Volume 3 Issue 2

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_

* Wifi *

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-_

Is Wi-Fi Bad for Humans

There has been some concern lately, mostly in the UK, that the radio frequency radiation (RFR) emitted by Wi-Fi devices poses a health risk to people. Individuals suffering from a variety of innocuous but unpleasant symptoms including nausea and "brain fog" have attributed their ailments to Wi-Fi signals. The complaints have resulted in the banning of Wi-Fi in some areas, particularly those frequented by children. However, according to the most recent scientific studies, the fears are much ado about nothing.

RFR's biological effects are measured in terms of specific absorption rate (SAR) -- how much energy is absorbed into human tissue -- which is expressed in Watts per kilogram (W/kg). A dangerous level (by U.S. standards) is considered to be anything above 0.08 W/kg. Thus far, RFR measurements for Wi-Fi, both at home and abroad, are a minute fraction of emissions that could amount to this level. Wi-Fi, in fact, emits less than other common sources of RFR like microwaves and mobile phones. Since mobile phones were recently cleared as a potential carcinogen by a comprehensive, long-term study conducted by the Danish Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen, it seems very unlikely that devices emitting a lower (and less frequent) level could be more dangerous

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/news/article.php/3653711

T6 Comment:  The adverse effects of radiated energy on humans has been long studied by the health and science communities with inconclusive evidence when it comes to most ‘low power’ transmission devices .   Every odd 3 years or so some study raises the alarm, the media publishes panic stricken headlines – “ YOUR CELL PHONE IS KILLING YOU “, most of the test results do not stand up to peer review or duplication. So far there is no hard evidence pointing to low grade electrical radiation having any long term health effects on humans –( I do recall some studies ‘proving’ detrimental effects on lab rats but these also  involved extremely high levels over short time periods.  The levels were so extreme as to be nearly worthless as a test – as I remember). Several Multiyear studies on Long Island concentrating on High Voltage Power lines in a community which experienced a higher than statistically acceptable incidence of Breast Cancer could find no connection to EMF \ EMI causation.  While I do not have the direct JAMA links they should be easily searchable. 

I can say from experience that short  term effects might be related to high exposure of wireless transmissions in a small area.  Nearly 14 years ago when I was just a wee rental test tech for a major AV rental \ staging company, we would test wireless Microphone packages consisting of 10 to 20 + units, after really heavy days of testing the RF crew would be … well just a bit loopy.  We were in very close proximity to several test benches  with large packages of wireless transceivers.  Usually a brisk skate home would clear you head.  Is this hard evidence – no.  The company also was several floors upstairs from a 3 color commercial printing house, some days you could not get a slightly chemical taste out of your mouth.

Result – unless your home \ corporate set up is the equivalent setting up shop just under  a 50k watt TV transmitter concerns are minimal.  Unless you have some predisposition to RF sensitivity which has yet to be fully documented by the medical community – possible?

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_

* Format Wars *

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-_

High (def) anxieties

But while tech companies fight over who has the biggest hi-def display (Sharp seemed to be in the lead at CES, as crowds surrounded its stunning and impractical 108" LCD TV), studios seem to be moving further and further away from a single, uniform way to get hi-def movies onto those devices.

Whether they support one format, two, or neither, most in Hollywood agree dual formats are inhibiting the development of the hi-def DVD market, whichstudios had hoped would bolster flattening revenue from standard DVDs. That didn't happen in 2006

Another potential solution: high-def downloads. Microsoft's Xbox Live is the only Internet service offering movies in HD. They can take nearly a day to download, however, are only available from Warner Bros. and take huge amounts of storage space

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117957294&categoryid=1009

T6 Comment:  Is this what one could call collateral damage in the format wars ?  With two highly touted formats with high powered backers on each side coming to a bloody standstill all parties are looking for ways out. It could be a universal machine which then will let the content providers fight the final battles for a format winner OR everyone could look for another method.  The article mentions interest in High Def downloads as a possible option to completely circumvent a physical product standards conflict.  The on demand delivery appears to hold a more profitable business model of agreements can be worked out if distribution of profit and higher speed delivery can be provided. The delivery medium can be Internet 2 or WiMAX networks or a combination of the two.
see below for a comparison to Bit-Torrent and Skype’s new JOOST delivery plan.  Out of chaos a drive for finally pushing IPTV and product delivery over Ethernet may just be the root of  the DVD’s demise—as further proof, the current sales numbers for DVD are floundering.

