System requirements and considerations for visual table of contents in PVR

With the introduction of non-tape-based digital video recorders also known as personal video recorders (PVR), consumers can expect alternative navigation methods to the well-known trick-play modes found on analog and digital tape-based systems. In this paper, we explore the system requirements and aspects of a visual table of contents (VTOC). A primary advantage of implementing a VTOC search mode is that it provides a much higher visual performance at high search speeds (50 times or higher) than the conventional search techniques. We present a solution for generating a video signal for visual search that is based on reusing MPEG-2 compressed video data. The video search signal is composed of a set of MPEG-2 compressed subpictures, resulting in a mosaic screen. An efficient strategy is introduced, that allows either full or partial reuse of the compressed sub-pictures via motion compensation of earlier reference sub-pictures to allow the generation of a new mosaic screen

System design of advanced video navigation reinforced with audible sound in personal video recording

This paper presents an advanced video navigation concept based on a picture in picture (PiP) allowing combined rendering of fragments of normal-play video and fast search video simultaneously. Loss of audio during conventional fast search trick-play is eliminated, by adding the sound of the normal play fragment. The normal-play fragments provide detailed information, whereas the fast-search signal presents a course overview. The audio associated to the normal-play fragments enhances the navigation process, allowing the viewer to concentrate on either the normal play or the fast search window. Efficient signal processing in the MPEG-2 domain permits re-use of the standard MPEG-2 decoding path for decoding the normal play audiovisual fragments. Applying a scalable MPEG-2 decoder for decoding the fast search signal enables a low-cost implementation for personal video recording (PVR)

Vampires in the village Žrnovo on the island of Korčula: following an archival document from the 18th century

Središnja tema rada usmjerena je na raščlambu spisa pohranjenog u Državnom arhivu u Mlecima (fond: Capi del Consiglio de’ Dieci: Lettere di Rettori e di altre cariche) koji se odnosi na događaj iz 1748. godine u korčulanskom selu Žrnovo, kada su mještani – vjerujući da su se pojavili vampiri – oskvrnuli nekoliko mjesnih grobova. U radu se podrobno iznose osnovni podaci iz spisa te rečeni događaj analizira u širem društvenom kontekstu i prate se lokalna vjerovanja.The main interest of this essay is the analysis of the document from the State Archive in Venice (file: Capi del Consiglio de’ Dieci: Lettere di Rettori e di altre cariche) which is connected with the episode from 1748 when the inhabitants of the village Žrnove on the island of Korčula in Croatia opened tombs on the local cemetery in the fear of the vampires treating. This essay try to show some social circumstances connected with this event as well as a local vernacular tradition concerning superstitions