2 types of flat screen TVs populate the HD arena currently: LCD TVs and plasmas. Even though these TVs are flat, attractive and capable of spectacular pictures, most potential owners still cannot decide on which type of flat screen TV they should purchase. This article will try to help you in making the correct decision by considering how you’re going to use your HDTV.

In the past, plasmas held the advantage over LCD TVs when it comes to sheer picture quality. Having said that, as LCD TVs improve as technology advances, the gap now is minimal at best. That’s why to decide on whether you should get a plasma or LCD, you should look at how you are planning to use the flat screen HDTV.

If you plan to play a lot of console games on your new flat screen HDTV, you should choose an LCD TV over a plasma. Even though not as serious a problem as it was before, plasmas are still relatively prone to screenburn and image retention that could be easily brought upon by a long gaming session.

Also, LCD TVs tend to be brighter and boast a higher resolution than plasmas within the same price bracket, which make the games look more vivid and detailed, resulting in an immersive gaming experience.

You should also opt for an LCD if you are going to use a home theater computer (HTPC) with your flat screen HDTV. The higher resolution of LCD TVs will make sure that the text on the screen are well-formed; and the increased brightness level (compared to plasmas) is essential to mimic a computer monitor. Also, if you sit closer to your flat screen HDTV you may notice pixel noise on plasmas due to the fashion the pictures are rendered through pulse width modulation (PWM).

On the other hand, if you watch fast paced sport programs, a plasma TV should be a strong contender in your shortlist. While much improved compared to previous batches, LCD TVs continue to suffer from motion blurring as a result of the sample-and-hold phenomenon which is inherent in the LCD TV technology. More advanced LCD TVs powered with frame interpolation technology (100Hz and above) are better in this respect, but because the technology is still in its infancy, it is generally limited to smaller screens (less than 40-inch), and side effects like shimmering and frame breaking are intermittently noticed.

I know I mentioned in a previous paragraph that there’s not much difference in the picture quality of plasmas and LCD TVs these days, but taken as a whole, the blacks and gray gradation on plasmas are better than those on LCD TVs. So if you are an avid fan of films with a lot of dark scenes (such as Batman Begins and The Prestige), you should seriously consider a plasma over an LCD.

In the new paradigm of the modern battles space the United States Military realizes that the need for communication and safe transmission of encrypted data is paramount to the modern future force war fighter. Unfortunately with the advance of quantum computing it may be more difficult to encrypt one’s and zeros in data transmissions than in previous periods. I believe I have figured out an answer to the problem of safe data encryption at high rates of speed you seen multiple waves.

As the new battlespace of modern warfare presses on into the future many old technologies will be rendered useless and when fighting an enemy of superior technologies encryption of the current type will be very difficult indeed. I propose since we have the ability to synchronize time via Atomic Clocks and can now transmit via light, microwave and other forms of directional sound, that we can use the differences in the waves themselves to send data and be able to compress the data by 10,000 times what we once could. How so you ask? Well it is simple really.

Picture a wave on a piece of paper and this wave can be any type of wave, as it could be a sound wave, radiation wave, light wave or micro wave. Now then take any two waves of any type and send them together at the same time. The faster the waves can travel the better and therefore spectrums of light waves would be best for maximum data transmissions.

Since we now have GPS systems, which can guarantee the exact location of the transmission device and the receiver, we can therefore know the exact distance between the two devices. Next, we send the signal and data in the two different waves, as well as take advantage of the modulation of the waves themselves. This allows for frequency hopping and makes it impossible for scanner devices to collect the data.

How do transposition and modulation relate? Are they the same? In this article we’re going to take a look at both of them and see what makes them tick.

I am sure that you have had the experience sometime in your piano-playing life when someone asks you to play a song — but in a different key than in which it is written. It might be a singer wanting you to lower the song a step so he/she doesn’t screech. It might be a song leader wanting you to play a song in a more comfortable keys for a congregation or group. It might be a trumpet player looking over your shoulder and wanting to play along with you — but when he/she plays the same note you are playing, it sure doesn’t sound the same!

So….it’s your job, as pianist, to get that song moved to a different key. That’s transposition — playing or writing a song in a different key than in which it was originally written.

Modulation is similar but different — modulation means the process of getting from the old key to the new key. In other words, if I’m playing in the key of C, and then want to play in the key of Eb, I have to learn to modulate — move smoothly from one key to another without being too abrupt and jarring.

