Success with software on Asus eeepc

Hurray! Managed to get a few things going on the Asus eeepc:

1. I can use my t-mobile usb modem with my eee:
Plugged it in, clicked on Network connections, created a new account and it pretty much detected everything itself.

2. Install WINE on eee:
"Wine is an implementation of the Windows API designed to run in Linux."
Read my wiki to find out more on this: http://tinyurl.com/2trwyw

3. Record directly to mp3 file:
Also in the same blog post above.

4. Run Audacity (although the buttons don't look right)

5. Worked out how to screen capture in Full desktop mode (Ctrl - Fn - Prt Sc)

Here's a 'podcast' that I captured using Mypodcast recorder on the eee!
Enjoy.
20feb_asus_wine.mp3

You can subscribe to my podcasts with http://xlearn.podOmatic.com/rss2.xml
I like to keep them short ;-)

Two-way texting - beware certain long numbers

There are lots of things to watch out for if you are going to implement 2-way texting and I'll try to write a full post another time, but very quickly, if learners are to text back to the college:

1. How much does it cost the college to implement 2-way texting? Janet (PageOne) charges extra for incoming accounts. Does anyone know what the charges are and can let me know?
2. Check that you do not get charged to receive incoming texts.
3. Check that learners don't end up paying extra to text you: some SMS providers give you a radiopaging number based in the Isle of Man, for instance, to keep their costs down. On T-mobile, this is classed as an international number and it costs 17p per text. Mobile numbers that start with 0762 should be checked, among others. Check this Excel sheet (http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/numbering/index.htm#pers) against your incoming number and query your supplier if the number given to you is a radio paging number, or a number based in Guernsey etc. Also check with your learners if they are being charged extra to use the number. Ideally, the number you are allocated allows learners to text in using their existing contract allocation for text messages, or on pay as you go, it should cost 10p or less.
4. Can you set up your own text codes to give out to students? This should allow you to receive your own incoming texts to your email or a web page that only you access. You don't want to sort through thousands of texts from learners.
5. If using a short code (like 80010), ensure it's zero-rated so learners don't get charged more than the standard charge for texting to that number.

Asus eeepc 701

I love the little Asus. I've taken it with me everywhere in the house - it's become like a pet. The reason why the Q1ultra never achieved this status is partly to do with the following:

• It's awkward to hold when you are sitting on your sofa (you can't just have it on your lap - you need to prop it up somehow)
• It got heavy quickly when used as a handheld (with the 6 hour battery attached)
• It couldn't detect my wireless network successfully if I was more than 5 metres away from the router
• The lack of easy input (for msn, typing is essential)
• It took ages to start up. I used to walk away and do other stuff rather than wait.

Even though the keyboard is cramped on the Asus, let's face it: it's not as cramped as the tiny keyboards on a Tytn or a mobile phone, and the learners manage with THAT.

And it powers up and is ready to go in about 30 seconds!!! Incredible! One reason not to put XP on...

The Asus comes with everything a learner might need to get started:

• OpenOffice (handles all Office documents, allows creation of stuff. The home version of a PC normally doesn't come with a spreadsheet application or a PowerPoint type application, and only a basic version of Word)
• PDF reader
• Firefox (web browser)
• MSN and Skype (er, that's just what the learners will use it for a lot of the time...)
• Educational material /software (Science, Language, Math and Paint), typing programme
• Media players, sound recorder (wav format) and some games
• If you feel like it, you can use Voice Command to open programmes

The 7" screen can feel a bit cramped when browsing web sites but if people try not to put anything important on the Moodle blocks on the right hand side, they actually fit nicely.

It comes with an adapted version of the Xandros version of Linux (here's where I start to get my terminology all wrong...;-)) which isn't as popular as Ubuntu, based on what I've seen on the Web. Nothing to stop you installing Ubuntu or XP on it; in fact, because it ships with Xandros, that makes it easier to install XP on it and the manual comes with instructions for how to do this. I don't need another XP machine, so I'm not going to go down that route. I'd be interested to find out how much longer it takes to load up after XP has been put on it.

