Sam Churchill

I'm a LAN enthusiastic and live downtown near Portland State University (11th & Market). I want to do live webcasts of weddings (a church is right across the street). I have an RG-1000 Access Point, a Sharp Tripad (a nifty little Windows CE machine) and a FreeGeek box with Mandrake. BTW, the Tripad works great but I'm selling it for $200 if anyone's interested (503.228.6459).

Here are some related links:

I think it would be cool to webcast the Rose Parade. From a float. A laptop runing webcam software and linked with 144 Kbps Sprint or Voicestream 3G cellular as well as the PioneerSquare node could work. [http://www.sdots.com/wireless/webcasting.html Here's more on Webcasting] How about wiring an Oregonian or Tribune reporter with a Steve Mannish http://www.wearcam.org Track the reporter 24/7 during Rose Festival week.

[http://www.panasonic.co.uk/nw/products/product.asp?c=NVEX21B Panasonic has a similar $1500 MPEG-4 camera]. Their [http://www.matsushita.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/data.dir/en011218-4/en011218-4.html $350 camera records MPEG-4 on chips]. Reporters carry audio recorders. This is better, smaller, all solid state (no tape) and records 2 hours of audio/video per 128Meg chip. NY Times reporters carry consumer camcorders. Print reporting can be more immediate and nuanced with on-scene video interviews. Broadcasters have a tiny news hole and don't want to take eyeballs away from expensive video advertising. They're SO 20th century. TabletPCs are connected. Broadcasters aren't. If [http://www.realnetworks.com/company/press/releases/2002/nascar.html RealVideo can put fans in the driver's seat at NASCAR.com] then so can newspapers. Newspapers can shut broadcasters down. For good.

The Touch-Screen Community LAN Kiosk

PersonalTelco's Pioneer Square node in downtown Portland consists of a Sylistic 1000 running Linux & NoCat. A wired NIC connects upstream to a T1 feed. A wireless NIC (Orinoco Silver?) is connected to a 120 degree sector antenna. This antenna is mounted in an 8th floor window of the building that is on the north side of the Square. The antenna is tilted down towards the Square to provide coverage for that whole area, including Starbucks.

But [http://www.oregonlive.com/pioneersquarecam/ the big "i" sculpture in the middle of Pioneer Square] wants [http://www.kiosks.org/articles/pr022701a.html a touch-screen].

[http://www.elotouch.com/support/linux.asp Elotouch has one with Linux support] and infrared sensors. The touch frame needs no special physical surface. The laptop display can be located behind a waterproof plexiglass window. Only the external frame is exposed and it can be water-proof.

The laptop display might be placed directly behind the plexiglass window in the "i". The weather-proof frame sits outside using infrared sensors for touch interactivity. A motorcycle battery could provide 18 hours of operation and get charged at night.

[http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/ Tablet PCs] might work. They're driven by touch. A plug and play USB touch-frame would be cheap and easy. [http://www.viewsonic.com/products/viewpad1000.cfm Viewsonic's ViewPad 1000] is available now.

A $6,000 touch-screen kiosk providing free 802.11b access might be subsidized by advertising. If you make $500/month with interactive access to hotel/model reservations, tourist information, and even remote web cameras, it could pay for itself the first year. PersonalTelco profits by servicing the things (at $100/hr).

If each of the following organziations contributed $1000, we might do a one year test.

[http://www.oregon.gov oregon.gov] [http://www.traveloregon.com traveloregon.com] [http://www.tripcheck.com tripcheck.com] [http://www.econ.state.or.us econ.state.or.us]

[http://www.pova.com pova.com] [http://www.pdxchamber.org/ pdxchamber.org] [http://www.portlandprogress.com/ portlandprogress.com] [http://www.rosefestival.org/ rosefestival.org]

Then I'd tie 'em together state-wide with [http://www.realityfusion.com/corp/products/teamview/ Video Conferencing].

The Live Remote Van Concept

I fear that group owners will centralcast broadcast television, shutting down local broadcast news operations. They killed local radio. My solution is a webvan. It would produce live local 2-way audio and video productions distributed via broadband. Schools could produce a virtual field trip, governments could have emergency communications and news media could go anywhere. With live videoconferencing. Oregon has a 2-way video conferencing network - in place - in virtually every high school building. Why not use it?

