text:
A high speed video switch in a KVM system using discrete Radio Frequency (RF) switch circuits. The RF switch circuits are configured into a multiplexed circuit to route video signals from a selected host computer to a target monitor. Voltage converters are used to provide control signals of the proper voltage to the RF switch circuits. Peaking operational amplifiers are used to compensate for the roll-off effect caused by the video connectors. An On Screen Display (OSD) switch using the RF switches is used to rapidly switch between the OSD data and host computer video for display to the target operator control center monitor.
1. A video switch for switching a video output of one of a plurality of computers to a target video destination, the video switch comprising:
a voltage converter having an input and an output, wherein a video select signal is operably connected to the input of the voltage converter; and
a discrete radio frequency switch having a control, a video input and a video output, wherein the video output of one of the plurality of computers is operably connected to the video input of the discrete radio frequency switch, wherein the output of the voltage converter is operably connected to the control of the discrete radio frequency switch.
2. The video switch of
3. The video switch of
4. The video switch of
5. A video switch for switching a video output of one of a plurality of computers to a target video destination, the video switch comprising:
a first logic gate having a video control input, an OSD control input, and a control output, the control output of the first logic gate having a first voltage level;
a resistor divider network operably coupled to the control output of the first logic gate;
a second logic gate operably coupled to the resistor divider network, the second logic gate having a control output, the control output of the second logic gate having a second voltage level;
a discrete radio frequency switch having a control, a video input and a video output, wherein the video output of one of the plurality of computers is operably connected to the video input of the discrete radio frequency switch, wherein the control output of the second logic gate is operably connected to the control of the discrete radio frequency switch.
6. The video switch of
7. A video switch for routing video data from a host computer to a target video destination in a KVM system, the video switch comprising:
a plurality of switch circuits configured into a multiplexed circuit, wherein at least one switch circuit of said plurality of switch circuits comprises a discrete radio frequency switch having a control input and voltage converter operably connected to the control input of the discrete radio frequency switch.
8. The video switch of
9. A video switch for connecting the video signals of one of a plurality of computers to a target monitor, said video switch comprising:
three sets of switch circuits for receiving red, green, blue video signals of said plurality of computers respectively, each set of switch circuits comprising a plurality of discrete radio frequency switches, the number of said plurality of discrete radio frequency switches being no less than the number of said plurality of target monitors; and
a control signal generating circuit having a video selecting signal as an input, and generating a plurality of control signals, the number of said plurality of control signals being no less than the number of said plurality of computers, each of said plurality of control signals coupled to a voltage-level shifting circuit, the output of the voltage-level shifting circuit being used for controlling each corresponding discrete radio frequency switch in said three sets of switch circuits.
[0001] The acronym "KVM" stands for Keyboard, Video and Mouse. This represents a class of switching systems designed to provide user(s) centralized control and monitoring of multiple computers ("host computers") from a single keyboard, monitor and mouse ("operator control center" or "OCC"). The OCC may be located remotely from the host computers. A KVM system works by allowing the user to select a host computer to monitor and control from the OCC. The user may select the host from an interface displayed on the OCC monitor (the "On Screen Display" or "OSD") or from controls located on the front panel of the KVM unit. The KVM system switches the video signals of the selected host computer to the OCC monitor so that the user may view the host video from the OCC. The KVM system also routes or "switches" the Keyboard and Mouse signals of the OCC to the respective ports of the selected host computer. From the host computer's perspective, it appears as if the OCC's keyboard and mouse are directly attached to the host.
[0002] Users of KVM systems include system administrators, developers, software or hardware engineers, technicians, graphic artists, etc. Examples of tasks that are commonly performed with KVM systems include monitoring applications that are running on the host computers, installing or upgrading software applications or programs, and re-booting the host computers. KVM systems are commonly used by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). ISPs require a large number of computers or "server farms" to handle the large volume of Internet traffic and data. ISPs use KVM systems to provide centralized oversight over the server farms, thereby reducing the burden of computer maintenance and administration.
[0003] KVM systems are also used in distributed processing where applications are run using the processing power of a number of interconnected computers. For example, it is becoming increasingly popular to use computer generated images for animation and special effects in movies. Computer graphics of this kind entail a large amount of intensive calculations and often require more processing power than is available from any one computer standing alone. In order to enhance processing power and speed, tasks are distributed over a number of host computers. KVM systems allow for control and monitoring of these computers from a single OCC.
[0004] The benefits provided by KVM systems include the time saved by eliminating the need to travel from host to host to monitor or operate each host computer. In addition, the keyboards, monitors and mice of the host computers are no longer needed and can be eliminated, thereby saving money and space.
[0005] The performance demands of a KVM system for switching video data has increased with the increase in monitor resolution. The higher the monitor resolution, the higher the processing speed required by the KVM system to deliver the video signals to the OCC display without degradation. The approximate speed required by a KVM video switch for a given resolution can be estimated as follows: ((number of horizontal pixels)�(number of vertical pixel lines)�(85 Hz refresh rate of 85 images per second))�(1.45 factor to allow time for vertical and horizontal retrace). Conventional KVM systems, operating at speeds of 250 MHz or less, are sufficient to accommodate many but not all standard monitor resolutions. Those resolutions that may be accommodated by conventional KVM systems include VGA (640�480 pixels), SVGA (800�600 pixels), XGA (1,024�768 pixels), and SXGA (1,280�1,024 pixels). For example, SXGA requires a processing speed of approximately (1,280�1,024)�85 Hz�1.45, which is approximately 162 MHz, and is less than 250 MHz.
[0006] Video displays under the QXGA image resolution standard of 2048�1536 pixels (3,143,728 pixels) and higher, however, are required to function at speeds approximating 400 MHz. Using the formula described above, the approximate speed required for the QXGA resolution is 388 MHz, which is (2048�1536)�85 Hz�1.45. Conventional KVM systems, operating at speeds of 250 MHz or less, are therefore unsuitable for higher resolution video.
[0007] Conventional KVM systems are limited to speeds of less than 250 MHz for several reasons. One reason is that the circuitry used by conventional KVM systems to implement the video switches is inadequate. The types of video circuitry used by conventional KVM video switches are either Resistor-Transistor Logic (RTL) or Large-Scale Integration (LSI) circuits.
[0008] KVM systems using RTL circuitry are comprised of resistors and bipolar transistors. The RTL implementation requires a large number of the resistor and bipolar-transistor components and therefore consuming a large portion of the limited space available on the printed circuit board (PCB) of the KVM unit. The large number of components required for an RTL switch also makes these switches difficult to assemble. For the above reasons, RTL switches are undesirable at the speeds required by higher resolution video standards such as QXGA.
[0009] The other type of circuits used in conventional KVM systems are LSI circuits, which are circuits having a large number of electronic components integrated on a single chip. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,096, Beasley et al., utilizes LSIs. See, e.g., Col. 8, Lines 11-28. LSIs, however, are in extremely limited supply at speeds above 200 to 250 MHz. Implementing a KVM system using LSIs at speeds near 400 MHz would be prohibitively expensive.
[0010] Another factor inhibiting the use of high speed video in KVM systems is the problem of video degradation caused by the "roll-off" effect. The roll-off effect refers to a decrease in the amplitude of a signal as the frequency of the signal increases. This effect is caused by the impedance of the conventional connectors, such as DB-25 connectors, through which the analog video signals pass as they travel through the KVM system. The roll-off effect is significant in video applications operating at speeds above 250 MHz and causes attenuation of video signals at the higher operating speeds. To the user, the resulting image appears "soft", i.e., having non-crisp edges, color aberrations, and generally blurred text characters. Therefore, the roll-off effect poses an additional problem for high speed video KVM systems.
[0011] KVM systems may be controlled from a set of controls located on the front panel of the KVM unit, from keyboard sequences or "hot keys", and/or from an On Screen Display ("OSD"). The OSD is an interface displayed on the monitor of the OCC to allow the user to control the KVM system. The OSD is typically more convenient and offers more features than the other means of control. The OSD may be text based or graphics based. Conventional KVM systems present the OSD to the OCC monitor using summing operational amplifiers to "add" or sum the OSD video data "on top of" the video data originating from the host computer. This creates a transparent effect where the host computer video appears as a background to the characters of the OSD text or banners. For a display having a transparent background, the OSD may be difficult to read if there is insufficient contrast between the OSD characters and the background host computer video. In addition, the transparent effect created by the summing of the OSD video on top of the host video is inconsistent with the look and feel of most modern operating systems, in which windows are typically displayed with an opaque background.
