Geekazine

Some content creators decide to move away from their phones. They want something easy, and simple to setup. Marantz has a simple solution in two products – the AVS, and the Turret. Easy to setup, and with all you need to get streaming. 

Marantz Turret

This is the larger of the two devices. Both items are table-top devices that contain a USB camera and microphone. A ring light is attached, with ability for 3300k to 5600k lighting. The USB-A or USB-C connection allows for connection into the Mac or PC.  

The Turret is the higher end version of the two, with the microphone being on an arm. You can connect directly to YouTube or Facebook, or use a software switcher, such as OBS or Wirecast, to record and stream from. The Turret streams in 1080p, with 48 kHz/16 bit audio.. 

The Turret stands up to 19.6 inches, and the microphone arm comes out to 33.9 inches. Video, audio buttons, and headphone jack with volume are right on the front of the unit. 

Both camera and microphone can be turned, or angled, for whatever you need. The ring light will follow the camera. 

Marantz AVS

The AVS is smaller, and doesn’t have a microphone arm, but the base mic will do the job – also at 48 kHz/16 bit. This can also work as a room conference device, or for a podcaster or livestreamer on a budget. 

The Turret is $299 and the AVS is $199. Both are available now. Check out Marantz Professional for more information

 

I talked with Dane Brehm, Digital Imaging technician from Cintegral Technologies (Annabelle Comes Home, Vice, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) at NAB 2019 about video production and workflow. Dane brought part of his rig, which included the OWC Akitio Enclosure, and Kingston NVMe storage.  

During the conversation, we talked about not only how he manages his data, but also how he has to send encrypted data across the Internet. This means he needs a good storage solution that works fast. 

That is what NVMe is for. 

Non-Volitile Memory Express (NVMe) is different than SSD because it can read and write at the same time. This can cut down production time, as Brehm mentions:

 

Encryption is a big deal. We have to control data, we have to make sure that no one else can see it. And so what traditional drives we had an issue with encryption just not being fast enough, but interfacing it. But with NVMe and and really Kingston – both the consumer and the enterprise products – have that all built in. It makes it my work much easier much faster. We’re looking at somewhere about a 12 to 15 hours savings per week on like a 4k Netflix show.Dane R. Brehm

About the DC1000M from Kingston

Mark Noland shows us the DC1000M, a data center series drive with a whopping 3840GB. A 4 channel PCIe drive with 3GB read/right. 2.5 inch form factor, which can be used in a 2U server with multi-bay, or enclosures that can take the NVMe drive (such as the OWC AKitio). This offers 5x the performance of a SSD.

The DC1000M is due out in Q3, and prices will depend on storage price at the time. For more information, check out Kingston.com. 

It looks like a big air mattress from the pool side, but Airhush is more than that. This is a ISAT – or Inflatable Sound Attenuation Technology. Easily inflatable, and install panels that you can use for sound control, or a portable room. 

Each panel is 27″ by 24″, and can be attached to each other. These panels have a frame, and the inflatable center. Additional accessories are available for when you need to make full walls, cubicles, and other needs for further accommodations. 

Airhush for Musicians

For a musician, you can put a wall around your amp, drums, or simply turn the basement into a series of sound rooms. Once the Airhush is up, you only will need minor adjustments to get what you need for sound. 

Airhust for Podcasters

For a podcaster, you can use Airhush in your studio to not only block noise going out, but also block noise coming in. You can place these in front of a window, and still get the natural light. Put the hot computer outside the Airhush to try and keep it cooler inside. 

 A new way to soundproof with @airhush #nammshow #soundproof #geekout pic.twitter.com/RUerNpo9IY— Jeffrey Powers (@geekazine) January 26, 2019

Airhush for Your Office?

Replacing those cubicle walls with Airhush reduces sound, and brings in natural light. Plus, Airhush is lightweight, so if you need to move the walls, it’s not an issue. 

Airhush for a Mobile Room

The material is also able to be sterilized, so you could build rooms for patients, or set up a portable triage center in emergency situations. Airhush has many possibilities that go past noise control. 

Each panel starts at $399-$499. Putting a room together will cost $12,000 to build. For more information, check out Airhush.com

If you are an avid selfie taker, you know sometimes the lighting can make for some bad photos. Even with that screen light on iPhone, you might not get the lighting you want. When I see people take photos in front, or selfie mode in darker environments, I’ll actually turn on my camera light and shine overhead for some depth lighting. 

But with Moon Selfie, I might not have to do that anymore. 

What is Moon Selfie? 

This is a simple clip-on light you attach to your phone when it’s time to take a photo. The device is touch activated, and does dim in case the LED is too bright. The light is USB recharging, and the battery will last you for a full day. 

