Go Mic is a high-quality USB microphone that captures audio for all kinds of software and online applications, all in an innovative fold up design

Hauppauge, NY – August 4, 2009 – Samson Technologies, an industry leading audio technology manufacturer, is thrilled to announce shipping for the Samson Go Mic. Go Mic is a USB condenser microphone designed to record professional quality while providing maximum portability.  Its unique design provides the user with a built-in spring-loaded laptop mount or tabletop stand in one 2.5-inch by 1.5-inch package.  The microphone is supported by a multidirectional hinge; ensuring consumers record only the intended audio and can easily tuck the microphone away when not in use.

“The Go Mic provides general consumers, prosumers and professionals alike with an ingeniously designed handy solution that fits in the palm of your hand,” says Mark Wilder, Director of Marketing for Samson Technologies. “It provides incredible value and ensures users at home and on the go have the gear they need to clearly record or communicate.”

Go Mic is perfect for all forms of recording. On the road, in the classroom, in a house of worship or any office setting, Go Mic will provide professionals and consumers alike with a convenient recording option. Additionally, Go Mic is ideal for software applications such as Skype, iChat, webcasting, podcasting, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and voice recognition software.

Complete features are below:
•    Professional USB condenser microphone
•    Plug and Play Mac and PC compatible, no drivers required
•    Custom compact design that clips to a laptop or sits on a desk
•    Perfect for recording music, podcasting and field recording
•    Ideal for voice recognition software, iChat, VoIP and web casting
•    Transducer Type: condenser, pressure gradient with USB digital output
•    Frequency Response: 20Hz ¬- 18kHz
•    Polar Pattern: Switchable cardioid or omni
•    Sample Rate: 44.1kHz/16-bit
•    Available in Black or White
•    Included protective carrying case and USB cable
•    MSRP $59

The BFG GeForce® GTX 285 H2O+™ and GeForce® GTX 295 H2OC™ ThermoIntelligence® Advanced Cooling Solutions are maintenance-free, self-contained liquid cooling units attached to enthusiast-grade BFG Tech graphics cards that easily install into most systems right out of the box and never need refilling or additional components. These unique solutions feature a top of the line BFG Tech graphics card plus a high-performance cooling loop designed by CoolIT Systems™ that pushes coolant across the GPU and exhausts heat directly outside of the system chassis. Three different system speed settings—Auto, Quiet, and Maximum—give total control over acoustics and performance.

“We’re very excited to be the first company to bring this type of professional grade advanced cooling solution to PC enthusiasts”, said John Malley, senior director of marketing for BFG Technologies. “The BFG ThermoIntelligence Advanced Cooling Solutions provide customers a way to get all of the benefits of liquid cooling their graphics cards right out of the box, without having to install a separate liquid cooling system that requires assembly, filling, and challenging maintenance from time to time.”

Impressive Heat Dissipation

Both ThermoIntelligence® Advanced Cooling Solutions keep the graphics card running up to 30°C cooler under load as compared to standard air cooled models, which ensures reliable operation and longevity.

Custom Cold Plates
Both solutions feature highly efficient, custom cold plates that direct cooling liquid over vital parts of each specific graphics card to effectively absorb heat.

BFG GeForce® GTX 295 H2OC™ with ThermoIntelligence® Advanced Cooling Solution
Memory: 1792MB (1.8GB) GDDR3
Core Clock: 675MHz (vs. 576MHz standard)
Shader Clock: 1458MHz (vs. 1242MHz standard)
Memory Data Rate: 2214MHz (vs. 1998MHz standard)
Processor Cores: 480 (combined)

BFG GeForce® GTX 285 H2O+™ with ThermoIntelligence® Advanced Cooling Solution
Memory: 1024MB (1GB) GDDR3
Core Clock: 691MHz (vs. 648MHz standard)
Shader Clock: 1566MHz (vs. 1476MHz standard)
Memory Data Rate: 2592MHz (vs. 2484MHz standard)
Processor Cores: 240

Availability
The BFG GeForce® GTX 295 H2OC™ graphics card with ThermoIntelligence Advanced Cooling Solution will be available in limited quantities starting August 5, 2009 at NewEgg.com in the U.S., and at leading online retailers in the U.K.

