Saturday, December 18, 2010

BROADBAND POWER LINES


BROADBAND POWER LINES

Within a short period of time the Internet has become a vital part of life for many people in the world. Many businesses have invested in various communication networks to facilitate access to the Internet. Although there are many technologies to access the Internet, have you ever thought that the same wire system that is used to supply electricity to your house can be used to access the Internet? Well, with Broadband over Power Lines, or BPL, you can plug your computer into any electrical outlet in your house or office and instantly have access to high-speed Internet. This means that the existing infrastructure can be used to provide Internet facilities.


Technology

Standard AC electricity is transmitted at a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz via normal power lines. Researchers found that this left almost the entire frequency range of the line free, which suggested that perhaps, like the local loop in fixed telephone lines, the power line could be used for additional purposes. Consequently, it was proposed to transmit data over the unused frequencies of the power lines, using methods similar to those used in DSL. This is the fundamental idea upon which BPL technology was constructed. With BPL, power lines now have two purposes, both of which must coexist without interference.
But, transmitting data over power lines for long distances leads to degradation of the signals. This problem is particularly exacerbated by high-voltage power lines. Consequently, data is typically transmitted over fibre optic cables for the length of the high-voltage lines, before being converted into electrical signals and added to the medium-voltage or low-voltage lines. Since the majority of electricity transmission companies have wrapped fibre optic cables around their high-voltage lines, this is not a major problem. However, as with most other technologies, boosters are required at regular intervals, even on medium- and low-voltage lines, for re-amplification to prevent signal loss. Finally, the signal makes its way to neighborhoods and customers who can access it, either wirelessly, through strategically placed utility poles, or by having it zipped directly into their homes via the regular electric current. Adaptors at individual power outlets ferry the data into computers through their usual ports.

Advantages

Since it uses an existing infrastructure, BPL could mean that low-cost broadband could be made a reality in areas that cannot get DSL, cable or wireless broadband. Even households in extremely remote areas can now potentially have broadband access.
In-house BPL is another advantage we can obtain from this technology. With the use of a simple converter and the wiring system of a building or a house, an Ethernet can be configured. Once a computer is connected to this electric network, it will be able to control any electric appliance in the same network. In that sense this technology may be useful in the development of ‘Smart’ houses or buildings controlled by a single computer.

Problems and Solutions

In spite of all the potential advantages, the BPL system has a number of issues. The primary one is that power lines are inherently a very noisy environment. Every time a device turns on or off, it introduces a pop or click into the line. The system must be designed to deal with these natural signaling disruptions and work around them.
Power distribution uses step-down transformers to reduce the voltage for use by customers. But BPL signals cannot readily pass through transformers, as their high inductance makes them act as low-pass filters, blocking high-frequency signals. So, these transformers should be bypassed. In the U.S., it is common for a small transformer hung from a utility pole to service a single house or a small number of houses. In Europe, it is more common for a somewhat larger transformer to service 10 or 100 houses. Due to this difference, BPL has developed faster in Europe than in the USA.
The next major issue is the operating frequency. The system is expected to use frequencies of 10 to 30 MHz, which have been used for many decades by amateur radio operators, as well as international shortwave broadcasters and a variety of communications systems (military, aeronautical, etc.). Power lines are unshielded and will act as antennas for the signals they carry, and have the potential to interfere with shortwave radio communications. Due to this problem, some countries such as Japan did not adopt this technology. Also amateur radio enthusiasts all over the world seem to be united in their distaste for what BPL does to the airwaves. Another concern with BPL is security. Since it transmits on a shared medium, like cable broadband, it is easier to hack the line.

Future

How this technology copes with the above-mentioned problems within the next few years will decide the future use of this technology. A BPL connection is faster than a normal DSL connection, and the price is in the same range as DSL. Currently, power company Scottish Hydro Electric in Scotland is offering BPL in three towns for £35.99 and £29.99 per month for 1 Mbps and 512 kbps connections respectively. Germany, too, has many companies offering commercially available BPL.
Even if BPL fails as a direct data transferring method, it still may be used as a backhaul for WiMAX networks or as a method of connectivity between electrical appliances in a house. Will this technology become a great success or will it be another failure? We will have to wait and see.


Thursday, March 11, 2010

IPL 2010 Starts tomorrow !

