What Happens Now? - New Album by Joe Satriani

Joe Satriani's latest album has been announced, and the first single, Energy, has been released! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBAN7ngKe2w Check it out!

4k Camera Review and Giveaway Update

Change of plans. I ended up ordering a different camera, because the manufacturer of the one that I was going to buy has been having some manufacturing quality control issues, and I don't want to deal with any of that. So, the one that I ended up getting has these specs:
CPU:Sunplus 6350
Sensor: OV4689
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): 2.0LTPS
Lens: 170°A+ HD wide-angle lens
Languages: English / German / French / Spanish / Italian/Portuguese/Russian/Czech/Polish/Turkish/Korean/Thai/ Chinese Traditional / Chinese Simplified
Resolution of Videos Recorded:
4K(25FPS)/2.7K(30fps)/1080P(60fps)/1080P(30fps)
Video Format: MOV
Compressed Format of Videos: H.264
Resolution of Photos: 12M / 8M / 5M/4M
Burst Photo: 3photos
Continuous Lapse: Off/On
Looping Video: Off/On(4K＆2.7K Not Supported)
Time Stamp: Off/Date/Date＆Time
Exposure:+-2.0/+-1.7/+-1.3/+-1.0/+-0.7/+-0.3/0
Storage: Micro Class 10 SD Card, Max support 32GB (Not Included)
Shooting Mode: Single Shot / Self-timer (2s / 5s / 10s / Continuous Shooting
Frequency of Optical Source: 50Hz / 60Hz
Waterproof: IP68
USB Interface: USB2.0
Battery: 1050mAh
Power Source Interface: 5V1A
Power Dissipation: 400m/4.2V
Recording Time: 1080P/ About 70 minutes
Charging Time: About 3hours

Things worth noting on this camera, as with many/most of the comparably-priced units are that they are generally not made with 12 Megapixel image sensors. Tthey're actually 4MP image sensors that that essentially take an HDR image (multiple images that are then merged into a 'high dynamic range' image). This keeps the costs down, while 'generally' providing a comparable, although generally less sharp image. The 4k video is produced in much the same way. The processor is actually only able to take 4k video at 10fps (frames per second). This is then scaled up to the stated rate of 25fps. I'm mostly interested in the HD (1080) video at 60fps. Enough talk. Camera will be here in a few days, and I'll get some real data and post it, and post the videos.

Inexpensive 4K Action Cam (Like a GoPro) Review and Giveaway

I'm in the process of ordering an inexpensive 4K action camera, sort of like a GoPro.  I wanted to see if any of the off-brand cameras out there are worth the money for someone who is not a professional surfer, snowboarder, skater, etc. I just want something durable that I can take hiking, camping, out in inclement weather, and even use to do a bit of vloggin with. At the end of my evaluation, I'll be giving this camera away on my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/2fsvM6O), so keep an eye out for the review video.


The GoPro Hero 5 models were released late last year and weigh in with these specs:

Model	HERO5 Session[70]	HERO5 Black
Video Modes	4k30, 1440p60, 1080p90	4k30, 1440p80, 1080p120
Still Image Resolution	10MP	12MP
Photo burst	30fps	30fps
Connectivity	WiFi, Bluetooth	WiFi, Bluetooth
Water Resistance	10 m	10 m
Wired Connectors	USB-C	USB-C, micro HDMI
Battery	built-in 1000 mAh, Li-Ion	replaceable 1220 mAh, Li-Ion
Screen	none	touchscreen, 51 mm
Location Capture	none	GPS

Current Price                              $299.00                                    $399.00
(via GoPro.com)

Because I want something with a screen, the Hero5 Black is what I'm basing hardware specs for my purchase on. I found a unit that seems to fit the bill. Here are the basics:

4k30, 1080p 60, 720p 90
16MP
170 deg wide-angle lens
2" non-touchscreen
Built in WIFI
Timelapse, Slow Motion and car mode.
IP68 waterproof case
2 rechargeable 950mAh batteries. Each battery can record from 88 minutes to 176 minutes.
Supports most High Speed Class 10 and up to 64GB Micro SD Card

Retail Price ~$60.

Keep in mind that I don't have a GoPro Hero 5 Black to do a side-by-side comparison. That's not what this is about. This is about deciding if an inexpensive camera would fit the bill for someone who wanted an 'action camera' for casual use, without having to spend $400. The review will be ready in a week or two, with the giveaway shortly thereafter.

Laid Off

On Wednesday, I found myself unemployed. Things hadn't been going well, so I guess it wasn't a huge surprise. Not looking forward to the job search, but it will give me a little time to take a breather and get centered.

Business Trip

I'm heading out to Salt Lake City on Monday, September 11th for a work trip. My company has a warehouse/distribution center there, so I'll be doing all sorts of computer maintenance, network upgrades, etc. The hope is that my coworker and I will have some time to do a bit of sightseeing while we're there, as I haven't been to SLC since I was a kid.

I lived for two years in Las Vegas when my dad was the Public Affairs Officer (#12) for the USAF Thunderbirds, during which I spent a ton of time out in the desert. We made a trip up to SLC from Vegas and I loved it. The scenery is beautiful! The weather forecast shows roughly 90 every day, with only a small chance of rain on one day, so if we can hit it hard and fast, we might have some time later in the week for sightseeing!