[0012] The present invention is directed to a high speed video switch in a KVM system using discrete Radio Frequency (RF) switch circuits. As recognized by the present invention, the extremely low capacitance, high isolation, fast switching speed, and low cost characteristics of the RF devices make them ideal for use in combination as a video multiplexer switching device. RF switches are configured into a multiplexed circuit in combination with output enable/disable high-speed video operational amplifiers to route video signals from a selected host computer to a target monitor. Video connector roll-off is compensated by utilizing a peaking operational amplifying circuit to emphasize the video signals of effected frequencies before display to the target monitor. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an OSD switch using the RF switches is used to rapidly switch between OSD data and host computer video data for display to the OCC monitor. With this technique, the host computer video is completely switched off and effectively removed from the portion of the computer screen where the OSD is displayed to the user. Video rates of up to 2048�1536 resolution at approximately 85 Hertz (QXGA) are supported while maintaining a quality video image.
[0013] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
[0014]FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of a KVM system employing the novel video and OSD switch of the present invention.
[0015]FIG. 2 shows a schematic drawing of an individual KVM unit of the KVM system of FIG. 1.
[0016]FIG. 3 shows a schematic drawing of the 8�4 video multiplexer and 4�1 Video Bus Selector of the KVM unit of FIG. 2.
[0017]FIG. 4 shows a schematic drawing of the RF switch and drive circuitry of the 8�4 multiplexer of FIG. 3.
[0018]FIG. 5 shows a schematic drawing of the a peaking operational amplifying circuit of FIG. 3.
[0019]FIG. 6 shows a schematic drawing of the RF switch and drive circuitry of the 4�1 video bus selector and OSD switch of FIG. 3.
[0020]FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of a KVM system 10 employing the novel video switch of the present invention. The system of FIG. 1 depicts four KVM units 12-15 daisy-chained together by a bank-to-bank interconnect 20. Referring to the first KVM unit 12, an Operator Control Center ("OCC") 22 and eight (8) host computers 71-78 are connected to the KVM unit 12. A KVM unit 12 along with its connected host computers 71-78 and OCC 22 are collectively referred to as a bank 54. Several banks 54-57 chained together are collectively referred to as a cluster. As used herein, the terms "KVM system" and cluster are synonymous and are used interchangeably.
[0021] Although the system 10 o as shown depicts eight host computers 71-78 connected to a KVM unit 12, alternate embodiments of the KVM system 10 may have connections for fewer or more host computers per KVM unit 12. For example, conventional KVM systems commonly allow between 2 to 16 host computers per KVM unit.
[0022] The host computers 71-78, 81-88, 91-98, 101-108 may be any type of conventional computer having peripheral devices and video ports. For example, a host computer 71 may be a server (web server, e-mail server, database server, application server, etc.), personal computer, or laptop. A host computer 71 may have PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports and/or USB ports. A host computer 71 is preferably connected to a KVM unit 12 by an octopus cable connection, although any suitable connection may be used. In addition, a host computer 71 may operate any operating system (e.g., Windows, Macintosh, Linux, etc.).
[0023] An OCC 22 includes a keyboard 32, monitor 30 and mouse device 34. As used herein, the term "mouse" refers to any cursor control device. The OCC keyboard 32 and mouse 34 devices may be PS/2 devices or USB devices or a combination of both. For example, it is possible to simultaneously attach both a PS/2 keyboard and a USB mouse. Because the USB protocol allows multiple devices to be attached to a single USB port by using a commercially available device known as a USB hub, multiple PS/2 devices and USB devices may be attached to a KVM unit 12.
[0024] Although in FIG. 1 several KVM units 12-15 are shown chained together, a single KVM unit 12 may be configured to operate as a KVM system 10 consisting of a single bank 54. Although only four (4) KVM units 12-15 are shown in FIG. 1, additional KVM units may be added to the chain via the bank-to-bank interconnect 20 of the first 12 or last 15 unit in the chain to form a larger cluster 10.
[0025] As described in further detail below, the number of OCCs per cluster is limited by the number of video busses in the system. The preferred embodiment uses four (4) video busses, thereby allowing up to four (4) OCCs per cluster. Alternate embodiments of the present invention may have fewer or more video busses, thereby permitting fewer or more OCCs.
[0026]FIG. 1 shows four (4) OCCs 54-57 attached to the cluster 10. This enables up to four users to operate the KVM system. Each of the four OCCs 54-57 may select any one of the thirty-two (32) host computers 71-78, 81-88, 91-98, and 101-108 for control from that particular OCC, regardless of whether the selected host computer is located on the same bank 54-57 as the OCC.
[0027] A KVM unit 12 is preferably housed in a robust metallic, rack mount and/or stackable desk configuration of an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard 1U size enclosure.
[0028]FIG. 2 shows a schematic drawing of a KVM unit 12 of FIG. 1. The KVM unit 12 includes video, PS/2, and USB A device ports 210-213, for connecting the OCC devices 30, 32 and 34. Power is supplied by the KVM unit to the USB A port 213 through resettable fuses (not shown).
[0029] The KVM unit 12 includes a master controller 215. In the preferred embodiment, the master controller 215 includes a microcontroller 217 coupled with a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) 219. The microcontroller 217 is preferably a Philips XA-G49 C controller. The FPGA 219 is preferably a Xilinx FPGA XC2S50. The FPGA 219 expands the number of I/O ports available to the master controller 215. The master controller 215 includes PS/2 and I2C UARTs 202 implemented as part of the FPGA 219. The master controller 217 also includes a USB controller 204 for handling communications between USB devices and the master controller 215. Preferably, the USB controller 204 is a Phillips ISP1161 USB controller. A microprocessor bus 206 connects the microcontroller 217, FPGA 219 and USB controller 204 within the master controller 215.
[0030] A KVM unit 12 also includes eight (8) slave controllers 221-228, only two of which are shown in FIG. 2. Each slave controller is dedicated to a host computer. For example, slave controller 221 in FIG. 2 is dedicated to host computer 71. A slave controller 221 preferably includes USB control hardware (not shown) for USB protocol communications with its host computer 71. In addition, a slave controller 221 can receive PS/2 data and I2C data from the host computer 71. The I2C data is used by the slave controller to communicate PnP (Plug and Play) information to the host computer 71.
[0031] Preferably, a slave controller 221 may receive power from the connected host computer 71 through the host computer connection when the KVM unit 12 is turned off. This enables the slave controller 221 to provide the necessary signals emulating the presence of an attached peripheral device to the host computer 71 even when the KVM unit 12 is turned off. This eliminates the error message that might otherwise occur if the host computer 71 were powered on when the KVM unit 12 was turned off.
[0032] The master controller 215 is connected to the slave controllers 221-228 by a slave interface bus 230, which is a parallel data bus. The master controller 215 can also communicate with the slave controllers of the other banks 54-57 in the system or cluster 10 through the master-slave communication bus 247, which is a serial bus, which is connected to other KVM units 13-15 in the cluster 10 through the bank-to-bank interconnect 20.
[0033] A KVM unit 12 also includes an 8�4 video multiplexer 232. The video outputs of each of the eight (8) host computers 71-78 are fed as input 234 to the 8�4 video multiplexer 232. FIG. 2 shows one 234 of the eight sets of video inputs into the 8�4 video multiplexer 232. Although the preferred embodiment has up eight (8) host computers 71-78 per KVM unit 12 and therefore uses a video multiplexer 232 having eight (8) video inputs 234, alternate embodiments may include fewer or more host computers and would have correspondingly fewer or more video inputs 234 into the video switch 232.
[0034] Each slave controller 221-228 has four control output signals 236 connected to the 8�4 video multiplexer 232. FIG. 2 shows the control outputs 236 for a slave controller 221. Each of the four control signals 236 corresponds to one of the four video busses 238 of the KVM system 10. The 8�4 video multiplexer 232 has four outputs, one output to each of the four video busses 238 of the preferred embodiment. Although the preferred embodiment uses four video busses 238, thereby allowing up to four OCCs 22-25 per cluster 10, alternate embodiments may use fewer or more video busses and have correspondingly fewer or more control signals 236 from each slave controller 234 to the video multiplexer 232.
