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What is the difference between an MQA "renderer" and a "full Decoder"? Seems they would both be doing the same thing?
MQA Decoding Explained
If you play back a 24-bit/192kHz MQA-encoded file using iTunes through a regular DAC (i.e. a non-MQA DAC), you will get a 24/48 file.
If you play back a 24-bit/192kHz MQA-encoded file through an MQA software decoder like Tidal HiFi, Audirvana, or (soon) Roon, and you are using a regular DAC (i.e. a non-MQA DAC), you will get a 24/96 file. A software decoder does not offer the ability to 'unfold' the original file to resolutions higher than 24/96 (or 24/88.2).
If you play back a 24-bit/192kHz MQA-encoded file through an MQA-enabled DAC, you will get a 24-bit/192kHz file. If you are also using a software decoder like Tidal HiFi, Audirvana, or (soon) Roon, you can have the software decoder perform the first 'unfold'.
This scenario plays out the same for other resolutions above 24/96 and 24/88.2.
One thing to note: if the original MQA file is 24/48, 24/96, or 24/88.2, it will pass through the software decoder and be 'unfolded' to its original resolution. This brings up the interesting fact that people who love their DAC and its proprietary digital filter may very well be able to have their cake and eat it too, especially when streaming MQA content from Tidal HiFi.
Comments From Bob Stuart
- The strength of MQA is that one file can be played back in a wide variety of situations by the customer.
- The three presentations you discussed: No decode; MQA Core; Full decode are all previewed in the studio. Each is optimally set up for that presentation (with appropriate de-ringing).
- MQA Core (which comes out of the soft decoder or digital outputs) carries the additional information necessary for an MQA Renderer (eg Dragonfly) or a full Decoder (eg MSB, Brinkman, Mytek, Meridian) to 'finish the job downstream'.
- Full software decode is not possible because the DAC must be known and characterized. MQA is an analog to analog process.
- I hate to say it, but I told you so.
For (much) more on MQA, see MQA: Questions and Answers on Stereophile
Thank you for the quick response!
That's a bit disappointing, though - it means users of "renderers" (like the DragonFly) are still dependent on the software vendors to implement the first level of decoding. For example, once the DragonFly updates are available later this month, they *still* won't be able to do MQA decoding *until* the players (e.g., Roon, Audirvana, etc.) implement their decoding, as well.
I was actually hoping to get a DragonFly and start getting MQA "goodness" sooner rather than later :/
Another unfortunate consequence of this for Dragonfly users is that they will not get MQA deciding from Tidal on their phones, as right now only the desktop Tidal apps do SW decoding.
Perhaps change is coming? Who knows.
that we have MQA and MQA LIGHT.
smart allec. BTW, I am not a half full kinda guy; I am completely full of it and have been told so many, many times.
A year ago, Bob was huffing about the fact that MQA was an end to end process, and the only options available for the high-res content would be HW decoding.
Clearly, business realities, and no doubt, Tidal's negotiation, have brought forth the partial unfold SW decode option. Of course, now we hear it's what they planned all along. Right. Tell that to Auralic, from whom code got yanked literally at last year's CES.
Oh well. I keep an open mind about the technology, and I really hope we hear good things from MQA content on Tidal. For many of us with multi k$ non-MQA DACs, the SW option may be the only viable one for some time to come.
...this is the way it turns out. I have read a lot of interviews and Q&A's with Bob Stuart but never saw it laid out this simply of "here's what you can do". Based on the understanding I had, as recently as RMAF I had been lamenting what looked like not being able to get a benefit from MQA with my Vega. Based on ML's "explainer" I am back in the ballgame and will give me reason to upgrade my Tidal account when the Roon decoder (or whatever you call it Mr. Stuart) comes online, presumably in 1.3 release this month.
That any EQ / digital volume control etc - basically any processing of the signal that means it's not bit perfect - means MQA doesn't work. Other than in the no-decode scenario above.
If so that undermines things a little, particularly with Roon 1.3 about to include upsampling and EQ.
also a concern for me - I suspect proper room correction etc would potentially provide a greater improvement in sound compared to the deblurring MQA provides on the dac side for HW decoding. As long as the software unpacked 24/96 version is good, then I guess it's an ok middle ground.
Hello Everyone - will the Meridian Explorer2 Digital to Analog Converter be good enough to stream 24/192? That seems to be the least expensive option at this point.
This DAC works quite nicely and has no difficulty passing 24/192. I use it exclusively to play Tidal MQA via an Aries streamer using Roon. Tidal MQA files range 44.1 to 192. By clicking on the favourite symbol on the chosen album in the Tidal desktop app, Roon can then replay the MQA file since it has access to the Tidal Favourite category.
The sample rate thing relates to how it's shoved through small pipes, but has nothing to do with why it might sound better.
I'd still like to learn how a sample rate higher than 48kHz gets losslessly encoded into a 48kHz file. If it's been told I've forgotten.
I was most excited to learn that characteristics of both the originating ADC (yes, somehow?) and of the consumer's DAC are taken into consideration to deliver a custom (and, corrected) result.
Here's the thing. If the better sound is coming from the various timing corrections or whatever, in SPITE of a lossy file conversion down to 24/48, I truly do not think it would bother me. But I would still like to know.
My understanding is that tech labels bring unnecessary and unfair judgements absent of explanation, and so they are getting dismissed altogether. It's why I skipped the invitation to answer "hi res" is most important in the earlier post, instead of a more music-based response.
What I re-read in the supplied info is that it's a better mousetrap, as the RedBook CD was claimed to be. The overriding credo is always to not throw out (nor bar) what's important. My belief is that all recording formats, from the best analog to the best digital, are necessarily lossy, philosophically.
Everyone enjoys succinct summary. Let me know if mine's wrong?
Longhand: Compared to standard PCM formats, MQA files are smaller but sound better due to temporal fixes, smart algorithm choices, and encode/decode infrastructure.
Shorthand, ripe for confusion: MQA offers better sound than the file container its shipped in.
I added that last line because that's the message I keep seeing most of the time.
As I suppose, there compression ratio 1.5... 2 times more FLAC, isn't it?
I was curious about it but no dice, at least not yet. I'll live.
With MQA, licensing is ... central to it working. This is their ticket to a Very Big Thing for some time to come, so they ain't going to open source it, for example.
Aurilac may eventually pay the piper, since they play in that very narrow field of electronics that DACs live in, and MQA has targeted that market with a compelling product.
Other products, other companies will likely never ever get on board. Apple, for instance.
[Comment deleted -- it was "signed" by a Linn employee but it was not posted by that person. Ed.]
Thoughtful and thought-provoking.
written by Jim, who is the webdesigner for Linn, copy - pasted and posted by JackKan who probably recognizes my alias because I got some pretty harsh responses on that forum for even just considering to be willing to try MQA, which I cannot because I have no Tidal subscription and Linn does not support nor approve MQA. I own a Majik DS. Jim's reason for posting his opinion are the strong discussions on their forum whenever MQA gets mentioned.
So, sorry Michael, Jim won't be responding to your valid argument I guess but I can definitely tell you that you are not missing out on anything from the Linn forum in these matters, they are indeed suggesting this is all bad. Voodoo is the word some of them use.
I've been participating in the various MQA threads on the Linn forum, taking the unpopular position that the addition of MQA streaming to Tidal at no additional charge is at least potentially a benefit, rather than just a slippery slope toward oppressive DRM.
While I have disagreed with many participants in the discussion on the Linn forum, I don't think any of the posts could fairly be described as "Linn commercials," no matter how skeptical/critical they may be of MQA. How does a post -- even by a Linn employee -- outlining the writer's concerns with MQA as a format amount to a commercial for Linn? Deleting such posts here just seems to give support to the negative conspiracy theory view of MQA.
Linn has the Exakt technology described by them as below:
Our latest systems use Exakt technology to preserve the natural sound of every instrument like never before.
Until now, no speaker system has ever been able to synchronise all the elements that make up every note, including all the harmonics.
Exakt ensures the perfect time alignment of every part of every note, so now you can enjoy the same natural sound that was recorded by the artist".
It is proprietary and adds costs. Fortunately, just like with MQA, buying Linn in not compulsory.
[Linn commercial deleted, Ed.]
Did he say it wrongly or simply implying that MQA sounds like analog? The way MQA files are playback really puzzle me. Why give a few options that doesn't allow full blown decoding to take place?
They give these options because without them, there is no incentive to spend $$$ to buy the hardware!
Very nice. Better than I expected. This is not on MQA hardware, but instead unfolded through the Tidal desktop app en route to decoding in my OPPO HA-1 and first-gen Meridian Explorer. Both sound musically rich with, understandably, different strengths.
The old "how good was the sound to begin with?" question comes up quite starkly when comparing results from album to album. So, ranging from sublime recording quality (2L's compilation The Nordic Sound) to good (Coltrane's Giant Steps, Rattle/Berlin Philharmonker's Pictures at an Exhibition, Bowie's Aladdin Sane) to OK (Rundgren's Something/Anything) to haha-nothing-can-save-it (The Replacements' Tim)...you hear their individual beauty alongside their discrete sonic characteristics. It's good enough that you stop caring about limitations, the litmus test for me. There's a level of pleasure that is pretty consistent with what I already know in many cases from their corresponding hi-res, non-streamed, non-MQA releases. I found, for instance, the downsampled Coltrane to sound just as good as the 192/24 FLAC I own. That may be a measure of the material...DAC and amp...the headphones (Denons and Audioquest) or even my much-used ears.
I'm really happy as a Tidal customer to have this material available (and more on the way). Will I buy an MQA dac? Maybe, one day, but I'm hardly hurting for delicious music or superb playback, and I suspect the increase in pleasure to be had, if any, isn't hugely motivational to me. What really thrills me are access and convenience wedded to good sound. What a time for the music lover to be alive!
I've been following the MQA history with only a slightly furrowed brow. Are there concerns? Sure. Is there a potentially 'real' increase in sound quality? Sure. Many of the people who heard and then reported on MQA audio said only cautiously that it was somewhat better, but that your mileage may vary.
So I was a little excited to hear that I could just saunter down to my music room and listen for myself :)
Furrow gone.
