Tech Digest

BBC Vision to restructure corporation for the digital age

Leaving issues of licence fees and huge wages for A-list celebrities gracing the BBC, it's fair to say that they're a fairly innovative bunch.

DG Mark Thompson wants to expand on their current new media offerings by setting up a department called BBC Vision that will bring together the top production names of comedy, soaps, drama, entertainment, documentaries, and kids' TV (that's pretty much everything then) to look at ways of allowing audiences to access the shows any way the want.

Thompson said he wanted the BBC to be "the most creative organisation in the world, delivering content that our audiences will simply love".

We've already seen examples of integration across terrestrial, digital, web and mobile on a number of shows including Doctor Who, the World Cup, and the Proms.

There are other changes afoot, all designed to push the BBC forward ahead in the digital age.

If you were in charge of the BBC (oh if only) what would you do to keep it at the cutting edge of new media, and make the viewers experience more dynamic?

CEDIA 2006: IP based control sytems announced

IP-based control systems for your home haven't really happened in a big way yet. Perhaps because most installers understandably see anything to do with the PC as a bit flakey, preferring dedicated control systems from the likes of Crestron and Lutron. But that might be about to change with several companies showing IP control systems at the CEDIA show that at least seemed to work (always a good start).

From iDomus there's the Harmony Media Center Extension. Expanding the existing capabilities of Harmony's Home Automation Server software, it now gives you control over the heating, lighting, security automated curtains and blinds. The enhanced product also incorporates built-in CCTV, IP camera and webcam/video source support.

Meanwhile, Norwegian company Adapt demonstrated a similar solution called Adapt Home Control. Capable of controlling a wide range of electronic devices, including heating/lighting as well as AV and security systems, the Adapt system can be used in conjunction with touch screen panels as well as wi-fi equipped PDAs/smart phones etc.

CEDIA 2006: Crestron Adagio now shipping

At this year's CEDIA show, journalists were given an impressive demonstration of Crestron's new entry-level home entertainment system, the Adagio. Although much cheaper than previous Crestron control offerings, the Adagio system provides bags of useful features.

Perhaps most useful of all is iPod control. Using a  Crestron touch screen panel and an iPod docking/recharging station it's possible to recreate the exact interface of the iPod on the display. This means that you can plug your iPod into your home entertainment system located, say, in the equipment  cupboard and control it (through the wired system) in the living room. Simply press the 'virtual' buttons on the screen just as you would on the iPod itself.

Also, unlike previous Crestron products, the Adagio is much more than a control system. It's a fully functioning home entertainment set-up comprising the AADS six room audio distribution system, the AAS Audio Server (compatible with Windows Media Player and iTunes), the AAE audio expander and AES entertainment system. For more information go to Crestron's website.

CEDIA 2006: Several new video servers launched

Music servers from companies like Imerge and Audio Request - which are a bit like giant iPods really - have been around for some time. But video servers, which let you store your entire DVD collection, are now starting to become popular, at least for those with a few quid splashing about.

Displayed at CES was a new server from Kaleidescape which now combines audio and video functionality. What's particularly neat is that you can store all of your CD or DVD covers as images on your TV screen and simply click on them when you want to play them. The downside is that the system is still quite expensive, costing around £17,000.

A more affordable, but less advanced and even less attractive, solution comes from Xperinet. Expected to retail from around £7000, the entry level Xperinet Polaris has a 1.5 Terabyte storage capacity and can store up to 300 DVDs or 3,300 CDs. Alternatively there's a model with 2.4 Terabyte capacity which can store up to 480 DVDs or 5,300 DVDs and retails for just under £11,000.

Freeware Screen Capture Utility

As you can imagine you get to do quite a few screen grabs in this business and here at Propellerhead we mostly use the standard Windows Print Screen utility (PrtScn to capture full screen or Alt + PrtScn to capture active window). There are plenty of good commercial and shareware offerings but they all have their strange little ways and in the end the Windows capture options are good for 99 percent of jobs. However, we’ve been quite smitten with a freeware utility, or rather the free ‘lite’ version of a program called Screenhunter.

