Why is TV Losing its Viewers

 Television  No Responses »
Jan 032012
 

I was browsing through different websites and almost all of them had headlines like, “Simon Cowell’s, Red or Black loses more than a million viewers”, “Pay TV losing thousands of viewers!”, “Are TV Shows Doomed To Lose Viewers?” and so on. These headlines are based on TV ratings by ‘Nielsen’, which is one of the most reliable sources for TV ratings and what the headlines clearly indicate is that TV viewership has been reducing.

Why is TV Viewership Dropping Down

For most of us, it’s not surprising that TV soaps are losing its viewership in millions. Do we spend as much time watching TV as before? The answer is “No”. None of us today spend as much time watching TV as we used to, say about 3-4 years back. This is because of the extensive use of other media sources, like Internet connection on PCs, phones, etc. PCs have replaced TVs. This is because, we now get to see whatever we want and whenever we want to, either by watching soaps online or by downloading them and storing them.

The Web’s Taking Over
A research study indicated, that young consumers who fall in the age group of 18-30 years are spending more time on the Internet than watching TV. Also, people in the age group of 31-44 years also spend more time being online than watching TV. There are a couple of valid reasons why TV has been losing its viewers. The major contributor to this is the Internet. TV, now, has become a subset of the web. Everything you find on TV can be found on the web, but not vice versa. PCs and tablets are more interactive and are broadly used compared to the television. Videos of one’s favorite songs, soaps, etc., can be downloaded and seen whenever one desires to. So, who really needs the TV now?

Unemployment
There can be a possible link between increasing unemployment and the decreasing TV viewership. Ideally if one is not employed, then he/she would spend more time watching. But, what if the financial state of that unemployed person is such, that he/she can’t afford a cable connection? Yes! That’s the kind of financial state, many people are in today. To a small extent, if not large, unemployment has been a reason for the decreasing TV viewership.

More People Living Together
A drop has been observed in the total number of cable connections this year. Many cable connections have been cut off. This is because, those who had taken a housing loan and were hit by the recession, moved back to living with their families. With this, the requirement of an additional cable network is already dismissed.

Excessive Viewing of the Same Soaps
A report by Nielsen stated that almost 20 top cable networks have experienced a decline in their viewership. Also, the established and the most watched channels have faced a decline in their viewership, by a rate of 15%. The viewership for the top rated TV soaps like Seinfeld, ER, Grey’s Anatomy, Big Bang Theory, etc., has reduced considerably. And instead, viewership has increased for channels like CNN, and The Weather Channel. This clearly indicates that the interest people had in these soaps is not the same anymore. This could be because of an overdose of watching the same soaps all the time.

A lot of questions have been raised on how the decreasing TV viewership is going to hit the television industry. There has been a shift in television advertisements to other carriers. Restaurants, newspapers, websites, etc., are now receiving the diverted advertisements. This will definitely distort the revenue earned by the TV industry for the time being. But in the long run, because of the increasing competition with the web, there is more scope of innovation and creativity. This will only improve the content seen by the viewers.

No matter how large the web becomes, it cannot substitute for a TV. It will always remain as a must-have gadget in every home. A TV brings people together. A TV (home theater) will always be preferred for enjoying live soccer matches, fresh soap episodes and your favorite movies. A PC may be your personal equipment but a TV serves to be a family attraction. After all, what is life “out-of-the-(idiot)-box”!

 Posted by at 6:36 am  Tagged with:

How to Get Rid of Your Old TV

 Photography  No Responses »
Jan 022012
 

In with the new, out with the old. With electronics, disposal techniques are a little more complex, especially with TVs. Due to their size, TVs are extremely large appliances to throw out. In some states, it is illegal to throw out your television set along with regular garbage, due to the polluting effects of such devices. In such cases, how can you legally and safely do away with your old TV set? Here’s how.

How to Safely Dispose of Your Old TV Set

The following methods can be followed, whether the TV is broken or in a working condition.

