Audio Choices for HDTV

HDTV essentially provides a far superior sound quality just because the audio of HDTV is transmitted through digital signals. The distinction in sound between an HDTV television and a regular analog television is rather perceptible. The difference is more like the one you get between an audio CD and an audio cassette. The difference in audio quality offered by HDTV televisions is however more than that. Most HDTV programs are transmitted in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. So to maximize the advantage of this technology, you need to have the proper equipment. What is Dolby? Dolby technology was created by Dolby Laboratories, Inc. The most renowned provider of digital audio technology in addition to Dolby Laboratories known reliability and superior products has made Dolby Digital Surround the standard for HDTV. Many television companies replace their own surround sound systems, but they can hardly match the performance of Dolby. Therefore, it is imperative to check the specifications on an HDTV television before you buy so that you can ensure that it uses Dolby Digital Surround. The options you haveWhile using Dolby Digital Surround Sound, you have three options for set up. The first option is buy a television which features high quality center channel speakers, woofers, tweeters, and the television comes installed with Dolby technology. In this case, it is not required of you to purchase additional equipment for the Dolby Digital Surround Sound. The second option you have is to attach an external set of surround speakers to your HDTV. Here, the surround sound set up would include two front speakers, a pair of surround speakers, a center channel, and a subwoofer. Sometimes, the front speakers include subwoofers. The position of these speakers is vital for the quality of the sound you get. The Center Channel Speaker should be just at the center either above or below the television. The Front Left and Right Speakers should be positioned in the form of an arc in line with the Center Channel Speaker. Again the two Surround Left and Right Speakers should be placed to the left and right sides behind the position from where you are listening. You can wall mount these speakers. The third and final option you have to get the quality Dolby Digital Surround System is to use an external set of front speakers with your HDTV television. This set up is especially useful if you do not have enough room for the external surround sound system. It won't give you the best quality of surround sound, but it does provide an alternative to those who can't avail of the previous two options. The other entertainment equipments You can connect the audio and video outputs of the DVD or VCR to the AV receiver's video outputs. If you need to connect a separate DVD and VCR, one can be attached to the VCR1 connection and the other can be attached to the VCR2 connection. Then the audio and video inputs of the DVD and VCR should be connected to the AV receiver's VCR video and audio outputs. This will allow the DVD and/or VCR to record video signals that come through the AV receiver and you can also view the VHS tapes and DVD's on the HDTV. To take maximum advantage of the Dolby Digital Surround Sound technology, one of the video outputs of the DVD player and VCR needs to be joined to the AV receiver. The digital coaxial audio or digital optical connection should also be connected to the AV receiver. Connect to your CD player You can connect your CD player to an AV receiver. The CD player's digital audio outputs is to be connected to the AV receiver. You can even connect a CD-Recorder to the AV receiver. Now, the CD-Recorder will work like a regular audiocassette deck.

by: Mike McAlister

Video and Web Conferencing

Since the arrival of Voice over IP internet protocol, companies with offices and subsidiaries from around the globe started filling up equipment and starts hiring technical support engineer to build their own private video conferencing network. Initial cost would be very high, and users will need a considerable amount of time to get to familiarize with the operation hence the technical training and orientation. Although there are alternatives such as those free and bandwith saturated voip software in the internet, Security and real time availability is a priority in big business and other mission critical environment.

Internet MegaMeeting, LLC came up with a product that will eliminate the cost of spending too much on equipment and software purchase for the end user, but provide them with the best product to allow managers, and CEO's to communicate with their prospects, clients and employees. MegaMeeting, a browser-based video conferencing software. MegaMeeting requires no downloading, installing or configuring of software (all you need is an internet browser, a broadband internet connection and a web camera or digital video camera ,if you wish to be seen).

Individuals, small companies, large organizations and companies will enjoy using megameeting without worrying about spending to much. You can try their online demo to get your first hand feel of how marvelous this product works. So for video conferencing, web conferencing and other internet meeting needs, you dont need an arm and a leg to have a rock solid communications network.

