...more recent posts
DASH, which has HLS-like and smooth-streaming-like capabilities, is another MPEG standard. VLC is supporting it.
Low tech wi-fi boost w/ beer can here
For the first time, the number of wireless devices connecting to cellular networks in the United States and its territories over the past six months has surpassed the country’s total population. A semi-annual survey conducted by the CTIA found that wireless subscriber connections now total 327.6 million while the population of the U.S. and its territories is now 315.5 million people. This means the wireless penetration rate in the U.S. in now 103.9% according to the CTIA, marking the first time that wireless penetration has surpassed 100% in the U.S.
I met my first Apple fanboi in about 1980. He was a fellow electrical engineering student. I did some HW and SW work with microprocessors, but did not actually have my own computer. A few people did. I was waiting until they were better.
I remember asking this guy a smart ass question about the sticker on his truck. "Why is there a hunk out of that apple? And why is it striped? I've seen red apples, green apples, golden apples, but not one with stripes." He ignored my smart ass intent, and launched into a spiel about how great Apple was. I saw the Apple ][ as just another crappy little toy computer with *gasp* a weak ass 6502.
His excitement while talking about Apple was palpable. He could think of nothing better than moving to Cupertino to work for them. I didn't get it. I guess I did take away from that exchange that Silicon Valley is the place to be. So I did at least grasp that.
Thanks Steve, for making engineering a little more exciting.
Now that I've done a little research I am completely confused about televisions. Maybe Mark can help? I am pretty price constrained, and I need a 32 inch set. Do I want LED over LCD? Is a 720p set from a maker I know (Samsung, Sharp, etc...) maybe a better choice than a 1080p from a maker I do not? For instance, this 1080p Vizio is a little more than I wanted to pay, but much less than other 1080p sets I've seen. Ever heard of them? What would you buy for around $400?
And lastly, just out of curiosity and because I feel like it is something I should really know the answer to: why can't I buy a nice 27 or 30 inch computer monitor and use it as a TV as well? Or maybe I could do this? Obviously it would be more than a $400 set but I'd get double use out of it. Seems like this isn't possible though, or somehow doesn't work out so great.
Interesting take on Netflix.
Is wireless HDMI possible? Seems like there are some announced products but I can't find anything shipping. Do you know Mark?
Google says all YouTube videos will be available in H.264. And WebM too.
Adobe adds Apple's HTTP Live Streaming to Flash Media Server.
Towes [Adobe] noted in a blog post that Adobe is adding HTTP Live Streaming support to Flash Media Server and Flash Media Live Encoder. "By adding support for HLS within the Flash Media Server, Adobe is reducing the publishing complexity for broadcasters who need to reach browsers supporting HLS through HTML5 (such as Safari) or devices where Adobe Flash is not installed."There are still a lot of difficulties in the streaming video world but this makes things a lot easier.
In other words, instead of trying in vain to persuade Apple to build Flash into iOS, or losing potential Flash Media Server customers to some other iOS-compatible solution, Adobe seems to be implicitly acknowledging that content publishers need Flash-free video streaming.
Joining the needle drop as an incidental artifact of 20th century media.
I have a Xoom
Streaming service buys DVDs, puts them in DVD players, and streams the video to subscribers.
-- Back in the day, DVD players could run continuously for well over a year. But nowadays they get fried within a few months with that kind of use. If they really are using DVD players, I hope they have the budget for frequent replacement.
Motorola takes on iPad with WiFi-only Xoom -- $600, no contract
!zune
(Zune has been negated.)
The future, thirty years ago.
These are sometimes called computers on a chip, or more correctly, they are called micro {shatnerian pause} processors.