Greetings, security newsmates. It’s Monday afternoon, and thus time for your regular dose of security news excitement. Here goes!

CCTV has been in the news in South Africa – catching a meteor lighting up the sky above Gauteng (and, if we’re being honest, probably some other places as well). Have a look at it here.

AP Security have been busy this year – and their work at Glastonbury has been one of our most read stories – and now we’ve got another thing about what they did for the Tour of Britain. Cycling!

There’s also an IP distribution deal for EMEA between ADI and Pelco; a big RFID deal in Germany; Flir thermal cameras to be distributed by Videor in the UK; and a big chunk of extra recording capacity for a Samsung Techwin DVR. Bulging!

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

DVRs have changed the way we watch television. We can watch our favorite shows whenever we want and skip commercials. But TiVo and your cable company charge a monthly fee for the privilege.
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Fortunately, you have options. You can get a DVR without the monthly subscription.
If you want to pay up, you’ll find solutions at the store. Or, you can take the cheap-and-easy route. Let’s go to the store first. You can find links to the products mentioned at www.komando.com/news.
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Standalone options
The Moxi HD DVR is subscription-free. Moxi says its 500-gigabyte hard drive holds 75 hours of high-definition content. Or, if you’re old school, you’ll get 300 hours of standard definition.
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You can record two shows simultaneously. Or, connect to the Internet to watch Netflix, Hulu and YouTube content. It also connects to computers for viewing photos and listening to music.
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At $800, though, Moxi’s DVR is $200 more than a comparable TiVo.
Archos’ Internet Media Tablets also record television shows. They’re similar to Apple’s iPod Touch.
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Prices start at $280 for the Archos 5. It has a 60GB hard drive. The DVR Snap on ($80) turns it into a portable DVR. But it only records standard definition.
And now — cheap and easy
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You remember that old computer? The one in the closet? Get it out! It’s your new DVR!
You’ll need a television tuner card. You’ll find both standard- and high-definition TV varieties. Analog TV tuners are still being sold; opt for a digital (ATSC) tuner. Also, if you have cable, make sure the tuner is compatible. Some only work with over-the-air signals.
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You’ll also need to match the card’s output connections to your TV’s inputs. Otherwise, you could be limited to watching on your computer monitor.
Some tuners must be installed inside the computer. Others are external, connecting via a USB port. The USB option is easier to set up.
Windows tuners are made by Hauppauge, Pinnacle and ATI. They start around $50. Mac users should look at Elgato, Pinnacle and ATI tuners. They start around $130.
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These setups generally do not require powerful machines. Any modern machine should be fine. You’ll need 512 megabytes of RAM for XP machines. Vista and Windows 7 computers should have 2GB. Macs need a minimum 512MB.
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You also want plenty of storage. An hour-long recording requires about 2GB. Half an hour of HD television can require 6GB. If you have a teensy-weensy hard drive, you can add storage. A 1 terabyte external hard drive is about $100. Double that for 2TB.
Most cards include software for recording shows. This is handy for Macs and Windows XP. But Vista and Windows 7 users may not need additional software.
Media Center is included in Vista Home Premium and Ultimate. Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate include it. It will record your shows for you.
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Media Center makes it easy to configure TV settings. Use the built-in guide to schedule recordings. Or, record on the fly. The software also organizes your recordings for easy playback.
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Convert your shows to go
Finally, you can take your shows with you on your iPod. IPodifier (free) will convert recordings for your player. It works with Vista’s DVR-MS Media Center file format.
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Windows 7 uses the WTV format, but you can convert it. Right-click the file in Windows and select “Convert to .dvr-ms Format.” You can then use the file with iPodifier.
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Mac tuners should include software for converting recordings. Read the complete original posting here http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kimkomando/2009-10-22-dvrs_N.htm

I can’t believe I’m posting news about Cougar Town after I’ve already taken it off my DVR for being the worst new show of the season, but here it goes.

Looks like ABC has picked up Cougar Town for a full season, ordering more episodes.  I guess I didn’t think this awful show would fail since it does have the star power of Courtney Cox.  The ratings have been pretty solid despite the critic’s panning it every chance they get.

One other bit of news on Cougar Town, Rachel Harris has been cast to play Courtney Cox’s rival.  Adding someone as funny as Harris can only be a good thing for the show.  Harris was last seen on TV in In The Motherhood and played Ed Helms overbearing girlfriend with a taste for cruise ship bartenders in The Hangover. Personally I loved her anytime she would show up on VH-1’s Best Week Ever or any of their I Love The… series.

