Ars Electronica on Demand

1996

Manuel Schilcher (AT)
Christa Schneebauer (AT)
Chris Mutter
Regina Patsch
Christine Schöpf (AT)
Wolfgang Maracek (AT)
Claus Uehler
Andy Pongratz

The future of the internet – the history of Ars Electronica in videos, pictures, texts, sounds. Computer art and media theory in the mirror of Prix Ars Electronica - highlights, snapshots, statements, and overviews. In addition, "Ars Electronica on Demand" provides interesting contributions to scientific topics aireas in the Austrian Network broadcast "Modern Times".

The Information Society in the Easy Chair

What at first sight looks like the workplace of a dentist actually conceals a glimpse into the future of the Internet. Reclining in an easy chair in front of the monitor with keyboard in hand, the visitor can compose a program of videos, texts and images in the highest possible quality direct from the ATM network.

Video On Demand

"Video on Demand" anticipates the future of television. Instead of the viewer being at the mercy of rigid programming schedules, the video program is custom-tailored to the viewer's tastes. In the world of digital television, the capability of putting together an individual program of films, news, sports, and entertainment will soon be available to each viewer. "Video on Demand" opens up the Ars Electronica Center's archive and its treasure-trove of media art. Along with documentary videos from Ars Electronica Festivals of past years and a broad cross-section of the best works of animation submitted for the Prix Ars Electronica, "Video On Demand" also makes available broadcasts from the ORF series "Modern Times" which deal with the development of new technologies.

The Heart of the Video Circulatory System

Assuring the smooth functioning of the system of accepting video requests and delivering material is a Hewlett Packard HP 9000 multiprocessor video pump accommodating more than seven hours of programming. The pump distributes the digitized video material in the finest picture quality through the fiber-optic network to the monitors throughout the Center.

ComputerVision

"Ars Electronica on Demand" consolidates television and computing into a single medium, whereby the viewer has the option of accessing information in text form which complements the video clips. The video archive is undergoing permanent expansion; within a few years, it will have grown into a gigantic media pool which will permit the entire history of this media art to be (re)constructed. The fiber-optic network and the high-performance video pump already provide a glimpse into the Internet of the future. The picture quality and the transmission speed within the computer network will no longer be any different from the highest television standards. Text, video and audio will grow together into one hypermedium.

Supported by Hewlett Packard and Oracle.