tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9525497768007799052024-02-02T01:54:07.650-08:00Hamilton Family Las VegasThe various musings of consumer product reviews, Las Vegas family lifestyle, technology for video, humor and life in general in Las Vegas. It also represents my passions for politics, writing, filmmaking, and the Philadelphia Eagles!Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-62505649327437824722020-04-16T15:30:00.000-07:002020-04-16T15:33:01.383-07:00hello MoblogMoblog <a href="https://soo.gd/nZSP">https://soo.gd/nZSP</a>
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<br>Andrew<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-87377347126663171022020-03-29T06:15:00.000-07:002020-03-29T06:21:37.504-07:00<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.3pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Moblog<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.3pt;font-family:Tahoma'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.3pt;font-family:Tahoma'><a href="https://clck.ru/Mi7jC">https://clck.ru/Mi7jC</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.3pt;font-family:Tahoma'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.3pt;font-family:Tahoma'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.3pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Andrew<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-77125204601885514592013-05-24T18:01:00.000-07:002013-05-24T18:01:02.349-07:00Zoom H4n - Review For Use in Video Production and Field Recording AudioNot too long ago, I picked up a field recorder to improve audio captured for various random shoots. I felt inclined to thoroughly express my opinion through a review on the overall value of the Zoom H4n Recorder...<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros: Sound Quality, XLR input versatility, and some home recording functionality, not normally found on digital hand-helds like this one.</span><br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons: Small buttons, tricky double-punch-to-record function, poor battery life when utilizing 4 channel recording. VU meter reading is only activated by "single" pressing record button.</span><br /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QoXrCv-WV5EITf4GbCtV4QUqpzHaQexqy19PmhVscrVOL8GfvqepAywtFDQ0iahlwzsDP4V-gCS7FmrkwC70rN3w-JruOOz_Cd4fVxG-Rvn8xpTKSEZiysVIqrgAALpvJOgKimqSPomy/s1600/h4n_Overview_pic.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466551800358072610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QoXrCv-WV5EITf4GbCtV4QUqpzHaQexqy19PmhVscrVOL8GfvqepAywtFDQ0iahlwzsDP4V-gCS7FmrkwC70rN3w-JruOOz_Cd4fVxG-Rvn8xpTKSEZiysVIqrgAALpvJOgKimqSPomy/s320/h4n_Overview_pic.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 210px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">
The Bottom Line: </span>The H4n Digital Recorder is worth every penny I spent on it. Great audio quality in a small mobile unit along with XLR, 1/4", and 1/8" input versatility.<br /><br />
I own a <a href="http://hiproductions.com/">video production company in Las Vegas</a> and more and more we were looking for a reliable field recorder to allow us to capture professional qualitiy audio outside of the cameras we use. I also wanted a unit that could be used for a quick studio recorder with a USB interface for an editing bay. I shopped around and, on paper, the best buy for my buck looked to be the Zoom H4n. I had never purchased a Zoom product before so I was a little tentative, but once I got the H4n, I immediately began to feel comfortable with my purchase.<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Whats In The Box</span><br /><br />
When the recorder came in, I liked the combination of sturdiness and mobility. I also liked the accessories that Zoom included with the purchase. The package came with the H4n unit itself, an AC adapter, a 1GB SD Card, a mic wind screen, a mic clip adapter, a USB cable, Cubase LE recording software, and a plastic case for the H4n unit. I have seen retailers online try to pass these accessories off as their own "add ons" but don't be fooled, Zoom includes them in every box.<br />
That being said, I bought mine at an online company that included a microphone stand with boom and a 16gb SD card for the same price as what everyone else was selling just the H4n by itself. Amazon currently has the best deals on these recorders either as standalone or in kits, as you can see here:<br />
