I’m currently consulting in a Windows environment. I love using the web development, and designs tools on OSX, so I didn’t want to give that up. Since I’m 100% OSX, dual boot is not a good option for me. I already use VirtualBox for browser testing so I wanted to see if I could make use ... Read more]]> Posted in Articles

I’m currently consulting in a Windows environment. I love using the web development, and designs tools on OSX, so I didn’t want to give that up. Since I’m 100% OSX, dual boot is not a good option for me. I already use VirtualBox for browser testing so I wanted to see if I could make use of it, but still do my development on OSX. After @amirrajan helped me set up all the Windows environment foo on my VM, I started working to see if I could hit that server running on VirtualBox. After a lot of Google foo and browsing bad posts I found a solution that worked for me. Here it is:

Shut down your VM.

Right click on the VM and go to settings > Network. Change  the network adapter “Attached to:” from NAT to “Bridged Adapter”. I have mine connected to the Ethernet port. Save and start back up your VM.

Open the command line on your VM and run “ipconfig”. Get the IP address.

Got to finder and connect to server.

Type in smb://YOUR_IP_HERE

Now that you’re connected and your server is running on the VM try and hit that ip in your favorite browser.

If that doesn’t get you there make sure your firewall is turned off on the VM.

I am using Mac TeamPrise in terminal to check in and out my files. I just have Windows VM running the server and refreshing the build every time I make a change on my Mac. It’s working pretty smoothly so far thanks to @amirrajan for getting up a watcher on windows to refresh my build and setting up my environment!

It’s that time again. 2010 is winding down and 2011 just around the corner. Every year I give a rundown of my favorite movies, tv series, and of course video games. Check out my 2007, 2008, and 2009 picks. Personally this year held some major changes. I used less free time for entertainment and more ... Read more]]> Posted in ReviewsVideo Games

It’s that time again. 2010 is winding down and 2011 just around the corner. Every year I give a rundown of my favorite movies, tv series, and of course video games. Check out my 2007, 2008, and 2009 picks. Personally this year held some major changes. I used less free time for entertainment and more time to spend with my 1 year old. WIth that being said I didn’t get a chance to play too many video games this year. However I will go ahead a weigh in on the best of the bunch from my perspective. Here they are in no particular order.

Movies

Inception

This movie is this years great cinematic achievement. Great Plot, and incrediable soundtrack! This story and idea is an instant classic.

Plot: Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime…More on IMDB

The Social Network

On a fall night in 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programming genius Mark Zuckerberg sits down at his computer and heatedly begins working on a new idea. In a fury of blogging and programming, what begins in his dorm room soon becomes a global social network and a revolution in communication. A mere six years and 500 million friends later, Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in history… but for this entrepreneur, success leads to both personal and legal complications….More on IMDB

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Dark. Moving. The best of the series! I can’t wait till part 2.

Plot: Voldemort’s power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to finish Dumbledore’s work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. But little hope remains for the Trio, and the rest of the Wizarding World, so everything they do must go as planned….More on IMDB

Toy Story 3

This movies is hilarious, and yet strikes a deep emotional cord. Great movie in any category!

Woody, Buzz and the whole gang are back. As their owner Andy prepares to depart for college, his loyal toys find themselves in daycare where untamed tots with their sticky little fingers do not play nice. So, it’s all for one and one for all as they join Barbie’s counterpart Ken, a thespian hedgehog named Mr. Pricklepants and a pink, strawberry-scented teddy bear called Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear to plan their great escape…More on IMDB

True Grit

Following the murder of her father by hired hand Tom Chaney, 14-year-old farm girl Mattie Ross sets out to capture the killer. To aid her, she hires the toughest U.S. marshal she can find, a man with “true grit,” Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn. Mattie insists on accompanying Cogburn, whose drinking, sloth, and generally reprobate character do not augment her faith in him. Against his wishes, she joins him in his trek into the Indian Nations in search of Chaney. They are joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, who wants Chaney for his own purposes. The unlikely trio find danger and surprises on the journey, and each has his or her “grit” tested…More on IMDB

TV Shows

The Walking Dead

Almost as good as the comic…almost. Great series, short, but intense. Season 2 already has the green light!

Waking up in an empty hospital after weeks in a coma, County Sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) finds himself utterly alone. The world as he knows it is gone, ravaged by a zombie epidemic. The Walking Dead tells the story of the weeks and months that follow after the apocalypse. Based on Robert Kirkman’s hugely successful and popular comic book series, AMC’s new original series, The Walking Dead, premieres with a 90-minute episode on Halloween night: Oct. 31 at 10/9c. Written and executive produced by three-time Academy® Award-nominee Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile), who also directs the pilot, and executive produced by Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator, Aliens), the series debuts during AMC Fearfest, the network’s annual blockbuster marathon of thriller and horror films….More on AMC

True Blood

The third season loosely follows the plot of the novel Club Dead, which finds Sookie teaming up with a werewolf named Alcide in Mississippi in order to track down Bill, who has been kidnapped and is being held hostage by a vampire King…more on Wikipedia

Sons of Anarchy

Days later, Gemma is hiding up north in Rogue River, Oregon with Tig, while the club tries to sort things out in Charming. The club tries to close in on Cameron’s trail, but find that he has liquidated his assets and apparently fled the country. Gemma and Tig visit Gemma’s father, Nate (Hal Holbrook) who suffers from dementia. At the end of Half-Sack’s wake, masked men commit a drive-by shooting. Deputy Hale is fatally run down by the vehicle.
Having fled to Belfast with Abel, Cameron confesses his sins to his cousin Father Ashby, an intermediary between Jimmy O and the Real IRA Council. Ashby subsequently has Cameron killed, and suggests he will give Abel up for adoption.

