No Kings!

Author: Mike Pihlman

  • VUDU Evaluation and Review

    VUDU Evaluation and Review

    Rating: 5 WaterTowers (nearly perfect) UPDATE Jan 2015: VUDU is now available on most Blu-Ray players, Smart TV’s, and Chromecast (and I’m sure other streaming devices / services). Wal-Mart bought VUDU a few years back.   Before you read, you can watch my future Oscar winning documentary on “Using VUDU”. You will not be bored,…

  • Television Broadcasting Changing to Digital

      For all the latest blog articles related to this subject click here. Before you read…here is an NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) YouTube snippet explaining very nicely what this switch to digital means.   If you have an antenna on the roof, or use rabbit ears, and have an old television, February 17, 2009…

  • Blu-Ray beats HD-DVD

    In case you doubted that Blu-Ray has won the DVD war, yesterday and today two more blows were dealt to HD-DVD which could hasten it’s demise and bolster Blu-Ray. 1. Netflix announced exclusive support for Blu-Ray 2. Best Buy, starting in early March, will recommend Blu-Ray to their customers. 3. The most telling sign yet…

  • Future of Videoconferencing

    The future of videoconferencing will rest with the masses. Grandma and Grandpa will be able to see their grandkids grow up, families will be able to virtually be with each other whenever they want, people will be telecommuting (videocommuting) from anywhere, and meetings will be held via video just like they are now by telephone.…

  • HDTV Buying Tips

    A friend of mine has been bouncing between stores in the Tracy area looking for a high definition TV to purchase. After talking with him this morning, here are a few hints you might be able to use when talking to the sales people. 1. You do not need a super duper, noise reducing, costly,…

  • Vidyo

    A few days ago, Vidyo, a new company in the videoconferencing / collaboration “space” officially emerged from their shell. The crux of what they have done is to allow, using a new standard video compression algorithm, high definition videoconferencing and standard definition videoconferencing (see my Polycom PVX blog entry for example) to work together over…

  • Streaming Internet video on your TV

    Lately, I have been watching the evolution of Internet streaming to the TV (as part of the evolving “Digital Living Room”). I have looked briefly at VUDU and also Apple TV. As of this writing, both allow direct Internet access to streamed video content (i.e. no computer is needed) and display that video (in either…

  • Digital TV Conversion, Part 2

    For all articles related to this subject click here.  See my Blog detailing the installation of a converter on two TV’s (one really old) here.   As I have previously written, on February 17, 2009, those of us who have older TV’s and use a roof top antenna or rabbit ears to receive our television…

  • Apple MacBook Air

    Apple announced today the arrival of the Apple MacBook Air. It is very thin, completely wireless and has no optical disk drive. Included on this device is a built in web cam that can be used with iChat software to videoconference. Note that iChat is NOT standards based, but, it can allow up to 4…

  • Streaming Video on the iPhone

    In addition to showing a hilarious clip from “The Office” (where Jim sends Dwight faxes from “future” Dwight) the video shows the high quality streaming video capability of the iPhone. Very impressive. For more on the iPhone see what I thought about the iPhone when it first came out.