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hamiltonint02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001QWBM62&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hamiltonint02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0026HZ66I&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hamiltonint02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B003N8U1VE&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hamiltonint02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B007SO4NBI&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
<br />
My point is, take a look, there are some good packages out there where you can pick up some additional accessories at no extra cost.<br /><br />
I will run through an overall look of the Hardware itself and will incorporate pros and cons along the way:<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Hardware</span><br /><br />
As I mentioned before, this unit was a bit surprising, I've used voice digital recorders before and they were light as a feather and were built that way. I half expected the H4n to be the same but it had some girth and substance to it (for a hand held mobile recorder) yet was still about as light as some of the old school ipods.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Microphones and Mic Inputs:</span><br />
Here is the big selling point for me: 4 channel recording with XLR inputs. I could not find this in a sub $500 recorder, until the H4n, end of story.<br /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1XjRPMZ22najCIUd6ysll6DoZh6BFiDkjt1HvwsyqF7e2HJNXfLoRY6a_9mfYv3bbs7V59E1iDX2pYws76NFTJ4nIoJHHk3yZ3L4opaSKvpGmg6O2AkZ3RH9dIMtVwRBjP_GBkPa_acJ/s1600/h4n_XLR_phone_input_view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466555209383104946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1XjRPMZ22najCIUd6ysll6DoZh6BFiDkjt1HvwsyqF7e2HJNXfLoRY6a_9mfYv3bbs7V59E1iDX2pYws76NFTJ4nIoJHHk3yZ3L4opaSKvpGmg6O2AkZ3RH9dIMtVwRBjP_GBkPa_acJ/s320/h4n_XLR_phone_input_view.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 144px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 190px;" /></a>I use professional mics that utilize XLR outputs so I needed a field recorder that would have XLR inputs, this unit has 2 XLR inputs on the bottom. If you are a home recording musician and your instrument utilizes 1/4"...no problem, the XLR inputs double as 1/4" inputs as well.<br /><br />
There are 2 high quality built in XY mics at the top<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipp6rGYIlScKAqyRlLw_kB9sNJ4OdT-hJfTY84OiJ8xjXoQVlb0HG8RzBc_yD2dfDZm55YhH09RBLmNxoEWEduzZyfMTBwoYfJYIIDFIV1ckHDeNePtF58jc72UZiXn3MXvAoJ5dQ9YKZc/s1600/h4n_top_mics.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466555691806872050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipp6rGYIlScKAqyRlLw_kB9sNJ4OdT-hJfTY84OiJ8xjXoQVlb0HG8RzBc_yD2dfDZm55YhH09RBLmNxoEWEduzZyfMTBwoYfJYIIDFIV1ckHDeNePtF58jc72UZiXn3MXvAoJ5dQ9YKZc/s320/h4n_top_mics.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 140px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 190px;" /></a><br /><br />
of the unit that aim either 90 or 120 degrees depending on how you want them. On the back of the unit is a 1/8" mini stereo mic input in case you would rather use a mini input for an additional mic instead of the XY mics. The versatility is staggering I could set the unit up for 4 channel recording and have 1 XLR in one channel, a 1/4" in another channel, and either the XY built in mics OR a 1/8" mic to record audio. This is really amazing, and after using it several times, works beautifully with a simple 1 button configuration!<br /><br />
At the top of the H4n Digital Recorder are two very good XY microphones. They are VERY sensitive which means that if ANY contact is made to the chassis of the H4n, these mics will pick it up. They come set up as a 90 degree setting which will allow for a standard, directional room ambient setup. However, they are adjustable to 120 degrees to allow a wider coverage area like a full audience response in a conference room, which is what we need for convention speaker videography here in Vegas.<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Display and Controls</span><br /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4xoXl160M1XniAePgi5T1zoPegaKml_8JUG8EpFGKhyphenhyphenl1lB-DKgxC4b8QL0jnzzDDHCgrV7y3rRnWtMWMgCBjT2gyGG7mJ8TCk2hvhnJPkN72KKtvHNtNCc2Ao7N5N_Yidqz4PjlCizn/s1600/h4n_LCD_view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466556228570729602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4xoXl160M1XniAePgi5T1zoPegaKml_8JUG8EpFGKhyphenhyphenl1lB-DKgxC4b8QL0jnzzDDHCgrV7y3rRnWtMWMgCBjT2gyGG7mJ8TCk2hvhnJPkN72KKtvHNtNCc2Ao7N5N_Yidqz4PjlCizn/s320/h4n_LCD_view.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 141px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 188px;" /></a>The front of the H4n Digital Recorder has a 1.9" LCD display which give you channel VU meters, record remaining time, and even a battery remaining meter.
