Geekazine

Smart speakers have come into our homes in the last year. Something that can play music, become a hub for your other smart devices, and even be a personal assistant. Sonos One is a speaker that not only connects with Amazon Alexa, but is focused for the music lover.

With 50 music services available, Sonos One allows you to play music, podcasts, and other audio right from the unit. Attach your Amazon account, and say “Alexa, tell me a joke”.

Multiple Sonos devices in different rooms can enhance your experience. You can even mix in services with the Echo series, although you might lose out on some of the music services if they are not skills.

Sonos One Can Be Part of Your Sonos Theater System

Sonos Play and One devices are pairable, to create stereo sound. If you purchase the Sonos Playbase or Playbar, then with two Sonos One devices, you can play games or watch movies in surround sound.

On the top of the Sonos is the touch sensitive panel. Microphone on/off, volume up/down, and play/pause are on the top. Power button is in the back, next to a Cat 5 Ethernet jack. Keep in mind, this unit can be wired, or wireless.

The main feature is a better speaker for music. In fact, Best Buyreviewer “theDing” said “The sound on this just destroys any of the Amazon products”. And I agree.

A sub woofer twice the size of the Echo, and tweeter pointed outward like a regular speaker does projects sound in a forward direction (as opposed to Echo’s stacked speaker configuration that points the speakers downward). I ran a couple RTA (Real Time Analyzer) tests, and found a better bass response from a standard Echo.

This is due to Trueplay speaker tuning – an internal program that will adjust to where you put the speaker for the best sound.

On Sonos One is six custom microphones with noise control that detect anyone’s voice, even if the music is on full blast. I find this to be better than the Echo, as I can get the Sonos to respond to my voice more times than the Echo when I’m across the room.

One service missing at this time of the review is Spotify. Sonos promises to have this option available by Christmas. Two other great options coming soon are Google Assistant in 2018, and a way to support Siri through AirPlay 2. That means you can buy one product that will control most all devices that don’t normally mix-and-match.

There are two colors to the Sonos One – Black and White. The device is stylish, and can be placed most anywhere. It does require a power source – no battery onboard. Therefore, the limitation is simply the plug.

Cons include Lack of Bluetooth to this smart speaker. It routes through wireless protocol, therefore, you cannot connect your phone to this device for calls. You can play music and use any app that uses the wireless protocol.

Best Buy reviewer “Breezy77” also noted how he would like the ability to mount the speaker on a wall. Of course, you can easily head to any hardware store to pick up a mounting shelf that can do the job.

The Sonos One is available for $199 at Best Buy

*NOTE* Geekazine has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All opinions are of Geekazine. Read more at Geekazine.com/review

 

If you are looking to progress your website, your videos, or your podcasts, then adding high-quality stock footage can be the jolt you need. Stock items can help tell a story with content you either might not be able to get, or don’t have time to make on your own. It doesn’t diminish your vision – but instead may help others engage with your content.

Storyblocks is split into 3 parts:

* Videoblocks – High quality video stock content. From 1080p and 4K content, to 360 VR, After Effects stock, background video, and more.

* Audioblocks – From background music, loops, sound effects, and other audio gems. Add stingers to enhance the mood of your show, podcast, and more

* Storyblocks (formerly Graphicstock) – High quality images, illustrations, and vectors that you can use to help tell your story. Perfect for inspirational Instagrams, creating a flowchart, or making scrapbooks. JPG, EPS, and other formats available.

Each portal allows you to search, and filter in and out items so you can find the one item you are looking for. With new items added everyday, you have a wide array of stock to search from.

While there are thousands of items available under your license (indicated with an infinity symbol on the upper-left corner), there are also stock items available from contributors for a discounted price. This will give you more options to make that perfect video, get the right photo, or the most inspirational song for your content.

Prices start at $149/year per subscription (so $447 for all three sites). Contributor stock video starts at $49 (a $30 savings over non-members) and contributor photos are $3.99 each.

In the Video I have added some of these items to show you how your content can be enhanced. From emotional background music, to video overlays, and photo options.

