mourning analog » analog to digital

Countdown to Digital TV Continues

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:00:21 +0000

Have you made the switch to digital television? The deadline for the national conversion has changed and is now effective on June 12, 2009. If you have an analog TV, you still have time to make the switch.

The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 stated the federal government would require television stations to make the switch from analog broadcasts to digital by February 17, 2009. The deadline has been changed and will now be effective on June 12, 2009. The Act also authorized the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to create a TV Converter Box Coupon Program.

Consumers who receive free television channels via an antenna are eligible to apply for two $40 coupons to be used to reduce the purchase of certified converter boxes. The converter box will be necessary in order to make the switch from analog television broadcasts to digital beginning June 12. The converter will help translate the digital signals. Television viewers that have their TV’s connected to cable, satellite or pay television services will not have to make any changes.

It is important for all Americans to have television reception in order to access local news reports and emergency information. Start now to make the switch so that you are prepared when the June 12 deadline comes. By purchasing and connecting your converter box now, you can begin experiencing the benefits of digital TV with more program choices and clearer reception.

Consumers can do any of the following in order to be prepared:
? Connect the $50 – $80 converter box from the electronics store to each analog TV you own. You can purchase with or without a coupon.
? Replace your analog televisions with new digital models. Most TV’s purchased since March 2007 will not need a converter box.
? Connect analog television sets from the antenna to paid services such as: cable, satellite.

For more information: www.ntia.doc.gov

VGA to DVI-D Coverter Converts Analog Video Signals to Digital Video Signals

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:27:00 +0000

Another item available in the category of video converters is the VGA to DVI-D Converter. This device is capable of connecting your VGA video source to digital DVI monitors or projectors. By converting the hosts’ analog VGA signal to a DVI-D signal, it allows the digital display device to be connected seamlessly. Supporting video resolutions up to 1600×1200, this conversion device is compatible with single link DVI, UXGA, SXGA, XGA, SVGA and VGA.

Its key features include easy installation, requirement of no special tools or software for immediate operation and output picture adjustment of brightness, contrast, color, RGB level and H-V position. By converting VGA to DVI-D signals, it has enabled users to connect computers equipped with HD-15 video connections, to the new DVI (digital visual interface) video display format. Working methodology follows simple plug and play functionalities. By connecting the VGA cable to the input side of the converter and then connecting the DVI monitor or projector to the DVI output, signal conversion between analog to digital is made possible. It automatically detects the input resolution while the output resolution and refresh rate can be selected through the On Screen Display menu and front panel push buttons.

The VGA to DVI-D Converter box has a VGA 15 Pin HD female input connector along with a DVI-D Single Link or VGA 15 Pin HD female output connector. The other type of Video Converter mostly used is DVI-D to VGA Converter. It also has an in built auto detect feature which helps in detecting the VGA resolution coming from the PC to the DVI-D video monitor. Regulatory approvals from FCC and CE have also been given to this device. It is designed in a manner so that it has two outputs, one to connect a DVI-D monitor and one to connector a VGA monitor to a computer with VGA output. An ideal product for applications where traditional analog video graphic cards need to be connected to DVI compliant digital monitors, it ensures that the connection between the VGA to DVI-D output works.

How To Choose A Good Digital Video Camcorder

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:50:19 +0000

Digital video camcorders nowadays made editing and shooting movies an easy task for everybody. Just ten years ago, people had limited options, but not anymore! When you decide to buy one, you find shops flooded with different models for digital camcorders produced by different manufacturers, and each one with a huge array of formats and features. But the difficult part is choosing the right one for your needs and budget. The next sections intend to help you decide through the models and to help you select some digital cameras that suits your needs the most. So, what camcorder type to choose from: There are two types of camcorders, analog and digital, and digital camcorders are more popular today. Analog camcorders became too hard to use, they are complicated and hard to handle. So, the analog models become replaced quickly. Recording information digitally onto a tape or onto a DVD or even hard disk, then repeatedly playing the videos without loss of quality represent major pluses for digital camcorders. Also, they render excellent quality, clarity and color for the videos having 500 lines of resolution, which makes the shooting videos usingdigicams irresistible. Next thing to think about are key features: Screen Size. Basically, the bigger the screen size is, the more you see from what you record. But, it will also drain your battery faster. So, if you want to shoot frequently under bright sunlight, the viewfinder proves more helpful in helping the battery life. There are different sizes for screens that you can choose from: 2.4 to 2.7 inches, 1.8 to 2.4 inches, 3 inches to 3.5 inches, and so on. Zoom: There are optical and digital zooms available and most of the camcorders have them both. Digital zoom basically enlarges your image, in the sense that it magnifies actual pixels in order to achieve maximum zoom. But the final image becomes grainy at some parts and also lacks definition. This phenomenon is calledpixelation , the blurring of picture because of enlargement. However, most camcorders can turn this option off. Different than digital zoom, optical zooms uses physical movement of the lens mechanism. Thus the focal length for the lens changes so the whole image that crosses the lens gets captured with the optical zoom. This is much more preferred. Higher optical zooms give better quality of the image. Batteries: The LCD monitor consumes large amounts of energy, so it drains the battery life quickly. A high capacity battery is recommended to keep your camcorder working when you record those important moments in your life. The best ones are rechargeable batteries. Lithium ion batteries perform better as they can charge quicker and are lighter that the. So make sure that before you invest your money in one camcorder, you check out that camcorder and how good it suits the needs you have. If youwant quality and high resolution, but also flexible digital editing, spend more money. More money would get you more features and so better quality videos. Also study reviews of models and their key specifications; they are very helpful in making your final choice. Some popular brands include: Sony, Canon, Panasonic,JVC.