*Please note* when checking the LCD to see if the H4n is receiving a signal, you need to press the record button once. This does not start the recording but rather appears to just ready the unit for recording. Only after pressing the record button are you able to see the VUs registering a signal. Its an annoying 'feature', I know, perhaps Zoom will allow for the VUs to register without having to press a button at all in the future.<br /><br />
Moving along, above the LCD screen is an LED mode display to give you a quick glance at whether you are in 4channel, Stereo, or MTR mode.<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Controls</span><br /><br />
Beneath the LCD screen are 4 short cut and track select keys, which, like nearly all of the control buttons, are teenie tiny itsy bitsy. Which, is one of the true Lame-ities of this product, I have big fingers which makes selection a bit challenging, and when my videographers need to use it, they are trying to select things on the fly which doesn't bode well for small buttonry, but aside from this, its liveable.<br /><br />
Underneath the short cut/track select keys are the playback and record buttons called the "transport" keys by Zoom. The record button has a "gotcha" built in that can be costly when professionally recording a "one-time-only" event. I've alluded to this above, when you press the record button, it is more of a "standby" on the first press that readies the unit for recording. Pressing it a second time, actually starts the record timer on the LCD which tells you that you are recording. It can be a gotcha for newbies who think that they are recording only to find out after the session that they didn't press it the second time. Ouch!<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Menus and SD Card slot</span><br /><br />
The right side of the H4n is where you'll find the menu and jog dial selector. This information will be displayed on the LCD screen to configure the unit the way you like. I really like the set up the menu controls, it seemed intuitive enough for me, but I've read that others aren't too happy with them. The controls felt very "ipod-ish" to me, with jog dialing to sub menus and more sub menus, but the main selections are all on the main menu selector so that didn't bug me much.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRAVcOWm4Jx-p6sEz2zABz2ty7Mjai6WMkGmJ1RQVkgkHpInYIAqUZK5vdH8h_hS9tAlCoEnOhLCu-F5CTAZi9coQe_n-8v0qHv4d294UJMkq29jWn5wCeCI0DafL2CcN4YyBbBadqujd/s1600/h4n_right_SD_card_view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466558175988844594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRAVcOWm4Jx-p6sEz2zABz2ty7Mjai6WMkGmJ1RQVkgkHpInYIAqUZK5vdH8h_hS9tAlCoEnOhLCu-F5CTAZi9coQe_n-8v0qHv4d294UJMkq29jWn5wCeCI0DafL2CcN4YyBbBadqujd/s320/h4n_right_SD_card_view.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 142px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 190px;" /></a>Also on this side is the SD Card slot. I LOVE that this unit is expandable with SD cards, as long as SD cards (or SDHC) keep getting cheaper and the space on them even larger, my H4n recorder capacity will grow accordingly, BEAUTIFUL. OK, I'll calm down now. There is a "gotcha" involved with the SD card slot that seems to be consistent with ALL recording devices (video as well) that record to flash memory. Remove the card while the unit is running or processing in any way and you stand the chance of losing ALL data from that session...OUCH again. But no one reading this is going to try that are you? Are you!? Its just good to be aware of this pitfall ahead of time in case you fill a card and try to change it out too quickly. Dont do it!<br /><br />
The left side of the unit has the ever-popular "power" switch (its a good thing to know where this button is located), the headphone output - 1/8" mini which can double as a line-level out if you are working with a larger soundboard and/or mixer, volume controls, and, another gem feature of the H4n: The mini USB port.<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The USB Port</span><br /><br />
This glorious USB port will allow you to power the H4n<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kBmLhyphenhyphenxMao2dtNghRW55yuLRzNPtIsmpgBqNgAWUaWRDJsC-ZHlDfnngZaYG-0222T1_6HB-dw_9G_QQFxCSNNrHwLTcLgrO9zM9EtWSCTOvCwcHJoVR_J2UX_wYYec8baFpysjiXBI6/s1600/h4n_USB_Computer_view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466560246674972082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kBmLhyphenhyphenxMao2dtNghRW55yuLRzNPtIsmpgBqNgAWUaWRDJsC-ZHlDfnngZaYG-0222T1_6HB-dw_9G_QQFxCSNNrHwLTcLgrO9zM9EtWSCTOvCwcHJoVR_J2UX_wYYec8baFpysjiXBI6/s320/h4n_USB_Computer_view.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 148px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 193px;" /></a><br />
by your computer's USB bus, or it lets you use the H4n to offload your files to your computer directly from the device OR, another great feature, use the H4n as an interface between your microphone(s) and or instruments to directly record to your computer. Ah, therein lies the 'home recorder in your pocket' phrase. The H4n is equipped with a preamp which will allow you to connect unpowered mics and instruments directly to the H4n and then directly to your computer.<br />
Don't worry about picking up a USB to mini USB cable to accomplish this, as I've mentioned before, its in the box.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBX2XKP9CM30GS8Iov_RCPKNQ3onkrZHf1dJ2h96FaukMvbaJP8erE6h44_L4TVLJlCHb1reTjJ07g9h-j5_9mE2isW5YuuKWt5xI61Khj46zT_Ql5H9dRtTeWouoCEOVxkvgxHahZrTC/s1600/h4n_Speaker_mini_input.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466559193142053298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBX2XKP9CM30GS8Iov_RCPKNQ3onkrZHf1dJ2h96FaukMvbaJP8erE6h44_L4TVLJlCHb1reTjJ07g9h-j5_9mE2isW5YuuKWt5xI61Khj46zT_Ql5H9dRtTeWouoCEOVxkvgxHahZrTC/s320/h4n_Speaker_mini_input.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 148px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 193px;" /></a>The final stop on our hardware tour is the back of the H4n digital recorder. At the top there is a small 1/8" mini input should you decide to use an external mic instead of the XY built-in mics. Obvious as this may be, if you choose to use this mic input, you DISABLE the built in speakers AND I've not been able to get it to work properly in "Stereo Mode" so using this output may be a choice only for the 4 channel mode.<br /><br />
