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Following-on from my earlier post, Mobile Video Editing Hardware: Thoughts, Ideas & Dreams, where I considered an eventual migration from my laptop to a luggable PC, my thoughts veered (possibly having spotted cash-icebergs among them) towards an alternative solution:

• Use the laptop for lightweight editing & compositing.
• Use the desktop as a number-crunching RADI-attached server.

The two could be linked by:

• Remote access / remote sessions (some of which via smartphone)
• DropBox, e.g. have an active folder where I can drop Adobe Premiere XML and have it processed remotely by Adobe apps installed there.

Some links:

• http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01/11/virtualisation_at_home_part_2/
  • (There’s no equivalent “_part_1″ page.  I guess it’s just “Part 2″ of that guy’s story).
  • DIY virtual machines: Rigging up at home, by Trevor Pott, 11th January 2012 14:33 GMT
  • Personal Virtual Machine (PVM) (in use) for about seven years with retail boxed version of Windows XP.
  • VM has been moved from virtualization platform to virtualization platform over the years … the most recent incarnation … inside Hyper-V.
  • …nothing beats Windows Server 2008 R2. It comes with a top-notch virtualisation platform (Hyper-V), and added RemoteFX support with Service Pack 1. You can still use the desktop operating system for all your HTPC needs, and a single Server 2008 R2 Standard license allows you to run both a host copy and a single virtual instance of Server 2008 R2.
  • In my case, the host instance does little more than play movies on the projector via VLC. The virtual instance of Server runs my Plex media server, and aggregates my many storage devices into a single share using DFS.
    • Presumably “DFS” refers to Microsoft’s Distributed File System.
• Shuttle Inc (Taiwan)
  • (MBR’s suggestion)
  • http://uk.shuttle.com/products/productsDetail?productId=1477
    • Small, quiet, hardware-configurable systems.
    • May be a sensible basis for a modular luggable?
  • http://www.okobe.co.uk/ws/product/Shuttle+SH67H3+Barebones+Personal+Computer+FH67+Socket+1155+Intel+H67+Black/1000065737?ref=1q4bs
    • Shuttle SH67H3 Barebones Personal Computer (FH67 Socket 1155 Intel H67) (Black)

Want a mobile “suitcase” editing system, something more (and more expandable) than a laptop but not too expensive.  Primarily to be used for Adobe CS5.5 for media enhancement / editing / compositing etc.

Nearest I found was NextDimension’s range around $7000 I think (but just guesswork - could be way off - would need to get a quote).   That would (if true) be around £4500 at current rates.  Plus import…  NextDimension call such machines “flextops” (Maybe they coined the term? Google searches on it mostly come up with them.)

Apart from the (mil/broadcast-lite but me-heavy) price, it might possibly be undesirably heavy to lug around much.   If so (just guessing, not assuming), it would make more sense to go for a modular quick-setup system.  So, starting to “think different” in this direction:

• Standard tower, capable of taking new CUDA etc. graphics cards etc. as they emerge, but no need for more than say a couple of disks, maybe if SSD could even get away with just a single disk? (For system and media - inadvisable for traditional disks of course, what about for SSD’s?  I have much to learn about SSD’s though).
• “Laptop-Lite” to talk to it.  With robust shuttered-stereoscopic HD monitor.
• Gigabit network to NAS fast storage (SSD and/or RAID ?).

Maybe in that case it would be far more logical/affordable to use an existing laptop as a client working together with a luggable tower server, sufficiently light and robust for frequent dis/re -connection and travel.  And remote access of course (no heavy data to be exchanged, assume that’s already sync’d).  And some means to easily swap/sync applications and projects (data) between laptop and tower, giving the option to use just the (old) laptop on its own if needed.  All such options are handy for the travelling dude (working on train, social visits etc.) who also occasionally has to do heavy processing.  Then would just need a protective suitcase for the tower, plus another one for a decent monitor for grading etc.

I certainly won’t be spending anything just yet, but it’s good to have at least some kind of “radar”.

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This is a problem I encountered some time ago, when I was running Boot Camp v3.1 on my MacBook Pro.  Since then I upgraded to v3.2.  I know there’s a v3.3 around but before upgrading I thought it worthwhile to see whether v3.2 had fixed that problem (especially since I couldn’t rule out the possibility of v3.3 reintroducing it).   Only one thing to do: prevaricate test.

• Copy file from GRaid Mini (GRm) to Desktop:
  • 2GB fine
  • 12GB appears ok initially but then fails (to zero b/s transfer rate, then the Grm device “no longer exists”, at least until reboot)
• Reverse: 2GB fails (same way) almost immediately.

