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Nova Goes Open Source for 'Car of the Future'

blog.wired.com — When Tuesday's Nova special, "Car of the Future," rolls its end credits, don't expect the story to end there. In a television first, PBS and Nova have decided to post 240 clips of interviews from the show online for anyone to use within their own projects. The clips, which include content that aired as well as some that didn't, will be released...

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  • Emused, on 04/23/2008, -2/+7I gave it a watch last night, given enough time, we may be able to get off the oil crack pipe after all.
  • kl78229, on 04/23/2008, -0/+8Digg headline Two Weeks From Now:

    EMI Sues PBS!
  • matrix121, on 04/23/2008, -1/+5That picture scares me.
    • geniuslocimusic, on 04/23/2008, -0/+3I can see that pic as the cover of a german porno...
  • ace429k, on 04/23/2008, -0/+4best radio car show ever. those guys are usually always right!
  • Celeron, on 04/23/2008, -2/+6If only I could get my hands on a Tesla.
  • ebolaworld, on 04/23/2008, -1/+16It was so refreshing to see smart people talking on TV for a change.
    • bdbr, on 04/23/2008, -0/+11PBS dramatically increases the number of smart people we get to see on TV. That's why I donate.
      • Kumaku, on 04/23/2008, -0/+8From viewers like you. Thank you!!!
        Seriously though, every donation helps!
      • zenerdiode, on 04/23/2008, -0/+2But it's so liberal! Same with NPR and the CarTalk guys!
        That's the thing I hate about TV and radio that's based on logic, truth, and, well basically, reality...it's has such a "liberal slant".

        /tongue firmly in cheek
  • Dino451, on 04/23/2008, -0/+7Stumbled upon it last night. Had me hooked, but nothing I haven't head before. Nice to see the Car Talk guys in person.
  • LifesBlogger, on 04/23/2008, -0/+0Such an awesome show, seriously. Nice Cars!
  • Nhmarine, on 04/23/2008, -2/+0Its nice to see that we are developing cars that are "getting off of the oil crackpipe" (sorry, Emused, I had to use that phrase, it was wonderful) but the only factor that will determine if it is the car of the future is if people actually buy it. "But I want to keep my oil-guzzling truck so I can look hot for the ladies." I hope people start using ethanol =]=]
  • DuffyDirect, on 04/23/2008, -0/+2oh yeah we have electric cars, but they're really expensive and they're always breaking down because some scientist built it a really long time ago.
    • notoneofus, on 04/23/2008, -1/+1Yeah, and it cost like 30 billion.
  • DrummerAndrew, on 04/23/2008, -1/+1What a great idea. Don't know what I might use the clips for, but it's always cool to see people going open source. Trent Reznor FTW.
  • matarij, on 04/23/2008, -1/+7Why does Nova hate America?
    • regeya, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1In all seriousness, why would they NOT hate America? Public television gets no public funding anymore (or at least won't in the very near future.) Notice how that last bit of funding disappeared right after the Frontline "Bush's War"?
  • hoverX, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1how can video clips be 'open source'? shouldn't they be released under a creative commons license?
    • Jerky1312, on 04/23/2008, -0/+2They are released under Creative Commons, it said so in the article. The term open source is somewhat misleading though, its open source in that they are releasing the raw videos used to make the show, so you can use them as well. It's good news regardless of the semantics.
  • swordedge, on 04/23/2008, -1/+1I am waiting for the Saturday broadcast in HD in my market. No silly SD version for me!
  • shi11, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1drink every time one of the car talk guys makes a bad joke.
    • swordedge, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1and by the time the show is over, you can't see straight
    • elislider, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1or every time one of them laughs. they have such a contagious overpowering laugh. Car Talk is a great radio show
  • humperdeath, on 04/23/2008, -2/+4I used to have a Nova. It's a good car, but not all that good looking. I'd say this is more the car of the past.
    • jrtcs, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1I doubt the new version will come with the Super Sport trim package.
  • leerayIG88, on 04/23/2008, -5/+1Motorcycles are the future.
    Kawasaki FTW!
    • IllBeBack, on 04/23/2008, -1/+4Yes, I can just see my family of four with two small children on the back of a Harley.
      • mahdaeng, on 04/23/2008, -0/+3You can see a family of four on the back of a Honda scooter in Southeast Asia.
  • astern, on 04/23/2008, -0/+2This is a great concept, I'm very glad to see this... except for the fact that the clips are NOT broadcast quality! They are highly compressed MPEG4 lo-res SD clips with a PBS watermark.

    This will not be appropriate for "real" editing for broadcast work; however it will be a great resource for Youtube-style edits and your garden variety oil-conspiracy theory nut.
  • ohplease, on 04/23/2008, -1/+1
    Film clips aren't source code

  • davecachia, on 04/23/2008, -1/+0YEEEAAA Motor cycle!!!!!!!!1
  • synthaxx, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1So the only way to watch this program from outside the US is to download ALL these clips?!
    I think not, time to hit the torrents.
  • Balath, on 04/23/2008, -1/+1When I read Nova, and then a little down the page something about Sun, I thought all the goddamn cosmos were going open source before realizing that reality wasn't nearly so awesome.
  • smartass007, on 04/23/2008, -0/+2i can haz torrent nao?
  • EelfinnTy, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1I wish more channels would put their shows and supporting material online like PBS does.
  • Razed, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1And who says PBS doesn't push the envelope!
  • cheesypasta, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1The Tesla car is amazing and I look forward to seeing their next vehicle which is supposed to be more consumer oriented. On the other hand, Chevrolet created the Volt concept car which will not see production because GM is waiting for better battery technology. Tesla Motors seems to have found a safe way to use lithium ion batteries for automotive use... why can't Chevrolet do the same?
  • pilobilus, on 04/24/2008, -0/+2The car of the future will be an open source platform for mechanical engineering, beginning with a subsidized project to produce a commuter car, a light cargo vehicle, and a heavy cargo vehicle. These prototypes will be designed to use the widest practicable range of fuels (both high and low energy density ones), and will be engineered for production from the "lowest common denominator" materials and machine tools - no expensive or exotic components. They will most likely use Stirling cycle external combustion engines, in both hybrid and non-electrical drive trains. The hybrids will most likely use electrolysis to store energy as freshly cracked hydrogen and oxygen, for use as a fuel supplement on demand.

    Why do it this way? To decentralize motor vehicle production, encourage competitive market forces, and encourage "appropriate technology", trading performance (speed) for economy and fuel flexibility, in developing countries.

    Well I can dream can't I?
  • andy314159pi, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1The car of the future is a bicycle. If you work at getting in shape you can traverse unreal distances on a bicycle.
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