My system is admittedly quite resolving, so I may not get the same benefit listening on my desktop system. But this just sounds better, without qualification. I sat scratching my head trying to figure out if some of the improvement I heard was some sort of bias of expectation. Later that evening, my wife walked into the house, took two steps, and stopped. She could hear the difference immediately - No bias there.
So when the update is ready for my DAC, I will make sure to run, not walk, out to get it.
Let's hear it for happy endings :)
Wife Authentication Factor. I put my music lover wife and audiophile friend to a blind test of master vs hifi Tidal files. The audiophile had a 70 % success rate in naming master files as his preferred ones. My wife was 100% on the spot. She just said it sounded natural and musical.
I have a Meridian 818v2 which I am very fond of. It can be upgraded to the v3 that has MQA, but due to the cost and lack of MQA music, I have been holding off. That is no longer an overriding concern. Is there any way to find out what albums on Tidal have MQA, other than being a Tidal customer? I may have to use the Tidal trial period, but just curious...thanks!
Not everyone will want to upgrade their system, especially those who have already invested a lot of money. It forces us to buy a new hardware in order to enjoy the full blown decoding effects, ie, fold back to original sample frequency and time domain smear correction. It is very obvious it boiled down into making money by licencing to hardware companies. Why settle for software decoding where it can only do a 'sub standard' decoding? Software is a very power tool that can virtually do in place of hardware, it is whether they want to do it or not.
I find it hard to believe it is 24/192 even w/ MQA compression, the amount of 24/192 files is quite limited and most are not popular music. I've searched around a bit looking for a definitive answer to this, I suspect they are mostly 16/44 or 48, using MQA to fit better down the pipe. As the software decoding seems to be all you need for files upto 24/96, for Tidal STREAMING a hardware modified DAC would then never be needed, right? (because they are not streaming 24/192 files)
Are there albums out there in 24/384?, are you saying Tidal either:
1. takes various files, up converts them to 24/384, compresses them with MQA, streams them, then unpacks to 24/96 with software, then (if you pay) unpacks again in hardware to 24/192....
2. has a secret stash of thousands of songs recorded in 24/384 we never heard of....
so, nearly all, or all the files tidal is streaming are not 24/192, correct?
since they are not streaming 24/192 files, you don't need an MQA DAC, as I said in the first post.
as the vast majority of music is in 16/44, most of what Tidal streams will therefore for NOT benefit from MQA, because plain old Tidal does 16/44.
TIDAL's 16/44 current offerings aren't used to create an MQA file. TIDAL is receiving a new MQA version sourced from the studio aka "Master" which has been processed using MQA's 'audio origami' technique.
Yes, one of the tricks MQA uses is the 8 extra low bits in 24 bit 44.1Khz or 48Khz can be used. You'll notice all the 2L MQA Demos are 24/44 or 24/48 and often twice as large as the 16/44 versions. Probably partly due to lower compression (which takes up streaming bandwidth by the way). These 24 bit files are completely compatible with all the lossless formats and DACs for the last 20 years. So it's all backwards compatible. But now they are releasing MQA CD's which are hard limited to 16bits 44.1. Now what these will get unfolded to I don't know. But getting 24/88 (or more) out of a 16/44 container is becoming a little hard to swallow. Just a slight dither change can make one instance to another sound different and audiophiles will be happy to argue over which is "better".
> The file gets shrunk for transport and expanded during playback. No one said they stream a file type greater than 24/48. It's compressed more than a lossless 24/48 would be, but brought out to a higher-sample rate file.
Don't ask me how you add samples later, or hide them when shrunk. I wasn't that good at [math.]
but Michael, you're referring to what the file looks like after-the-fact, yes?
MQA is signing contracts with labels like Warner to re-encode their entire library in MQA. 40-50 year old analog tape recordings. And call them 24/384 MQA (or what ever bit rate well above redbook). As stated if they are truly remastered then can often be improved regardless of the format of delivery.
It's what I heard. I spent some time doing Tidal vs Tidal MQA through their Windows player, and I'll take Tidal MQA any time, although with a lot of rock albums that chose to compete in the loudness wars, the difference wasn't anything I could hear. Two albums I thought sounded worse. Good production is more important than MQA.
Because I didn't have an MQA DAC, I decided to compare Tidal MQA with my local server's 24/96 and 24/192 (depending on what I had) and with Red Book rips. Tidal MQA usually beat the Red Book rips, although again, in some cases where production squeezed the life out of the music, couldn't tell. What I was interested most in was Tidal MQA software decoded versus high res on my server. By and large, high res on local server was much, much better. Enough so that my wife (who was quietly enduring my madness while reading) looked up a couple of times and said "this sounds much better than the last one, is this the new technology thing?" And it wasn't... it was local high res, the one she thought wasn't as good was the Tidal MQA decoded. She loves music but seldom listens deep - it's always one of many tasks, so that she could tell a difference was striking.
My conclusion there is that the remix/re-producing that has been done for a lot of high res stuff is a big part of what makes MQA tracks sound good - because they're being compared to older, more heavy handed production on CD tracks. But the surprise of local HD sounding better... is puzzling, because while technically MQA is lossy, I get the math well enough to think that it's probably as lossy as the air between my speakers and ears.
My Explorer 2 arrived yesterday (nice sale on) and I'll be trying Tidal MQA hardware decode versus software decode, although only with headphones. I'm betting on mild advantage if at all for HW decode, although I'm prepared to be surprised. And will run local HD vs Tidal HD hardware decode, and I'm betting dead heat there.
But that's the end of the time I'll spend on this. I like music and the flow of an album way too much to waste another hour bouncing around. I was curious, but from here on I'll leave that to the professionals. For me - I'm not going to rush out for a new MQA DAC beyond the Explorer 2 unless my dead heat expectations get trashed. Tidal MQA? Absolutely. Local HD MQA? I think the quality of local HD alone is so strong that the incremental benefit will be a shrug. We'll see.
Thanks, ednaz, for this concise and helpful comparison report. Saves me hours of bouncing around :-)
Looks like Arch posted a thorough article on MQA and hi-res downloads on his blog.
Good ideas also and I wonder if software decoding becomes even more powerful in the future as he suggests.
Haven't read deeply into MQA, so this may be stupid or nitpicky, but shouldn't your article read "..., you will get a 24/xx stream" rather than "..., you will get a 24/xx file" ? Or are intermediate files being created ?
As the title of this site suggests, I was expecting that stream to be streaming audio :-) and was lead astray by the wording "... get a 24/xx file". Probably irrelevant in the MQA world.
Can you point to any 24-bit/192kHz MQA-encoded file for download that iTunes would be willing to play, i.e. in an ALAC container?
Spent about an hour comparing HW decoding (MacBook Pro with Tidal MQA to Explorer2, testing with two different headphones) to SW decoding (two different ways - software decoding direct from MacBook Pro, and MacBook Pro with Tidal MQA software decoding to a iFi iDSD Black DAC/headphone system (yes, my family took good care of me at Christmas). The two headphones were Fostex TH-X00 ebony (closed back) and Sennheiser HD 6XX (open back) both from MassDrop.
To the chase I shall cut. It was hard to tell the difference between hardware and software decoding. The difference was almost completely in a sense of space or presence - the musicians were a bit more present HW decoding than SW decoding. But how much? I had to really concentrate to hear it on some music. On other music, it was in my face better HW decoded. And on some music I couldn't tell at all. Seemed very dependent on the music, which takes me back to "MQA won't fix badly produced music" and that the re-mastering process, whether straight HD or MQA, probably matters most. The effect was greater on the open backed headphones than closed back (please don't ask why... I have no idea, just was.) The difference was less noticeable via the iFi than direct from laptop, which makes me think that the DAC itself may be more impactful on better sound than MQA.
As to the sense of presence... when I was messing around, replaying songs and passages one way or another, I accidentally flipped the "3D" switch on the iFi... and it was the same type of change, the musicians were more present, and less inside my head with the 3D switched on, or via HW decoding on the Explorer2. Not saying identical effect, but similar enough to get me to play around back and forth. Not enough patience to try it with speakers.
There are a lot of variables here, enough to cause a month of non-stop arguments, and someone with more patience and time will probably explore them, and it'll be fun to read. Not fun to do. My personal hierarchy now: MQA Tidal over Tidal, no matter how decoded. HW decoding by a hair over SW, although the difference is more music influenced than the Tidal MQA vs straight HD. And I'm unlikely to rush out to buy a fancy MQA DAC for locally stored HD music until a few people have done and written about that painfully tedious most variables controlled project and swear that they heard angels singing. In the room.
For me, well produced or well re-produced HD is such a big jump over red book with a really good DAC that I raise up my "good enough" flag, particularly since the difference to me was really apparent on a small set of music. Everyone's ears are different. So your mileage may vary.
Hi all,
I compared Tidal MQA hardware decode vs non-decoded material on my Mytek Brooklyn. This is easy to do in a level-matched way because it's possible to turn off the MQA decoding in the Brooklyn. The decoded version is definitely nicer - it sounds more fluid, are more like it's being played by actual people. It's just more relaxing to listen to. It lifts my mood like live music does, even though the effect is subtle.
I tried to compare software decode with hardware decode but it's hard to do because the settings don't work quite as expected. I don't think my results will be reliable, but for what it's worth the hw decode was definitely better.
Shutting MQA Decode off is not "testing" MQA capabilities. Because there is some argument that a non Decoded MQA is not gonna be the same as a never encoded original 24/384 FLAC. Which would be the only fair comparison. Or even a 20/48 unencoded FLAC would be fairer. Problem is, that's not a very easy comparison to make. For example I could write a Codec that flips the low two bits of each word and it would still sound Ok. But when "Decoded" flipping the low two bits back it would sound better. Now would you give this miracle codec of mine credit for the improved sound when the undecoded (but compatible) version sounded worse? You need the original to compare.
Hi Michael, thanks for your extensive Q&A and explanation how MQA works.
So the MQA algorithm actively corrects for the sum of all digital 'blur' which accumulated in past A/D recording and D/D mastering. MQA also corrects for present D/A time-smear errors within the DAC itself.
