David's Blog

Coming to a Disney theme park near you in 2011, the sequel to Star Tours.

Video is here.

Posted on September 13, 2009 9:23 AM | Permalink| Comments (2)

Microsoft released their first Windows 7 ad a couple of days ago. It features super cute kid Kylie, previously seen here.

This put a smile on my face. Well done Microsoft!

Meanwhile, in the Matrix…

“Mac’s don’t crash”

“You can’t get a virus on a Mac”

What exactly is Apple advertising here? Have they actually used their own products?

Time to take the red pill, Apple.

Posted on September 11, 2009 9:42 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I like to use SIGGRAPH as a gauge for how business is in the 3D industry.

The conclusion: things aren’t good.

There were approximately 12,000 attendees…less than half of last year in LA and the smallest turnout since 1980 in Seattle.

My first SIGGRAPH was in ‘97, which was also the best attended at nearly 50,000.

Jon Peddie Research has a nice chart with the attendance numbers…

Full article is here.

Posted on September 7, 2009 4:53 PM | Permalink| Comments (1)

Creating a new folder is easier in Win7 with a new keyboard shortcut: Ctrl-Shift-N.

I use this one all the time…and it makes me mad when I go back to Vista and can’t use it.

Posted on September 7, 2009 1:16 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I bought a new super remote: the Nevo Q50.

What I like:

• Don’t have to aim remote (uses RF to talk to Nevo Connect, which is connected to my devices via IR Emitters)
• Can use remote in any room
• No number pad (those keys are wasted on me)
• Almost everything can be done via 31 hard buttons
• Four hard buttons that use the remote’s screen for labeling
• One-handed operation
• Voltage sensor for devices that do not have discreet on/off codes (like the PS3)
• Completely customizable color, 320x240 touch screen
• NevoStudio Pro 2.0 - really good/easy software for programming
• You can get the screens to look *exactly* like you want. For example, I just took an image from the manual for my PS3 controller and made that a screen. Then I placed hotspots on the buttons that mapped to the actual IR remote output for a PS3 (via IR2BT).

What I don’t like:

• Has to be charged approximately every three days
• Software only runs on 32 bit Vista (not 64 bit Windows 7, which is what I normally run)
• You get obsessed wanting to customize the screens to look perfect…and you are never finished
• Resistive screen doesn’t work well with fingers (fingernails work better)

I bought the Nevo Q50 Remote, Nevo Connect, and NevoStudio Pro 2.0 software for about $550 on eBay from a merchant called “jdm-cafe.” Normally, you buy this remote from a home theater installer that will do all the programming for you…but what fun is that? I think this remote is more than a $1000 if you buy it from an installer.

I bought a voltage sensor (for my PS3) and 6 IR emitters from Remote Shoppe for about $140.

To figure out when my PS3 is powered on, I connected the voltage sensor to the power lines on a USB cable I plugged into the PS3. I learned about this technique for detecting the power state of a PS3 here.

I’m really happy with how slick this setup works. *NOW*, everything just works. Press the “PS3” button and…

• TV turns on
• TV switches to HDMI for PS3
• Receiver turns on
• Receiver switches to PS3 digital audio
• PS3 powers on (if it isn’t already on)
• Remote switches to PS3 control, with volume keys controlling the receiver

And when I’m done, I press “Power Down System”…

• TV turns off
• Receiver turns off
• PS3 is sent a macro for turning off (if it is currently on)

Mmmmmmm…home theater nirvana! This makes me *really* happy. :)

Posted on September 1, 2009 1:53 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)