The Grassroots of Business Success

The decision to pay the extra fees and move from dial-up to broadband usually involves meeting three wants: faster downloads, faster uploads and live streaming video.

The transmission of live streaming video is dependent on bandwidth, video codecs and the ability to transmit as many frames per second as possible. Let’s review how these variables effect video on dial-up and broadband.

First a little background on bandwidths and speeds. A lot of people use the terms bandwidth and speeds interchangeably, so it’s important to clarify the difference. Think of a water pipe. You can get more water through the pipe by increasing the pressure to send it through faster. This increases the “speed.” You can also get more water out the end by increasing the size of the pipe. This increases the “bandwidth”

When you go from a dial-up ISP to a broadband ISP, you increase the size of the pipe by getting more bandwidth. This way you can get more data through the pipe in the same amount of time, thus allowing faster uploads and downloads. Video is data, too, but good video requires enormous amounts of data. Because of this, video is often referred to as a bandwidth hog. When you increase the bandwidth, you allow more video through in the same amount of time.

Programmers can use creative and complicated mathematical formulas called algorithms to put the data into packets that allow more packets to go through the pipe. This is comparable to increasing the speed of the water in the pipeline. In the world of video, the algorithm is called a codec. Well known codecs include MPEG-4, MPEG-2 and JPEG.

In order to evaluate codecs, a definition of quality is necessary. The number of frames per second (fps) is usually the objective measurement of video quality. “Broadcast quality video” is an overused term that typically means 25 to 35 fps. Independent of theoretical rates, most live video streamed on the internet through broadband is in the range of 10 to 15 fps. It’s not like HDTV or like movies in the theater, but it is sufficient for the purpose.

JPEG transmits video like a movie. Each full picture frame from the “film strip” is transmitted and viewed. When the individual pictures, called frames, are accumulated together rapidly, they appear to display motion, just like a film strip.

MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and others don’t send a full frame each time. They send what’s called an I-Frame, which is a full frame, only once in a while. In between the I-Frames, they only send the video data that change. So, if the image is from a fixed camera in a room where someone is walking, the wall doesn’t change, so the image of the wall is not sent with each frame. Only the spots where the person is moving are transmitted between the I-frames. This eliminates a lot of data without changing the quality of the video. So, with the same amount of data, the end result can be more frames per second. This is why MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 are said to offer higher quality video.

What is bandwidth? Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be sent in a second, typically measured in kilobits per second (kbps). Did you ever notice how TV reporters on satellite phones sometimes look weird? They are usually transmitting at very low bandwidths of less than 5 fps. Have you asked yourself why cell phone voice plans typically can only transmit still video images, or video clips that are so slow that motion is not apparent? That’s because their maximum bandwidth is 9.6 kbps, also considered very low.

Cell phone data plans and dial-up telephone service fall in the less than 56 kbps range. Broadband is above 56 kbps. Cable companies typically offer it in 128 kbps or 256 kbps increments. However, these are maximum rates. For example, dial-up telephone usually fluctuates between 30 and 45 kbps in the real world, even though it is theoretically 56 kbps.

MPEG-4 and its many variants are pretty much the standard for sending video over broadband. Many different companies have developed their own unique twist to try to take into account variations in bandwidth that result in interruptions, pixilation and video tears. But, with a 256 kbps bandwidth, video can stream on average at 10 to 15 fps, and may even peak at 20 or 25 fps depending on the fluctuation. Unfortunately, on dial-up, the number of frames per second that these standard codecs can deliver is less than 5 frames per second, and often only 1 frame per second.

Some new video codecs are allowing frame rates of 12 fps over dial-up services, in many ways comparable to the video offered over broadband. This has expanded the ability to transmit quality video through dial-up.

To summarize the water pipe analogy, different video codecs can increase the water flow by increasing the number of frames per second at the end of the pipe without increasing the size of the pipe. Switching from dial-up to broadband is a way to increase the size of the pipe so that more frames per second can come out the end of the pipe.

Cost is always a consideration, with dial-up being less expensive. Also, many people worldwide do not have the availability of broadband, so dial-up is their only option.