So this very sophisticated encoding-decoding process is capable to deliver superior SQ compared to the original (digital) master itself, only analog masters will sound better, correct?
Does this mean that also vinyl productions, which have been manufactured form digital masters intrinsically contain digital time-smear as well?
Can we therefore expect to see MQA corrected analog (vinyl) records on the market soon?
I ordered a Meridian Explorer 2 DAC. What happens if I play a purchased MQA file from software that isn't MQA software, such as JRiver, while using the Explorer 2 DAC? Will the DAC fully decode the MQA file, or must I also use MQA software?
I am just music lover, not scientist, so probably that is why I cannot understand one issue so far. I understand that Renderers decode 24/96 core to 24/192. AQ DragonFlys work up to 24/96, and higher frequencies are downsampled to the half. So what is the Renderer performance usefulness ? How it works ? Dragonfly decode 24/96 core to 24/192 and downsample to 24/96 at the same time ?
Hi Michael,
Your top explanation are clear, but I need a confirmation:
I used a MacBook Air with Tidal, connected to an Arcam rDac via USB. Sounded great.
I bought a Bluesound Node 2 with Tidal playback, essentially because of the App I run from my iPad (which is very convenient).
On regular tracks, the rDac performs better than the Node 2 internal DAC. The rDac has no MQA decoding.
According to Bluesound (I wrote them) the signal at the coaxial out is not MQA decoded and I would have only 16/44.1 on the rDac.
According to your explenation, if the orginial MQA file is 24/192 I would have 24/96 with my Mac playback.
What's about my rDac, what resolution does it play the original 24/192 MQA file (coaxial input)? According to your explenation, "only 24/48"?
Hi there
Just bought the Node2 and connected with coax to my ARCAM rDAC and then to the AMP. Sounds great but also wondering if this setup is optimal with TIdal's HIFI service, incl their new Masters. And forthcoming MQA as well. Read your post from June and would ask what you concluded? Do I need a new MQA compatible DAC to get better sound?
No really news here except that if you want to enjoy MQA, you have to use the Node 2's analogue outputs as the decoding is done in the hardware section. The rDac's DAC is of better quality than the Node 2, even if the latter plays MQA. What I still didn't figure if the MQA signal before its decoding is already of higher resolution (higher than 16/44.1), in that case the rDac would receive a higher resoltion than standard 16/44.1 files, and thus sound better.
All in all, I'm happy with the Node 2, because with one single device I can play Tidal, or files stored on my NAS, or listen to Internetradio and use it with one app. Previously on my MacBook Air I was playing Tida, then VLC or Audirvana for Flac files stored on my NAS, and Webradio from a brower.
I will figure how to improve further and post my results when I'v get some.
I balked for a year before I bought the Explorer 2 because I couldn't find any content. Finally, when Warner went MQA and Tidal offered it, I took the plunge. I'm an audiophile on a budget. I am emotionally moved by music and have enough technical know how to squeeze a lot out of a little. I like really good vinyl reproduction, but that's expensive, so I make due with a tangential tracking turntable and exceptional cartridge with vintage electronics and I'm using an OPPO BDP95 for DVD-Audio, SACD, and hires file reproduction.
I have had a VERY hard time getting a working understanding of MQA and how to actually enjoy it. I've read a ton on the Internet and a lot of the discussion is crap and actually more confusing than anything.
So I'm going to rant a little, and offer up some opinions for those of you out there who just want to hear better music and are having the same trouble as I did getting information and content about MQA. These are things I wish I knew as I started.
Meridian is mostly to blame for all of the confusion. Their explanations are so obtuse. Their documentation is more of a reference variety, meaning if you already know how their device works, you can look at it for details you may have forgotten. But good luck gleaning any real understanding from their Explorer 2 documentation on how it interacts with a PC and/or Windows. After a lot of back and forth with Meridian, including an escalation, I got what I needed, but it was painful. Do you really know how to interpret what the lights on the Explorer 2 mean?
But, also to blame are the many people who have SOME understanding of digital audio and this technology specifically, who make false statements using their limited understanding responding to good questions posed by others. I wish they'd STFU because they're misleading people. The Internet is loaded with misinformation and agenda laden discussion about MQA that Meridian shows no interest in correcting. My favorite was that MQA was like MP3. A compression scheme with limited quality.
Part of the issue is also the millenial effect. Millenials never answer a direct question with a direct answer and many of them love to post on forums. So getting this information is as difficult as ordering a sandwich deviation from a millenial at Subway. You ask a question and they go off on some tangent based on their interpretation of what they think you actually mean versus what you asked.
Let me start where this all really matters; reproducing music. MQA reproduces the original more realistically. I bought an Explorer 2 and when streaming Masters from Tidal HiFi the difference in realism was palpable. Similar to the difference between the remastered CD of Abbey Road and my safety master 15 IPS reel to reel copy. MQA sounds like a safety master. Even on the cheap Explorer 2. After I burned it in for 200 hours, it's even better. I don't know how to quantify realism, but it's there. And, without my Explorer 2, even using my iphone 6s 10.3.2 ios through my Nissan 48/24 Bose system, when I stream the same Masters content from Tidal it's better than the same content I have resampled from 96/24 to 48/24 on my phone. True, it could be the resampling process, but it doesn't seem to be that because it's always better. Tidal Masters tracks sound better than the native 48/24 I have on the phone.
Here's a few things about MQA that I've discovered in my research and use of it that may help those struggling for understanding:
It's different than FLAC, WAV, MP3, ALAC, AAC or any other digital storage/sampling/compression method/format/file because it has information about the hardware used to digitize embedded in file. It can be in a file with a FLAC format and will play just like a FLAC file, but...
There is information embedded in the digital file that isn't used with a simple non-MQA DAC. There has to be unfolding/decoding to make it useful. Even if you software unfold using Tidal, you won't get every benefit. And, if I could blaspheme here as a boomer, I'm not yet clear how the Masters sound better through a non-MQA DAC, but they do. Not as good as using the MQA DAC, but better than other sources.
Part of the decoding is an unfolding process to extract the information from the file. This can be done in player software or in MQA Decoder/DAC hardware. Unfolding is only part of it though. If it's unfolded and passed on to a non-MQA DAC, it's unused and it's below the noise floor so it doesn't interfere. This is where the "Lossless" argument begins.
The understanding of the concept of "Lossless" needs to evolve. Much has been said about MQA being inherently "lossy" because of it's use of data below the noise floor that is part of the music stream. In the primitive concept of "Lossless" that is a factual statement. But, if we're going to go there, then ANY digital audio is "lossy" because it doesn't completely reproduce the analog waveform. Even using enormous sample rates and bit length (i.e. 384/32 or even 768/64) the sampling process misses anything between samples. What I find humorous is that those who say MQA is inherently "lossy" have no issue with accepting the lost representation of the waveform between the samples or between the steps created by the bit length. I'm sure this is going to drag out the Nyquist anti-hi-res devotees who say that it doesn't matter because we can't hear anything above 20khz, so 44.1k samples are plenty to represent music. But, in reality, this is an argument that "lossy" is fine because we don't hear it anyway. So these devotees pound on everyone about accepting lossy 44.1/16 as adequate because we don't hear it.
Hmmmm...how is that different than what Meridian says about data below the noise floor? It isn't. I'm going to start posting elsewhere about why High sample rates and bit length matters to take on the Nyquist lemmings but that's for another post. If anyone wants to respond to this post, please let's not have the Nyquist says 44.1 is plenty discussion here. I bring it up as an example of why we already accept "lossy" digital audio anyway yet with MQA, it's cited as an issue.
Digital Audio is inescapably "lossy" because there is information missing between samples, no matter how small. Question is what sounds better. What sort of loss is immaterial? MQA changes what is missing as not audible, but it's not accurate to say it's more lossy than any other digital format.
Meridian, Tidal, and anyone else are doing an awful job of connecting people with content. Some examples: I asked Meridian for a listing of all known MQA content and/or providers of some content.....Answer: we don't do that.
While Tidal does offer MQA content, there is no way to browse only MQA content. Their desktop app has some weird bug that they keep ignoring my reports about, that stops the listing at "Linkin Park" using the arcane navigation method they recommend and there isn't any other way to limit browsing to just MQA. (It happens on more than one PC)
Also Tidal: If you're like me, you go back and forth between the iphone and your home rig. When you're on the iphone, not only can't you play Masters content out through a camera adapter and to an MQA Decoder/DAC, you aren't even shown that content when browsing. I have a playlist of MQA tracks, and I can play those. At home, the Explorer 2 does a wonderful job with it. But, on the phone, while it plays, it's not delivered to the DAC as MQA, even through the camera adapter. So, if I'm on my phone and I make a playlist or favorite something, I have edit that when I get back to my desktop and find the Master copy, and replace what I did on the phone. BTW...there's no technical or capability reason they can't give us access to Masters material on the iphone, since 48/24 is available, they just choose not to do it.
Bottom line about content is that it appears that Tidal is the only game in town. There may be others, but I literally can't find the stuff anywhere except for some limited Jazz and Classical that I wasn't interested in. I've yet to find any downloadable popular MQA material from anyone, only stream or download in Tidal for Tidal access only. Not foobar. If you know where it is, please enlighten me.
I've beaten the implementation of the Explorer 2 drivers, USB console, Tidal App on Windows 10 and decoding the Explorer 2 lights to death and it works finally. Feel free to message me if you're having trouble and I'll do my best to answer your question and, equally important, tell you if I don't know the answer instead of giving you a BS answer.
If there is anyone from Columbia records on here, please get on board. So many great titles aren't getting the treatment. Good for Warner Bros.. Bridge over Troubled Water would be most welcome by me
Auraclic Altair resolve the Problem?
I'm new to MQA. Using Tidal HiFi subscription and MQA installed software option. Using iPhone and mconnect UPnP to control my Yamaha A2080 AVR. The mconnect app shows songs at most so far 24/48. From what I gather this is an improvement but may not be a complete MQA unwrap. ? :)