You call up the terminal window with Ctrl Alt T and then, get yourself a good linux book! For a start, you can type in sudo synaptic and this brings up the Synaptic Package Manager that's supposed to help you install and remove additional software on your Linux. That's how I managed to get Full Desktop on my machine. See my wiki for the links for this (http://eeepc.pbwiki.com/). I'll be adding more stuff as I experiment with the Asus to my wiki rather than the blog because I'd rather keep it all in one place. It's a bit thin on the ground at the moment, but I'm sure we'll all be learning fast when everyone else gets their machines! Woo hoo!

One downside: battery doesn't last very long. You'll find yourself charging it twice a day, so what are we to do with the learners' machines? Have lots of extension cables in the classrooms so they can keep them powered?

Sony DCR-SR52E and Macs

At last, some success with stuff off HDD onto Macs! The Sony DCR-SR52E was detected by the Macbook although Quicktime will not recognise the mpeg2 file unless you have MPEG2-Playback installed ($20 from Apple) and then use Streamclip to convert files to an editable format (http://www.squidoo.com/VideoOnMac).
Still, at least the original files will be of a better quality than mpeg4s, and can be transferred directly to dvds without conversion for storage etc.

Windows Media Player to sync media

I used Windows Media Player WMP) to sync media to my pda phone for the first time yesterday. Don't know why I've not done that before. I'm so used to just moving the files across, but the playlist function on WMP is similar to iTunes, so is very useful for organising media on the PC. I've used iTunes for ages with my ipod but it's the first time I've tried the same functionality with my pda phone!
So, after converting .vob of Peppa Pig (if you have a 3 year old, you'll know what I mean) using Avex DVD and Video converter (I could NOT get Super to do it for me), I had a wmv which I synced to my pda phone. Did the same with a few mp3s as well. Next time you see me, ask to see Peppa Pig....

The latest on video formats

The latest stuff I've been reading seems to indicate that so long as you have an Intel-based Mac and iLife'08, you CAN edit mpeg2 videos in iMovie. (See http://tinyurl.com/2llgad)
So hopefully some contacts with an Intel-based Mac and iLife'08 will take their laptop down to a Sony Centre and try out some HDD camcorders for me! This list of compatible camcorders seems useful, until you realise that many of the models are american and I can't tell what the equivalent UK model is. (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1014).
I've totally veered away from mpeg4 camcorders like Sanyo Xactis now, although up to this morning, I thought it would be the ideal choice. The quality, especially in low light (and some education settings can be classed as 'low light'...) is poor and having looked at some sample footage, I've decided that we should try to collect videos at the highest possible quality (subject to budget). You never know how you are going to use the footage and it's best to keep your options open.
I still think DV tape is going to give us the best quality, but for the sake of looking current, HDD camcorders are the best compromise between style, size, quality and budget. And if it's possible to edit them now (and I'm sure it will get easier to edit them in future without jumping through a few hoops), then so much the better.
AVCHD is the next big thing on the market, and again, iLife'08 appears to have support for that, but not sure that we need to record in high definition in our industry - we tend to make videos for streaming over the web, playing in PowerPoints, playing on ipods or pdas...and as yet, most of our PC screens are still in 4:3 format, so recording in 16:9 seems unnecessary. I'm sure it will all change, but by then, we'll all be working on new projects with different focuses and budgets and we'll be able to do it all again. ;-)
AVCHD camcorders are also that little bit more expensive at the moment, being the in-thing.

So currently, I'm plumping for the following:

• Sony DCR-SR52 (available for under £350 if you shop around),
• Bluetooth microphone (http://tinyurl.com/yp7dfm) Sony ECMHW1, about £107 from Amazon to record interviews with wireless mic
• Wide angle lens (in case of classroom situation, filming in small spaces) VCL 0630 X, about £69

This is provided the camcorder is detected by the Mac in the first place, so hopefully I'll be able to update this blog soon with my experiments.