The Death And Life Of Television
A post I missed from The Ad Contrarian: “Even though people have the opportunity to watch video on their computers and cellphones, TV accounts for 99 percent of all video consumed in 2008…” Interesting point of view and an unarguable stat (there are many more in the article). Except: what are people watching and how are they watching it on “TV” – in its many forms? I don’t think we should return to the TV-Centric dystopia of th3 50s-90s, but neither should we discount TVs undoubted power. I wonder if the Contrarian was railing against :30 ads back in the day they were the advertisers’ default choice?

DVRs: Not quite such a threat after all
According to the most recent estimates from Nielsen, nearly one-third of all television households have a DVR, and the device is far from its saturation point. Still, media people may not need to fear a huge dropoff in commercial viewing due to time-shifted viewing.

iMuz has joined the group of companies to introduce its new ultra slim MP3 Player dubbed as “MX1” in Korean market. It has come out with six different colors comprising Mint White, Pink White, Orange Black, Red Black, Lovely Pink and Green Black.
Moreover, it has a 1.5-Inch 262,000 color TFT LCD Screen and it features a 2GB/4GB built-in memory, five preset EQ sounds, AVI video playback, photo viewer, FM radio, voice recorder, e-book etc.

Click to know about Four Direction Sliding MP3 Player

Besides, it will be very cute as well as very compact to fit in your palm. The suggested price for 2GB is 39,000(KRW) and for 4GB it is 49,000(KRW).

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Thanks to our friends at Pure digital for bringing this camcorder to life.

Flip mino camcorder

The different offered models support up to 2 hours (120 minutes) of Video (some models support HD) with direct support to uploading these videos to sites like facebook and youtube. Price Range: 150 – 230 dollars.

flip mino camcorder

with its own usb port, shoot the video and just plug it in any PC and your video is online in seconds.

Check out all the features @ http://www.theflip.com/products_flip_mino.shtml#scene=sceneMain

By BRENT KENDALL

The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to consider a legal challenge by television networks and Hollywood studios to Cablevision Systems Corp.’s next-generation digital video recorder, clearing the way for the cable company to offer the new service this year.

The networks and studios argued that Cablevision’s new remote-storage DVR violated federal copyright laws.

Cablevision’s service would allow customers to record and store television shows on central computer servers maintained by Cablevision instead of having to record them on expensive DVR cable boxes installed in their homes.

Cablevision says the system would allow it to provide DVR services at lower costs, which could lead to a rise in new subscribers to a technology that allows viewers to watch programs whenever they choose and to skip commercials while they do so.

Among those who sued to block Cablevision’s service were General Electric Co.’s NBC; CBS Corp.; Walt Disney Co.’s ABC; and News Corp.’s Twentieth Century Fox. News Corp. owns Dow Jones, publisher of The Wall Street Journal.

The media companies argued that Cablevision’s new service would illegally copy their programs without a license. A New York federal trial judge agreed in 2007, giving the challengers an initial legal victory. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, however, overturned that ruling last summer and sided with Cablevision.

The 2nd Circuit said the remote-DVR service was not that different from a VCR and that Cablevision was not directly liable for copies of programs that are made at a customer’s request.

The Supreme Court, without comment, chose Monday to leave that ruling in place.

Leading music companies, publishing organizations and professional sports leagues all filed friend-of-the-court briefs supporting the television networks.

The case is Cable News Network Inc. v. CSC Holdings Inc., 08-448.

This MPlayer comes out of Iriver that is a little DAP. It has been designed with special functional ears to control tracks and volume with 2GB internal capacity. It has the ability to support music files like MP3, WMA, ASF and it features a 2GB Flash memory that can store up to 480 songs. In addition, it supports USB 2.0 channels, Stereo Music files and it has come out with a Built-in Li-ion Battery sizes just 44.0 x 39.5 x 30 mm. Nevertheless, you can have the details only in Japanese. It is available only for ¥ 12,585.00.

Click to know about palm size electronic dictionary from iRiver

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We have teamed with NUUO, a leading video software maker, to launch the new Falcon Hybrid N Series. This solution is ideal for security administrators looking to incorporate the latest IP technologies, while still supporting existing analog investments. The Falcon N supports up to 64 recording channels, up to 8TB of video storage capacity, and integrates advanced NUUO digital video software, including Central Management System (CMS).