*********************************************************************************************************

Blu-ray vs. HD DVD: The War Rages On

Blu-ray and HD DVD are functionally equivalent, which might be the problem…"There are minor advantages to each, and thus minor disadvantages to each,. "HD DVD does have a cost advantage, but it's still more expensive than what most people are willing to pay."

Neither Blu-ray nor HD DVD has gained a decisive advantage, despite the fact that most experts, pundits, and members of the press believed that one format would surely have won by now.

In the end, of course, it could still be price that wins the day. Price could be decisive if one camp finds a way to sell high-def players at a price point close to today's high-end (but standard) DVDs, what Kovsky calls the "sweet spot of what consumers are willing to pay for a device like that.

http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=03300128A77R&nl=2

T6 Comment:  Price and consumer confidence –( in not buying potential boat anchors) seemed to be a key issue at CES. While many are hedging their bets by getting on board with multi-format players or looking for on demand delivery options  a fair price could just push one into the living rooms of America and the world –( insert diabolical laughter here).  As I have mentioned here in T6 before X-Box and porn may just be the deciding factor – X-box has millions of units HD-0VD ready already out there.

Another Sony Mis-Step ?

Apparently, in all of their wisdom, Sony has decided to not allow porn video on their Blu-Ray discs. If any Blu-Ray disc manufacturer prints porn discs they will lose their license.

http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/4023

T6 Comment: Regardless of your ethical stance on porn one cannot deny the revenue power of this billion-dollar industry. Porn producers are renowned early adapters and can help push a format, medium or style- many state that VHS tape won the format wars -round one -based on the porn industry adopting it. One can hardly believe that a Japanese company such as SONY would get the willies over porn. Have you seen the vending machines offering used panties or have you ever looked at the Henati graphic novels Japanese executives are said to be fond of reading whilst commuting?? Many in country Japanese titles on SONY labels would make most North Americans just agog at the content. These people are NOT squeamish. Internet blog rumor mills are suggesting Sony is trying to let Blu-ray die and this is a good excuse.  Late news has it that digital playground and Vivid (two powerhouses on the mainstream porn industry) have produced titles in HD-DVD and DP may have brokered a deal with Sony  but this is unconfirmed. 

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_

* New Media *

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-_

Skype founders name new video start-up Joost

What Joost has going for it is that the software replicates the TV-viewing experience better than many of the other companies trying to wed TV to the PC. And this is a time when Hollywood is experimenting with the Internet. During the past year, Warner Bros. cut distribution deals with Guba, a little-known video-sharing site, and BitTorrent, a company that many consider to be synonymous with digital piracy.

Joost's nifty technology may be enough to sway the entertainment industry to place a bet on proven winners in Friis and Zennstrom.

A menu allows users to switch channels with a click of a link. Users will also have TiVo-like control of the content and access to any show offered regardless of time of day.

http://news.com.com/Skype+founders+name+new+video+start-up+Joost/2100-1026_3-6150225.html?tag=nefd.top

T6 Comment:  This has all sorts of potential, high speed method for delivery of on demand or purchase, the backing of major content producers and an possible instant hook into mobile video delivery – all possibly in one fell swoop.

*********************************************************************************************************

Customers miffed over DirecTV with TiVo problems

Many forum posters say that the Season Pass feature, which enables users to tell the set-top box which programs to automatically record, has stopped recording those shows altogether, or is only doing so intermittently.

Some customers are reporting on DirecTV user forums and TivoCommunity.com that it's not until speaking with their third or fourth DirecTV customer service representative that the company admits to a problem. Many say they were told it was a "known issue" that DirecTV was working on, and that the problem might be corrected in anything from a day to30 days.

http://news.com.com/Customers+miffed+over+DirecTV+with+TiVo+problems/2100-1038_3-6150142.html?tag=nefd.top

T6 Comment: We have had a few calls on this blaming the control system or IR file for causing a malfunction.  It appears Tivo and Direct TV has found a solution, which is to be released shortly.

*********************************************************************************************************

Spec complete for 5 GHz Express

The base spec should pave the way for silicon support for Express 2.0 as early as this fall by companies including Advanced Micro Devices, Intel Corp and NVidia. Because the SIG chose 5 GHz signaling, chip makers are generally able to use serializer/deserializers (serdes) that have already been proven in communications applications up to 6.25 GHz.

The 5GHz version of Express will initially be adopted for graphics whose performance is typically limited by I/O throughput. Some graphics designers may use the fast channels for unified memory systems that use one pool of DRAM to support both system and graphics memory

http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=196900895

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_

* Automation *

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-_

Home Automation Battle is Brewing

Two competing standards. A wide-open market for automating everything from heaters to home theaters

The first to market is the Z-Wave standard, created and promulgated by Zensys, which makes the chips and wireless radios that enable Z-Wave-based communications. More than 150 companies have joined the Z-Wave Alliance, an industry group that promotes the standard.

