Sunday, November 16, 2008

Pros and Cons of Connecting Computers and TVs

Networking your computers and TVs provides the most convenient sharing of multimedia images:

- does not require connecting a digital camcorder or camera to the TY

- can make the necessary connections with either Windows, Mac or Linux computers

- with Media Center Extender or similar capability, can direct content from any home computer to the TV

You may also encounter a few challenges and limitations:

- the screen resolution of older TVs is much lower than modern computer displays - your images and video may appear with lower quality when shown on the television

- when using AV cables, you may need to relocate the laptop or PC very close to the television to reach

- when using wireless connections, the effective range may be relatively short, depending on the equipment in use, due to the high volume of data involved in digital media

- hardware needed, especially the more advanced wireless gear, may be expensive to purchase

Monday, November 3, 2008

Broadcasting

It was available mostly in markets in which Raycom Media operates stations. According to a March 2006 article in The New York Times, Tribune Broadcasting announced that it would start multicasting The Tube on its DTV channels in summer 2006. [1] However, it began transmission on digital television in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia. The network also broadcasted on WLVI in Boston, which was purchased from Tribune by Sunbeam Television in late December 2006.
Equity Broadcasting distributed the programming free-to-air on Galaxy 10R Ku-band satellite for carriage by some of the individual LPTV operations which it owned and operated in various US cities.
Sinclair Broadcasting would join in on airing The Tube as well, announcing on March 23, 2006 that they would start multicasting the network on many of their outlets. [2] That relationship stopped temporarily (and eventually permanently) on January 1, 2007, in a dispute involving FCC requirements for digital subchannels.
The FCC ruled that in addition to the main analog channels, each digital subchannel would also be required to run the government mandated the hours of E/I programming per week as well as any Emergency Alert System tests and bulletins. The Tube would air the animal-and-music program Wildlife Jams to meet the E/I requirements.

Displaying Digital Images on The TV

With a digital camera or video recorder, you can create multimedia image files stored on your PCs. Showing these images to others can be inconvenient, however, especially if your computer screen is small and located in a private room of the house. Displaying them on a television usually allows you to show them at a larger size and in a more comfortable location. You can connect a computer to a TV either wirelessly or with cables. The best method to choose depends on the types of connections your TV supports as well as your budget for purchasing additional hardware.

Connecting Computers to TVs With Wires

Televisions do not normally support Ethernet cable connections. Instead, you will typically connect your laptop or desktop PC to a TV using one of the following types of audio-visual (AV) cables:


- S-Video
- HDMI
- DVI or HDMI-to-DVI
- VGA
- Any of the above - to-SCART (in Europe


A scan converter is a device that translates the computer's video signal into standard TV formats. You may need to set up a scan converter to connect your computer and TV if, between them, the two do not support any compatible combination of AV cable technologies listed above. Newer televisions, however, generally support multiple types of digital inputs, and finding the right cable should not be too difficult.

Connecting Computers to TVs Wirelessly

As an alternative to using cables, you can also use Wi-Fi to connect computers and TVs wirelessly. Because televisions do not ordinarily support Wi-Fi, you will need to install a separate unit between the computer and TV. One common solution is called a Wireless PC to TV system or [i[Digital Media Receiver. These products connect via AV cable to the TV and supply Wi-Fi connections to any computer in the home.
Another wireless PC to TV connectivity option is based on Windows Media Center Edition (MCE). If you purchase a Windows XP or Windows Vista PC with the MCE application included, this system contains built in wireless connectivity support for streaming images to your television. Some of these systems also support TV tuner cards that allow your computer to receive incoming television signals. Finally, you can extend the capability of a Media Center PC across an entire wireless home network by installing a Media Center Extender product like the LInksys DMA2100.

Satellite TV

Satellite television is the fastest growing programming provider in the country. While it's becoming quite popular many people don't have a clear understanding of how it works or why they need it. Satellite television uses satellites that orbit the earth to send programming signals to customers. The satellite providers use their own satellites that are capable of providing multiple channels at a time. The signals are sent from the satellite provider station to the satellite in space. The satellite then can redirect the signals to earth. The satellites must be set up to allow for consistent signals to earth.

Satellite signals are scrambled signals that require special decoding in order to be viewed. The signals go through the air and are captured by a customer's satellite dish. Today's satellite dishes are small and compact compared to those of even several years ago. Contrary to popular belief the satellite dish doesn't need to be turned or adjusted once it is in place. This is due to more sophisticated signaling. It's best to have your satellite installed professionally. The satellite company often provides expert installation at a reduced rate and sometimes even for free.

Satellite requires a receiver unit. The satellite dish is hooked up to the receiver via a cable that is run into the home. The receiver is placed next to the television set. The installer will hook up the television as well as any other devices you may have such as a DVD or VCR player. More than one television can be hooked up to the satellite dish allowing different programs to be watched at the same time.

The receiver unit may also be a DVR, digital recording device. The DVR allows you to rewind and pause live television, view more than one program at once and most importantly lets you quickly and easily record programs. The DVR records programs with a simple touch of the remote. The programs are recorded on the hard drive of the unit, which can store many hours of shows. Simple commands let you record all episodes of your favorite shows for later viewing.