Speaking of which, I went to a Curry's today to try out the camcorders they had. We tried a Samsung SD camera (cost about £160) which seemed to have a lot of features including detecting various lighting settings etc. The Macbook couldn't detect the Samsung camera, but as I was driving away, I wondered if it would have been ok if we'd put the sd card into a usb reader on the Mac. Might ring Curry's up tomorrow and ask the guy to try it! It should then read the mp4 file in iMovie.

Tried a Panasonic HDD camera and this time, the Macbook did detect it and imported the footage. However, Quicktime couldn't play it back and I suspect it just needed the mpeg2 playback software from Apple (http://www.squidoo.com/VideoOnMac).

If you want to quickly video something to put out to students, mpeg4 camcorders may seem like the ideal thing, but hey, why fork out for something like that when your own digital camera's video function will give you similar quality? That's something to think about....

which camcorder?

Di Dawson and I had a discussion about providing people with advice on which bits of kit could be used to record videos for what mobile devices.I'm sure she'll be posting her findings soon, and I've done some research and have the following views to offer. For readers' info, I have a degree in audio-visual production and I've worked as a multimedia producer. I have worked with lots of kit from analogue to digital. I can happily produce professional quality video if working with the right kit. What we're doing here, though, is working out what is quick and easy to do in an education setting.
For the sake of argument, I'm going to assume that we want to film indoors in a typical classroom, with the camera aimed at the tutor to record what they are doing and what they are saying. So what we need is

• A camera
• Extra batteries or the camera charger (you'd be surprised how many people forget to plug in the camera until it runs out of battery)
• A wide angle lens (if trying to capture more of the class. Make sure you buy a camcorder that allows attachments that you want!)
• Zoom microphone (if camera allows such attachment or better still, wireless lavalier mic)
• Extra media (dv tapes, dvds etc if using such cameras)
• An extension lead
• A tripod
• An mp3 recorder (always useful to have backup for podcast and also, an mp3 recorder can be placed on the person talking for clarity)

If we were going to do an interview, I would throw in

• Lights
• Reflectors

If viewing on Windows-based pda-type devices is important:
It would be best to start with something that captures avi that you can simply import into Windows Movie Maker. So you could use a good quality stills camera like a Canon, use the movie function to record (at 640 x 480 max) the video, maybe use an mp3 recorder as well, placed near the person who is talking.
Where possible, use clip-on microphones so check that the mp3 recorder has an audio input jack.Extra lighting is recommended if filming indoors. Because a lot of stills cameras will record video in .avi format, you can simply transfer the video files to the pc (by connecting the camera to the pc with a lead. The pc should see the camera as an extra drive), then simply import into
Windows Movie Maker to add titles, add the mp3 if required (mute the original clip if the audio is terrible), then Save to my computer, choosing the Video for Pocket PC setting for the right size and resolution.

If inserting into PowerPoint is important:
Follow the same advice above, but you can save the video with high quality (unless it makes the PowerPoint file way too big for students to download!). You can choose from Movie Maker's long list of settings.

If viewing on ipods is important:
Start with an mpeg4 camcorder like the Sanyo Xacti or Aiptek camcorders. Cheap and cheerful but that's what mpeg4 is anyway! You could push the handle out and buy the HD versions. Some of these cameras actually have an audio input jack, but not all are reliable so make sure you visit some AV forums for comments about your camera audio before purchase.The Sanyo Xacti cameras also have the option of adding wide angle lenses and a battery charger, which I think will be useful as these cameras do not have a long battery life. Large SD cards will come in useful, but check that the model of the camera will work with a large SD card before buying the SD card! Not all cameras will work with an 8Gb SD card, for instance. Some can only take 1Gb SD cards and that's it.
It's also possible to use Kodak cameras that capture video as well (like the Kodak C603). These record video as .mov files that can be imported easily into a Mac.All these cameras may work better with extra lighting if filming indoors.
Same advice as above on recording backup audio using an mp3 recorder with a clip-on mic.
iMovie on the Macs will import the video clips easily enough and you can use the native functions to export to ipod or psp.

