To Camcorder Enthusiastกs: What Does ‘Reality TV’

To Camcorder Enthusiastกs: What Does ‘Reality TV’ Really Mean? Great News for the camcorder user!

by: Mark Sturge

Reality TV is experiencing an upsurge in popularity and its presence has conditioned the publicกs acceptance of a number of things:

That lead actors being trained and polished กperformersก is no longer a necessity.

Camcorder movement. As the use of กdolliesก, กjibsก and even กsteadycamsก to obtain smooth motion/tracking shots are often at odds with site and time constraints.

Reduction in production values of video, lighting and audio.

Whilst a ‘reduction in production valuesก may not inspire confidence, it bodes as a positive to the small time camcorder operator in reduced production costs. And the savvy camcorder operator can make up any shortfall with a little imagination and a lot of ingenuity.

กAnyone can be a video producerก, says Mark Sturge, of KMS Productions ‘technology has delivered the tools and there is an emerging group of people who know that (don’t tell anyone this) video and even television production is easy, if you have the right plan.

กDesktop video is a huge opportunity.ก Mark goes on to explain กEveryday people are looking for special memories to be preserved on video tape or DVD. That family occasion/party/wedding or their childrenกs sports events filmed with a camcorder. And now getting their favourite sport or hobby on TV is possible. Yes… possible. And you can be the video producer that does it for them!ก

Most people think that it takes big bucks to produce video for television or commercial release. The inside secret is that you can produce quality video productions with a relatively small investment and having the right plan that can take you stepbystep through the process is a crucial component. Here are the steps Mark suggests you should follow:

Get yourself a high resolution camcorder.

Learn how to use your camcorder to produce กcompellingก video (this sounds obvious, but it can be where the majority of operators กdrop the ballก).

Engineer cost effective solutions to produce professional production values (in particular the areas of lighting and audio).

Polish your production with your desktop editing system.

Submit your production to program managers that accept public submissions, create a professional looking DVD series to sell etc..

So what are you waiting for? Pick up that camcorder, boot up your pc and กSay It With Videoก!

About The Author

Mark Sturge

Mark Sturge is the owner of KMS Productions and webmaster at http://www.videoproductionmastery.com/camcorder.html A site where visitors can find information, training videos and manuals that help people to better their video techniques or discover ways to earn an income from their video taking hobby.

This article was posted on September 05

by Mark Sturge

The Pleasures Of a Luxury Watch

The Pleasures Of a Luxury Watch

by: Argentonio Vigilanza

Purchasing a luxury watch that is a good investment.

Many people consider luxury watches an extravagance. To them it makes little sense to spend thousands of dollars on a Rolex or a Cartier, when there are essential payments to be made. The same is true about cars. They say why spend 90,000 dollars on a brand new sports car when a sedan or a station wagon in 9,000 dollars would do just as well. After all, they both have four wheels, an engine, a steering wheel and a gas pedal and they take you where you have to go.

However, luxury watches are different! They serve many purposes. They are precision instruments that are finetuned for perfect accuracy, and give you the right time all the time. Thatกs their purpose, no doubt. But luxury watches adorn the stylish and fashionable wardrobe. Itกs a matter of style. Some people feel naked without a belt, others feel absolutely desolate and deserted without their luxury watches. And it is not about time only. Even if they are surrounded by scores of digital clocks, cell phones, microwaves and other timetelling devices they are ill at ease without their luxury watch.

Aside from their functionality and sharp looks, luxury watches also confer a sense of status on their wearers. A stunning Rolex or Breitling can denote great taste and class every bit as much as a Jaguar or Mercedes. In fact, with the premier foreign car manufacturers diluting their brands with 30,000dollar versions of their classic autos, one could argue that some luxury watches are a greater status symbol than some highend vehicles.

To buy a luxury watch you need a discerning eye. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, and only a true connoisseur can tell the difference. They have a flair for style and quality. They choose their watches with as much care as they would choose a home to live in. They compare brands, quality and prices. They consider various factors such as mechanisms, escapements, complications, dials and many more aesthetic factors like watch bands and bezels. They enjoy looking at various brands as much as they love buying the watch thatกs close to their heart.

So if you want to add some style to your life, think of buying a luxury watch. For one thing, itกs easier to carry around than a luxury car!

About The Author

Argentonio Vigilanza is the owner and webmaster of Fa Watch, a leading Internet directory for watch information. For more watch information and resources, please stop by: http://www.fawatch.com.