[0035]FIG. 3 shows a schematic drawing of the 8�4 video multiplexer and 4�1 video bank selector of FIG. 2. Specifically, the multiplexer paths for the "Red" 250 and "HSync" 252 signals from the video of host computer 71 are shown. Discrete Radio Frequency (RF) cell phone switches 254 are configured into an 8�4 multiplexed circuit to route the video signals 234 of the selected host computer 71 to the target OCC monitor 22 and are also used in the 4�1 video bus selector 258 and high speed OSD switch 260. The RF switches 254, 256 are types of transistors normally used for switching RF signals in RF communications or television tuner circuits. Preferably, the type of discrete RF switch circuit used is of a depletion mode MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) construction, such as the commercially available BF1107, BF1108, and BF1108R devices manufactured by Philips. As recognized by the present invention, the extremely low capacitance, high isolation, fast switching speed, and low cost characteristics of the discrete RF switches make them ideal for use in combination as a video multiplexer switching device in a KVM system 10. The low cost and small size of the discrete RF switches further allow for relatively large multiplexer switching arrays to be implemented while benefiting from the superior performance of discrete solutions, especially the high isolation and high frequency bandwidth parameters.
[0036] Tracing a single video signal "R" (Red), the R signal 250 is presented to four (4) discrete RF switches 254. The R signal 250 is switched by the RF switch circuits 254 onto one of the four video busses based on the "Host Video Select" signal 236 received from the slave controller 221.
[0037] The R signal 250 is then fed to the input of a peaking video amplifier 262 with an output enable function and is also enabled onto one of the four busses by the video buffer enable signals from the FPGA 219 of the master controller 215. This peaking video amplifier circuit 262 acts as a buffer, driver and an amplifier at frequencies from 80 MHz to ˜2 db at 400 MHz to compensate for the roll-off effect described earlier. The output of this circuit may be switched into an impedance termination of a 75-ohm resistor by a first/last bank detector 266 if the KVM unit 12 is the physical first or last unit in the chain. This signal is then distributed to the 4�1 multiplexed circuit 258 for selection to the OCC 22 and also to the bank-to-bank interconnect 20, preferably a 68 pin SCSI connector, used to distribute video bus signals to the other KVM units 13-15 within the system 10.
[0038] The 4 to 1 muliplexed circuit consists of another set of discrete RF switches 256. Each RGB bus set is again enabled by a control signal from the FPGA 219 of the master controller 215 and a negative voltage level-shifted, buffered set of gates controlled via an FPGA I/O pin. This particular set of control circuitry switches the raw computer video off while the KVM OSD circuitry is enabled. Along with the switched 4 to 1 output signal, the OSD controller 268 supplies another switchable signal output from the OSD that is presented in a mutually exclusive manner with the raw computer video. The OSD controller may be text based, for example a Mitsubishi #35070 device, or of a graphical, discrete IC design. This switched video signal feeds another set of peaking amplifiers 270 with an output enable function for driving RGB through a cable and ultimately to the OCC monitor 22. The output enable of this set of amplifiers is utilized in specific applications where the monitor may have video signals switched between two separate RGB signal sources.
[0039] The video path of the KVM unit 12 preferably includes a first/last bank detector 240 to automatically apply a terminating resistor to the RGB video signals of the video busses 238 if the KVM unit 12 is the first or last unit in the chain in order to maintain video quality in the system 10.
[0040] A fifth control bank signal 272 from the FPGA 219 to the video amplifier 270 allows for the blanking of the video during the switching of one selected host to another, thereby eliminating the garbled signals that the user might otherwise see while the monitor is re-synchronizing.
[0041] As mentioned above, the discrete RF switches 254 are configured into an 8�4 multiplexed circuit 232 in combination with output enable/disable high-speed video operational amplifying circuits 262. The number of circuits required by this multiplexer switch may be calculated by multiplying 3 (for the three video signals of R, G, and B) by the number of hosts and by the number of video busses. As shown in the preferred embodiment, there are ninety-six (96) switches in the 8�4 video switch 232, which is 3 colors�8 hosts�4 video busses. Alternate embodiments of the invention may have a different number of hosts or video busses.
[0042]FIG. 4 shows the RF switch and drive circuitry of a single RF switch of the 8�4 video multiplexer 232 of FIG. 3. Referring to FIG. 4, a "Host Video Select" control signal 410 from the slave controller 201 is used to turn the RF switch on for multiplexing host video signals into the 8-by-4 multiplexer array. A negative voltage level-shifted, buffered set of gates is required to drive the discrete RF switch 420 due to the requirements of the RF device, which requires a voltage signal to the gate that is well below the switched signal voltage. The "Host Video Select" control signal 410 from the slave controller 221 goes "low" (logical "0" or in this case, or zero Volts) in order to turn the switch off. The "Host Video Select" control signal 410 is normally held "low," but will go "high" (logical "1", or about 3.3 Volts) when the host computer 71 is selected by the user at the OCC 22. In order to produce a proper drive signal to the gate of the RF switch 420, the "Host Video Select" control signal 410 must be voltage-level-shifted from the 0 Volts to 3.3 Volts level to a −4.1 Volts to 0 Volts level.
[0043] This voltage level shifting is accomplished by using the circuit shown in FIG. 4. The circuit includes a comparator 440, preferably a commercially available LM339 comparator. The LM339 comparator is the preferred device for the comparator because it is inexpensive, commonly available, and reliable for the intended purpose. The power supply pins of the comparator 440 are connected to 0 Volts and −4.1 Volts. The "Host Video Select" control signal 410 of the slave controller 221 is level-shifted at its output using the 180K-100K resistor divider 460 shown in FIG. 4. The tap of the resistor divider is connected to the (+) input of the comparator 440 and fluctuates between roughly −1.46 Volts and −2.64 Volts. The (−) input of the comparator 440 is connected to a signal level of −2.05 Volts which is derived from the tap of two 2.7K resistors 470. The "Host Video Select" control signal 410 and voltage divider 460 serve to toggle the (+) input pin of the comparator 440 about its switching point, causing the output of the comparator to toggle between −4.1 Volts (switch off) and 0 Volts (switch on).
[0044] The preferred embodiment of the present invention compensates for the connector roll-off by implementing a conventional peaking operational amplifying circuit to pre-emphasize only the video signals. Buffering for multi-bank systems is supplied to extend physical separation of units and maintain quality video. In addition Video buffering uses peaking circuits to maintain quality video.
[0045]FIG. 5 shows the peaking amplifier circuit 262 of FIG. 3. The peaking amplifier 262 includes a Current Feedback Amplifier (CFA) device 502. Preferably, an EL5392 CFA manufactured by Elantec is used for the CFA 502. The technique used to configure the CFA 502 for a peaking amplifier is well understood in the art. A small value capacitor, such as the C Peak capacitor 504 depicted in FIG. 5, is added to the feedback loop of the circuit. This results in an increase in the amplification of the CFA 502 as signal frequencies increase. The 1K-10K resistors 506 in the feedback loop are provided to add a small amount of overall gain to the amplifier.
[0046] The EL5392 also contains a feature to allow the output of the CFA 502 to be disabled (that is, to go into a high impedance state). This feature is utilized to allow multiple CFA outputs to be connected together on the Video Bus with only one amplifier enabled at a time.
[0047] The OSD is displayed on the OCC monitor 30 by a switching method. As shown in FIG. 3, the present invention uses an additional switch 260 to "switch out/in" the host computer video data on a portion of a particular horizontal line while simultaneously "switching in/out" the OSD video data. In this manner, the raw computer data is completely switched off (removed) while the OSD data and banners are presented to the operator with its own colored background. When the On-Screen-Display (OSD) is enabled, the OSD circuit switches off the RGB video portion when the OSD is active, allowing the OSD user interface to be displayed on the OCC monitor. When the OSD is inactive, the selected host computer video is switched on for display on the OCC monitor 30. The HV portion of the focused RGBHV bus is made available through a programmable logic device (the FPGA 219 of FIG. 2) to synchronize the KVM OSD and host monitor video signals displayed on the OCC monitor 30.
[0048]FIG. 6 shows a detailed schematic drawing of a single discrete RF switch and switch drive circuit of the 4�1 multiplexed circuit combination depicted in FIG. 3. A "Video On Control" signal 602 from the master controller 215 and an "OSD Blank" signal 604 from the OSD circuit 268 are inputs of a NOR gate 606 and control the switch. The NOR gate 606 is coupled to an OR gate 608 via a 2.4K-1K resistor divider network 610. The output of the OR gate 602 is coupled to the input gate of an RF switch 612.
[0049] The depletion mode MOSFET devices used as discrete RF switches in the preferred embodiment require that a voltage of roughly −4 Volts be supplied to the gate of the devices in order to turn the devices "off", i.e., to go into a high-resistance mode. However, when OSD video is to be displayed instead of video from the host computer, the RF switches need to be turned off and on at a very fast rate (on the order of 10 nanoseconds). This is accomplished using the NOR gate and OR gate combination shown in FIG. 6.