*This was a paid review, but opinions are of Geekazine. For more info, check out geekazine.com/review

I talked with the folks over at iXSystems about FreeNAS, and TrueNAS, along with their line of hardware at VMWorld. For a SMB, the ability to re-purpose old hardware for something as important as network storage, is a great way to keep costs low. To also have a community of help is an important part.

What is FreeNAS

With Enterprise-grade features, and an Open source license to create a RAID storage array for backups, replication, and file sharing. You will be able to set it up for internal, or external use.

FreeNAS is meant for small home business, or anyone that would like to back up their devices onto one machine. From work documents, to movies, music, and more. You can even share with family and friends.

What is TrueNAS

TrueNAS is for businesses where accessing information is more critical. TrueNAS is Enterprise ready, and uses the same ZFS based storage arrays. With TrueCache, you can leverage bottlenecks, keeping everyone working.

About iXSystems

iXSystems is more than just Open source software. They supply a large line of servers, storage, and more. You can build your whole IT department around iXsystems solutions.

While at VMWorld, I learned more about nVidia’s offerings for server GPUs. Especially in companies where running and working with graphics is important. Instead of installing an expensive desktop at a person’s workstation, the Tesla series of GPU accelerators can give you the horsepower you need.

nVidia Tesla P40 GPU

With 24 GB of GDDR5, and a memory bandwidth of 346 GB, the P40 will give performance to high-performance need. Each GPU has 47 Tera-Operations per Second, a server with 8 P40’s will deliver the same performance of 140 cpu servers.

nVidia Tesla M10

This board allows for up to 64 users at a time, or 128 with 2 boards per server. Utilizing 2560 CUDA cores (640 per GPU), programs such as AutoCAD, Photoshop, Autodesk MAYA, ArcGIS, and more will deliver without buying another desktop machine.

nVidia at VMWorld 2017 (the video)

We saw how nVidia Grid with quadro VDWS workstation can perform better than a CPU based workstation. We saw an 8K video render in VMWare’s ESXI using a 40 core with 80 Hyperthreads, without dropping frames. We also saw Solidworks Visualise, with 2 renders of an Audi A8 design. Both of these renders are being performed on one server.

Finally, we see the vRealize operations manager. This dashboard can manage Esx servers, they can also see the GPU resource utilization.

Each Tesla GPU has a dedicated decode engine for AI-based Video Services. Check out nVidia.com/trygrid to test Grid in a VMWare, or Citrix environment.

Loop was a successful crowdfund digital photo frame. While it can show your photos from Instagram, and Facebook, it has other great functionalities that can keep you connected with your family. Let’s go through all the good and bad, then look at the overall picture.

The Loop Personal Photo Display is a tablet-sized screen in the design of an old 1960’s television. You know, where the dials changed the channels?

Loop presents photos and videos in that same channel format. You can bring photos from Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and soon Google, and Flickr. You can also import items via SD card.

Loop also has a camera on-board for you to contact other Loop customers. Therefore, you can have one Loop at home, another at your parent’s house. You will be able to communicate back and forth.

Pros: Loop Photo Frame

Easily send photos and video to the Loop unit through the app. Create channels to upload special moments to. We just came back from Barcelona, Spain, and easily sent photos to the device.

The display has a battery inside with a 2-3 hour lifespan. That way, you can look at photos, or video chat wherever you need. The Retro look can be added to any knick-knack shelf for easy viewing.

I have also been advised by the staff at Loop they will be making a remote control function, which will allow you to control your device from afar.

Cons: Loop Display

Two functions I expected were voice and gesture control. They may be added later, but the staff at Loop informed me they might forgo those options for the remote. After all – the device will be on a shelf at a distance.

The video calls are only Loop-to-Loop based. No Hangout, Facetime, or Skype connection options. Therefore, if you don’t have a friend with a Loop (like myself), this is not a feature. Maybe they will turn into a security camera.

The device does not have a “sleep” option. As someone who has pets, I get concerned when ambient lights are on devices that could sit in the Living room, Kitchen, and more. This could be fixed in future updates.

Neutral

The HD display is 1024×768. Therefore, no 720p. Of course, a higher resolution monitor could mean a higher price tag as well.

I didn’t see any security on the Loop. When you have an open camera on a device, that can cause for concern.

Finally, there is touch options, but they are on the top of the device. You can tap to dismiss messages (like updates).

