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IVCA Vision News No. 14
IVCA  VISION NEWS LETTER
 
No.14    March 9 - 2002                       
                              THE INTERNATIONAL VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION
            Keeping  Amateurs  informed on Developments in Visual Communication around the world
==============================================================================================
     Corrections   (Oooops)
The previous  VISION News Letter was sent as No.12 in the title But was actually No.13 as it was shown in the e-mail subject.
The request for a MC or chairman at Dayton IVCA meeting should have shown the Date as May and not April!

   New High Resolution Digital and Movie Cams (or as the Red Riding Hood wolf said "all the better to see you with my dear")
As we reported earlier we now have a new revolutionary high resolution 3 layer X3 capture device that can provide resolutions that exceeds or matches the normal quality of film photography. The inventor Carver Mead of the Foveon Co. is producing a commercial version that is comparable to a 7 meg pixel but has a cost of around $3000 The new sensor is not only high resolution but is fast and will work equally well in fixed or movie frame rate applications. It is also said  this item is economical to produce it will likely soon be available in consumer models and compete with the single layer CCD and CMOS usually supplied by Sony and STM companies. This new X3 sensor with only 3.53 million pixels not only improves resolution and color fidelity.and has twice the quality or resolution of the present typical CCD devices.  Click the following link for more details!
    SSTV Picture Storage (then and now)
Thirty years ago we used audio recorders to store SSTV pictures that we could play back and view using an SSTV systems monitor or perhaps take a Polaroid Blk&Wht time exposure picture of those old  P7  CRT screens. Today we have a large number of ways to save and view or replay pictures using the computers hard or floppy drives or use a variety of external storage devices like ZIP and Super Disk and USB or Fire Wire connected hard drives etc.we can even burn pictures to a CD for storage. We also have a large number of computer printers that are now  available at very low prices. As most wish to print in color the Ink Jet types are very popular and can be purchased for as little as  $30 or $49 with a resolution as high as 1200X1200 . The main problem at present is the high cost of the Ink Jet replacement cartridges. I personally have tried and usually unsuccessfully to refill my black and especially my 3 color cartridges and it is also very difficult not to spill the Ink. Note: we also have toner cartridge printers and even color laser jet  printers but the color laser jet cost is currently at around $1300 to $2300. The Ink Jet inexpensive type  printers produce a very good color picture especially on a high quality glossy paper at around $1.00 a page, that is difficult to tell from a 8 1/2X 11 In. color photographic enlargement and they can also print transparencies for overhead projector use and even do printing  for T- Shirts and  clothing with special Iron on transfer material. (That's if you feel the need to wear your SSTV pictures)  

    Cool New Video Cell Phone 
As we indicated in past VISION News any one can soon be able to get in to the act with video communications. One of the winners of the past Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was a most innovative new product by the Sanyo Co.  the Model IMT 2000 using 3G  technology that has a OLED (organic light- emitting diode) color screen with a resolution of 176X220 that is said to have a vibrant color and stellar image quality. With it's two cameras it takes 360-degree pictures and also 10 to 15 second video clips. This product will be available in Japan by the end of the year and later in the USA and will work with the CDMA (code division multiple access) 1900-MHz  Sprint PCS network. Note: Availability depends on when wireless data speeds become fast enough to take advantage of the IMT 2000's 3G capabilities. (price is not available yet)

     Dayton News & Up Dates
I have just learned that the Rigblaster people have kindly agreed to give a presentation at the IVCA Dayton Meeting and I believe it should prove interesting to the IVCA members. So far we have not received a volunteer to be the MC or meeting chairman at the up coming Dayton Hamvention in May. Don't forget to send in any names or suggestions  for a new IVCA Director and also a VISION News editor. (Contact me Ray W5NOO at ray@junct.com. (Don  Miller W9NTP Dayton Coordinator just returned from Haiti where he operated as HH2RN and informs me to obtain a reserved room at the Best Western Executive Hotel. You can call 1-937-278-5711 or 1-937-275-5039  and ask for one of the block of IVCA- 20 rooms. (they will be held until May 1 2002. The cost is $100 double occupancy. We also have a 40 chair meeting room at the same hotel 6:30 PM till 10:00 PM meeting to start at 7:30 PM   The Saturday SSTV Forum will be held in room 1 at the Convention Cinter at 2:45 PM till 5:00 PM.
   Graphic Program Down Load  (No camera or scanner required just create a new world View )
If you would like to try your hand at computer generated pictures if you down load the free "Terragen" program you can make impressive Bit mapped graphics of all types of landscapes and seascapes. This program let's you change almost any thing like the suns direction or angle and color and the water depth or lands  roughness using various types of surfaces like snow or grass or sand and cloud types etc.and do a quick preview of your picture or render it to a BMP in a few minutes that then can be converted to a JPG with several programs like Paint Shop Pro, etc. Do a Google search for "Terragen" or click the following URL.  http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/  Note: with a little paint program using cut-out and paste you can even put yourself in these remarkable pictures of landscapes that you dream up to show the world on SSTV..

. .Computer Tips  (is your computer forgetful or slow and lacks memory?)
One of the most effective and economical ways to improve you computers speed and performance is usually to increase the amount of available memory (RAM).The new operating systems like WinXP and some of the various new programs may require as much as 128 MB or more of memory for satisfactory operation. Installing more memory is a simple operation and more memory can be obtained from some USA catalog Companies  for as little as $24.99 for 128MB of SDRAM PC-100/133  with 168 or 72 pin plug-in units,as an example. Note: memory and system resources is not the same thing! Some programs designate or assign some of your installed memory but do not give it back when the program is closed. If you run low on resources the only way to recover this memory is to shut down and do a reboot. It is also even possible to have a problem with a computer due to a"Memory Leak" condition. When a computer runs out of memory to perform its required  functions it is forced to write to the hard drive and this results in very slow performance.If you want to know the amount of memory installed in your system just get into DOS and at the C:> prompt type "MEM" and press the enter key. Several free programs can also provide information on your total physical and system memory like the "Belarc Advisor" at http://www.belarc.com/download.html  or the "Sandra" program at
   http://www.sisoftware.demon.co.uk/sandra/  (two useful free programs to download and check your systems status and performance) Note: belarc even works off line and lists all the hardware and software you have installed.  Memory can be damaged by static electricity so if you live in a dry climate and run across the rug, ground your self before handling the memory chips!. (When using a windows system a frequent reboot is as the American TV Star Martha Stewart likes to say "It's a good thing")

    IVCA & VISION NEWS  (general information)
The Vision Group mailing news is free to all that send their name and call sign and e-mail address to the editor. As the IVCA members are in over 25 countries and unlike a typical local radio club have little opportunity to exchange information and ideas with each other.over the popular slow scan frequencies and as the IVCA Saturday net is usually engaged in exchanging only pictures as well. We have no regularly scheduled meetings other than the annual Dayton meeting  It is therefore desirable that the members submit any ideas or suggestions and news to the Vision  for publication or also use the IVCA Yahoo group mail reflector to ask questions and exchange information as well. As the VISION has no reporters to provide news or input that is needed to produce output we request you send any thing you feel will be of interest to the VISION, to Ray W5NOO Editor IVCA VISION News at ray@junct.com  Let's send them thar letter's to the editor, remember he is only one you are many and know so much!! 

.                                           Happy Viewing ..........................  73 Ray W5NOO Editor/Director   
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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