Competing with Z-Wave is ZigBee, a standard created by the ZigBee Alliance, an industry group with more than 150 member companies. ZigBee is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, but products are only starting to hit the market now.

The two standards are completely incompatible, although they share many features, such as low power consumption and mesh networking capabilities, so that devices can forward signals to other devices, hop by hop, well beyond the range of any single radio (a hundred feet or so).

Also, both systems are set up to make implementation easy for homeowners. The goal is to be able to plug a Z-Wave or Zensys device into the wall and have it instantly show up on a central control panel, perhaps on your computer. From there, you can control the device

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2082473,00.asp

T6 Comment: The mainstream automation tsunami starts, Z-wave products are already sold via various ‘smart-home’ catalogs and the ilk.  I have heard rumors that Home Depot and Loews will carry the Insteon brand along with Lutron.  The power here is Insteon’s push to get active, growing partnerships ……. See below article. 

Zigbee also has a big push behind it both small and powerhouse supporters, making it a more universal format for proprietary and interoperable systems.  Both manufactures are pushing towards allowing the various manufactures to allow automatic interoperability where one manufactures set of Zigbee \ Z-Wave products will integrate into existing system with minimal programming. This has been the dream of many many manufactures in the past with limited success or utter and complete failure as the manufactures would not settle on a common format, set of tools.  If either company can make this happen it would be a boon to the DIY crowd and the very entry level installs.

These devices are very limited and often ‘clunky’ to set up and ‘program’, often they are not very flexible.  I hate to say these are x-10 products on steroids but the comparison is there especially when you look at the manufacture quality of the hardware.  Still, there manufactures are the new front in mass market home automation surge. 

*********************************************************************************************************

More Suppliers Embed Insteon Into Home-Controls

At least three more companies here launched their first home automation products incorporating the no-new-wires Insteon technology developed by SmartLabs.

The introductions by D-Link, Carrier, and Weiland Sliding Doors will bring the number of companies announcing Insteon-enabled products to about 15 … About 50 Insteon products will be available in the first half…”.

Also here at the show, Best Buy is announcing plans to offer Insteon-equipped home-automation/control system installed by the Geek Squad. Although the products will be available in stores, Best Buy is mainly targeting builders and installers….”

http://www.twice.com/article/CA6406602.html

T6 Comment: Best Buy has also included the products from Universal remote, Control 4 and AMX, the inclusion of Insteon give the magnolia stores cross sales for those who get amped by the Home Theater exhibits but do not have the cash for a full magnolia install.  It also smartly gives the Magnolia stores a base from which to up-sell to bigger and better once they are ready, as the DIY’er bought the Z-wave from Best Buy there is no shame in coming in to upgrade or add on. The move is good for Zensys and Best Buy.

*********************************************************************************************************.

Home-net papers key on delivery, biometrics

Home networks' lingering security and access issues will get an airing this week at the International Conference on Consumer Electronics, as researchers present papers on secure biometric sensing and efficient remote delivery of services. The research hints at where commercial availability of home-networking solutions is heading.

Peter Corcoran, a professor at the National University of Ireland, Galway, will detail methods for controlling access to digital media content in the home environment using biometric-sensing techniques. He will detail a home network that uses biometric-control components for user authentication before initiating access to content. The system also keeps track of who is viewing the content and adjusts access accordingly.

The goal of the project is to explore the use of smart peripherals to achieve new modes of content access management over a home network. User authentication, for example, can be done either by fingerprint analysis or by face recognition. The fingerprint authentication subsystem requires the user to provide six to 10 copies of a single fingerprint, whereas two sets of facial data, captured at slightly different poses, are adequate for accurate face recognition

http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=GRGQGBK3M1HO0QSNDLSCKHA?articleID=196900484

T6 Comment:  Plenty of people think this is obvious next ‘fool proof’ security step is. Still once the an item is engaged the encryption is still a ‘word’ which can be decoded and spoofed.  Granted biometrics may make it harder –at first- but any good and knowledgeable ‘sniffer’ could get this information. I think it would be a great thing to use on homes for doors – no need for keys. Finally because I just HATE when I lose my keys, now I have ALMOST lost my fingers in various situations but its not like I could just forget them!  (Okay, so if you read my comments on the Wifi \ RF being generally bad for your health you know I admit to some loopy leanings when under the influence of heavy RF, I could forget my fingers somewhere. I have the King Missile song in my head right now.  Still if I were to loose all my fingers, I hear that butt prints are unique as finger prints, we will just have to lower that reader a bit...)

