Map | Design Concerns | Hyperlinks Help | Our Facility

Our site is designed for DSL, Cable modem or fractional T-1 access, but can be used with 28.8k or 56k modems if you are prepared to accept the delays! (we develop and test on a 100baseT LAN, then use DSL to upload to the web server and validate links, so we can really see the differences) If you use a slower link, be patient, the richness and depth of the artwork makes it worth the wait! We use newer technology such as HTML 3.2, Java and Quicktime, so you will find the quality of your viewing experience somewhat dependant on your own browser and computer. We recommend an MPG-2 (or better) compliant computer with at least Netscape or Internet Explorer version 4. If you need to download Quicktime or an upgraded browser right now, see the Hyperlinks section below.

A simplified linear representation of our virtual reality

• The Home Page "Marquee"- Home
• The Making of Hospital of the Mind
• Symbols
• Film Storyboard
• Technology
• Data
• Backstage
• Special Events
• Guestbook
• VD2001
• Base of Operations
• The Episodes
• Program Credits
• About The Company
• The Original Production
• The Internet Production
• The Artists (Who We Are)
• The Critics Speak
• Nuts & Bolts
• Donors (The Walls of Fame)
• How you can contribute (What is The Cutting Edge?)
• Guestbook or Comments
• Web Stuff (this page) - Map

The blue, red, or purple stuff (above) is available at the bottom of many pages Help or Troubleshooting Reception Problems

• Notes to hypertext purists about the design of this site: (refer to Jakob Nielsen's May 1996 column)
1. We stayed away from frames until we found Dreamweaver to do the drudge work for us - we don't particularly like them, but they are fast, easy to use, and work with older browsers.
2. Netscape 2.0/Wilbur technology is required for our art to work (HTML 3.2 compliant)
3. Whatever motion and/or blinking we have is purposeful
4. Our URL's are verbal shorthand whenever possible
5. Our pages have escapes (see the green note above) or next page links
6. Yes, our pages are often longer than one screen - would less convey more?
7. This page is the place to find the design concept.
8. This is the only page that follows the color conventions for hyperlinks - every other page was designed as a work of visual art - hyperlinks are underlines, the home link gives the followed color!
9. We prune & garden
10. We use whichever is smaller - .jpg or .gif for stills. Many stills have been saved as small images, then rescaled to a larger size. Movies are compressed per Adobe recommendations for Internet transfer. We build them on a PC with capture/compression hardware controlled by Premiere, then cross platform test them on an AV Mac, or visa-versa.

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Hyperlinks to other sites

• See The Walls of Fame for our donor list
• An Index of hypermedia art
• Episodic Web Series

• Picture colors are horrid!
• Are you running in 16 color VGA or EGA?
• change software/hardware to at least 256 colors
• Pictures are HUGE
• Are you running 640x480 pixel screen resolution?
• change software/hardware to at least 800x600 pixels
• Movies take so long to download!
• How fast is your data link?
• we recommend you not download movies unless you can use at least a 56k modem, but a broadband connection such as Frame Relay, DSL or Cable Modem is recommended.
• Movies are so small, I can't see any detail!
• Are you looking at the thumbnails?
• our thumbnails are not meant for detail, just to give you an idea of movement and sound - the still images and/or text on the page tell the story.
• Can't play movies after download
• Do you have Quicktime installed on your computer?
• download Quicktime - go to the Apple homepage.
• Does your system support motion video?
• upgrade computer to at least MPC-1 standards
• It takes FOREVER to see anything---
• Is your modem active? (is the RD or RXD light flashing?)
• You need at least a 28k Baud modem, 14.4k or slower just doesn't work
• Find out whether DSL or digital cable data service is available
• Does the browser message give a really low data rate? (under 400)
• how many network connections do you have open? More open connections means more things happen at the same time. For example, 14.4K modems receive at about 1.6Kbps. If 4 connections are open, you may be downloading 4 files at the same time, so the transfer rate per file is only 400 bps at best.
• Are you having problems with your ISP?
• are they upgrading? do you get lots of busy signals?
• How big is their Internet feeder? How many users? etc.
• All the pages have the same color background and text - I don't see this in green.
• Check your Options-General Preferences-Colors (on Netscape) to see if you have the box "Always use my colors, overriding Document" checked (uncheck it)
• What browser are you using?
• You need to be using a browser that at least supports HTML 3.2
• We recommend using Netscape 4.6 or Internet Explorer 5.0 or newer version browser
• Our pages are NOT designed for Lynx or other text based browsing!
• I have a problem with your site not listed above
• Send us an Email, we'll try to solve it. The more specific information you can give, the more likely it will be that we can help!

Our Production Facility

In 1997, we used:

• Hardware
• 586 Server
• Macintosh 840AV
• 486 DX-2/66 with Miro DC-1 and Sound Blaster 16 SCSI
• 686 Graphics Workstation
• VHS, SVHS & Hi-8 VCRs
• Hi-8 Camcorder
• Software
• Netscape Navigator Gold 3
• Microsoft Front Page
• Macromedia Backstage 2 beta
• Adobe Premiere
• Macromedia SoundEdit 16
• Macromedia Freehand Graphics Studio
• Adobe Photoshop
• BAVC (Bay Area Video Coalition)
  • Post Production Facilities
    • Videotape - "C", Betacam SP, 3/4", Hi8, SVHS, VHS, etc.
    • Digital Video Editing Suites
  • Field Kits
    • Ampex/Sony Betacam SP

 

In 2001, we upgraded to:

• Hardware
  • Dual Xeon workstation with Pinnacle DC-1000
  • Dual Pentium III workstation
  • Pentium III with DPS Perception
  • Pentium III with Miro DC-30
  • Pentium II server
• Software
  • Adobe
    • Premiere
    • After Effects
    • Photoshop
  • Macromedia
    • Dreamweaver
    • Director
    • Freehand
  • Sonic Foundry
    • Sound Forge
    • Acid
  • Microsoft
    • Windows NT
    • Windows 2000
• Post-Production
  • Formats supported
    • DVCAM/MiniDV
    • Hi-8
    • SVHS
    • VHS
      • NTSC
      • PAL
    • MPEG-2
    • DVD-RAM
    • MiniDisc
    • DAT
    • CD-R & CD-R/W
• Production
• Field kits
• Canon XL1 DV video
• Sony MiniDisc Audio

Now we're using 64 bit processors and HD cameras

updated 2/28/97