It can be fired up with a simple keyboard shortcut, or the PrtScn key, at which point the mouse pointer turns into a crosshair, and you can define precisely the part of the screen you want to capture. The resultant Bitmap, JPEG or GIF image is then sent to a file location of your choice. There are lots of options, it is very easy to use, and if you like it for a small fee you can upgrade to the even more sophisticated Plus and Pro versions. Don’t forget there’s a whole website full of useful utilities, Top Tips and freeware downloads at PCTopTips

Grand Designs Live: House of the Future...today

There was a time when those arty-farty designer types in flowery shirts wouldn't have anything to do with technology, thinking it might spoil their superbly crafted interiors. Oh how times have changed.

At the absolutely packed Grand Designs Live Show (it's amazing what Channel 4 branding can do to boost show numbers) there was more interest in homes with properly integrated tech than ever before. As well as stands showing Biometric finger print readers, mirrored TV screens, home control systems based around Windows Media Center and radiators shaped like Madonna's boobies (OK not really tech but we like them), there was also this House of the Future...Today from CEDIA.

And while none of it is particularly news to technical folk like us, it shows what can be achieved without spoiling your grand design home. Check out the video footage by clicking on the link below.

Smart home at Grand Designs

CES 2006: Gagdets for girls

Once again CES has a special section which focuses on the year's best gadgets for girls. You can read about the products they have chosen as the best for the ladies at our sister blog Shiny Shiny.

1. Don't know about you, but I am sure it isn't just the girls who like the look of these HiVi Swan S200A speakers.

CES 2006 on Tech Digest

The New Year’s hangover has been and gone and Christmas is but a fading memory which means it is must be time for the traditional first week of January jaunt to Las Vegas for the CES show. The world’s largest gadget-fest CES is the place where as many 150,000 industry bods crane their necks to take a look at the hottest new goodies from the biggest names in electronics. So over the next few days we’ll be reporting live from the show keeping you up to speed on the big launches from the major players as well as ferreting out the weird and wacky stuff that makes CES such a blast.

Here’s the timetable

Wednesday morning – you can find out which gadgets have won the coveted CES Innovations awards

Thursday morning – we’ll have the low down from the previous day’s press conferences.

Friday morning – we’ll be reporting live from the show.

IFA 2005 preview

So what’s going to be big news at the Berlin gadget-fest IFA? Here are a few things our man will be checking out.

Samsung – Expect Samsung’s stand to be dominated by products that feature integrated digital TV tuners. Everything from media and DVD players through to camcorders will sport tuners that work with the DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) system, a variant of the DAB digital radio format that has already been very successful in Britain. You may have a wait before you see anything on those screens for while Germany will have a range of DMB channels, including one offering World Cup football next summer, it probably won’t be until 2007 before a similar service arrives in the UK.

Humax – Those very clever Koreans Humax have lined up a 40in high-def ready LCD TV that incorporates a pair of Freeview digital TV tuners and a 40GB hard disk video recorder.

Hitachi – Expect to see a European outing for Hitachi’s DVD recorder with built in terabyte hard disk. The chances of it ever arriving in the UK though are pretty slim.

Blu-ray vs HD-DVD – In a re-run of IFA 1997, where Tosh and Sony battled it out to establish a DVD format, this year the pair will be pushing their DVD successors in HD DVD (Tosh) and Blu-ray (loads of others). Both are designed to offer the kind of storage capacity that will enable consumers to record high definition TV.

Flash- based camcorders - Sanyo will be displaying the Xacti E6, its latest Flash-based video camera, whose key feature is a prominent three-inch screen. Samsung will also be ramping up its Flash memory video camera range.

Panasonic - Promises to focus on High Def TV and SD. So maybe we’ll see some top-end flash based personal media players and some stonkingly large plasma and LCD screens.

Sharp – We’d put our money on a European debut for its 65inch LCD TV – the world's biggest apparently - which will go on sale in the UK next year.

U3 – Smart USB storage that can also hold software programs and settings as well as files, thereby enabling users to instantly personalise any computing device. It says it will kill off the laptop. We say oh yeah.

IFA 2005 is go

He’s packed his toothbrush, checked his passport and perfected the German, for ‘do you have vegetarian Bratwurst?’ Yes Tech Digest's roving reporter Chris Price (that's not his picture btw)is currently winging his way to IFA, Berlin’s every other year answer to CES. Over the next few days the 3G card in his laptop will be working overtime dispatching the latest from what is invariably the most entertaining gadget-fest of the year. Our predicted highlights include loads of streaming stuff from Philips, Samsung going mad on mobile TV devices and everyone hyping High Definition TV. You can read it all here over the next few days.