Comet Video Technologies develops products and services for the low bandwidth transmission of video through satellites, cell voice plans, cell data plans, telephone dial-up and broadband. http://www.cometvt.com

Readers have permission to duplicate and distribute the above article in its entirety. We request that the final paragraph be included in each reproduction.

Howard Becker is CEO of Comet Video Technologies. For the past 20 years, Becker has been CEO of consumer product and video technology companies as large as $25 million in sales, as well as a consultant for start-up technology companies. He has an MBA is from the University of Chicago and a BS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a former CPA with Big Four Experience. He developed the first published integration of the Fama-Miller efficient market model and the Black-Scholes Option pricing model, thus creating a theoretical justification for the trading of derivitives on index funds. He is author of a number of published papers on semiconductor based heating elements, as well as a paper on the objective measurement of job placement for individuals with disabilities.

Panasonic has launched a new iPod audio system with a mixture of diverse media called the MW-10.
The new stereo set looks like a small LCD television but doesn’t have a TV tuner built in. The 22.5 cm LCD screen allows you to play music, show pictures and video’s downloaded from the iPod, photos and music via a CD or from a SD-card reader. You can operate the device through a remote control.

There is a tuner built in with a total of 45 preset stations which can be programmed. There is also a RDS available. There is also the option to store jpeg files on the 4MB internal memory; a mini usb port is available for this. The 10 Watt amplifier in the MW-10 supports the two full-range bamboo cone speakers which can be controlled by choosing one of the four pre programmed equaliser settings. The iPod can be controlled via the display and can also be charged by the integrated dock which is contained in the appliance.

The Panasonic MW-10 will be available for shipment before the holidays in black en will cost you a mere 329. It is an excellent present to buy for a loved one who is tech savvy.

Everyone knows that color can make a presentation more interesting and stimulating to look at. It can also convey information, as in the differently colored slices of a pie chart.

But color used improperly is worse than no color at all. Bad color choices or combinations can actually distract viewers from your message and can even cause unpleasant feelings in them. The following guidelines can help you use color effectively in your presentations:

* Too much color can be distracting. Resist the temptation to decorate your slides with a rainbow of colors. Graphic elements (such as charts) should never contain more than five colors; text slides should use at most two main colors and a third for highlighting.

* Keep the colors, and their meanings, consistent throughout the presentation. This will unify your presentation and give it a professional look.

* Even if you’ve chosen a harmonious set of colors, don’t use them arbitrarily. Let the colors to show the relationships between elements, with related things in related colors.

* As with the colors, keep the text (font) styles in your slides consistent.

* Don’t arbitrarily switch colors (of background, text, graphics, or anything else) during the course of the presentation. A change of color should only be used to emphasize key information or to indicate a change of topic or message.

* Don’t use red and green at the same time, because colorblind people can’t see the difference between them.

* Backgrounds consisting of more than one color should use dithering (a gradual blending from one color to the next) for easy viewing. It’s usually preferable to use a solid light color (light blue or gray) for the background with a dark color for text. This is the most effective combination for projected slides.

* To help maintain visual consistency, develop a template that you can use to create each slide. A template is just a basic slide containing the background colors, font style, and graphics that will be common to every slide.

* Test your color combinations on the actual projection equipment that will be used, or at least on a similar type of projector. The projected image will usually appear brighter and more vivid than it does on your computer screen. You may discover that your perfect color scheme doesn’t look so perfect when projected. It’s better to discover this while creating your template than during your presentation.

Color Meanings

Colors in themselves, of course, have no specifically defined meanings. Nevertheless, colors tend to carry subtle, subliminal emotions to viewers, whether by convention or by some natural perceptual process, and you should bear these traditional associations mind when making your color choices.

Color preference:

9% Choose Black - Reliability, Authority, Power, Constancy, Prudence Black feels formal and powerful. Formal clothing tends to be black for this reason.

20% Choose Blue - Tranquility, Intuitiveness, Trust, Loyalty Peaceful, tranquil blue relaxes the nervous system and increases productivity. People seem to retain more information when reading blue text.

