Darin Alvord

Darin Alvord

I am intrigued by how the word, “smart” is used. In some cases, it means “well educated”, in others it means “capable”. Sometimes it means, “Agrees with me”. It can even mean, “that hurts”. Intellectual elites say a movie or a play is smart because it has content that attacks social norms. How smart is that?

I think that most people really mean “good at something” when they use the word. And here is a great case in point.

Over the past few days I have had the pleasure of interfacing with a couple of smart guys. These two are of the creative sort; making complicated ideas work. Their challenge was to put video onto a web site so the world can witness a very fascinating, graceful and competitive event – a boat race across the Pacific Ocean from LA to Oahu. They have none of the resources of a TV network, Discovery Channel or Eyewitness News; just knowledge and gumption. And a love for accomplishment. You know; the American spirit of “can do”. That spirit is not totally the monopoly of The US, but you recognize the concept.

Putting their “smarts” to work, they have created a web TV system. They have made a set of self-contained camera pods that can be put in place just about anywhere and linked them up using an array of media from copper to fiber to commercial digital networks. These pods include everything needed for a complete, self-sustaining unmanned camera position, from non-penetrating roof mount to air-cooled electronics bay to a solid base for a robotic articulating High Definition IP camera. Network quality video presented to anyone on earth who wants to view. And they did it themselves. Smart.

Don Krispin and Mike Scott of Transpac Yacht Club have done this. They have a budget about equal to KHNL’s budget for coffee supplies and with about ¼ the amount of time availability any sane project engineer would specify for a single camera deployment. And they are interesting and fun to talk with and be around. How can that be anything other than smart?

To see the end result of their work, check out the Transpac Race online at www.Transpacyc.com

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