::scr Dressing up the computer

[Snorre Milde]

> Robert X. Cringely talking about getting optimal video compression by
> incorporating eye tracking technology, such that the observed area is sent
> essentially uncompressed while the peripheral (almost everything) is
> allowed to degrade severely. He figures that if it can be pulled off, it
> could lead to drastic jumps in comression (10x, 100x) and the average user
> wouldn't even notice the lossiness.

It's an interesting idea as you say, and impossible to pull off.

Start playing a streaming video and move the playback slider halfway into
the movie. When it finally starts playing again, anything between three to
fifteen seconds have passed, depending on your mileage.

I hope your eyes move more often than this.

Ultimately, even if you turn off all buffering, have infinite computing
power and bandwidth all the way through, the speed of light could prove the
limiting factor - at least if you want to stream stuff from faraway spots.

I live in the UK, and I've been informed that a signal roundtrip from here
to Australia will take around 0.7 seconds - which is a noticeable lag and
enough to make X's concept a pipe dream.

(Disclaimer: I have not checked the math on the last bit. I was too busy
writing x in assembler when I was n years old.)

Snorre