Donate Your TV to Charity
You may be throwing out that ancient CRT TV, to make way for a sleek plasma screen. Or maybe you are throwing out your LCD TV for a high-end HD model. The bottom line is, you are disposing of a working, perfectly fine or OK TV set, as you intend to replace it with a better model. Then why throw it? Try to donate it instead. First ask around your neighborhood. Try your local church or community center or an old age home. A useless TV to you can mean a beautiful new television to someone else. You can even drop off your TV at a Salvation Army or Goodwill Center. Some reuse organizations that accept TV sets in a working condition are:

* Second Harvest Food Bank
* Habitat ReStores
* Salvation Army
* Goodwill Industries
* Amvets
* Excess Access
* Freecycle

Trade In Your TV
Some stores and electronic brands offer a trade-in policy on electronic goods brought from them. Trade-in terms and conditions differ from store to store but on purchasing a new TV set, they will take the older set from your hands. Some stores have exchange drives, where you can exchange your old set and get a discount rate on the new one. Or you can even sell your old TV set to the store. Get in touch with the store you purchased the TV from or contact the TV’s manufacturer directly, to find out if they have any programs regarding old TVs.

Sell Off its Parts
From the CRT tube to the antenna, your TV set is made up of small and big electronic parts internally. Your TV set may not work as a whole machine but such internal parts can still work independently. So they could be used in another appliance, like a radio or to fix another TV set. Take your TV to local electronic repair shops to sell off the internal parts. Parts from your TV can be used to repair or fix a number of other appliances and repair shops are always on the lookout for spare parts.

Recycle Your TV Set
An estimated 13.4 million TVs are thrown away each year, according to the CEA (Consumer Electronic Association). Imagine the number of TV sets collecting on landfills or such a large amount of sets being burnt to destroy them. Imagine the degrading impact on an already delicate environment. Do your bit for the environment by disposing your TV set in a green manner. Here are some ways to do so:

Contact the TV’s Manufacturing Brand
Some major electronic brands have recycling programs for their electronic products, where you can drop off the product and they will trash it in a non-hazardous manner. Brands which have a take-back electronic recycling policy are:

* LG (Zenith and Goldstar TVs included)
* Samsung
* Sony
* Mitsubishi
* Panasonic
* Sharp
* Toshiba
* Vizio

Check out Retailers
Brands like Best Buy and Staples will recycle your TV set for a minimal fee. Best Buy’s recycling program will accept any electronic device of any brand and in any condition and will handle its recycling in an environmentally friendly way.

Visit your Local Recycling Center
Check if they will accept your old TV or at least, help you dispose of your TV safely. Some cities or states have annual or bi-annual e-waste collection drives, so you can drop off your TV set at the sites mentioned.

Search the Web
If you are still stumped as to where to recycle your TV, never fear. There are many helpful organizations and programs present online, that will help you track down the nearest recyclers. E-cycling Central, MyGreenElectronics and Earth911 are just a few online sites to visit. The Electronic Recycling Association is very helpful in handling electronic recycling and has select drop off locations and pickups of electronic goods. They will even donate your TV set to a needful charity, if it is in a working condition.

If you are recycling your TV set, try to make sure that your TV is recycled responsibly, i.e., it is not just exported to a Third-World country and thrown on a dump over there. Such “out of sight, out of mind” behavior isn’t recycling, it is e-waste dumping. Be responsible, do not just throw things out. Put away any electronic item, be it a TV or a mobile phone, in a correct and safe manner.

 Posted by at 6:32 am

How to Make a Stereoscope

 Photography  No Responses »
Dec 302011
 

A stereoscope is a device that helps the viewer to see images with a patented 3-D effect. It was initially used by navigators and landscapers to view photographs of their interest through the device and learn about them by achieving different angles of the site. For professionals, a stereoscope consists of expensive mirrors placed in a stipulated manner, so that one may be able to see a 3-D picture or a colorful drawing through the stereoscope. The stereoscope works on the principle of vision divergence. This is when an individual peeps through the two sectors made to facilitate vision. With the images placed inside the stereoscope, one is able to see one image through each eye. If the paths of vision cross or diverge, one may land up seeing another image that provides an illusion of having a realistic feel with depth. However, this is an activity that requires a trained eye, also demanding paramount abilities of concentration to derive an all-together new picture.

