AfterHours.Party

1. AfterHours.global discussion 8/21 7:30 am
– Diogo from Barcelona Spain discusses his tiny SAV spectrum analyzer and how he uses it for radio frequency analysis
– He shows the different modes and features of the device and how he uses it for his work coordinating frequencies for events like music festivals
2. Ham radio discussion
– The participant and others discuss amateur radio and ham radio licenses http://repeater.org
– They mention all-star link, a network that connects amateur radio repeaters at allstarlink.org
3. Audio quality
– At some points, the participant’s audio cuts out when he switches screens
– Others provide feedback and suggestions to improve his setup, like using OBS to switch sources instead of directly in Zoom
4. Potential second hour
– Others express interest in the participant returning for a second hour to answer more questions about his work and devices

Thanks for the todays Office Hours! Here’s a summary of our conversation:

1. Super sources
– Multiple video windows composited together
– Black Magic calls it a “super source”
– Can be created in Photoshop, Keynote, PowerPoint, etc.
– Can have graphics above or below the video windows
– Graphics above make it easier to rearrange the video windows
2. Considerations when creating super sources
– Purpose of the super source
– Other elements in the frame (questions, bugs, etc.)
– Using cooler background colors to make people stand out
3. Challenges with hardware switchers
– Limited number of video windows per super source
– Difficult to animate moving super sources
– Mix Effect Pro can help
4. Advantages of software switchers
– Unlimited number of video windows
– Easier to animate and move super sources
– Potential performance issues on the computer
5. Using replicators in Motion to create looping backgrounds for super sources

I don’t know if it’s any kind of record, it doesn’t matter, but I asked a barrage of questions on Sunday. 21 total. Overboard? Probably! Will it happen again? Probably not! Paul Terry Walhus