3% Choose Brown - Credibility, Solidity, Strength, Maturity. The color of earth and wood, brown creates a neutral and comfortable environment.

13% Choose Green - Life, Growth, Abundance, Vitality. Green is the easiest color on the eye. It calms and has a neutral effect on the nervous system.

7% Choose Orange - Warmth, Happiness, Courage, Success. Orange is the color most associated with appetite. It has a broad appeal. Suitable for anything and anyone.

11% Choose Purple - Luxury, Wealth, Sophistication. Purple conveys a feeling of passion, romance, and sensitivity.

14% Choose Pink - Romance, Imagination, Fantasy. Pink feels calm and soft-hearted, with a tranquilizing effect.

12% Choose Red - Power, Warmth, Energy, Determination, Excitement, Passion. Red dominates and grabs attention. It stimulates people to quick decisions and increases expectations.

4% Choose White - Purity, Innocence, Sterility. White is cool and refreshing.

5% Choose Yellow - Enthusiasm, Light, Creativity, Spirituality. Yellow draws attention, feels warm, and is the most visible color of all.

Some things last forever…videotape is NOT one of them. The expected life of a VHS videotape is only 10-15 years.

In the current world of electronics, the safest way to preserve your precious video memories is to transfer them to DVD. Many of our customers have already begun to notice that VHS videotapes recorded only a few years ago are showing wear.

WHY DVD?

Unlike videotape, DVDs will not deteriorate after every time it’s played. Each time a videotape is played, its tiny magnetic particles rub off causing it to degrade. Eventually, this may cause your video to experience “drop outs” or other loss of quality and, in time, the video may not be viewable at all.

Rather than magnetic particles, a DVD is made up of encoded bits of information that are read by a laser. Because the laser never actually touches the disc, there is no deterioration with each viewing.

ARCHIVAL BENEFITS OF DVD

DVDs cannot be erased or accidentally recorded over. Besides of its durability, DVD is also resistant to heat. The only way to damage your DVD is to physically damage its surface.

The current life expectancy of a VHS videotape is 10-15 years while a DVD’s life span is indefinite, often approximated at 100 years.

DVDs are also capable of storing or archiving still images, top quality audio, and direct links to the Internet. The longevity and variety of use, combined with its compact size, make DVD the perfect choice for archival storage.

EASE OF USE WITH A DVD

There is no rewinding or fast forwarding with a DVD…as there is with a videotape. You can instantly scan forward or backward with a DVD and it’s much easier to locate a certain portion of a DVD than on a videotape. DVDs can contain titles and chapter marks to save considerable time when searching.

WHY DUPLICATION MEDIA?

Let Duplication Media preserve your training, marketing, and family videotapes by converting them to DVD with our professional DVD recorders. We can transfer from more than 15 different video formats - consumer, professional, and broadcast.

Videotapes won’t last forever so preserve them before the memories fade away.

If your video production calls for working with kids, whatever the age, it pays to make the child the most important person on set. Treat children with respect, guidance and generosity to get the performance you desire.

When working with young children, it’s necessary to provide them with fun games, age appropriate snacks, meals and drinks as well as a “treat” for a good performance. Try to work with a Director who has experience with children as they will be more open to kid lingo and personalities.

Older children often take acting very seriously and will want to learn as much as possible. Be prepared to answer questions and explain what will happen during the shoot. They will be more likely to work with you if you give them a tour of the set and introduce them to the “grown up” crew and make them feel special to the production.

Regardless of age, make sure to abide by state laws concerning time restrictions and on-set schooling. Each state has different laws; for example California requires a work permit for children working in theatrical employment, whereas Arizona does not.

Above all, relax and enjoy yourself. Remember that children will only listen for limited periods of time, after which pushing them just leads to frustration for everyone. The key is to be ready to get the good shots quickly and anything after that is a bonus. Kids can enhance your production value so make it a fun experience for all!