There are basically 3 ways to transpose:

1. by intervals

2. by scale degrees

3. by solfege — the moveable “do” system.

But since solfege applies mostly to singers, we will ignore that possibility and just take up the first two:

1. Intervals: If the new key is an interval of a minor 3rd above the old key, then all notes in the song will also be an interval of a minor 3rd higher. In other words, if you are transposing from the key of C to the key of Eb, which is a minor 3rd higher (or major 6th lower — whichever way you want to look at it), then all melody notes will also be a minor 3rd higher:

“G” in the key of C would become “Bb” in the key of Eb. “E” in the key of C would become “:G” in the new key of Eb. “A” would become “C”, “B” would become “D”, and so on. All chords would also move a minor 3rd higher. The “C chord” would become the “Eb chord”, the “F chord” would become the “Ab chord”, and so on.

2. Scale degrees: Each key you play in has it’s own scale degrees. In the key of C the scale degrees are: C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6, B=7, C=8. In the key of Eb, however, Eb=1, F=2, G=3, Ab=4, Bb=5, C=6, D=7, Eb=8. So if I want to transpose Silent Night, for example, from the key of C to the key of Eb, I need to notice what scale degrees I am using in the key of C, and then use those same scale degrees in the key of Eb. For example, Silent Night starts on the 5th degree of the scale, goes up to the 6th, back to the 5th, then down to the 3rd. In the key of C that is: G-A-G-E. But in the key of Eb it is Bb-C-Bb-G. Why? Because the scale degrees 5-6-5-3 are constant — we just need to apply them in each key. What about chords? Same idea. If the chord progression on Silent Night is the I chord followed by the V chord, followed by the I chord, followed by the IV chord, etc. — then in the key of C that means C-G-C-F-etc., but in the key of Eb it means Eb-Bb-Eb-Ab-etc.

Modulation means getting between keys, so let’s say you are playing in the key of C, but you want to get to the key of Eb smoothly, without jarring the nerves of the listeners. There are lots of ways to do it, but the main point is that you have to get to the V7 chord of the new key. So from the key of C to the key of Eb, that means getting to Bb7. How do we do that smoothly? We look for chords with common notes. Since the V of the V of the new key would be Fm7, we have C as a common note. So we hold the C in the C chord, and move the rest of the C chord to Fm7, then Bb7, then Eb, and presto — we are there!

Moving on down the line, today we continue our series on audio effects and editing tools. In the past few articles we’ve such effects as reverb, flange, delay, and noise gate. If you enjoy dabbling in audio production, you’re going to enjoy today’s article. We’ll be discussing compression, which is instrumental in the audio production arena. And also we will also be discussing ring modulation, which is a bit more fun and flexible audio effect. So, in today’s article get ready to learn about both, compression, and ring modulation. Let’s discuss how these effects work and why they work the way they do.

Compression
Compressors reduce the dynamic range of an audio signal, if its amplitude exceeds a set threshold. The amount of range reduction is determined by a set ratio. If the ratio was set to 6:1, the dB would need to be increased by 6 to increase the output signal by 1 dB over the threshold. The way that a compressor reduces dynamic range is by using a variable-gain amplifier, which reduces the gain of an audio signal. Analog compressors typically carry this out by using a voltage controlled amplifier, which reduces the gain as the input signal’s power increases. Digitally, compression is carried out via DSP (digital signal processing), and this is the most modern version of the effect. The main use of compression is to make music sound louder without increasing its peak amplitude. Compressing the peak, (loudest signal), allows you to increase the overall gain without exceeding the dynamic limits of your reproduction device. Compression is widely used in TV and radio, allowing maximum perceived volume, without going over the strict limits imposed by most broadcasting companies.

Ring Modulation
Ring modulation is achieved by multiplying two audio signals, with one signal being a simple waveform such as a sine wave. They combine the two signals, outputting the sum and difference of said signals. Ring modulation is related to amplitude modulation and frequency mixing, and it produces a signal rich in overtones. It is well suited to produce metallic and bell-type sounds. Modern ring modulators, like modern compressors, use digital signal processing to produce the effect. Using DSP to do this produces a mathematically perfect signal output, which some musicians do not like. You can come up with some interesting harmonics using a ring modulator by changing the frequency of the two input waveforms.