OK not good thus far…

Next tried an alternative approach: run W7 as a Virtual Machine on Mac Os via Parallel.  I have Parallels v6.  Forum search revealed that there is no FW support in either v6 or v7, though the developers seem interested in knowing why people want it.

• 2GB GRm to W7 Desktop: ok
• The reverse: ok.

Had to stop there due to other work - and a very full W7 disk.

The next workaround to consider is attaching a NAS.  Ethernet bandwidths can be 1Gbps, hence more than FW800’s 0.8 Gbps, though I wonder if there could be any issues of lag / latency in this approach.  I’ll do some research and put up another post about this idea.

I attended, working on one of the camera units.  Had a great time, learnt lots, at all sorts of levels.  Even how to make good use of the Movie Slate application on my iPhone!  Link: http://www.fstopacademy.com/

Here, I set up a home network.  <<Actually this happened about a year ago but only just publishing it now>>.  Already I have a small bunch of machines (of various ages) linked either physically (ethernet cable) or wirelessly (WiFi) to a WiFi router-modem onto ADSL.  Currently these machines simply use that arrangeent for their own individual internet access.  What I want to do is enable some resource-sharing, in particular onto a WiFi hub to be connected to a printer and a hard disk, but also to allow (temporary) access between machines for occasional ad hoc file transfers.

• First, ensure all PCs have easily identifiable names and belong to the same Workgroup (the typical method is to leave this at default i.e. “WORKGROUP” but note that XP’s Network Wizard defaults instead to “MSHOME”).
  • For XP:
    • From [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Add-a-device-or-computer-to-a-network]
      • Log on to the computer as an administrator.
      • Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
      • Click the Computer Name tab, and then click Change.
      • If the workgroup name is not WORKGROUP, change the name to WORKGROUP, and then click OK. Otherwise, click Cancel to close the Computer Name Changes dialog box.
      • If you have to change the workgroup name, you will be prompted to restart your computer.

• Next, established whether TCP/IP communication was working OK:
  • Gathered a small bunch of computers together for testing.
  • From CMD, obtain IP numbers of each computer.
  • From each computer, try pinging each of the others.
    • Initially had some problems here:
      • None of the Windows computers were pingable from any other computer, but that the non-work Windows computers could ping the MacBook Pro.
      • The work Windows computer was unable to ping anything.
      • On the other hand, they could all ping certain external internet sites e.g. www.grc.com.  Some others, such as CNN, reject pings (as possible attacks).
      • The problem was in the Firewalls.
        • Initially tried the crude solution of disabling the software firewalls.
          • Still protected by router firewall. A grc.com test showed all was still well.
          • Nevertheless, looked for a more finely-tuned solution…
        • Old Compaq: Disabled Windows Firewall.  Now it was pingable.  Re-Enabled Windows Firewall.  It was still pingable.  Maybe I succeede in unblocking something?
        • Newer desktop with Kapersky: [Firewall > Filtration System > Zones > Settings]
          • Delete duplicate entry for 192.168.0.0, then for the remaining such entry, set it to Local Network (default was Internet)and disable Stealth mode.
          • OK or APPLY the whole settings panel, else the settings don’t take effect.
          • Got the idea from [http://forum.kaspersky.com/index.php?showtopic=80725]
          • Some other good ideas, not required here, were at [http://forums.speedguide.net/showthread.php?t=190294] and [http://www.velocityreviews.com/forums/t363292-cannot-ping-local-ip-address.html] and [http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308007], the latter pointed out that the Guest account needed to be enabled also.
    • Now the pings worked OK.
• On PCs, in Windows Explorer, check out My Network Places to see if the other machine showed up.
  • Desktop: My Network Places > SharedDocs on OldCompaq
  • OldCompaq: My Network Places > Entire Network > Microsoft Windows Network > Workgroup
    • It could see itself and the other machine.
    • However the other machine required a password.  What password?
      • Solution: re-run the Network Wizard on the Desktop, this time (unlike before), enable File & Printer Sharing.  Now it worked fine.
• Also the PCs were visible on a Mac.
  • Mac: Finder > Shared
• Now to make the Mac share to the PCs:
  • Enable Windows Sharing on macintosh.
    • http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6127492.html
• Finally, looking at Windows 7 as a Virtual Machine under Parallels 5 on a Mac:
  • Its default WorkGroup name is WORKGROUP, hence it sees the other machines OK.  And it can access their shared folders.  But those machines cannot see its files.  Solving this problem does not seem so trivial, so I will work on it later and post its solution separately.