[0050] Video signals are displayed line by line. The video signals for each scan line may originate from the host computer video or a portion of the scan line may be part of the OSD display, which is synthesized video that originates from the OSD generator. For display of video signals originating from the host computer video, the Video On control signal 602 is used to turn the RF switch "on". Specifically, the Video On control signal 602 goes "low" (i.e., logical "0" or, as implemented here, zero Volts) in order to turn the RF switch "on". The OSD Blank signal is held "low".
[0051] When, during a scan line, the synthesized video from the OSD generator is to be displayed instead of the host video, the OSD Blank signal 604 will go "high" (i.e., logical "1", or approximately five (5) Volts) and then "low" again when the OSD portion of the scan line is finished. The NOR gate 606 is used to produce the proper logical levels which produce the function just described. The NOR gate device 606 is preferably a 74ACT02 device, which is common device available from a variety of manufacturers including Fairchild Semiconductor (e.g., the Fairchild 74ACT02SC or the Fairchild MM74AC32M) and Texas Instruments.
[0052] The discrete RF switch circuit 612 is designed to receive drive signals from −4.1 Volts to 0 Volts. Therefore, in order to produce the proper drive signal to the gate of the RF switch, the switch control signals must be voltage-level-shifted from the 0 Volts to 5 Volts level to a −4.1 Volts to 0 Volts level. The voltage-level shifting of the output of the NOR gate 606 is implemented using an OR gate 608, preferably a commercially available 74AC32 device. The output of the NOR gate 606 is level-shifted by the 2.4K-1K resistor divider 610. The tap of the resistor divider 610 fluctuates between roughly −1.42 Volts and −2.89 Volts. The 74AC32 devices of the preferred embodiment will reliably switch their outputs when their input levels transverse a voltage equivalent to roughly half their supply voltage, which in this case is −2.05 Volts. The first and second power supply pins of the OR gate 608 are connected to 0 Volts and −4.1 Volts, respectively. In the circuit combination shown in FIG. 6, the 2.4K-1K resistor divider 610 serves to shift the NOR gate 606 output voltage to a level which toggles the input pin of the OR gate 608 about its switching point of −2.05 Volts. Accordingly, the output of the NOR gate 606 is essentially amplified by the resistor divider 610 and OR gate 608 combination so as to drive the gate of the RF switch 612 to proper levels.
[0053] The circuit of FIG. 6 uses the 74ACXX family of logic devices for four reasons: First, these devices are very fast, with a propagation delay of roughly 3 nanoseconds. Second, as mentioned above, they reliably switch at midway between the voltage rails of the VCC and Ground pins, which is important for proper operation of the circuit. Third, these are commonly available devices. Fourth, these are inexpensive devices.
[0054] The previously described embodiments of the invention have many advantages, including lower cost and higher resolution, with limited space. The KVM switch transfers video signals at approximately 400 MHz from the selected host computer to one of a plurality of OCC monitors. Higher video rates, including video rates of up to 2048�1536 resolution at approximately 85 Hertz (QXGA), are supported while maintaining quality video. The roll-off effect that occurs with video at higher speeds is compensated by operational amplifiers, thereby contributing to the crisp video quality. For video signals at higher speeds, the novel use of RF switches results in a simple and low cost solution. For video signals at this speed, and for allowing multiple video busses, the RF switches used conserve space as compared to alternative solutions such as RTL logic.
[0055] Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. For example, fewer or more video busses may be used and fewer or more hosts may be allowed per KVM unit. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.
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PADRES: Gwynn willingly rooting for Dodgers now that his son plays for them
SAN DIEGO -- The greatest Padre of all is now a Los Angeles Dodgers fan? Say what?
Padres Hall of Fame outfielder and broadcaster Tony Gwynn isn't shying away from the truth: Now that Tony Gwynn Jr. is an outfielder for the Dodgers, Dad is pulling for his former team's biggest rival.
Gwynn Jr. will return to Petco Park on Friday night with the Dodgers for the first time since the Padres declined to tender him a contract last offseason. And even though he'll be coaching the San Diego State baseball team in a weekend series against Utah, Gwynn knows where his allegiance will lie when the Padres open a three-game set with the Dodgers at 7:05 p.m.
"Blood is thicker than anything else," Gwynn said. "I'm going to be pulling for him. I've got no qualms about that. And having to play the Padres 18 times, there are going to be some times where I'm sitting in the booth, I don't know what I'm going to do.
"But, hey, I've got to pull for my son."
Wearing a Dodgers uniform, something Tony Gwynn Jr. admits was initially a "little weird," became reality on Dec. 11. Nine days after the Padres released him, Gwynn Jr. passed a physical and officially signed a major league deal with the Dodgers.
Gwynn Jr. said being cut by the Padres wasn't unexpected. Though statistics show he was one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball, Gwynn Jr. finished the season with a .204 batting average.
Even so, Gwynn was "shocked" by the move because his son played Gold Glove-caliber defense, and "when you're that good a defender, they try to find a spot for you," he said.
Gwynn Jr. said the Padres' November trade for center fielder Cameron Maybin caught his attention, and he knew he wouldn't return when the team re-signed reserve outfielder Chris Denorfia. Though he saw it coming, Gwynn Jr. said the move left him wondering whether he would find another job. The news also arrived at the same time Gwynn continued to undergo chemotherapy for his battle with parotid cancer.
"It wasn't a good feeling," Gwynn Jr. said.
It didn't last long. Only four days after he and the Padres parted ways, the Dodgers called Gwynn Jr. with a major league offer. For Gwynn Jr., there was no trepidation in telling his father he had signed with the Dodgers. For his part, Gwynn was happy to see his son employed.
"It didn't faze me at all," Gwynn said. "When you get released, there are a whole lot of worse things that can happen than being in the big leagues."
Four months later, Gwynn Jr. said he feels comfortable in Dodgers blue and at the plate. Part of that comfort stems from the positive developments in his father's battle against cancer.
Though he won't declare himself cancer-free, Gwynn said he feels good and appears to be well on the road to recovery. He has been on the bench for all of SDSU's 29 games this season, and Gwynn Jr. said he has seen and heard significant progress.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A comprehensive bipartisan economic development plan headed to floors of the South Dakota House and Senate now contains a $7 million appropriation and a safety valve to halt spending if times are tough.
A negotiating committee made the changes Thursday during the penultimate day of South Dakota's main legislative session. Both the House and Senate must concur.
The changes kick-start the effort with $7 million from the state's general fund and add a clause that would withhold spending if projected ongoing revenues would be insufficient to fund education, Medicaid and state employee costs.
Building South Dakota would be funded on an ongoing basis by a portion of the contractors' excise tax collected on large projects and some of the unclaimed property that the state receives from abandoned bank accounts.
Comment Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the comments section of DakotaRadioGroup.com are solely those of the comment author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions held by DakotaRadioGroup.com.


text:
As of Saturday, November 17, 2012
© Copyright 2015 Gwinnett Daily Post
LILBURN -- C.J. Foster was Berkmar's defensive stopper last season, any offensive contributions almost an afterthought.
A lot has changed, though, as the Patriots go for a third straight region championship and another trip to the state tournament.
The 6-foot-2 senior guard is now also a key part of Berkmar's offense and he showed what he can do in the season opener Saturday.
Foster, who averaged just under five points per game a year ago, scored 32 and host Berkmar defeated Morgan County 57-51 in overtime at the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.
"He's a player," coach Greg Phillips said. "Last season, we didn't need him to score. Now we do."
Foster tied the game at 47 on a drive with 25 seconds left in regulation and then hit two free throws with 44 seconds left in overtime to clinch the victory.
Berkmar, which was 23-8 last season and reached the state quarterfinals, needed all the offense it could get from Foster. Tim Rowe, the team's only other returning starter, got in early foul trouble and the 6-foot-10 junior was limited to eight points and six rebounds. Brookwood transfer Malcolm Hannah scored just five points.
Morgan County, which was 25-5 last season and is expected to be one of the top teams in Class AAA, scored the last nine points of the second quarter to lead 28-26 at halftime and was up 39-34 early in the fourth quarter.
Foster was at his best with the game on the line, scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter as the Patriots rallied.
Tookie Brown led Morgan County with 20 points and 6-foot-8 C.J. Turman grabbed 11 rebounds of the Bulldogs.
Berkmar was shorthanded inside when Rowe got into foul trouble because 6-foot-3 junior Jonathan Sanks is dealing with a back injury and unable to play. But the Patriots did get a lift in the first half from T.J. Williams, who hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Berkmar won the game at the foul line, hitting 18 of 29. Morgan County was 5 of 11.