Below the speaker to give you an audio reference apart from the headphone jack. VERY handy when trying to quickly get an audio read...remember, VU meters can tell you if you are getting a signal but they can't tell you if that signal is clipped (distorted) or wacked out in some other way. This is where the headphone jack is a must! And, when in a hurry and needing a quick reference, the speaker is a small blessing.<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Tripod Mount</span><br /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzFC3Ldp0UcZ4Xztm4ssl35fq9xhDfmiAlHBC4IPlK9vsrrUKGvl6gib8JguTFFzuioV5gjk6iYf4_rVcpxX0NBM5KtXPNxFColXSsBIqH7cmVbdjyrNuUUDEG7ZackDIM9LTKuk-Fpcc/s1600/h4n_tripod_windscreen_view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466561219796480738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzFC3Ldp0UcZ4Xztm4ssl35fq9xhDfmiAlHBC4IPlK9vsrrUKGvl6gib8JguTFFzuioV5gjk6iYf4_rVcpxX0NBM5KtXPNxFColXSsBIqH7cmVbdjyrNuUUDEG7ZackDIM9LTKuk-Fpcc/s320/h4n_tripod_windscreen_view.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 144px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 187px;" /></a>Beneath the reference speaker, is the threaded tripod mount. It is the standard size which I think is 3/8" or 1/4" basically the same as what you find on the bottom of consumer and prosumer video cameras. The great thing here is that Zoom includes a wooden Mic-handle shaped adapter that screws into this slot and the mic handle attaches to any standard mic clip for use on a mic stand. This is how <a href="http://hiproductions.com/">hiproductions</a> uses it exclusively.<br /><br />
I set it up as an "ambient" mic on a stand with the windscreen on the XY mics, put it in 4 channel mode, run my mics to it and Bob's my uncle.<br /><br />
The mic-handle adapter is included in the standard box, but the microphone clip and stand are not. As I mentioned, I found a nice kit that included these so I was set to go when it all came in.<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Power, Batteries, and Stamina</span><br /><br />
Underneath the tripod mount on the H4n is the battery compartment . It takes 2 AA batteries and inside the battery compartment, (hidden by the battery cover, is something Zoom calls the "Stamina Switch" this is a switch that supposedly doubles the life of your batteries. Herein lies another slight flaw with the H4n. First of all, Zoom advertises nearly 6 hours of life on a set of 2 batteries...eeerrrmm, not so much. This unit might give you 6 hours if you attach it to your wall and use it as a night light, but try to do serious recording, especially 4 Channel recording and the battery life drops off significantly. When the batteries go, so does the recording, OUCH yet again.<br /><br />
I lost part of a recording during a shoot because I refused to believe that the batteries were dying after only about an hour of usage. They did. But I have seen 2+ hours on 4 channel recording with this which does the trick but its NO 6 hrs as advertised.<br /><br />
Zoom's answer to this is the hidden stamina switch. Supposedly this doubles the life of the batteries but does so at a cost to the responsiveness and performance of the H4n. I personally prefer to sacrifice battery life for performance everytime so I am not complaining, however, I did experiment with the stamina switch and it did improve my battery time, but I did not try it while 4 channel audio. <br /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRUElj3kl4fxVQnjQVvrMG5YSiwR2FWUKZa3d7VxvGSXa8PPT8ApJ8kke_hPSv4eYremWLL1hiELHV1GssqSEI_QeK6VORq9YKTu7cX0YznxcnBmlqFkyyzro7syXkbw9XyIhBGSJ5HVn/s1600/h4n_tripod_stamina_views.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466561844893975554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRUElj3kl4fxVQnjQVvrMG5YSiwR2FWUKZa3d7VxvGSXa8PPT8ApJ8kke_hPSv4eYremWLL1hiELHV1GssqSEI_QeK6VORq9YKTu7cX0YznxcnBmlqFkyyzro7syXkbw9XyIhBGSJ5HVn/s320/h4n_tripod_stamina_views.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 144px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 190px;" /></a>Herein lies yet another "GOTCHA". You will set up your rig to record 4 channel and the unit will record in 2 channel stereo. You will scramble to find the setting in the menus and submenus, you will try to press the 4channel mode button all to no avail. It is only going to record in 2 channel UNTIL, you find that sneaky nagging little hidden Stamina switch inside the battery compartment and turn it OFF. Then, magically, 4 channel mode is enabled again. So, stamina mode only works with Stereo 2 channel and will disable the ability to record in 4 channel.<br /><br />
Of course all of this can be avoided by using the adapter that is included in the kit and running this to the DC5V jack on the bottom of the H4n - but who wants to do it the easy way!? We find ourselves in a situation that requires a field recorder without access to power on outdoor shoots, but maybe this isn't your application. If its home studio stuff - then the power adapter is the way to go.<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Software and Features</span><br />
Included in your H4n package is a disc for Cubase LE software that allows you to record directly to your computer. This software is not bad at all, its on a level with Garageband for Mac (which is somewhat superior) but better than the freebie audio software out there for PC and Mac. Its not Pro Tools or advanced audio editing software but it is a great start for someone just getting started.<br /><br />