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This is where you can talk about the CyberStars Arcade and the flash games we feature there.
You might ask, "why does a youtube forum have a games arcade"? Well I have a better question- Why the heck not?? All forums should have a games arcade to pass the time in when you're just looking for a little simple game to play.
We have the luxury of having a member, PenguinNerd, who runs his own Playstation Gaming website, www.pspenguin.net, where he reviews new playstation games and records video walkthru/reviews.
PenguinNerd has volunteered to moderate the arcade forum and bring new games into the arcade, and review them.
As we grow larger and more people are playing games, he'll start organizing tournaments in the more popular games.
If you have any questions about the Arcade, or have a suggestion for a flash game for us to install, post it here.

subset: commoncrawl


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A bit of a virtual vade mecum
July 9, 2013
Authored by Frédéric Sourgens, an Associate Professor of Law at Washburn University School of Law.
Surveying recent scholarship, one could be forgiven to think that "international investment law" is a fad. Articles suggest that, like vuvuzelas at football games, "investment law" made a rather noisy entrance, annoyed the majority of onlookers, and destroyed the integrity and purity of a centuries' long tradition. Many suggest that it would soon be abandoned and treated as an interesting but formidable mistake. Why, then, how should one study international arbitral decisions applying investment protection treaties?


text: Whenever you ever find yourself craving a more exotic flavor, check out Mira Sunset, a top-notch porn star import from Hungary. She has a lean body and a thick, juicy ass that's just begging to be covered in a fat load of your jizz. Nothing gets Mira in the mood faster than slipping on a tight-fitting latex dress and drawing the attention of crowds of horny guys at the dirty parties she goes to. When she's not busy with shoots, she loves to travel around the European continent and dive head-first into new adventures with strange men. After performing in a load of lesbian scenes, Mira decided to take the leap to B/G hardcore, and has never looked back. After the solid reception of her porn performances overseas, it wasn't long before the offers came flooding in for her to try her hand in the California porn scene too. Enjoy!


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SHIFTAZINE is about celebrating what is out there, already in your life, right in front of you. SHIFTAZINE aims to give some useful insights, to pose some questions, and to make you look at everything differently. Hopefully, it will help shift the contemporary perception of beauty and aesthetics. SHIFTAZINE is created by Jacqueline Hill and is associated with DESIGNASAW.
16 July 2014
Bee A Friend
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21 Jump Street is going to surprise you. Not only is it one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time, it's got some great action and awesome performances from all involved. If you had told me that the pairing of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum would be comedy gold, I would have never believed you. But it is. Also, another big surprise was Ice Cube. I've seen the film twice and both times he brings the house down with his almost everything he says. Trust me, you want to see 21 Jump Street and I'd advise seeing it with a crowded theater. It's a blast. For more on the film, here's Matt's glowing review, Brendan's set visit, a five-minute red band clip, and all our coverage on directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller's awesome movie.
Last week I got to speak with Rob Riggle in New York City about the film (he plays one of the teachers at the High School). During the interview we talked about how he got cast, the table reads, how things changed a long the way, karaoke, his favorite director, actor and movie, and the importance of just going for it in a comedy. Hit the jump for more.
Finally, if you missed my video interviews with Ice Cube or directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, just click the links.
Rob Riggle
- What's his favorite director, actor and movie
- What's his karaoke song
- How did he get involved in 21 Jump Street
- How did things change from the table read to what is finally getting released
- The importance of fully committing to karaoke
- How many table reads did they do
- The importance of being willing to just got for it in a comedy


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Becoming God's Answer
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Take Time Out of Each Day to Relax and Grow Together
In the midst of the stress and pressure of everyday life, Moments Together for Couples will give you and your mate a chance to pause, relax, and draw upon the strength of the Lord. This easy-to-use devotional helps you set aside anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes every day with your spouse to grow closer to God and closer to each other.
More Product Information
- Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
- Release Date: February 12, 2014
- Pages: 384
- Language: English
- Binding: Hardcover
- Height: 0.90 inches
- Width: 6.00 inches
- Length: 8.90 inches
- Weight: 1.15 pounds
- Series Name: Baker Publishing Group Bestsellers
About the Author
Dennis RaineyWhen Campus Crusade staff members Dennis Rainey and Barbara Peterson were wed in 1972, they expected to settle into the happy rhythm of married life that newlyweds enjoy. But God had other plans for this energetic young couple. In 1976, Campus Crusade launched its first conference for engaged staff members, and Dennis was invited to speak. That conference evolved into the FamilyLife seminars, a powerful ministry that helps couples build their marriage and parenting skills.
Today Dennis (who serves as executive director of Family Life) and Barbara conduct seminars all over the United States. Thousands of people have benefited from their sage advice on revitalizing family relationships through biblically based principles. The Raineys also host a nationally syndicated daily radio program, and are the best-selling authors of numerous books. Their mission to help couples discover God's plan for marriage and family has taken on a new urgency in light of our nation's moral decline. "Families are looking for answers . . . and for hope," Dennis writes. "If we don't act now, the next generation of Americans (our children) will become the most lost and confused generation ever."
The Raineys' book, Parenting Today's Adolescent: Helping Your Child Avoid the Traps of the Preteen and Early Teen Years, exemplifies Dennis's call to action. In discussing such diverse topics as friends and peer pressure, music and movie choices, and jobs and spiritual growth, Dennis and Barbara present practical strategies that parents can use to help their children make godly, responsible decisions as they grow to adulthood. Also, their many books on marriage offer couples the encouragement and support they need to emotionally and spiritually nourish their own relationship while nurturing their children.
Dennis and Barbara's recent books include Two Hearts Praying as One, Moments Together for Intimacy, Moments Together for Parents, Staying Close, So You're About to be a Teenager, Growing a Spiritually Strong Family, and Building Stronger Families.
The Raineys' parenting skills are based on years of experience. As parents of six children ranging, they know firsthand the challenges of raising kids in today's permissive culture. Despite their successful careers, Barbara and Dennis put their children first in their lives. "I am grateful to God for the privilege of public ministry through radio, conferences and writing," Dennis tells Worldwide Challenge magazine. "But, truthfully, all that is a mere shadow by comparison to the ups and downs of love in a real family. One of the greatest privileges of my life is being called 'Daddy'."
And for those who have been blessed by Dennis and


