We distribute ViewSpace/SkyWatch through the internet. You’ll receive automatically uploaded images and discoveries from Hubble that will display as soon as they’re released to the public. We also include news from other space missions, as well as a rich variety of additional programming. A modest annual subscription fee (currently $794.00 for the first year, and $163.50 for each year thereafter) covers our pass-through costs for software to enable delivery and playback. Once that software is installed, ViewSpace/SkyWatch programming requires only an Internet connection.

If you will be connecting the ViewSpace/SkyWatch PC to an existing network to achieve the Internet connection and wish to use Wi-Fi wireless networking, we recommend using either an ethernet-based Access Point or a PCI-based Wi-Fi card. USB-based Wi-Fi devices are discouraged.

The following specification is suitable for playback for any current version of ViewSpace/SkyWatch and will also support the requirements of the next generation playback software coming in 2008:

• Intel P4-500/600 series, 2.4GHz+/FSB 800MHz+ or better (dual core is good!). AMD Athlon64, 3200+
• Windows XP Professional SP2 (32 bit); Windows Vista is not supported.
• 256MB DDR-SDRAM minimum, ECC (error correcting) if possible
• 80GB/8MB-Cache, 7200RPM ATA-100 or SATA-150 or better Hard Drive / CD-ROM Drive for software installation
• A discrete graphics processor on an AGPx8 or PCIeX16 card, such as: ATi Radeon x600 or better, or nVidia Geforce 6600 or better. Card should have WHQL*-approved direct-x drivers
• DirectSound® supported sound card with WHQL (*Windows Hardware Qualification Labs) certified drivers

• Plasma Display Panel or large format LCD display panel or projector capable of displaying WXGA (1280x768 pixels) at 60Hz refresh rate. Important: This should be a unit that has a computer monitor input (15-pin VGA connector), not a unit sold as a “television.” Sometimes plasma panels sold as “plasma TV’s” through mass market consumer channels do not have computer monitor inputs. Most plasma manufacturers have professional equipment divisions that offer plasma display panels with the proper capability. Another Note: At the present time many of the plasma panels in the 42-inch size range have native pixel dimensions on order of 848x480; some of the finer text in the WXGA-resolution version of ViewSpace/SkyWatch may not display legibly. Plasma panels in the ~50-inch or larger size often have native pixel dimensions of 1280x768 or 1365x768; these work better with our 1280x768 image.
• Projector capable of native display at 1280x768 pixels. A number of DLP-based models now on the market meet that specification.
• Projector capable of native display at 1280x960 (preferably) or 1280x1024 resolution. (ViewSpace/SkyWatch will play in a ‘letterbox’ mode in the center of the screen.)