RIP Sony VAIO PC

My PC died just after Thanksgiving, but I wasn't sure if it was a goner, but I found out today that the Motherboard is shot and most likely the processor. So now I am going to have to build a PC, as the parts and "innards" are nearly 3&1/2 years old, but the Hard drive is still okay. So I can still use that at least...

I have a G5 Mac, so I am still able to do my video work without a problem, it's just taking time to get used to it. I am working with Final Cut Pro (FCP) & DVD Studio Pro. I am not as familiar with DVD SP, so I am learning as I go, I just authored my first DVD on it yesterday - my sister's wedding DVD.

The main thing I miss though are some of the programs I had on the PC like Autostitch, which is an amazing 2D image stitcher for creating panoramic views (I've been stitching my Alaska views together, click here to see one :D). Click here to see an example. This program is amazing and it portable too (meaning you can run it of a thumb-drive or iPod or whatever [at least I have]). It is also a good program if you have multiple exposures in the group of pictures, it will make the picture look "equal" instead of having multiple color changes. (you generally should have the same exposure on the pictures when you are taking a panorama that you plan on stitching together later, but some don't know how to do it or just don't do it). Unfortunately it does not work on the Mac, although there is another commercial product that uses the same technology called Autopano Pro (download demo here), but it costs money ($145) to remove the watermark from the picture. If you do download the program (Autostitch) (recommended, it's a fairly small file), it says it's a demo, but it's not...really. You can use it's full features, as long as you are not using it for commercial use. I guess this is turning into a review of programs now...

I was still testing Autopano Pro for its work flow and most importantly the way it stitches pictures together, the one thing I did like about the program (so far) is that it has batch panoramic stitching. I have Mac OS X 10.3.9 and currently unable to find 10.4.x, so I cannot test the software on the Mac at this time, but take a look at it & let me know what you think.

A List:
I also miss Jasc Paint Shop Pro (now Corel Paint Shop Pro) & it amazing ability to straighten
photos (it's one thing I can't figure out how to do in Adobe Photoshop
on the Mac).

Alcohol 120% - no Mac version

Nexuiz - a free open-source FPS that is multi-platform (I just don't have a high enough OSX)

DVD Case designing software (can't think of the name)

Adobe Pagemaker - publication designing software - yes, I know it works on the Mac, but I haven't been able to find the discs since I've moved :(

Big Oven - Awesome recipe database - no Mac version

The Text reading software for my scanner - no Mac version...I think

*sign* - this is depressing - I need to go edit a video now...on the Mac...

Dragon Naturally Speaking - voice transcription software (speech to text) - I think there is an upgrade to a Mac version (ViaVoice), but frankly I am not sure I want to pay anything more, I just upgraded the PC version :(

RCA inputs on PC (not a program)

TV Tuner on my PC & GigaPocket - TV turner & recording software.

Sonic Foundry Vegas Video Studio (Older Version...very old...it gets the job done well though) - Video Editing, now called Sony Vegas Pro...figures...

Some other photo, digital scrapbook & DVD authoring programs & utilities that came with my PC

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XM Radio Receiver vs XM Radio for PC

First a quick discussion about something I came up against.

I have the Pioneer AirWare portable XM receiver (looks like an overly large cell phone).



I thought about upgrading today when I saw the special on www.Woot.com for the newer version of the portable reciever by Pioneer the Inno1, much smaller, in color & better antenna...



BUT, it didn't come with a car kit (which is an additional $40 through www.MyRadioStore.com, which had I known that this morning, I might have bought it; I could only find the kit for $60.) The car kit is the ONLY way to enable the FM modulator, which is what I need since I have a CD player in my car & not a cassette deck. So I found something cheaper (not as convenient, but still cheaper) for less than $43, I found an external clip-on antenna for my AirWare and bought an armband for it as well. (It actually cost less than $30, but I 2nd day air-ed it :P) As I have mentioned before I am running in a half-marathon at the begging of next year, & I'd like to my XM radio along for the ride.

So back to the oginal topic of the PC version vs regular version - with my subscription (or anyones) you pay monthly to receive reception for you radio ($5-$13 or possibly cheaper with promo code). Also you have the ability to use the online player and play the music through their online player. So I am wonder why anyone would pay $65 for the PC kit, when you can buy a portable radio for less (or free) and still use the internet online player for the PC (it's what I do, since I don't get reception from where the only window in my apt. is.) I presume for people that have slow internet connection you might do this, but I'd save the money from the subscription & go with fater internet service & stream free internet radio through WMP or iTunes.

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Gingerbread demolition

At aprox 4:22am this morning the Gingerbread house I made sponaneously collapsed, all that stands is the front & right wall...

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bummer

I knew it would blow up in my face....basically I really don't want to discuss it but...it sucks...plain & simple...

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3:22pm

3 & 1/2 hours left....it's not going to look like the model, put only certain parts of it. The back part on the main building will probably not make it in. For sure it will be the front part of the main building with a few towers :) and I am hoping I will have tome to create the gate-house & walls. :P

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Gingerbread Castle Update

So I somewhat completed the paper castle last not abou 2am here are some pictures detailing what I hope to do.



front angled side. There are actually going to be 4 towers instead of 3 (it was late & I realized what I was doing - notice the building to the left without a roof...) the red rectangles around the little building on the left shows where I am going to extend the building that far. The red-circles are where there are going to be guard towers and the red-lines are going to be walls. Here are a few more pictures from different angles.

from the left-front angle



and from the backside



So that's it for now, until next time...

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Gengerbread House

Tuesday I have a Christmas party that I am attending and there is a Gingerbread House Contest that I have entered. I didn't want to make a regular 'Ol Gingerbread house, but something "cooler." So why not a castle... I hope I have made the right decision. This started as a simple project, and keeps getting more & more complex, I hope it turns out all right.... My original inspiration came from the this picture:




Which is a stinkin' sweet playhouse... (click on the picture for the web link).

So I was going to do a near replica of this , but not include a back, so that it would show the decorations of the inside, but I didn't want to spend a lot of time on the inside, so then I discovered a picture of the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany & it won me over:


(Click on the picture to enlarge it, it's pretty big)

Yea I know that is a lot of work, but I am better at construction than at designing figurines, well stick figures I can do, but let's face it, I don't think that would work...

So I sit here, with all of sorts of pictures of this castle taken from all different angles, analyzing it and cutting it down to "model" size, then I found this link to create a paper model of it.

I am going to print this out & build it tonight, then use the measurements I've made and compare them to this paper model and figure up final measurements. I am mainly going for the larger part of the back of the castle & if I succeed at that & I have time, I will continue with the rest of it. If I fail & still have time, then I will go back to my original design of the playhouse idea.

Well here we go...

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