This article was posted on August 25

by Argentonio Vigilanza

VoIP Telephony Basics

VoIP Telephony Basics

by: Jeremy Maddock

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Telephony is the process of routing voice conversations over an Internet Protocol network, rather than through traditional circuitswitched telephone lines. The voice information is converted into digital data packets and then transmitted over an IP network, such as the internet, or a local area network.

The main advantage of VoIP is the fact that it is highly efficient, and thus very affordable. The cost of transferring digital information over an IP telephony network is significantly less than that of transferring analog information over a traditional telephone line. Because of this, VoIP users can make long distance and international calls to anywhere in the world, at any time of day, for a fraction of what an ordinary phone company would charge.

Although call quality was originally a problem for VoIP customers, this issue has improved greatly with today’s progressing technology. Because of the fact that VoIP traffic goes over a broadband line, there is enough bandwidth available to allow for very good sound quality.

As anyone familiar with telecommunications would probably tell you, VoIP Telephony is revolutionizing the way that people around the world make phone calls. More and more people are seeing the benefits of VoIP, and the number of users worldwide is growing at an astounding pace.

If you have a broadband internet connection, and a touch tone telephone, you are fully equipped to set up your very own broadband phone system, and start making use of VoIP Telephony to save money on all your long distance phone calls.

For more information on the benefits of VoIP, and how you can start using it to save money on your phone bill, please visit http://voiptelephony.teleclick.ca/connect/ …

About The Author

Jeremy Maddock is the owner of a successful telecommunications news website – http://www.teleclick.ca

This article was posted on September 10

by Jeremy Maddock

Home Theatre

Home Theatre

by: Andrew A

With all of the technology that is available for people to be able to make their family or living rooms into their own personal home theaters, many people are deciding that a television, no matter how large it is, is simply not enough to complete their home theater experience. A new line of comparatively small and inexpensive digital home theater projectors is now available for anyone looking for the ultimate home theater experience. People who want to truly experience the atmosphere of the theater can now do so by creating their own miniature screening room complete with a home theater projector.

A home theater project isn’t just for showing movies at home. While videotapes and DVD’s can look amazing when viewed through a home theater projector, television programs, sporting events and even video games viewed through a projector are incredibly entertaining. The price of home theater projectors is very attractive when compared to the latest in big screen televisions and plasma TVs. A home theater project can provide the larger view of television programming often for thousands of dollars less than large televisions.

There are a number of different home theater projectors available to choose from to provide the exact viewing experience each individual desires in their home. It is important to keep in mind when deciding to purchase a home theater projector for the home that it will require a relatively darkened room in order for the images to be seen clearly. Many people can remember seeing the older reeltoreel projectors that their parent’s showed home movies on for years. Today’s home theater projectors have incorporated digital technology into their design in order to be of a smaller size than traditional projectors and to be able to adjust settings for the perfect image.

Today’s home theater projectors project the light that displays images a number of different ways including the use of a liquid crystal display (LCD), mirrors or a combination of both. Home theater projectors that use a LCD is more likely to be less expensive than other models that use a combination of projection techniques. The most expensive type of home theater projector uses something called Liquid Crystal on Silicon to display images that some people believe to offer the sharpest image from a projector. Once a home theater projector has been chosen, it will require a screen on which to display images or if a person enjoys a challenge, he or she can attempt to construct their own original screen.

Most projectors seem to work best when they are mounted up high or even from the ceiling. Cables coming out of the projector tend to be unsightly and can be hidden inside the ceiling or walls. Hiring a professional to complete this task might be the only way to avoid damage and accidents when attempting to do it alone. Some people find creative ways to conceal the cords by covering them with neutral colored tape and then painting over the tape with the color that matches the ceiling or walls. Other people cover cords with furniture like paintings or bookshelves.

Once a home theater projector has become a part of a complete home theater system, most people rarely opt to use their television for their viewing entertainment. Home theater projectors truly allow for anyone to have their own movie theater right in their own living room.

About The Author

Andrew A is the webmaster and owner of ขDiscountedHomeTheaters.comก and has been researching and reporting on Home Theatre for years. Click Here ==> http://www.discountedhometheaters.com/

[email protected]

This article was posted on September 09

by Andrew A

Swap Magic For Slim Playstation 2

Swap Magic For Slim Playstation 2

by: Jeromy

Recently my Japanese PS2 that I got way back at the Japan launch died on me. Seeing as I need to have a machine that plays Japanese PS2 games I went looking around at prices for a new one and unfortunately found the price tags to be in the $180 range. With that in mind I set out to find a more cost effective method of playing import games. I’ve always been fond of tinkering with my consoles which is evidenced by my blue see through modified Dreamcast and the mod switch on the side of my Gamecube, so I looked around at the current PS2 mod options since I already own a Slim US PS2.

