Each camera had its own monitor. One camera, one monitor.

CCTV systems were introduced in the US and the UK during the 60s and 70s.

CCTV systems are over a thousand times more advanced than the basic camera and monitor configurations that first appeared in the 1960s. Systems from the 60s were basic, consisting of very low resolution black and white cameras connected by coaxial cable. Each camera was connected to a black and white monitor. A 16 camera configuration required 16 monitors. New applications of camera security systems include: underground trains and stations, sports stadiums, retail stores, shopping centers, public facilities, community parks, garages and parking lots.

CCTV Technology Evolution The basic technology evolved in the 60s. First of all, cctv switch boxes were added. A switchbox would allow the operator to switch between cameras. Operators now could see multiple camera views on one monitor. Only one camera could be viewed at a time. The 70’s brought Multiplexers, VCRs and solid state cameras. Multiplexers allowed the screen to be broken into multiple frames on the same monitor. VCRs allowed easy recording and video distribution. Solid state cameras helped improve reliability and the integration of VCRs.

‘First generation’ CCTV technology was initially impeded by some fairly major performance related problems.

In the 80s we learned that VCR recorders had many problems. VCR recorders were temperamental. The quality of the recordings was very poor. The combination of low resolution camera images, poor quality video tapes and low tech solutions meant that grainy and unclear images couldn’t be relied on even for conclusive identification purposes.

VCR technology couldn’t allow the operator to review and record events simultaneously and it was a very time consuming process to find and review specific events.

There was no motion detection capability and no way of viewing events from a remote location.

Expensive for what you get Even though early CCTV systems provided only relatively basic functionality and moderate performance, they were quite expensive - both in terms of the initial equipment cost and the installation. Since this is still a new growth industry, there is still a lack of qualified and skilled installers.

The Next Generation CCTV The ‘next generation’ of CCTV system arrived in the mid 90s. The new technology was a computer based Digital Video Recorder (DVR) DVRs allow images to be recorded at much higher resolution than previously. DVR eliminated a major problem with first generation CCTV systems – Video Tape! Worn out, forgot to change the tape, VCR recording tape.

DVRs are automatic and never require user intervention. When it is time to look at recorded images, the DVR continues to record. Images are time and date stamped and are very easy to review. DVRs using IP (Internet Protocol) technology allow authorized remote users to view, transmit two way audio, fully control the cameras and system itself over a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) or via the internet. With such flexible access, the modern generation of CCTV cameras may be operated remotely from a control center or, in fact anywhere with internet access. Equally, high quality digital images may be streamed anywhere and captured at a convenient and secure location. But it isn’t only the operating platform that has developed significantly; camera technology too allows far more functionality.

Today’s generation cameras can PTZ - pan, tilt and zoom, have higher resolution options, a large variety of lenses and are also capable of operating in ‘night vision. Audio is also now part of CCTV DVR technology. An operator is now able to synchronize motion based video events with audio analysis. Two way audio transmission allows the operator to question possible intruders, give instructions to staff and to record/search/replay in both audio and visual form. Next generation DDTV DVR systems are compatible with earlier camera technology, and are scaleable, flexible and can be integrated with a broad range of other management systems, such as access control and building management systems.

CCTV has certainly come a long way since the 1960s; it’s clear that the future of CCTV is secure and that technology will continue to develop to meet the changing needs of the surveillance market.

John Beagle is a technology writer for Camera Security Now.

CRT

CRT or Cathode Ray Tube monitors are the monitors everyone will have seen before. They that look like televisions. They range in size from 15 to around 22 Inch, and weight up to 30 kilos.

Advantages

Great value for money

Mature technology

Good for graphical detail

Can accommodate many different resolutions

Disadvantages

Big

Take up a lot of space

Cost more to run than an LCD

LCD/TFT

LCD or Liquid Crystal Display screens have now been around a few years, these are the thin screens. Some look almost like a picture frame. You will see them referred to as LCD or TFT (TFT being a type of LCD). They start at around 14 inches, and due to technological advances bigger LCDs are being produced all the time, 30 Inch are already available with 40 inch on the way too. They weigh very little compared to their CRT equivalent and can be mounted on a wall or shelf with ease.