1. 9:08:01 am Blackmagic launches free professional filming ‘Camera’ app for iPhone. How do you rate it? https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blackmagic-camera/id6449580241
2. 9:29:20 am TikTok’s US staff complain about a new internal app to track office attendance; TikTok requires most staff to be in the office three times a week from October. Trend? Comment? https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/tiktoks-rto-tool-raises-eyebrows-5474849/
3. 09:34:53 am Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott’s OpenAI-or-bust strategy rankled some staff who found their AI projects pushed aside and their resources curtailed is transforming Bing, Excel, Word, etc. What can we expect? https://twitter.com/kevin_scott
4. 9:48:38 am How do you measure “no one left behind”? https://officehours.global/join-us/about
5. 10:00:11 am Constance Grady with Vox notes that Walter Isaacson’s Elon Musk biography is a book of rigorous and dogged reportage, but lacks analysis and often ignores the moments at which Musk’s flaws scale. Do you agree? Have you or will you read this book? https://www.vox.com/culture/23872485/elon-musk-walter-isaacson-biography-review
   https://twitter.com/constancegrady
6. 10:08:57 am Your thoughts on Apple’s Wonderlust event, including the Mother Nature skit, Apple Watch, iPhone 15 lineup, the AirPods Pro 2 and iPhone 15 Pro Max. https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/09/15/apples-iphone-15-apple-watch-event—-what-we-loved-and-didnt
7. 10:21:29 am An ai photo app gives you a “perfect photos” of yourself. Would you like to look “perfect”? https://petapixel.com/2023/09/07/new-ai-photo-app-aims-to-give-users-perfect-pictures-of-themselves/
8. 10:24:22 am When I think about telling people outside of Office Hours that I’m “producer” I hesitate a little because I may be giving myself too much credit? Is producer the best way to phrase it? https://screencraft.org/blog/understanding-feature-producer-credits/
9. 10:34:21 am Any tips or pointers on installing MacOS Sonoma? How would you set it up as a dual boot from an external drive? https://www.macworld.com/article/671172/how-to-update-macos.html
10. 10:41:35 am With 0-days hitting Chrome, iOS, and dozens more this month, is no software safe? https://arstechnica.com/security/2023/09/with-0-days-hitting-chrome-ios-and-dozens-more-this-month-is-no-software-safe/
11. 10:44:46 am Can there be a mechanism where the questioner provides the graphics as part of the question, that sort of happens with urls already but could it be systematized so it happens regularly? https://blog.airsquirrels.com/how-to-share-your-iphone-ipad-android-or-tablet-screen-in-a-zoom-meeting
12. 10:45:29 am Olga Kharif of Bloomberg notes that one year after Ethereum’s Merge, developers approve a change to slow down staking, which has emerged as one of a few reliable ways to earn returns in crypto. Just what are they talking about? https://fortune.com/2023/09/16/ethereum-developers-slow-staking-source-of-reliable-crypto-returns/
13. 10:47:38 am Lifting the Veil, Behind the Scenes of Ehrengard is a behind the scenes view of the sets and costumes of Ehrengard. What are other great “behind the scenes” films? This was just released on Netflix. Highly recommend! Must watch Ehrengard! https://www.netflix.com/title/81702546 See footnote.
14. 10:48:19 am Can you demonstrate some exercises to do while sitting in a chair? https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/activity/chair-based-exercises/5-more-chair-based-exercises https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/strength-and-flexibility-exercises/sitting-exercises/
15. 10:50:13 am A look at the proliferation of pirated movies and TV shows on TikTok, posted as small clips by accounts that don’t appear to make any money from the content. Discuss. https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/tiktok-movies-1.6874102
16. 10:50:32 am Where’s the best place in Northern Cal, Oregon, Washington, or British Columbia to work from home and stay fit? Or would you be better off in the South, Midwest or ? https://www.earthtrekkers.com/best-places-to-work-remotely-in-the-usa/
    https://www.kumospace.com/blog/best-cities-for-remote-work
17. 10:51:20 am Will AI kill us? Can it be regulated? What about China?
    https://a16z.com/ai-will-save-the-world/
18. 10:51:37 am Will you experience CloudWorld On Air for free and catch keynotes, sessions, and Oracle TV with interactive live streams and on-demand content? Or will you just go to Vegas and see it IRL? https://www.oracle.com/cloudworld/
19. 10:51:55 am Ashlee Vance / Bloomberg takes a look at D Billions, a network of YouTube channels run by Kyrgyzstan-based media company AWA and which got billions of views by teaching kids words via songs Talk about it. Comment. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-15/d-billions-youtube-is-a-made-in-kyrgyzstan-hit-kids-show
20. 10:52:20 am Meta is finally bringing Horizon Worlds out of virtual reality. The 3D social platform has previously been exclusive to its VR headsets, but Meta announced on Thursday that Horizon Worlds is starting to roll out on mobile and the web in early access. https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/14/23873820/meta-horizon-worlds-mobile-web-vr-early-access-release
21. 10:52:46 am Do you recommend the LG 28MQ780-B 28 Inch SDQHD (2560 x 2880) Nano IPS DualUp Monitor with Ergo Stand, DCI-P3 98% (Typ.) with HDR10, USB Type-C (90W PD) – Black at $617. https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/lg-28mw70-dualup-monitor

1. New products from various companies at IBC:
– Tilta launched a new follow focus system called the Nano 2.
– Canon released a new IP1000 PTZ controller with support for controlling up to 200 cameras.
– ZCAM launched the M5G camera with 5K resolution, global shutter, and high frame rates up to 116 fps.
– Aperture launched new solar-powered LED panels that are only 1 inch thick and IP66 rated.
– Moses showcased their StarTracer system for camera tracking.
– Skaarhoj demonstrated their RCP Pro remote control panel for controlling Sony FX6 and FX9 cameras.
– Vmix announced new features like improved layer mixer, Av1 encoding support, and Zoom integration.
– AJA launched new Dante AV 4K transmitters and receivers for sending and receiving 4K video over Dante networks.
– Central Control released a new cross-platform version that runs on Linux and MacOS in addition to Windows.
– Xkeys showcased their new modular control panels and fader modules.
2. Key themes:
– Remote and virtual production technologies like camera tracking, virtual backgrounds, and IP-based video transmission.
– Interoperability between products from different manufacturers.
– The value of seeing products in person to understand their capabilities and limitations.

