The Best Shows to Watch in HD This Fall
Posts with tag programming
TV Pirate Gets Jail Time for Rebroadcasting DISH Network Material
If you really needed proof that the statement "crime doesn't pay" had at least a semblance of truth behind it, here's your sign. Known satellite TV pirate Glenn White has been sentenced to a 14 month stint in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally rebroadcasting DISH Network's programming. As the story goes, Mr. White was doing business in Wagram, North Carolina under the name Wagram Cable, but rather than distributing material in a legal manner, he chose to crack DISH's encryption and then monetize it. Big mistake.
Oh, and DISH Network actually put this out on a press release in order to let the public know it "will continue to fight those who aid or participate in illegally breaking into encrypted DISH Network TV channels and set-top boxes." Don't say it didn't warn you.
[Image courtesy of FlatPanelTV]
Hotels Upgrading Rooms With HDTVs, But Forget HD Programming
Of course, most are playing the cost card as the reason why they have yet to offer up any HD channels on those wasted HDTVs, although not all hope is lost. At Hilton, you can expect each and every room to have a flat-panel TV and HDTV service by June of 2009, and LodgeNet, which began offering high-definition service in 2005, expects to add a half million new HD-served rooms this year alone. Please, travel venues -- don't force us to watch stretch-o-vision while away from home. [From: NY Times]
[Thanks, Ben]
WhereverTV Brings International Channels To Your TV
The 5- x 5- x 1-inch box must be simultaneously connected to your router and TV, and once the tele is flipped on, you'll be able to browse, manage and stream scads of international TV channels from wherever you are in the world. Granted, we still prefer the flexibility of the ZvBox (which allows you to tap into all facets of Internet video, not just one segment), but for just $199.99 with no activation or recurring charges (available now at Amazon), this could be just the thing for foreign television junkies or folks currently living outside of their homeland. [Source: PR Newswire]
NBC Lays Out 2008 Beijing Olympics Coverage Plans
Granted, this is speaking strictly of coverage here in the United States, but there's no denying that nations across the globe are doing their best to snatch up as much of the Games as possible. For a complete rundown of what to expect just under a month from now, bookmark the links below.
Read - NBC announces Olympics plans
Read - Coverage listings
Loud Commercials Actually Not That Loud, Just Startling
In essence, a typical drama will have moments of loudness and moments of quiet, and commercials that follow the show have to respect the same maximum as the show. However, unlike the program, commercials can simply max out the volume from start to finish, causing a "perceived" or "inconsistent" loudness that's just barely lawful.
As you well know, British regulators are stepping in to make sure no ad is "excessively noisy or strident," but the situation in America could get worse post-2009. You see, digital broadcasts have a wider dynamic range (or loudness spectrum), leaving more room for annoying salespeople to totally invade your eardrum. Nevertheless, the article linked below is a must-read for anyone who has ever been enraged by a "ridiculously loud commercial." [Source: Cleveland.com]
[Image courtesy of Derrick Logan]
Computer Programming for Kids
The MIT Media Lab has developed a free programming tool called Scratch, which is designed with one clear mission: Keep it simple. The program allows anyone to create his or her own interactive programs without a lick of code. Aimed at children, the software does not require knowledge of computer programming languages such as C or C++. Rather, it uses a building block metaphor in its graphical user interface (GUI), making it accessible to anyone who's comfortable using such basic operating system concepts as folders and windows.
Building a program is as easy as selecting an object or character you get from the built-in menu. You can also use images you've created or even snagged off of the Web. You place the object in the main window, where you can then drag actions and sounds on top of it. But don't take our word for it. Watch the above video to see how to make a cat move across the screen in just a few simple steps.
In many ways, the tool is similar to building with Lego blocks, which is only fitting since one of Scratch's researchers, Professor Mitchel Resnick, invented Lego Mindstorms, an educational robotics toolkit. The name Scratch was inspired by the way DJs take different parts from different places to create something completely new.
The software is for Mac and PC and available as a free download. A companion Web site allows kiddies to upload and share their programs. They can also take parts from other people's projects to use in their own.
If you listen closely, you can actually hear the thousands of programmers who are right now telling their kids, "Back in my day, we had to program everything by hand, uphill and in the snow!'
From BBC
Related Links:
Building a program is as easy as selecting an object or character you get from the built-in menu. You can also use images you've created or even snagged off of the Web. You place the object in the main window, where you can then drag actions and sounds on top of it. But don't take our word for it. Watch the above video to see how to make a cat move across the screen in just a few simple steps.
In many ways, the tool is similar to building with Lego blocks, which is only fitting since one of Scratch's researchers, Professor Mitchel Resnick, invented Lego Mindstorms, an educational robotics toolkit. The name Scratch was inspired by the way DJs take different parts from different places to create something completely new.
The software is for Mac and PC and available as a free download. A companion Web site allows kiddies to upload and share their programs. They can also take parts from other people's projects to use in their own.
If you listen closely, you can actually hear the thousands of programmers who are right now telling their kids, "Back in my day, we had to program everything by hand, uphill and in the snow!'
From BBC
Related Links:
