By Bill MacArthur
There have been some incredible developments in optical technology in recent years. One of the most interesting new products comes from a company called Torrey Pines Logic. It has been developed in partnership with the United States Navy, and it is currently being field tested for use in Iraq and beyond. It is called LightSpeed, and it just might revolutionize battlefield communications.
The new device, developed with funding from the Office of Naval Research, is a short-range communications tool that will allow soldiers to talk on a secure channel up to two miles away, simply by looking at one another. It uses infrared to transmit audio and video data, and connects to a standard pair of binoculars. It employs the use of optical lenses to amplify the audio and video signals.
Soldiers in the field can connect headphones and a microphone to the binoculars to speak to one another, so long as they are both using the same device. The great thing about LightSpeed is that it is considerably more secure than traditional lasers or radio. Furthermore, it is extremely low power. This is important because it is less susceptible to being picked up and monitored by the other side. While it is intended for short range, line-of-sight communications, it has proven to be highly versatile in the field.
One application that has showed incredible promise is during vessel boarding search and seizure. The device can be used to transmit biometric data of passengers back to the ship. It is also ideal as a secondary communications device during radio blackouts. LightSpeed is also being tested for use in communications between submarines and aircraft, explosive ordinance disposal, and unmanned aerial vehicle landings.
Although the technology behind the LightSpeed device has been around for some time, it was not until 2003 that it first came to the attention of the US Navy. It was discovered at a tradeshow by a Navy Commander, and submitted to the Office of Naval Research's Tech Solutions department. ONR's Tech Solutions is a program that allows Sailors and Marines to suggest potential solutions to technology challenges. LightSpeed received research and development funding from the ONR in 2004, and current field testing shows incredible promise.
Bill MacArthur is ex-military special operations and is currently working as a consultant for a private security firm in the United States. He loves the great outdoors, and spends his free time at his cottage retreat. Every so often, he writes an article for http://www.thebinocularsite.com – an excellent online resource for information about Binoculars, Night Vision, Rangefinders and more.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Progressive Scan DVD Players
By Roger Sanchez
You've probably heard about progressive scan DVD players, but you may not know what exactly they are or why they seem to be the hot item that people want these days. To understand why this is the case, first you need to learn about the different technology that progressive scan DVD players provide. And then you'll need to realize that at the moment, only those who have invested in HDTV or other high performance display screens or projectors will be able to take advantage of the difference.
To start with, let's review the way that traditional motion pictures are created. In fact, the term 'motion picture' is rather misleading because no pictures actually move. Instead, still pictures, also called frames, are played in rapid succession so that the resulting display is changing so quickly and in such small amounts at a time that we perceive it as moving. You may have recreated this illusion in school or on your own by drawing stick figures or other pictures on a stack of paper, then flipped through the paper quickly. The figures looked like they were moving rather jerkily. But if you took the time to draw enough frames and move them quickly enough, you would see much smoother motion, like in cartoons.
Television is recorded in the same type of frames. Then it's broken down to be transmitted in a signal. When the signal is received by your television, it is reassembled in sections, or stripes. These stripes are reassembled in two different sets, from top to bottom and left to right across your television screen. To explain this concept more clearly, imagine window blinds that are partly open. The actual blind pieces are one set of stripes and the space between the stripes represents the second half of stripes. In a TV transmission, the stripes of set one are laid in before the second set is laid in. This is called an interlaced display. Although it sounds like it would take some time, all of this happens in the fraction of a second – 60 of the fields or stripes are displayed per second.
DVD players and DVDs have used this same technology because of the fact that TVs displayed pictures this way. But with the advent of digital and high definition television projectors, display technology has changed, leading the way for DVD technology to change as well. These high performance TVs and projector screens receive and display signals in full progressive frames instead of stripes. And 60 full frames are displayed per second. Meaning even more detail can be included in the same amount of time, resulting in pictures with less flicker or picture distortions. Progressive scan DVD players work by sending DVD signals in the same progressive format.
However, progressive scan DVD players only make a difference if they have both the source material that can be scanned into progressive signals and the display screen that can receive progressive signals. Older DVDs were most likely not recorded with progressive signals. Newer ones will have the capability, though. But as mentioned before, you have to have a television that can receive progressive signals. HDTV televisions can, and so can CRT or LCD monitors.
If you have the right kind of television, a progressive scan DVD player, and a DVD that was produced in the last 5 years or so, you can test to see if you can tell an improvement. Just switch the DVD playing setup from progressive to normal as you watch the film. Look at the outline of things, and the details of the background elements. You may just experience home video with a clarity and sharpness like never before.
Roger Sanchez reviews portable DVD players brands and models at http://www.AllPortableDvdPlayers.com - a complete portable DVD players guide where you can find tips and tricks on how to shop for a portable DVD player.
You've probably heard about progressive scan DVD players, but you may not know what exactly they are or why they seem to be the hot item that people want these days. To understand why this is the case, first you need to learn about the different technology that progressive scan DVD players provide. And then you'll need to realize that at the moment, only those who have invested in HDTV or other high performance display screens or projectors will be able to take advantage of the difference.
To start with, let's review the way that traditional motion pictures are created. In fact, the term 'motion picture' is rather misleading because no pictures actually move. Instead, still pictures, also called frames, are played in rapid succession so that the resulting display is changing so quickly and in such small amounts at a time that we perceive it as moving. You may have recreated this illusion in school or on your own by drawing stick figures or other pictures on a stack of paper, then flipped through the paper quickly. The figures looked like they were moving rather jerkily. But if you took the time to draw enough frames and move them quickly enough, you would see much smoother motion, like in cartoons.
Television is recorded in the same type of frames. Then it's broken down to be transmitted in a signal. When the signal is received by your television, it is reassembled in sections, or stripes. These stripes are reassembled in two different sets, from top to bottom and left to right across your television screen. To explain this concept more clearly, imagine window blinds that are partly open. The actual blind pieces are one set of stripes and the space between the stripes represents the second half of stripes. In a TV transmission, the stripes of set one are laid in before the second set is laid in. This is called an interlaced display. Although it sounds like it would take some time, all of this happens in the fraction of a second – 60 of the fields or stripes are displayed per second.
DVD players and DVDs have used this same technology because of the fact that TVs displayed pictures this way. But with the advent of digital and high definition television projectors, display technology has changed, leading the way for DVD technology to change as well. These high performance TVs and projector screens receive and display signals in full progressive frames instead of stripes. And 60 full frames are displayed per second. Meaning even more detail can be included in the same amount of time, resulting in pictures with less flicker or picture distortions. Progressive scan DVD players work by sending DVD signals in the same progressive format.
However, progressive scan DVD players only make a difference if they have both the source material that can be scanned into progressive signals and the display screen that can receive progressive signals. Older DVDs were most likely not recorded with progressive signals. Newer ones will have the capability, though. But as mentioned before, you have to have a television that can receive progressive signals. HDTV televisions can, and so can CRT or LCD monitors.
If you have the right kind of television, a progressive scan DVD player, and a DVD that was produced in the last 5 years or so, you can test to see if you can tell an improvement. Just switch the DVD playing setup from progressive to normal as you watch the film. Look at the outline of things, and the details of the background elements. You may just experience home video with a clarity and sharpness like never before.
Roger Sanchez reviews portable DVD players brands and models at http://www.AllPortableDvdPlayers.com - a complete portable DVD players guide where you can find tips and tricks on how to shop for a portable DVD player.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Fax Machines Guide-Some guidelines about Fax Machines
by: Anuj Sharma
A telecommunication tool that sends and receives documents or graphics via telephone lines is known as ‘fax machine’. Fax machine is basically a package of image scanner, a modem and a computer printer. Scanner is used to convert the content of physical documents into digital image whereas modem sends image data via phone line and printer is used to make a duplicate of original document.
Sometimes fax machines are used to scan documents into a computer and to take a print of documents from computer. Fax machines converts a picture into zeros and ones format so that data can be easily transmitted like normal computer data while on the other side it reads the data and translates zeros and ones back into dots and reprints the picture.
Fax machines are affordable and easy to use devices. Fax machines transmit data at speed from 4,800 bps to 28,800 bps. Fax machines with a speed of 9,600 bps transmit one page within 10-20 seconds. Several fax machines use thermal printer that needs special paper to print the best pictures. Thermal paper mostly comes in two sizes such as 8.5 inches wide and 10.1 inches wide.
Some fax machines come with vast variety of dialing features. It enables you to set a program to send a document at future time. Another important feature of fax machine is that you can send multi page document without feeding each and every page manually in the machine.
Latest fax machines are a bit faster than the old ones. You should determine quality, price and other important features at the time of purchasing a fax machine. You can select ‘fax modem’ in case you want to send faxes but not receive them. Choice of fax machines depends on your requirements.
