Download - HDTV Magazine

About the Author
Rodolfo La Maestra is the Senior Technical Director of the HDTV Magazine. Rodolfo
participated in the HDTV vision since the late 1980's when HDTV
was first proposed as an analog system. In the late 1990's, he
begun tracking and reviewing HDTV related technologies and
hundreds of consumer products, which prompted him in 2002 to
pioneer the authoring of the annual HDTV Technology Review
report, which encompasses all HDTVs and related equipment
including Hi-Def DVD, content providers, distribution systems
(broadcast, cable, satellite), government, standards,
connectivity, content protection, H/DTV tuners and DVRs, etc.
Rodolfo considers himself an educator, not a journalist,
transferring knowledge, research, and experience. In addition to this annual
publication, he has authored a variety of tutorials and educative articles for HDTV
Magazine, DVDetc, and HDTVetc Magazines, and served as technical consultant and
editor for the "Reference Guide" and the "HDTV Glossary of Terms" for HDTVetc
Magazine, included in this report and now available for HDTV Magazine readers.
In 2004, to help the public understand the H/DTV complexity, he began recording a
TV technology periodical for Cable television that airs weekly. By 2006, the show
reached the rating of second most viewed by the public among all the technology
episodes. The opening episode at HDTV Magazine Resources:
http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/reference/tvshow_how-it-works.php
Rodolfo's background encompasses Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, and
Audio and Video Electronics, over 4,000 hours of professional training, a BS in
Computer and Information Systems, and over thirty professional and post-graduate
diplomas, some from American, George Washington, and MIT Universities.
After 38 years of computer systems career Rodolfo retired in 2003 as Chief of
Systems Development from the Inter-American Development Bank. He directed 65
computer professionals in the areas of information/transactional/web online systems,
database administration, etc. supporting about 30 member countries 24/7.
In parallel, from 1998 he concentrated his personal efforts in helping the public with
his other career of audio/video electronics. Rodolfo started with hi-end audio in the
early 60’s and merged with Home Theater video and multichannel audio technologies
over the past 40 years, such as the niche widescreen laser disc, anamorphic DVD,
16x9 NTSC displays, HDTV, Hi-def DVD, and 2.35:1 CinemaScope HD Home Theater.
When HDTV started airing in November 1998, he was an early adopter of the HDTV
dream he followed since 80’s but realized that the technology as implemented would
overwhelm regular consumers due to its complexity, and it certainly does even
today. Rodolfo then launched his HDTV mission of
educating and helping consumers understand the
complexity, the challenge, and the beauty of the
technology, so the public learns to appreciate
HDTV not just as another television.
Copyright 2007 Rodolfo La Maestra, all rights reserved.
The material might not be reproduced or distributed in any form
without permission from the author.
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