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Let’s talk a little more about aspect ratio. Always a lively topic everywhere I go, and regularly misunderstood by industry leading CCTV equipment manufacturers, engineers, and other video professionals. Should we correct, when do we correct, how do we correct, and of course the why. I’ve done a few short posts on the topic in the past (here's one), but this will be in a little more detail. Still writing on the fly, just going to break it down into a few posts over time.

By Ryan Paul

Mozilla has announced the availability of Firefox 4 beta 8, a new pre-release milestone build of the open source Web browser. Beta 8 brings better support for WebGL and introduces an improved setup process for Firefox Sync that simplifies the steps for configuring the synchronization service across multiple devices.

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Turns out, pretty damn fast. Way faster than I would, on anything, let alone a croch rocket.

Many of my favorite memories of my time in Broome County involve Harry. Like when he and I where taking hang gliding classes together in the evenings, and those dark & early morning hours on the weekend.

My favorite though was almost dying with him, which I would gladly do to this day, if given an option of how to go out. We were riding motorcycles. Enough said.

Okay, maybe not enough. You should know that my career as an amateur daredevil started very young. I began riding our Honda 50 at 5 years old, and just kept trying to think of more spectacular ways to nearly kill myself from then on.

Harry has me beat. Hands down.

Our Executive office spoke with Harry about us riding motorcycles together, taking hang gliding lessons together, etcetera.  Thier comment to him was:

"There's a reason the President & the Vice President don't ride in the same vehicle together, Harry."

George Reis, Media-Geek.com member and well respected digital imaging author/instructor, has posted a brief survey on law enforcement's use of digital asset management systems. George is working on an article pertaining to the topic, which he will make available via his Website www.imagingforensics.com in a few weeks.
Click here to take the brief survey.

If you haven't already, you should check out George's book on using Photoshop CS3 in your forensic workflow...simply click on the image to the right to visit Amazon.com for further details.

Atlantic Light Works and Reindeer Graphics announce the release of PercepTool 2.0.2 TM, a Photoshop add-on suite that performs High Dynamic Range (HDR), Tone Mapping and Perceptual Effect operations on digital photographs. Compatible with both Windows and Mac platforms in 32- and 64-bit processing, it operates in Photoshop CS4 and CS5 (Photoshop Extended required for 32-bits/channel). PercepTool 2.0.2TM works with both B&W and Color images in 8-bits, 16-bits and 32-bits.

* Updated with Corrected Images & Explanations. 

After the break you'll find several images of a bogus Person of Interest (PoI) that were recorded by a DCCTV system. Two different analog CCTV cameras with built-in IR illuminators were connected to the black-box, h.264 DVR. These JPG images were exported from the DVR’s proprietary player. All of these images exported at 704 pixels by 480 pixels. When the recorded video is played back via the proprietary player it is displayed at 630 x 455; however, analysis of the proprietary file and exported AVI files reveals both of those contain a 704 x 480 video stream.

Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to:

• Describe the PoI’s clothing items from these images as you would for producing a BOLO. Note any issues that may affect your description.
• Identify the single most important correction that should be made to these images prior to printing. (BONUS - Why does this correction need to be made, and what tipped you off to it?)

If you’ve taken one of my recovery classes or attended one of my presentations on the topic at a LEVA conference or other event, you may have seen these examples.

Seagate's demos its third-gen hybrid drive at CES 2013 and aims to replace all high-end laptop hard drives with hybrid drives.

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Sweet niblits!  Use your Verizon Pre Plus as a Wi-Fi mobile hotspot...for free!    

Check out : "Verizon Mobile Hotspot on webOS devices now free, Pre Plus and Pixi Plus fall to $49.99 and $29.99" - Verizon Mobile Hotspot on webOS devices now free, Pre Plus and Pixi Plus fall to $49.99 and $29.99

LEVA will be providing their Forensic Imaging Techniques course May 27th - 29th, 2009 at the LEVA DME Lab, which is located at the University of Indianapolis. Visit the LEVA training schedule for the latest on all of the LEVA's course offerings.

Just a quick note to say thank you to everyone who attended LEVA’s Annual Training Conference in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho last week. It’s always great to see everyone face-to-face, and as usual the information sharing and peer networking the conference facilitates was priceless. I only wish I could’ve enjoyed more of the evening social events, but unfortunately a few factors prevented me from doing so.

But I've damn sure known quite a few. Worked with many. Met more than most even, I dare say.

I recently published my autobiography, on a special day with a special significance. It was time to share it with my son, first and foremost, but also to put the pieces together for a few others that truly care.

I am extremely fortunate, despite some sad parts to my long, yet actually very abridged story. Maybe not despite them though, right?

Maybe because pushing through troubles and mistakes, and trying really hard to always do the right thing...even when nobody's around or looking...has made me who I am.

A very proud husband & father. Very comfortable in my skin, because I know what my intentions have always been, and that my best is good enough.

We are all works in progress, my friends.

If something in my story has offended you, even if it's just the way I've told it, I understand.

I'm a very understanding guy. 

Either way, do yourself and everyone around you a favor, and make it a great day my friends!

Imagine, if you will, business travelers gallivanting across the globe with nary a care in the world -- secure in the fact that should they lose their laptop by hook or by crook, they can disable it with a simple text message. Well, the dream is now a reality as Intel has put its third-gen vPro technology in Sandy Bridge Core i5 and i7 business chips, giving users the ability to lock down and reactivate a PC remotely via SMS.  

Full story:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/08/intel-brings-vpro-to-sandy-bridge-cpus-makes-losing-your-work-l 

The Association for Forensic Multimedia Analysis (AFMA) officially announced the results of their first ever board of directors election. The five members elected to the board of directors were Dorothy Stout, Sam Burgiss, Chuck Pruitt, Laura Teodosio, and Craig Thrane.

Those interested in becoming an AFMA member should send an email with the subject AFMA MEMBER REQUEST to info@theafma.org. After your request is made via email you will receive an invitation to the AFMA member's website.