Central Gwinnett 72, Harrison 58
Justin Martin had 17 points and eight rebounds, and Brian Egejuru contributed 15 points and six assists as Central Gwinnett defeated Harrison 72-58 in the opening boys game of the day-long event.
Central (1-1) led by 23 points in the third quarter before Harrison got within 11 in the late going. Mike Vos-Otin had 11 of his 15 points in the first half and the Black Knights led 33-21 at intermission.
Shaun Jones had nine points and five rebounds for Central, while Karon Jackson recorded eight points and three assists. Justice Morgan led Harrison (0-1) with 17 points.
It was a bounce-back victory for Central, which lost its opener on Tuesday at Collins Hill in overtime.
Berkmar girls 42, Morgan County 35
Daijah Cooke scored 12 points and Berkmar won its first game under new coach Tina Smosny-McGriff with a 42-35 victory over Morgan County in the first girls game.
Nina Williams and Ja'Taja Washington each scored seven points for the Patriots, who led 25-19 at halftime.
Cooke scored 14 points, but Berkmar (1-1) lost its opener 54-42 at Centennial on Friday night.
More like this story
- Berkmar takes out defending champ Norcross ( February 25, 2012 )
- Tenacious Tigers hang on for big region win over Berkmar ( December 11, 2012 )
- Berkmar falls to Wheeler in overtime ( February 2, 2013 )
- Dacula boys roll in second half past Berkmar ( January 15, 2013 )
- No. 7-ranked Patriots beat No. 6 South Gwinnett ( December 6, 2011 )


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Discover a selection of top forums charley grow on the internet. Come to share your passion on forums charley grow and meet other fans of charley grow. Then, why don't you create your own forum of charley grow ?
The Sabbat have overrun Dallas for too long. The inner circle has chosen you to take backt he city. After you have fought for your right to survive, how will you continue to grow the city?
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On this forum you can buy, sell or trade items related to the horticulture nursery trade.You can ask/answer questions for other members.
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Geographic Range
The tayra, Eira barbara, can be found in the neotropical forests of Central and South America. It ranges from Mexico south to Bolivia and northern Argentina and also on the island of Trinidad (Mares et al., 1989; Reid, 1997).
- Biogeographic Regions
- neotropical
Tayra are found in tropical deciduous and evergreen forests, secondary growth, and plantations. The elevation of the tayra's habitat ranges from the lowlands to about 2000-2400m. Because the tayra is both terrestrial and arboreal, it has been found to live in hollow trees, burrows built by other animals, and occasionally in tall grass (Reid, 1997; Nowak, 1999).
- Habitat Regions
- temperate
- tropical
- terrestrial
- Terrestrial Biomes
- forest
- rainforest
- scrub forest
- Other Habitat Features
- agricultural
- Range elevation
- 0 to 2400 m
- 0.00 to 7874.02 ft
Physical Description
The tayra is a weasel about the size of a medium sized dog, with a long, bushy tail and long neck ending in a robust head. Its head and body range from 60 to 70 cm in length and its tail length is 35 to 45 cm. Tayras have large hind feet varying in length from 80 to 90 mm and ears about 35 to 40 mm long. Color varies with geographic range, but in general the tayra has a dark brown body with a slightly paler head. Usually it has a white, diamond shaped patch on its throat. Tayras have long claws and pronounced canines. Their dental pattern is 3/3, 1/1, 3/4, 1/1 =34. (Emmons, 1990; Mares, et al., 1989; Nowak, 1999; Reid, 1997)
- Other Physical Features
- endothermic
- heterothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes alike
- Range mass
- 3 to 6 kg
- 6.61 to 13.22 lb
- Range length
- 60 to 70 cm
- 23.62 to 27.56 in
- Average basal metabolic rate
- AnAge
Little is known about the tayra's reproduction. It is thought, however, that gestation lasts for about 63-70 days with a litter size of 2-3 babies per season, each weighing about 74-92 grams. Newborns open their eyes at about 35-58 days and they nurse for 2-3 months. Some believe that the estrous cycle of Eira barbara is seasonal, with births occuring in March and July. Others believe that the tayra is polyestrous and a non-seasonal breeder, experiencing an estrous cycle of around 17 days with a 2-3 day receptivity about three times a year (Nowak, 1999).
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- seasonal breeding
- year-round breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- viviparous
- Breeding interval
- Tayras probably breed once per year at most.
- Range number of offspring
- 2 to 3
- Average number of offspring
- 2
- AnAge
- Range gestation period
- 63 to 70 days
- Range weaning age
- 2 to 3 months
- Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female
- 700 days
- AnAge
- Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
- Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male
- 183 days
- AnAge
- Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
- Average lifespan
Status: captivity
- 18.0 years
- Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
- Average lifespan
Eira barbara is a diurnal species that usually travels alone or in pairs. Sometimes, however, they are seen in small groups of 3-4 individuals, the sexual distribution of which is unknown. Tayras are both terrestrial and arboreal; terrestrial locomotion is usually composed of erratic, bouncing movements with the back arched and the tail along the ground. Arboreal movements along horizontal branches are more fluid, and the tail is used as a balancing rod. A tayra may leap for considerable distances, run up rocky clifs, and bound from branch to branch in the trees. When alarmed, the tayra gives a short, barking call and seeks protection in the nearest tree. Although usually silent, the tayra has been known to give yowls, snarls, or clicks when in groups (Reid, 1997; Mares et al., 1989).
Communication and Perception
Food Habits
The tayra is omnivorous. It shows a preference for small mammals, the spiny rat in particular, but it will eat whatever is available. Mammals are the most abundant part of the tayra's diet but it also eats significant amounts of fruit, invertebrates and reptiles, in that order. It has also been shown that the tayra occasionally eats honeycomb when it is available (Bisbal, 1986; McNab, 1995).
- Primary Diet
- omnivore
- Animal Foods
- mammals
- reptiles
- insects
- terrestrial non-insect arthropods
- mollusks
- Plant Foods
- fruit
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
It has been found that Eira barbara can be tamed, and is often used by humans as pets. The Tayra was once used by the indigenous people of the area to control rodents (Nowak, 1999).
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Because of the close proximity of the tayra's habitat to that of humans, specifically human farmers, this species has been known to cause some damage to neighboring plantations. Eira barbara occasionally eats poultry and raids corn and sugar fields, but damage is usually minimal (Nowak, 1999).
Conservation Status
The tayra is not endangered in most of its range; in some parts of South America it is the most common carnivore due to its ability to live near humans in disturbed habitats. However, in Mexico, human spread of agriculture, loss of tropical habitat, and hunting have greatly reduced populations. The Mexican sub-species, E. b. senex, is now considered vulnerable by the IUCN (Emmons, 1990; Nowak, 1999).
- IUCN Red List
Least Concern
More information
- US Federal List
- No special status
- Appendix III
Christina Schreffler (author), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Phil Myers (editor), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
- Neotropical
living in the southern part of the New World. In other words, Central and South America.
- agricultural
living in landscapes dominated by human agriculture.
- arboreal
Referring to an animal that lives in trees; tree-climbing.
- bilateral symmetry
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- chemical
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- diurnal
- active during the day, 2. lasting for one day.
- endothermic
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
- forest
forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.
- heterothermic
having a body temperature that fluctuates with that of the immediate environment; having no mechanism or a poorly developed mechanism for regulating internal body temperature.
- iteroparous
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- motile
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- native range
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- omnivore
an animal that mainly eats all kinds of things, including plants and animals
- rainforest
rainforests, both temperate and tropical, are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground. Epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant. Precipitation is typically not limiting, but may be somewhat seasonal.
- scrub forest
scrub forests develop in areas that experience dry seasons.
- seasonal breeding
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sexual
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- tactile
uses touch to communicate
- temperate
that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).
- terrestrial
Living on the ground.
- tropical
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
- viviparous
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female.
- year-round breeding
breeding takes place throughout the year
Bisbal E., F. 1986. Food habits of some neotropical carnivores in Venezuela (Mammalia, Carnivora). Mammalia, 50(3): 329-340.
Emmons, L. 1990. Neotropical Rainforest Mammals: A Field Guide. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.
Mares, N., R. Ojeda, R. Barquez. 1989. Guide to the Mammals of Salta Province, Argentina. University of Oklahoma Press.
McNab, B. 1995. Energy expenditure and conservation in frugivores and mixed-diet carnivorans. Journal of Mammology, 76(1): 206-222.