The receiver provides updated programming so that you can see what is scheduled on the stations that you receive. You can choose the program package that suits you the best. There are typically several options to pick from. Basic satellite programming gives you the least amount of channels. Family programming usually gives the best selections. Deluxe programming gives you access to almost all the stations available. You can also add on to the programming. For example local channels aren't usually included in standard packages. You can add local channels for a small monthly fee.

You can also add other specialized programming to your Direct TV packages. Premium movie channels are some of the most common types of additional programming that you can add. Sports enthusiasts will enjoy special sports channel programming that gives access to many more sports at all times of the day and night. You can also access pay-per-view programming and the costs will be conveniently added to your monthly bill. Get the best options and deals for Satellite TV with Direct TV, the leader in the industry.

Digital Satellite TV - End of Analog Television

That is not to say that there are not any other online retailers of digital satellite TV services; it is just that there is very little choice in type of services being offered and most of these providers only differ from one another in their marketing and promotional offers, and nothing else. This is certainly a big constraint given the fact that watching digital satellite TV will only be enjoyable if there are more than a few options to choose from.

Digital satellite TV represents a quantum leap in quality over the traditional analog TVs that for long were the only types of television sets available on the market. However, even if you have bought a satellite TV you will still need to ensure that the set that you purchased must be able to handle the kind of resolution required to get the most out of your service.

In addition, you will also require buying a satellite television system that consists of a receiver as well as satellite dish and which is essential to enjoying your channels. Besides improvement in quality of pictures that a digital TV provides you, you are also sure to get more choice in regard to larger selection of television channels as compared to what is available with analog television sets.

However, not everything about watching satellite TV is hunky-dory as there is a minor downside to contend with, especially in that bad weather conditions which will cause severe disturbance to your viewing because strong winds or even storms can sever your television connection and then all that you will see on your television screen would be fuzzy pictures or no pictures at all.

Other than this minor hiccup, a digital satellite TV outpoints the analog television set on all counts and that is why people have given up buying analog television sets. Furthermore, if you are keen on watching premium or even pay-per-view television broadcasts you will also need to buy a digital TV descrambler.

The current popularity of the digital satellite TV makes it almost impossible not to also buy one for your television viewing; and, if you have teenagers in your home you would have no option but to accede to their demands for a digital satellite TV without which they would not be able to their favorite television channels.

Broadband Pioneer Makes Tracks With EMC As Core Info Infrastructure

EMC Corporation, the world's leading provider of enterprise storage systems, software, and services, today announced that North American DataCom, Inc. (OTC BB:NADA and www.nadata.com), a developer of broadband and fiber optic networks, has selected EMC Enterprise Storage systems and software as the nucleus of a leading-edge information infrastructure. The EMC E-Infostructure will serve as the foundation for North American DataCom's high-speed and scalable data storage, Internet access, and telecommunications network services.

"Our investment in a new EMC infrastructure is central to our transformation from an Internet access provider to a broad-based supplier of cutting-edge telecommunications and computing services," said Robert Roy Crawford, President of North American DataCom. "As the critical underpinning of our new infrastructure, EMC's advanced storage and software enable us to rapidly scale-up and adapt our business to address new markets and customers with instant and reliable information access."

To bring high-speed network bandwidth to its customers, North American DataCom is laying fiber optic cable along thousands of miles of railroad tracks in the U.S.

"We're doing for the information revolution what railroads did for the industrial revolution," commented Crawford. "But, instead of moving tons per mile, we're moving terabytes per second. We are marrying our pioneering technology in broadband networks with EMC's Enterprise Storage to provide our customers with exceptionally well-protected and high-speed access to their mission-critical information."

North American DataCom will offer its customers remotely mirrored data storage services using EMC Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF) software. Said Crawford, "EMC's SRDF software and Symmetrix storage provide our customers with a cost-efficient way to remotely mirror their mission-critical data resources. With EMC, our customers gain access to the world's most sophisticated data protection technology and avoid the expense and associated headaches of operating their own backup or disaster recovery facilities."

Based in Iuka, Mississippi, North American DataCom will use other EMC software to derive significantly more value from its infrastructure. Said Ted Roberts, North American DataCom's Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, "EMC ControlCenter's centralized management capability will automatically identify problems and ensure uninterrupted availability of our customer services. And EMC PowerPath software will allow us to take information availability one step further through automatic load balancing, which will insulate our customers from peak demand periods or any other unexpected bottlenecks."

Michael Ruffolo, EMC's Executive Vice President, Global Sales, Service and Marketing, said, "Rapid, efficient, and secure information access is the cornerstone of success for today's wired enterprises. North American Datacom's decision to center its business infrastructure around EMC assures that it will be able to fully seize the opportunities presented by the fast-moving and burgeoning broadband market."

EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) is the world leader in information storage systems, software, networks and services, providing the information infrastructure for a connected world. Information about EMC's products and services can be found at http://www.emc.com.

EMC and Symmetrix are registered trademarks and EMC Enterprise Storage, Symmetrix Remote Data Facility, ControlCenter and PowerPath are trademarks of EMC Corporation. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.