TechnoStones

Technology Review

Archive for September, 2007

Adobe Air

Sep 30

Posted by Technostones in Web | No Comments

Adobe is developing a cross-operating system runtime for use internet technologies such as Flash, Flex, JavaScript, Ajax.

Huh?

Exactly!  I will remove the tech and explain.  If the web community embraces AIR like it has Flash you may no longer be locked to a web browser like IE, or Firefox to use web based applications.  With AIR you can run these pseudo web applications from your desktop even with a temporary loss of an internet connection.  The AIR API continues to store information on what you have done and when the internet connection is re-established it will load that data back to the server if needed.

This is very exciting for web designers/developers with the ability to create standalone applications.   I think that with the web designers/developers deploying applications we are going to see a whole new look on how applications can be used.   Can’t wait to see what comes of it.

For more information on AIR – visit Adobe Labs.   If you are like see what can be done with AIR visit the Adobe Showcase

Starship VC-1

Sep 30

Posted by Technostones in Video, Web | No Comments

Back in 2006 the buzz was all about VC-1, and what it could delivery to the next generation of media.  At the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) convention in Las Vegas this year some great news was heard.  This year it was announced that Sonic would help bring this codec to the masses with CineVision™ PSE.

 

SMPTE standardized the VC-1 coded and it was implemented by Microsoft as Microsoft® Windows Media® Video (WMV) 9.  You are still able to use VC-1 to encode video for the dial-up audience as well as the HD audience.  VC-1 is capable of resolutions up to 2048px X 1536px and a max bit rate of 135Mbps.  For a comparison the standard definition DVD maximum bit rate is 10.08 Mbps, and the next generation DVD’s have a maximum of 48Mbps(Blu-ray) and 30.24Mbps(HDDVD).  I am guessing with a max bit rate so high VC-1 will be around for a while. 

 

For you apple fans out there that are H.264 crazy.  Keep your pants on!  Subjective tests were done with both codec’s in low-motion and hi-motion video segments.  Results were they are very comparable in quality, but VC-1 is more efficient by 25%.

For more information visit the Microsoft Tech article