The Web vs. The Red Button

[P3D Tim Smith <TSMITH@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dr. T writes:

>Larry Berlin, your thoughts and ideas are well taken.  But it is time for
>reality check:  How many people today have: a) a computer b) access to the
>internet, c) access to www, d) a fast modem?  Not too many... The situation 

>is certainly changing, but we are not there yet... _today_

>You make it sound as if I am the fortunate guy who has an entire collection
>of viewers and images, while the poor guy down the street only has his
>Pentium to play with...

I liked the discussion on internet technology vs. the "real thing"  and I 
have to agree with George's statements.  Working in the field of data 
communications for the last 20 years gives me further appreciation for the 
things that modern technology will have a difficult time doing (without 
associated high costs).  There are several more factors that come into play 
to get anywhere near the quality of gazing into a Red Button viewer (or for 
that matter even the el cheapo viewers by comparison).  Even if you are 
fortunate enough to live inside the 128 loop in the Boston area and get a 
"Hiway One" cable modem in your home that offers a thruput of 1.5 Mbps there 
is the issue of fine grain, hi res scanners, film scanners and hi-res output 
devices such as sublimation printers and hi-res monitors.  Even with HDTV 
technology integrated in VR goggles it's not going to be Red Button...not 
even a Viewmaster (sorry Mary-Ann).

My company supplies high speed data communications systems employing ATM, 
FDDI and switched Ethernet to name a few technologies.  One of our vertical 
market solutions is running high-speed/hi-res video and scans over private 
and internet LANs to connect CAT scanners to remote viewstations and "CAT 
servers".   Some doctors resist the technology all together and stick to 
reviewing films.  Some that do accept it realize they sacrifice quality for 
convenience.  Certainly it's more convenient to see a stereo pair on a web 
site but I think it does the artists work more of a disjustice than looking 
at the real thing.

 I find it interesting to see 3D pix on the net (even have some of my early 
beam splitter pix on my web site) for the  novelty.  There is ALOT of great 
stuff out there...useful stuff that I have taken advantage of.  Some web 
authors are very passionate about their pages and their efforts show.   The 
internet is a great place to trade ideas and discuss the art and technology 
of 3D but it and the supporting technology has a long way to go.  One of the 
things I find that to standardize on pair spacing with different size 
monitors is impossible...some are great....some are headache city!    The 
folks out there with "only a Pentium" can surely afford a collapsible 
Taylor-Merchant viewer...or even a Holmes clone..which are far superior than 
your NEC 5Dx  or Sony Trinitron based displays.

Besides...where can you go to get your computer or monitor properly 
Themelized?

Tim Smith
Mattapoisett, MA


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