Digital television (Digital TV or DTV) is the sending and receiving of moving images and sound by discrete (digital) signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV.
In the United States, where most full-power television stations are already broadcasting both an analog and a digital signal, the FCC has set June 12, 2009 as the date on which all analog transmissions will cease and over-the-air broadcasts will be solely digital. By special dispensation, some analog TV signals ceased, as previously scheduled, on February 17, 2009 and earlier in Hawaii. However, US President Barack Obama delayed the introduction of digital TV in most areas as part of an economic stimulus package so that the switch occurred on June 12, 2009.
While the majority of the viewers of over-the-air broadcasting in the USA watch full-power stations (which number about 1800), there are three other categories of TV stations in the USA: low-power stations, Class A stations, and TV translator stations. There is presently no deadline for these stations, about 7100 in number, to convert to digital broadcasting.
Digital TV has several advantages over analog TV, the most significant being that digital channels take up less bandwidth (and the bandwidth needs are continuously variable, at a corresponding cost in image quality depending on the level of compression). This means that digital broadcasters can provide more digital channels in the same space, provide high-definition television service, or provide other non-television services such as multimedia or interactivity. Digital TV also permits special services such as multiplexing (more than one program on the same channel), electronic program guides and additional languages, spoken or subtitled. The sale of non-television services may provide an additional revenue source.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
BlackBerry Curve 8900
The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is a new BlackBerry mobile phone developed by Research In Motion.
All the familiar BlackBerry applications are available on the Curve 8900, such as WordToGo, SheetToGo, SlideshowToGo, along with games: BrickBreaker, WordMole, Sudoku and Klondike.
In the BlackBerry model lineup, the device appears to be a replacement for the older BlackBerry Curve 8300 and is an upgrade in most all aspects and features. The most significant differences to the recently released and related BlackBerry Bold is the Curve 8900 is smaller and has a better camera, but lacks the faster 3G support of the Bold. Key differences between the BlackBerry Curve and BlackBerry Bold are the smaller but higher resolution Curve 8900 screen, different USB port (mini vs. micro), smaller keyboard, improved "Atomic" trackball, larger internal memory, slightly slower processor, and a speculated lower price.
Its project name was Javelin. The first official release network/company for the 8900, in North America was Rogers Wireless, Canada. The official release on T-Mobile USA was on February 11, 2009.[1] The phone has been released on most UK networks. It was first thought to be a part of the latest 9000 series phones; however it was revealed to be an 8900 series due to the lack of 3G, unlike the BlackBerry Bold, and was officially named the BlackBerry Curve 8900. The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is a Quad-band GSM/EDGE phone, unlike the BlackBerry Tour which is an EV-DO device, both with Wi-Fi and GPS.
All the familiar BlackBerry applications are available on the Curve 8900, such as WordToGo, SheetToGo, SlideshowToGo, along with games: BrickBreaker, WordMole, Sudoku and Klondike.
In the BlackBerry model lineup, the device appears to be a replacement for the older BlackBerry Curve 8300 and is an upgrade in most all aspects and features. The most significant differences to the recently released and related BlackBerry Bold is the Curve 8900 is smaller and has a better camera, but lacks the faster 3G support of the Bold. Key differences between the BlackBerry Curve and BlackBerry Bold are the smaller but higher resolution Curve 8900 screen, different USB port (mini vs. micro), smaller keyboard, improved "Atomic" trackball, larger internal memory, slightly slower processor, and a speculated lower price.
Its project name was Javelin. The first official release network/company for the 8900, in North America was Rogers Wireless, Canada. The official release on T-Mobile USA was on February 11, 2009.[1] The phone has been released on most UK networks. It was first thought to be a part of the latest 9000 series phones; however it was revealed to be an 8900 series due to the lack of 3G, unlike the BlackBerry Bold, and was officially named the BlackBerry Curve 8900. The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is a Quad-band GSM/EDGE phone, unlike the BlackBerry Tour which is an EV-DO device, both with Wi-Fi and GPS.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc (also known as Blu-ray or BD) is an optical disc storage medium. Its main uses are high-definition video and data storage. The disc has the same physical dimensions as standard DVDs and CDs.
The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue laser (violet-colored) used to read and write this type of disc. Because of the wavelength (405 nanometres), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on the DVD format, which uses a red (650 nm) laser. A two-layer Blu-ray Disc can store 50 gigabytes, almost six times the capacity of a two-layer DVD, or ten and a half times that of a single-layer DVD.