The light is more than just for selfies. You can detach from the phone for adding lighting casts if you’re a foodie, trying to take a more stylistic photo, or if you just need a light to read the menu in a very dark restaurant. 

Moon Selfie is in Pre-Order mode for $39.99. Check out Moonselfie.me for more info. 

It’s crazy how we can record at home and have all the necessary means available. Now, our USB audio interface boxes give us a versatility to make our systems more modular and powerful. 

Take the new Tascam Series 102i, and Tascam Series 208i. These may look like 2 channel and 4 channel mixers, but they have the ability to expand with a simple optical cable. 

The 102i, for example, actually means “10 channels in, 2 out”. And the 208i can do 20 in, 8 out. You will need another interface to connect with the 102i and 208i, but for the travelling recording engineer, the amount of gear is small, and easy to set up – pack away. 

Series 102i

This is a 1-2 channel USB interface, with sampling frequency up to 24-bit, 192 kHz. You can input line, mic, or +48 phantom power.  On the back is 2 line out (balanced), MIDI in/out, and the S/MUX Optical in, for expansion to 8 more inputs. 

Series 208i

If you need more, the 208i gives you 4 channels of native input, 2 headphone monitors, 8 balanced line out, MIDI, a BNC connected Word In/Out (with 75?

 +10%). You also get 192 kHz sampling, and 2 channel Optical In with S/MUX. 

Best part, you can connect up 16 additional inputs, making this box able to handle 20 channels. For most bands, that is more than enough for recording. 

Software Comes with Your Tascam I Series

Not only will you get Cubase LE, you will also get IK Multimedia Amplitube 4, and Mastering software T-RackS. This gives you a whole studio setup on your Mac or PC. 

Prices

The 102i will be $399, and 208i will be $499. Both models are not out yet. For more information, check out TASCAM

2BOX is a company out of Sweeden. They started with the DrumIt Five, and now they have the DrumIt Three, and Five MKII. These are modules that you use with your kit. Maybe you have an older e-kit and only want to upgrade the brain module. Maybe you want to hybrid your acoustic kit. The 2BOX is there to help. 

The module incorporates Open Sound Architecture, meaning a sound library that has tons of multi-layered sounds. Each sound was created in studio, and can not only be used on the 2BOX, but also for whatever module you have. Of course, you can download the sounds, convert for 2BOX, and bring them in via USB. 

Kits of famous drummers such as Randy Black, Simon Phillips, and more can be downloaded and used. Make your cocktail kit sound like a TAMA kit. Doesn’t matter the make, you can make it sound like something else. 

I fell in love with the DJI Osmo Pocket the first time I used it. This is an amazing 3-axis gimbal that can shoot video up to 4k. Perfect for when I’m on a shoot and need to get B-roll, or create a 2-camera interview environment. 

But will it live stream? 

I thought if I can connect it up to my streaming setup, I might be able to put it in places no other camera can go, and have a clear, stabilized video. So I started to ask – how can it be used to stream? 

Enter in CosmoStreamer

Cosmostreamer.com is a site dedicated to taking your  action cameras to another level. CosmoViewer for Windows/Mac is an app for many of your DJI products. Whether it be the Osmo Pocket, or Osmo, this software will allow for remote control of your devices. 

In this case, we take a Raspberry Pi 3 A+ board and connect to the Osmo Pocket to not only facilitate the connection with the computer, but also output the video in whatever way you need – including sending to a live streaming service. 

The Products Needed

CosmoStreamer does have a ready-made box available for $270. However, if you want to build it yourself, here are the ingredients: 

* DJI Osmo Pocket (of course)* OTG USB Adapter cable for the connection to the pi* Raspberry Pi 3 A+ quad-core, 1.4 GHz with WIFI and Bluetooth* Micro SD Card 8 GB or better* USB WIFI Dongle to connect to a computer

Installation of CosmoStreamer

First, download the CosmoStreamer image. You will need an ISO imaging program such as Win32 Disk Imager. This will format the SD card and make it bootable with the software. 

Slip the card into your Raspberry Pi, plug it into a video source, and turn it on. On the bottom-left corner, you will see the serial number of the pi. Record that, and send in an email to CosmoViewer for the license you purchased. They will send you a number. 

Put the SD card back in the computer, and add a “License.txt” file. Within the file, simply put the number given into it, and save onto the card. Slip the card back into the pi. 

Important Note: The input jack dongle on the side (either Lightning, or USB-C) has to be flipped inward for the camera to recognize the bottom USB port as a data recieving port.

Turn the pi on, plug in the pocket, and the video should pop right up. 

Connect the Computer

Take the USB WIFI and plug into your computer. Configure to the pi – the default SSD is “CosmoStreamer” and “1234512345”. With the CosmoStreamer Go app, you will be able to adjust your Osmo Pocket, change resolutions, position, enable face tracking, and more.  