• Read the release
• See the Falcon N series
• Visit Nuuo.com
• What is CMS? Find out

Want to learn more about the benefits of having a hybrid surveillance platform? Leave a comment, and we’ll be in touch shortly.

TECHNOLOGY

Microsoft just announced earnings for its third fiscal quarter. Revenues were down 6 percent to $13.65 billion, and net income was down a whopping 32 percent to $2.98 billion or $0.33 EPS. Analysts consensus was closer to $14 billion for revenues and $0.39 for non-GAAP EPS, which Microsoft met thanks to its cost-cutting measures. Still, this counts as a miss for Microsoft. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/23/microsoft-reports-a-massive-miss-with-net-earnings-down-32-percent 4/23)

DVR maker TiVo is ramping up its efforts to thwart the very trend that it created: ad-zapping. The company now is offering advertisers ways to keep their ads static while viewers are fast-forwarding through commercial pods or interactive ads that appear in small text boxes when a show is paused. The New York Times (4/22)

Consumer demand for DVDs is forecast to fall further over the next five years as the maturing market transitions to digital distribution. Bankers say these trends could hamper future film financing at the major Hollywood studios. “It’s a different era from four years ago.” (Iwantmedia 4/23, http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSTRE53L6L920090422 4/22)

Amazon.com’s Kindle 2, an electronic book reader available from the online retailer since late February, retails for almost double what it costs to build the device, according to iSuppli. Its analysis service says the Kindle 2 retails for $359 but only costs $185.49 to build. (Iwantmedia 4/23, http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=11300AFR6KBF&full_skip=1 4/22)

More than 50% of U.S. consumers say they take environmental considerations into account when shopping for an LCD TV, according to survey results from iSuppli, which found that 27.5% called green factors an important influence on their decision and 23.1% said they looked for such features when buying a TV. Dealerscope (4/23) , TWICE (4/22)

Panasonic has announced that some of its current and future HDTVs with the Viera Cast feature also will be compatible with Amazon Video on Demand. Amazon currently offers about 40,000 movies and TV shows through the VOD offering, and about 500 of those titles are in high definition. PCWorld (4/22) , Pocket-lint.co.uk (4/23)

Sony has demonstrated some of the new capabilities of its BD-Live high-definition format. The advances primarily dealt with being more user-friendly, but Sony home-entertainment chief David Bishop apparently still feels the technology has a ways to go. “I like to say we’re just at the ‘Pong’ stage of BD-Live, if you were to compare it to the video game industry,” he said. The Hollywood Reporter (4/22)

Here is my question, with the growing availability of services like Hulu, Fox on Demand and all of the other network full episode viewers, is it really worth paying the money for a DVR or a TiVo?  I think it would be cool to build your own DVR as I know some of my friends have with Windows Media Center but other than that, can TiVo or a DVR form your service provider really pay for itself?

I really enjoy Hulu and the other full episode sites, it makes it easy to watch any of the shows that I miss when I am busy doing something else.  essentially it’s the DVR without the set up…  all you need it the internet and a computer, you could hook it up to your TV if you really want but you can use your computer monitor just as easily.

Does anyone have any good reasons for getting a TiVo or DVR?  Maybe for sporting events?  Can you watch sporting events online without paying yet?  I subscribe to the MLS MatchCenter but that is because there are only a few nationally televised games on each season (which the networks and league need to work on that, I want to see the KC Wizards over the air on my TV, it would be much better quality than the less than spectacular MLS MatchCenter, but I digress).

On that note, I would just like to say “Thank you” to the creators of Hulu and the networks for actually allowing the service to grow!  (Go aliens!!)

TECHNOLOGY

April Fools Day arrives with fear of the latest superworm, dubbed Conflicker or alternatively Downup or Kido. The worm, which is believed to have burrowed its way into more than 3 million Windows-based PCs in the U.S. and another 10 million internationally, is expected to manifest itself in some way today, possibly causing massive network outtages. Microsoft has been concerned enough about the malware to organize a task force to combat the effects of Conflicker and offer a $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the hackers who cooked it up. (Cynopsis 4/1)

Panasonic plans to launch new 3-D Blu-ray players and 3-D HDTVs by 2010. The company hopes the new technology will allow it to charge more for products that have been slipping in value lately, even as competitors eye similar strategies. The Boston Globe/The Associated Press (3/31)

(Below) Not sure of the purpose of this one but OK.  When have you thought to yourself…I’m going to start watching in the living room…and finish in the den!  Or maybe it’s because I live in a cramped NYC apt?

