learning curve – Page 158

4K ISS TV

Posted on September 17, 2015September 14, 2015

NASA TV is launching a dedicated 4K channel

Here’s the skinner:

NASA has announced that it will launch a new 4K television channel dedicated to showing UHD footage on November 1st.
The space agency is working with a company called Harmonic, a video delivery infrastructure company, to launch the channel. NASA is calling it “the first ever non-commercial consumer ultra-high definition channel in North America.” Harmonic is providing NASA Television with the ability to deliver the 4K (2160p at 60 frames per second) video. NASA’s 4K channel will primarily feature the UHD footage that the agency has been filming on the International Space Station over the past few months, as well as 4K time-lapses created from images taken aboard the ISS.

Which sounds like something that would be right up my street. And super educational for the kids as well. Also, can you imaging one of those 4K time-lapses on the big screen at a party or something? Magic. But hang on…

You will be able to access it on the internet on most devices, provided you have access to a connection of 13 Mbps or higher.

And that’s going to instantly rule out 99.9% of South Africa. Even if you’re going to use your 3G HSDPA or LTE mobile connection (which would easily be fast enough), with that sort of download, you’re going to chow your monthly bandwidth allowance in about 1.4 seconds.

Not great.

Bug

Posted on September 16, 2015September 14, 2015

I think I eluded to the fact that we’d got a new camera some time ago (yes, I did, here). I still haven’t got those photos up (nor am I going to be able to before the end of the month if I’m honest). However, I have got the cemera with me, and I’ve been pointing and shooting when I get the chance. I’m going to put whatever I get into my new, snappily-named Canon Test Shots Album.

You shouldn’t expect anything ever so spectacular in there, I’m just learning. As an example, here’s a bug on a double-glazed window.

Note those two reflections from the two panes of glass.

My old camera (and even my phone) can take decent shots like that. The difference comes when you start to zoom in. The clarity from the new beast is just incredible. And yes, I daresay that other cameras and other lenses are even better (this is a standard, rather than a specific macro lens).

But I don’t have those to compare this against, so I’m still more than happy.

Grand Canyon From The Stratosphere!

Posted on September 15, 2015October 25, 2020

Indeed.

A team from Tuba City, Arizona (I love this story already) sent a GoPro camera up on a weather balloon. Long story short, it got lost.
Gone for good? No – it was found 2 years later and returned to them. When they looked at what was shot, they saw this:

Wow. I was amazed at the pictures (and the music* – who knew you’d be able to hear that at 98,000ft?). But seriously – wow.

The guys just down the road in Euphonium Town must be livid.

Music: Matt Corby – Brother (Kygo Remix)

The most useless QR code in the world

Posted on September 12, 2015

I know that a lot of people think that all QR codes are useless, but I’m not quite sure why they feel that way.
As with most things, if used properly – sensibly – they can be really useful.

This one doesn’t fall into that category though. It’s at Bramall Lane, in front of the John Street stand:

See it there? How is anyone supposed to scan that?
What? You can’t see it? Let me help you out by zooming in:

I put the arrow there. Just in case you were still struggling. All part of the service.

I was (obviously) sitting in the stand opposite and I could hardly read the advert, let alone take a photo of the QR code with my phone.
As far as I could see, it was an ad for a Mercedes dealership in Sheffield. (This one, I think).
And I bet they get more hits from the link above than they do from that QR code.

Oh, mate…

Posted on August 31, 2015August 31, 2015

Today, in the world of “well-respected” South African Sports “Scientists” (and cookbook co-authors), this:

Has he finally gone full potato?
Never go #fullpotato. (Too many carbs, see?)

Next week, on the anniversary of 9/11, expect a link to “what really happened that day (and it’s not what the mainstream media want you to believe)”, or some such.

Thanks, you-know-who