Category: Tech

Relax and float downstreaming

Netflix has a real winner with its Watch Instantly service, now that it uses the Xbox 360 as a set top box. With my FiOS Internet bandwidth of 20 Mbps — better than any other home Internet service — it wouldn’t be wise for Netflix to send HD content at its 19 Mbps maximum, as is seen with FiOS TV, so compression artifacts are apparent. SD material also has more noise than DVD, but it looks good enough, it plays smoothly, and being able to watch old Star Trek episodes on demand is something I’ve long wished for. Right now season 1 is online. I recorded a bit of “Shore Leave” off of the projection screen with my digital camera. Keep in mind the picture is about 70 inches diagonal.

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2009/FEB/ShoreLeave.flv 480 360]

And just for fun, here’s the same AVI source file converted to MP4 format instead of FLV. The contrast and color in MP4 more accurately reflect what the Panasonic PT-AX200U put on the movie screen, and it handles fast changes between frames much better than FLV, but you’ll need Adobe Flash 9 or higher to watch it.

[MEDIA=21]

… all the livelong day

A while ago in a comment, Cactus Lizzie said I know a lot about computers. Actually, I don’t. But one thing that I do know is what’s in this training video. I chopped off the end a bit, because it gets into something I don’t need at work, but the rest of it I understand and use often.

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2009/JAN/CLARiiON.flv 440 330]

Netflix on Xbox 360

The Senate has delayed the end of analog TV transmission, which I think is a mistake, but in our house we’re using the absolute latest in TV technology. Because we’re finally set up to play Netflix’s Watch Instantly feature on Eric’s Xbox 360.

Whether SD, or Netflix’s limited selection of HD material, the video quality isn’t up to FiOS TV, but it’s certainly watchable, there are no glitches, and the operation of the user interface is fast and smooth. Here’s an example — one minute of the series “Heroes” in a somewhat grainy HD rendering, as seen on the Panasonic 720p front projector.

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2009/JAN/NetflixHD.flv 480 360]

CD+G Face-off: Chris Isaak vs. Lou Reed

Eric has become a collector of defunct game consoles, and he spent some of his Christmas money on a used Sega Saturn. It’s in very good condition, with excellent construction quality, and considering it was introduced in 1995, I’m impressed by the technology.

Sega Saturn control padSega Saturn console

A nifty feature of the Saturn is it supports CD+G. Today, CD graphics are found only on Karaoke discs, but originally CD+G was envisioned as a multimedia format for music. Among the very few titles that have CD graphics are Lou Reed’s New York, and Chris Isaak’s Silvertone. I own the Isaak disc, and my friend SamJay lent me his copy of Reed’s CD.

There’s no comparison. Silvertone totally blows away the graphics on the Lou Reed CD. Every song on “New York” follows the format that’s seen here in “Dirty Blvd”…

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/2012/LouReed.flv 480 360]

… while each song on Silvertone has unique and creative graphics that push the limit of what can be done within the very limited CD+G format. This song is “The Lonely Ones”.

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/2012/ChrisIsaakCDG.flv 480 360]

I’m even more impressed, considering the graphics were done by John Dennis nearly 25 years ago, in 1985. I might post a couple more of these Isaak tracks.

High School Headphones

This will give my son a shock. Here I am when I was exactly the age he is now, about to turn seventeen.

DOuG pRATt in high school

I used rabbit ears for FM reception and, yes, I was seated to give the impression I had antennae coming out of my head. Ah, my first stereo — Pioneer SX-440 receiver, Radio Shack MC-1000 speakers, Garrard 40B turntable, Shure M91ED cartridge, and Pioneer SE-20 headphones.

When I was in high school I listened to the classics — The Who, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath. Today, with the departure of Bush and Cheney, I’m reminded of this song.

https://youtu.be/bYgpv5clf3Y

Security Notes

To do a quick security check of websites you can use McAfee’s free Site Advisor. There’s a plug-in for Internet Explorer and one for Firefox, or you can enter an address at this link.

http://www.siteadvisor.com/download/ff.html

In June Microsoft will be ending its Live OneCare security subscription and introducing a free service, called Morro. This could, and should, be your chance to let go of the security software you use now.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/nov08/11-18NoCostSecurityPR.mspx