Overall and Price

The Loop starts at $249 and is available at JoinLoop. Some may ask “why not just use an older tablet for photos?” The reality is: this device is made for photo viewing. Therefore, when you turn it on, it shows photos, and nothing else.

It might be a perfect way for a family to keep in touch – especially if there are members not on Facebook or Google. Our photos of Barcelona could be sent instantly to my parents house, along with other friends.

 

 

IP video can be easy, and difficult at the same time. Especially if you are trying to record or stream 1080p 60fps. In the last year, NewTek has come out with the NDI protocol, which allows you to send video across an IP network with less pixelation and latency. The Connect Spark was released so you can send any camera video signal – from a Go Pro, DSLR, or even a commercial grade camera – over a network to the recording computer, or even a series of monitors.

The NDI Connect Spark

This device comes with HDMI or 3G-SDI connections, for whatever video system you use. The box itself can be connected to Ethernet, or a WiFi signal (5G Wifi recommended). Two USB ports and a micro-SD card slot are available for recording from the device.

The Spark also allows for Tally light use for larger production needs. A pass-through HDMI (or SDI) allows to send video signal to another monitor, computer, or recording device.

A web interface allows you to set up the Spark, start and stop recordings, and even change the quality of the stream.

Using Wirecast with NDI Connect Spark

Wirecast 8 has the ability to control the settings of the video stream as well. Connection is as straightforward as setting up a new scene. Use the Video and Audio sync to remove any latency issues.

In This Video

I go through the device, it’s features, and even a couple issues to think about when using the Connect Spark in your video workflow.

 

Telestream released Wirecast 8 Studio and Wirecast 8 Pro to the public today. Many new cool features, and some enhancements to the software switcher. We’ll look at all that Telestream has fixed, updated, and changed. Get Wirecast Here.

Check out the Slideshow

Wirecast is a software video switching program that allows you to create broadcast quality shows using your computer. You can create scenes, overlay graphics, and switch to other scenes with the press of a button. You can also record, or stream to Facebook, YouTube, Periscope, Livestream, uStream, and many more services using the RTMP protocol.

So what is new?

Wirecast Updates the Render Engine

Creating new scenes has been improved with new tools that will help you resize, rotate, and even embellish your scenes. A new Z-Rotation has been added so you can flip video around. If you have camera footage that was originally upside-down (such as a GoPro), the Z-Rotation option will flip things upright for you.

And you don’t have to adjust from the Shot Layer Properties. You now have on-screen tools to resize, rotate, and more. Along with new grid snapping, you will be able to take the guess out of a video’s position.

Finally, the Shot Layer gets two new options – Reflection, and Drop Shadow. You can create a scene with a reflective shadow, put some depth in your text, and create a more artistic scene.

New Audio Ingest for Up to 16 Channels in, 8 Channels Out

If you connect a USB mixer, or have multiple audio sources, you can set up Wirecast to capture them all, and store on up to 8 different channels (in stereo). This means you can record all camera’s audio as backup for the main audio to any recording. Set up a Binaurl experience for 5.1 stereo surround, and even create tracks of commentary and translation to another language.

This is perfect for sports productions, churches, and other events. Track 1 could capture in English, track 2 translated in Spanish, and still have 6 channels to record other things.

Bring in Guests with Rendezvous

When I brought guests in the past, I would connect via Skype or Google Hangouts. With Rendezvous, you don’t need those 3rd party programs. Simply send a URL to the guest, they open in a compatible web browser (Chrome, Firefox), and you can set up a scene with their video.

With Wirecast Studio, you can bring in 1-2 Guests. Wirecast Pro allows for up to 7 guests (if bandwidth is available). Install an add-on to allow for screen sharing. And with mobile connectivity, Wirecast Go now connects to your desktop for mobile reporting.

Add the Multi-Viewer Output Option

Many hardware switchers have a “Multiview Out” option, displaying all video scenes in a single monitor view. You can then queue up cameras, and put them into the live screen.

Wirecast Studio allows for 4 video connection Multiview, whereas Wirecast Pro will let you set up to 17. You can even capture that monitor, which you could use as a production screen in itself!

