Paintshop Pro opens in Browse Picture mode. November 17, 2008
Posted by Dale in : AudioVisual, It's A Bug , Comments
Which is another way of saying Thumbnail view.
Annoying if you are wanting to open a picture file for editing.
My fix?
Check the Default entry for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\Applications\psp.exe\shell\
open\command
and change it to:
“<filepath to your psp.exe file>\psp.exe” “% 1”
ASCII Art November 12, 2008
Posted by Dale in : AudioVisual , Comments
Dot-matrix printers, and the ASCII character set, combine to mark great computer drawing.
The Mona Lisa ASCII art is the best example I ever saw. ASCII Man demonstrates animated GIFS, which I have talked about before.
Converting audio & video files - I recommend Super! August 23, 2008
Posted by Dale in : AudioVisual, Freeware, Utilities , Comments
Want to convert from one audio or video file format to another?
Have a look at Super. I’m really impressed with this utility as I needed to convert some AVI files into a format suitable for my PDA.
Other reasons you might use it? Convert from the strange OGG for a more mainstream MP3 or WMV format.
“Web delivers new worry for parents: Digital drugs” August 15, 2008
Posted by Dale in : AudioVisual, Podcast , CommentsQueue the IT news beat-up:
We all know that music can alter your mood. Sad songs can make you cry. Upbeat songs may give you an energy boost. But can music create the same effects as illegal drugs?
This seems like a ridiculous question. But websites are targeting your children with so-called digital drugs. These are audio files designed to induce drug-like effects.All your child needs is a music player and headphones.
Readers will remember I wrote about binaural tones here.
Of Tin-Foil Hats and Binaural Tones. July 31, 2008
Posted by Dale in : AudioVisual, Podcast , Comments
There is some thought that listening to binaural tones can improve your attention, concentration, and consciousness.
What are binaural tones you ask? Good question!
Let’s go with my simple explanation. Say you are wearing a stereo headset. In your left ear, a sound is playing at a 400 Hz frequency, and in your right ear, the sound is playing at 410 Hz. The difference is 10 Hz, which your brain detects as a beat at 10 Hz. 10 Hz places it in your brain’s Alpha frequency range, which is good for relaxation.(1)
Does this actually work? I don’t know. But if you want to try it for yourself, visit the I Dose website, where they have a number of Binaural Beats available for streaming media playing. As I think streaming media generally sucks (ie. tied to your computer, can’t drop it onto your iPod/MP3 player etc.), I have the direct download links here:
| I Dose track | Benefit | MP3 file link |
| Mirage | Helps with art & creative activities | hallucinations |
| Super brain | Helps in problem solving activities | super-brain |
| Inspiration and Creativity | Stimulating inspiration and creativity | inspiration |
| Coffee break | Wakes you up and sharpens your alertness | Coffee |
| Aspirin | Helps against headaches and general pains | Aspirin |
| Relaxation | Relax at the end of busy days and weeks | Energy-cleaning |
| Meditation | Helps in getting in meditation state | Meditation |
| Pain killers | Helps with general pain | Pain-Killers |
| Lucid dreams | Intensifies dreams | Lucid-dreams |
| Energy drink | Boost of energy | Energy-drink |
| Focus | Sharpens your mind | Focus |
1 - the sharp-eyed will notice my explanation is similar to the Wikipedia one. That’s because I borrowed from there.
Tips for Web page & Blog graphics June 23, 2008
Posted by Dale in : AudioVisual, How To , CommentsUse only JPG or GIF graphics
… as these are the most web friendly.
I heard that there’s GIF87a and 89a. What are the differences?
GIF89a allows you to do GIF animations, and interlacing.
So what’s interlacing?
Simply put, the image builds up as the end user is watching the download. Sort of like a preview.
(image courtesy of webdesign.about.com)
So what about JPEG?
Well GIF8x, as good as it is, is limited to 256 colours. JPEG, 16,777,216. You can see why it’s popular for photos.
It does compression just like GIF, but you can select how “progressive” it is. Look at the image below, it demonstrates the effect of more compression across the photo.
(image from wikipedia)
Lets sum it up in a table:
| GIF87a/89a | JPEG | |
| Colours | 256 | 16,777,216 |
| Compression | Minimal | Good, but at cost of image quality |
| Animation?, interlacing? | Yes & Yes | No & No |
| Best use | Line drawing, cartoons | Photography |
Kenny Baker not included. May 4, 2008
Posted by Dale in : AudioVisual, Gadgets, YouTube , CommentsThis is seriously cool, and according to one of the guys at work, cheap as well.
An Digital Audio and Video Projector, in the shape of R2-D2.
Well worth a look at the introductory video:
The Nikko website is here.
* Kenny Baker was the actor inside R2-D2
Converting WMA to MP3 March 1, 2008
Posted by Dale in : AudioVisual, Freeware, Utilities , CommentsI think the Microsoft Windows Media Audio format sucks … when I can’t listen to them in my car, or on my home stereo. Sure I could replace both, but it’s easier to look at converting the WMA’s into MP3 format.
Now I like the idea of “free”, preferably “free beer”, but I’ll settle, for the moment, for a free WMA to MP3 converter.
Like this one:
You can see here, that I’m converting a batch of Microsoft Podcasts. The converter is available from Jodix.com
And it also converts WMV and ASF files.
And it works almost as well as free beer.