Background: As the HDTV market continues to heat up, consumers are in need of being educated on the latest technology in order to make intelligent purchasing decisions. There are a plethora of articles explaining the technical pros and cons of the 3 dominant HDTV display technologies namely: LCD, Plasma, and DLP. However, one all- important, but overlooked feature in selecting a HDTV set is the type of HD video connection. The video connections available for HDTV are: component video, DVI (digital video interface) and HDMI (high definition multi-media interface). We will discuss briefly the pros and cons of each.

Component video cable commonly referred to as R, G, B (Red, Green, Blue) actually consists of 3 separate cables because it distributes the 3 primary color components to the display. All colors can be generated from weighted distribution of each Red, Green and Blue color components. Of the 3 HD connection technologies available today, analog component video is the most mature technology.

-Advantage: Analog component video cable is mature and cost effective.

-Disadvantage: component video cables are analog! All HDTV sets are inherently digital therefore extra digital to analog and analog to digital conversion is necessary in order to process the video. This extra conversion can introduce video artifacts. Since all HDTV’s are digital, it only makes sense to use an all- digital connection such as DVI or HDMI.

DVI(digital video interface) as the name suggests is an all-digital video connection. Unlike analog component cables the DVI interface transports the original digitized R,G, B video signals from the HD source to the HD display. Since it all digital, no artifacts or degradation will be incurred. You will get EXACTLY the picture that the video source supplies with no degradation. DVI connection is often found on HDTV as well as PC video cards.

-Advantage: DVI is ALL-digital, so there is no picture degradation from source to display.

-Disadvantage: Digitizing R, G, B requires extremely high bandwidth. The aggregate data rate of the digital R, G, B signals is 1.65 Gbps! The high bandwidth means that cable quality is important and also the link distance is limited. Typical link budget for a DVI is ~ 15 ft.

HDMI (high definition multi-media interface) is the latest state of art audio and video connection. Technically, HDMI is identical to DVI with 3 notable differences. 1) HDMI is a much smaller connector (it looks like an U.S.B. connector), 2) HDMI utilizes copy protection called HDCP (high definition copy protection) and 3) HDMI carries multi channel digital audio. HDMI, like DVI, is ALL-digital therefore picture quality is “perfect” from source to display.

-Advantage: HDMI is a single digital video and Audio connection. Only 1 single cable is needed to transport both audio and video! This significantly reduces cable clutter behind your theater setup. HDMI is all-digital therefore there is no picture degradation from source to display.

-Disadvantage: Like DVI, the link distance is limited and a high quality cable is required because of the inherently high bandwidth required to transport digital R, G, B. video.

You may view pictures of DVI and HDMI connections at : http://www.octavainc.com/faq.htm

Conclusion: As the HDTV market continues to mature, consumers will need to be educated on the HDTV video connections available. We have outlined briefly the main features along with the pros and cons of each connection solution, so the consumer can make intelligent choices in selecting the HDTV video connections.

Marketing Genius: The CD business card.

What is a CD Business card?

CD business card replication is a relatively new concept.

CD Business Cards are business card shaped CD-ROM’s that can play in any standard computer CD drive. Usually jam packed full of multimedia information about your business…anything from a full interactive web site to a catalog to a power point presentation with music, video, whatever you can imagine. These cd business cards give you the power to illustrate much more than a standard printed business card can.

With cd business cards, you can include any audio, video (digital or VHS), PowerPoint presentations, brochures, sales literature and catalogs. You can even have “hot links” to your website and unlimited e-mail addresses to multiple departments, such as sales, customer service, technical support, etc.

Your entire product catalog can be put on a CD for a fraction of the cost of standard printed paper catalogs.

They actually come in many shapes and sizes, including an “hockey rink” shape with rounded corners, a credit card size and shape, a 3″ round mini, and custom shaped cds (imagine a cd die cut to your logo’s shape).

The real advantage to cd business cards is that besides being a cool marketing product in itself, they are small sized, and are easily stored in a wallet or shirt pocket, just like a standard printed business card.

Technology is now available to print on the disc in many ways. The standard is silk screening. But you can also upgrade to offset printing or digital printing at quality up to 600 dpi.