The BFG GeForce® GTX 285 H2O+™ will be available in limited quantities starting August 12, 2009 at NewEgg.com in the U.S., and at leading online retailers in the U.K.

Visit www.bfgtech.com/advancedcoolingsolution.aspx for more information.

Netgear Gigabit Switch

In part two of this article I am going to be talking about each piece of networking equipment and how it interacts with the network and its importance.

The basic goal for any network is to create a reliable, fast and easy to maintain infrastructure. Our network had the following criteria:

All Television, Telephone, and Internet is to be powered by Time Warner Cable (TW).

• Telephone via TW VOIP, Using the 66 block all house phone jacks work.
• Television via TW Digital Cable, our house has two High Definition, and two Standard Definition TV’s.
• Internet via TW High Speed Internet, by setting up a simple network we can share this with our 6 computers and have network enabled backups.

In the last article we talked about our goals for the network and outlined the network map. Below we talk about each device and what it does.

Cable Modem

• A cable modem is a type of modem that provides bi-directional data communication via radio frequency channels on a cable television (CATV) infrastructure. Cable modems are primarily used to deliver broadband Internet access in the form of cable Internet, taking advantage of the high bandwidthof a cable television network. They are commonly deployed in Australia,Europe, and North and South America. In the USA alone there were 22.5 million cable modem users during the first quarter of 2005, up from 17.4 million in the first quarter of 2004.

Voice Over IP / ATA

• An analog telephony adapter, or analog telephone adapter, (ATA) is a device used to connect one or more standard analog telephones to a digital and/or non-standard telephone system such as a Voice over IP based network.

Patch Panel

• Patch panels offer the convenience of allowing technicians to quickly change the path of select signals, without the expense of dedicatedswitching equipment.

Network Switch

• A network switch is a computer networking device that connectsnetwork segments.
• The term commonly refers to a Network bridge that processes and routes data at the Data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI model. Switches that additionally process data at the Network layer (layer 3 and above) are often referred to as Layer 3 switches orMultilayer switches.
• The term network switch does not generally encompass unintelligent or passive network devices such as hubs andrepeaters.
• The first Ethernet switch was introduced by Kalpana in 1990.

WiFi Router

• Wi-Fi (pronounced /?wa?fa?/) is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance for certified products based on the IEEE 802.11 standards. This certification warrants interoperability between different wireless devices.
• Wi-Fi is supported by most personal computer operating systems, many game consoles, laptops, smartphones,printers, and other peripherals.

Apple Airport Express

• AirPort and AirPort Extreme are local area wireless networkingproducts from Apple Inc. based on the IEEE 802.11 standard (also known as Wi-Fi).
• AirPort and AirPort Extreme in common usage can refer to theprotocol (802.11b, and 802.11g and 802.11 Draft-N, respectively), the expansion card or the base station.

Now that we know what each device does I will explain how each one is connected to each-other.

Starting with the feed coming into the house, we have a single RG6 drop from the utility pole and from there it goes into the garage utility room where it is then split off into its appropriate places. It first goes into a 3 way -5.5db splitter where it goes to the Cable Modem, Telephone ATA, and Television Amplifier.

Television Splitters and Amplifier.

Television

The signal coming into the 3 way splitter is low to begin with and is causing some of our HD channels to come in pixelated at times, so the only way to combat that was to install a Multimedia Drop Amplifier that has a +20db output signal. After the amp I have a 8 way splitter with 5 rooms connected, leaving 3 ports free, on those 3 I put terminators on to prevent signal loss and interference. With the new amp and splitter installed, the televisions are all now working much better and very rarely do they go blocky.

Phone

66 Block

Since we are using VOIP for our phone service I wanted to have the phone signal going though to all the wall jacks just like a normal POTS (Plan Old Telephone Service) does I decided it was best to use a 66 block and by using the new wiring I installed previously I was able to connect every room that has a phone to the VOIP service. This also allows for us to easily upgrade and add additional lines of phone and or digital extensions if we decide to install a PBX phone system.

Ethernet

Patch Panel

I connected the Cable Modem to the Patch Panel where it then goes up into the office and is connected to our Belkin WiFi Router, I setup the WiFi with a secure WEP password and MAC address authentication. I then connected one of the LAN ports to the second ethernet wall jack returning to the Patch Panel, this is where I have my 5 port Gigabit Switch located, from the Patch Panel I have one port as the uplink and then the four remaining ports plugged into the three remaining rooms and the fourth connected to my Ubuntu File Server (Future Article).