The third edition of the Indian Premier League starts tomorrow. Apart from World T20 and World Cup, IPL has become the most exciting and interesting cricket tournament ever. With all those theories and controversies about the commercialization of cricket what I believe is that it has now become a business, but still I don’t care about that as long as it gives entertainment. These days all those cricket experts talks about preserving test cricket and about limiting T20s.But I think its T20s that has made cricket more popular . And with T20s, cricket is no longer a game to be watched by old people and kids who have a lot of time to kill in their day time. It has become a game where people can enjoy even after coming home after a tiring day at the office without missing any moment of action.
It is still unclear whether some local TV channel is telecasting this tournament. In last two tournaments Sirasa TV (IPL 1) and Channel Eye (IPL 2) telecasted these matches. But still I did not see any advertisement on these channels about IPL 2010. Anyway this time all the matches of IPL will be broadcasted live on YouTube Official Channel for IPL 2010. This is done according to an agreement between IPL and Google (who owns YouTube). Though neither of them has revealed the conditions of the agreement it is believed that IPL and Google will share the revenues from advertisements and sponsorships. Anyway let’s hope that at least the telecast on YouTube is not interrupted by advertisements.
Most of the teams have same squads as last year but there are some new players in action as well. Hope this time Sri Lankan players will make their mark at IPL. Sanga has been given a chance to show his leadership skills this time.Also hope that Dilshan may play well and score a hundred this season. The Sri Lankan all rounder’s Thissara Perera and Angelo Mathews will be playing for CSK and KKR respectively. And hope that Sanath will play some wonderful innings at least to get some more votes :P
To watch IPL on YouTube use the below link.
To visit IPL official page

Here is the official IPL schedule.

No. Date IST Match Details Venue
Mar-2010
1 March 12 20:00 DC vs KKR HCA – Hyderabad
2 March 13 16:00 MI vs RR Mumbai/Nagpur
3 March 13 20:00 KXI vs DD PCA – Mohali
4 March 14 16:00 CSK vs DCMAC – Chennai
5 March 14 20:00 KKR vs BRC Eden – Kolkata
6 March 15 20:00 RR vs DD SMS – Jaipur
7 March 16 16:00BRC vs KXI MCS – Bangalore
8 March 16 20:00 KKR vs CSK Eden – Kolkata
9 March 17 20:00 DD vs MI FSK – Delhi
10 March 18 20:00 BRC vs RR MCS – Bangalore
11 March 19 20:00 DC vs KXI Visakhapatnam
12 March 20 16:00 RR vs KKR Ahmedabad
13 March 20 20:00 MI vs BRC Mumbai/Nagpur
14 March 21 16:00 CSK vs KXI MAC – Chennai
15 March 21 20:00DD vs DC FSK – Delhi
16 March 22 20:00MI vs KKR Mumbai/Nagpur
17 March 23 20:00BRC vs CSK MCS – Bangalore
18 March 24 20:00 KXI vs RR PCA – Mohali
19 March 25 20:00 KKR vs DD Eden – Kolkata
20 March 26 16:00 CSK vs MI MAC – Chennai
21 March 26 20:00 RR vs DC Ahmedabad
22 March 27 16:00 BRC vs DD MCS – Bangalore
23 March 27 20:00 KXI vs KKR PCA – Mohali
24 March 28 16:00RR vs CSK Ahmedabad
25 March 28 20:00 DC vs MI Visakhapatnam
26 March 29 20:00 DD vs KKR FSK – Delhi
27 March 30 20:00 MI vs KXI Mumbai/Nagpur
28 March 31 16:00 CSK vs BRC MAC – Chennai
29 March 31 20:00 DDs vs RR FSK – Delhi
Apr-2010
30 April 01 20:00 KKR vs DC Eden – Kolkata
31 April 02 20:00 KXI vs BRC PCA – Mohali
32 April 03 16:00 CSK vs RR MAC – Chennai
33 April 03 20:00 MI vs DC Mumbai/Nagpur
34 April 04 16:00 DD vs BRC FSK – Delhi
35 April 04 20:00 KKR vs KXI Eden – Kolkata
36 April 05 20:00 DC vs RR HCA – Hyderabad
37 April 06 20:00 MI vs CSK Mumbai/Nagpur
38 April 07 20:00 RR vs KXI Ahmedabad
39 April 08 16:00 BRC vs DC MCS – Bangalore
40 April 08 20:00 CSK vs DD MAC – Chennai
41 April 09 20:00KXI vs MI PCA – Mohali
42 April 10 16:00 BRC vs KKR MCS – Bangalore
43 April 10 20:00 Dc vs CSK HCA – Hyderabad
44 April 11 16:00 RR vs MI SMS – Jaipur
45 April 11 20:00 DD vs KXI FSK – Delhi
46 April 12 20:00 DC vs BRC HCA – Hyderabad
47 April 13 20:00 CSK vs KKR MAC – Chennai
48 April 14 20:00 MI vs DD Mumbai/Nagpur
49 April 15 16:00 RR vs BRC SMS – Jaipur
50 April 15 20:00 KXI vs DC Dharmasala
51 April 16 20:00 DD vs CSK FSK – Delhi
52 April 17 16:00 BRC vs MI MCS – Bangalore
53 April 17 20:00 KKR vs RR Eden – Kolkata
54 April 18 16:00DC vs DD HCA – Hyderabad
55 April 18 20:00 KXI vs CSK Dharmasala
56 April 19 20:00 KKR vs MI Eden – Kolkata
57 April 21 20:00 1nd Semi– T1 vs T 2 TBC
58 April 22 20:00 2nd Semi– T3 vs T4 TBC
59 April 24 20:00 3rd Place TBC
60 April 25 20:00 Final TBC