A remote (live) news vehicle for news media like the Oregonian would be cheaper than broadcast vans because MPEG-4 doesn't require dedicated satellite transponders. Cellular networks could be used in a pinch. And it's 2-way. A remote van might cost under $50,000 and generate a profit, year one:

A. Hybrid Vehicle: These battery/gas vehicles are really generators on wheels.

[1] [http://www.hybridcars.com/ Hybrid Cars] [2] [http://www.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car.htm How Hybrids Work] [3] [http://www.hybridford.com/index.asp Hybrid Ford SUV] [4] [http://prius.toyota.com/technology/ Hybrid Toyota] [5] [http://www.electrifyingtimes.com Electrifying Times] [6] [http://www.stmi.com/disaster4.html Satellite-equipped HumVee] [7] [http://www.homestead.com/ne4s/ Imperial Cruiser van]

B. Network Cameras: These plug into the van's router and supply live wide shots from a telescoping mast on the roof of the van/SUV.

[1] [http://www.dlink.com/products/DigitalHome/DigitalVideo/dcs1000w/ D-Link WiFi network camera] [2] [http://www.axis.com/products/cam_2100/index.htm Axis Network Camera] [3] [http://www.wincam.com/netcam/ StarDot Netcam] [4] [http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/gate/cameras.asp Panasonic Network Camera] [5] [http://www.x10.com/products/x10_sw21a.htm X-10's Interactive camera system] costs less than $300. A wireless laptop could be your host. [6] [http://www.truelook.com/livetruelooks/livetruelooks.jsp?Cat=go+places True Look interactive webcameras] feature time lapse, 360 panoramas and wireless options. [7] [http://www.videobotics.com/ Videobotics] has more options [8] [http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/PAO/X-Press/stories/103101/new_watr.txt.html HD Long Range Optics] can track the space shuttle at 100 miles.

C. Mobile MPEG-4 Cameras/Encoders: Firewire camcorder plugs into laptop running MPEG-4 encoder. It's linked via 802.11a/g/b to the van. The van uplinks using a $5,000 mobile satellite dish.

[1] [http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2002/feb/12qt6.html Apple's MPEG-4 QuickTime 6] [2] [http://www.apple.com/quicktime/products/qtss/ QuickTime 6 server] (runs on Linux and other platforms) [3] [http://www.sun.com/wireless/streaming/;$sessionid$LHMNKDMMSRM0VAMTA1LU4GQl Sun's MPEG-4 support] [4] [http://www.realnetworks.com/products/producer/index.html Real Producer with MPEG-4] [5] [http://www.realnetworks.com/products/mobile_server/ Real's MPEG-4 mobile server] [6] [http://www.envivio.com/solutions/elb Envivo's live MPEG-4 encoder] works with: [7] [http://www.realnetworks.com/company/press/releases/2001/mpeg4.html Real's MPEG-4 server]

D. Two-way mobile satellite dish: This uplinks at least 64Kbps but ideally 1.5Mbps for broadcast-quality MPEG-4 remotes. The feed goes to a streaming video server for state-wide/national distribution.

Portable 2-way dishes: [1] [http://www.landseasystems.com/land3080a.htm LandSea's TT-3080A Mobile Messenger] [2] [http://www.motosat.com/twoway_001.htm Motosat] [3] [http://www.radiotvnet.com/featured.asp#Satellite Swe-dish]

Potential satellite providers:

[1] [http://www.tachyon.net/ Tachyon] [2] [http://www.onsatnet.com/html/libraries/libraries.html OnSat] [3] [http://www.wildblue.com/ Wild Blue] [4] [http://www.hns.com/products/advanced_platforms/spaceway/overview.htm SpaceWay] Over 100 Native American reservations use solar-powered [http://www.onsatnet.com/html/libraries/libraries.html OnSat] for internet access. A [http://www.onsatnet.com/html/faq/faq.html solar-powered OnSat system] that uses 802.11b for the last mile and supports 50 users may cost $50,000 plus $10/mo for ISP connectivity. That's the equivalent of $1000 overhead per user plus $10/mo and doesn't include administration costs. It would be difficult to price less than $50/month and still be self-sustaining.