Nowak, R. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed.. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Reid, F. 1997. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America and Southeastern Mexico. Oxford University Press.


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Teaching An American 2 Year-Old To Kiss Like A European
2 years, 1 months.
Dear Jack,
Every night before we put you to bed, you know you have to kiss Mommy and me goodnight.
Right now, we're helping you figure out how to do it just right.
"No tongue, Jack!"
That's what Mommy has to remind you because you have this habit; instead of kissing us, you lick us, like you're a puppy.
The goal is for us to kiss each other on the cheek, not the lips.
But several times now, you have leaned in to me with your mouth open like you're about to take a big bite out of an ice cream cone.
Please know how hard it is for me not to laugh when you do that, but I know I can't afford to as I'm trying to get you into sleep mode.
There's this concept in my head of you and I kissing each other on the cheek as we say hello and goodbye, even as we get older.
I know that may sound a little bizarre at first; mainly because it is. Because we're Americans living in America.
If we were in Italy or France, it probably wouldn't be that weird.
Just picture us, 20 years from now, wearing cabbie hats as we greet each other with open arms and a classic European father-son kiss on the cheek.
(Just saying that out loud seems so un-American; like the kind of thing that Paul Rudd would do unsuccessfully in a Judd Apatow movie.)
But that's how I imagine us; being totally comfortable with being physically affectionate.
Granted, it's to be done with discretion; not the kind of thing to be executed in front of your friends when you're in the 6th grade. After all, I'm no helicopter parent nor do I want to be associated with the term "attachment parenting.'
Aside from what I see as unfavorable extremes, I just want it to be normal for a dad to kiss his son hello, goodbye, and goodnight; even if it comes across as European.
Add a Comment
Tags: American, awkward, bromance, European, Judd Apatow, kissing, Paul Rudd | Categories: Nostalgia, The Dadabase
Must Read
by Adrianne Smith
On December 28, 2012 at 2:10 am
Nick! Come on man. Quit hating on us AP parents. As a regular reader I've noticed you ofter equate attached parents to helicopter parents. Every time you dangle this little insult carrot in front of me I bite me tongue. Not today. Perhaps we're "extreme" but attached parents are not the same as helicopter parents. Maybe you just need to be enlightened. Questions? Feel free to ask. All for good friendly debate ofcourse! And I have a question for you: What about "attachment parenting" makes you think of public displays of affection between a parent and 6th grader? That's just silly.
by Nick Shell
On December 28, 2012 at 7:01 am
I bet you're right: I just don't know enough about the difference between helicopter and attachment parenting.


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44 year old woman | West Miami, FL, USA | Seeking men 40-52 within 50 miles of Kendall, FL
Active within 5 days
Looking for my best friend
I am here looking for a person that really knows the meaning of love, loyalty and respect. I considered myself attractive, smart and determinate. I am a loving, caring and sensitive girl. I still believe in fairy tails but I have also learned to have my feet on the ground. I feel I have accomplished many of my goals in life with the exception of finding my other half. I enjoy going to the movies, opera, dining out, traveling (my passion) and anything that inspires romance. I also enjoy simple things and just being home. I fell great being in the finest restaurant or just having a burger at BK, what really matters is to enjoy each others company. I have a sensible side and a wild side as well. I would like to share both sides but only with the right person, if you are really there. I enjoyed sharing time with my family and friends. I am looking a long lasting and a mature relationship but when the right time comes, a relationship that evolves from a solid foundation of a friendship first and filled with peace in heart and mind. I am a down to earth person and I am not looking for a plastic nor superficial guy.I am looking for smart, sincere, family-oriented person with good values and manners. An aggressive and hardworking person that knows how to achieve his goals. A person that is looking to settle in life and is not afraid to commit when the right person cross his path. Someone sweet, romantic and able to carry a good conversation. Self confident, down to earth, straightforward and emotionally stable are a must. Please I would not date or get to know any person that is still married.
Coffee and conversation , Business networking , Cooking , Dining out , Music and concerts , Travel/Sightseeing , Wine tasting
I like anything and everything that we do with joy and love. Simple things shared with love and joy could be treasures in our lives, Simple quality time could be the greatest and unforgettable moments.
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|Latino / Hispanic
|Latino / Hispanic, White / Caucasian
|Christian / Catholic
|Christian / Catholic, Christian / Protestant, Spiritual but not religious, Christian / Other
|English, Spanish
|English, Spanish
|Associates degree
|Some college, Associates degree, Bachelors degree, Graduate degree, PhD / Post Doctoral


text:
Giants don't need Melky. The Giant organization turned the page after Barry left. No room for cheaters! Proud of the Giants for biting the bullet and playing with clean players on their roster. Let's get back to the game we all love! It has plenty to offer all of us!!!!!
Originally written on San Francisco Giants Baseball (SF Giants... | Last updated 11/16/12
Photo Courtesy of Marko Realmonte For those of you that were hoping to see Melky Cabrera back in a San Francisco Giants uniform, it's not going to happen. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle says (via Twitter) ESPN Deportes reports that Cabrera has a two-year deal for $16 million with Toronto. Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com says (via Twitter) the Melk Men can circle June 4-5 on their calendars. That's when the Blue Jays visit AT&T Park. The Giants also play at Toronto May 14-15. Janie McCauley of the Associated Press breaks down Jeremy Affeldt's new contract. She says Affeldt receives $3 million as a signing bonus, and $5 million annually from 2013-2015. Don't forget that you still have time to enter the SF Giants Rumors Giveaway! ~King of Cali (Steven) ———-——–—-——-——––———————-—————————————————- You can follow SF Giants Rumors Facebook page for more Giants updates! Want an email alert when the is a new pos
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Welcome to Costa Rica!
Solid Car Rental is a 100% Costa Rican company with over 20 years of experience. We strive to provide our clients with an excellent car rental experience,, based on the highest standards of service and the best possible value. We know the meaning of service!
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SeaChange International, Inc. (SEAC)
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SeaChange International Inc. (SEAC)
Q4 2009 Earnings Call
March 12, 2009; 5:00 pm ET
Kevin Bisson - Chief Financial Officer
Bill Styslinger - President and Chief Executive Officer
Yvette Kanouff - Chief Strategy Officer
Martha Schaefer - Director of Investor Relations
Greg Mesniaeff - Needham & Company
Lawrence Harris - C.L. King
Blair King - Avondale Partners
Johnny Brown - Stevens
Previous Statements by SEAC
» SeaChange International, Inc. F3Q10 (Qtr End 10/31/09) Earnings Call Transcript
» SeaChange International Inc. F2Q10 (Qtr End 31/07/09) Earnings Call Transcript
» SeaChange International, Inc. F3Q09 (Qtr End 10/31/08) Earnings Call Transcript
Ms. Schaefer, you may begin your conference.
Martha Schaefer
Thank you, Philip. Good afternoon everyone and thank you for joining us today. As Philip just said we'll be discussing the financial results for our fourth quarter and fiscal year 2009. The press release went out about an hour ago and is available on our website on the Investor Relations page.
Before we begin, I would like to remind you that the information we're about to discuss today may include forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.
These risks are outlined in our SEC filings including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed April 14, 2008. Any forward-looking statements should be considered in light of these factors. Any redistribution, retransmission or rebroadcast of this presentation in any form without the express written consent of SeaChange International is prohibited.
Our format today will be as follows; Kevin Bisson, our CFO, will review our financial performance. Then Bill Styslinger our CEO will provide an overview of the quarter. Yvette Kanouff, our Chief Strategy Officer is joining us today with an update on our corporate strategy. Yvette will speak after Bill and she have some slides to help you walk through that strategy. The slides are available on our IR website and we will be left off along with the replay of this call for those who access it later. Following our prepared remarks we will be happy to take your questions.
At this point I'd like to hand this call over to you Kevin.
Kevin Bisson
Thanks Martha and good afternoon everyone. Turning to our fourth quarter financial results for fiscal 2009, revenue for the fourth quarter amounted to $54 million, which was $6.2 million or 13% higher and total revenue were $47.8 million recorded in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008.
From an operating segment perspective, revenue from our Servers and Storage segment for the fourth quarter was $17.7 million, which was $5.8 million or 49% higher than revenue of $11.9 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008. The increase in Servers and Storage revenue in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 compared to the same quarter in fiscal 2008 was driven by increased shipments of VOD servers particularly of our newer flash memory VOD servers to three of our largest North American based cable television customers, as well as VOD server revenue tied to customer acceptance received from a Russian customer during the fourth quarter.