(At last i posted the article before i have to change "tomorrow" in the topic to "today" :) )

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Just wanted to share this song with you.(of course along with the lyrics).




Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

Preacherman, don't tell me,
Heaven is under the earth.
I know you don't know
What life is really worth.
It's not all that glitters is gold;
'Alf the story has never been told:
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. Come on!

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

Most people think,
Great God will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights. Jah!

Get up, stand up! (Jah, Jah!)
Stand up for your rights! (Oh-hoo!)
Get up, stand up! (Get up, stand up!)
Don't give up the fight! (Life is your right!)
Get up, stand up! (So we can't give up the fight!)
Stand up for your rights! (Lord, Lord!)
Get up, stand up! (Keep on struggling on!)
Don't give up the fight! (Yeah!)

We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game -
Dyin' 'n' goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, Lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty God is a living man.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you can't fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light (What you gonna do?),
We gonna stand up for our rights! (Yeah, yeah, yeah!)

So you better:
Get up, stand up! (In the morning! Git it up!)
Stand up for your rights! (Stand up for our rights!)
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! (Don't give it up, don't give it up!)
Get up, stand up! (Get up, stand up!)
Stand up for your rights! (Get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up! ( ... )
Don't give up the fight! (Get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up! ( ... )
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!


The song was frequently performed at Marley's concerts, often as the last song. "Get Up, Stand Up" was also the last song Marley ever performed on stage on September 23, 1980 before He died at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami on May 11, 1981 at the age of 36.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Palindromes

"Ah, Satan sees Natasha"
"Do geese see God?"
"No devil lived on"

Noticed something weird about above sentences ? If not read the sentence from the end (forgetting the punctuations and spaces). You'll get the same sentence.These are named palindromes . More generally a palindrome is a word, phrase, number or other sequence of units that can be read the same way in either direction (the adjustment of punctuation and spaces between words is generally permitted) .
There are many types of palindromes.Most simple ones are the character by character palindromic words such as rotator,radar,racecar .The next type is the palindromic phrases given at the top.Following are some more examples.
"Anne, I vote more cars race Rome to Vienna"
"Rats live on no evil star"
"Step on no pets"
"Murder for a jar of red rum"
There are some word units which forms palindromic sentences.In this case the whole word should be taken in to consideration rather than individual characters.Following are some examples.
There are palindromic numbers and palindromic dates.And surprisingly there are palindromic names as well.Lon Nol (1913-1985) was Prime Minister of Cambodia. Nisio Isin is a Japanese novelist and manga writer.
Palindromes can be found in other languages as well.As an example words like "රතු වතුර" and "වඩු මඩුව" in sinhala are palindromic.The first ever historical palindrome was a latin graffiti which dates back at least to 79 A.D.
One may wonder about the usefulness of these palindromes (well, you can read these words or sentences from left to right or right to left with the same meaning ,which is an advantage :p ).But palindromes are very useful in the various fields such as maths ,microbiology and music.Especially in microbiology palindromes can be found in most genomes and genetic instructions.It is easy to handle palindromes due to their symmetry.
Searching and working with palindromes is an interesting thing to do.it is a fascinating area which creates the beauty of words.Some poets have tried to come up with palindromic poems as well.
There are hundreds of palindromes in English language and many of those can be found by a simple search in the internet.out of those the following palindromes are very famous.

"Able was I ere I saw Elba"

“Madam, I'm Adam”

and Eve's reply was, "Name no one man."

And finally let me finish this post with the most famous palindrome of the world,which has given rise to more similar palindromes.It was published in the November 13 1948 issue of "Notes & Queries" by Leigh Merce.

"A man, a plan, a canal – Panama."