E. Voice over IP telephony/videoconferencing:

VOIP cordless phones using 802.11b: [1] [http://www.symbol.com/products/wireless/wireless_sp24_netvisionappli_d.html Symbol's NetVision Data Phone with 802.11b, TCP/IP, H.323 and POP3] (the phone can also receive e-mail), all implemented in hardware ($699) [2] [http://www.spectralink.com/products/NetLinkIP.html Spectralink's full-featured, direct sequence spread spectrum, IP wireless telephone]

Handhelds using 802.11b with software for text/video conferencing [1] [http://messenger.yahoo.com/ Yahoo Messenger] [2] [http://www.pocketpc.com Microsoft PocketPC] [3] [http://www.telesym.com/products.html Telesym PocketPC VoIP] [4] [http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Embedded XP video conferencing]

With [http://www.octavecomm.com/solutions/mobility.asp Octave Improv], a single command, such as "call emergency team", can be used to reach an entire list of people by phone. The system automatically tries all of the phone numbers and leaves a voice message on an answering machine or sends an immediate text message via email, page, SMS, or instant messaging system, such as AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and ICQ.

IBM is demonstrating a tiny computer code-named [http://www.research.ibm.com/resources/news/20020206_metapad.shtml Meta Pad]

It could serve as a laptop, desktop or handheld when snapped into different modules. It could be the basis for everything, the belt-clipped wearcam, the OpenAP repeaters, the laptops and the VoIP telephones. The van could include 24 or them, 8 laptops, 8 wearcams, 4 OpenAP repeaters and 4 spares.

3D collaboration in a simulation world would be enabled by wearcam display technologies like [http://mvis.com/ Microvision] that can project [http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/3D/ Java 3D] or other 3D Java renderers like [http://www.shout3d.com/ Shout3D] and [http://www.anfyteam.com/panfy3d.html Anfy3D] into the eye. [http://web3d.about.com Web3D] and [http://web3d.about.com/cs/authoringtools/ 3D Authoring Tools] can enhance MPEG-4, providing new revenue streams and entertainment venues for sports teams. Intel's cameras can capture a soccor team in real-time, transforming players into game figures and emersing viewers in the action.

Ultimately, [http://www.jxta.org/project/www/background.html JXTA], a set of open, generalized peer-to-peer protocols, will allow any connected device (cell phone, to PDA, PC to server) on the network to communicate and collaborate. Inexpensive, hand-held canners and sensors using [http://developer.intel.com/design/intelxscale/ Intel's X-Scale] might connect to[http://www.snapappliances.com/products/12000/index.asp 1 Terabyte network storage] in the van and connect to the [http://www.teragrid.org/ National TeraGrid]. A [http://www.webmap.com WebMap] provides one-click access to RFID (radio frequency ID) tags and [http://www.infoworld.com/features/ferealtimecomputing.html real-time data tracking] such as used in [http://www.neptune.washington.edu/pub/whats_neptune/whats_neptune.html The Neptune Project]. [http://www.idgexecforums.com/cgi-bin/demo2002/demonstrator.cgi?t=name Demo 2002 previewed many real-time products] that might be applied by [http://www.oregon.gov/index.cfm?CurrPID=833 Oregon counties], the [http://www.oregon.gov/ State of Oregon], or [http://www.firstgov.gov/ Federal Government] resources. [http://www.evolution.com/product/photo.masn Robot Kits] might pay for themselves the first week by saving costs of security personel.

I'm basically a writer and web designer focused on content issues. I'm one of these people who likes to embed [http://www.vgmusic.com/ Video Game Midis] in web pages (don't you just :) that).

http://sdots.com/wireless/onscene.jpg

Broadband can multicast to tens (or hundreds) of thousands of digital cable boxes and internet appliances. Faster, cheaper, better. Here's how:

Neighborhood nodes might use 5 Ghz to deliver "the first mile". The [http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/16/ 802.16 Metropolitan Wireless LAN standard] is optimized for the "first mile" while 802.11a is optimized for use inside the home or office.

