Tuesday, June 22, 2004
ROADSTOR
Sounds like a local 5:11 doesn't it? It's really an external (USB-2 compliant) DVD PLAYER, plus CD-R/RW WRITER/PLAYER, but it also has 1) a lithium battery portable power supply 2) and slots on the front for almost all digital camera memory cards.
Why do you need one? Maybe you don't. But IF you travel and don't take a laptop, OR if you travel and want to watch DVD movies along the way, OR if you want to see your pictures you've just taken on the motel room's TV screen, OR if you want to show your pictures to friends on a projector somewhere, then it just may fill a particular niche for you.
You plug your memory card into the slot, push a button and the pictures are transferred and written to either a CD-R or a CD-RW (your choice). Along the way you can view them on any TV screen (whether in this country or England), or plug the signal into your computer projector for the big screen effect.
What I like about the unit is that it plays a variety of DVD formats (and not many DVD players will, trust me---I've had some bad experiences). This includes DVD (the commercial kind), DVD-R, the kind you record on your home DVD recorder, but also DVD+R (which some recorders make), and two re-writeable formats (DVD+RW and DVD-RW). Plus MP-3 disks. Now THAT makes it virtually univeral.
It comes in its one cute little black nylon case with just the right compartments.
Sounds like a local 5:11 doesn't it? It's really an external (USB-2 compliant) DVD PLAYER, plus CD-R/RW WRITER/PLAYER, but it also has 1) a lithium battery portable power supply 2) and slots on the front for almost all digital camera memory cards.
Why do you need one? Maybe you don't. But IF you travel and don't take a laptop, OR if you travel and want to watch DVD movies along the way, OR if you want to see your pictures you've just taken on the motel room's TV screen, OR if you want to show your pictures to friends on a projector somewhere, then it just may fill a particular niche for you.
You plug your memory card into the slot, push a button and the pictures are transferred and written to either a CD-R or a CD-RW (your choice). Along the way you can view them on any TV screen (whether in this country or England), or plug the signal into your computer projector for the big screen effect.
What I like about the unit is that it plays a variety of DVD formats (and not many DVD players will, trust me---I've had some bad experiences). This includes DVD (the commercial kind), DVD-R, the kind you record on your home DVD recorder, but also DVD+R (which some recorders make), and two re-writeable formats (DVD+RW and DVD-RW). Plus MP-3 disks. Now THAT makes it virtually univeral.
It comes in its one cute little black nylon case with just the right compartments.
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Wi-Fi "Sniffer"
I'm convinced that wi-fi---highspeed internet available at more and more places for just the cost of a little additional box---is the way to go. One of the things that comes up, however, is how to know whether you're standing (or sitting in a truck at) one of those "hot spots" where you can receive high-speed. One solution is to boot up your laptop (which of course you have with you!), and then use a program called "NetStumbler" which tells you whether there are any carriers active which you can receive. Cumbersome, because you have to break out the beast, crank it up for whatever length of boot-up time it takes, and even then, you may find nothing.
But these "sniffers" are keychain devices, which enable you to discern immediately, with the push of single button, whether a signal is present which you could use... Fine idea, and in this case, not exorbitantly expensive. I just may have to get one.
N.B. I tried it out at the local library, which for whatever reason has a very weak signal: one bar on any computer, -90 db on Network Stumbler. (how a wi-fi hotspot can be so "cool," within a confined space eludes me!). Anyway, the sniffer fails entirely to pick up a signal except a one bar at one spot. The computer, however, actually works anywhere in the building. So, while the sniffer may work with stronger signals, it isn't much use in sniffing out the really weak ones.... More as I learn more.
I'm convinced that wi-fi---highspeed internet available at more and more places for just the cost of a little additional box---is the way to go. One of the things that comes up, however, is how to know whether you're standing (or sitting in a truck at) one of those "hot spots" where you can receive high-speed. One solution is to boot up your laptop (which of course you have with you!), and then use a program called "NetStumbler" which tells you whether there are any carriers active which you can receive. Cumbersome, because you have to break out the beast, crank it up for whatever length of boot-up time it takes, and even then, you may find nothing.
But these "sniffers" are keychain devices, which enable you to discern immediately, with the push of single button, whether a signal is present which you could use... Fine idea, and in this case, not exorbitantly expensive. I just may have to get one.
