ME ME ME ME ME!!!!!

read an article once detailing a new technology set to come out within my
lifetime. it's essentially an optical device that, when worn, can display a tv
show.

the view is 360 degrees.. so it's like if you're inside a domed room and it's
one big, semi-circular projection. it's not virtual reality mind you.. where
you feel like you're actually inside the movie.

few months back.. was pondering purchasing one of those 1080i tvs they got
out.. and thinking bluray etc. that was when my friend advised to hold off and
consider this new technology that might come within the decade. anyone heard
of this?

your post intrigued me, god, because i haven't seen the kind of advance
into the mainstream-consumer market that one would expect, in terms of head-
mounted displays (called hmd's, apparently) and vr helmets ("tracking" hmd's).

i mean, the technology's there, and it should be a natural market for both on-
line 1st person shooters, and people who want a home theatre but don't have the
space.

so i googled as far as my a.d.d. allowed, and found this to offer, vis-a-vis a
starting place to explore the state-of-the-art:
http://cb.nowan.net/blog/state-of-vr/state-of-vr-displays/

and this very cool video from a project someone built:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/remote-flying-with-vr-goggles-and-a-camera-
202964.php

i expect the actual video you're watching, in that latter, is from an on-board
recorder. call me cynical, but i'll bet the live experience doesn't have both a
decent resolution and framerate - at least, not today. but it can't be
far off, can it?

looking to get a digital camera.

narrowed it down to canon a series. deciding between a590 or a660.

megapixel and price difference basically. anyone knowledgeable with the
compact types (non-slr) and can comment on the difference between 7.1 and 8.0
megapixel? cause the price difference is like 100 us dollars heh.

obviously the 8 megapixel would have sharper pictures. but in reality i think
that would be hardly noticable at all. unless you are a professional
photographer, in which case you wouldn't be asking the question. 🙂
but i have been lead to believe that if you are printing the photos at home,
anything above a 5 megapixel is irrelevant. there would only be a noticable
difference if you intend on blowing the pictures up, to say the size of your
wall (ok, slight exaggeration. anything bigger than a4 size most likely).
then you would notice the pixelization.

i would also suggest that you pay attention as to the optical zoom of the
camera, not the digital zoom. digital zoom is pretty irrelevant, because most
decent software programs can digitally zoom your photos. but it's the optical
zoom that is more relevant.

as aussiemadmum alludes, the question is really one of your photographic goals.
in order of increasing resolution requirements, do you want to: post product
shots on e-bay? e-mail pics to family & friends? print scrapbook-quality
snapshots? print framable 8x10's?

i'm sure it's all of the above, to varying degrees. you'll take throw-
away, "daily picture of my big toe," for facebook, but also see how much ansel
adams you have in you, occasionally. so here are rough estimates of some
outputs you may be familiar with:

ebay picture (320x240) - 0.1 mpx
full web screen (800x600) - 0.5 mpx
720 hdtv (1280 x 720) - 0.9 mpx
1080 hdtv (1920 x 1080) - 2.1 mpx
postcard 4"x6" @300 dpi) - 2.2 mpx
full print 8"x10" @300 dpi - 7.2 mpx
postcard 4"x6" @600 dpi - 8.6 mpx
full print 8"x10" @600 dpi - 28.8 mpx

so you see - if you only have a 300 dpi printer (standard inkjet), you're never
really pushing an 8 mpx camera's limits.

in preparing this, i went on the canon site, and the numbers were different
from what you posted. i may have been looking at different product, but the
a590-is is 8 mpx ($180 mfgr; $150 street) and the a650-is is 12.1 mpx ($350
mfgr; $225 street).

if this is your first digital camera purchase (and the price difference is
important), i'd definitely recommend the lower price. by the time you start
needing a higher resolution, the 650 will be selling for that same $100, and
you'll be wondering if you should maybe hold out (or spend an additional $100)
for a 20 mpx replacement. in any electronic purchase, remember moore's law!

good luck & i look forward to the links where your posting your pics!

i appreciate the very informative responses guys.

yes i'm definitely an amateur. the digicam is mostly for taking pictures to
post online like facebook or flickr.

i think i'll go with spareaker's suggestion of maybe sticking with lower priced
one a590. yeah the prices i was looking at were from newegg.. i might've
inaccurately posted some series but one was like 149.99 and the other one was
307.99. in any event, i think i've come to a decision.

aussie, yeah i've been told to be mindful of the optical zoom as well.

bought a590 with free 2gb memory card =p

should be getting it today.

ok now i'm looking for a good tower fan. remote controlled would be nice but
not necessary.

i found one at costco for about 60 bucks. it's decently priced. includes main
floor fan, portable fan, and remote control.

tower fans are good cause it has a modern look.. takes less space too.

stop is the epitome of douchery =p

i must miss out on alot of fun, simply by not reading the episode threads.
am i right?

for the greater percentage of the people who post on these forums, i just
assume idiocy.

with that i will admit i am a big fat leech

edit: god is time traveling. 😛

to be honest since my isp shapes my downloads we upload lots of more data than
ever!

appreciation thread eh. how pointless. be doers of the word.. not merely just
hearers. seeding speaks louder than words.

and uhmmmm... wtf indeed.

"my name is maximus decimus meridius, commander of the armies of the north,
general of the felix legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, marcus
aurelius. father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. and i will have
my vengeance, in this life or the next."

greatest movie.. ever.

never got into aliens. didn't like the movie(s) at all.