Advantages

Less desk space needed

Require less power to run, more environmentally friendly

Increased Viewable area, a 15"LCD can give the same viewable area as a 17" CRT monitor

Disadvantages

Viewing angle can affect image quality

One native resolution

More expensive than a CRT

General Monitor Features

Size

Here is one area where size does matter, the bigger the monitor the easier it will be on the eye. You will be able to open more windows and the text should be easier to read. Keep in mind the viewable area, all CRT have a smaller viewable area than their size. For Example a typical 17" CRT will have a viewable area of around 15.8". LCD tends to have the same viewable area, so a 15" LCD will have a 15" viewable area. Monitor size (and TVs) are measured diagonally, from the top left corner to the bottom right hand corner.

Resolution

Resolution is the number of pixels displayed on screen at one time, it’s usually in the format Horizontal x Vertical, e.g.?- 800×600 or 1024×768. CRT monitors can display multiple resolutions easily, while LCD monitors are optimised for 1 native resolution (They can display other resolutions, but are optimised for 1) the higher the resolution the more you can get on screen and the sharper the image.

CRT Specific Features

Dot Pitch

Dot pitch is the distance in millimetres between two dots of the same colour on the screen, it’s usually measured diagonally and you should be looking for something around 0.26mm

Refresh Rate

This is the number of time the screen is redrawn per second, most new monitors should have reasonable refresh rates, 75Hz or higher. Some older CRTs had lower refresh rates that can cause screen flicker and induce eye strain.

LCD Specific Features

Brightness

Because LCDs require their own back light to create colour, brightness is an important factor. It’s measured in candelas per metre squared or cd/m2, where one candle produces a brightness of 1 candela. The higher this number, the brighter the screen.

Contrast Ratio

This is the degree of difference between the extremes of light and dark colours. The higher the contrast ratio, the more detailed the image will be. Blacks will be blacker, whites will be whiter, and particularly text on the image will be more vivid. It will usually be written as 500:1 or 250:1

Response Time

Refers to just how quickly a pixel can change colour. It’s measured in milliseconds with 20-30ms being the normal at the moment. Gamers and people who watch a lot of movies on LCD screens would be better opting for something with a fast response time, around 16ms as this reduces the ghosting effect of fast motion.

When looking to buy a new monitor all of the above needs to be considered. Keep in mind you will be looking at your purchase day in day out for the next few years, so do not cut corners here, buy the best you can afford, your eyes will thank you for it later.

Dead Pixel Policy

Due to the difficulties associated with producing LCD screens very few brands guarantee a pixel perfect (Class 1) product, and those that do charge a premium for it. Most of the screens we sell currently adhere to the international standard, ISO 13406-2 and use class 2 panels. It is possible, although uncommon, for a Class 2 LCD screen to have a small number of faulty pixels. In these cases, this standard deems the screen as being ‘not faulty’.

For an LCD monitor to be considered faulty there has to be a certain number of dead pixels:

Acceptable malfunctioning pixels by class & type per Million pixels:

2 complete pixels constantly illuminated (a white spot)

2 complete pixels not illuminated (a black spot)

5 sub pixels constantly on or off or intermittent fault. May blink or show a pixel as a base colour (Red, Blue, Green, Cyan, Magenta or yellow) or, any 2 sub pixel faults within a 5 x 5 block of pixels

Also, the faults are cumulative, so if you have 1 white spot and 1 black spot per million pixels then this counts.

Native Resolution Pixel Count Example

1024 x 768 786,432 2 or more dead pixels considered faulty

1280 x 1024 1,310,720 3 or more dead pixels considered faulty

1600 x 1200 1,920,000 3 or more dead pixels considered faulty

So, You can have a 19" LCD monitor with a low native resolution where 2 pixels would be considered faulty, but if it had a native resolution of 1600 x 1200 and therefore had many more pixels, then 2 would not be classed as faulty.

For any LCD to be classed as faulty it must meet the above requirements, primarily those of the specific manufacturer. Please contact the manufacturer directly for their current dead pixel policy.

