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Full-Screen Video Over 28.8k: The Claims Continue

Posted by timothy on from the well-maybe-a-monkey's-cousin-at-least dept.

gwernol writes "Over at Screen Daily they are claiming that an Australian company has demonstrated a high quality, full-screen video-on-demand service that is delivered over a 28.8k modem. They claim this will 'eliminate the need for broadband.' If this is true, then they'll change the world. Of course, the basic technology has been around for a while, see this article from 1998 or this one from earlier this year. I remain extremely sceptical. If this is real, why won't they allow proper independent testing? But it is interesting that they're getting funding. Could this be the last great Internet scam?"

Several readers also pointed out this brief report at imdb.com as well. We've mentioned this before, but the news here is the reportedly successful demo. It would be a lot easier to swallow if he'd let people test it independently, but video-over-28.8 sure is tantalizing.

4 of 459 comments (clear)

  1. easily done by LocalYokel · · Score: 4, Funny
    Lossy compression can do wonderful things. =)
    http://lzip.sourceforge.net/

    I hope this isn't another Pixelon...

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    E2 IN2 IE?

  2. What's that? by pogofish · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes sir, full screen video over a 28k connection.


    So what am I seeing? It looks rather blank.


    Well sir, that's a white cow in a snow field. It just scared out some snow hares.


    Over 28k you say? Where do I sign?

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    A man without a God is like a fish without a bicycle.
  3. Re:Smoke and Mirrors by Nick+Number · · Score: 4, Funny

    For all we know the machine had a 802.11b wireless card and was receiving multiple transmissions of the datastream. (Assuming any level of auditing was actualy done to verify that any data was over the 28.8 connection.)

    Perhaps a GPS beacon as well.

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    Promote proofreading. Don't mod up sloppy posts.
  4. Re:End of Broadband? by garcia · · Score: 4, Funny

    umm, how is this any different than having a 24/7 dialup connection (or at least close). PPP on demand would do just about the same thing as well.

    Broadband is great b/c I don't have to wait 5 mins while my porn comes up, I don't have to wait 15 hours for my whatever.tar.gz to download, and I certainly don't have to worry about my roommate stealing all the bandwith downloading MP3s.

    Even if 28.8kbps can support full motion video you can't do much else while it is downloading.