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May 11, 2012: I Want ALL of my HDTV

When creating commercials or other content for broadcast television, production companies need to adhere to certain standards. These standards have been driven from two primary sources: the Federal Communications Commission and the owners of the broadcast outlets.

For many years, the technical process of creating commercials or other content for broadcast television was fairly straightforward. There were no widescreen plasma or LCD screens. All television sets contained a cathode ray tube, which beamed an image onto a phosphorescent screen.  The size of the image, measured in scan lines, was 720 x 486, a 4:3 aspect ratio. All television cameras and video tape recorders captured 4:3 images. Producers, photographers and editors practiced their craft inside the confines of that 4:3 image and all networks and local stations broadcast an analog standard definition signal.

June 03, 2011: Broadband Data is the New Oil

We have known for some time how effective internet video can be. Now, CBS is in agreement. Gone are the days where the broadcast giants feared online video, worrying that viewers would dump traditional network TV viewing in favor of the computer screen. Instead, CBS has learned that putting their videos online actually drives television consumption.

In this interview, courtesy of Beet.TV, Jim Lanzone, president of CBS Interactive, says “Internet video is finally working.”

I can’t help but think that internet video is finally working for CBS because of greater broadband availability. Think about it. Did anyone truly enjoy the quality of those early internet videos after waiting an eternity for them to download?  Internet video consumers are an impatient bunch. If we don’t see our video within 5 seconds (or less) of clicking ‘play,’ we’re gone.  Do you really want to see internet video succeed? Get reliable 10 Megabit or higher data service to mobile devices, then you’ll see it take off.

May 31, 2011: HD is TV

On July 23rd, 1996, WRAL-TV in Raleigh, NC became the first commercial television station to transmit their signal in high-definition. Today, almost fifteen years later, many local TV stations, while capable of transmitting HD signals provided by their affiliated network, have still not upgraded their internal signal chain and continue to produce local content in standard definition.

As most everyone knows, every television sold today is capable of displaying high-definition pictures. So why are there still so many standard-definition channels available? The transition from standard-definition television to HD has been an odd one. I cannot recall another technological event where the level and availability of consumer technology outpaced the adoption of the content providers. For those of us old enough to remember the transition from black-and-white to color, television stations were transmitting the new color signals before consumer sets were widely available.

Now I’m fully aware that there are still many old-fashioned standard-definition tube television sets out there, and that not everyone can afford to upgrade to a new HD set. But how much longer will the majority of the public, who own at least one HD television, have to wait to see all their video content in HD? Do we need to wait until the last standard-definition TV set fails? Last time I checked, the quality of those TVs was quite impressive and could easily reach a lifespan of 10 to 20 years. Sorry, but I’ve watched this SD to HD transition for 15 years and am not willing to wait any longer.

It’s time to end the era of standard-definition, so I’m asking everyone reading this to please contact your local TV stations, cable and satellite providers and demand they provide all their content in HD. No longer should high-definition television be treated as some premium service. HD is TV, period.

March 31, 2011: Stream Live Video with The Cube

Here’s a little bit of technology I’ve been keeping my eye on. It’s a device from Teradek called the Cube. About the size of a deck of cards, this device attaches to either consumer or professional video cameras using HDMI or professional HD-SDI connectors. It encodes video using the H.264 protocol and streams your video live to the world over Verizon’s 4G network. Broadcasters will take great interest in this technology, as it allows for an instant live connection without the need for satellite or other electronic news gathering (ENG) vehicles. Now the quality coming out of this device is nowhere near what a professional video signal can offer, but the demos I’ve seen are quite impressive.

The Cube may not be a solution for every video enthusiast. While it looks inexpensive, be prepared to spend around $1,500 or more.

Cube™ native integration with Livestream.com from Teradek on Vimeo.

February 09, 2011: WebM vs H.264

I’ve been trying to follow the logic behind Google’s recent decision to drop native support in their Chrome browser for the widely popular H.264 video format, favoring instead a relatively new container called WebM which uses Google’s VP8 codec. What I have been able to conclude is that the real loser in this deal is (big surprise) us. Those of us who actually enjoy using the Chrome browser will someday need to install a plugin to watch h.264 videos. In fact, Microsoft, a proponent of HTML5, has recently released a H.264 plugin for Chrome. Anyone with an Apple i-Device will totally be out of luck as there is no WebM support. Content producers will need to encode yet another video format and pay more for online storage AND invest in new software that can encode the VP8/WebM format. Web development costs will also increase to accommodate yet another format.