The Sons hire a bounty hunter to try and track down Abel, and they believe he and Cameron are in Vancouver. SAMCRO has a bail hearing for the weapons charges upcoming, but they agree to jump bail. SAMCRO receives an email showing Cameron dead in Belfast…more on Wikipedia

Spartacus: Blood and Sand

Watch the story of history’s greatest gladiator unfold with graphic violence and explicit sex. This is Spartacus…more on IMDB

Lost

The sixth and final season of the American serial drama television series Lost commenced airing in the United States and Canada on February 2, 2010.[1] The sixth-season premiere was the first to climb in the ratings year-over-year since the second season, drawing 12.1 million viewers.[2] The series finale aired on May 23, 2010.[3] The finale ran two-and-a-half hours starting at 9/8c; pushing the local news back a half-hour, followed by the previously announced post-finale special, Jimmy Kimmel Live: Aloha to Lost, at 12:05 a.m.[4] The season continues the stories of the survivors of the fictional September 22, 2004 crash of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 on a mysterious island in the South Pacific. The survivors must deal with two outcomes of the detonation of a nuclear bomb on the island in the 1970s. While the on-island story continues, “flash sideways”[5] show a second timeline, in which Flight 815 never crashes…from Wikipedia

Honorable

Video Games

Mass Effect 2

This plot summary describes a non-linear game. The chronology of major events may differ. Mass Effect 2 begins in 2183, weeks after the ending of Mass Effect. On patrol to locate and destroy any remaining geth, the Normandy and its commanding officer, Commander Shepard, are attacked by an unknown starship. The ship inflicts heavy damage on the Normandy and the crew is forced to evacuate. Joker, the helmsman of the ship, continues piloting and Shepard is forced to rescue him. Before Shepard can board an escape pod with Joker, another attack by the enemy ship separates Shepard from the pod, forcing the Commander to launch the escape pod to save Joker. A subsequent explosion blows Shepard away from the ship and debris slices through Shepard’s suit, causing the Commander to die in the vacuum whilst entering a nearby planet’s atmosphere.

With the help of Liara T’Soni, one of Shepard’s former associates who survived the attack on the Normandy, Shepard’s corpse is retrieved by Cerberus, an extremist pro-human organization. Over the course of two years, attempts are made to bring Shepard back to life via the Lazarus Project. Shepard awakens in 2185 aboard a Cerberus space station that is under attack. After Shepard aids Cerberus agents Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson, Shepard is granted an audience with the Illusive Man, who explains that Shepard was revived and ‘upgraded’ so that the Commander could investigate and combat a new threat. Human colonies are being attacked, and their colonists are disappearing. The Illusive Man believes this is the work of Shepard’s old enemies, the Reapers, a race of sentient machines that periodically harvest all intelligent life in the galaxy once civilization reaches a certain point….on Wikipedia

God Of War III

In the opening sequence, Kratos stands on the back of the Titan Gaia, as she and the other Titans climb Mount Olympus to assault the Gods of Olympus.
The Olympian gods launch a counter-assault, and Poseidon was killed by the combined efforts of Kratos and Gaia- his death caused the oceans to flood. Kratos and Gaia attempt to attack Zeus, but are driven back and fall down Mount Olympus. Gaia clings to the side of the mountain and refuses to save Kratos, stating he was nothing more than a pawn.
Kratos falls into the underworld, losing the Blade of Olympus. Kratos lands in the River Styx, and the souls of the underworld weaken Kratos and ruin the Blades of Athena. After exiting the river, Kratos is confronted by the spirit of Athena, who provides him with the Blades of Exile in return for his trust. After several battles, Kratos locates the Three Judges of the Underworld and the Chain of Balance that maintains the equilibrium between the Underworld, Earth, and Olympus. After a conversation with the spirit of Pandora, Kratos recovers the Blade of Olympus…on Wikipedia

Heavy Rain

The game’s prologue opens with Ethan Mars, spending his life with his family. He later loses track of one of his sons, Jason, at a busy mall. Jason is soon found, outside on the street, and Ethan jumps to try to save him from an oncoming car. Jason is killed, while Ethan is injured and falls into a coma for six months. Two years after the accident, Ethan is suffering from depression, a fear of crowds, and blackouts that last for several hours. He is estranged from his wife, and his remaining son, Shaun, is distant with him.[15] While at a park with Shaun, Ethan has another blackout, and wakes to find Shaun missing.

Shaun’s disappearance is soon tied to the serial murders of the Origami Killer. The criminal’s modus operandi is to abduct a young boy during the rainy fall season, after which their bodies are found several days later in a remote location, drowning being the cause of death, along with an origami animal figure in their hands, and an orchid on their chest. FBI profiler Norman Jayden, having come to assist the police with the Origami Killer, concludes that the child is locked in a location where, after 6 inches of rainfall, their bodies will be completely submerged and die from drowning. They realize that they have less than three days to find Shaun…on Wikipedia

Call of Duty: Black Ops

On February 25, 1968, SAD/SOG operative Alex Mason is strapped to a chair in an interrogation room. Unaware of his whereabouts, he is bombarded with questions by his unseen captors about the location of a numbers station. Most of the missions in the game are presented as flashbacks between 1961 and 1968.

In 1961, Mason, Woods, and Bowman attempt to assassinate Fidel Castro during the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba as a part of Operation 40. Mason apparently succeeds in the assassination, but their exfiltration goes awry, with Mason staying behind to protect the extraction plane. He is captured by the real Castro, having shot a double. Because of an alliance with the Soviet Union, Castro hands Mason over to General Nikita Dragovich. Mason is then held captive at Vorkuta Gulag for two years. During his imprisonment, Mason befriends Viktor Reznov, a former Red Army soldier. Reznov recounts to Mason the identities of those involved in Mason’s torture: Dragovich, Lev Kravchenko (his right-hand man) and Friedrich Steiner, an ex-Nazi scientist who defected to the Soviet Union. All three share a connection to Reznov: in October 1945, Reznov, Dragovich, Kravchenko, and Dimitri Petrenko were a part of a unit sent to locate Steiner, hiding with a unit of the SS in the Arctic Circle. During the operation, Reznov was betrayed by Dragovich, who used Steiner’s creation, a nerve agent known as “Nova-6″ on Petrenko. Reznov was spared the same fate when British commandos attacked the Russians. During the confusion, he destroys Nova-6. However, it was later recreated by Steiner and a British scientist named Daniel Clarke for the Soviets. Shortly afterward, Reznov is imprisoned in Vorkuta. Mason and Reznov spark a prisoner uprising to escape the gulag, but only Mason escapes…on Wikipedia