Time Warner Cable and Motorola have announced that they are partnering on a multiroom DVR system that is based on tru2way technology. The system, to be called Follow Me TV, is expected to launch later this year and will give users the flexibility to begin watching a show or movie in one room and finish watching it on another set in the house. Multichannel News (3/31)

Samsung Vice President Jonas Tanenbaum says the company is making a play to “take an ownership position” in three out of four ranges of the LED HDTV market. The company is relying on side-fired LED HDTVs to give it a competitive edge, saying the new technology is more cost-effective and allows the devices to be even slimmer. Dealerscope (4/1) , TWICE (3/31) , ElectronicHouse.com (3/31)

Adults Spend 8 Hours a Day in Front of a Screen, Study Finds
The average American adult is exposed to various screens — TV, personal computers, cell phones, video games, GPS units and more — for about 8.5 hours every day, according to a Nielsen-backed study conducted by Ball State University’s Center for Media Design. The study followed 350 test subjects and tracked their viewing instead of using the traditional method of allowing subjects to report on their media consumption. Adults ages 45 to 54 spend on average one hour per day more with screens than others. Overall, Americans are exposed to just more than five hours of live TV per day compared with 15 minutes of DVR playback and 2.4 minutes of computer video.

Among other finds:

– computer video consumption tends to be quite small with an average time of just over two minutes a day.

– Adults spend an average of 6.5 minutes a day with videogame consoles with the number rising to 26 minutes a day among those aged 18-24

– Adults spend an average 142 minutes a day in front of computer screens

– Adults spend an average 20 minutes a day engaged with mobile devices with the highest usage — 43 minutes a day — among the 18-24 age group

Flashback: How many of you can remember back to when the video cassette recorder (VCR) was introduced? Do you recall the debate between whether or not to go with the VHS or the Beta format? Hitting the mass market in the late 1970’s VCR’s became a household staple for television viewers for almost 20 years. The beginning of the end for VCR was the move from videotapes of your favorite movies and television shows to the DVD. That is when viewers faced a real dilemma. 

On one hand, viewers wanted to see their favorite movies in the much clearer and easier to use (easier to fast forward, rewind, scene selection, etc) format provided by the DVD. But on the other hand, they had a routine of recording programs on their VCR to watch at a time other than when the show was broadcast. Viewers just didn’t want to give up the ability to record their favorite programs. 

Say hello to digital-video recorders! After a couple years of frustration, DVR’s were introduced and all the problems were solved. The world of “time-shifted” television (that is, programming viewed with a digital-video recorder) had arrived. And now people can not imagine how they lived without it. What are you to do when there are two shows on at the same thing? Just DVR one of them. How about when there are shows on and you will not be home for a week? Set your DVR to record them. Afraid you will forget to record a show next week? Don’t worry! With your DVR you can program it to record every show in the series. 

Maybe it’s because of today’s tough economic times, but television viewing in total is growing at an amazing clip. Roughly 285 million of our country’s 306 million people watched TV in their home in the fourth quarter of 2008, up almost four million people compared to the fourth quarter of 2007 according to The Nielsen Company. People spent more time watching TV: an average of 151 hours a month or five hours a day – a record high according to Nielsen. This increase carried over to “time-shifted” viewing as well. Nearly 74 million people watched DVR programming in the 4^thquarter of 2008 up 20 million people from the 4^th quarter of 2007, a 37% increase.  

Another key component to the DVR rage is the convenience factor. The ability to skip the commercials can be addicting. Our family rarely watches a television program in “real-time” anymore. At the very least we start recording it and then start watching about 20 minutes into the show so we can skip the commercials. The only television we watch in real-time is sporting events. But even during sporting events the DVR comes in handy with the rewind feature. No longer are you reliant solely on the broadcast to show replays, you can easily rewind and watch great plays over and over again and then resume live action. 

