.
At the same time, the company expected significant overall revenue decline from 2016 to 2017. It closed the print edition of Teen Vogue; reduced the print frequency of GQ, Architectural Digest and Glamour; and cut employees across the company.
And, rightly or not, Condé Nast is finally looking to digital. In recent years, it has launched additional online verticals;
Perhaps not surprisingly, a significant portion of the company’s advertising solicitation is now devoted to video.
The idea that video will be a financial savior in the media business is contentious, and often mocked. It is expensive to create, and audiences aren’t equivalent — yet — to print or even web in their ability to be monetized. (In human terms: One person watching a video is not financially equivalent to what one person paying for a magazine has been worth.)
But Vogue the magazine has just over a million paid subscriptions, and Vogue the YouTube channel has more than 2.2 million subscribers.
“In the next 24 months, I hope that video is half our business,” said Craig Kostelic, the chief business officer of The Lifestyle Collection. “It’s critical. It’s the macro trend of content consumption.”
People Like to Watch People, Not Fingers
Bon Appétit has attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers with human-first series like one in which children react to various foods
Products, Placed
To optimize the new test kitchens for filming, they have been outfitted with overhead lights, blackout curtains and acoustic paneling to muffle outside sound. All the stovetops are gas. “People want to see the flame,”
“Video can be kind of intrusive,” said Mr. Rapoport. “You have camera people, lights, you have to section off a portion of the kitchen, you don’t want people to be too noisy. Shooting interrupts the basic workflow.”
The Condé Nast teams have embraced the flexibility of the mid-length format. “When you’re post-cable, it’s not a half-hour TV show, you’re not programming for these ad blocks, you’re telling the story for as long as there’s a story to be told,” Mr. Gillin said.
“This industry is moving so fast,” Mr. Duckor said. “The videos we’re creating now compared to two years ago are really different, but you’re always going to need kitchens, you’re always going to need the ability to have production space to have people work and sit.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Newly Enhanced LU600 HEVC Portable Transmission Product Suite
https://www.eeweb.com/profile/eeweb/news/newly-enhanced-lu600-hevc-portable-transmission-product-suite
LiveU is taking its live 4K HEVC product offering to the next level with its newly enhanced LU600 HEVC portable transmission product suite. Thousands of LiveU’s LU600 HEVC units have been deployed worldwide, recognizing the unit as the best bonded cellular solution in the industry. The product suite now includes 4K SDI offerings and built-in global roaming capabilities.
4K-SDI solution
LiveU is rolling out its professional HEVC 4K-SDI card as an additional 4K product offering within the LU600 suite, offering the ultimate video performance in live streaming for live sports and events, as well as global newsgathering. The LU600 4K-SDI solution facilitates professional 4Kp50/60 streaming for top-quality production, supporting VR and 360 applications. Supporting both 12G-SDI and 4x3G-SDI interfaces, the solution provides an upgrade option for the existing LU600.
Built-in global roaming
The LU600 solution now offers a fully integrated hybrid roaming solution for hassle-free local and global operation. With the new dual-SIM modem configured with roaming SIMs, every LU600 can be a local and global unit without needing to replace or obtain local SIMs in over 100 countries worldwide. The LiveU units are ready to roam instantly.
“Our new built-in roaming solution is already in demand to cover upcoming major international sports and high-profile events, including the FIFA World Cup™ and Royal Wedding,” Wasserman added.
Other key product enhancements for the LU600 HEVC product suite include Video Return, targeted for professional broadcasters