Red Dead Redemption

In the year 1911, John Marston, a retired outlaw formerly of a gang led by Dutch Van Der Linde, is taken away from his wife Abigail and his son Jack by government agents. The agents tell Marston that his family will be safely returned to him if he hunts down the remaining lead members of his former gang. Left with no choice, Marston travels to the territory of New Austin to capture or kill one of his old friends, Bill Williamson, who now runs his own gang of bandits out of Fort Mercer. Marston confronts Williamson at the fort, only to be shot and left for dead outside the fort. A rancher, Bonnie MacFarlane, finds him wounded, and brings him to a doctor to be treated.

After recovering from his wounds several days later, Marston begins repaying the MacFarlanes for their help. At the same time, he recruits help for a plan to attack Fort Mercer. Along with U.S Marshal Leigh Johnson of Armadillo, con man Nigel West Dickens, grave robber Seth Briars and drunken arms dealer, Irish, Marston uses a Trojan Horse strategy to breach the fort and massacre Williamson’s gang, only to find that Williamson had already fled to Mexico to seek help from Javier Escuella, another member of Marston’s old gang. Irish offers to take Marston into Mexico over the river border…on Wikipedia

Honorable

With the year winding down and 2010 just around the corner we are all looking back on our life in 2009. Many of us will set out to make changes and reflect on what was good about 2009. What better to reflect on other than great films, video games, and television. I did this last ... Read more]]> Posted in ReviewsVideo Games

With the year winding down and 2010 just around the corner we are all looking back on our life in 2009. Many of us will set out to make changes and reflect on what was good about 2009. What better to reflect on other than great films, video games, and television. I did this last year and I now think I will make it a tradition. Here they are in no particular order.

Movies

Moon

Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet’s power problems. via: IMDB

District 9

An extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology. full summary >

Star Trek

A chronicle of the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members. full summary >

Avatar

A paraplegic marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home. full summary >

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

As Harry Potter begins his 6th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he discovers an old book marked mysteriously “This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince” and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort’s dark past. full summary >

Inglourious Basterds

I had to throw this one in.

In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. full summary >

Video Games

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Five years after the events of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Russia is in political turmoil once again. Vladimir Makarov, a brutal leader and former associate of Imran Zakhaev, has set in motion a series of events that will threaten global security. After a series of vicious terrorist attacks, the situation is deemed dangerous enough for Task Force 141, led by Captain Soap MacTavish and Co., to be deployed all around the world, attempting to track down Makarov and restore peace. Written by David C. and callofduty.wikia.com

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Intrepid adventurer Nathan Drake seeks to uncover the mysteries surrounding Marco Polo’s missing ships.

Assassin’s Creed II

The game continues shortly after the events of Assassin’s Creed, where, in 2012, Desmond Miles (Nolan North) is still a prisoner at Abstergo Industries after searching the memories of his ancestor, the Assassin, Altaïr, in the Animus. Abstergo, the modern-day equivalent of the Knights Templar, had been using Desmond to locate powerful out-of-place artifacts called “Pieces of Eden”….More on Wikipedia

Killzone 2

Killzone 2 follows the events of Killzone and Killzone: Liberation, and is set entirely on the planet Helghan, the home-world of the Helghast who invaded an Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) colony. Two years after the Helgast assault on Vehkta, the I.S.A. had launched an assault on the enemy’s homeworld of Helghan….Read more on Wikipedia.

Left 4 Dead 2

Like Left 4 Dead, the sequel involves the aftermath of an apocalyptic pandemic. There has been an outbreak of a rabies-like pathogen that causes infected humans to behave like zombies. The four survivors have to fight their way through the hordes of infected, using safehouses along the way to rest and recover, in order to reach extraction points…More on Wikipedia

Television

Lost

After a mysterious and bloody airplane crash, 48 survivors are left stranded on a Pacific Island… miles off course. It soon becomes apparent that they will not have to cope only with the forces of nature, but with the island’s secrets, including the Dharma Initiative, the ‘Lost Numbers’, the “others” (or hostiles) and the strange black smoke- to name a few. There is also much more than meets the eye, as it becomes apparent that everyone is connected in some way and that everyone has a purpose to live on the island… and for some, to die.

Dexter

During the day, Dexter Morgan is a jovial employee in the Miami Metropolitan Police Department’s crime lab, but his meticulously crafted life masks his true nature. In reality Dexter is a disciplined and murderous psychopath (a self-admitted “monster”), and he slakes his blood lust at night by carefully killing the serial killers he tracks down during the day. Based on the novels (Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Dearly Devoted Dexter and Dexter in the Dark) by Jeff Lindsay. Written by Clenching Teeth Toast Guy

True Blood

The series follows Sookie Stackhouse, a barmaid living in Louisiana who can read people’s minds, and how her life is turned upside down when the Vampire Bill, walks into her place of employment two years after vampires ‘came out of the coffin’ on national television. Written by Tommy Stewart

Fringe

The FBI teams up with a formerly-institutionalized scientist – who was performing experiments on the fringe of real science – and his son to investigate weird crimes that are seemingly part of a larger pattern, and may be connected with a global company called massive Dynamics. Written by Ron Kerrigan {mvg@whidbey.com}

Curb Your Enthusiasm

He’s got it all: a loving wife, good friends, a successful career, a great home..what could possibly go wrong for Larry David? Seinfeld co-creator Larry David stars as himself in this hilarious, off-kilter comedy series that presents an unflinching, self-depreciating depiction of his life.