N.B. I tried it out at the local library, which for whatever reason has a very weak signal: one bar on any computer, -90 db on Network Stumbler. (how a wi-fi hotspot can be so "cool," within a confined space eludes me!). Anyway, the sniffer fails entirely to pick up a signal except a one bar at one spot. The computer, however, actually works anywhere in the building. So, while the sniffer may work with stronger signals, it isn't much use in sniffing out the really weak ones.... More as I learn more.
Store Digital Photos on the run...
I'm going to England this fall: thinking of taking my 8 lb laptop (plus the required charger) with me---in order to download all those digital photos I plan to take. Even 3 128Mbyte memory sticks won't be enough (since I've been known to shoot at least one a day...).
But just perhaps this "Roadstor" thingee is a good idea? Available for about $234, it has some other obvious uses, as an external USB 2 DVD and CD-RW writer/player, and supposedly it plays to both PAL and NTSC TV's---so one should be able to view your slides on a TV either here or in England!
I'm going to England this fall: thinking of taking my 8 lb laptop (plus the required charger) with me---in order to download all those digital photos I plan to take. Even 3 128Mbyte memory sticks won't be enough (since I've been known to shoot at least one a day...).
But just perhaps this "Roadstor" thingee is a good idea? Available for about $234, it has some other obvious uses, as an external USB 2 DVD and CD-RW writer/player, and supposedly it plays to both PAL and NTSC TV's---so one should be able to view your slides on a TV either here or in England!
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Blaze Media Pro
Ken Burns creates some moving historical commentaries by including old still pictures, but "zooming and panning" on them to create interest and vitality. The effect can be quite impressive. So impressive, that amongst photographers, the effect has become known as "The Ken Burn's effect."
That effect can be had quite inexpensively by picking up a copy of Windows Media Plus! (a Microsoft product)---which includes a nifty small applet called "Windows Photo Story." It's great, easy to use, and the results ARE indeed impressive. However, it has one "fatal" flaw---the resulting window's media file (.wmv) is hardly usable in most other video editing programs. If you want to make a DVD of your new "movie"---most likely you're out of luck. Bill Machrone in PC Magazine who is another lover of the effect, and the applet, talks about some ways to get this done: one is to buy Adobe Premier v. 7, which can use .wmv files. The problem is who can afford it? And who wants to learn it?
Another work-around, I've found, is to use the above program. It's a "video translator"---changes the .wmv file to an .mpeg2 file. The .mpeg2 file enjoys a much wider acceptability in most video editing programs. The program couldn't be easier to use. You can highlight a single file, or a dozen .wmv files and go away and let your computer "digest" them into the correct .mpeg2 format. My results have been excellent. (i.e. no great loss of detail or artifacts). It isn't real quick about doing its job: plan to go away and have a game of tennis or two. And, alas, it's not free, which is another real debit: $40 if you decide you need it after a 15 day trial.
Ken Burns creates some moving historical commentaries by including old still pictures, but "zooming and panning" on them to create interest and vitality. The effect can be quite impressive. So impressive, that amongst photographers, the effect has become known as "The Ken Burn's effect."
That effect can be had quite inexpensively by picking up a copy of Windows Media Plus! (a Microsoft product)---which includes a nifty small applet called "Windows Photo Story." It's great, easy to use, and the results ARE indeed impressive. However, it has one "fatal" flaw---the resulting window's media file (.wmv) is hardly usable in most other video editing programs. If you want to make a DVD of your new "movie"---most likely you're out of luck. Bill Machrone in PC Magazine who is another lover of the effect, and the applet, talks about some ways to get this done: one is to buy Adobe Premier v. 7, which can use .wmv files. The problem is who can afford it? And who wants to learn it?
Another work-around, I've found, is to use the above program. It's a "video translator"---changes the .wmv file to an .mpeg2 file. The .mpeg2 file enjoys a much wider acceptability in most video editing programs. The program couldn't be easier to use. You can highlight a single file, or a dozen .wmv files and go away and let your computer "digest" them into the correct .mpeg2 format. My results have been excellent. (i.e. no great loss of detail or artifacts). It isn't real quick about doing its job: plan to go away and have a game of tennis or two. And, alas, it's not free, which is another real debit: $40 if you decide you need it after a 15 day trial.