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Trout plants for Southern California and Eastern Sierra during the week beginning Aug. 30
Barring adverse weather, water or road conditions, the following is a list of Southern California and Eastern Sierra waters, listed by county, that will be stocked with rainbow trout throughout the week of Aug. 30 by the Department of Fish and Game:
SAN DIEGO: Doane Pond.
RIVERSIDE: Hemet Lake.
SAN BERNARDINO: Big Bear Lake.
INYO: Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek Dam Intake No. 2, Cottonwood Creek, George Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, lower Bishop Creek, lower Owens River from Stewart Lane to Laws, Middle Fork Bishop Creek, North Lake, Rock Creek Lake, Shepherd Creek, South Fork Bishop Creek, South Lake, Symms Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinemaha Creek and Tuttle Creek.
MONO: Buckeye Creek, Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, Ellery Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake George, Lake Mamie, Lake Mary, Lee Vining Creek, lower Twin Lake near Bridgeport, lower Virginia Lake, Lundy Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Mill Creek, Robinson Creek, Rock Creek from French Camp to upper bridge at Rock Creek Lodge, Rock Creek from Paradise Lodge to Tuff Campground, Rush Creek, Saddlebag Creek, Saddlebag Lake, Sherwin Creek, Silver Lake, South Fork Lee Vining Creek, Tioga Lake, Trumbull Lake, Twin Lakes, upper Owens River from Benton Crossing to Crowley Lake, upper Twin Lake near Bridgeport, upper Virginia Lake, Virginia Creek, Walker River Little, West Walker River Section 2 and West Walker River Section 3.
Photo: An angler fishes for trout in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. Credit: Los Angeles Times
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Never underestimate a man who is bored and on house arrest.
A Springfield, Missouri man is back in jail after allegedly filming himself using a butter knife and screwdriver to disassemble and remove an ankle monitor. Authorities say he then posted his impromptu tutorial to Facebook.
The video, which was shot in July, is still available on Dustin W. Burns' Facebook page.
According to the Springfield News-Leader, the 33-year-old pleaded guilty to violating a restraining order earlier this year with the judge sentencing him to probation that included authorities monitoring his movements using an ankle monitor.
The video begins with a man with his pants leg rolled up, with one hand using a butter knife to slide in and out of the device. At one point, the man uses a utility tool to unscrew part of the monitor.
"This is how you take an ankle bracelet off without breaking the circuit," a voice can be heard saying in the video.
The voice advises viewers that they want to remove the ankle monitor without damaging it, saving the felons from thousands of dollars in fines and a potential trip back to jail.
The video ends with the man fully removing the bracelet and showing it off for the camera. Authorities believe the man seen in the video is Burns.
According to court records, several probation violations were filed against Burns over the summer, with a warrant for his arrest ultimately issued in August. Burns was taken into custody and has been in the Springfield, Mo, jail since Aug. 28.
Previous posts on the Facebook account refer to trips taken to Utah, Boise, Idaho, and Oregon.
Video posted to the Facebook account in August appeared to show Burns walking through what a large marijuana farm with the caption, "Dream come true."
Burns was charged with tampering with electronic monitoring equipment, which is a felony. No attorney is listed in online court records.
Photo: Greene County Sheriff's Office


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By turns clumsy, thought provoking and funny, "The Taqwacores" follows a young college student in Buffalo seeking to live in a home with fellow Muslims who will help him stay true to his faith. He instead finds himself in a cauldron of inter-faith strife stoked by fans of Taqwacore, a fictional Muslim punk scene based in California that takes its name from "taqwa," an awareness of Allah, and "core," from hardcore.
The original novel was self-published in 2003 as a zine by Michael Muhammad Knight, who was raised Irish Catholic, but converted to Islam when he was a teenager, shortly after reading "The Autobiography of Malcolm X." Ironically, Knight wrote the book as his farewell to Islam, but the response to the book helped bring him back to the faith.
Stranger still, his novel about a fictional musical genre spawned an actual Taqwacore movement, including the bad The Kominas, whose songs "Sharia Law in the USA," "Suicide Bomb the Gap" and "I Want a Hand Job" are featured on the film's fantastic soundtrack.
U.S. & World
For all its indie charms, "The Taqwacores" gets off to a rocky start as we meet Yusef (Bobby Naderi), a first-generation Pakistani-American, being given a tour of his prospective lodgings. Yusef is so painfully square and the house such an epic dump, that it seems impossible that he would actually move in. It begs for some explanation.
What saves the film is the arrival of Jehangir, played with an electric glee by Dominic Rains, who, with his infectious intensity and towering Mohawk, is reminiscent of Adrien Brody's career-launching turn in "Summer of Sam." Rains is just operating at an entirely higher level as the heart and soul of this film.
"Allah is too big, and too open, for my Islam to be small and closed," he declares when his piety is challenged, effectively summarizing the entire point of the film.
Jehangir is just one of the anti-arch types occupying the house, along with the hardcore straightedge Sunni; the burqa-clad riot girl feminist, an Indonesian skater-punk stoner; and the shirtless Shi'a skinhead. All are given a chance to deliver a soliloquy on their version of Islam.
Each represents a different conflict faced by young Muslims who want to embrace their faith while being true to themselves. It's a struggle that vexes every religion, as followers are handed a rulebook written thousands of years ago by people dealing with very different realities. For obvious reasons, this struggle within the Muslim community is taking place under a very harsh spotlight.
"The Taqwacores" is a fast-paced, high-energy humanizing look at a side of Islam most American have neither the opportunity nor inclination to consider, featuring what may yet prove to be a breakout performance from Dominic Rains.


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I write screenplays and direct movies. I read advice columns.
Advice columns are full of conflict.
Good screenplays are full of conflict.
People who write to advice columnists are usually looking for help in having a difficult conversation. Most advice-column advice comes down to "Have you tried telling that person what you just told me?"
Movie characters are all direct and brave and articulate the way that we almost never get to be in real life. They get to have those difficult conversations and make them sound awesome. That's not because screenwriters are life experts. We are not. You should probably not be taking life advice from a woman whose plan for paying back $100K in grad school debt is "be an indie filmmaker."
I can't tell you what to do. But I can try to tell you what to say, or lend you some courage in saying it.
If you have a question, submit it here. I will give you honest answers and try to make you sound awesome.


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Are municipal bonds safe? The correct answer is that it depends on who you ask.
Politicians say muni-bonds are still a good bet and credit-raters mostly agree. Rating agencies say that a AAA-rated bond is safer than a B-rated bond, which means the actual credit risk is relative.
Bond analysts, though, are quick to point out that muni-bond defaults historically have been very low. But is the past prologue?
Storm Clouds Hovering
Municipal bonds have long been touted for their tax-free income, but overspending and fiscal mismanagement is pushing states and cities to the brink.
Increasing credit risk is also undermining the tax-free income muni-bonds are revered for. And then, there's the uncomfortable subject of pension benefits. Under current actuarial assumptions, state and local government pensions are underfunded by roughly $1 trillion.
A pension system is underfunded if its assets are less than its estimated liabilities. Most retirement systems can pay pension benefits for many years out of existing funds, but this does not mean they are sound.
Due to the financial crisis, it's understandable that we've become callus to such large figures: One or two trillion dollars ain't what it used to be. And while that's true, it's absolutely wrong to assume everything will work itself out. More important, local governments, unlike the federal government, can't print their way out of debt.
For that reason, cities like San Bernardino, Calif., have already declared bankruptcy, and bigger problems for even larger cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and San Jose are on the horizon.
Too Big to Bailout?
Municipal bonds are debt obligations issued by state, city and local governments to pay for their daily operations or to fund specific projects, such as the development of roads, bridges, hospitals or schools. It's a $3-trillion market and represents around 10% of the total U.S. bond market.
State and local governments spend $2.5 trillion annually and employ over 19 million workers or 15% of the national total.
They represent six times as many workers as the federal government!
Here's the point: While much of the public's focus has been on banks that are "too big to fail" – the public and the media have completely missed the other crisis of states and cities that are "too big to save."
The Outlook
For now, the municipal-bond market (MUB) has been a calm place to invest.
State specific funds linked to California (CMF), New York (NYF) and others have marched ahead.
Money market muni-bond funds (FTEXX) have held steady.
But tax revenues, based upon history, (see chart below) have been volatile and are entering a new phase of even higher volatility. The stars are aligning.
For traders, a break below support for muni-bond ETFs will signal a high probability setup for shorting. Being too late will mean a missed opportunity, and being too early will mean disappointment.
For financial advisors, protecting client capital from the looming debt storm is an absolute must. Stay away from individual issues, especially revenue bonds. And for goodness sake, don't be piling into high yield muni-bond debt at the worst possible moment of the credit cycle.
Yes, diversifying with muni-bond funds and ETFs is a good start, but more drastic measures may be required.
One source of information on the subject, the August ETF Profit Strategy Newsletter covers the muni-bond market and other markets by identifying key inflection points using sentiment, cash flow, and other indicators.


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On the Fracture of Thin Laminates
Abstract: This thesis concerns mechanical and fracture properties of a thin aluminium foil and polymer laminate that is widely used as packaging material. The possibility of controlling the path of the growing crack propagation by adjustment of the adhesion level and the property of the polymer layer is investigated. First, the fracture process of the aluminium foil is investigated experimentally. It is found that fracture occurs at a much lower load than what is suggested by standard handbook fracture toughness. Observations in a scanning electron microscope with a tensile stage show that small-scale stable crack growth occurs before the stress intensity factor reaches its maximum. An examination using an optical profilometric method shows almost no plastic deformation except for in a small necking region at the crack tip. However, accurate predictions of the maximum load are obtained using a strip yield model with a geometric correction. Secondly, the mechanical and fracture properties of the laminate are studied. A theory for the mechanics of the composite material is used to evaluate a series of experiments. Each of the layers forming the laminate is first tested separately. The results are analysed and compared with the test results of the entire laminate with varied adhesion. The results show that tensile strength and strain at peak stress of the laminate, with or without a crack, increase when the adhesion of the adhesive increases. It is also found that a much larger amount of energy is consumed in the laminated material at tension compare with the single layers. Possible explanations for the much higher toughness of the laminate are discussed. Finally, the behaviour of a crack in one of the layers, perpendicular to the bimaterial interface in a finite solid, is studied by formulating a dislocation superposition method. The stress field is investigated in detail and a so-called T stress effect is considered. Furthermore, the crack tip driving forces are computed numerically. The results show that the analytical methods for an asymptotically small crack extension can also be applied for a fairly large amount of crack growth. By comparing the crack tip driving force of the crack deflected into the interface with that of the crack penetrating into the polymer layer, it is shown how the path of the crack can be controlled by selecting a proper adhesion level of the interface for different material combinations of the laminate.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE DISSERTATION. (in PDF format)