Our software segment generated revenue of $32 million for the fourth quarter, which was $1.1 million or 4% higher than revenue of $30.9 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008. The increase in software revenues between years was principally the result of higher Axiom related software licensing revenue from our largest cable television customer and from the aforementioned Russian customer as well as higher maintenance and software installation revenue partially offset by lower Comcast software subscription revenue.
The Media Services segment total revenue for the fourth quarter of $4.2 million, which was $800,000 lower than revenue of $5 million generated in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008. The year-over-year increases in revenue from customer contracts secured in Greece and Turkey along with the initial quarter's revenue from our fourth quarter acquisition of Mobix, where more than offset by the impact of the depreciation of the British pound compared to the U.S. dollar since the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008.
More specifically if the pound versus dollar exchange rate in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008 had remained the same in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, year-over-year dollar denominated revenue would have risen to $5.7 million, which would have represented a 14% increase over the $5 million dollars of revenue generated by the Media Services business unit for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008.
Geographically, revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 included 66% in North America, 25% in Europe, Middle East and Africa, 7% in Asia Pacific and 2% in Latin America. Consistent with previous quarters, Comcast and Virgin Media were 10% for greater customers in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009.
Revenue for all of fiscal 2009 amounted to $201.8 million, which was just under $22 million or 12% higher than the $179.9 million of revenue generated for all of fiscal 2008. Revenue growth in fiscal 2009 compared to fiscal 2008 derived mainly from higher VOD software licensing and advertising insertion revenue with North American based cable television and telecommunication's companies along with significantly higher maintenance and field installation revenues tied to increases in the installed base of our VOD and advertising software.
Read the rest of this transcript for free on seekingalpha.com


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We all wish this was real.
1. Stretch
2. Grasp book
3. Assume position (see above)
4. Hold position for required amount of time
5. Cool down
Are you trying to tell me that there are no famed symbologists running around solving elaborate crimes related to the Catholic Church? NO. WAY.


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|4 posts found
Elite Member
Joined: 1/17/08
Okay, so thanks to MMORPG's own Chief_Sarcan, we now know that Carbine has pre-order bonuses set up for Wildstar. Whether it's a specific retailer or all retailers is a yet unknown detail, but one of the items is known.
Link: http://www.twitch.tv/mmorpgcom/c/3561098 (go to 8:25)
Item: Spaceship House
Use: Primary plug house for players on their personal housing plot.
So, thoughts on this pre-order house?
I personally find the Cassian house to be the best looking of all with it's fancy architecture; so the spaceship is a miss for me.
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[mod edit]
Thank you for adding your insight into the discussion at hand.
Now, I'll add my thoughts on this thread's topic: I like the idea of the housing plug as a pre-order bonus, I just think it's just a bit too early to conclude this is finalized. Much of what they do is trial-and error so there are many changes as patches are deployed. I wouldn't complain if this was final though.
Elite Member
Joined: 1/17/08
Originally posted by Roxtarr
The developer said they're in the last stretches of the game and are just polishing, polish, polishing. How is it "a bit too early to conclude this is finalized"? That's as bad as assuming that TESO's clunkiness will get 100x better because "it's just beta" with only 2.5 months to go.
The problem I have with pre-order bonuses is that they're developed assets that a player's $60 on the box and/or $15 month is not going to get them. People that wait for the reviews a week or two after launch are going to be left out of this content. Worse yet would be say someone with a Collector's Edition that gets it a week later with some sort of consumables and a fancy light post plug, but not able to get this Spaceship.
Hmmm, okay, I guess they could change this asset just a bit prior to launch: make it a CE item instead of a pre-order item. That would be spectacular. It would make much more sense when they're paying more money for the game's boxed/digital content as well as encouraging more sales for the CE from the developer.
The major thing I'm hoping that they DO NOT DO is what Age of Conan did back when it had pre-orders: split the bonuses to different retailers for different things. That was obnoxious, left players in the dust, and was troublesome for many when an essential aspect (the siege elephant mount) was locked to one retailer (GameStop) which nearly forced players to purchase there....ewww.
Novice Member
Joined: 4/08/04
"In lag, no one can hear you scream"
"The problem I have with pre-order bonuses is that they're developed assets that a player's $60 on the box and/or $15 month is not going to get them. People that wait for the reviews a week or two after launch are going to be left out of this content."
Well, thats standard practice for many games, provide some amazing reward for taking the risk of buying the game before the reviews come out.
And yes, AoC did it horribly wrong, amongst many other things it did wrong, like not completing the game...


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Leave Brewnster a message to find out more.
Forum Post: Late Night Men's League
Posted 04/26/2011 12:45:11 EDT
I'm a firm believer in Red Bull and beef jerky before every game.
Forum Post: Carcillo makes it four
Posted 05/06/2010 12:26:09 EDT
Chris Pronger
Forum Post: What did Jack say last night?
Posted 04/28/2010 12:04:23 EDT
Don't forget..Juicy rebound
Forum Post: Babcock "shortening the bench" in the 3rd?
Posted 02/19/2010 11:36:06 EST
Looked to me like Babcock had Bergy taking the face off's in the defensive end during the final minutes of the game. Am I wrong?
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text: President Obama sat with Jennifer Farlin and other military wives at Rick's Cafe in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Friday. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and former Gov. Mark Warner accompanied the president during the first of a two-day campaign visit to the commonwealth. Farlin praised the president for his support of military families.


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Originally written on FatManWriting | Last updated 2/16/13
B-Ball On The Brain! - Usain Bolt Has Some Game After All; Slams One Down #allstarplus For the last couple weeks there has been a video floating around of Usain Bolt trying to shoot around. In a word-- he was terrible. He was absolutely terrible. The only saving grace is that the video itself is months old. Maybe he has learned to play a little since then? He got his chance to show it in the Celebrity Game as part of the NBA's All-Star Weekend in Houston, Texas. I don't know what his overall game looked like, but the man did throw down a pretty decent dunk during the game and another while racing comedian/actor Kevin Hart...(click on link for full post)
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Recently, i upgraded from Ubuntu 11.04 to 11.10, Eclipse also upgraded to Helios but android Plugin and projects are lost.what to do to restore them?
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You need to install Android plugin again. It is installed via Eclipse's plugin mechanism, not via Ubuntu package management machanism


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Heart Disease Health Center
Cardiac Stents Overview
In this article
Stents are small expandable tubes used to treat narrowed or weakened arteries in the body. In patients with coronary heart disease, caused by the buildup of plaque, stents are used to open narrowed arteries and help reduce symptoms such as chest pain (angina) or to help treat a heart attack.
These types of stents are commonly called heart stents, but they're also referred to as cardiac stents or coronary stents. Usually made of metal mesh, heart stents are implanted in narrowed coronary arteries during a procedure called a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or angioplasty.
Recommended Related to Heart Disease
Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Disease
Atherosclerosis -- sometimes called hardening of the arteries -- can slowly narrow and harden the arteries throughout the body. When atherosclerosis affects the arteries of the heart, it's called coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans. Most of these deaths are from heart attacks caused by sudden blood clots in the heart's arteries. Atherosclerosis can create life-threatening blockages without you ever feeling a thing. Since we're all at risk for coronary...
Read the Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Disease article > >
Unlike coronary artery bypass surgery, stenting is considered minimally invasive because it involves no major incisions. Performed with local anesthesia and mild sedation, the procedure usually takes about an hour, but it can take longer if multiple stents are required. Patients who undergo stenting experience significantly less discomfort and a shorter recovery time than those who undergo coronary artery bypass surgery.
But stenting isn't risk-free. Sometimes, a blood clot can form in the stent and cause a sudden renarrowing or even a complete blockage. To prevent this process, which is known as in-stent thrombosis, patients who undergo stenting must take one or more blood-thinning drugs after the procedure. These include aspirin, which usually must be taken indefinitely, and Brilinta or clopidogrel (Plavix), which is usually prescribed for at least one and up to 12 months.
Any manipulation of an artery (whether with a balloon or stent) can result in some injury to the blood vessel wall, especially the endothelium (the innermost layer of a coronary artery). So scar tissue can also form within the stented area, resulting in renarrowing over a period of months. This process is called restenosis. If restenosis develops, another stent procedure can often be used to solve the problem. In some patients whose stented arteries reclose, coronary artery bypass surgery may be necessary.
Types of Heart Stents
In the late 1970s, doctors began using balloon angioplasty to treat narrowed coronary arteries. During this procedure, a very thin, long, balloon-tipped tube, called a catheter, is inserted into an artery in either the groin or arm and is moved to the site of the blockage with help from an X-ray. The balloon at the tip of the catheter is then inflated to compress the blockage and restore blood flow, and then it's deflated to allow the catheter and balloon to be removed.