Willson Peterson is computer expert and network engineer. He is the author of "How to backup your computer data" and "Monitor Glossary of Terms."

Click here ==> http://www.ebookarticle.com to visit his website.

For a long time Intel has been leading the market in processor sales and popularity but AMD is finally putting a stop to that. With the release of their Athlon 64 processor, with 64 bit computing capabilities, they have been slowly but surely regaining the market back from Intel.

The Athlon 64 processors have been around for a while now and they have proven themselves the market leaders in processing power. As we know AMD processor run at a lot slower speeds than Intel processors making them cooler to run. This has eliminated the need for expensive cooling equipment and opened the doorway for overclocking.

Although AMD hit the target by releasing their 64 bit processor long before Intel did, they are not standing still. They have been constantly upgrading their line up to increase speed and efficiency. This is apparent with their fx series processors and their dual core processors.

The fx series processor are the king of the hill at AMD. They are the most powerful processor that is available. They show blistering speeds for CPU intensive functions such video encoding and gaming. They also show great performance in database driven work and most other aspects of computing.

The dual-core line of processor are the ultimate in multi-tasking. They provide the power of two processor running in unison while still being able to fit in a single processor motherboard. Although these processors are essentially two processors in one, they are rather pricy and may not be everyones cup of tea.

Intel is trying to fight back by forming an alliance with Apple. All macs are now available with Intel processors. Whether this will be profitable for Intel only time will tell.

With competition growing stronger from AMD this can only mean increased benefits for the consumer. As the war between Intel and AMD intensifies, the consumer will benefit from lowered prices, and increased quality in their processors.

For more great technology related articles and reviews please visit the links below http://www.technologyslice.com/Articles.htm http://www.technologyslice.com/Reviews.htm http://www.technologyslice.com

This is the time to get into Printer Cartridge Recycling. Offices and homes all over the world have printers attached to their computers. Thousands of sheets of paper and countless printer cartridges get used everyday. The demand for print cartridge refills or remanufactured printer cartridges is rising.

Even though our society relies on email and instant messaging quite a bit, there is still a great need for the printed word. Many people find it difficult to edit documents by reading them on a screen. There are memos that often need to be sent other than electronically. Training materials and class materials still need to be printed for use.

Because of the high cost of new cartridges, both for inkjet cartridges and toner cartridges, remanufactured cartridges have become increasingly popular. There has been speculation in the past over the quality of remanufactured or refilled cartridges, but with the newer technologies these concerns have slipped into the past. This gives you the perfect opportunity to make money with a Printer Cartridge Recycling Business.

Print cartridges and toner cartridges in the last few years have undergone as many changes as the printers and copiers that they work in. The designs for these cartridges are more refill friendly, and geared more toward printer cartridge recycling efforts. The quality of these remanufactured cartridges is often as good as a brand new cartridge and the cost is dramatically lowered.

There are several ways in which you can operate in the Printer Cartridge Recycling Business Opportunity field. The first is to collect and remanufacture the cartridges yourself. You can then resell these to the local public or online. Another way in which you can earn money with a Printer Cartridge Recycling Business is to collect the cartridges and send them in to a company that handles only the refilling of the cartridges. Reselling cartridges is just as easy, and there is no need for you to refill the cartridges on your own. Several companies will refill the cartridges and sell them to you for resale. There are even franchise operations that will set you up with everything needed for this type of business.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy has dozens of home based business articles at Businesses you can run from Home such as Home Based Medical Billing Business.

Computers these days are becoming more than just an avenue to surf the web and do word processing. They are becoming multimedia stations that allow us to watch movies and listen to the latest music. Especially with new solutions such as renting DVD’s online and pay per download music downloading programs. This is why having good sound on your computer is important for the best possible multimedia experience.

There are two ways you can increase the quality of sound coming from your computer. I will discuss both.

The first would be to upgrade, or get a new, sound card for your computer. The quality of the sound signal being sent from your computer is determined by the sound card. Also the amount of channels that are being sent, and the number of connectivity options you have. This is why having a good quality sound card is important. There are several cards on the market that can deliver a great listening experience.