I love taking pictures. The only problem is that I take so many and I don’t have the time to edit them. When I do find the time I really enjoy using all the great software and digging in. Here are some of the gear, and programs I use and recommend for any photography folks ... Read more]]> Posted in Reviews

I love taking pictures. The only problem is that I take so many and I don’t have the time to edit them. When I do find the time I really enjoy using all the great software and digging in. Here are some of the gear, and programs I use and recommend for any photography folks out there.

Gear I use and love

Canon 5D MKII

I got this camera for the birth of my son and planned on incorporating it into my wedding films however for me it has turned out to be so much better than I expected that I end up using it almost everyday. Photos, and video look amazing on this guy.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8

While Canon makes great lenses you don’t have to only buy Canon lenses to get great quality. I use this lens as my walk around lens. It is a very sharp lens and the colors I get are really awesome.

Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR ZL Di LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8

It’s cheap and it takes great photos. I tell friends all the time who want to get into photography on a dime to get a decent camera body only and pick up this lens to start. I also think prime lenses are great lenses to learn on. It’s just easier to understand apature, ISO, and shutter when you only have to deal with one focal length.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens

Timer Remote (intervalometer)

I really love making time lapse videos. Tom at Timescapes really does the best time lapse videos I’ve seen. I wanted to get into this, but again I’m cheap and have a newborn so I didn’t want to through down a wad of cash for something I wont use very often. I found this remote via Joe Simon who gave a big recommendation for it. It works just as good as it’s more expensive brothers but it is very reasonable.

JJC TM-A LCD Timer Remote Shutter

Tamrac 3385 Photo/Laptop Backpack

I picked up this bag almost 2 years ago when I went on vacation to Hawaii. I wanted a backpack so we could do some hiking. I also wanted this to be my carry on so I needed it to hold a laptop as well. This backpack was great for that. It has all the storage I need for my camera, with extra room for any other camera gear and electronics. The laptop area was a no brainier. I’ve had this for 2 years now. I’ve been on hikes in Colorado with it as well and it has been great. The shoulder supports are nice and comfortable.

Tamrac 3385 Aero Speed Pack 85 Dual Access Photo/Laptop Backpack (Black)

Gary Fong Lightsphere

I avoid using flash like the plague, but there are lots of time where you absolutely need it. The Lightsphere is the key to making your flash photos look much better.

Gary Fong LSUSTART Lightsphere Universal Starter Kit

Orbis Ring Flash

Another cheap alternative to the more expensive ring flashes is the Orbis ring flash. I actully only use it for a funky effect on portrait photography. I love the halo look it give you as well as the blight highlights you can see in someones eyes.

Orbis Ring Flash Attachment, for Use with Existing Flash / Strobe,

Programs

Lightroom 2

A must for any photographer out there. Lightroom makes it easy to quickly edit lots of photos with really great results. For a typical wedding could I end up with around 1000+ images. I usually go through those and grind them down to around 100-150 great ones. Then I can easily adjust the 100+ photos really quickly in Lightroom. I have control over just about everything in a photo, including adding masks, spot removal, and brush. If they added filters, it could almost be a direct replacement for Photoshop.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

Photoshop CS4

Unfortunately we just can’t get around it. Photoshop is still the best photo editor around. My work flow is initial adjustments in Lightroom. In Lightroom I’ll get the photo looking very good but not overly saturated or contrasty. Then with one click I’ll open that photo in Photoshop and start doing some real work. Nothing much really to say here. Photoshop is a must have.

Adobe Photoshop CS4 [Mac]

Totally Rad Actions

Totally Rad Actions are a set of actions presets for Photoshop. They are the essential editing tool photographers have in their bad to turn good photos into unbelievable ones. Almost every photographer I know uses them. No matter what kinda of photographer you are their is an effect or look for you. And what is the most cool part about TRA is the fact that any look you can dream of is possible. You start with one, add another one, then another one, tweak all the settings and you’ve got a look that no one has. Another cool part is they run an awesome recipes website, where anyone can submit a photo and the recipe they used to achieve it. That makes it super easy for you to pick out an effect you like and try to replicate it on your photos with out really knowing exactly what each effect does. Great for TRA beginners.

GetTotallyRad.com/

iPhone

TiltShift Generator

Hey we can’t always lug around our DSLR’s. Sometimes were stuck using what ever we got on us. For me it’s my iPhone. TiltShift Generator makes taking photos on the iPhone bearable. In fact you can get some pretty great results out of this app. Just look at this flickr group. With TiltShift you can add a gradulated blur or tilt shift effect and control the settings all through touch. Then play with the contrast saturation and brightness.

Download TiltShift Generator

Pano

This is a really fun app and again you can get some pretty sweet results through this app. I found it most definitely works best on landscapes and not so well on close up panos. You won’t want to use this to create a virtual tour pano. Just snap a photo, then line up the corner of the previous photo with then next one and snap again. After you’ve captured the entire area you wanted pano stitches the photos together, pretty seamlessly. From what I can see pano will automatically adjust each photos brightness so sky’s, and the stitch seem is invisible.

Download Pano

Tips & Tricks

Lightroom Presets

With great presets like these you almost don’t even need to launch Photoshop. mcg studios Lightroom Presets For more presets like these do a search on Adobe Marketplace Exchange for Lightroom Presets.

Textures

I found this site beacuse they give away alot of great assest for web design. However they also offer tons of free textures with can be used in your photography to make your photos dirty. Check out BittBox.

Tutorials

Here are a couple of good resources for photo editing. First begin Digital Photography School and their tut over sharpening in Lightroom. This site is also another great source for all things photography. If your looking for advanced tutorials over Photoshop and Lightroom, check out PhotoWalkThrough.com

In this run down I am going to go over what it takes to share this content freely through my house with no fuss. If you didn’t check out my post on the nuts and bolts of my system, check that out first. That post explains the wiring and how everything is ... Read more]]> Posted in AppleHome TheaterReviews

The Basics

In this run down I am going to go over what it takes to share this content freely through my house with no fuss. If you didn’t check out my post on the nuts and bolts of my system, check that out first. That post explains the wiring and how everything is connected. This post will tackle the software.