During the format war over high-definition optical discs, Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format. On February 19, 2008, Toshiba—the main company supporting HD DVD—announced that it would no longer develop, manufacture, or market HD DVD players and recorders, leading almost all other HD DVD companies to follow suit, effectively ending the format war.
Blu-ray Disc was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group representing makers of consumer electronics, computer hardware, and motion pictures. As of December 21, 2008, more than 890 Blu-ray disc titles are available in Australia, more than 720 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in Japan, more than 1,140 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in the United Kingdom, and more than 1,220 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in the United States.
The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue laser (violet-colored) used to read and write this type of disc. Because of the wavelength (405 nanometres), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on the DVD format, which uses a red (650 nm) laser. A two-layer Blu-ray Disc can store 50 gigabytes, almost six times the capacity of a two-layer DVD, or ten and a half times that of a single-layer DVD.
During the format war over high-definition optical discs, Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format. On February 19, 2008, Toshiba—the main company supporting HD DVD—announced that it would no longer develop, manufacture, or market HD DVD players and recorders, leading almost all other HD DVD companies to follow suit, effectively ending the format war.
Blu-ray Disc was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group representing makers of consumer electronics, computer hardware, and motion pictures. As of December 21, 2008, more than 890 Blu-ray disc titles are available in Australia, more than 720 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in Japan, more than 1,140 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in the United Kingdom, and more than 1,220 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in the United States.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the marketing name for a series of lossy audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories.
Dolby Digital includes several similar technologies, which include Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Digital Surround EX, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby TrueHD.
Dolby Digital, or AC-3, is the common version containing up to six discrete channels of sound. The most elaborate mode in common usage involves five channels for normal-range speakers (20 Hz – 20,000 Hz) (right front, center, left front, right rear and left rear) and one channel (20 Hz – 120 Hz allotted audio) for the subwoofer driven low-frequency effects. Mono and stereo modes are also supported. AC-3 supports audio sample-rates up to 48kHz. Batman Returns was the first film to use Dolby Digital technology when it premiered in theaters in Summer 1992. The Laserdisc version of Clear and Present Danger featured the first Home theater Dolby Digital mix in 1995.
This codec has several aliases, which are different names for the same codec:
Dolby Digital (promotional name, not accepted by the ATSC)
DD (an abbreviation of above, often combined with channel count: DD 5.1)
Dolby Surround AC-3 Digital (second promotional name, as seen on early film releases and on home audio equipment until about 1995/1996)
Dolby Stereo Digital (first promotional name, as seen on early releases, also seen on True Lies LaserDisc)
Dolby SR-Digital (when the recording incorporates a Dolby SR-format recording for compatibility)
SR-D (an abbreviation of above)
Audio Coding 3 (relates to the bitstream format of Dolby Digital)
AC-3 (an abbreviation of above)
Audio Codec 3, Advanced Codec 3, Acoustic Coder 3 (These are backronyms. However, Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding 3, or ATRAC3, is a separate format developed by Sony)
ATSC A/52 (name of the standard, current version is A/52 Rev. B)
Dolby Digital includes several similar technologies, which include Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Digital Surround EX, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby TrueHD.
Dolby Digital, or AC-3, is the common version containing up to six discrete channels of sound. The most elaborate mode in common usage involves five channels for normal-range speakers (20 Hz – 20,000 Hz) (right front, center, left front, right rear and left rear) and one channel (20 Hz – 120 Hz allotted audio) for the subwoofer driven low-frequency effects. Mono and stereo modes are also supported. AC-3 supports audio sample-rates up to 48kHz. Batman Returns was the first film to use Dolby Digital technology when it premiered in theaters in Summer 1992. The Laserdisc version of Clear and Present Danger featured the first Home theater Dolby Digital mix in 1995.
This codec has several aliases, which are different names for the same codec:
Dolby Digital (promotional name, not accepted by the ATSC)
DD (an abbreviation of above, often combined with channel count: DD 5.1)
Dolby Surround AC-3 Digital (second promotional name, as seen on early film releases and on home audio equipment until about 1995/1996)
Dolby Stereo Digital (first promotional name, as seen on early releases, also seen on True Lies LaserDisc)
Dolby SR-Digital (when the recording incorporates a Dolby SR-format recording for compatibility)
SR-D (an abbreviation of above)
Audio Coding 3 (relates to the bitstream format of Dolby Digital)
AC-3 (an abbreviation of above)
Audio Codec 3, Advanced Codec 3, Acoustic Coder 3 (These are backronyms. However, Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding 3, or ATRAC3, is a separate format developed by Sony)
ATSC A/52 (name of the standard, current version is A/52 Rev. B)
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