Creuzer – Page 116 – Random things Creuzer

Videos

I am not sure if you had noticed, but I picked up a cheap digital camcorder.

It is an AIPTEK Action HD. Yes, a HD camcorder for the guy who owns a 5 inch black and white TV. I had misplaced my digital camera SOMEWHERE since the move. It isn’t in the usual lcoations, truck console, next to the computer, on the table, etc. I am sure it’s somewhere, but i just can’t find it. The cell phone takes terrible photos, and with the kittens, well, it was as good of an excuse as I will come up with.

Anyway, about the camera. It can do 1080p at 30 frames per second, the smaller HD format at 30 and 60 FPS, standard DVD size, and a special web sized just for YouTube. It even has ‘made for YouTube’ on the box.

Other features include, 8megapixel digital camrea, although I personally think the 5 megapixel mode looks better. Audio recording. I can record video via line in. Built in LED lights for the camcorder, photo flash with a normal flash. It came with a tripod and remote even.

All in all, it’s pretty cool. About the smallest camcorder I have seen. It is $200 at Walmart.

So, with all this video I have been taking, you would think I would take it using the YouTube sized format. NOOooooo. I Gotta take it at FULL HD. **sighs**

This means 2 things, `1, the video is in widescreen format. 2, videos take FOREVER to upload.

I have been using YouTube for about a year. I am happy with it, for the most part. The one thing I have found, is that it squashes the video to a ‘standard’ sized video. It also limits videos to 10 minutes or shorter. Great for my old camera, not so useful with the new camera.

So, I was in search of alternatives tonight.

I uploaded the same video on the 3 services I found, and am comparing results.

YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqNutjN9cRk

Google Video http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5506736372747150667&hl=en

Blip.tv http://creuzer.blip.tv/#1077543

YouTube has probably the friendliest interface. Google Video is the most utilitarian interface – the hardest to use and get to your uploaded videos. Blip.tv has the most options, and is really pretty slick.

Looking at the videos, quality from best to poorest in my eyes is Blip.tv, Google Video, YouTube.

None of them are displaying the video in the correct aspect ratio. This could be a problem with the .mov file created by the AIPTEK camera. I don’t really know.

All I am really looking for is the video being the right aspect ratio. YouTube quality is fine by me.

I am looking for free/cheap software that I can use to make the videos smaller before I upload. The video files are .mov format h.264 videos. Windows Media Player won’t chew on them. Converting them to .AIF makes them go from huge file sizes to stupid huge file sizes, so that’s not an option.

What are your thoughts on the different players above?

Hide and Seek

So, I got home for lunch yesterday, and it was another round of hide and seek. One kitten was missing. The door for the spare bedroom was ajar – I had been leaving it closed, but with a small gap for ventilation. I knew right where the kitten was. Under the table saw.

I go into the room, sure enough, kitten under the table saw. Retrieve kitten, place back with others. Sister immediately tries to relocate the horde to under the table saw.

Kittens get fed lunch by me – they all take the bottle. They drank down nearly half a bottle.

I get home last night, kittens are moved again. Where are kittens? After the longest search to date, I find them. Under the table next to the front door. I am lucky they didn’t wander out and into the path of the door. I am going to have to open the door real slow now.

Kittens get fed dinner. A quarter bottle between the set. Not so good, only one was really hungry.

Sister let me sleep the night. The kittens must be out of the woods now? Maybe she is just tired of me messing with them and moving them on her.

Checked the kittens this morning, a couple of fleas. Not too many though. So, flea bath tonight.

3 AM

It’s 3 AM.
I am awoken to ‘mew, mew, mew mew’.
This shouldn’t be. Kittens are in a cupboard in the kitchen.

I gently feel around in the dark. Found it. I got a kitten in bed with me again. I can’t get Sister to stay there long enough for me to go get the others.

Fine. 3am feeding it is. I make up 15 ml. or whatever the marking is on the bottle – it’s since worn off. Cheap bottle.

Sick kitten takes about 2 units. Dark kitten – the one I found in bed with me, takes about 7 very hungerly. Phatty, I can’t get interested in the bottle.

Now, let me sleep Sister!

Die fleas Die

Tonight, I started operation Flea Be Gone.
I vacuumed my floors then went to the store, and got stuff to rid myself of these pesky fleas once and for all!

I got Carpet Flea Killer, Borax, and Table salt. The vacuuming is supposed to cause the flea eggs to hatch – if you put poison down first, they won’t hatch from what I read/heard.
The Flea killer is to do just that. The Borax and Table salt cost less then the flea killer, and is supposed to work well from what I read online. The theory behind the Borax and Salt is that it will dry the fleas and eggs out. Thereby killing them.

So, I am going multi-phased. Mixing it all together and putting it down real heavy. If one doesn’t do it, the other will. Hopefully it will be a 1-2-3 punch that TKOs the darn fleas.

So, all the cats got flea sprayed. The kittens got a bath in flea shampoo and witch hazel. Sister doesn’t like the flea spray at all. Starts foaming at the mouth and all that. I think she is allergic. Get that crap off the kittens so Sister can do her mothering thing. The witch hazel is an Astringent – makes the flea bites feel better. So the kittens should get some relief from their antagonizers, hopefully a good meal, and a good nap. I tell you what, the Witch Hazel works great on my flea bites – I think I am going to keep the stuff around for mosquito bites as well!

Kittens all ate – they all took two meals by bottle. Half a bottle between the three of them for both meals. Not to bad, best feeding so far. The sick one is really weak again. I hope the two meals will tide him over till morning.

I even remembered to feed myself tonight. I ate one of my 3/$1.98 pizzas I got from Elgin Fresh Market. It was just a cheese pizza. I added Pepperoni and onions to it. Was going to add mushrooms, but it’s just not big enough for a can of mushrooms.

Everybody is all fed, bottoms all wiped. Time for me to get some sleep. I am exhausted.

Cat and Mouse,,,, er… Kitten

Sister let me sleep most of Monday night. Well, most of the way – until 6am or so. Then, surprise, kitten in bed with me. OK, two can play at this game Sister. I pet sister a bit, and she lays down. Kitten starts to nurse. I get the other two kittens and give them to her. We all slept till the alarm clock went.

^ Video of the kittens in bed. ^

Sister started a new game for lunch time. Hide and Seek. She will hide a kitten in an irresponsibly stupid spot where she can not get the kitten out. I have to find it. I found the kitten behind a tub, in a corner of the closet. There was no way for sister to get it out, and it couldn’t get itself out. I couldn’t actually see the kitten, I had to use the video camera to ‘look’ down the hole. Well sister, that closet is now off limits too.

So, I get home from work. Tend to kittens, turn on AC, lay down on couch around maybe 8, sleep until 5am. I climb into bed for the rest of the night.

I don’t know how parents do it. This up all night tending to little ones is gonna drive me to drinking or something.