What I’m Streaming

Content gets distributed through network. The content I am sharing is pretty standard, its HD videos, photos, and music. I access this content via two different methods. The first method being the Xbox360 & PS3, and the second being Boxee.

The Nitty Gritty

We are an all Mac household, so If you’re on a PC you’re 360 connection solutions should be much easier. Since Xbox 360 is built by Microsoft it is set up out of the box to play nice with Windows, not the Mac. The 360 does not connect to my Macs by default. Thus lies the first problem with streaming video content from the Mac to the 360.

Connect360

Connect 360 is a third party app that makes the 360 play nice with my Mac. It is a very simple application that only makes minutes to set up (depending on your network configuration). I have also heard many people mention Rivet (but I have never tried them myself). If you’re using a PS3 try out Medialink. All these applications get us about halfway there, as you should be able to see the media on your 360 now and access it.

The Content

This next section mainly concerning video content as music these days is mostly DRM free and should play just fine on your 360. I’ll assume you already have video content on your computer. If you’re looking for content ideas stay tuned for part 3. Sharing video files can be a bag of hurt if you have the wrong file type, codec, bit rate, etc. These are the settings I use to get my stuff up and running on my 360′s. The 360′s should be able to stream H.264, DIVX, XVID, MOV, AVI, WMV, ASF. Check the Xbox support site for more details and limitations on each file type. If your video doesn’t meet the specific criteria for playback, you will have to get all fancy pants and convert your video files. If you have a video format other than MKV skip to the Visualhub section, else keep reading or (If (videoFormat != MKV) { $(‘.VisualHub’).show(); } else { $(‘.nextSection’).show(); }; //he he he).

MKV Files

MKV files were the trickiest files for me to wrap my head around. MKV files, like most video types, are just wrappers for your standard video and audio files. These MKV files are not supported by the 360 and will not play by default. You will need to convert your content to one of the supported formats listed above to play it on the 360. I use awesome application called MKVtools. It takes the guess work out of converting your files for the 360. Select the device: "Xbox 360", video: "Pass Thru", and audio: acc. I use "Pass Thru" to give me the original video quality. The conversion is fast and works pretty much without a hitch. If you buy the full version MKVtools allows batch conversion, which is a really great feature. However, if you’re trying to convert a movie you’ll be out of luck with this application. MKVtools has trouble with files longer than an hour or more.

VisualHub

VisualHub is the Swiss army knife for video conversion. Unfortunately VisualHub is no longer supported or sold. If you don’t have a copy check out VideoMonkey which is trying to become the Open Source answer for VisualHub as it uses much of the same source code. Another option is HandBreak to which I speak to below. For those of us lucky to still have VisualHub: you can simply drop your movie into the queue, select MP4, select "go nuts", go to advanced options, select at max bit-rate of "3600", and convert away. I have found this is the optimal settings for streaming movies to the 360. It is a fine science however, so you may have to tweak the settings every now and again for certain encodes. I use "3600" as my bit-rate as anything higher seems to cause major problems for the stream and in some cases won’t even play.

HandBrake

HandBrake was originally a DVD ripper/converter. It would take your DVD and rip it to many different formats. Today it’s the same program but now it has built in presets to help you convert easier. Also you can now load videos such as 3GP, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOD, MOV, MP4, MPG, and WMV. Select the 360 preset and start converting. Even with the presets selected you can still muddle around with the settings to get optimal performance. I love this program. It is heavily supported and they add stability and features with every update.

Video Exhaustion

Getting your content to the 360 can be more than a little time consuming. However, with the right tools you can view almost any video on your 360. I have a wired gigabit connection from my computer to my 360′s so it makes streaming HD video a breeze. If you are new to this whole video from the internet idea you will be interested in part 3 which will deal with getting content on your computer.

UPDATE Part 2 is here!!!

My wife and I host a Super Bowl Party every year. Each year the party seems to get bigger and bigger. I get a lot of questions at and after the party regarding my set up. “How do I do this”, type of questions. I thought it would be great to ... Read more]]> Posted in Home TheaterReviews

UPDATE Part 2 is here!!!

My wife and I host a Super Bowl Party every year. Each year the party seems to get bigger and bigger. I get a lot of questions at and after the party regarding my set up. “How do I do this”, type of questions. I thought it would be great to write up a detailed guide on how I set everything up. Let me give you a quick run down of what I have and what I wanted to accomplish. My system as a whole is very cheap, but I get a lot of bang for my buck. Here’s what I got; I have U-Verse, featuring the Total Home DVR system, but I also have a large collection of DVD’s that I have started to backup. I wanted this content on all my TV’s. I have a Projector, a Plasma, and Projection LCD. Ara from the HTGuys podcast chose to make Mac Mini’s the heart of his set up. Xbox 360′s are at the heart of my set up.

Visual Wiring Guide

First off I want to apologize for everything sounding very elementary, I wanted this to be easily understandable to everyone. Let me also say that the wiring diagram does not include surround sound wiring, nor does it include the wiring for my U-Verse setup. However, the surround sound wiring is pretty straight forward, I just ran the wires through the walls and out through the celling. The U-Verse part simply used my existing cable wiring and phone lines to connect the U-Verse system. All of the cables and wires were purchased from monoprice.com. If you are buying cables anywhere else, STOP. I opted for a wired connection to most of my devices I stream to. All of the ethernet wires are run through the wall, so there is no mess.