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It seems an odd combination: Nelson Mandela's uplifting life story, and ... rugby? But the new film "Invictus" weaves together the life of the South African president with his nation's upset in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Morgan Freeman plays Mandela, with Matt Damon as the rugby team captain. (Opens Dec. 11)
Alice Sebold's "The Lovely Bones" was a blockbuster novel back in 2002. But because of its subject matter — a young girl is raped and murdered and then watches life on earth after her death — many didn't think it could make the leap to film. Judge for yourself, the film hits theaters this week. Peter Jackson, of "Lord of the Rings" fame, directs. (Opens Dec. 11)
She's not your typical singing star, and that's why so many around the world took Scottish performer Susan Boyle to heart. Her second-place finish on "Britain's Got Talent" took her from a quiet life with her cat in a small rural village to international fame and a top-selling CD. Tune in to "I Dreamed a Dream: The Susan Boyle Story" to go inside her amazing journey. (Dec. 13, 8 p.m., TV Guide Network.)
U.S. & World
Have you been missing Ray Romano since "Everybody Loves Raymond" closed up shop? Romano and Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula star in "Men of a Certain Age," a new series that follows the friendship between three college pals. (Dec. 7, 10 p.m., TNT.)
The "Julia" part of "Julie & Julia" captivated far more people than the "Julie" part, but it's worth it just for that. After blogger Julie Powell wrote about her project working her way through Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," the blog became a book, and later a movie, with the marvelous Meryl Streep as Child. It's now on DVD, to which we say "bon appétit!" (Out on DVD Dec. 8)
The Harry Potter movies keep getting darker and more adult as the young wizard grows up and moves towards his fate. "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" scored high marks from critics, with the Portland Oregonian calling it "the strongest (or at least the most mature, subtle and emotional) entry in the series thus far." (Out on DVD Dec. 8)
Entertainment Weekly said you're no one on TV these days without your own soundtrack and the cast of Fox's musical comedy series of the moment is happy to oblige, for the second time, with "Glee: The Music, Volume 2." (Out Dec. 8)
Hot on the heels of ex-girlfriend Rihanna's "Rated R" comes Chris Brown's third studio album, "Graffiti." The hottest rising star in R&B has had his musical talents eclipsed by the fallout from pleading guilty to assaulting Rihanna in February. The writing on the wall seems to indicate that "Graffiti" won't do much to make that notoriety disappear. (Out Dec. 8)


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Xcel crews to help restore power in Iowa, Wis.
Volunteers head to Twin Cities
MINNEAPOLIS — Xcel Energy Inc. is sending crews to help restore electricity in Iowa and Wisconsin after a major winter storm hit the Midwest.
Xcel says 12 employees and a manager volunteered to leave Friday morning from the Twin Cities to help restore power in the Des Moines, Iowa, area. The crews will join up with four workers from Faribault and Mankato before heading south.
Mid-American Energy asked Minneapolis-based Xcel to help restore service to an estimated 9,500 customers in the Des Moines area.
Meanwhile, eight Xcel employees and a manager left from Eau Claire, Wis., on Friday. They will join up with two workers from Sparta, Wis., before traveling to Madison, Wis., to help Madison Gas and Electric restore service to an estimated 1,800 customers.


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Check out the latest RPG news | Podcasts | Twitch Streams
It's probably less 'Hey, this is a good idea!' some jackwagon trying to hop on the fear mongering train in order to eek out extra taxes for their state budget.
Quote from: ZeronHitaro on January 17, 2013, 04:12:17 PMIt's probably less 'Hey, this is a good idea!' some jackwagon trying to hop on the fear mongering train in order to eek out extra taxes for their state budget. Maybe, but republicans are supposed to be anti new taxes so this probably isn't the case. *shrug*
Also, am I the only one amused by the fact that the media and various spokesmen keep talking about "violent video games" but I have never heard them bring up violent movies. I'm guessing they don't want to piss off the MPAA/Hollywood and the video game industry is a much easier target so they just left the movies part out. As far as I'm concerned, you can't wag your finger at one of them (VGs) and not the other. Better yet, don't wag your finger at all but that's probably not going to happen.
For that matter, given that hammers kill more people per year than assault rifles in the US (all rifles combined, actually) if you want to argue from a perspective of reducing violence we're better off banning those. And kitchen knives, too. (Come to think of it, there is a group in England trying to ban kitchen knives.)
The gun control argument also seems particularly silly when you consider that Germany, with it's very strict gun control laws, has had more people killed in mass shootings than the US, even counting the latest one and this is without factoring in the inherent moral problems that come with gun control laws.
I wonder when we'll actually focus on cracking down on guns than videogames. Much harder to work up the courage to kill a man with your bare hands than it is a gun.Ah well, blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda.I'm sure it will all be said, so I'll just post Stephen Colbert's thoughts on it:http://imgur.com/tigeN


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Conservation and Environment in Costa Rica: Monthly Updates
Monthly Updates from 2011
With the year coming to an end so quickly we are all sitting back and looking at what we have accomplished in 2011 and I think Barra Honda can honestly have its collective conscience wiped clean because we have accomplished A LOT!
As we get closer to the end of the year we start moving our focus and attention to 2012, the investigation projects, large maintenance work and what we are going to change in regards to how we work.
October is always a very interesting month in Costa Rica; there are several festivals and national holidays and it gives everyone the chance to learn or participate in celebrating the diversity of Costa Rica.
The last couple of months have been the busiest on record here in Barra Honda, we have had more people, more work, more projects and more people arriving and leaving than ever! This has been exciting and very entertaining!
We have been working hard as usual in Barra Honda this month and we have been having a great time doing it as well! This month has been one of the wettest on record, which you can see on the weather data section from our website. This shows that from the middle of May it has rained almost every day!
Mirador - Everyone who visits the Barra Honda National Park gets the chance to visit the Terciopelo Cave and also the Mirador Platform, one of the only points in the area where you can see an amazing 180 degree view of the landscape.
February has been so busy that by the time I sat down to write to you all I realised it was the middle of March! So we have combined the two months to give you a full information packed update this time round!
I was recently looking over the reports that I've written in the past and noticed January 2010, which was a good month for us, the start of the best year we've had, a good amount of interesting projects, some good fun maintenance work and a good group of volunteers.


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Most people don't live to be 94. Most people don't receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Most people also don't invent, by accident, an extremely useful and widespread super-substance. Harry Coover, who died Saturday, did all these things.
In what must have been a very messy moment of discovery in 1942, Dr. Harry Coover of Eastman-Kodak Laboratories found that a substance he created-cyanoacrylate-was a miserable failure. It was not, to his dismay, at all suited for a new precision gun sight as he had hoped-it infuriatingly stuck to everything it touched. So it was forgotten. Six years later, while overseeing an experimental new design for airplane canopies, Coover found himself stuck in the same gooey mess with a familiar foe-cyanacrylate was proving useless as ever. But this time, Coover observed that the stuff formed an incredibly strong bond without needing heat. Coover and his team tinkered with sticking various objects in their lab together, and realized they had finally stumbled upon a use for the maddening goop. Coover slapped a patent on his discovery, and in 1958, a full 16 years after he first got stuck, cyanoacrylate was being sold on shelves.
Coover died over the weekend, according to his grandson—but not before racking up a PhD, 460 patents, and a spot in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Not bad for a guy who stumbled upon his greatest creation. So, the next time you stick together a broken plate (and not your fingers), pause and thank Dr. Coover's serendipity. [SF Gate]


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AA Meeting
Event Description
Meetings take place at Wittenberg Lutheran Center, 201 South Main Street in Normal, at the corner of College Avenue and Main Street. For information or directions call Bob at 309-434-0056.
If you will need special accommodations, please contact the event organizer.


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It was a memorable first four days of the 2014 NCAA tournament, with a combination of dramatic finishes and Cinderella stories.
Archie Miller and Dayton knocked off perennial powerhouses Ohio State and Syracuse en route to a spot in the Sweet 16, while Harvard and North Dakota State scored similar upsets on the first day of the tournament.
Perhaps the most shocking result, though, came on Friday when Mercer coach Bob Hoffman led his No. 14-seeded Bears to a hard-fought win over Mike Krzyzewski and the No. 3-seeded Duke Blue Devils.
While these programs aren't necessarily regulars on our national recruiting page, their postseason success can be attributed, at least in part, to successful recruiting. With that in mind, we once again turned to our team of experts at RecruitingNation to ask them which programs could emerge as potential "Giant Killers" in future years based on recent recruiting efforts:


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Angels release Speier
Justin Speier, the Angels' veteran right-handed reliever, has been handed his unconditional release to make room on the 25-man roster for Trevor Bell, the 22-year-old right-hander who makes his Major League debut on Wednesday against the Rays.
Speier, signed to a free agent contract with the Angels after the 2006 season, was 4-2 with a 5.18 ERA this season in 41 appearances. He pitched 40 innings, yielding 44 hits and 15 walks while striking out 39 batters. Opponents had a .277 batting average against him.
"It probably caught him off guard," Angels general manager Tony Reagins said. "It's emotional. There was nothing but professionalism in the way he took it on short notice. He has sincere passion for this organization, and the feelings are mutual.
"You always hope a player continues his career and gets an opportunity. We know he wants to continue to pitch. He's going to take a breather."
Speier, 35, is the son of long-time Major League shortstop Chris Speier, now a coach on manager Dusty Baker's staff in Cincinnati.
Speier began his Major League career in 1998 after he was taken in the 55th round of the 1995 First-Year Player Draft by the Cubs. He pitched for the Marlins, Braves, Indians, Rockies and Blue Jays before joining the Angels.
He's 35-33 in his career in 613 Major League appearances.
"We felt from a baseball standpoint this decision at this time was the right decision to make," Reagins said. "It's something we've talked about for several days. It's always a difficult decision when you have to go this route.
"From a baseball standpoint, it was something we felt that had to be done to allow us to do some other things."
Bell gives the Angels two rookie starting pitchers, joining Sean O'Sullivan, with Joe Saunders on the disabled list. Middle relievers Matt Palmer and Shane Loux also are candidates to join the rotation, having had some success in that role.
11 Comments
Why is it that when the Angels make a move to what they
call somthing that had to be done its kept under rapps.
I watched the pre game show and nothing was said about
Spier being let go, we need PITCHING ! and now we have
a double A pitcher starting tomarrows game. do we have
the dumbest front office on the planet why couldn't we
have put him in a trade deal or put him on waivers so
another team might pick him up and pay the rest of his
salary. as it is now we will have to pay the rest. how
dumb is Reagans Artie must have a bank valt full of money
to be able to do the some of the most rediculus moves
in recent Angel history. I will not spend another dime
on Angel gear or buy another ticket to a game as long
as they continue to show this complete ineptitude
on how to run a Franchise as good as this one in to the ground.
Washman- The move had to be made. Have you been watching the angels as I have? The young guns are coming through… Spier was expendable.
Reagan believes in the future… As I do and I for one am proud they did not give up the future for 1.5 years of a Halladay, these prospects have more of a combined future than the Halladay.
Oh ye have a lil faith… We'll get another title soon enough!!!
Case in point who spends 140 million dollars for two center
fielders , one in which you plan to use as back up, 10 mill
for a guy to play 1 day week maybe if that. you pick up
the option on Vladdy another 15 mill for a guy that has
spent most of the time on the DL in wich you could see
last year might be a possibiltiy for this season, as we have seen that is what has happend. thank god K mo has been
fantastic, Abrau has been the same. our offense has been off the charts. Ayebar has been crazy good. but this pitching
staff is not going to get it done. I hope I am wrong!!!!
Jawnn – my faith is dwindling. I did not hold my breath when
the trade dealine came and whent, and nothing was done.
for years the Angels have put these high expectations on
there minor leaugers thet never seem to work out. if
Brandon Wood, Shawn Rodrigez, and some of the other
so called untouchables why are they not wearing the big
leauge uni .our bench is the worst in baseball Quinlan, willits, Izzy. some bench.
I belive the revamp of pitching staff is necessary, and I have no problem with the fact that they remove Speir for young prospects. The problem is how you do it. I think it would probably be a better move if If they could put Speir on wavier to see if they can reach a deal with another team and have that team pay a portion of Speir's salary or, even better, get some young prospects in return (Tho the chance might be very slim). Even a small portion would help especially during the economic downturn. If Bell does not perform up to their expection this case, the Angeles not only lost a veteran pitcher but also a huge chunk of Money. I my opinion, this is a weak move based on the risk and financial management perspectives.
However, as a long-time Angels Fan, I hope they will be doing well all the way year after year.
What you don't realize is that Spier, most likely, did get put through waivers. At this time of the year most teams put just about everybody on their roster through waivers so they can determine the interest in a player. They can always pull the waiver back and not be obligated to let them go. Case in point the Blue Jay deal was kind of stupid when they put Rios through and then just let him go for nothing to the White Sox. They could have pulled him back and then negotiated with the Sox. Spier was expendable. He wasn't being used much and who else were we going to knock off of the 40 man roster to get Bell on it?
Fernando Rodriguez?
I'm a big baseball fan here and have been since the days of Mantle and Marris. The business of the game has changed over those years and unfortunately things like the loss of Speier always comes as a tragic loss to the hometown fan. I too am guilty of that. I've enjoyed watching Justin pitch not only with the Angels, but Toronto, Braves and the Indians. So yes I am a big Justin fan and not just because of watching his Dad play. I was excited upon hearing he was joining the Angels staff. However from a business standpoint, this was unfortunately the wisest of ways to pursue the targeted goals of our Angels. Like it or not. Offensively this team is HOT. Defensively, yes as good as it is, there are some weak spots…and yes it was the pitching, particularly starting pitching with 2 on the DL. The question is do you go out and put your young talent which represent the future of the franchise on the line for someone? Or do you make a move such as this. Granted we've got a backup CF in Gary Matthews, Jr., but what team has a need of a CF at his rate who can provide a major pitcher? Look at the realities here and stop thinking with a sense of loss. We could be gaining one terrific pitcher in Trevor Bell. Let's face it in his 1st start in AAA he threw a 1-hitter. He's got support from a longtime friend on the team and a coaching staff that is the envy of other major league teams. Just chill and wait to see the results…long term as well as short term. Remember a guy named Nick…he didn't fare too well initially, but came back blazing!!! For Justin, I wish him the best because I will be following his career. Stay healthy and keep that personality strong! In time I'm sure Trevor will meet him and shake his hand saying thanks for the opportunity. That's sportsmanship!!!
Hey, I'm a season ticket holder for a long time here. They should have kept Speier for the playoffs! If we get there!! Also, why eat the huge contract money? Do you really think that we'll win a game in the playoffs against the Yankees, Red Sox or White Sox with a bullpen of Loux, Jepsen, Oliver, Arredondo, Bulger, Fuentes and Thompson? I don't think so!!! Looks like spring training to me!! FYI, Angel's sales staff!! Stop asking us for more money every year, aka Mark Teixeira!! You didn't bring in a big name like we paid for!! Also, were sick of paying big bucks, like in my case 7,000 plus a year for 1 playoff game.. Not this year!!!
He's a heck of a guy though.. I wished the best for him and continue to do so. You could tell he was well loved around the clubhouse, he's just a genial person. Best of luck to Speier!
Maybe it is a better idea to remove Loux instead of Speir. Loux is way less expensive, and with 7 earned runs in just 1.2 innings in O's game, I don't think he can be of any help in our bullpen!


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The lovers of Corfu thought the historical Corfu Palace as an old time classic choice. It is located in the centre of Corfu Island, just 5' from the well known Liston and it operates all year round. It was built on 1954 from the famous architect Sakelarios and it is well appreciated from the local people as it is a legend for the Island. It has friends from all over the world who visit it very often. A great lord, who will enchant you with its self-confidence and hospitality, Corfu Palace is simply the absolute host of Corfu!


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After seeing the support i got in another topic( Thanks Dis!), i have decided to start a map making contest!
The only limitation a would like to see is that the maps be no bigger that a medium sized net map. That is a request, not a requirement!
Also , would some people voluteer to be on a panel of judges? I can test with a few people sometimes!!


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Posts tagged indian
29 Spice Mix Recipes from Around the World
These easy spice mix recipes from around the world will add a special flare to your daily fare. From ras el hanout to herbes de provence, herb and spice mixes are essential to many cuisines around the world. Bringing these blends into your own kitchen can lend authenticity to international dishes and provide creative inspiration for your everyday […]Read More


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I just found out this week that the book Visual Intelligence: Microsoft Tools and Techniques for Visualizing Data was available on the Amazon for the Kindle and also in paperback now.
When I got home from work last night there was a package waiting for me and it was my own personal copy of the book:)
I had the pleasure of being one of the technical editors on the book
As well as a contributor where I got to work on one of the chapters, so you get to see some of my handy work as well, guess which chapter;)
And I greatly appreciate Mark's acknowledgment and allowing me to work on the book
The authors of the book are from Pragmatic Works – Mark Stacey, Joe Salvatore, and Adam Jorgensen.
Here is the description of the book from Amazon:
Go beyond design concepts and learn to build state-of-the-art visualizations
The visualization experts at Microsoft's Pragmatic Works have created a full-color, step-by-step guide to building specific types of visualizations. The book thoroughly covers the Microsoft toolset for data analysis and visualization, including Excel, and explores best practices for choosing a data visualization design, selecting tools from the Microsoft stack, and building a dynamic data visualization from start to finish. You'll examine different types of visualizations, their strengths and weaknesses, and when to use each one.
- Data visualization tools unlock the stories within the data, enabling you to present it in a way that is useful for making business decisions
- This full-color guide introduces data visualization design concepts, then explains the various Microsoft tools used to store and display data
- Features a detailed discussion of various classes of visualizations, their uses, and the appropriate tools for each
- Includes practical implementations of various visualizations and best practices for using them
- Covers out-of-the-box Microsoft tools, custom-developed illustrations and implementations, and code examples
Visual Intelligence: Microsoft Tools and Techniques for Visualizing Data arms you with best practices and the knowledge to choose and build dynamic data visualizations.
I would highly recommend getting your copy in either paperback or electronic format and checking it out. Both versions are in full color, very nice:)
Visual Intelligence: Microsoft Tools and Techniques for Visualizing Data


