As I have mentioned a number of times previously I do gaming related videos providing real life and other computer issues are not getting in the way but I thought I would share a couple of things in case any of you also have issues like the ones I am going to talk about. As a further note, I am currently using Windows 7 RC 64bit with latest versions of all codecs and software at the time of typing this up so problems may or may not be present for you but at least you know of possible solutions.

Picked up the Blackmagic Intensity Pro capture hardware last year some time and is a lovely bit of hardware, in fact I think I made a post about it. My first problem came about with a slight limit on my hardware setup, HD capture would result in sound falling out of sync. A lovely bit of free software called Virtualdub is able to compensate for any momentary delays and so keep everything in sync and for the most part is not noticeable with how it compensates.

When I started capturing from my 360 I soon came against my first problem, when I would play back the video it would look like it had a bad interlacing problem and I would be capturing at 720p! Processing the videos even in this state resulted in some horrible results. I soon tracked down the issue to the mjpeg codec that ffdshow uses and a prompt disabling of these fixed it all up.

Before

Disabling MJPEG

After

Next up I started on some retro compilation projects which are now primarily known as ‘Mashups’, a lot of this is done via emulators and a lovely little program called ‘Fraps’, enter the next issue. Playback of the captured video would be very slooooooow, not a case of it couldn’t handle it, a case of the timing was completely gagged. Enter ffdshow again, it has a decoder for Fraps which I had to also disable, but this wasn’t to be the end of it all.

Fraps Disabling

So I sorted out ffdshow to stop it interfering in my work but when I came to importing the video’s into the editing software all was still not well. In the case of the Fraps video footage I would get no sound, no strange encoding or anything like that, even though it knew sound was present, it just wasn’t seeing it. Which is strange as it all worked in the 32 bit XP setup. Also some of my raw captured 360 video footage would also play with incorrect timings.

One very simple solution to these two issues and probably others that I have yet to encounter and I can only think the reason it fixes up might be down to something with the headers in the files themselves. Load the files into Virtualdub, make sure both video and audio options are selected to direct stream copy and just re-save. Sorted, both problems were solved and the videos imported fine into the editing software.

First, appologies for the ads but unfortunately this site costs me money, the donate button is right there on the left, who knows, it might persuade me to switch back to the ad free theme.

It all started back in Feburary-March, I embarked on a computer upgrade, first motherboard blow up on me (not quite litterally) when I rest the machine and the replacement would seem to give me nothing but headaches! Well come a few days ago, after a particular troublesome phase, the PSU tried to set fire to the house. After total shut down of operations it turns out the PSU is not rated to what I thought it was and has probably been underpowered all this time causing all these problems I have been having… oops!

So in the mean time I have had to fall back to the laptop, I’ll get done what I can while the main workstation is out of action… was right in the middle of a few vids as well.

Well, what can I say? It has been a little while hasn’t it? First up I got my special lady all moved in and settled and we are the happiest we have ever been ever in our entire lives which is something to be said considering we have only been together for 4 months and living together for 3, we work so well together that it feels so much longer.

Next up, have been to Italy and back (pics available on my Facebook), beautifull country full of artistic history, if you ever get the chance to have a visit, take it, you won’t regret it, just beware of the narrow streets and the fact that drivers rule the road! More important however, it was lovely to see my dear friend again after a long 7 years.

Now onto some new toys.

No, it’s not an iPhone, it’s an iPod Touch that is first up. I’m not a big Apple fan, in fact I can’t stand the smuggery that surrounds them and the people who own an apple product which is over priced when compared on like for like with other products.

I have to cave in however and admit to the whole interface etc. of the (overpriced, under featured (phone operation wise)) iPhone being a stroke of genius. Can you imagine my delight to learn that they had taken out all rubishy phone bits and repackaged it as the iPod Touch? Well I just had to have one!

You see, on top of the above I’ve never really been into media playing devices also, I don’t see the touch as a media playing device however, just something that it is able to do and even more so with the recent firmware update.

To me, this is how computing on the go should be, in fact, I am sat on the loo now with my touch in the wordpress app typing this! Shame about the firmware charge fiasco but that’s another rant.

So, how do I gave back some of the advantages of having an iPhone, namely the Internet in your pocket back to the touch? This new toy was the answer to that, the Nokia N51.

The reason for this toy was for 2 of its features, a series 60 phone and had wireless capability. How does this tie into the touch? A genius bit of software that is Joikuspot.

What does this bit of software do then? Simply one thing, turns the phone into a wireless access point and couple that with the unlimited web feature on my tariff and the touch is blessed with the Internet in the pocket of the iPhone without the stupid cost that goes with it.

All that aside it is still a fairly good phone on top!

Next up we have the Intensity Pro, a nice bit of hardware that will let me record onto the computer any HD video I just fancy feeding into the computer… mainly my 360 at this present. I have a few fun video projects on the go that will eventually have a home upon 4tfoi so keep a look out on there for future updates (and is on real need of an update at this present).

Last up, a pink controller for the lady to play on the 360 with

So now away from the new toys and a tiny update to the site, I have uploaded a bunch of new MSN emoties so go check them out!

Well that was certainly more productive than most! Got a lot of things all set up and configured, several test etc. ran and now I have the first youtube vid up online, nothing fancy, just a quicky, have a look for it over on my 4tfoi site.