The second way to enhance your sound quality would be to get a quality set of speakers. There are an infinite number of options you have in this regards. You can get a standard 2 speaker system, a 2.1 speaker system (2 speakers and a subwoofer), a 4.1 system and the ultimated 5.1 system. The most enhancing system would be the 5.1 system.

The 5.1 system consists of 5 speakers and a subwoofer. The subwoofer will deliver the bass and the low frequency sounds. The other speakers would be positioned strategically around the room to give the best array of sounds.

Computers today are not the simple machines they were years ago. They have the capabilities to be a lot more. With this in mind utilizing these capabilities will be very cost effective. Now you do not need to buy a stereo system and a television. A computer can fulfill both these duties.

For more great technology related articles and reviews please visit the links below http://www.technologyslice.com/Articles.htm http://www.technologyslice.com/Reviews.htm http://www.technologyslice.com

Take out four credit cards from your wallet. Stack them and hold them in your hand. Apple’s iPod nano http://www.powermax.com/cgi-global/generate_css_temp.cgi? i=PM_MP_IN&t=The+iPod+nano is about the same weight and half an inch less wide than that stack of cards. Now put three cards back in your wallet and use the remaining card to go buy yourself a nano.

The nano’s introduction should not be misinterpreted as just another iPod in the lineup. It is, in fact, exactly what the iPod should have been in the first place: a flash-based jukebox with a long battery life and stunning color screen. This new iPod is not a smaller version of another iPod, or combination of any other two iPods. The user interface is the same (which has always been iPod’s strength) but that’s it. The differences here are under the skin, most notably with the screen.

Color screens are not new to iPods, but the way you see the color is. The nano’s 1.5-inch color LCD has a blue-white LED backlight. LEDs achieve full brightness faster than standard LCD backlights. This is particularly useful because iPods turn on and off their backlight often to save battery power. The number of seconds this saves you per day is not going to give you an extra hour of sleep at night. But the LCD’s quick start up allows your eyes to focus near instantaneously, which makes using the nano feel that much faster. LEDs produce brighter light than other backlights without washing out the image. That gives the nano screen a deep bright color. Over all the nano’s LCD is the best I have seen in the 1-inch to 3-inch size.

Another difference from previous iPods is the nano’s lack of FireWire support. Although iPods have come with only USB 2.0 cables for some time, they have always supported syncing through a FireWire cable. The iPod nano is the first to be USB only. When you connect a nano via a “FireWire to Dock Connecter” cable it displays a message that this is a USB only device. It will still charge off the FireWire cable but no file transfers can be done. If your computer has only the older USB 1.1, the nano will still sync with iTunes but you are stuck moving files over at an extremely slow speed.

Amazingly, the nano has no moving parts except the click wheel. This was done by using flash memory for song storage. Every iPod ever made has had flash memory, but it was used on most iPods as a data buffer. Song data was pulled from the hard drive and stored in the buffer for skip protection. However, iPod hard drives are very slow and can cause delays when loading a song off the drive. So Apple also uses the buffer to preload songs, so you don’t hear a pause between songs. Of course, not every song is in the buffer so sometimes there are pauses between songs. Changing songs in the nano, however, is faster than with hard drive based iPods because it has one big buffer. An added benefit of using flash memory is a significant reduction in weight.

The small size and weight of the iPod nano is its best feature. It slips into a shirt pocket without being felt or seen. The difference between the nano and its hard drive based brothers is equal to the difference between the brick sized analog cell phones of the 1980’s compared to the cell phones of today. A close second place feature is that it comes in black. When Apple released the third generation of iPods, they photographed it in the shadows. The picture made it look black and it looked good in black. Almost every person that walked by that poster asked when could they get a “black one.” After a couple of years, Apple finally realized “U2” fans were not the only ones who like black.

The iPod nano is the only product I have ever ordered the day it was released. I saw instantly it possessed all that had been missing from the iPods that came before it, and at a spectacular price. I just couldn’t wait another day… so what are you waiting for?

