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Over the past two weeks, the world has been enthralled with the 2010 Winter Olympics. Many folks watched countless hours of television programming, much to the delight of NBC who has been struggling with ratings. It was a welcome distraction from the whole late night, Conan vs. Leno debacle. However, the Olympics is really a 24-7 experience and most folks are unable to sit and watch the tube for every sporting event.

Thanks to one local resident, you don’t have to. Round Mountain resident, Ralph Arvesen and the company he works for, Vertigo Software, recently developed a whole new type of internet video player.

Vertigo Software is based out of San Francisco, California, however, Arvesen enjoys the privilege of being able to work from his home at Lost Spring Ranch in Round Mountain. From there, Arvesen enjoys working on desktop, web and Pocket PC applications, however his most recent project enjoyed an Olympic sized audience.

"The use of a Silverlight 720p HD Video Player is a

‘first ever’ experience for the Olympic Games," a company spokesperson said. "NBC Universal is using the custom player developed by Vertigo to deliver this playback experience."

According to Arvesen, the video player, "has HD quality video with full DVR controls that allow you to view in slow motion, fast forward and rewind. It has been one of the largest live streaming events on the internet and very successful for NBC."

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For the first time, every sport venue [was] covered live, in HD. A viewer could practically see the actual ice shavings during the curling event. NBC with the help of Vertigo and Arvesen, has made highlights and full event rewinds available on demand during the games. And as of last week, viewers could access clips from Torino and all of the athlete spotlights.

The idea was quite simple. To bring hundreds of hours of live HD content, streaming at full 720p to an individual’s personal computer. This streaming technology enables Johnson City residents the ability to feel as though they are actually in Canada on the slopes with their favorite athletes. And the video playback features allow the users to experience the Olympics as if they were watching at home on their DVR. The technology allows for multiple viewing options, including slow motion, fast-forward, and rewind. So, even though the Olympics are technically over, residents can still go online and live through the events online.

It’s not the only major project this local Hill Country resident has had his hand in. In addition to the 2010 Winter Olympics, Arvesen’s online resume showcases numerous other major bragging rights, such as: NBC Sunday Night Football, MTV Video Workflow, and the CBS Presidential Inauguration.

And Arvesen isn’t finished there. "I’m currently working on an even larger live streaming event that will happen in March," he said. Although what could possibly be larger than the 2010 Winter Olympics remains to be seen…online that is.