Monday, October 25, 2010

Windows Movie Maker - save file to my computer problem

I recently had a problem using Windows Movie Maker and try as I might, all the cure alls on the internet did not help me. This problem occurred after adding a sound effect (a .mp3 file) to an existing project. Everything I saw on the net said the problem was related to not enough memory (ram). At some point, I noticed that the process of saving stopped at the point where my added sound effect occurred. I know that if a file has an error, it usually occurs at the beginning, or more likely, the end of the file. I shrank the size of the clip by a second or so and then tried again. It went further but still stopped. I used this new sound effect ( the gong sound) 4 times, so I cropped each instance of it from the end and it cured the problem. Here's the video:


Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Sonys A55 SLT

I've been testing one of Sony's newest cameras, the Sony Alpha SLTA55V DSLR and I must say that I'm impressed with this camera and it's sister, the Sony Alpha SLTA33 DSLR (there's not much difference between the 2, besides $100, GPS and some video capabilities). As I own Sony's first DSLR, the Sony Alpha A100 , the Sony Alpha A350 and the venerable Sony Alpha A700 , I think my opinion on Sony DSLR's carries a little weight. Lets clear one thing up: since this camera lacks a mirror some people will say it's not a DSLR. I don't care because light still reaches the sensor (I don't care how it gets there), and it still takes all the Alpha lenses. Since there is no mirror, Sony was able to make the body smaller and lighter which is more accommodating for a lot of people. This is one feature that I don't really like because I have large hands and there's not quite enough grip for me. I'm hoping Sony will come up with a vertical grip for this camera soon because the battery is slightly smaller than the NP-FM55 or NP-FM500H used in previous cameras and doesn't last quite so long. In Sony's arsenal of cameras that they're launching at the world, this would be the mid-range. The NEX series are the small fries followed by the Axx series and then the Axxx.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Nickelback, Squirrels and Birds

This is why I don't post as often as I should, in one 2 week or so period, all this occurred:
  • I noticed a dead squirrel in the road by my house. It wound up in our yard(smelled), was buried, 3 days later was unburied(smelled worse), dug a deeper hole, buried,(said a few words) with a birdbath base over it. Still dead.
  • We had a raccoon in the house which had to be chased out but not buried.
  • The neighbors seem to think it came back but did not enter.
  • On Saturday, October 2, we went to see Nickelback, Three Days Grace and Buckcherry! They were all great.
  • The concert started at 6 pm and ended at 11 pm. It was raining, cold and windy. We took a wrong turn, went down an alley and found a rock that looked like a bird. It was a bird. 
  • Bird rescue! We took it to the car while passing stupid drunk people and not rescuing them. It got loose in the car after warming up and drying out!
  • We took the bird home and put it in a box with a little bird blanky and a screen lid from one of our windows. Estimated time of actually going to sleep: 3 o'clock in the morning.
  • It turns out that all birds, even injured ones, start their day at around the same time! That would be at about 6 o'clock in the morning! (note: birds in your house are much, much, louder than when they are outside, trust me on this)
  • On Sunday morning, starting about 6 o'clock, I started thinking about letting birdy boy go. Mary continued to sleep till, I don't know, later!
  • While Mary slept, I tried to come up with options for our new friend. Just let your mind run wild here. We have many cats in the neighborhood so the backyard was not an option for a stunned bird(we later learned that he or she was indeed, concussed).
  • Letting it go in the local park. Good idea, but I don't migrate and he does, so, did he miss the migration bus? Heaven forbid, would she be migrating with other species?
  • Option C, we(I called, Mary was still snooze la la) called Penitentiary Glen (Wildlife Center Hotline
    (440) 256-2131), a not so local park who I knew does rehabilitate wildlife from reading the local paper.
  • We took the "Gray Cheeked Thrush" out to Pen Glen, as the locals call it, and its under good care.
  • I ran over a raccoon on the way to work the next Monday. I hit it, but did not kill it, I think it got a bop on the head (I drive a van, it's up higher).
  • We took our dog for a walk in the park on Saturday and before long we were confronted by two homeless cats! Two 6 month old kittens came out from nowhere and were meowing at us. Mutzi (my dog) did not approve of this at all. I called some cat rescue people and they were on the way when one of the cats took off like a cat out of hell! 
  • I had gloves in my van(I'm allergic to cats and stupid people) and caught the second cat and was able to get it to the cat people.