Media Room

As you can see in my wiring guide, I have a Dell 2400MP projector and an 80″ homemade screen. The screen itself is MDF with several coats of primer and paint. The surrounding frame is painted flat black and wrapped in felt. The screen is very smooth and I get great results. I am about to add some ScreenGoo to give me even more contrast. I have a 360, a PS3, and U-Verse box all using component and optical cables. These cables run into a switcher which allows me to easily have multiple devices on one input. The Harmony 520 remote makes it easy to press one button and have everything turn on. These remotes are cheap, easy to use, and I have one in every room. The optical out from the switch connects to my surround sound system. I can stream Netflix movies, and access content on my computer, all through the Xbox 360. Not to mention playing Gears of War 2 on an 80″ screen is not too shabby either. I can also access most of the same content on the PS3, but I primarily use it as a Blu-Ray player.

Living Room

There is not as many wires running through the walls in this room. I got a 52″ Panasonic Projection LCD couple of years ago, and it only has 1 HDMI input. I have an HDMI switch that takes care of the multiple inputs for me and handles all the switching. This is the most complicated part about this system as I have my U-Verse DVR and Sony Blu-Ray player both running into the the switch. The optical runs out of the TV and connects to my surround sound system. If I want to stream from my computer, I just hook up the MacBook to HDMI switch and fire up Boxee. Boxee is a great media center program that also gives me access to my content as well as other great content available on the internet (I’ll talk more about it in Part 2). Again, this is all controlled with 1 Harmony Remote. This room is my only room that is wireless. I was worried about the streaming ability of the wireless connection, but to my surprise it works just as good though.

Bed Room

This room has the least going on. I have an awesome wife that bought me a second 360 for valentines day. This 360 is primarily used for streaming my content, and streaming Netflix movies. This is a great way to add media center like functionality with very little cost. This 360 is the arcade unit, and it also has HDMI built right in. If I want to play games I just pop my 360 hard-drive from my other 360 in, and start playing. The 360 and my U-Verse receiver are running into another HDMI switcher. It is all being controlled by a Harmony Remote.

Baby’s Room

This room is my project room. I have got and old Dell lying around, so I loaded Ubuntu on it (Windows is outlawed) and loaded up Boxee. I also have a PowerMac G4 that I’m not using. I might end up swapping the Dell with the Mac. I have a 19″ monitor hanging on the wall. We will use this as a TV for that room. Again this is my project room, so things will probably change several more times before the baby comes, but I enjoy figuring out solutions.

The Office

The office is the central hub for this little setup. The content on my network is being shared from my MacPro. Again, the direct connection to the AirPort Extreme makes it easy for me to share 1080P videos over the network with ease. I wanted to have all the devices that I don’t need to see, well outta sight. So all of the network devices are in the closet. I have room in the closet, so I can continue to add pieces to the mix and have space for them.

What I want to add next

Of course one of the first things I want to upgrade is my surround sound systems. I am partial to Onkyo, and I want a 7 speaker surround sound system with multiple HDMI inputs. Next I want to pick up a sound bar system for my bedroom. I really don’t want to deal with surround sound speakers and wires in the bedroom, so a sound-bar is really tempting. One of the next big items I am going to add to the house is speakers in every room of the house. This would be great to play my iTunes library over the entire house. My plan is to place the main receiver in the office closet, but I still haven’t figured out exactly what I need and how much control I need in each room. If anyone wants to weigh in, feel free. The baby’s room is going to eventually contain a webcam that is always running. That way we can easily video monitor the baby through our computers. I might end up adding a MacMini to that room to make it easier for a much cleaner solution. However I still haven’t decided between using a webcam/iChat, or an IP network camera solution.

Conclusion

Using 360′s are great ways to extend media center functionality on your network without costing an arm and a leg. If you shop right and do all the wiring yourself, then you can have a system like mine for a small price too. For example I only paid around 2400 for everything in my media room.

Part 2 is coming soon here. In part 2 I will discuss the software I use for video sharing, conversion, torrenting, and network configurations. Questions? Add a comment below or send me an email.

I’ve been digging on some great site designs that I wanted to share. These sites are so well done, they really make me want to start on a new design and feature set. Enjoy some design inspiration.

Alex Buga has got a great sense of style, but what I like most about it is ... Read more]]> Posted in ReviewsWeb Design

I’ve been digging on some great site designs that I wanted to share. These sites are so well done, they really make me want to start on a new design and feature set. Enjoy some design inspiration.

Alex Buga

Alex Buga has got a great sense of style, but what I like most about it is the layout and how it was completely re-imagined. Full of Ajax greatness too!

Nine Lion Design

Nine Lion Design is rocking a wood based design, but the wood has depth and a sense of motion. Love the colors and the overall idea.

Black Wave Creative

Black Wave Creative has got the grunge look down. Sometimes grunge sites can be overwhelming and depressing if not done right. Black Wave Creative is not one of those sites.

45royale

45royale has great colors, but its not only the colors that make it a great site. The site is great because of the way they are using different layouts throughout the site.

Old Loft

Old Loft is just well done design met with well done coding. Kudos.

Works4Sure

Works4Sure Has a great natural feel to it. I love the paper clip and note elements.

I was watching The Totally Rad Show episode 95 where they discussed their top movies, video games, and TV shows of 2008. It seem relevant especially since the Golden Globes just happened. However I didn’t agree with all of the picks, so I wanted to weigh in on my to 5′s. So here they are, ... Read more]]> Posted in Home TheaterReviewsVideo Games

I was watching The Totally Rad Show episode 95 where they discussed their top movies, video games, and TV shows of 2008. It seem relevant especially since the Golden Globes just happened. However I didn’t agree with all of the picks, so I wanted to weigh in on my to 5′s. So here they are, my top 5 faves for Movies, Video Games, and TV shows for 2008.

Video Games

1 Gears of War 2

2 Left 4 Dead

3 Metal Gear Solid 4

4 Rock Band 2

5 Dead Space

Movies

1 Iron Man

2 Dark Knight

3 Doubt

4 Pineapple Express

5 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Movie that makes grown men turn into 5 year old sobbing girlsMarley & Me

Television

1 Lost

2 The Tudors

3 Weeds

4 Mad Men

5 Dexter

Honorable – Best TV Miniseries John Adams

More geek links for all! this week more great jQuery tutorials, some new ways you can use CSS in CSS3, WordPress galore, and several other great links mixed in for fun. If you like what you see check out my Delicious feed, as I am always running across great links.