About The Author
Anuj Sharma owns a website on Fax Machines http://www.123faxmachines.com/. Website provides information about cheap fax machines, best fax machines, fax machines reviews, and history of fax machines. Get all information about fax machines from his site
Monday, May 15, 2006
Satellite TV Dealers -- Who's The Best
by: Brian Stevens
In the world of satellite TV there are satellite TV providers -- the companies who provide satellite TV programming -- and satellite TV dealers -- the companies who sell the programming and the equipment you need to watch it.
In the U.S.A. there are currently two satellite TV providers -- DISH Network and DIRECTV -- and hundreds of satellite TV dealers who sell their services and systems.
Due to the recent rise in popularity of satellite TV, satellite TV dealers have sprung up all over the Internet promising the best deals, the best service, and everything else under the sun. But after you sign up for their service they sock you with hidden service fees, provide you with shoddy installation, and offer zero customer service.
So how do you know which satellite TV dealers are the most reputable, will give you the best service, and will sell you DISH Network or DIRECTV's services at the best possible price?
We've spent hundreds of hours researching online satellite TV dealers. Here's a rundown on the top four dealers -- the cream of the crop:
DISH Network Satellite TV Dealers
**** Allsat (Highly Recommended)
Established in 1995, when DISH Network first started broadcasting, Allsat is one of the oldest and most reputable online satellite TV dealers. Allsat began as an offline satellite TV store, then went online in 1997.
Their prices, reputation, and service are second to none.
Allsat currently offers:
* A free DISH Network satellite TV dish
* Up to four free receivers plus remotes
* Free professional installation
* Free DVR (digital video recording) receivers
* Free HD (high definition) receivers
* Free 25 movie channels
* 24/7 customer service
* Lifetime equipment warranty
* Free bonus gifts (click on the link below to view current offers).
*** VMC (Recommended)
VMC is one of the largest and most well known satellite TV dealers in the U.S. They installed the satellite TV system in the U.S. Capitol building.
VMC currently offers:
* A free 4-room satellite TV system
* Free professional installation
* Free digital video recorders
* Free HDTV receivers
* Free 25 movie channels
* 24/7 customer service
* Lifetime equipment warranty
DIRECTV Satellite TV Dealers
**** iSatellite (highly recommended)
iSatellite is one of DIRECTV's top satellite TV dealers. Though relatively new to the satellite TV scene, they are one of the fastest growing, most respected online dealers in the U.S.
ISatellite currently offers:
* A free satellite TV dish
* Up to four free receivers plus remotes
* Free professional installation
* Free DIRECTV DVR receiver (after $99 mail-in rebate)
* Free HDTV receiver (after $199 mail-in rebate)
* Free premium movie packages
* 24/7 customer service
* One-year equipment warranty
* Special offers (click on link below to view current offers).
*** Rapid Satellite (recommended)
In business since 1999, Rapid Satellite is one of DIRECTV's highest rated satellite TV dealers. They have thousands of customers in hundreds of cities across the U.S.A.
Rapid Satellite currently offers:
* Free 4-room system
* Free installation
* Free DIRECTV DVR (after $99 rebate)
* Free HDTV receiver (after $199 rebate)
* Free premium movie packages
* 24-hour customer service
* One-year equipment warranty
* Special offers (click on link below to view current offers).
Note: For more information on current DISH Network or DIRECTV programming and subscription fees, or to order satellite TV service with a free satellite TV system, click on the links below.
About The Author
Brian Stevens is the senior editor for TheSatelliteTVGuide.com and has written extensively on satellite TV dealers.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
3 New Nokia Entry Level Phones Announced
by: Nicolas Fogelholm
Nokia today announced 3 new low-end handsets targeted at first time users in new growth markets. Nokia 2610, Nokia 2310 and Nokia 1112 were unveiled at Nokia Experience Mobility 2006 event in Chongqing, China. According to Nokia the hallmarks of the trio is Performance, quality and ease of use!
The new Nokia 1112, Nokia 2310 and Nokia 2610 expand Nokia's current portfolio of affordable low-end phones. All three models are expected to begin shipping during the second quarter of 2006. The Nokia 1112 is an addition to the popular Nokia 1100 family phones that has sold over 100 million units globally, since its introduction.
Today Nokia also announced that it is opening the licensing of the Nokia Prepaid Tracker terminal feature to other terminal manufacturers. At the same time Nokia will also license the Prepaid Tracker network feature to all GSM/WCDMA operators regardless of their current network system provider. The Nokia Prepaid Tracker was unveiled last year and a simple solution that lets prepaid subscribers keep track of their prepaid balance and call expenses.
About The Author
Nicolas Fogelholm is webmaster for http://www.about-nokia.com/.
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