PowerMax’s http://www.powermax.com/ resident Mac expert, Jacob Loeb, has been using Macintosh computers professionally since 1990. He founded a pioneering Mac based DVD production company and later worked as an IT administrator for several Portland, Oregon companies. Over the last four years Jacob has retained a top Apple Product Professional ranking. As a PowerMax technician he’s repaired, trouble shot, and tested every model Mac we sell.

Television tuners allow a user to watch television on their computer monitor. There are several different types of television tuners which we will discuss in this article.

The most common type of television tuner for a computer is the USB television tuner. USB ports are common on all computer so this type of connectivity make it possible to connect the tuner to pretty much any computer.

The television tuner acts just like a normal television would but with the need for a bulky antenna. USB television tuners can receive standard definition, or high definition signals depending of the type of tuner you have.

Most television tuners are bundled with some sort of software. This software allows the user to record the streaming television onto their computer so they can watch programs at a later date. In most cases this software is easy to use and easily setup.

Television tuners are constantly evolving. The newest wave of television tuners allow the user to use two streams from the one tuner. Meaning, you can record one television show while watching another. This is very convenient but at present, only one stream can be recorded and the recorded stream cannot be viewed in conjunction with the non-recorded stream.

Television tuners are a great way to watch television on notebook computers. With the portability of notebook computers, watching television anywhere your notebook can go is possible.

Television tuners can be bought for different prices depending on the quality of the product and the features/software they provide. A simple tuner can be bought for around 50 dollars whereas a more expensive alternative with more comprehensive software will cost upwards of 100 dollars.

With portability becoming more and more of an issue with today’s consumers, a USB television tuner is a great solution to watching television from your computer.

For more great technology related articles and reviews please visit the links below http://www.technologyslice.com/Articles.htm http://www.technologyslice.com/Reviews.htm http://www.technologyslice.com

While working and printing out important documents you discover you are out of ink. Years ago that would have posed a dilemma. Daisy wheels and ribbons were used in printers in the past. Let’s delve into the advancements made in printer cartridges.

1984 was the start of inkjet printers and printer cartridges. It was now easy to print documents and change ink cartridges. This comes after years of changing ribbons and adding toner ink to reservoirs within the computer. Dot matrix printing used a ribbon.

Printing became easier and more convenient as the industry discovered new ways to make it happen. When ink is squirted onto the paper through tiny nozzles it is called drop on demand. How much ink is dropped on the paper and which nozzle is fired and when is controlled by the software driver.

Cartridges for inkjet printers were commonly accepted by 1990. The inkjet cartridges can print on any sized paper, fabric, and on film. The inkjet printer is a popular choice for printing and is used in a variety of settings worldwide.

An exclusive type of ink cartridges are used by various brands of printers. Each ink cartridge is given an identification number and the models the cartridge is designed for are listed. Your printer’s manual should tell you exactly which cartridge is appropriate for your printer because there is a wide variety of cartridges.

If you are trying to be economical, refill ink cartridge kits can be purchased that would allow you to refill the cartridges yourself. Refill kits are not liked by some because the print quality may not be as good and the cartridges once they are re-installed could fail to work.

You can get recycled cartridges from some retailers and sometime directly from the manufacturer. Inkjet cartridges that are compatible are made according to the original manufacturer’s specifications. There is not a matching compatible cartridge for every cartridge.

You need to determine what type of cartridge the printer you are looking at has. The volume and the type of printing you will do must have the correct type of cartridge. Retailers, manufacturers, and the Internet will provide you with information you need about the printer you are looking at.

You can find discounted ink cartridges online. Type either ink cartridges or printer cartridges into your search engine. There are some amazing discounts offered on websites. You will have to some digging to find the best deal for you.

Pay attention to the top of the cartridge when purchasing them. The side of the box should have listed the models of printers that can use it. There are some really interesting facts in the timeline given below. There is a list of great trivia game answers in this.

The hard work that resulted in the inkjet cartridge as we know it is unimaginable. Cartridges high cost can be understood. In 1452, Gutenberg made the first printing press from an old wine press, moveable type and oil based ink. As Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation he made rather extensive use of the printing press. 1714 saw the birth of the typewriter.