More and more jQuery. ... Read more]]> Posted in DevelopmentReviews

More geek links for all! this week more great jQuery tutorials, some new ways you can use CSS in CSS3, WordPress galore, and several other great links mixed in for fun. If you like what you see check out my Delicious feed, as I am always running across great links.

jQuery & JavaScript

More and more jQuery. Even though I spend a good portion of the day coding in Flash, I am more interested in what can be accomplished with JavaScript without resorting to Flash.

• Mimic the iGoogle Interface with Ajax & JavaScript
• iPhone Javascript Apps
• Delay jQuery Code Execution
• jMaps, jQuery meets Google Maps
• Color Fading Menu With jQuery
• 7 jQuery Effects to Sell More Templates
• A jQuery Twitter Ticker Plugin

XHTML & CSS

I can wait until all browsers support CSS3, but untill then we’ll settle for the browsers running WebKit.

• Removing the Dotted Outline
• Make IE6 Behave Like IE7
• Old School Clock with CSS3 Rotate and jQuery

PHP

I wish I could run the world on PHP!

• 10 Advanced PHP Tips to Improve Your Programming
• Build a Backend Manager for Smooth Gallery

WordPress

Great WordPress tutorials here. Most of these I already use, but I always read a new tutorial to see if I could be doing it better.

• WordPress Using Javascript Libraries With Your Plugin or Theme
• Creating Custom Write Panels in WordPress
• Replace Your Default Gravatar with Some Meaningful Images
• Adding Form Validation to WordPress Comments Using jQuery
• Separating Trackbacks from Comments
• Highlight Author Comments WordPress
• Add Gravatars to WordPress Themes
• Adding Comment Numbers to Your WordPress Theme
• Rearrange WordPress Comments Latest On Top
• WordPress Display Comments on Main Page
• Unraveling the Secrets of WordPress comments.php File

Design

These tutorials and resources make me want to create my own font for the Star Wars universe!

• 25 Inspirational Footers
• How to Make a Hand Drawn Font
• 500+ Space Brushes for Photoshop

Misc

More geeky stuff I’m looking at. Matt Brett’s review of Dead Space, some pointers for Flash alpha channel in video, regular expressions, a little competition I’m in, and the new MetricInteractive.com.

• Matt Brett’s Review of Dead Space
• How to key out and import into Flash
• Regular Expressions Cheat Sheets
• WordPress Coolest Blog Competition, and I’m in it
• MetricInteractive.com finally launched!

Lately it seems like everyone I know is switching to the Mac. I actually kind of miss the days where I was the lone Mac evangelist in the room. However I suppose it will be a good thing in the long run that Mac adoption is up. More Mac users mean more people developing great ... Read more]]> Posted in AppleReviews

Lately it seems like everyone I know is switching to the Mac. I actually kind of miss the days where I was the lone Mac evangelist in the room. However I suppose it will be a good thing in the long run that Mac adoption is up. More Mac users mean more people developing great applications for the Mac.

In the mean time many of these new Mac owners are experiencing the joys of switching to a new OS. Several noob Mac owners have asked me the same questions lately, how do I ____, and what are some of the best Mac applications. A good place to start with how to questions is at Apple’s find out how site. They will answer most of the how to questions, but what about a run down of the best apps for your new Mac. That list is here, broken down by categories:

• Apps for everybody
• Video
• Web Development
• The World Wide Web

Apps for everybody

AppZapper

AppZapper touts itself as the uninstaller Apple forgot, and in my opinion they are correct. The idea behind OSX is that you really don’t need and uninstaller. Most of the time you can just drag the application to the trash and be done with it. However this does not always remove preference files and other hidden application files from your system. AppZapper does. Just open AppZapper select the application or drag it into AppZapper, then select zap. Then you will be greeted by a ray gun sound as the app is swiftly removed from your system. This is a must for any Mac owner from the start. AppZapper is not free, but it may be the best 12.95 you will spend on an application.

Quicksilver

“Act without doing.” Quicksilver is an app that is hard to explain in depth. They say its “A unified, extensible interface for working with applications, contacts, music, and other data.” Most users however use it as an application launcher, or as a replacement for a spotlight search. Press control space and quicksilver pops open. Then start typing the application or file you want. The results appear almost immediately. Let me give you an example. Control+Space+F+Enter opens Firefox on my computer. That would have taken me a little longer to find and open the application from the application menu or in the dock. Bottom line, this application saves you time. Quicksilver doesn’t stop at an app launcher, it can be set up to control most of your system. Check out their docs. I also use it to control iTunes with a couple of key presses. Quicksilver is free and should be on every system.

Disc Inventory X

Are you starting to run out of disc space? If your like me you ask yourself, where is all of this space going. It can be tough to figure out what is eating up space on your system, luckily Disc Inventory X makes it easy. Disc Inventory X visually displays a representation of the space taken up on your hard drive. It displays this information in little color coded boxes. Each color represents a different type of file. For example clicking on the red cube may represent an application on your system. You can click on the larger cubes to figure out what it taking up the most space. Then you can figure out if it is something you can part with. On my drive most of the space it taken up with video. I sometimes forget to delete videos I am not longer using, and Disc Inventory X makes it easy for me to find the unwanted videos and remove them. Disc Inventory X is another free app to check it out.

Carbon Copy Cloner

Carbon Copy Cloner is another app that has to do with your hard drive. If you are a good little Apple fanboy/girl then you are using Time machine on a regular basis and have no worries in the world. But what if you do do regular backups or your Time Machine backup fails? What if you want to reinstall your OS and want to make a bootable backup of your current drive? Carbon Copy Cloner can help you with all of these. I can’t tell you how many times I have had a drive start failing on me where Carbon Copy Cloner saved my life. Carbon Copy Cloner can make a perfect clone of your drive. “Clone, synchronize, backup. Schedule and forget it. Try it ’til you trust it.” Great news about it is, Carbon Copy Cloner is free.