I’m absolutely terrible at soldering and I’m not a fan of the PS2 modchip scene seeing as it’s rampant with piracy so I didn’t want to install a modchip. After searching a bit I came across the Swap Magic product. It looked interesting but upon further inspection I realized that it required opening up the console to install. I looked a little further and found a new version of the product which required zero modification to the console. This looked to be the solution to my problems. Luckily I had the PS2 version it supported, the Slim PS2, so I took the plunge and ordered it up from ModChip.Com.

Then I got to play the waiting game. I waited for weeks for this thing to be delivered before I finally gave up on it. I also tried many times to find and email the staff of this website store but their support email is so well hidden, if existent, on their website that I could never find it. So with one scam under my belt I looked for a more reliable store. I found that store at modchipstore.com. It took less than three days to arrive and the product was in perfect condition. With the import enabler in hand, I set out to play some Japanese PS2 games on my US Slim PS2.

The kit comes with a CD, for CD based games, a DVD, for DVD based games, and three small plastic parts which are to be inserted into crevices under the popup cover of the Slim PS2. There were no instructions included in the package so I headed over to the website in search of directions but came up with only a dead link. After about a half hour of searching the web I finally found a PDF with instructions that were very detailed and contained great pictures of the installation process. With instructions in hand, so to speak, I give the installation a try.

The first thing I had to do is install the three small plastic pieces. The first plastic piece required that it be pushed into a small hole. My fingers alone didn’t do the job so I had to grab a screw driver and shove it into position. After quite a bit of fiddling, it finally stayed in place. The next piece had to be slid in between a latch of some sort and was somewhat difficult to make stay in place. The third piece slipped into place easily. With all the plastic pieces installed the physical work was done. Unfortunately I dropped the PS2 after this and all the pieces flew out. I tracked them all down, reinstalled them, and was ready to go once again.

When all the plastic pieces are in place the next step is to go ahead and boot up the swap CD or DVD. The game I was testing with was a CD so I popped in the swap CD and turned on the PS2. With the plastic bits in place you don’t have to keep the flip top closed, so I left it open. A flash screen appears followed by a second screen that allows you to adjust the video mode. If you are using a US PS2 set the video mode to NTSC and not the default ขNormalข mode otherwise it won’t boot the game you’re trying to play.

Playing

Next the swap CD or DVD will stop spinning and you’re ready to swap in your import PS2 game. With the import game placed in the PS2 all you have to do execute the load command from the menu on screen and the game will start up spinning and load. Once I had the game loaded it played and looked perfect. Another big plus is that you don’t have to buy another memory card just for import games due to the fact that you can save all different regions of save games on one memory card.

Swap Magic for Slim PS2 has allowed me to play import PS2 games for a fraction of the price of a new Japanese PS2 and I have to say it works great. I have yet to come across a game that doesn’t work using this product. That said, it’s not something for the lazy out there as it does require swapping discs every time you want to play a game. So if you’re short on cash and already have a USA or PAL Slim PS2 then get this product but if not and you have the cash go ahead and grab a Japanese PS2.

Pros

* Relatively Easy Install

* Low price

Cons

* Requires Some Effort

* Requires A Slim PS2

Overall Score

9.2

About The Author

Jeromy is the webmaster of http://www.gamebrink.com/ GameBrink.Com Import Video Game Compare.

This article was posted on September 05

by Jeromy

Cable vs. Satellite TV Which is Best?

Cable vs. Satellite TV Which is Best?

by: Brian Stevens

The move is on. Last year millions of Americans switched from cable TV to satellite TV.

Why? When you compare satellite TV to cable TV youกll discover the main reasons are cost, picture quality, program choices, and customer satisfaction.

Letกs check out the differences …

Cable vs. Satellite TV Fees

Cable TV fees across the country average $39.99 per month. In our area the cost for cable TV is $37.30 a month for 64 channels, plus $10.95 a month to add digital channels. Installation in one room is $39.95, plus $9.95 for each additional room.

Satellite TV fees from Dish Network are $31.99 per month for 60 channels, while DirecTV charges $41.99 per month for 115 channels. Both satellite TV providers currently offer free satellite TV equipment and free installation in up to four rooms.

Cable vs. Satellite TV Programming

Cable TV in most areas offers almost as many channels as satellite TV, and is broadcast in analog (overtheair) format. If you want to have digital picture and sound youกll have to pay an additional fee, usually $10 to $15 a month.