Other Great New Extra Features including Clock Sources

You will now be able to use .WebM files into scenes, along with importing Sony XAVC-S into your projects. A “Hot-toggle” is added to Deinterlace so you can change on the fly.

You can add a Clock to your scene, with different types of date – time formatting.

If you have software for your capture cards, Wirecast will detect, and override most device settings. That way you only have one place to make adjustments.

Finally, new transitions are available in between scenes. My favorite one is RGB Channels.

Many more Updates and Fixes

Check with Telestream for the full list of changes,

Magix has rolled out an update to the popular video editor Vegas Pro, adding in new features including an interface type, which will allow for theme color changes. Along with new updated codecs for 8th generation Intel core technology, and nVidia graphics. This will be the second update since Magix has acquired the software from Sony.

Render Faster with nVidia Graphics,  Intel Skylake, or Intel KabyLake Processor

One of two major updates is to the main codec of Vegas Pro, utilizing Intel 8th generation Core processors with Intel® Quick Sync Video (QSV) technology. 8-bit HEVC/AVC decoding and encoding will be accelerated with Skylake processors, and 10-bit HEVC/AVC encoding and decoding for Kabylake processors (or better).

Also, nVidia cards with the Fermi architecture will get a boost in processing. A NVENC template will appear if your system has the card. This helps with the H.264 video encoding. The fourth generation (Pascal GP10) implements 10-bit encoding, and supports HEVC 8K 4:4:4.

New Layout with Themes, Button color, and Burgers

Magix has changed the layout in a few ways. The most prominent is the layout color. You can now change the background to a dark, medium, light, or white theme. Each change will require a restart of the software.

There is also a option to add/subtract color to the icons on the bottom tray. This is done through the Options – Preferences – Display Tab. You can change colors of the tracks, Envelopes, and Snap colors.

Other options in Display include hiding the Docking area, Display timeline at bottom of main window, Position tabs at top of docked windows, and Allow floating windows to dock (basically disabling the docking feature if you need to move your windows around without incorporating back into the main window).

The design of the video track has changed, adding in a Burger Menu. This is a collapsed menu that holds many more options in editing. On the bottom of most burger menus is the ability to edit visible buttons. Therefore, you can hide or show all the options on the timeline.

One addition to the timeline menu is ability to paste attributes from one segment to another. Therefore, if you split a video too early, and had to go back to adjust a resize or mask, you can simply copy/Paste the attributes of that segment to any other segment.

New Render box, Share Online Options

The render box has been redesigned for easier use. Looking more like the Vegas Movie Studio interface, with extra options like loop rendering and multi-channel options.

The Share Online option allows you to render and upload instantly to Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo. You can set to public or private, normal quality or higher, and even render loop regions. This can be a great way to make a promo for a video and render before you post the main video.

New LUT, PiP, and Crop Plugins

Added to the Vegas plugin library is the ability to add LUT filters to your scenes, or overall fx. You will need to get your own LUT filters, many are available online for free.

The Crop plugin will allow for X and Y parameter cropping, with a handy usage dial that appears right on the Video Preview window. Other options include Angle, Opacity, and Location.

Picture in Picture will give you the ability to overlay tracks and resize without using the crop/mask tool. Once again, you can affect one segment, or the whole track.

Back to Vegas Pro 14

Finally, if the new interface is too much, you can choose View – Windows Layout – Vegas Pro 14 Layout to go back to something familiar.

Initial Thoughts of Vegas Pro 15

In using this new version of software, I had to get used to the new tool-line over all tracks, along with the Burger menu, and Trimmer in a tab (rather than on it’s own menu area). These were small issues that resolved easy. I will say I need a larger screen so I can expand the tracks better....

Any podcaster or musician out there knows – the better the audio, the better chance people will give you. Adding in something that you might not expect can bring some great results. Next thing you know, people are asking you how you made it sound so good.

That is where a program like Sound Forge Pro 3 for Mac comes in. With a version for Mac and one for PC, you can bring in tracks, or even whole songs, and get all the bumps and bruises out. You can re-organize thoughts, and even extract samples for other projects.

Even if you have a multi-track editor or movie creator, a program like Sound Forge Pro allows you to take time away from the whole project and focus on one bit. Most video and audio editors will have a function in the settings to open single tracks into another program.