Stuff It Expander

By default Mac OSX comes with it’s own zip/unzip software built right in. But there will come a time that you will run across an extension that you will not be able to unarchive. Trust me you will need it so go ahead and get it. StuffIt Expander can decompress files and folders in many compressed file formats, such as .rar, .sitx, .sit, .tar, .tgz, .zip and more StuffIt Expander free edition is really the one you need. If you find you need other formats and more features they offer an deluxe edition at a cost.

Video

VLC

VLC or Video LAN Client. VLC media player is a cross-platform media player and streaming server. VLC will play just about anything you though at it. It easily plays VIDEO_TS & VOB files, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg, and stranger formats like MKV files. I use it all the time to play video files in formats that wont play in QuickTime. It has a very good de-interlace and well as surround sound decoder. VLC is free so get it on all your systems.

VisualHub

VisualHub is the "universal video converter for the Macintosh." Visual hub can convert just about any video file you through at it. For example I mentioned earlier I receive MKV files from time to time. If I want to stream these files to my 360 they need to be in a format that the 360 can understand. VisualHub perfectly converts these files while keeping the quality as well as the HD resolution. VisualHub also has presets built in that make it easy to convert your video into the format you need. You can also select the option to stitch several videos together so they play as one video file. I use VisualHub daily. If you want to try out the small version for iPod check out iSquint. iSquint is free and will give you a taste of what VisualHub can do. VisualHub is $23.32 and for me has been worth the money time and time again.

Handbrake

Want to convert any DVD into a portable format. Handbrake is the application you need. Insert your DVD of home movies. Select the quality and settings you need and press start, and you will be off to the races. Just like VisualHub, Handbrake contains presets that are already configured to give you the best quality for whatever you will be viewing the video on. Some of my favorite presets are AppleTV, Xbox360, and the PSP. I recently took a trip to Hawaii, in which I converted several home movies to be played on my PSP. I have to say that the quality was amazing on the PSP. Even better than applications specifically made for the PSP. Handbreak is free and a great app.

Perian

Perian, is a great app that makes QuickTime even more useful. They call it the swiss-army knife for QuickTime. Lets face it QuickTime is a great media player, but it can’t handle all the formats and codec’s you through at it. For example DivX wont play by default in QuickTime. Perian add the ability to play more codec’s in QuickTime. Actually it is very rare that I have a video that wont play in QuickTime with the help of Perian. In those case I use VLC. Perian is a free preference pane and is something I add to every one of my Macs.

Web Development

MAMP

MAMP is the One-click-solution for setting up your personal webserver. The abbreviation MAMP stands for: Macintosh, Apache, Mysql and PHP. I use it for any WordPress local install. I have used similar systems on Windows and I have to say that MAMP is much more trouble free.With just a few mouse-clicks, you can install Apache, PHP and MySQL for Mac OS X. MAMP is free.

CSSEdit

MacRabbit, the makers of CSSEdit, make incrediable applications. If you are anything like me, a CSS nut, you will love CSSEdit. CSSEdit is by far the best CSS editor on ANY platform. I give lots of credit to CSSEdit as this program is one of the major reasons I learned CSS. The program made it easy to grab any website and play around with the CSS, and see how they did it. This way of learning helped make me the CSS guy I am today. However this program is not just for CSS noobs. It has many featured that Dreamweaver can’t hold a candle to. I have talked about it before on previous posts, the XRay and Inspector tool makes it easy to find the element you want to update and quickly edit it in real time. The preview uses web kit to give you not only a preview, but how it will actually look in Safari. CSSEdit is roughly $46.00 and is very much worth the price. Also check out Espresso coming soon from MacRabbit as well.

Cyberduck

Now that your have your site ready to go your need a great FTP client. Cyberduck is my favorite FTP/SFTP solution on the mac. Cyberduck is a powerful open source FTP and SFTP client with an easy to use interface. If you can find your way around the finder, Cyberduck should be a breeze for you. I like its easy drag and drop functionality. Cyberduck includes support for multiple FTP connections, resume-able downloads, recursive transfers, bookmarks, and folder synchronizations. It is solid and always works great for me. I recommend Cyberduck to anyone. Cyberduck again is free, one of my favorite words.

The World Wide Web

Firefox

Safari is great. It is fast and comes already on your system. However, if you want more from your web browser, try out Firefox. Firefox extensions alone are a reason enough to make the switch. The extensions give you the ability to add rich features to the browser, and customized how you like it. Firefox has extended support for key shortcuts, such as switching between tabs, live bookmarks and as well as getting a nice speed bump with each version. I did a very popular post last year about my favorite Firefox extensions that is worth a look. Firefox is free and worth a try.

NetNewsWire

Looking for an easy-to-use RSS reader for your Mac? NetNewsWire is the mac daddy of RSS feed readers. NetNewsWire has a familiar three-paned interface. The best part about NetNewsWire is that you can sync your feeds for free using NewsGator. This is great if your like me and am always on a different computer. The interface is clean and simple and comes with several themes built right in. If you want to control your look a bit more, you can create your own theme or download themes others have created from across the net. If you find yourself on a PC (heaven forbid) they have a version for that too. Keep track of all your feeds on whatever system your on. NetNewsWire is free.

Adium

Adium is all your instant messaging needs rolled up into one nice package. If you’ve used Trillian you will love Adium. Adium is an instant messaging application that can connect to AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, Jabber, ICQ, iChat, Google Talk, and more. Adium has a very simple and sleek interface. If you like to chat with several people at once, you’ll like Adium’s tabbed messaging feature. A single window can contain several conversations in separate tabs, kinda like Firefox or Safari. You can also update Adium’s functionality and appearance as there are a library of add-ons. Did I mention Adium is free?