1. Calvin Roberts’ background
– Started out shooting documentaries in the newsreel era
– Worked as a freelance cinematographer shooting for networks in the 1970s
– Has shot footage in many conflict zones and war zones around the world like Cambodia, Burma, Philippines, Libya
– Has trained and worked with local film crews in places like Rwanda, China, and Mexico
– Has shot for projects like Ultraviolet and Star Wars Episode 3
2. Challenges of shooting in the past
– Equipment was bulky and difficult to carry
– Had to rely on film which was expensive and difficult to process on location
3. Benefits of modern technology
– Equipment like DSLRs and smartphones provide much higher image quality but are smaller and easier to use
– Digital storage and processing makes it easier to shoot and manage footage on location
4. Examples of Calvin’s work
– Documentaries for news networks
– Footage from conflict zones showing military operations and local people

Questions for Office Hours Panel – see Mukana

Two new iCloud plans launch on September 18. “Somewhat remarkably, the in-person crowd of more than 300 Apple acolytes and members of the global press were more enthused by the new iCloud tiers than they were by the iPhones’ new USB-C port” https://www.wired.com/story/apple-60-dollar-icloud-storage-tier-is-the-future

What’s the best strategy for upgrading a maxed out iPhone 14 Pro Max to an iPhone 15 Pro Max? Carrier like Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Visible, Mint Mobile. Or Apple via shipping or Apple Store? https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/09/15/compared-iphone-upgrade-program-vs-carrier-installment-plans

Where’s the best place in Northern Cal, Oregon, Washington, or British Columbia to work from home and stay fit? Or would you be better off in the South, Midwest or ?

Alaskans, stay in Alaska. People in the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest, sit tight. Scientists trying to predict the consequences of climate change say that they see few havens from the storms, floods and droughts that are sure to intensify over the coming decades. But some regions, they add, will fare much better than others. Forget most of California and the Southwest (drought, wildfires). Ditto for much of the East Coast and Southeast (heat waves, hurricanes, rising sea levels). Washington, D.C., for example, may well be a flood zone by 2100, according to an estimate released last week. Instead, consider Anchorage. Or even, perhaps, Detroit. “If you do not like it hot and do not want to be hit by a hurricane, the options of where to go are very limited,” said Camilo Mora, a geography professor at the University of Hawaii and lead author of a paper published in Nature last year predicting that unprecedented high temperatures will become the norm worldwide by 2047. “The best place really is Alaska,” he added. “Alaska is going to be the next Florida by the end of the century.” – NY Times

• Any thoughts on what Logitech just released and unabashedly calls “THE MOST FLEXIBLE “SHOW AND TELL” CAMERA 2-in-1 full HD webcam & overhead camera for creators, gamers, educators, & professionals. https://reachcamera.logi.com/
  
• Is Google’s Search Engine Smart or Sneaky? A Court Will Decide Googles search dominance is going on trial in the biggest US antitrust case since a crackdown on Big Tech that started in 2019. If you were Judge in this case, what would you decide?
  
• Can you demonstrate some exercises to do while sitting in a chair?
• Will AI kill us? Can it be regulated? What about China?
• What is the lowest end, cheapest beelink type computer and highest end, expensive beelink style computer you would use?
• Can there be a mechanism where the questioner provides the graphics as part of the question, that sort of happens with urls already but could it be systematized so it happens regularly
•  How do you measure “no one left behind”?

9/11/23 –  Office Hours today conversation covered a wide range of topics related to business communications:
– Many panelists noted that text-based communication like Slack, email, etc. is convenient but can lead to misunderstandings. Face-to-face communication is often better for complex topics.
– Nigel said the rise of text communication directly correlates with more misunderstandings in business. Text lacks the nuance and subtlety of in-person conversations.
– Panelists discussed how the tools they use for communication have changed over time, from phone systems to voicemail to email to Slack and other messaging platforms.
– John Preto talked about how when he started his company in 1990, they relied heavily on phone systems. But over time, employees started using personal phones and email more.
– Panelists recommended picking up the phone or meeting in person when text communication isn’t working well.

It was an “off day” for questions for me. I was busy buying a new home and selling an old condo.

Paul Walhus (Austin Texas)wal hus (Austin Texas atx)Ans: 9:23:45 AM
Ask: 8:15:42 AM[General Questions] What’s the difference between a YouTube show that grows slowly and one that is an instant sensation?

Paul Walhus (Austin Texas)wal hus (Austin Texas atx)Ans: 9:56:13 AM
Ask: 8:17:22 AM[General Questions] Research: ChatGPT uses an estimated 500ml of water for every five to 50 prompts; Microsoft disclosed the company’s water use spiked. Should we be concerned?