You may be wondering why I decided to place the Belkin Router up in the house? Well I did that because as with most consumer networking equipment, it will randomly lockup and need the occasional reboot and by having it in the house it saves a trip down to the garage.

In one of the bedrooms I then have a AirPort Express connected to the ethernet wall jack, this is used for printing and wireless music playing. One advantage of having two WiFi routers is the possibility of setting up a Guest Network, with this we can have it open and not secured, but we can isolate the WiFi network from the Physical Wired Network and Computers.

Since Nikon’s introduction of DSLR video in the D90 last year, many photographers have been eager to see what Nikon unveiled today: the D300s.

It’s Nikon’s first professional D-Movie-equipped DSLR. The rugged new D300s offers 720p HD video, allows for autofocus while recording, and supports an external stereo microphone (built-in microphone included).

Nikon has also refined many of the camera’s still capture capabilities. The key improvements:

• Dual card slots (SD and CF)
• 7 frames-per-second Continuous shooting
• Quiet shutter release mode
• 5-frame bracketing of Active D-Lighting
• Dedicated Live View button

The Nikon D300s is now available for pre-order at Calumet Photo. Place your order now to be one of the first to own this revolutionary advance in the Nikon line.

El Monte CA – iBUYPOWER, know for it’s innovative and powerful gaming PCs, is excited to launch its new line of Video PC’s. The Video PCs’ are built with the amateur videographer on mind – individuals who prefer to shoot video rather than stills, and post their experiences on sites like You Tube. The iBUYPOWER Video PC line includes the Video Bot, Video Pro, and Video Extreme, which are priced at $1,299, $1,799, and $4,299 MSRP respectively.The Video Bot, housed in an NZXT Appollo case, features the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 CPU, nVidia 9800GT GPU, and 4 GB of DDR-2 RAM. Customers looking for a little more power will find it in the Video Pro. iBuyPower packed an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 processor, ATI HD 4850 graphics card and 8 GB of DDR- 2 RAM into a Gigabyte Poseidon case.

The Video Extreme however, is built to be just that – extreme. Housed in a Thermaltake Armor case, the Video Extreme is stocked with the best components available – an Intel Core 2 Quad Extreme QX9770 CPU, ATI HD 4870 graphics card, 8 GB of DDR-3 1333 RAM, Blu-ray burner and a 1200W power supply.

“Millions of people visit sites like YouTube to share their videos everyday, yet before now no computer manufacturer has built a pc dedicated to the needs of this community,” said Darren Su, Vice President of iBUYPOWER. “We decided it was time to provide these aspiring filmmakers with a professional video editing solution.”

All three of the iBUYPOWER Video PCs come with Adobe’s Premier Elements 4.0 editing software, built-in 8 channel surround sound, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit Edition, a 12-in-1 card reader/writer and a 3 year limited warranty. (FULL SPECS BELOW)

As part of the launch iBUYPOWER is giving away a Video Pro System, a $1,799 value, and a $2,000 gift card to the winner of the Favorite Gaming Moments YouTube Contest. Contestants will upload videos they create of them reenacting their favorite gaming moments. The contest will run through August with a winner being selected from a group of ten finalists by the You Tube community in the second week of September. Visit www.iBUYPOWER.com/WinAPC for contest details

This was filmed just outside of Gallup, NM with a Nikon D300 set to 10 second interval. It was high on the dash on our camera mount.

You normally think of people out doing nature videos as people that are adding to the overall quality of life, at least certainly not subtracting. They work hard physically as well as mentally, climbing mountains, going where no man has gone before, and capturing natural scenery in an enticing, educational, and artistic manner. They then make these films available for others to see. Of course they make a living out of it, but you also think of these people, in much the same way we think of teachers, as people that are NOT “in it for the money”. They do it because they love their art, and they love nature. It’s a natural marriage for the wildlife videographer.