In addition, Using a unique new all-digital imaging process to print labels for any format of optical disc media, variable data can be printed on each individual disc, making serialization and personalization possible, regardless of the number produced.

Serialization can be used to control who can access data, along with accountability for how it is stored. This trackability helps prevent problems of piracy, theft, loss of production, and loss of sales, by making positive authenticity and ownership easy to establish.

Personalization can be used to provide consumers with individualized promotional items and even serve as mailing labels. Photos of agents and/or products provide big impact as business cards, invitations, catalogs and other marketing materials, even on a small marketing budget.

Some potential uses for cd business cards…

For a salesman/executive…

Photos of your products or services can be printed in full color on the CD business card with full contact information. Within the content of the card, full catalogs can be included with product information and links to your website. On each CD label, individual client’s name and information can be printed, making each card uniquely personalized.

For real estate company…

Houses can be shown in multimedia virtual tours. Individual representative’s data can be printed on the face of the cd, specifically addressed to the prospect.

For an insurance company…

Client’s individual name and policy data can be printed on the CD label. Complete policy, actuarial information, and FAQs can be included or a full marketing presentation in multimedia can make an immediate impact.

For an automobile company…

Each dealership’s customer database can be leveraged by simply sending a CD business card to each customer with the latest leasing /product information. Each CD label can be individually personalized and printed with each customer’s information, salesman’s name and contact info, and type of vehicle that interests the customer.

For a fortune 500 company…

Reports, whether quarterly or annual can be issued to each stockholder on CD with individual name and number of shares printed on the CD face. Prospect uses could be distributed with current performance information printed on each CD label.

CD Business cards seem to be the hottest marketing item in the business sector these days, and its popularity is growing. They are only limited by your imagination.

-Michael Nova

In addition to great features that rip, convert, and organize music files, Music Morpher Gold comes with an impressive set of audio effects to make any music geek giddy. Think Britney Spears could do better as a baritone? This application lets you transform audio files by, for example, filtering out certain frequencies, playing with volume, changing tempo without altering pitch, or even applying 3D sound effects. The audio editor is easy to use for even the most inexperienced, and the interface is very slick and well designed (except for the pesky “Active” button, which can be hard to find at first glance). AV Music Morpher Gold Basic can tweak live audio as well, so you even can modify your voice to sound a bit scratchy and sick while calling into the office on a Monday morning (just as an example, of course). Overall, this is a great program that offers plenty of features for the music fanatic.

Free download here: http://www.download.com/AV-Music-Morpher-Gold-Basic/3003-2170_4-1 0461182.html?tag=tab_rev

Creating your own ringtones from a favorite song

Duet a solo song

Record your karaoke songs

Making your own CD

Make a hollow voice

Morph voice and add effects

Voice Removal

Rock a song

Create a chasing voice PROJECT 9

Enhance music quality of a song

Make audio clip for movies

Convert WAV to MP3

Extract vocals from a song

Rip CD tracks to your hard disk

Mixing two voices

All you can easily do with free Music Morpher. See free tutorial: http://www.musicmorpher.com/free-tutorials.htm

In this new digital high tech computer age slideshows/slide shows/photomontages/photo montages/video albums are becoming very popular. But I have found that when I do a web search I get multiple titles. So what’s the difference between a slideshow, slide show, photomontage, photo montage, or video album? After doing some research of my own, dictionary searches and web site reviews, I have come to this ultimate mind numbing conclusion - are you ready? - There is no difference in the name! I know that this may be a cause of disagreement between many, but I dare you to do the same research. Ultimately, I believe that you too will come to the conclusion that whether you call it slideshow, slide show, photomontage, photo montage, or video album they are all one and the same. However, a bit of trivia for you, I have discovered that in the Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, the only one word or phrase of these five that can be found is “photomontage”.

