[mythtv-users] Hauppauge in trouble with the FCC

[Brian Wood]

On Mar 8, 2008, at 8:37 PM, David Brodbeck wrote:

>
> On analog recording systems, they're often multiplexing the images and
> then recording on time-lapse VCRs that record as much as 40 hours on  
> one
> T-160 tape, to minimize the number of tape changes.  They also often
> don't replace the tapes often enough, further degrading the images.
> After a few years the VCR heads start to wear noticeably, as well,
> causing the video to "soften."

A long time ago we used time-lapse VCRs to log a TV station, and it  
worked pretty well. Of course we used tapes for one pass only, as we  
had to archive them for several years. We also kept the machines in  
good condition. I guess the multiplex loss plus worn tape and heads  
would degrade things more than we ever saw.

>
>
> Many of these decisions are guided by industry regulations.  The
> tendency is to do the minimum that's required by law and no more.   
> Doing
> more costs money and there's no clear payoff (until you get robbed,  
> anyway.)

Typical when the goal becomes compliance with the law instead of its  
intent. Legislators are unlikely to even understand technical specs,  
much less implement them in the law. I suspect a bank doesn't really  
care if they get robbed, that's their insurance company's concern,  
until the next premium adjustment that is.
>

> Sometimes the person installing the camera never focused it  
> properly, or
> the proper lens wasn't used for the lighting conditions. Another  
> common
> issue is dirty lenses, especially in buildings where smoking is  
> allowed
> -- often no one ever bothers to clean the lens once the camera is
> installed.  Outdoor cameras sometimes suffer from condensation if they
> aren't equipped with heaters.

We used to have camera cases that not only had heaters but had wipers  
on the faceplate and a defogger heater in the glass, but they weren't  
cheap.

>
>
> The resolution of the actual *camera* is often quite good (by NTSC
> standards), especially for black-and-white units.

NTSC cameras are such commodity items that they are probably cheaper  
then units designed for lower resolution, so that makes sense.

beww