Pros of Sound Forge Pro 3 for Mac

This program is very straightforward. You can instantly customize it to where you feel comfortable in your editing. You can move window panes in and out with single mouse clicks. You can even change from a 1 wave editing space to 2 with a click.

Most VST plugins are instantly recognized. I didn’t have to do any extra setup to bring in VST’s like the Toneforge – Jason Richardson plugin I am working on.

You don’t need the latest Mac to help you fix your sound. I run a Late 2011 Macbook Pro and the software does not skip a beat. I suppose there would be advantages to having a 2016 Macbook Pro, but for what I do, it works very well.

The iZotope RX Elements and Ozone 7 Elements are included so you can change bit rate and sample resolution. Turn a 24 bit audio into 8-bit. Resample a 192 kHz sound to match the 96 kHz of the rest of the project.

A Way for Podcasters to Master Tracks

I see this as a great way for podcasters to not only clean up interviews and conversations, but also to add body to the overall sound. You can even re-organize sections if you find the conversation flows better. Set up markers and regions so you can work on those specific areas as you go. When you take the “ums” out, the audio compacts for you.

Better Sounding Music

I’ve been working on a couple solos through Sound Forge Pro. One trick I’m having fun with is taking the Left side of an elongated note, and reversing the sound. It really adds to the solo.

You can also give it more depth with effects at specific times, or using a 3rd party VST to enhance sound.

Overall Thoughts of Sonic Foundry Pro 3 for Mac

It’s easy to use, and a great editor for Mac – older or new. Bring in any type of audio, clean it up, then send it back to the DAW, or add it to your CD project.

 

TVoIP (Television over IP) is really gaining momentum. So much that your cable company might be your Internet provider only and you’ll have many options to choose from. Hulu wants to be one of those to deliver live tv, and they put together a great plan so you can start watching right away. It does come with some limitations, though.

What is Hulu Live TV?

Hulu.com has added 55 channels which you can stream at any time from your devices at home. Starting at $39.99, you will get favorite cable channels from AMC to USA. In some locations, you will also get local stations. The channel lineup is dependent on where you live, so check with the channel lineup in your zip code.

Advantages of Hulu Live TV

You can watch on many different devices. It’s in Beta, so more options can get added at any time. Currently, you can watch on iOS 10, Android 5.0 or better, Xbox One, Apple TV (Gen 4), Amazon Fire TV, and Chromecast.

You have access to not only On-Demand content, but also have 50 hours of Cloud DVR to save and watch later. The standard plan allows for 2 devices to watch content, with an Unlimited upgrade option.

Disadvantages of Hulu Live TV

Not all channels are available in all areas. For instance, you might be able to get your local CBS channel, but no Fox, ABC, or NBC. Other broadcast channels like PBS and CW are not present.

Areas are subject to blackout of shows and events. So if you take your phone to the game to watch replays, and the area has blacked out the game due to attendance, you’ll just have to watch closer to the game and the big scoreboard.

You cannot connect to any TV outside your home Wifi. This means that Hulu is collecting your home data in some way. You have to come home every 30 days to keep your service active.

Still Needs Work

The one thing noticeably missing from this service is a show grid. I don’t have a way to check the lineup in a quick and easy method – let alone shows that happen in the upcoming hours. That is really why I have a DVR, right?

Speaking of DVR, this one is really difficult to operate. I still don’t know how to call up shows for record.

As I flipped through the devices, I noticed some channels were “pausing” a lot. Other popular channels (A&E, ESPN, etc. ) seemed to work well.

There is no Roku version. There is no Mac or PC version. There are many smart TVs that cannot use Hulu Live TV. If you don’t have any of those, this won’t be an issue.

Overall Thoughts on Hulu Live TV

It’s still a great option, even in beta mode. $39.99 is the monthly price and you can upgrade to unlimited screens, no commercials (not live TV, of course), 200 hours of DVR, and premium networks like HBO, Showtime, and Cinemax.

It might be a service you want to wait a month or two before you pull the trigger. Especially if you have a Roku, or if you want Mac/PC access.

In the Video

I go over all the pros and cons, then show you the service on different platforms.