Satellite TV offers more channels than cable TV (more than 250 channels), and more HDTV (high definition TV) programming. All satellite TV channels are broadcast in digital format for the highest quality picture and sound.

Cable vs. Satellite TV Equipment

With cable you only need cable boxes that connect the incoming cable line to your televisions. There is usually no charge or rental fees for cable boxes, however, If you want a digital video recorder, youกll have to pay an extra fee.

With satellite TV you need a satellite TV dish and TV receivers. Both Dish Network and DirecTV offer that equipment, plus installation, for free. Dish Network will give you a DVR (digital video recording) receiver or an HDTV receiver at no charge, while DirecTV charges $49.99 for DVR receivers and $299 for HDTV receivers.

Cable and Satellite TV Reliability and Customer Satisfaction

Cable TV outages average 3% to 5% per year. J.D. Powers and Associates ranks cable companies as good to poor in customer satisfaction.

Satellite TV outages average about 1%. J.D. Power and Associates has ranked the two satellite TV providers Dish Network and DirecTV higher in customer satisfaction than any of the cable TV companies for the last five years

The Bottom Line

If you only watch a couple of shows a week, and you live in an area where you can’t get overtheair TV and cable TV costs less than $20 per month, then cable may be your best option.

If, on the other hand, you want the biggest variety of shows, movies, sports, and news for the least amount of money … you want to watch your all your shows in digital video and sound … and you want the option of watching them in HD format and recording them on a DVR receiver, then satellite TV is what you’re looking for.

About The Author

Brian Stevens is a professional freelance writer and webmaster who has written extensively on free satellite TV systems. For more information on free satellite TV systems go to: http://www.thesatellitetvguide.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 14

by Brian Stevens

SMS Text Messaging … 21st Century Vice or Virtue?

SMS Text Messaging … 21st Century Vice or Virtue?

by: Jo Wintour

The Short Message Service (SMS), more commonly known as text messaging, is currently the most used mobile phone service. Frantic wrist action is enjoyed everywhere, even to the point of etiquette, as consumers are spotted texting in restaurants and bars, at weddings and in meetings. The semianonymity of ‘text’ seems key to its popularity, as it provides a comfortable amount of distance, but allows almost instant communication. The world of SMS is expanding so rapidly that many people are of the opinion that text will overtake talk as the preferred form of communication. It could be argued that a great percentage of people find ขtextข easier and perhaps less embarrassing to articulate their thoughts. Many intimate confessions have been communicated by text, including the recent escapades of Paris Hilton and Charlotte Church.

Research suggests that introverts prefer texting as they have the opportunity to think about what to say, removing the pressure of articulating an instance response. Some people also find text a useful timesaving medium by removing the opportunity for smalltalk. With text, mobile users can get straight to the point, much appreciated by people who simply do not enjoy talking on the phone.

Text opportunities are endless. The Live 8 ticket lottery was a very high profile use of text. Over 26 million people took part in the text messaging campaign this month to support the work of Live 8. Throughout the concerts, viewers were urged to send a text message consisting of their names in order to strengthen the message sent to the world leaders. As text is such a convenient option, many believe that this campaign was more successful than a ขphone inข campaign would have been. The appeal posed little challenge for the public viewers, who sitting in the comfort of their own homes, could easily reach for their mobile phone and interact with the Live 8 campaign. Furthermore, the lucky concert attendees were encouraged to send a quick text in between dancing to the live acts. As this took very little effort the response rate to the text appeal was phenomenal.

There are many companies keen to exploit entertainment products and packages through mobile phones. The media industry, particularly radio and reality TV shows, is continuing to cash in on this popular method of communication by engaging viewers to text in and express their opinion. Hit TV shows, such as Big Brother, Pop Idol and Celebrity Love Island, are inundated with texts from the public wishing to save their favourite person. Other media companies promote text as a convenient way to enter competitions. Text messages ease the tedious routine of entering a competition via a phone call, where engaged lines and automated instructions are inevitable, they are also faster and less hassle than snail mail and often more costeffective.

Entertainment isn’t the only industry to exploit SMS. According to textually.org, the top 10 uses for SMS in the US include:

1) Alerting mobile technicians to system errors

2) Alerting mobile execs to urgent voice messages

3) Confirming with mobile sales personnel that a faxed order was received

4) Informing travellers of delays and changes

5) Enabling contract workers to receive and accept project offers

6) Keeping stock traders up to date on urgent stock activity

7) Reminding data services subscribers about daily updates

8) Alerting doctors to urgent patient situations

9) Letting mobile sales teams input daily sales figures into corporate database

10) Sending mobile sales reps reminders of appointments and other schedule details

A more advanced form of text messaging, dubbed the XHIBIT, involves witnesses in criminal court cases automatically receiving a text when they are due to appear in court. Many have favoured this easy method, claiming it effectively reduces the time witnesses of crime have to spend waiting around in court. This is also in place to support the police force, who claim that less time is wasted in the court through this technology. Research suggests that XHIBIT text could save 80,000 police days every year.