This is the third installment in my continuing series on audio effects and engineering tools. We discussed compressors and ring modulators today, a couple of very interesting and deep effects. I learned a lot myself, so I hope that you did as well. We will be continuing this series indefinitely, until we run out of effects! I hope that this has shed a little light on these two amazing pieces of equipment, ultimately making your next music project a bit more interesting and productive.

The human body is susceptible to various changes during its normal functioning. Our body becomes over weight and obese and loses a considerable part of our energy, as our metabolic process also gets slowed down. Strength modulation techniques help in regaining the lost energy by the muscles in our body. Various weight loss methods and fat reduction methods are available in the present days and all of them invariably aim at reduction, and elimination of fat from our body.

Strength modulation techniques are available for increasing the muscle tone and definition in our body, and they have specific application for each group of muscles in our body. By using these techniques, we can stimulate each group of muscle in our body to give them more strength and flexibility, so that they can function with utmost efficiency putting the entire body in a state of well being.

Strength modulation can be applied along with other forms of weight loss, and this can be a combination of carefully planned diet, and a regular routine of work outs, which were carefully selected and programmed for your body. In addition to this, some weight loss supplements can also be used to achieve the best results in a short period of time.

The weight loss supplements available in the market today vary greatly in type, range and price. These weight loss supplements are available in different forms like natural based herbal products and artificial synthetic forms of products. Strength modulation products can be used in addition to the other forms of fat reduction and muscle building products. This adds to the effect of other muscle builders and helps in the generation of more muscle energy in the human tissue, by helping to burn more amount of fat in the muscle.

This type of strength modulation can help athletes and body builders to reach the highest degree of strengthening and shaping of more muscles. Strength modulation can be applied in a variety of situations, either independently, or in combination of other forms of weight loss like dieting, exercises, and the use of weight loss supplements. When all these are used in combination, the results are more pronounced and begin to manifest in a short duration of time. For the professional athletes and body builders, the strength modulation is a necessary form of toning up their important groups of muscles that are necessary for getting the desired result.

To give users convenient access to plant-floor information, Rockwell Automation introduced the Allen-Bradley 1756-EWEB module for ControlLogix controllers. The EWEB module supports EtherNet/IP communications and offers a suite of Web capabilities that enable users to view plant-floor data via Web pages, receive e-mail or pager-based alarm notifications, and transmit information to a variety of software applications using Extensible Markup Language (XML) data. It is the first module to bring this type of Web functionality to the Logix control platform. The 1756-EWEB serves preformatted and custom Web pages containing control system data. Users who are authorized to access the information can do so on any computer with Internet access and a browser. This feature allows plant managers, engineers or maintenance specialists to gather and analyze control system data at their convenience.

The EP Evaluator, release 7, can establish and validate all laboratory methods with one convenient package. This software includes 23 statistical modules, including method comparison (7), linearity, reference interval (3), and many more. Satisfies all CLIA and CAP requirements. New modules include incidents tracking, two-instrument comparison, and average for normals for tracking changes in bias.

New modules by Saft Rechargeable Battery Systems will address customer needs faster, especially in light mobility applications where power is the main concern. This module solution will provide customers with an offer nearly immediately, as opposed to the normal wait that was necessary for the design of a customer-specific battery.

Key to the module’s technology is the integration of a battery management system including charge, discharge, and fuel-gauge circuits. With electronics integrated into the module, the battery’s lifetime increases 40%. The electronics can handle both NiCd and NiMH cells (the VRE and VH series respectively), whether “D” or “F,” except for the charging circuit in some NiCd cases.

Design features include a number of attractive characteristics. In a 10-cell configuration, it resists an 80cm drop while remaining electrically functional. A module can be integrated into a light container on the final application without risk of breaking the electronic circuit. Charging will take five to eight hours, and the modules’ discharge capabilities range from 25A in continuous mode to 8OA in 0.1 second for peaks.

NovoPath anatomic pathology software introduces the Tele-Pathology and Synoptic Reporting modules. The first is a real-time slide video-conferencing module that eliminates a separate system for remote slide viewing. The second module, which enhances current diagnosis reporting by incorporating the use of tumor reporting protocols of choice, makes cancer reporting consistent and predictable, providing a finer level of detail for diagnosis look-up.

Ford Power Products has published literature on its electronic control modules. The brochure covers the Ford Engine Performance modules (EPM), Ignition Performance modules (IPM) and Ignition Control module (ICM). Engine to module and feature to module matrices are provided.