News

Digital TV Transition – February 17, 2009

webadmin — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:00:00 -0800

DTV Transition Site

DTV Converter Box Coupons

Beginning Feb. 17, 2009, the television industry will officially stop their analog signal broadcasting. To accommodate those without satellite or cable service, or who don’t already have a television with a digital tuner, the US government has allocated funds to provide $40 digital converter box coupons. Follow the DTV Converter Box link above to apply online for a coupon, or call 888.DTV.2009.

Once the digital television transition is complete, it will allow for more effective use of the broadcasting spectrum. Police, fire and rescue could benefit, and wireless broadband could be around the corner.

Also note that over-the-air digital television is already available to us today. Some stations are already broadcasting digital and offering content on digital sub-channels.

For more detailed information, check out the DTV Transition Site (link above).

CEA Connections Guide

webadmin — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 21:44:23 -0700

Can’t seem to get Junior to help cable up your new television and home theater in a box (HTIB)? Perhaps the following web site can help: ceaconnectionsguide.com. The CEA Connections Guide is a simple step by step advisor to the most common consumer electronics setups.

First, select the various devices on the list (e.g. TV, receiver, DVD player). Then, identify the various connections available on each device. The web site then takes you to a list of connection items for each component of the system. Such as “DVD Player to TV” or “DVD Player to A/V Receiver”. Upon selecting one of these choices, it then visually shows the various GOOD, BETTER, BEST cabling options based on a 5-Star scale. Simply click on one of the available connection options and it will show what cables to connect where! And if you’re not sure what the cable looks like, it has a photo of what it will look like. Additionally, it provides information about the cables being used and why they are classified on the 5-Star scale.

The CEA Connections Guide is a great resource for those who are not familiar with the barrage of cabling and connection choices of their consumer electronics. For those with more complicated setups, it may be best to defer to your friendly neighborhood Tech at Integra House. We hope everyone will get the most out of their technology acquisitions.

Panasonic Net Cams

webadmin — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 21:43:38 -0700

Panasonic IP network cameras offer flexibility and performance for residential and commercial applications. They also answer to the demands of ease of use and remote monitoring.

Imagine the peace of mind. Monitor a home or office, live, in color, from a web browser or even a compatible cell phone!

Network Camera with Remote 350° Pan and 220° Tilt, 21x Optical Zoom, 2-Way Audio and IPv6

• Controllable via web browser
• 21x optical zoom
• Two-way voice communication
• Image refreshing speed up to 30 images per second CCD
• Record directly onto SD cards
• Ethernet connection
• Pan / Tilt / Zoom controls
• Sensor recording and e-mail alerts

Some cameras feature the ability to recording images captured by the network camera directly onto a SD (Secure Digital) memory card (common memory format for digital cameras). With that, the camera can be set to automatically record video at certain times and certain speeds. In addition, with optional, external sensors attached to the camera, it is possible for the camera to e-mail or record when triggered by motion, sound, light, timer, or even a push button. These convenient functions eliminate your need to constantly check the image.

Extending from that includes sensor recording and image alerts. With a built-in sensor, the camera can be set to record and/or notify you when someone enters the room. It can even automatically move to a preset location when triggered, just in case someone was viewing a different part of the room.

Combine these stand alone features with a Total Control solution from Integra House and you’ve got peace of mind of your home or business.