Additionally, text provides an additional medium for support services. Examples include encouraging messages for those trying to give up smoking and messages of advice for those suffering from anxiety problems. Furthermore, some people rely on receiving texts with the latest news, such as stock quotes and weather updates.

With the digital and communications market expanding so rapidly, research suggests that text will continue to see many improvements and will consequently become a more fundamental part of our everyday lives.

For more information about text opportunities and the latest developments see:

http://www.sonyericsson.com

http://www.newindpress.com/

http://www.ngfl.gov.uk/news

http://www.textually.org

About The Author

Jo Wintour

Loves travelling, good music and eating out

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 19

by Jo Wintour

Get The Most Out Of Your Digital Camera Today!

Get The Most Out Of Your Digital Camera Today!

by: Kevin Rockwell

Point and click. The new life of digital cameras gives us all the opportunity to capture images as we go. Whether you simply hit the shutter button to take pictures of your friends and family or if you want to have your camera with you at all times in order to capture the beauty of life wherever you find it, getting the most out of your digital camera can be easy.

Letกs imagine ourselves with the perfect set up of digital camera and a few accessories to make things just right. My personal and professional recommendation is that we start with memory. Get more today. If you only have one memory card for your camera it is time to add to the collection. If you have more than one then good job! The more memory you have for your digital camera the less likely it will be that you get stuck wanting to take more pictures and have no more room on the storage. Memory is relatively cheap, takes up no space in your kit and gives you total control over creativity.

Your camera comes with a variety of quality settings to work with when taking images. Don’t use TIFF, leave it on one of the medium quality level settings and your camera will take fine images for you and not eat up all your memory. If you use the highest setting you will get very few images onto your card. They will for the most part be of very high quality but you would only want to shoot at that level of quality if you are intending to make high quality large format prints of your images.

Now if that child of yours is just so incredibly cute and your wall is aching for a portrait of his or her shining face then by all means do it on the highest quality. The key will be to use good software to process the image and then a printer that can make a large format, high quality print of your image. They exist and for not unreasonable prices I might add.

I was stunned at a recent art show in my neighborhood to be looking at a photographerกs exhibit of large size prints (18×24 and up in size) to find out that he shoots exclusively in digital now. He was a former film photographer who switched over in recent years and now makes stunning prints from his digital images. His landscape images were simply amazing and to find out that he shot them on a good digital camera made me very curious about the process, but that is fodder for another article.

Juice is the answer to your next question. Always have more juice. I spent 20 years in the TV news business and my mantra was always have extra batteries ready to go and an extra tape under the back seat in case of emergency. For TV cameras the batteries were always big and heavy rechargeable NiCads. Lithium batteries are the rage nowadays as they are lighter in weight, have no memory problems, and run longer. Digital still cameras can take advantage of Lithium batteries but the cost is often slightly prohibitive for most of us. Some camera systems use proprietary battery systems. I would recommend not buying into that sort of system. Try to buy a camera that uses universal types of batteries such as AAกs. I use a camera that takes AAกs and I have three sets of rechargeable batteries so I can rotate through them and never be caught short. Total cost for three sets of batteries is about $30, and they will last you several years if you treat them right. If you just buy regular AA batteries and shoot a lot of images your battery cost might triple that over a like period of time.

Edison did it and now we consider him a genius. Experimentation is the name of the game. Digital images cost you nothing but time and a little battery life. Play around and take lots of shots of things, people, events, you name it. Look at magazines, newspapers and notice what images look cool to you. Try to take shots like that yourself so you can see how it is done. This will get you thinking about how to make your everyday shots better. Look for new and different ways to frame things, take both a vertical and a horizontal shot of the same thing and see how it changes perspective. Get closer to your subject, or get farther away to see which looks better. Find something unique about your subject and look for a way to exploit that for a better image. Here is and example, say for instance you have a great looking car you want a picture of, well don’t stand across the street from it and zoom in on the car, get right up close with the sun behind you so the car is sparkling shiny and fills the whole frame of the image. Find itกs best feature and center that in the shot say the awesome lines of front of the car or snazzy wheels.