September 30, 2010: Videos Tell the Story of Ink

An effective video should not only communicate its intended message, but also create an emotional response that the viewer will act upon.

Here are two nicely produced videos for The Printing Ink Company.  Both videos tell basically the same message and both videos do a good job of selling the company’s product.  However, one of the videos does a much better job of conveying the company’s brand by creating an emotional response to a product many of us rarely think about.  Watch the videos in order and you’ll see what I mean.  Credits for the videos go to The Printing Ink Company and Vepo Studios.

How Ink is Made

The Printing Ink Company: An Introduction

September 22, 2010: YouTube Challenged by Justin.tv

Earlier this year, NielsenWire surprised the online video world when it reported Justin.tv viewers watched an average of 170 minutes per month while YouTube viewers came in averaging 95 minutes. More recently, Evan Solomon, Justin.tv’s VP of Marketing told Beet.tv their strong growth is continuing to average 32 hours of new video uploaded every minute.

Not bad considering that in March of 2007, Justin.tv began when founder Justin Kan attached a webcam to his baseball hat and began a 24/7 live webcast of his life. Five months later, Justin.tv opened a network to the public, and grew its member-base to 30,000 accounts just one year after Kan first put that camera on his hat.

YouTube, still regarded as the 800-pound gorilla of the online video world, has also recognized the popularity and power of this medium as it recently conducted limited trials of a new live streaming platform.  Live video on the internet is no longer a novelty, as cable and satellite providers are keenly aware.

September 17, 2010: That’s One Hot iPad!

“Oh, my iPad doesn’t work in the blazing sun. I think I’ll sue Apple!” That is what’s recently happened in the US District Court of Northern California.

According to Bloomberg news, Jacob Baltazar, Claudia Keller (NOT a relative of mine) and John R. Browning have filed suit against Apple, Inc. The plaintiffs claim the iPad “does not live up to the reasonable consumer’s expectations created by Apple” because it “overheats so quickly under common weather conditions.”  Part of the complaint says the tablet turns off after being used in direct sunlight.

If you have spent any time around computers or electronics, you know that heat is a common enemy.  There are simply limits at which these machine will or will not properly operate.  It is common practice for the manufacturers to list the environmental requirements that apply to their products.  In this case, Apple’s website lists the iPad’s operational requirements between 32° to 95°F.  I think it’s reasonable to believe that an iPad can heat to well over 95°F in direct sunlight.  Have you ever touched the hood of your car on a hot day?  Most certainly the metal was much warmer than the surrounding air temperature.  The same physical laws apply to the iPad or any other electronic device.

So the next time you complain about the cost of Apple’s products, remember they (and other companies) occasionally need to invest time and money defending themselves against frivolous lawsuits such as this.

June 29, 2010: Volume Control is for Consumers

Have you ever found yourself in this situation?  You’re sitting with your laptop, sipping your favorite coffee, earbuds snuggly tucked in and enjoying your favorite music while reading some news or casually clicking through your favorite websites.  As you browse, you stumble upon an ad for that cool new product you’ve been hearing about.  Your interest peaks.  You say, “I’d really like to know more about that!”  With increased anticipation, your hearts pounds a bit faster as you prepare to click on the ad.  But wait, that song you’re listening to is approaching that one line of lyrics you can actually remember.  You feel like singing along, but then hesitate.  You look around to see if anyone is watching.  It’s all clear.  You crank up the volume and make that song your own!  Even though the neighbor’s cat runs away in fear, you’re proud in your accomplishment.  Now your attention turns back to the ad for that cool new product you’ve been hearing about.  You position your mouse over that skillfully designed piece of advertising.  Then, while enjoying a second sip of coffee, your finger presses down on the left - mouse - button. (click)

May 10, 2010: Look At Me!

If your television could talk, is this what it would say to you?

Television is a drug. from Beth Fulton on Vimeo.

April 29, 2010: On Behalf of Apple Fans Everywhere, Jon Stewart Says It All

I’m an Apple fan.  I’m a Jon Stewart fan.  I love it when they come together!

April 29, 2010: Steve’s Thoughts on Flash

In a recent post, I said I do not need Adobe’s Flash technology to enjoy my iPad.  Obviously Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs, agrees.  Reporters who have continually asked Steve if Flash would be allowed on Apple’s mobile devices, usually receive a simple, “no.”  Well, Steve has now given us a little more than a one-syllable response, in this post on Apple’s website.