There is one issue, however, that DVR recording and viewing has created for the networks and that has to do with the Nielsen ratings. How do they account for the viewers who record and watch the shows later and how do they translate that to their advertising customers? I jotted down a quick list of my top ten shows I watch on a regular basis and let me tell you NBC should be concerned. As a matter of fact, only CBS should feel secure. My top ten shows break down as follows: two are sit-coms, one is a reality show and the other seven are dramas (i.e. action, crime, cop-type shows). Out of my top ten seven are on CBS, one on Fox, one on ABC and one on the USA Network, which NBC owns a part of so I guess they don’t get “goose-egged” after all!

Fox wins the honors of broadcasting my favorite show “24”. Season 7 of Jack Bauer taking on the world of terrorists (not to mention his own government!) has been one of the highlights of this year’s television. Three shows in their first season make my top 10 led by ABC’s “Life on Mars” which overcame about a six week hiatus to remain a strong candidate for the network’s best new program. CBS’s “The Mentalist” is a favorite of mine as well as many other people as it is consistently ranked in the top 10 of the Nielsen ratings. The new CBS comedy “Gary Unmarried” also makes my list.

My favorite comedy program on TV is “The Big Bang Theory” on CBS. Actor Jim Parsons will win many an Emmy award for his portrayal of Sheldon in this up and coming series. The only reality show making my top 10 is “Survivor.” The main reason is my whole family enjoys this show and we all watch it together as a family event. 

The remaining four shows in my top 10 are “CSI”, “CSI Miami” and “Criminal Minds” all on CBS as well as “Burn Notice” on the USA Network. These shows are well done, well cast and provide me an “escape” from my normal day-to-day activities. Finding the time to watch each of these shows would be nearly impossible without our DVR. What would we do without it? 

You just installed two dozen high resolution cameras in your surveillance system. You got your video management software, your video servers, and your storage. So what else do you need to consider?

Bytes: Define your storage requirements upfront. You don’t want to exceed storage space two months down the road. Here are some critical factors that impact storage decisions: data traffic, redundancy, archive time, and processing power and speed.

Cameras: Choose the right cameras for your project and make sure all the key components are compatible with each other. Also, determine if the management software supports what you need. The type of camera you use will impact the amount of storage you require, so consider these:

• Image size
• Frame per second (FPS)
• Compression type
• % of compression
• Amount of motion
• Event recording vs. continuous recording
• # of recording hours per day

Action: Now put these pieces to work. The key to designing a flexible surveillance solution is to choose a system that is scalable and will grow as your needs grow. Don’t lock yourself into a proprietary system that will limit you from customizing and upgrading. Learn how to avoid these limitations with this video.

GOT SLINGBOX?: DISH USERS DO

Announced this week, DISH is the first cable/satellite provider to offer subscribers the holy grail of placeshifting: Slingbox.  For those of you unaware of the benefits of Slingbox, this little gem gives you the power of watching your television on a laptop or mobile screen.  Watch video, change channels, or program your TiVo anywhere you have an internet connection.  Slingbox originally was a nifty little commodity but a nice-to-have at the end of the day.  I’ve had a Slingbox for 2 years and can count on one hand the number of times I’ve used it, which predominantly included airport moments when I had some time to kill or wanted to show a stranger something nifty.  At the end of the day, it’s an extra box and an additional charge.

This week, with the announcement of the iPhone and BlackBerry app and this latest inclusion of Slingbox technology in the newest HD DVR box from DISH, placeshifting has taken one momentous step forward.  As of Q3 2008, DISH was rockin’ 13.78 subscribers down from previous quarters but still strong.  Now, I know all subscribers wouldn’t have this new HD DVR upon release in the spring, but this is to say that Slingbox will undoubtedly have access to a new audience.  The other missing link is pricing, which wasn’t included in this announcement.

In addition to the hardware, DISH and Slingbox are announcing the Sling Guide.  Click on the image above for a demo video of how the guide would work.  In essence, SlingGuide enables users to program their DVR from anywhere accessible via internet.  In addition, the guide allows for easier searching of content.  Want to see how many times Jon Stewart brings the awesome town on The Daily Show?  Sling Guide.  Want to see how many times MTV will re-run The City this week?  Sling Guide.  The Sling Guide is available on this new box (ViP 922) as well as these additional boxes at launch:

• ViP 722K
• ViP 722
• ViP 622

They just need to be hooked up to a broadband connection to work.  I think the announcement of the Sling Guide along with the Slingloaded HD DVR box is a little confusing only because the Sling Guide without the Slingloaded box won’t allow video playback.  Confused yet?  Yah, I thought so.

Here’s all you need to know.