Print something from your camera every week to remind you of the beauty of everyday things. Take shots all the time, pick one and print it out and then put it in front of you for a day or a week. Live life as though you want beauty around you all the time. If you are madly in love then surround yourself with pictures of that love. If you live in a beautiful place then take pictures of it all the time to make sure you never forget how special it is to be there in your life. Don’t let those images hide away and not be seen. Wallpaper on your computer can be another place to put your weekly image, change it regularly with images from your family, work, life, hobby and you will get more smiles and more joy out of your camera than you know what to do with. My current wallpaper takes me back to a wonderful day on a mountain lake this past summer paddling kayaks in the afternoon breeze. What about yours?

About The Author

Kevin Rockwell worked as a network TV cameraman for 20 years shooting news. Now a devoted fan of digital photography and video he works to gather information and news for digital camera users. Free reports >http://greatdigitalcameras.com/gdcj.html

This article was posted on September 14

by Kevin Rockwell

How To Choose A Camera System

How To Choose A Camera System

by: Amy Howard

There are many reasons to install a camera system. If you own a business, you may want to be able to identify or avoid theft or keep vandalism from your property. Or you may just want to be able to keep an eye on things without actually being there physically. As a homeowner there are a bunch of other reasons to have a camera system. You may be having trouble with a neighbor, trespassers, vandals, or perhaps you have kids and want to be able to keep an eye on them but you can’t be there every minute of every day.

Whatever your reason for wanting a camera system if you don’t get the right kind of equipment based on your needs, you will just waste your money. So if you are thinking of getting a camera system, you will need to look at your situation in order to get the right system.

Some questions to ask yourself:

1. Is what you want to see indoors or outdoors?

2. How many areas do you want to see at your location?

3. Is there a lot of light available throughout the day and night?

4. Do you want to see a wide area, such as a parking lot, or a specific location, like the front door?

5. Is it important to see the small details or is a general idea good enough?

6. Do you need to see the picture only on sight or is off sight viewing necessary?

7. Do you need record what the camera sees?

8. Do you need to record for a long or short period of time?

Okay, now that you have an idea of what you are trying to view, we can take a closer look at the equipment.

Camera

First let’s look at the camera itself. There a hundreds of cameras to choose from. There are even fake cameras that you can use if you only want to give the illusion of having a system. Of course there are different prices ranging from cheap (poor quality) to the ridiculously expensive but does everything. If you don’t know what to ask for, you could be disappointed in what you get.

Do you want color or black/white? If you need to see the details clearly and you have good lighting throughout the time you need to keep watch, then a color camera is probably going to be the way to go. Color cameras are typically more expensive than black/white and they don’t see very will in the dark.

If you only need to have a general idea of what is going on in the area then you can go with black and white. Don’t misunderstand me, you can get a nice clear picture with a black/white camera but if you are looking to be able to identify someone and not have there be any question, then color is for you. If the lighting in the area is bad then color may not be the best camera for the job. If you only have lighting issues at night then you can get a day/night camera. That will get you a color picture in the daytime and a black/white picture at night.

Lens

Now let’s focus on the lens for a while. The type of lens you want will depend on what you want to see, how far away it is, and how wide of an area you want to see. For most applications you can get a lens that is adjustable to fit just about all your needs. There are some cases where only a very specific lens will work, but those usually only occur in high end jobs. If money is real tight, then you can get a camera that has the lens built in. I would like to caution you here and say that once you get a camera like this, you can’t just go and adjust it to get the picture you originally wanted. So, make sure you get a camera with the right lens.

Quads/Multiplexers

A quad processor will give you the ability to view more than one camera on one screen or one at a time. If you have a system with four cameras you can see all of them on one television screen or if you see something going on one camera you can choose to see only that location. Caution – the recorder you put on a quad will only record what the quad is allowing you to see.

A multiplexer is a step up from that. You can view your cameras any way you want. You can see each camera individually and multi cameras on the screen, in intervals. The playback, allows viewing the cameras in any form you like.

Recording devices

First you must decide how long you want to record. If you have a business and you are closed on the weekends and holidays, you may want to record for at least 72 hours. If it’s for your house and you go out of town for long periods of time you may want to consider a longer recording time. There is a time lapse recorder (very reasonably priced) that can record for 960 hours. That’s 40 days and a whole lot of video to watch if you are looking for something that happened a week ago.