Understanding Mp4 Players

by: Roberto Sedycias

Mp3 audio format became available back in 1993. Shortly after it became the standard internet audio format, and it is still very much used world wide. Recently another format has been introduced, the mp4 audio-video format which allows video capability, so that users can watch movies, TV shows, music videos along with mp3 songs. As the industry of mp4 player devices evolved, more features such as fm tuner, voice recorder, email, internet browser capability and others were added to mp4 devices, making them a desired product among electronic users. Differences between mp4 and mp3 format, relies basically that mp4 devices holds both audio and video files. As for the mp3 it only holds the audio type file. So, one could think of mp4 as being the next step in this evolution file format that started with mp3. Due to the capability of delivering audio and video at the same time, mp4 devices can offer a wide range of interesting features, such as web browsing, email, instant messaging, video and music download, bluetooth wireless technology, digital camera and others. Also game capability and multiple language options are features that made mp4 devices so popular. Other features, such as voice recording, enabled mp4 devices to be used for professional purposes, besides entertainment. Another important mp4 feature is the storage capacity, that can start from 256 mega bites up to 40, 60 and up giga bites. Usually a small hard disk unit is used to hold several giga bites of data. For smaller storages, an internal electronic flash memory may be used. As a music player device, mp4 may offer a 7-band equalizer which will allow the user to change the sound category according to the music style. These sound categories are Pop, Jazz, Rock, Soft, Classic and DBB. Also mp4 player device will support various format files such as Mp3, AMV, ASF, WAV, WMA, WMV and others. As far as the supporting video formats are concerned this device proves to be able to convert file in the AVI, MPEG, Windows media format into the AMV thru the use of software. Since mp4 devices is compact, it is safe to say that its small size, light weight and good user interface menu, make this device portable, easy to control and access no matter where one can be. As mp4 format became more popular, several internet audio-video download sites started to offer services, so that mp4 users can download their favorite music or video at affordable prices. There are sites that offer music file download for only 99 cents each, and one has to only pick his favorite song, not the entire album. Also available in these internet sites are files called Podcasts, which includes information programs, news broadcasts, comedy and entertainment programs. Podcasting is quickly becoming a buzz word among the techie crowd. So what is podcasting, anyway? Podcasting is online audio and video content that is delivered via an RSS feed. Although Podcasting is new, it should become a mainstream communication medium in the near future. Being basically a container, mp4 player devices are able to provide multimedia solutions with its audio-video file format. Because of that mp4 players became very popular and as it becomes more sophisticated with new features being added in new models, people become more eager to own these device players. After all most electronic consumers do have a wish to keep up with modern time.

Humidity

One of the most common health issues that plague our society is dehydration. Specially in a very dry or deserted area like Saudi Arabia, kids and us, could suffer from dry skin,dehydration, chronic joint and muscle pain, raspy throat, sore eyes, and difficulty concentrating.
Controlling the amount of moisture in the air is necessary for your family's health. Dry air in your home can make your throat feel dry, and cause or aggravate respiratory ailments. During extremely cold weather, your home loses humidity to the outdoors and may drop to as low as 5% relative humidity. Cold air inside a home heated to 73 degrees can have a relative humidity approaching 6%. By comparison, typical humidity in the Arabian Desert is about 8%. Generally, one does not want to have a home humidity any lower than 30%. Optimal comfort is considered to be achieved at 40-55% humidity.
Inadequate humidification during cold weather is one of the major causes of respiratory infections. The heating season causes many people to experience repeated attacks of winter colds. Winter is blamed for these problems, but the actual cause is dryness, which effects the membranes of the nose, throat and bronchial tubes. Relative humidity also has a significant effect on controlling the occurrence of airborne infections.
To combat dehydration, both are essential: drink a lot of water, and maintain the relative humidity in the home and office at comfortable levels.
With the use of simple Ionizer / Humidifier , the humidity inside your room will be increase in a more comportable and relax level.
You’ll love the atmospheric comfort and health benefits that humidifier provides for your kids. Negative ionization eliminates fungus, microorganisms, mold spores, dust mites and other airborne contaminants.

Napa dollar ka anak ! ! !

Si maria ang pinaka magandang babae sa kanilang lugar, ay pinag-kakagulohang akyatin ng ligaw ng mga lalaki. Isang gabi isang lalaking Engineer ang umakyat ng ligaw.

Engineer : ( kumatok ng pinto) tok, tok, tok.
Tatay ni maria: sino yan!
Engineer : Si Bianong po' yong Engineer dyan sa bayan, aakyat po sana ng ligaw sa anak nyo.
Tatay: aba'y, anong oras na ba at gabing gabi nay, dumadalaw ka pa!, tulog na si Maria!, balik ka nalang bukas!. Hindi pinatuloy ang Engineer.

Isang gabi may dumadalaw uli, Dentista raw.
Dentista: (tok.tok,tok) katok sa pinto
Tatay: sino yan!
Dentista: ako po', si Tiopilo yong Dentista dyan sa bayan, aakyat po sana ng ligaw sa anak nyong si Maria.
Tatay:( nag bukas ng pinto at bumubulong "tang' inang tong") anong oras na ha?. sabay latag ng tatay ng banig sa sala upang umalis na ang dentista.

