Cable firms don't have to multicast
Cable companies are not required to carry the multiple digital TV channels that many local stations are broadcasting,
the Federal Communications Commission ruled Thursday (Feb 10). The decision, which was expected, is a victory for
cable companies as a growing number of TV stations send out programs in digital and as sales of high-definition TVs
surge. About 1,400 of the nation's 1,700 TV stations are broadcasting some shows digitally. Many are beaming
high-definition pictures, but a growing number are instead "multicasting" -- chopping their digital streams into four to
six separate channels. Their offerings include 24-hour local news and weather, live coverage of political debates and
regional sports. To see the shows, consumers must have a digital TV or subscribe to the digital tier of a cable system
that carries the channels. Most of the channels are not on cable. Broadcasters argue that a federal law forcing cable
systems to transmit their main channel also requires them to carry the multicasts. Several say they'll scrap multicasting
without that "must-carry" guarantee. The FCC also unanimously decided that cable companies don't have to carry a
broadcaster's main analog and digital channel at the same time. That affirmed a tentative ruling and was less
\controversial. Broadcasters typically are transmitting both channels because most people don't have digital TVs. While
several hundred digital channels are on cable, many are not. By the end of 2006, broadcasters must return their analog
channels to the government, but only if 85% of homes in a market can receive digital signals. That threshold could take
decades to reach, so lawmakers want to speed the transition by requiring technology to convert digital signals to analog
for those who don't have digital sets.
3D Flat Screen?
A three-dimensional flat-screen display could be coming to a computer near you. That is, if you are willing
to pay the price. Sharp Systems of America has introduced a new flat-screen computer display that delivers
three-D images. The 15-inch L-C-D display doesn't require the user to put on special glasses. Instead, a
special layer in the display allows users to switch between two-D and three-D modes. This helps create
three-D illusions regardless of whether images were created in three-D. Analysts say it's the first three-D
screen for consumers. Previously, the technology was produced for the medical and scientific industries.
Oh yes, the price. It will go for almost 15-hundred US dollars or about a hundred dollars an inch.
(Sharp via ARNewsLine) [WIA News]
Paint yourself a Faraday cage
For the Amateur Radio operator who has everything, now comes the possibility
of an expensive fix for electromagnetic leakage from or into the shack.
A company in the USA is selling an additive to normal paint that effectively
turns the paint into an RF shield.
It seems that the aluminium and copper fibres bond and "the hard fibered
film will reflect and refract radio waves, preventing wave transmissions by
as much as 90%. Dissipating radio waves in there (sic) path."
Oh, and it is marketed for those people wanting to prevent unauthorised
use of WIFI connections, so it is intended for the gigahertz bands. At only
A$47 to treat a 4 litre can of paint that you have to buy anyway, I'd
recommend you have a very clear idea about what part of your radio
environment needs to be treated.
We report; you decide.
I'm VK1KEP Peter Ellis for national radio news.
http://forcefieldwireless.com/defendairadditive.html [WIA]
And now for something a little different........
Having an interest in Amateur balloon projects I came across a
fascinating website by Art Vandenberg VA7AVB. Art Vandenberg spent four
years developing a balloon launched glider which reaches altitudes as
high as 85,000 feet and then via GPS returns itself to a safe landing
point.
It uses custom software running on a miniature PC, setup with a GPS
receiver, quick cam, a 35mm camera and packet radio all housed in a
homebrew glider. Mission control is impressive with custom software that
tracks telemetry data, downloads realtime quickcam stills and provides
manual overrides of normal flight operations if necessary. Check it out
via this website http://www.hackarday.com and look for the article dated
Wednesday 12th of January.
In Melbourne, I'm David VK3DRB [WIA]
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