Adding the Grip Gear Slider

I wanted to test the power of the video stream, so I put it on a Grip Gear Camera Slider. Video runs on VBR, which means if the background doesn’t move,

Is folding your clothes too much of a chore? Are you still waiting for the perfect robot to come along and do the job for you? Well, you are in luck. I mean it isn’t humanoid shaped and won’t carry your clothes around the house, but it’s the next best thing. Folimate is here to make your life easier. And it will fold clothes neater than you ever could.

The company has an improved prototype that is easier to use and it will now fit in any room in the house. So you can put it where it is most convenient for you. You load it like you would load paper in a printer, except you are loading clothes inside. It will take about 25 items in under 5 minutes in a go, which is about a load of laundry.

You put the clothes in the top and they come out in the bottom section freshly folded and looking neat. It does shirts, pants, towels, pillow cases, in sizes from 6 year olds all the way up to XXL.

You could put this device right next to your washer and dryer and make laundry time take a lot less time, which you can use to do other things that are more fun. It’s also ideal to have right next to your closet or dresser since that is where the clothes go when you put them away.

Foldimate is expecting a Late 2019 launch, with a target price of $980. FOr more information, go to Folimate.com

Adding a trigger or two to your acoustic kit can add a lot to your sound. Using that trigger as an additional sound generator can bring a host of accessories with you to the gig. And in the end, you’re still playing acoustic drums. 

Roland TM-1 Hybrid Trigger Module

Enter in the Roland TM-1: This is an addition to your kit. For example, let’s say you want hand claps, or tambourine on your snare hits. This device allows you to get those extra sounds digitally, while you still have your acoustic snare sound.

You can even plug in a couple pads or V-Drums, and use the TM-1 as an addition to your acoustic kit.  

The TM-1 is a 2 input foot-switch drum module. It sits on the floor, like a guitar pedal, so you can easily switch to the next channel. There are 15 ready to play setups, and  you have over 150 sounds, including synth loops, that you can add using the TM-1 Editor for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android (through USB cable). 

Each trigger sound can be adjusted to trigger a loop, beef up a kick sound, change pitch, add or remove decay, change sensitivity (hard hits register and soft ones don’t), and so much more. 

The unit can be run on a 9-volt battery, or through a BOSS PSA adapter. USB Adapter also serves as MIDI for looping, and you have an output (for sound board) and headphone jack to hear your sounds. 

The Roland TM-1 is available now for $160. You can get the TM-1 through Amazon, or TM-1 at Guitar Center, Roland TM-1 at Musician’s Friend, or your favorite music store. Head to the Roland website to find out more. 

This is part 2, check out Korean Startups at CES Part 1.

Aving.net asked me to judge 8 Korean startups at CES, these are the remaining 4 products in that list. 

Guava POS System

This is a Point of Sales device that will give storefronts more control over their inventory, and also give people an outlet to buy before they arrive. So let’s say your thinking of walking down to the local market for some eggs, milk, chips, and soda. You can go on an app, order, then walk down to pick up and continue on. 

Guava also translates to your language. When you order from the app, you get a receipt in your language, and the shop has a copy in theirs. A perfect POS system for quick shopping. 

Good Tech Incorporated Smart Plugs. 

In Korea, they have a lot of issues with appliance fires. Heck, when I was there last year, I saw the front desk of the hotel with 3 space heaters on a very furry carpet. I can see the concern. 

These plugs are Bluetooth enabled, rather than WiFi. The idea is if you are in BT range, you can turn the plug on. Walk out of that range, and the plug turns off. No more wondering if the iron is on. 

You can pair with multiple devices, so if your brother comes over, he can use the plugs without worry. 

These are prototype molds, and a Bluetooth / Wifi plug is also in the works. 

BugsBox is an Game Donation System

If you love playing games, and love to donate to charities, here is an idea where everyone wins. Bugsbox has a program where you play a game, and you set donation goals: Get to level 10, donate $100 to a favorite charity. 

The platform is looking to also add teams and group play to donations. Example: If the team makes it to a million points, $1,000 gets donated. 

The company has one game they developed so far, but want to work with apps and major consoles for more ways for gamers to donate. 

Deepscent Arom Smart Scent Diffuser

Deepscent Arom makes your home, or office, smell great. The Arom system is a way to mix and match scents to get the perfect aroma. With the app, you can also adjust the mixture, and set scheduled releases, so your house can smell fresh when you get home. 

The diffuser holds 4 cartridges. These can be all one scent, or 4 different ones. Each capsule is naturally captured scents, like lavender, orange, strawberry, and more. Arom is in crowdfund mode right now.