Will You Be Ready on February 19, 2009?

Let's get ready for the switch to digital transmission on February 19, 2009, shall we?  It's not about tv broadcasts going digital, you know.  It's about all telecommunications going digital.  From that moment less than a year from now, you will be making all your calls with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).  All your voice calls will be converted to digital files.  All your tv shows will be digital files.  All your radio shows will be digital files.  Just like your email, web pages, blackberry stuff.  The world will formally signal the start of the Digital Age, big time.  Let's get ready.  Let's assume we will be purchasing a device that does everything the tv converter device does, and more.  For the same price, $50, we'll pick up a Meraki unit, or one from www.ubnt.com, called, Nanostation2, or other similar device.  For the same price as the tv converter device, you will set yourself up for sending/receiving all those digital files at broadband speeds that are tenfold faster than what the phone and cable monopolies are charging.

You'll do what you did with the smoke detector campaign.  You'll purchase the device, plug in a battery, and detect smoke, thereby contributing to the overall health and well-being of your community.  You'll do what you did with the tv converter device campaign.  You'll purchase the device, plug it into your nearest wall socket, and create a node on a community broadband infrastructure that will allow all future generations to enjoy broadband speeds that are tenfold faster than what the phone or cable companies offer, and it will always be free.

OK.  That little reminder is necessary.  Now, to the good stuff.

Before you try to recycle your old computer (especially if it is a PIII or newer), get that computer over to your nearest linux user group.  They'll refurbish it, and make a digital recording studio out of it.  The major recording studios, major film studios, major broadcast networks all use the same audio and video software to create their digital media files.  That old PIII computer is able to be used to house the same software as the major studios use.  And, that audio and video software they use, is freely available from Stanford University's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics.

On my kitchen table, I have a cheap desktop computer loaded with the freely available audio and video software from Stanford University.  I have no idea what to do with it, but, as it turns out, if I ask a question on the mailing list, I'll get lots of answers from expert volunteers from all around the world.  Interestingly, it turns out that this state-of-the-art audio and video software that the professionals use, is really easy to use.  A child can use it to learn how to read/write music using instant biofeedback techniques.  I'll flesh this astounding topic out further in a later post.

So, armed with the finest tools at the lowest cost (free), I now have a personal digital recording studio on my kitchen table.  It is also available for the neighborhood activities, so it is also a neighborhood digital recording studio.  The community can use it for community activities, so it is a community digital recording studio.  Anyone stopping by can use it, so it is a public digital recording studio.

I can create a CD.  I can make 100 copies, go stand in the town square, and sell those 100 copies to sympathetic passersby at $10 per CD, and take in a cool $1,000.  (think fundraising).

I can create DVDs, public service announcements, tv shows, radio shows, even full-featured films.

Remember the Meraki units, and the broadband infrastructure?  Well, here we go.  It's February 19, 2009, and the first of many community-created live, interactive tv talk shows hits the air.  Everyone with a webcam, and the appropriate software, can participate on their very own community tv channel.  Got a webcam, camcorder, digital camera with movie mode, cell phone, pda?  You'll be able to be on local tv, doing your man-on-a-street interview automagically, regardless of where you are.  Live action.  A virtual town hall meeting, any time, any place, as easily as we now email or text message each other.

Your town's officials are going to faint, when you instruct them to put the word out, and let's get the show on the road.  Jim Erbs, our town's mayor, and Chester Culver, our state's governor, are determined to prevent Charles City, or any community in Iowa from being ready next February.  They've even used the word, "illegal", to try and slow things down.  Yours will too, I am sure.  Realize, though, they're fearful of losing perks and lobby monies from the phone and cable monopolies.  You'll need to be patient with them, while they work through that little detail, and come around to doing the right thing for the people they serve.