Another quirky bit of kit that would allow you to use any camera with AV output (so all the kit you may already have for video recording in college) is the Pinnacle Video Transfer USB 2.0 device (PVT) (http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=20158). You don't need a PC to copy video to your ipod, PSP or USB device. Attach the camcorder to the PVT and your ipod or psp and voila! Only £99.99, but bear in mind that this is assuming you don't need to edit your videos.

If high quality is important:
If you need to film and edit high quality video in order to project it on a screen, or to add to that marketing video, then there's no getting away from a proper camcorder. You might think that HDD (hard disk drive) is the way to go (partly because they don't make new dv cameras anymore) but unless you have a lot of stuff to go with it, editing is going to be a nightmare. Let me explain...HDD camcorders record video in mpeg2 format. Neither Windows Movie Maker nor iMovie will be able to import this without a bit of converting. By converting the mpeg2 footage, you are losing quality. And this is before you even edit the video. The conversion process also adds time to the whole process. You could, of course, use any provided software to try to edit the footage, but they may be limited in functionality and still not provide output in the format that you require (eg wmv or avi to work with PowerPoint or mp4 to work with ipods). Check this carefully before investing in a HDD camera. Of course new software is coming out all the time and the Macs may actually decide to give better support to HDD cameras in future (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1014) but right now, it's fiddly.
Another disadvantage is that mpeg2 files require a lot of computing power if you are going to edit them, so your regular desktop may not be up to the task.
HDD cameras are useful for recording video that doesn't need much editing, with a dvd as the final output in mind. Read this friendly article for more a nice comparison chart between video formats.(http://pcworld.about.com/od/digitalcamcorders/Convenient-Camcorders.htm)

So currently, the best route for good quality video is dv tape!! The average PC or laptop would require a video input card or external device to import dv (http://www.smartdv.co.uk/section.php/8/0) but Macs can easily do this with the Firewire cable. You leave it to import the footage, then edit to your heart's content. Of course, if you require windows-friendly footage, you would have to turn to a software converter (again). This is not an easy question to answer!

And mpeg4 camcorders seem to be getting better at producing quality video (http://www.simplydv.co.uk/Reviews/panasonic_sdr-s100.html) so maybe this is the way to go?

This is a bit like the war between Betamax and VHS: Windows or Mac?
If your project is based on the premise of using ipods, then go the Mac route.
If your project is based on pdas, then go the Windows route.
And be prepared to purchase a souped-up pc with high-end graphics card to handle conversions between formats as required!

Lights:
A budget guide to lighting with some nice background info thrown in: http://www.exposure.co.uk/eejit/light/
If you have an AV department, they may have lights you can borrow. On-board camera lights may not 'reach' far enough in a classroom situation, although they would be sufficient for an interview situation. If planning to use these, make sure you've purchased a camera with an Active Hot Shoe. This allows you to attach the light to the top of the camera, and will 'talk' to the camera, allow control of the light from the camera. It will also get its power from the camera.
Cold shoes allow you to attach stuff on top, but these attachments will have to be powered by batteries, making the camera that much heavier or bulkier to handle if not on a tripod. You will also need to have a lot of spare batteries!

Audio:
If you buy a wireless lavalier mic, you can easily record someone talking on your laptop (with audio in) or pc in the classroom, especially if you have software like Audacity already installed. You clip the tie mic on to their clothes and they hook the sender on to their belt clip. Then you attach the receiver to your pc audio in jack, do a test on your mp3 recording software and away you go. (If a student asks a question in class, always ask the tutor to repeat the question so it's heard on the recording!)I recently bought one off ebay for £7 so watch this space for quality tests. ;-) If you want to record straight to a portable device, how about the lavalier mic, an ipod and an ipod mic adapter (http://tinyurl.com/24xuzt)? The ipod recorder attachment is ok if you are holding the mp3 recorder to your face, but if you want to slip it in your pocket and have a discreet mic clipped on to your top, then this is probably a good setup.

This is a mega-long post. Sorry! If I've got any of it wrong, I'm sure I'll find out in the
next few days!