In addition to the H4n being a field recorder and a home studiio audio interface, it is also a phase trainer for musicians trying to learn a song by slowing down the playback without changing the pitch. The playback can be slowed to 50% or sped up to 150% as needed. This is also good for video work where we would need to add subtitles to an audio track to go along with picture. We can roll the session playback from the recorder and madly type in the appropriate subtitles in FCP's absolutely useless text 'mode' (I'll save that for the FCP review).<br /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsg9wg2qO8W4gUIhJNKtpQCrdlXD7Z1wMvRVhSkc9OICUNaarPzJvANbrkKrPjDTfPcqC1_AGVe7MUp0JHrtnKxPJWz3FwRuTj5LHTT-Nd-9MvSg4h97B3jf0AJbgj-wvU5W5JGymrN7n1/s1600/h4n_4track_MTR_View.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466563711997187570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsg9wg2qO8W4gUIhJNKtpQCrdlXD7Z1wMvRVhSkc9OICUNaarPzJvANbrkKrPjDTfPcqC1_AGVe7MUp0JHrtnKxPJWz3FwRuTj5LHTT-Nd-9MvSg4h97B3jf0AJbgj-wvU5W5JGymrN7n1/s320/h4n_4track_MTR_View.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 148px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 193px;" /></a> The H4n can also be used in MTR mode to record continual 2 track audio and dub down to 4 track for mixing vocals and music on the fly. Pretty cool. It also triples as a digital tuner for guitarists and a metronome for rhythm as well. Guitarists can also plug in and utilize some preset "amp" models should they decide to go on the cheap for this.<br /><br />
For Guitar FD Clean, VX Clean, HW Clean, US Blues, BG Crunch, MS #1959, PV Drive, Rect Vnt, DZ Drive, TS+FD_Combo, SD+MS_Stack, FZ+MS_Stack For Bass SVT, Bassman, Hartke, SuperBass, Sansamp, Tube Pre<br />
I haven't used it for this purpose but I've read that they are probably not the recommended method for amp modeling. You can be the judge there.<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Quality</span><br /><br />
The H4n can record to Mp3 or to WAV (less compressed) files up to 24bit quality, which is superior to CD quality and to most prosumer camera audio record quality (16bit). Recording to 24bit, and in WAV for that matter drastically reduces the amount of record time on your SD card but I tend to record in this quality exclusively and have been VERY pleased with the crisp, clear, rich sound that I've received from this unit. Granted, this is a $300 recorder so I'm not expecting the world, but for the money, the quality is more than acceptable.<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span><br /><br />
Since I bought the H4n several months ago, the price has dropped by about $50. If I had to do it all over again, I would be willing to buy it at the $350 price point. It has been worth every penny to me. Yes a few gotchas and minor construction issues i.e. button size, but the quality, versatility, and functionality of this little H4n make me forget about those altogether.<br /><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Recommended:</span><br /><br />
Yes - by all means if you are in the market for a decent little 4 channel hand held recorder.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-64889497785149395552013-05-24T17:11:00.001-07:002013-05-24T17:11:29.203-07:00Superbowl Results 1978 to Present - Including My Personal Picks
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<span style="font-family: Courier;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just for kicks and boredom from lack of NFL games. I compiled my lifetime Superbowl record since the first Superbowl I watched on TV - Superbowl XII. I remember rooting for the Dallas Cowboys because everyone else in the room was rooting for them. They became my first "favorite" football team. It would last 2 years and then Pittsburgh was my second "favorite" team. That would last 1 year and then in 1980, I would be introduced to, what I believe, is the greatest NFL football team of all time(s): The Philadelphia Eagles. This third "favorite" team would stick even to this day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just about every Superbowl I root for has to do with that teams relative importance or unimportance to the Eagles - except in the case of the Cowboys and Patriots - I would root against those teams if they played against Hitler and Ditka combined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The win/loss results in the far left column of the chart below represent whether or not the team I rooted for won or lost. The far right column represents the MVP of each Superbowl. </span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Courier; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">SUPERBOWL
RESULTS FROM MY FIRST SUPERBOWL XII to SUPERBOWL XLVII 2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XLVII 2/03/13 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/bal/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Baltimore Ravens</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/sf/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">San
Francisco 49ers</span></a> 34-31 New Orleans
Joe Flacco<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XLVI 2/05/12 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/nyg/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">New York Giants</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ne/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">New England
Patriots</span></a> 21-17 Indianapolis
Eli Manning<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XLV 2/06/11 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/gb/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Green Bay Packers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/pit/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Pittsburgh
Steelers</span></a> 31-25 Dallas
Aaron Rodgers<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XLIV 2/07/10 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/no/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">New Orleans Saints</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ind/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Indianapolis
