Another AviSynth success story: DelayAudio

So I have this rule about capturing video for only a few seconds before I really want to capture something. I found out the hard way that if the hard drive's still warming up, the audio will be out of sync in the raw video (too early).

I didn't follow my own rule for some reason and this happened again, but AviSynth saved the day. First, I looked for a point in the video where I would be able to listen to audio cues -- in this case, moving the cursor in  a menu. Using my new best friend in VirtualDub (Audio Display), I determined that the audio was early and wrote down the time (0:03:05.051). The point in the video where this would've been shown was at 0:03:08:254, so it was a time difference of 3.203 seconds.

All I had to put in my script was this line (before using Trim) and I could edit normally:

DelayAudio(3.203)

Weird-ass dream (2011.10.11)

I dreamed I was back in school as an adult and it was a class on Sunday. The only other two people in my class were an adult version of Amy from grade school and some girl who looked like Mikayla from Survivor. Anyway, there was some big project due and I forgot it was even assigned, and I was panicking. That actually woke me up early...

On that note, that actually did happen in grade school. There was some big project on presidents and I don't think I even started it. I didn't get penalized or anything. I don't know how I got away with that one...

VirtualDub Audio Display

I can't believe I was ignorant of this for so long.

In VirtualDub: View > Audio Display

Knowing exactly when silence starts and stops makes editing out commercials a hell of a lot easier, especially when there's sound before and after any picture on screen. I always wanted something like this in VirtualDub so I wouldn't have to rip the audio, load it in Audacity, and try to guess where to edit the frames like an idiot. I don't check for VirtualDub updates that often, but I'm on version 1.9.11 right now and apparently it's been a feature for a while now.

I only started to search for a "VirtualDub Audio Display" when trying to record the anime sequences from Persona 4 (which I got yesterday -- only four days after I ordered it!). The screen would fade to white and there was a point where the music stopped and you heard a sound that signaled when a battle was going to begin. I wouldn't be able to tell how to edit the video based on frames like I normally do if I'm really looking for sound cues, and as long as VirtualDub stutters while playing videos, guessing for an exact time wasn't an option either.

Of course, now I have to keep the VirtualDub window maximized, but that's not a big deal.

Weird-ass dream (2011.09.22)

I dreamed I was able to log back into my original account that was banned, and although I wasn't able to post, I could still view everything I uploaded.

This is probably the least puzzling dream I had because someone told me his YouTube account got banned last night, and revoking comment and upload privileges for a number of years instead of outright bans would have been my preferred solution to "copyright concerns."

Some more shiat people shouldn't care about

For the past few days, I've been receiving work almost exactly at the same time I check for it, sometimes even before my Gmail Manager notification kicks in!

And after sticking with the same Street Fighter configuration for nearly two decades, I've decided to switch:
L Punch = Triangle / M Punch = L / H Punch = Square
L Kick = Circle / M Kick = R / H Kick = X

This configuration is more uniform and, more importantly, allows me to spam L Kick. M Punch is now the hardest button to reach, which is fine.

Weird-ass dream (2011.09.05)

So among other messed up things that happened in my dream (that I can't remember, obviously), I remember paying $8 for ramen at some ramen restaurant, but it turned out to be a half-full cup ramen. Sucks...

Blog consolidation complete

I just finished copying and linking to just about every other blog post I've written in both MySpace and LiveJournal. And while I don't care if MySpace gets taken down tomorrow, I still hope LiveJournal sticks around because my friends actually commented there.

This post is really just for my reference. Remember, my first real post on this blog was on 2009/10/31. I really don't care if you, the bored reader/stalker, actually went back and read those too. For some, I think I'd prefer you didn't...

Capture problems lead to new discoveries

I'm having a problem right now with capturing; with my last capture, the HDMI video output was just fine, but when I played back the video raw, there was no audio. Now I can't capture anything. A full reset of the DVR briefly brought back a picture, but as soon as I selected another window, the picture went away again.

So, I went to the Blackmagic support page. I thought I'd look for updates to Media Express or the Intensity Pro itself, and sure enough, I found them. Here's one nice update for people wanting to record their PSP in 480p (even though cool people like me already bought a scaler for 720p and zooming in anyway)...

Intensity 3.9.4 for Windows

Date Added: 05 January 2011

What's new in Intensity 3.9.4

Support for 480p/60 capture with Media Express 2.3 with Intensity Pro

Instead of Media Express, there's "Desktop Video," which I'll get around to downloading later because my brother is watching something on Netflix.

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EDIT: Even after upgrading the driver to 3.9.4 (which also requires a firmware update for the card), I still can't use that new Desktop Video thing. At least Media Express 2.3 works the same, if not a bit better (the picture popped up in the capture preview much quicker).

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EDIT: I still can't record PSP's 480p output directly with the Intensity Pro... maybe because it's 720x480 and not 640x480? Why can my friend do it directly with his Intensity Shuttle? And forget about the new firmware or whatever making the picture appear quicker.

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EDIT (2011-08-03): Yesterday I tried to connect my PSP to that old 480p TV via component and it wouldn't display - I'd only get wavy lines. It did display when I kept component but switched from interlaced to progressive on my PSP. So I guess 480p and "720x480 in progressive" are pretty different... but 480i is always 640x480. 

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EDIT (2015-02-19): Whoops, forgot: actually, that TV mentioned above was only 480i, so of course I'd get wavy lines trying progressive.

Weird-ass dream (2011.06.11)

I dreamed about an awesome type of bookmark where you can write your own notes on the side. The top part would fold or something, and you can slide your writing utensil through it.

Then I was woken up by a call from work. (Couldn't have just emailed me or waited half an hour...)

The small world of progressive house podcasts

Jaytech Music Podcast 40 and Cycles Radio 20 (released within one month of each ohter) both contain the following excellent tracks:

• Arty & Mat Zo - Rebound [Anjunabeats]
• Above & Beyond feat. Richard Bedford - Sun & Moon (Club Mix) [Anjunabeats]

Things that make me angry

(besides the usual "isms")

• salad
• the word "hath"
• fast talkers
• leaf blowers
• people who talk and let their voice get weaker and weaker, so the volume's not only lower, but it's more and more monotone and their voice just sounds like a broken lawnmower or something... seriously FARK YOU (edit: I've since found this is called "vocal fry")