Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 295

MSNBC's Gary Krakow outlines ActiveSky's new mobile video compression standard. He says it's really nice on the Prism (VPR). Here's a link to the article:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/481047.asp?0nm=N15N

The article says that you can try it for yourself:

"You can try this for yourself right now. On the company�s site, ActiveSky lists the devices its tested so far. Download the free software and see what I�m talking about. There�s content available from a number of providers: Atomfilms, Center Seat, CinemaElectric, FunMail, Undergroundfilm and more."

http://www.activesky.com

Gary Krakow is a big proponent of HandSpring. I wonder if he hangs around VisorCentral?

Let us know what you think when you try this with your VPR or VPL.

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<><

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

I've played a few files in ActiveSky and it looks impressive, however, I haven't heard any audio yet. Can it use audio?

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James Hromadka
Old Friend

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 21

ActiveSky experience?

Does the Prism speaker support actual audio or just beeps? If it supports actual audio then movie players might support it.

I'm considering upgrading from the VDX to Prism and will do it if ActiveSky or another movie player works well. One thing that is worries me about ActiveSky is they don't seem to be distributing the encoder. Don't they think people will want to play their own content?

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 80

Re: ActiveSky experience?

quote:

---

Originally posted by andyland
Does the Prism speaker support actual audio or just beeps? If it supports actual audio then movie players might support it.

I'm considering upgrading from the VDX to Prism and will do it if ActiveSky or another movie player works well. One thing that is worries me about ActiveSky is they don't seem to be distributing the encoder. Don't they think people will want to play their own content?

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I do NOT look wierd! I just look ... "different".

Registered: Jun 2000
Location:
Posts: 594

We were just covering this on the "sounds" post -- we should merge 'em.
Movies would be a nice reason for either:
The Visor to have a speaker;
A speaker SB (along w/voice, etc.);
A camcorder SB, if / when released -- to come w/a speaker.

Sad to hear even the playback is not as dazzling as it could be, which you'd've thought both the 64k color and the faster chip were tailor-made for. Even if those who back the Palm OS aren't necessarily interested in videos.

I tried Casio's "downloadable player" for Win'CE, and can verify it was pretty dazzling (thought it ALSO HAD NO SOUND, which I'm told ONLY WORKS ON THE Casio PDAs!!!), and in full color.

It'd be nice if Prism had this for people to see. ActiveSky's stuff will still be b&w on my HSVD, of course.

Then, too, by chance a few days ago I was on the site of many of the content providers ActiveSky lists on its site ... and I didn't really come across anything I particularly thought:
I'd like to download;
To see on a PDA;
Many times.

PDAs and video don't really seem to mix -- unless you're recording your own, w/friends, etc.

Maybe it's me...

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 153

Anxiously awaiting streaming

I'm anxiously awaiting streaming of audio and/or video. As more and more content providers start archiving their shows (such as National Public Radio) and services like Omnisky and YadaYada provide streaming through their portal, we will have an improved channel for stuff when we want it without having to record everything. I would even buy a springboard with audio out and 4 MB of memory to hold the streams. Maybe even a my-Vox digital voice recorder would work.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 1571

AvtiveSky

An ActiveSky module with speaker would be the ultimate entertainment pack for me. I was arguing that a PDA should be a PDA until the Prism came along and change everything.