Colts</span></a> 31-17 Miami
Drew Brees<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XLIII 2/01/09 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/pit/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Pittsburgh
Steelers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ari/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Arizona
Cardinals</span></a> 27-23 Tampa
Santonio Holmes<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XLII 2/03/08 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/nyg/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">New York Giants</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ne/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">New England
Patriots</span></a> 17-14 Phoenix Eli Manning<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XLI 2/04/07 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ind/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Indianapolis Colts</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/chi/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Chicago
Bears</span></a> 29-17 Miami
Peyton Manning<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XL 2/05/06 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/pit/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Pittsburgh
Steelers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/sea/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Seattle
Seahawks</span></a> 21-10 Detroit
Hines Ward<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXXIX 2/06/05 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ne/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">New England
Patriots</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/phi/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Philadelphia
Eagles</span></a> 24-21 Jacksonville Deion Branch<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXXVIII
2/01/04 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ne/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">New England Patriots</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/car/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Carolina Panthers</span></a> 32-29
Houston Tom Brady<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXXVII 1/26/03 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/tb/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Tampa Bay
Buccaneers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/oak/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Oakland Raiders</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> 48-21
San Diego Dexter Jackson<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XXXVI 2/03/02 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ne/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">New England
Patriots</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/stl/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">St. Louis
Rams</span></a> 20-17 New Orleans
Tom Brady<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XXXV 1/28/01 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/bal/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Baltimore Ravens</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/nyg/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">New York
Giants</span></a> 34-7 Tampa
Ray Lewis<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XXXIV 1/30/00 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/stl/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">St. Louis Rams</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ten/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Tennessee
Titans</span></a> 23-16 Atlanta
Kurt Warner<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXXIII 1/31/99 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/den/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Denver Broncos</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/atl/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Atlanta Falcons</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> 34-19
Miami John Elway<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XXXII 1/25/98 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/den/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Denver Broncos</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/gb/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Green Bay
Packers</span></a> 31-24 San Diego
Terrell Davis<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XXXI 1/26/97 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/gb/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Green Bay Packers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ne/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">New England
Patriots</span></a> 35-21 New
Orleans Desmond Howard<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXX 1/28/96 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/dal/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Dallas Cowboys</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/pit/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Pittsburgh
Steelers</span></a> 27-17 Phoenix
Larry Brown<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXIX 1/29/95 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/sf/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">San Francisco
49ers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/sd/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">San Diego
Chargers</span></a> 49-26 Miami
Steve Young<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXVIII 1/30/94 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/dal/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Dallas Cowboys</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/buf/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Buffalo Bills</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> 30-13