Five Gig LANs include Enterasys [http://www.enterasys.com/products/items/RBTR2/ RoamAbout2] which [http://www.crn.com/Components/Search/Article.asp?ArticleID=26138 combines 2.4 and 5 GHz Access Points], [http://home.intermec.com/eprise/main/Intermec/Content/About/NewsPages/pressRelease?section=about&pressID=306 Intermec's MobileLAN 2106], [http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1004-200-7093015.html?tag=prntfr Intel 54 Mbps access points] or [http://www.Avaya.com/ Avaya Wireless Access Point-3] ($1,295) which supports a 802.1X port authentication.

[http://www.citynettelecom.com/index.swf CityNet Fiber] goes the last mile and links those neighborhood nodes -- through the sewer system.

[http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/prod_100201.html Cisco's 12404, 10Gbps router] integrates Ethernet with voice and video. Their 10720 router ($43,300) is expensive but delivers multiple, simultaneous IP services and has a self-healing mechanism for automatic fiber cut repair using SONET fiber rings.

[http://www-4.ibm.com/software/speech/enterprise/ep_8.html IBM's WebSphere Translation Server] delivers Web pages, e-mail messages and chat conversations in multiple languages, in real time and is teaming with [http://www.akamai.com/ Akamai] to deliver streaming video.

[http://www.enreach.com/Products/ EnReach] says, "IP based broadband is the most cost-effective and fastest way to launch combined video and data services to the home." Their [http://www.enreach.com/Products/demotrialsys.htm rack-mount IP VOD system] supports 20 simultaneous streams and can deliver IP-based video to apartment buildings using switched Ethernet to bring broadband access to each home.

[http://www.techtv.com/siliconspin/features/story/0,23008,3346050,00.html Five major studios will deliver VOD to computer users](Sony, Warner Bros., Universal, Paramount, and MGM). Disney and Fox, may also have their own VOD service in the works. Streaming content available from satellite includes [http://www.ibeam.com/ iBeam] and [http://www.net-36.com/ Net-36].

[http://www.polycom.com/products/video_family.html Polycom] and [http://www.radvision.com/f_products/f1_platformvip.php3?prod=Platform%2BOverview RadVision] offer teleconferencing with Voice and Video over IP. Apartment buildings and condominiums might profit from distance learning rooms. With [http://www.polycom.com/products/viavideo.html Netmeeting on a laptop] and Wireless LAN or 3G cellular connectivity, mobile, adhoc teleconferences might be practical.

[http://www.nokia.com/multimedia/mediaterminal.html Nokia's MediaTerminal settop box] ($350) or [http://www.digitalnetworks.philips.com/InformationCenter/PhilipsInternet/FArticleWithDomains.asp?lArticleId=1109&lNodeId=13 Philips MHP platform] can receive (and record) video on demand.

[http://www.pace.co.uk/paceproducts/index.asp The Pace set-top box] works with cable or "wireless cable" while [http://www.ncube.com/internet/index.html nCUBE provides VCR controls for the client] using servers in the network. One [http://www.ncube.com/vod/architecture.html nCube server] can stream RealVideo 8 content to as many as 200,000 customers simultaneously.

[http://www.pocketpc.com Microsoft's PocketPC] can receive Wireless LANs and live television with [http://www.microsoft.com/mobile/pocketpc/pocketpc2002/mediaplayer.asp streaming Media Player]. Handhelds can also [http://www.snapstream.com/news/pr09/Default.htm record video programs] for later playback. [http://www.fathammer.com/company/index.html Mobiletainment] is enabled with [http://developer.intel.com/design/wireless/pca/pca.htm Intel Client Architecture].

I figure in 2-3 years, handheld players (with goggles) may be cheaper than a 25" television. And two-way. Are you ready?

I think the solution to ubiquitious broadband may be to buy a UhfTelevision channel! Channels 50-69 go up for auction this June. Here's how to buy a UhfTelevision channel for 2-way internet access.