Although schematics done by Mills were discovered there is no evidence that any typewriters were actually made. Christopher Sholes, Samuel Soule, and Carlos Glidden, in 1874 created a keyboard that became known as the “qwerty” because of the first five keys on the top row of the key board.

In 1894 Franz Wagner made a typewriter that is very similar to the ones we see today. He designed it so typists could watch as they typed. Previously you were unable to see what you typed until you were done because paper went through a roller as you typed.

The prototypical typewriter of its day, The Underwood was made by John Underwood. 1939 was when Charles Carlson developed electrography, the first dry writing technique developed in the United States. In 1949 Haloid Company for the first time developed elctrography commercially.

In 1949, when the Xerox 914 hit the market it basically forced businesses to make their communication systems more modern. Dry printing (laser printing) was first introduced by Xerox, by Gary Starkweather in 1969. The world’s first business laser printer the Xerox 9700, was released in 1978 by Xerox.

Its speed was the copying of documents at 120 ppm (pages per minute). 20,000 lines per minute could be printed by the IBM 3800 in 1979. As of the 1980’s the use of toner cartridges were out of date. The release of Hewlett-Packard’s first home-based desktop laser printer occurred in 1984.

About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Discount ink cartridges which includes Cheap ink cartridge, if you have time drop by his site for some tips and information

More and more videos were laid on the web, but not all people can view the video on the webpages because they don’t have the proper video player. In order to make people view the whole videos on the webpages, most video styles were converted to flash styles, such as swf and flv. Flash video converter is the tool to convert video to flash. Macromedia company has a tool named Flash Video Encoder.Besides the Flash Video encoder from the Macromedia company, there are different other Flash Video encoders such as Video to Flash Encoder, SwishVideo, and On2 Flix.. Now I am going to compare these different Flash Video encoders in various different aspects:

Features about the tools.

Interface Style:

Macromedia Flash Video Encoder: Traditional Windows style and paging method.

Video to Flash Encoder: Windows XP style and Wizard method.

Swish Video: Traditional Windows style and paging method.

On2 Flix: Traditional Windows style and paging method.

Video Input Type

Macromedia Flash Video Encoder: Windows Media (Windows Media Player required), QuickTime (QuickTime Player required) Video to Flash Encoder: Windows Media (Windows Media Player required), QuickTime (QuickTime Player required), Real Media (RealPlayer and RealMedia Splitter required). Swish Video: Windows Media (Windows Media Player required), QuickTime (QuickTime Player required) On2 Flix: Windows Media (Windows Media Player required), QuickTime (QuickTime Player required)

Output Type

Macromedia Flash Video Encoder: FLV

Video to Flash Encoder: FLV,SWF

Swish Video: FLV,SWF

On2 Flix: FLV,SWF

Video Capture & Split

Macromedia Flash Video Encoder: Input video preview by frame, rough video capture, and video split.

Video to Flash Encoder: Input video preview by frame, accurate video capture, and video preview playback.

Swish Video: Input video preview by frame and rough video capture. On2 Flix: Input video preview by frame, difficult and rough video capture, and video split.

Video Conversion Settings

Macromedia Flash Video Encoder: Output size adjustment, frame adjustment, byte rate adjustment, and key frame rate adjustment.

Video to Flash Encoder: Output size adjustment, frame adjustment, byte rate adjustment, automatic key frame rate, and video fade in/out. Swish Video: Output size adjustment, frame split, output quality adjustment, and key frame rate adjustment.

On2 Flix: Output size adjustment, frame rate adjustment, byte rate adjustment, and key frame rate adjustment.

Other SWF Functions

Macromedia Flash Video Encoder: No

Video to Flash Encoder: Control bar (different styles available and can be previewed), special video effect (can be previewed), movie beginning and movie end.

Swish Video: Control bar

On2 Flix: Movie preload bar

Audio Settings

Macromedia Flash Video Encoder: MP3,sample rate settings, and audio channel settings.