Which modes of Cineform are appropriate under which circumstances:

• Paraphrased from [http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=742985&Replies=3, as of 2010-12-23]
  • NeoScene and NeoHD uses can select 4:2:2 in any quality.
  • High quality is for finished material (e.g. to be output to DVD/BluRay) but if further grading is a possibility then use Filmscan 1
    • Filmscan 2 is overkill.
  • Neo4K and Neo3D users also get 4:4:4 and 4:4:4:4 support.
    • Requesting these modes with (other variants of the software?) will result in a watermark.
    • For extensive post, filmscan and 4:4:4 is probably a benefit.
    • 4:4:4:4 requires lots of power and raid arrays.
  • The uncompressed mode should generally be avoided - it is only intended for camera acquisition to save battery power.

Cineform is a codec for digital intermediates.  When used in appropriate ways, it offers visually lossless compression/decompression.  Some quality reduction does occur but only to a degree that is not important to (or even noticeable by) most people’s eyes, even after several rounds of compression/recompression.  In contrast, delivery formats such as DV, DVD, XDCAM-EX are suitable only for a single round of compression/decompression, and even then are lossy (lose quality) to a degree that many people can notice, especially when playback is paused at a single frame.

In Windows XP, wanted a folder right-click menu option to bring up a MSDOS command shell.  This proved very simple to add, and gave the further benefit of the text-based (command-line) user interface (TUI?) retaining customisations (e.g. green text).  The steps were (for Windows XP):

• Windows Explorer: Tools > Folder Options.
• Select the File Types tab.
• Go to NONE / Folder.
• Select the entry labeled Folder
•  Press Advanced button.
• Select New
• In the action block type “Command Prompt” (without the quotes).
• In the app block type “cmd.exe” (without the quotes).
• Save and exit Folder Options.

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Great article:

• http://marvelsfilm.wordpress.com/2010/04/24/all-new-sony-ex1-picture-profile-for-cinematic-look/
  • “(These are) picture-settings that are tailored to my personal taste, with post-processing in mind. I’ve been able to use shots right out of the camera without the need for CC, but it does ask for contrast adjustment to taste.”
  • “…the matrix corrections in the first profile are to compensate for the green hue the IR filter casts, even after taken a white balance. I use the fluorescent light matrix, simply because it does exactly two things to the picture (and in measurements) that this specific camera demands; it remove the “green Sony hue” and it is the lowest-noise matrix. It shifts the colour balance towards red/magenta, removing the green hues and preventing your cast from looking terminally ill.”
  • “I use Cine 1 gamma almost exclusively because it’s clearly the most lownoise gamma. I sometimes use Cine 4 indoors with low / existing light. …adjust Gamma on a per-scene basis.”

To change the shortcuts on a the N95 8GB Active Standby screen:

• [Menu key] > Main menu > Tools > Settings > General  > Personalisation > Standby mode > Active standby apps.
• You are now presented with a list of seven Shortcut options, representing each of the shortcut icons on the Active Standby display.  A box next to the shortcut indicates which function or application it currently represents.
• They are listed Shortcut 1 to Shortcut 7, with Shortcut 1 the icon on the left of the active standby display, and the others running from left to right across, with Shortcut 7 the icon on the far right of the display.
• Select the Shortcut you want to change (e.g. the Shortcut 7 Camera icon),
• A list of options appears onscreen - although you get a view of only six at a time (Figure 12). Scroll through the list until you find the shortcut you want to add to replace the existing icon.  Highlight the application required and press the [OK] softkey.  You are taken back to the Active Standby apps. menu. The box next to the modified Shortcut option has the required new application name.
• If you have finished making changes, press the red Call End key to return to the standby screen.

Based on the article “How to customise shortcuts on the Nokia N95 8GB” at http://www.knowyourmobile.com/nokia/nokian958gb/nokian958gbuserguides/8391/how_to_customise_shortcuts_on_the_nokia_n95_8gb.html as of 2010-08-29.

Here are the steps that worked for me:

• First, boot from Windows 7 installation (DVD).
  • On a MacBook Pro (with BootCamp), power-on with Alt/Option key held down.
    • Initially, only the standard Mac and Windows options appear, but wait a few more seconds and then additional options appear for Windows and EFS methods of booting from the DVD.
    • I selected the Windows option (guesswork).
• Select the System Recovery option http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html
• Select the STartup Repair option http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

As it happened, this whole process was a distraction.  I was trying to get a BootCamp-W7 Virtual Machine (VM) in Parallels working - it would boot OK in BootCamp but not Parallels.  It was a matter of identifying the problem by excluding other possibilities, as much as hoping for this to be the fix.   However I record the process I went through, here, for posterity.