So, if there is no difference in the name is there a difference in the product? The truth is whether you order a slideshow, slide show, photomontage, photo montage, or video album the difference is only with the company. Every slideshow, slide show, photomontage, photo montage, or video album creating company has their own individualized way of creating what I will call a slideshow production. - You can replace the word “slideshow” with “slide show”, “photomontage”, “photo montage”, or “video album”. It’s really a personal decision. And it is highly possible that as I am writing this article a new word or phrase is being created at this very moment to replace any of the above five words. Such as… moving pictures, pictures in motion, memories in motion (that one kind of makes you dizzy) albums that move, photo movements (there’s a phrase that will really move you!) - You try. I give you five minutes to come up with some of your own phrases. Go ahead be creative!

So what’s my point here, or do I really have one? I guess the point is this. When you are doing a web search for - are you ready, here we go again - slideshows, slide shows, photomontages, photo montages, or video albums - type in each of these different keywords separately each time you do a web search and you will have more choices because each keyword will bring up a new search and ultimately a new company that you haven’t seen before. In addition, try using specific key words. If you are planning a wedding place the word “wedding” or “wedding reception” before any of the above words. Do the same thing with a graduation slideshow, birthday slideshow, anniversary slideshow, reunion slideshow, memorial slideshow, or so on. You can also add words after the keywords listed above such as “production” ” or “productions” (yes, adding an ’s’ makes a difference). And why let Google be your only search engine. Try other search engines such as my favorite MSN. You will get more choices because each search engine has their own way of categorizing web sites.

After you’ve found a new company view their samples. In this way you will be able to decide which company offers more of what you are looking for in a slideshow, slide show, photomontage, photo montage, or video album. And finally look not only at the price but also at the package. What do you get for the price you are willing to pay? And is the company willing to work with you in creating your own package with your own needs? The more willing a company is to satisfy your individual needs, the happier you will be with the end results. And as with anything in life, the same rule of thumb applies with slideshows, slide shows, photomontages, photo montages, or video albums - you get what you pay for! If the price seems too good to be true, it usually is! Keep in mind that your memories are unique and should be treated as such so stay away from the ‘cookie-cutter” slideshow presentations and look for something unique and creative. At Sands of Time Multimedia Creations there are no cookie-cutter slideshows. Uniqueness is our specialty and creativity is our “key word”.

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An active life makes it difficult to squeeze in everything you want to read. Long journey times to work and day to day activities might take up large portions of day everyday. Making a living, dealing with children or even looking after your home can all cut down the free time you have for your hobbies. If you really love reading and are finding it difficult to find time, your journey time may be the ideal time to enjoy listening to an audiobook. Thanks to downloads, it’s easy to relish Today Matters by John C. Maxwell by Download Audio Book Online, or audible books recounted by Marcos Witt when you are busy doing other things.

In the modern fast paced environmant multi-tasking fast becoming necessary. Audible books such as Pimsleur Polish I Part 1 by Dr. Paul Pimsleur by Download Audio Book Online occupy the wasted moments in life, it may be time passed waiting at the doctor’s surgery or maybe grocery shopping. An enormous selection of audio books may be downloaded straightaway as mp3 files including Nice Girls Don’t Get… Set by Lois P. Frankel, so use of your mp3 player and use the opportunity to listen to the current biography, like audio books penned by Bill Bonanna without carting a heavy book around. Another advantage of audio titles is renting or buying the title which interests you then listening to it in your own time. How about studying Arabic? Why not try out audio books? Possibly new sales techniques are your thing, or you can enjoy mulling over modern notions in religious belief. Audio books are in stock in a myriad of titles and writing styles. It really doesn’t matter if you’re a film devotee, or if you are crazy over politics even if your interested in self-help, most are available through online downloads. Numerous plans are open; it’s simple to take a subscription to a rental program or buy what appeals to you. Reading fans will invariably find a time to enjoy books, but a more convenient way might be the thousands of audio titles available today. A author or actor can deepen the experience of many novels. Reading a title isn’t the same as enjoying an audio book performed by Ken Wells, with nuances of an real rendition. The depth of your experience will be heightened by listening to an audio-book such as Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich and convey very much more than words on a page.

So next time whenever you think about buying the hard copy of a book you might never get around to reading, remember an audio-book as another choice.