VCDs are MPEG too - MPEG-1. I worked on some of the first encoders back when real-time required specialist DSP hardware. At the time it was technically amazing that you could encode acceptable full video and stereo soundtrack into a standard 1x CD bitstream. Quality however is *very* variable dependent on source material and encoder software... but generally shitty! Also a movie takes 2 (sometimes 3) discs, and getting up to change them is a real pain in the arse.
Indeed... and it in fact makes great corporate sense.
If you see the opportunities, attack/compete with your own company - if you don't, someone else will and you will lose all.
As to "...a wealth of natural resources..." if the US could reduce its dependence on foreign oil, which it could (e.g. I drive a car that will belt from 0-60mph in just over 7 seconds and *still* returns 38mpg) then it would be in a *much* stronger position.
*rant*
"...nobody else has what it takes to match us..."?!
You better watch out. Have you ever *been* to Asia? When I was in China in '99 they already had mp3 CD players, portable VCD players and all manner of other gadgets. And the people didn't appear too pissed off with their jobs either. Japan... I don't see too many slave labourers there, and Singapore has one of the highest standards of living anywhere in the world.
Europe? Lacking natural resources? You must be joking... If the EU can stop messing around with its European Court of fucking Human Rights (which appears to be a carte blanche for any moaning sod with time on their hands to sue for just about anything) then it would truly be a force to be reckoned with....and if Africa could just get a stable government, then it has the resources, the people and the location to become a truly formidable force.
*/rant*
I'm using a shared uk web host with zero bandwidth restriction. It's not the fastest in the world, but I can successfully stream video off it. Details here.
I put all my experience / recommendations on a site here. This is the best quality/value combination I have found. I used to colo, but now this is all I need!
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VCDs are MPEG too - MPEG-1. I worked on some of the first encoders back when real-time required specialist DSP hardware. At the time it was technically amazing that you could encode acceptable full video and stereo soundtrack into a standard 1x CD bitstream. Quality however is *very* variable dependent on source material and encoder software... but generally shitty! Also a movie takes 2 (sometimes 3) discs, and getting up to change them is a real pain in the arse.
Indeed... and it in fact makes great corporate sense. If you see the opportunities, attack/compete with your own company - if you don't, someone else will and you will lose all.
As to "...a wealth of natural resources..." if the US could reduce its dependence on foreign oil, which it could (e.g. I drive a car that will belt from 0-60mph in just over 7 seconds and *still* returns 38mpg) then it would be in a *much* stronger position.
*rant* "...nobody else has what it takes to match us..."?! You better watch out. Have you ever *been* to Asia? When I was in China in '99 they already had mp3 CD players, portable VCD players and all manner of other gadgets. And the people didn't appear too pissed off with their jobs either. Japan... I don't see too many slave labourers there, and Singapore has one of the highest standards of living anywhere in the world. Europe? Lacking natural resources? You must be joking... If the EU can stop messing around with its European Court of fucking Human Rights (which appears to be a carte blanche for any moaning sod with time on their hands to sue for just about anything) then it would truly be a force to be reckoned with. ...and if Africa could just get a stable government, then it has the resources, the people and the location to become a truly formidable force.
*/rant*
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I'm using a shared uk web host with zero bandwidth restriction. It's not the fastest in the world, but I can successfully stream video off it. Details here.
I put all my experience / recommendations on a site here. This is the best quality/value combination I have found. I used to colo, but now this is all I need!