Video to Flash Encoder: MP3,sample rate settings, audio file replacement, and audio fade in/out.

Swish Video: MP3,sample rate settings, audio channel settings, and audio file replacement.

On2 Flix: MP3 / RAW, ample rate settings, and audio channel settings.

Conversion Speed

Macromedia Flash Video Encoder: encoder: fast

Swish Video: encoder: fast

Video to Flash Encoder: encoder: fast

On2 Flix: encoder: slow

Encoding Quality & Output File Size

Macromedia Flash Video Encoder: average quality and big file size.

Video to Flash Encoder: high quality and small file size.

Swish Video: encoder: average quality and big file size

On2 Flix: encoder: average quality and average file size.

Unregistered Version Limitation

Macromedia Flash Video Encoder: Sold along with Macromedia Flash MX; 30-day trial period.

Video to Flash Encoder: Watermark on output video.

Swish Video: 15-day trial period

On2 Flix: Watermark on output video.

Advices for User

If you are a beginner of Flash files and you want to convert your video files to SWF files to play them on the Internet, Video to Flash Encoder will be a good choice. It has a very easy interface and allows you to preview the main settings you have done. Macromedia Flash Video Encoder cannot create SWF files. SwishVideo and On2 Flix are both complicated for beginners.

If you only want to convert a video file to a SWF file, SwishVideo, Video to Flash Encoder and On2 Flix are all fine. However, if you want good quality and small file size, Video to Flash Encoder will be the best choice.

If you want to convert your video files to FLV files and you prefer On2 VP6 conversion, Macromedia Flash Video Encoder, Video to Flash Encoder, and On2 Flix all work well for you.

If you are a professional Flash designer and you need to add Cue Point to your Flash files, you should choose Macromedia Flash 8 Video Encoder. It was released together with Flash 8 Professional by the Macromedia company. If you have already bought Flash 8 Professional, you should have got Macromedia Flash 8 Video Encoder along with it.

View the demo: http://www.flash-on-tv.com/vtf/video-to-flash-dome.html

Webmaster of http://www.flash-on-tv.com

Something to consider, aside from initial purchase cost, is operation and maintenance costs. You can easily pickup an inkjet for $50, but take a look at the size of the ink cartridges. If it runs out every 100 pages, you’re going to spend much more on ink in the first year, than if you had purchased a much better quality laser.

Image Quality

B&W text and simple graphics will look sharper on a laser printer. If you use a good quality inkjet paper though, most casual users will be hard pressed to notice the difference. On the other hand, a good photo inkjet printer will give a good color laser printer a run for it’s money, in quality and cost. If you’re going to print a lot of photos, your best choice would be an inkjet.

Duty Cycle

You’ll see ‘Duty Cycle’ listed mostly on specs for laser printers. This refers to how much paper the printer is expected to be able to handle each month. This will be a factor for you if you are buying for a large office, or if you are publishing your own fliers on a regular basis. You’ll have to ask yourself, “How much printing will I do each month?” Now that doesn’t say your printer will break if it’s rated at 30,000 and you print 30,050 one month. If you know though, that you will print 75,000 pages a month, don’t buy a printer rated at 50,000.

What can connect?

The last thing left to consider is, what machines will be connecting to this machine, and how? Will the printer be on a network? Will different operating systems access it? If you’re going to be the only user, and you have one PC with XP running on it, you just have to make sure you have the right ports and that it has drivers for XP. If, on the other hand, you are part of a small Linux workgroup, you’re going to be somewhat limited on your selection.

What’s Emulation?

This is a feature that is mostly used for older programs. Say you have a printer that emulates an Epson FX80. That means it understands the commands used to communicate with an Epson FX80. Your program may require a certain printer to function properly. Some programs, especially in vertical markets like Real Estate and Insurance, make direct requests to the printers. Your printer must either be the right type of printer, or it must emulate that printer, in order to speak the language. If you have special software, other than off the shelf types like Word or Photoshop, be sure to check the program’s printer requirements.

John Gibb manages http://www.computer-and-printer-reviews.com The site dedicated to computers and printers.