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Roman Bioarchaeology Carnival XXV
We've got tumors, tombstones, and tablets this month...
Pre-Roman Period
Pre-Roman Period
- 7 January - Baby bones from an Etruscan site have been interpreted as evidence of careless burial practices. I strongly questioned the interpretation here.
- 27 January - A skeleton from about 500 BC was found during construction on a golf course in Dundee, Scotland.
|Roman tombstone found in
Muslim grave in Turkey
- 1 January - A tombstone dating to the Roman period was found in a Muslim grave in Turkey. The tombstone commemorated a woman named Julia who died in 213 AD.
- 7 January - Ancient pills found on a cargo ship that wrecked off the Italian coast in 140 BC were analyzed. The tablets were zinc-based and were likely used as eye medicine.
- 7 January - A new volume on the Porta Nocera necropolis at Pompeii has come out, detailing the excavations that took place between 2003 and 2007.
- 7 January - LiveScience covered the AIA paper of my good friend Beth Greene, whose research focuses on the footwear of the inhabitants of Vindolanda on Hadrian's Wall.
|Facial reconstruction
of a 2nd c AD Romano-
British man
- 9 January - An ancient tomb was discovered in Avellino (in Campania), probably dating to the Roman period. No additional information seems to be available.
- 16 January - Storms in Scotland have unearthed a Roman-era skeleton.
- 16 January - Eight graves dating to the 3rd-4th century were found in Colchester, England.
- 18 January - Forensic analysis was performed on a skeleton dated to about 200 AD discovered on the University of Wales, Newport campus. A facial reconstruction was done, in the style of a Fayum mummy portrait, and is being shown at the Caerleon Museum.
|Ovarian teratoma from Roman Spain
- 21 January - The skeleton of a woman with a teratoma was found in Spain, dating to the late Roman period. She was buried in the cappuccina style. The teratoma included several teeth and was likely present in or near her ovary.
- 29 January - Another story about the discovery of a 1st-2nd c AD Roman sarcophagus in someone's backyard. They had no idea it was worth a great deal of money.


text: FDA Issues Safety Communication About Procedures to Treat CCSVI in People with MS May 10, 2012 Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a safety communication to inform people with MS, doctors and others about potential risks associated with procedures and devices used to treat CCSVI (chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency). The communication from the FDA outlines these risks and encourages more research to provide better understanding of the relationship between CCSVI and MS and to guide possible treatment decisions by people with MS and their health care providers. The safety communication provides specific recommendations for people with MS, health care providers, researchers and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) – IRBs are independent committees that approve and monitor research involving people. For people with MS, the FDA communication notes that: a definite link has not been established between MS and CCSVI; the safety and effectiveness of using balloon angioplasty with or without stents in the internal jugular or azygos veins has not been established for any medical condition; nor has the FDA approved the use of these devices in these veins; serious complications can occur as a result of CCSVI treatment procedures; before considering treatment, the FDA recommends that people discuss potential risks and benefits with a neurologist who is familiar with MS and CCSVI; before having any CCSVI procedure, the FDA recommends that people discuss with their health care provider the signs and symptoms of complications of these procedures; people who undergo procedures to diagnose or treat CCSVI are recommended to continue following the MS treatment plan outlined by their health care providers; anyone considering participating in a clinical trial for CCSVI is encouraged to learn as much as possible about the trial and ask questions of the health care team conducting the trial; and anyone undergoing treatment for CCSVI who experiences a complication is encouraged to file a report with the FDA through the MedWatch, the FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting program (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/HowToReport/ucm053074.htm) The communication outlines adverse events connected with CCSVI treatment procedures that have been reported to the agency or reported in medical journals. These include two deaths, and incidents of stroke, blood clots, cranial nerve damage and abdominal bleeding. The communication notes that the frequency of these complications is unknown. It also notes that the FDA will continue to monitor for adverse events related to medical devices commonly used in CCSVI treatment, and keep the public informed as new information becomes available. Learn more about the FDAs safety communications policies. More Research Encouraged The FDA communication encourages research to evaluate the relationship between CCSVI and MS and to characterize the safety and effectiveness of treatment procedures. Although some individuals who have MS have undergone surgical procedures for CCSVI, there has not yet been a controlled trial to determine its effectiveness in treating the symptoms or course of the disease. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) announced in April 2012 that a research team had been chosen to conduct a phase I/II clinical trial to determine the safety of venous angioplasty and obtain evidence on patient outcomes in people with MS. The location of the study has not yet been announced. The clinical trial is a collaborative initiative between the CIHR and the MS Society of Canada. Read more about the CIHR announcement. The National MS Society shares in the public urgency to advance the understanding of CCSVI as quickly as possible. In collaboration with the MS Society of Canada, the Society has been at the forefront of researching the potential links between CCSVI and MS and in July 2010 launched seven research studies with a commitment of more than $2.4 million. The research teams have recruited a broad spectrum of people with MS and others to build an understanding of who may be affected by CCSVI. In addition, they have been refining CCSVI imaging methods for accuracy and consistency to reliably validate the occurrence of CCSVI and understand its implications in the MS disease process. Read the 18-month progress report. After the research projects are completed, the studies will be analyzed and submitted for publication in one or more scientific journals. At this point it isn't clear when full data and results will be available to the public. In the meantime, several of the investigators have already been sharing their results with other scientists at medical meetings. Results from the seven projects as well as other studies will help guide the Society's planning for future investments in this area of research. Frequently Asked Questions Q: Does the National MS Society support the FDA's safety communication? A: The Society supports the FDA's effort to provide the most current clarifying information to people with MS and their health care providers so that they are better equipped to make informed treatment decisions. The Society agrees with the FDA that research is needed to evaluate the relationship between CCSVI and MS. The Society fast-tracked its support for CCSVI research in early 2010 in collaboration with the MS Society of Canada and together we are funding $2.4 million in research grants. We appreciate the FDA's commitment to continuing to monitor this situation and to keep the public informed as new information becomes available. Q: Does this FDA communication ban procedures to treat CCSVI? A: No. It provides specific guidance about questions that should be considered by individuals and their health care providers before such a procedure is undertaken. In addition, the FDA's safety communication notes the regulatory requirements for research using medical devices in CCSVI. The FDA has not cleared or approved any angioplasty device or stents for the treatment of CCSVI and the use of such devices in treating CCSVI would be considered off-label at this time. Q: Does the FDA communication have implications for the availability of venoplasty treatment for CCSVI? A: At this time we do not know the implications of this communication for the availability of venoplasty treatment for CCSVI (venoplasty is angioplasty in veins). Q: When does the FDA issue safety communications and what prompted them to issue one regarding CCSVI? A: We don't know what prompted this specific safety communication at this time. To learn more about the FDA's policies around safety communications you can visit the FDA's site: http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/default.htm Q. Will this communication impact how my insurance company evaluates potential coverage for this procedure? A: We don't yet know the implications of this safety communication and whether it might impact insurance coverage.


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Thursday afternoon, 20 June 2013, newly appointed interim Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah handed in his official letter of resignation to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas.
Sworn in by President Abbas on June 6th, Hamdallah's cabinet has only held two official sessions.
Speculation abound, local press is reporting that Hamdallah's decision to resign stems from a disagreement over the prime minister's jurisdiction and limits of power.
Upon taking office, Hamdallah was appointed two deputies, Dr. Mohammed Mustafa, the head of the Palestinian Investment Fund, and Ziad Abu Amar. Both men are close advisors of Abbas, a fact that may, as Jack Khoury of Haaretz notes, signal the President's intention of holding influence over the premier's office.
It is unclear as to whether President Abbas has accepted Hamdallah's resignation; however, he is expected to address the public later tonight or tomorrow morning.
Hamdallah, an academic, has never held an official political position before serving as PM. He is currently serving as the President of Al-Najah University in Nablus, a position he held at the time of his appointment to Prime Minister.
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Hulu is adding to its growing slate of original programming, including a new animated series from Seth Meyers that will translate his experiences on "Saturday Night Live" to a gang of superheroes.
Meyers previewed the show, "The Awesomes," at Hulu's upfront Thursday. He and co-creator Michael Shoemaker, a producer of "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" and formerly of "SNL," said the series will be a behind-the-scenes look at an "Avengers"-like troupe of crime-fighters.
Meyers said "The Awesomes" was based on backstage life at "SNL," where he is a head writer and Weekend Update host.
The show is planned to debut next year on Hulu, which is co-owned by Disney, News Corp. and NBCUniversal.
Hulu is also producing a series about a group of friends who play pick-up basketball from "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" director Danny Leiner, "Are We There Yet?" writer Kenya Barris and "The Game" writer Hale Rothstein. That show, "We Got Next," will premiere later this year.
Hulu is also planning a fantasy show called "Flow" built around the urban sport of parkour, which involves running, climbing, or leaping rapidly over obstacles, and a music talent discovery show called "Don't Quit Your Daydream" that's based on the 2010 documentary by Adrian Grenier and John Loar.
Those four series add to Hulu's original programming that includes Morgan Spurlock's "A Day in the Life" and the scripted series "Battleground." The event Thursday was the first of a series of planned "newfronts" in which digital outlets present their programming to advertisers, much like the traditional TV upfronts in May.
Hulu said that in February, U.S. users watched 2.5 billion videos on the site. Earlier this week, it announced that will charge advertisers only if viewers watch a commercial in full.
Hulu Announces New Series From Seth Meyers
"The Awesomes" is based on an "SNL" gang of superheroes
Hulu is adding to its growing slate of original programming, including a new animated series from Seth Meyers that will translate his experiences on "Saturday Night Live" to a gang of superheroes.