Something that has been on the market for a while and is finally coming down in price to something that is almost reasonable is the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). The DVR comes with so many features it’s a little scary. First the picture quality is improved because you aren’t viewing it from a tape that has been recorded over again and again and again. Second, it has a built in multiplexer that will let you view more than one camera at a time on the same screen. Third, it’s easy to upgrade so that you can view your cameras remotely. So if you want to go on vacation and still keep an eye on things you can. Forth, the video is stored internally and it’s a whole lot easier to view video without having to rewind and fast forward. Plus there is no need for a tape library. There are probably a few more things a DVR can do but these would be the most popular.

Monitors

What do you want to see the picture on? Monitors can vary in size and picture quality depending on your budget and how much space you have. You can view cameras on your existing television or you can view them on your computer screen or over the Internet.

Wireless Systems

A word about wireless systems. Wireless technology has come a long way. It’s more reliable and the picture quality has improved greatly. I also like the idea that you can easily move the system. There is a system that just came out that has an awesome price. I have no idea how long the system will last, what the range is or if there are some environmental factors that can interfere with the picture. But if you are on a serious budget, this could be the answer for you.

I would like to thank you for reading this report. I hope this report has helped you learn a little more about camera systems. It’s not easy to make an informed decision when you know very little about the subject. I hope now that you have read this report you have gained some insight into what kind of system would work best for you. If your system is driven only by cost, then please don’t expect to get a great quality picture. If your system is driven only by features, then you had better open you wallet a little. I would highly recommend that whatever you are looking for, that you talk to a security consultant and discuss what is available for you in your price range.

Listen I have only scratched the surface when it comes to cameras. There are so many varieties available today it can be a little overwhelming for someone who doesn’t know what they are doing. There are cameras that can PanTiltZoom. There are covert cameras that would make James Bond proud. You just have to know what you want and how much you can spend. I’m sure you wouldn’t go shopping for a car or a house and not know what your budget is or have an idea of what you wanted. Take this information and use it wisely

About The Author

Amy Howard has been in the security industry for more than 13 years. She understands the frustrations that people can go through when trying to find a camera system that will fit their needs and not break the bank in the process. She has created a website for people to get more information on camera systems and camera equipment. You can visit her website at www.cctvhomeonline.com.

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This article was posted on August 31

by Amy Howard

Headsets

Headsets

by: Phillippe K

People at home and in office settings are using cordless headphone sets more often than not because they allow a person the kind of freedom that corded phones and even cordless phones can’t. Even though a cordless phone allows a person to move about freely, he or she is still faced with the challenge of keeping the chunky phone against their ear in order to be able to listen and speak to the person on the other end. A cordless phone isn’t as convenient as a cordless phone headset because the user still needs to use as least one hand or very awkwardly hold the phone in place between their cheek and shoulder. Either one hand or a cramped neck is required for a cordless phone while neither one is required when using cordless phone headsets.

Cordless phone headsets come is a wide assortment of designs created for use at a variety of different tasks. Cordless phone headsets aren’t only for use in the home and the office anymore. People with cellular phones or even when using the computer can choose to use cordless phone headsets now. Knowing what a person wants in a cordless phone headset can make choosing the right headset that will work properly and be effective for what they are intended to be used for.

When selecting from the number of cordless phone headsets available, it is a good idea to recognize the benefits provided by having the freedom to be able to speak on the phone while moving about freely along with being able to use both hands. People who use cordless phone headsets are able to do more at once including multitasking. In fact, research has shown that people who use cordless phone headsets are almost half as much more productive that people who don’t use them. It is much easier to take notes, use the computer and look for relevant documents while using a cordless phone headset. The clarity of a person’s voice is improved while using cordless headsets because the microphone always stays in one place and some microphones even have technology that removes background noise during phone use.

Different cordless headset styles allow a person to select the perfect headset for both comfort and function. The most traditional type of cordless phone headsets are the headsets that have the curved bar that goes over the head like a headband and has either one or two speakers. Overtheear headsets are simply placed over the ear with a speaker inserted just at the opening of the ear. One of the smallest types of cordless phone headsets is placed directly in the ear. Other types of cordless phone headsets include monaural headsets that have a single pad for one ear, headsets that wrap around behind the head and other creative technologically advance models.

When cordless phone headsets are used with cellular phones, research has shown that they are far safer than using one hand to drive while using the other hand to hold the phone. Not only are cordless phone headsets safer to use, they are more convenient and provide freedom unlike any other phone has before.

About The Author

Phillippe K is the webmaster and owner of กDiscountHeadsetsBestBuy.comก and has been researching and reporting on Headsets Solutions for years. Click Here ==> http://www.discountheadsetsbestbuy.com/

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This article was posted on September 13

by Phillippe K

Keep Your Investment Safe With Vehicle Tracking

Keep Your Investment Safe With Vehicle Tracking

by: Joe Gooden

A vehicle is one of the larger investments that you will ever make. With all of the work that you do to get the vehicle, you may want to consider getting a vehicle tracking device. You want to be able to get the vehicle you want with out having to worry about it being stolen.