What Does a Stereoscope Do

The principle on which the stereoscope functions is predominantly the concept of vision divergence. It is virtually a game that we play with our brain. When we see an image from a distance, our brain may see the superficiality of the picture, as there is no scope to notice the depth of the picture. On the other hand, when two pictures are placed at a distance, apart from each other, maintaining a stipulated distance from each other, the attention span is divided amongst the two pictures which was initially devoted to just one. When the left eye pays attention to a picture placed on the left, and the right eye focuses on the photograph propped on the right, the brain will form a collage, merging their aspects together to form a 3-D image and a completely new picture. This brain quirk is fun, however, you must have the stereoscope to help you perform the trick. So, how do you get one for yourself is the question that has popped up in your mind, right? Well, you don’t need to ‘get’ one, you might as well ‘make’ one for yourself. Let the fun begin.

How to Build a Stereoscope

If you have taken up the challenge of making one, but don’t know how, here is help coming your way. Here is a list of what you need and a step-by-step approach of how you would be able to construct one.

Preparation

* Cardboard box; a shoe box would be ideal
* Mirrors; (2 small-sized and 2 big ones)
* Pen knife
* Pictures
* Glue or adhesive
* Scissors
* Pencil
* Measuring tape or scale

Directions

1. Once you have assembled all the material and the necessary equipment, you may begin with the procedure right away. With the cardboard box in place, clean the interiors of the same, thoroughly. There should be no dirt or muck lying around in the box.
2. Make sure that you are ready with the pictures as well. Preferably choose pictures that look scenic; do not consider photographs that have human or animal intervention. Scenery that looks quintessential, is what one should, ideally look out for.
3. Coming back to the cardboard box; after you have cleaned it, you need to slit off its top. The cardboard top can be preserved for some other ventures during the activity.
4. Make a slit from the side of the box; the slit should be long enough, around 10 to 14 cm in length. The box should be cut in a manner that they resemble pillars.
5. Now prepare the floor of the box. Make sure that there are no dents or gaps in the box. If there are any, stick them together with glue. If the dents are too big, you may place the remaining cardboard pieces in between. If this still does not suffice the purpose, you may place cotton sheets in between the cardboard flaps and then fix them together with glue or an adhesive; this should make the surface bump-free.
6. With the rectangular side of the box, make a hole with a pen knife; you may draw up a circle with a protractor and cut the shape. You will have a viewfinder window to peep through.
7. With the cardboard that you were asked to keep aside, meant to be preserved; you have to cut four squares, roughly 12 x 12 in size.
8. The mirrors have to be taped on their sides, so that they do not hurt you due to its rough edging.
9. Cut one square into halves, so that it forms a triangle. You will have two triangles; out of these you may choose the best one and keep it for use.
10. With a pencil, draw a line in the middle of the square. Cut from the middle, however, end the cutting when you reach half way through the square. You may now fold the square into two halves.
11. Now bend the cardboard square and place it by gluing it on the triangle that you have chosen out of the two.
12. With the two mirrors taped and ready, you must stick them at the back of the folded cardboard.
13. With a pencil and ruler, draw lines through the base of the box. The lines should be clear and non-bumpy.
14. One edge of the square that you constructed (12 × 12) should be placed at the vertical line at a 45 degree angle. Place the other edge as well on the vertical line.
15. Now, as you have the two big mirrors remaining, you have to attach them with glue to the back of the cardboard.
16. Place the small mirrors in such a manner, that they face the big mirrors. Stick the images on the opposite side of the mirror.
17. Make adjustments if necessary. You may use the viewfinder to make the changes if you will. Your stereoscope is now ready!

With the stereoscope in place, you now don’t just know how to make a stereoscope, but you also know how to have fun with images and create a virtual vision that is an amalgamation of two enticing panoramas!

 Posted by at 6:19 am
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