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_

*Tech Arcane *

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-_

Remember November the 22, 1987 – The US airwaves Pirated (link Credit to Harry Negro)

On 22 November 1987, sports anchor Dan Roan of Chicago's WGN-TV News Network was narrating the video of the day's football highlights when something highly unusual happened. The pictures on the station monitors in the studio suddenly began to jitter and twitch. Across Chicago, countless other televisions did the same, as Dan's clips of the Bears game were lost in a brief flurry of static and replaced with the sinister, grinning visage of Max Headroom. Most viewers were familiar with the techno-stuttering character from the recently canceled television program bearing his name, and from advertisements for the New Coke soft drink. But there was something unsettling and surreal about this rubber-masked imposter

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=776#more-776

T6 Comment:  This is one of the truly weird events in American Broadcast history. Ah I do yearn for the simple good ole’ days when an EE with spare cash and chutzpah could actually do this – and get away with it.  Link also comes with YouTube link goodness.

*********************************************************************************************************

Smart Elevators: A Faster Way Up and Down

Smart elevators are designed to transform the simple act of traveling between floors. Instead of pushing a button to go up or down, passengers first select the floor they want. Then they are directed to the elevator that will take them to their destination with the fewest number of stops.

People find these kind of ultrasleek, modern.," says Brian Schwagerl, Hearst's vice president of real estate. "The doors open, they go 'whoosh' and then the doors close and they go 'whoosh' and before you know it, you're transported to the 10th floor and you've hardly even felt the ride."

Smart elevators can be tough for users to figure out. That can be confusing at a place like a hotel, where users are inexperienced.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=679986

T6 Comment:  note the statements like the doors go ‘whoosh’ – reminds me of a line from the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. More importantly the line about smart elevators being tough for first time users to use speaks volumes, the system is much more efficient but not the de facto method we were all taught. The article goes on to show how –at first- causes chaos and worse traffic flow problems,  so much so that special guides has to be hired to help people figure it out. In the end did it make everyone move faster? Mostly but the expense not just in installation but also in training tenants and visitors is debatable.

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_

* Working Knowledge*

_-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-__-_-_-_-_-_-_

Static DHCP: The Best of Both Worlds

Static" DHCP enables devices on your network to always grab the same IP address from your router's DHCP server, with no complicated static IP settings needed on each individual device (you can plug in the MAC addresses and desired IP addresses into a setup screen in your router all at once).

In order to use static DHCP, you need a router that supports it. A Linksys WRT54G/GS (versions 1-4) loaded with third-party firmware (such as Tofu [WRT54G] and Thibor [WRT54GS]) support this (go to Linksysinfo.org and get the appropriate one for your router). There is a "sticky" at that bulletin board that tells you how to identify the version of your WRT54G/GS.

http://www.dvrplayground.com/article/12319/Static-DHCP--The-Best-of-Both-Worlds/;jsessionid=F7721E88D6AF7454C78D8CC07E9158C4

T6 Comment:  Interesting technique for you dealers

*********************************************************************************************************

Missing Album Art in Windows Media Player? No Problem!

After a recent, mysterious computer crash while trying to play a DVD in Windows Media Player 11, I found that a good portion of the album art for my CD’s had gone missing or wasn’t being detected by Windows Media Player anymore

The utility I found is aptly named “Album Art Fixer”. Once you install it (.NET Framework required) it will locate your My Music folder automatically and search through all of your music looking for incomplete or incorrect album information. To replace your album art, it uses image searches on Google, WalMart, or CoverTarget. You just look through the results to find the best match.

http://www.avsoft.nl/artfixer/

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

T6 is now officially a real blog, Visit us at http://tuckerstuesday.typepad.com/ With full subscriptions, feedback commentary and quick links to some of my favorite sites. 

You may think you have heard it all and then some…. Then we show you diamanda galas and you are never the same again.  Embrace learning as a challenge and subscribe to T6 today.

While just as passionate and musically as well trained – the Great Kat is just plain overwhelming.  Don’t blame me just accept.

Does anyone actually read the liner notes? Let me know, the comments section of T6 is now open.  At the end of every issue find the Comments link.

All quoted material is the copyright of the respective sites and \ or authors- except were noted or comments are clearly mine.

All t6 commentary opinions expressed are mine alone and are not necessarily those of Crestron Electronics, its employees, associates or even their families. Just my big mouth