A vehicle purchase should not be made based on the reported statistics of whether it will get stolen from you. With all of the vehicles being stolen these days it is nice to know that GPS is one of the newest crazes on the market today and will keep your expensive asset secure. GPS is now available in almost everything from cell phones to cars.

The most common use of GPS is to get directions to an address or find your way back when you are lost. Vehicle tracking can also help track your vehicles exact location even if the occupant has no idea. You can use GPS tracking to track some ones location while they are unaware the vehicle is linked to a GPS System. The #1 Vehicle Tracker is the Spy Matrix GPS device. This can be used as a theft deterrent system to help companies or people recover their stolen vehicles.

GPS tracking is also a new tool used to track vehicles when someone is just driving their own car. Vehicle tracking devices are available in different price levels to get the job done. Several kinds of vehicle tracking products are available at www.spyassociates.com. This website also offers many different products that will meet all of your spy and surveillance needs such as cameras, listening devices. There is a wide variety of products to help get the job done right and prove the case.

© 2005 Copyright www.spyassociates.com.

About The Author

Joe Gooden

To learn more about Spy and Surveillance Products visit http://www.spyassociates.com. Read other related articles at http://spyassociates.blogspot.com/.

This article was posted on September 08

by Joe Gooden

The Skinny on RFID

The Skinny on RFID

by: John Hanson

RFID is the abbreviation for Radio Frequency Identification. RFID is a method used to store and retrieve data using RFID transponders or tags. RFID tags have antennas that allow them to accept and respond to queries from the RFID transceiver. There are passive and active RFID tags. The difference between the two is that passive tags do not need an internal power source, but active tags do. RFID technology is already used in many technologies today. The future of RFID technology seems limitless as new ways to utilize its effectiveness are discovered frequently.

Passive and Active Tags

As stated before, passive RFID tags do not have an internal power supply. There is a minute electrical current induced in the antenna by the radio signal it receives. This small current is enough to power the tag to respond to the signal. Passive RFID tags have a very brief response because of their limited power. They are very small, and may be used in the future for medical purposes or, as some fear, tracking devices. Passive RFID tags can be embedded within the skin because of their small size. The smallest RFID tag in existence in 2005 was 0.4 mm by 0.4 mm. Passive tags have a read distance that ranges from 10mm to almost 6 meters. Passive tags are cheaper than active RFID tags and as a result are more commercially available. Active RFID tags have a longer range and larger memory capacity than passive RFID tags and may therefore be able to store a significantly higher amount of information. Active RFID tags may have a battery life of up to 10 years.

How it Works

In order to understand the uses, and potential uses, of RFID technology, one must understand the RFID system. RFID systems consist of tag readers, tags, edge servers, middleware, and application software. Having an RFID system will allow data to be transmitted by a tag, which is then read by the RFID reader and processed in accordance with the application’s specifications. Data transmitted can have information about the location of the tag, or specifics concerning the product tagged. Typical RFID systems have a small and inexpensive tag on a product. There is then an ขinterrogatorข which has a certain range in which to detect the RFID tag, activate it, and receive the response.

Current and Potential Uses

RFID technology is used in every day life. RFID tags are found in CD stores and in library books. When an alarm goes off because an item was not purchased or checked out, that is the RFID tag responding. WalMart has even used RFID tags on shipments to improve supply chain management. Other RFID tags are used to track trucks in shipping yards. More recently, RFID tags have been used in automated tool booth systems like the EZPass system on the east coast. Mobile gas also implemented RFID technology to allow customers to simply pull up to the pump, pump gas, and then leave without having to scan a credit card or pay a cashier.

RFID technology has great potential and is constantly being improved. RFID workers are constantly trying to improve the current usage in systems like EZPass. It was recently announced that the eastern states will be improving EZPass so that cars can move faster through the toolbooth (35mph rather than 5mph). RFID technology may also be used to monitor inmates, and potentially parolees. Some consumers worry as to citizen privacy invasions by the government. RFID technology is always growing, and the government may be able to use RFID to inspect citizens, or keep track of them. Currently, however, RFID technology seems to be limited to the innovation sphere. RFID technology has been utilized to make the lives of consumers easier and more efficient. Despite the qualms of some citizens, RFID has a very bright future.

About The Author

John Hanson enjoys writing about new technologies, especially RFID technology.

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This article was posted on August 19

by John Hanson