text:
Originally written on Fox Soccer | Last updated 9/2/12
Oldham manager Paul Dickov hopes to see Cliff Byrne's red card in the victory at Portsmouth overturned. The Latics claimed all three points after Jonathan Grounds' cross-cum-shot slid into the Pompey net after taking a deflection off debutant Johnny Ertl after 59 minutes. Both sides were then reduced to 10 men in a cloud of confusion four minutes later. Jordan Obita was dismissed for Portsmouth for an apparent elbow, before Cliff Byrne also saw red. However, Oldham's sending off could be rescinded due to a case of mistaken identity, as it was Connor Brown who was involved in the tussle with Obita. "I think they realise it was a mistake, so hopefully common sense will prevail," said Dickov. "It's a strange one for me because in my short time as a manager I've never had to appeal." Asked whether he thought Brown should have been sent off, Dickov replied: "I've not seen it. We'll have to have a look at it. I've been with the referee and we all make mistakes. I know that, I've made...
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Spring will be here before you know it, so now is a good time to discuss the most important topic when it comes to pools – safety. Staying safe around the pool is important for everyone, but especially so for … Continue reading
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"Drowning is Silent"… Pool alarms make a loud commotion when someone or something has fallen in the pool. There are many types of pool alarms that will sound the alert. Here are some details about a few different pool alarms … Continue reading


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Now everyone's going to know what it feels like to accidentally walk in on a sibling while they're showering when America's collective little sister Dakota Fanning appears in her first nude scene in a movie.
The scene we'll all be watching through one eye is featured in the indie coming-of-age film Very Good Girls to be released this year and needless to say it's gonna be hellaaaaaa awkward. Like Harry Potter and Facebook, we grew up on little miss Dakota Fanning. It's like seeing your favorite Disney cartoon character naked and the thought is just way too much too handle at the moment.
Then again, ever since she practically acted circles around Sean Penn in I Am Sam while still wearing OshKosh B'gosh, Dakota has always been an actress mature beyond her years. Anyone whose seen her scantily-clad portrayal of Cherie Currie in The Runaways could see this topless milestone on the IMDb horizon. Truthfully we're not really shocked by this, just in denial. Like, is this what it feels like to drop Dakota off at campus on her first day of college?
Anyway, Dakota plays it off way more cool than we do, telling MTV News at Sundance, "Yeah, well, I've never done [a nude scene] before and I'm very newly allowed to that. I was newly 18, so yeah…it's kind of a sensitive thing, but it's a part of life."
For everyone else, teenage rites of passage might include getting your driver's license, being peer pressured to puff a cigarette under the bleachers of your high school football field, and ironically buying a dirty magazine. But for an actress, it's all that and taking off your shirt on the silver screen. Showing your breasts is the quinceañera of young Hollywood actresses. Truthfully, what's most shocking to me, though, is that Dakota Fanning is already old enough to see Dakota Fanning naked in an R-rated movie. One minute they're not wearing diapers and the next minute they're not wearing clothes all together. They grow up so fast!
Either way, the feature that also stars Elizabeth Olsen, assures the nudity isn't gratuitous and treated artfully. "As in life it's not always so perfect and glossy and seamless," her co-star in the scene Boyd Holbrook explains. "It's quite awkward sometimes especially with that. This film's about its going into life, first sexual experience, so it's all about the environment and not taking it too serious."
And maybe we as Dakota's adopted parents are taking this infomation way too seriously. After all, she had a far more difficult rape scene in Hounddog at the tender age of 12, so she's doing a little Benjamin Unbuttoning with her career here. We're probably just being overprotective soccer moms who think "LOL" means "Lots of Love" and overreacting.


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A Day's Work
[Sorry, the video for this story has expired, but you can still read the transcript below. ]
TED ROBBINS: A lot of people play the lottery hoping to win and one day quit their jobs. These men play a lottery to get a job for one day. This is the Phoenix day labor center, opened earlier this year. It was built to put an end to scenes like this: Men ten miles away standing around a central Phoenix Home Depot parking lot trying, sometimes aggressively, to find work. Day labor is nothing new. Its roots go back to medieval times. Here's how Hollywood portrayed the experience in 1954, one of Marlon Brando's early films, "On the Waterfront."
ACTOR: Say, what does it take to get a day's pay around here?
SPOKESMAN: The reality is there's a lack of dignity just looking for a job. They're just trying to get those basic needs. And these are guys that are just looking for a job during the day.
TED ROBBINS: Keenan Strand says he witnessed mornings when 400 men lined the north Phoenix street in front of his McDonald's restaurant … which did what to your business?
KEENAN STRAND: Well, it primarily scared off customers that were just going by, didn't understand what's happening, why is there such a large gathering of men. Oftentimes if they look, if they were in a vehicle that looked like they might need somebody to work, a pickup truck or a truck with a trailer, they'd literally begin to just get in before the customer or the person in the truck knew what was going on.
TED ROBBINS: Eighty local business owners, including Strand, lobbied the city to help build the worker center now down the street. It's one of more than two dozen such centers around the country, most built in the last decade. The city of Phoenix put up about a quarter million dollars for the structure. Three nonprofit agencies pay to run the place, with Salvador Reza the on-site manager. But he says the workers make the rules.
SALVADOR REZA: We tell them, you are the ultimate authority in this center. Whatever you guys want, that's what's going to happen in this center. We'll propose rules for you and we'll discuss the rules and whatever the assembly decides, that's what we're going to do.
TED ROBBINS: The overwhelming percentage of day laborers are new and undocumented immigrants eager for work. In Spanish they are called jornaleros. Their potential employers are patrons. Jornaleros show up around 5:00 A.M., sign in and get tickets. The system is balanced so that men who have not worked in a while get more tickets and hence more chances. Jose Luis Arrias says he gets work at least three days a week. He says he's lucky because he prays to the Virgin of Guadalupe at a shrine the men set up.
JOSE LUIS ARRIAS: It seems to work.
TED ROBBINS: Arrias left his family 1,000 miles away in Zacatecas, Mexico, to get work here. He sends the money back and plans to return home at the end of the year.
SPOKESMAN: They earn about 4 or 6 dollars a day. Here they earn about 6 an hour.
TED ROBBINS: Not everyone thinks the labor center is a good idea. Kathy McKee and Rusty Childress are circulating petitions to put a measure on the Arizona ballot that would halt the use of public money to provide aid to illegal immigrants.
KATHY MCKEE: It's illegal to do anything to help illegal aliens find employment. It's illegal to hire them, it's illegal to for them to take jobs, and it's illegal to help them, it's illegal to do anything to encourage an illegal alien to stay in this country. If helping them find a job isn't illegal, I don't know what it is.
TED ROBBINS: But it is also legal for an employer to hire workers without asking for any documentation unless the employee works for more than three days.
SALVADOR REYES: If you actually pass legislation against day labor, you my as well pass legislation against the 16-year-old next-door, because 16 year olds, 14 year olds, 15 years olds are cutting your lawn, they're day laborers, too.
TED ROBBINS: Salvador Reyes says it's just facilitating the free market.
SALVADOR REYES: Corporations are able to go anywhere they want to, regardless of borders of national states or whatever. But human beings, the labor for specific components of the market is being held back and can you not do that. You cannot do that and ultimately not create an imbalance in one country or another, which is what happened between Mexico and the united states.
TED ROBBINS: Harold Huffman came to hire two men for yard work.
HAROLD HUFFMAN: Just help me out a little bit.
TED ROBBINS: Why here?
HAROLD HUFFMAN: That's where my daughter told me to come. She's a detective, so.
TED ROBBINS: She knew about this place?
HAROLD HUFFMAN: Yes, she did.
TED ROBBINS: Huffman says the work is being paid for by his neighborhood association, he provides water and lunch. Jose Luis Arias says before the center was bit he had trouble competing on the streets with younger workers. He is 51 years old. He also says he was ripped off by patrons who took his labor, then did not pay.
SALVADOR REYES: All the way to working for them for a week and not paying them to telling them, "well, I'm going to pay you next week because they haven't paid for the contract." So the guys wait, but they never see the guy again.
TED ROBBINS: The worker center gives them some protection, because the city sanctions it and because managers will help find deadbeat employers. The city of Phoenix wants to build more day labor centers, including one near the home depot parking lot. So far, opponents have prevented that from happening. Supporters hope the current day labor center is successful enough to convince neighborhoods that it pays to take laborers off the street while they wait for a day's work.