At ng isang gabi uli, may kumatok sa pinto at sabi ng tatay ni maria.
Tatay: sino yan! (anak ng P......)
Lalaki: Magandang Navy po'. Nabigla ang tatay ni Maria at halos mag-kandarapa sa pag bukas ng pinto.
Tatay: Oh... napaDollar ka anak, halika pasok ka
Lalaki: Salamat po'
Tatay: Aba'y anong oras na ba ha?
Lalaki: Times 46 na po'

Tatay: Aba eh....,Maria gumising ka dyan at may bisita ka, dalian mo

Nag Chat na ba Kayo ?

Internet Voice and Chatting, Helping OFW's reduce the loneliness of being away from their loved ones. I remember about nine years ago when internet was not a household buzz here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We would run to the nearest call cabin just to call our wife,kids,girlfriend,mother and dearest friend and spend about 5 dollars a minute
just enough to say hi, hello, how are you and goodbye :-). Those were the dark days for our fellow kababayan's who really work hard and paid just enough to send money to their loved ones.

Fast-forward to year 2000, The Saudi Telecoms started laying out plans to give internet services for landline users although high speed access like leased lines and sattelite access are already available, only rich saudis and companies can avail of such services. This was the time when Electronic Mails (Email) was the best way to send messages and greetings via internet with the likes of yahoo mail, hotmail among others getting the attention of our kababayans.

Now, with the voice/chat capability of softwares like yahoo messenger, msn messenger, skype, googletalk and others, All we have to do is go to the nearest internet cafe (if we dont have one at home) and ask our love ones in the philippines to do the same (I used to ask my wife to go to the expressions internet cafe in baliuag) and enjoy talking and seeing each other using webcam with out any time limit.

Technology really advances very fast and they always give us so much benefit, Overseas Filipino Workers (TFC, Internet, GSM/SMS) but they can also give us so much memories, be it happy or lonely.
I was once lonely when it was in the internet email that i received 6 years ago, when my father died. But it was also in the internet chat when my wife told me that we will be having a new child ( Off course i am the father :), I was never been happy ....

WEBCAM

WEBCAM BASIC
by: Brian R. Lee

Instead of just communicating over the internet with text and emoticons, people are beginning to realize just how easy and fun it is to send video clips through cyberspace. Webcam setups range from simple to complex, and increasing the complexity is only a matter of adding functionality through software, custom code and/or equipment connections. A simple Webcam setup consists of a Digital Camera attached to your computer, usually through the USB port. The camera part of the Webcam setup is just a digital camera -- nothing out of the ordinary so far. The "Webcam" functions of the camera originate from the software. Webcam software takes a frame from the digital camera at a preset interval (for example, the software might grab a still image from the camera once every 30 seconds) and transfers it to another location for viewing. If you're interested in using your Webcam for streaming video, you'll want a Webcam system with a high frame rate. The frame rate indicates the number of pictures the software can grab and transfer in one second. For streaming video, you need a minimum rate of at least 15 frames per second (fps), and 30 fps is optimal. To achieve high frame rates, you must necessarily have a high-speed internet connection. Once it captures a frame, the software broadcasts the image over your Internet connection. There are several broadcast methods. Using the most common method, the software turns that image into a JPEG (compressed) file and uploads it to a web server using File Transfer Protocol (FTP). You can easily place a JPEG image onto any web page in this manner and post your webcam images on the internet. If you don't have your own Web server or web site, you can also use your web cam to send a video email. First, launch the software that comes with the camera. Depending on the model, the process of e-mailing and recording your video messages may vary. Press Start or Record to begin the video message. Click Stop and then preview the video. You can then click E-mail or Send, which automatically opens your default e-mail program. When sending a video e-mail, the longer the video message recorded, the bigger the attachment will be, so make sure the recipient's computer can handle the size. The recipient of the e-mail does not need special software to see your video message; they simply choose to open the attachment and the mini movie will play. Another increasingly popular way to use your web cam is a chat session with webcams in "real time" with instant messaging (IM) programs. During an IM chat, there will be an option to start the webcam right on the screen, or under the Options or Tools menu. In Windows Messenger, for example, the words Start Camera are on the right-hand side of the screen. It is also possible to adjust the volume, window size, and video resolution with IM options. The person on the other end also needs a webcam to visually chat. Adjust your camera's focus, point it toward your face, and most importantly, look right into the "eye" of the webcam so your friends on the other end see more than just your forehead. Keep in mind that some webcams require an additional microphone to record audio. Don't expect terrific video quality. It's often possible to adjust the video resolution by toying with the webcam's software settings, but the higher the quality, the choppier the video frame rates will be. Webcams can also be used for remote security monitoring, but beware of hackers who could intercept your video feed and then spy on YOU. Make full use of passwords and encryption.

Brian Lee http://www.WorldCameraVideo.com