New video camera

As you may know, I am on the local Access TV committee and show a lot of videos on the local cable channel, WCGTV.  They just supplied us with a new camera (Panasonic AG-HMC80P) that I have used for wide angle shots.  It's a great high definition camera, and looks fantastic on Blu-ray. Check out this review from the Videomaker.com site.  It's a bit bulky, but the out-weigh its size.  So whether sitting on a tripod or on the shoulder, it's got just about everything you need (great viewfinder, XLR inputs, etc.).  I wish the low-light performance was better (too grainy, etc.), and I wish you could get more than 99 minutes of HD footage on a 16 GB SD card, but it's a good all-round package in my view.


Did I mention the Blu-ray videos look fantastic?  Too bad more people aren't buying them.  As I've said before, I want to be able to put a disk case in someone's hand after a wedding or dance recital.  Not a tiny SD card ("Here it is ... don't lose it!") or a big file for their computer ("Make sure you have it backed up on at least 2 hard drives, and keep buying new hard drives about every 3 years for as long as you want to watch this video!").

Blu-rays on the way

Okay, so I decided to try and author some Blu-ray disks.  I got this package from the Video Guys website and I'm going to use it to make some HD disks of a couple of skating carnivals I taped a few days ago.  While my 3-year-old iMac renders slow, the HD videos do look awesome.  There is also some very good software on the Roxio Toast disk (Fotomagico, Sonicfire Pro 5, and Soundsoap, among others) which will solve some of my problems, I'm sure.  If all goes well with the skating carnivals, I will be making Blu-rays of the local dance school's recital, coming up next week.

Back-up Plans Are Good ...

I videotaped a skating carnival this evening (okay, there was no tape involved - more of that later). But I forgot the cable that attaches the wireless mic receiver to the camera. Fortunately, I had Plan B to fall back on. I simply put my iPod Touch in the M.C.'s pocket with a bit of the headphone cable with the mic sticking out. Then I hit the record button in the Voice Memo app and it worked quite well. I'll sync it later in the computer.

I borrowed a video camera from a friend to record the show and it's really good: a Panasonic HS700 with 240 GB hard drive. Great wide angle lens, excellent image, good low light capability.  Read my review here.

My new website

Finally, after a VERY long time, I once again have a website for my video production business (Swan Valley Video Services).  I was able to purchase RapidWeaver software for only $29 which is what I used to make the website.  Quite easy to use, though I have yet to figure out how to fine tune the way text shows up.  And it only costs $4.95 a month at Canadian Web Hosting. 

Want a good laugh?  Check out the old website I started ... in 2002?!!!

Cardboard Boom Box

Was going on a roadtrip in the van yesterday, and thought the girls might want to watch a DVD on the laptop.  Usually they use headphones, but I thought why not make a boom box?!  I had taken my great little Philips shelf-top stereo along on a trip once before, but now it's quit working, unfortunately.  I found a couple of really cheap small plastic speakers that came with my PC in 1996 and I hadn't thrown out (the pack rat in me is feeling quite vindicated!) and stuck them into a cardboard box (using duct tape) with a transformer.  They worked quite well, though the box was a bit bulky for my daughter's small lap.  I think we'll use this at home, too ...

Dragon Dictation app for iPhone/ iPod Touch

A free app for iPod (compare to $200 for full computer version) that I just downloaded today that converts speech into text. This is how it figured out Daniel 3:3-6 from the Bible. Note: it was word for word except "zither, lyre, harp" and "follow" instead of "fall". It requires wifi, as it is connected to a large word list (eg. It even got Nebuchadnezzar, but it didn't figure out any punctuation)
"So the satraps prefects governors advisers treasurers judges magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up and they stood before it then the Herald loudly proclaimed nations and peoples of every language this is what you are commanded to do as soon as you hear the sound of the horn flute zip their liar heart pipe and all kinds of music you must follow down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace"

GoPro video camera

Just received a GoPro video camera by FedEx the other day (our town's agent is our next-door neighbour), purchased by our local WCG Access TV committee.  Amazingly small camera with a big wide-angle HD image that comes in a shock-proof, water-proof clear plastic case.  I anticipate putting it on boats, dog sleds, chuckwagons, bicycles, snowboards, skateboards ... basically anything that moves.  Or maybe behind one of the basketball backboards - you get the idea.