Enter the federal government, and in more particular, the Department of the Interior. In May of 2006, the feds put into effect a new fee for filmmakers, charging them at least $150 per day for filming in the park. Prior to that date, they only had to pay $200 per year, plus fees for any park services or assistance they require. I think very reasonable, by anyones book. “It won’t just be the filmmakers and photographers affected by this, it’ll be the whole country,” said Jeff Hogan, a documentary filmmaker in Jackson, Wyo., who has shot wildlife programs for National Geographic and the BBC. Bob Landis, an Emmy-winning filmmaker for his 2004 documentary “Wolf Pack,” said the National Park Service probably needs to charge filmmakers more for filming than it currently does, but not as much as the new fee structure. Under the new schedule, Landis — who said he shoots at least 300 days a year in Yellowstone — would have to pay at least $45,000 a year. The problem, Landis said, is that the Park Service is treating large production companies that come into parks to film commercials or movies the same way it treats small, independent wildlife documentary filmmakers. “The philosophy seems to be one size fits all,” Landis said. “If they can come up with a category that fits us — documentary and education filmmakers — then I think they’ll benefit all the way around.”

Rock on Feds, you’ve done it again: one more step driving us to bad TV and WalMarts of the world, both figuratively and literally. Maybe the Feds figure we can get our “nature kicks” from watching survival shows on the Tube? Anyway, I know a few once excellent and dedicated wildlife videographers who have had to turn to other professions, (and in a few unfortunate cases, even the porn industry!) to make a living. Yet another blow to us Americans leading to an overall down slide in our quality of life. Our national park system is/was one of the last great resources originally set aside for “the people”. Now this seems to be under serious attack by a government too quick to take money from such resources in order to fill our evidently bottomless war coffers . Smokey, its time to “bear” arms and invade Iraq in the name of oil (err, I mean “democracy”).

It’s like having your own personal composer, i.e., Hans Zimmer-in-a-Can; and you don’t have to be a Beethoven to use it. Its a new software product, called “Abaltat Muse”, from the Ireland based company, Abaltat (www.abaltat.com). They call it the “worlds first video-driven soundtrack composer”.

First, you import your video segment into the program. Muse can use several methods for formulating your composition; In the demo we were given at the NAB convention, Siun Ni Raghallaigh, the companies CEO, chose “color” as the key for the program to use in constructing it’s unique composition. Neuronets can also be used by the software to construct melodies (one primary, and one secondary melody), and other musical decisions needed to complete the composition. Using either of these techniques, in theory, will never give you two compositions that are exactly alike. We selected the color “red”, since the video’s main visual topic is a red sportscar. The software is also “smart enough” to take the time length of your video, and will adjust the composition to fit exactly in the video’s time frame.

You then select a number of other parameters, such as compositional “complexity”. The user has the flexibility to zero in on a particular time segment for the increased/decreased intensity, or use the same intensity for the entire composition.

Next, one selects a musical style, such as “classical”, “rock”, or “atmospheric”, the beats-per-minute (BPM), and the time signature (3/4 for a waltz feel, or the more typical 4/4 rock style).

Finally you set a parameter called “jingle”. This is slider that controls the degree to which the melody will repeat: set the slider to a low value, and the melody will repeat often, set it high, and it will will repeat rarely, if ever.

You are now ready to hit the “compose” button. With your selections made, Muse chooses the appropriate instruments with 4 “players” in all, 2 playing melodies, a bass instrument, and a rhythm player. The user can mute out, reduce the volume of, or add various “players” at any point during the video.

I was impressed by the results. The demo produced a composition that went well with the video, and would certainly compare favorably with any “off the shelf” soundtrack. And best of all, no royalties or other contractual paperwork to worry about – ii’s YOUR composition!

Once your are happy with your composition, you can export the project as a MIDI file, or AIFF sound file. This is a good feature, since, in my opinion, the sound samples used weren’t of the best quality.  In the demo, the “flute” sounded like a violin to me.  However, the MIDI export would allow you to enhance or otherwise change your composition further by using some of the pro-audio software tools, such as Cubase or Apple’s Logic Pro, as well some the high-end sound sample libraries available. The Abaltat Muse playout works with Mac’s own soundcard or with the standard editing third party cards such as Blackmagic.

The Muse software retails for around $480, is available on Apple, and will be available for Windows this year. Their “Express” version sells for around $220 (Apple only), and has fewer features than Muse but can still take you from A-Z resulting in a decent sounding track. For more information about the two versions, and other offerings from Abaltat, go to www.abaltat.com.