Atlanta Emmitt Smith<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXVII 1/31/93 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/dal/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Dallas Cowboys</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/buf/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Buffalo
Bills</span></a> 52-17 Pasadena
Troy Aikman<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXVI 1/26/92 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/wsh/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Washington
Redskins</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/buf/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Buffalo
Bills</span></a> 37-24 Minneapolis
Mark Rypien<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXV 1/27/91 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/nyg/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">New York Giants</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/buf/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Buffalo
Bills</span></a> 20-19 Tampa
Ottis Anderson<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XXIV 1/28/90 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/sf/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">San Francisco
49ers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/den/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Denver
Broncos</span></a> 55-10 New Orleans
Joe Montana<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XXIII 1/22/89 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/sf/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">San Francisco
49ers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/cin/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Cincinnati
Bengals</span></a> 20-16 Miami
Jerry Rice<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XXII 1/31/88 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/wsh/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Washington
Redskins</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/den/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Denver
Broncos</span></a> 42-10 San Diego
Doug Williams<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XXI 1/25/87 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/nyg/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">New York Giants</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/den/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Denver
Broncos</span></a> 39-20 Pasadena
Phil Simms<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XX 1/26/86 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/chi/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Chicago Bears</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/ne/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">New England
Patriots</span></a> 46-10 New
Orleans Richard Dent<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XIX 1/20/85 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/sf/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">San Francisco
49ers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/mia/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Miami
Dolphins</span></a> 38-16 Palo Alto
Joe Montana<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XVIII 1/22/84 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/oak/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Los Angeles
Raiders</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/wsh/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Washington
Redskins</span></a> 38-9 Tampa
Marcus Allen<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XVII 1/30/83 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/wsh/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Washington
Redskins</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/mia/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Miami
Dolphins</span></a> 27-17 Pasadena
John Riggins<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XVI 1/24/82 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/sf/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">San Francisco
49ers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/cin/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Cincinnati
Bengals</span></a> 26-21 Pontiac, MI
Joe Montana<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XV 1/25/81 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/oak/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Oakland Raiders</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/phi/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Philadelphia
Eagles</span></a> 27-10 New Orleans
Jim Plunkett<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XIV 1/20/80 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/pit/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Pittsburgh
Steelers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/stl/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Los
Angeles Rams</span></a> 31-19 Pasadena
Terry Bradshaw<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">L XIII 1/21/79 </span><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/pit/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Pittsburgh
Steelers</span></a><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/dal/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Dallas
Cowboys</span></a> 35-31 Miami
Terry Bradshaw<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><u><span style="font-family: Courier;">W XII 1/15/78 </span></u><a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/dal/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier;">Dallas Cowboys</span></a><u><span style="font-family: Courier;"> <a href="http://mcubed.net/nfl/den/yryr.shtml"><span style="color: blue;">Denver
Broncos</span></a> 27-10 New Orleans
H.Martin/R.White<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">19-17 DAL
1-4 DEN</span> 5-1 PIT 2-4
OAK 2-2 SNF 3-3 MIA 2-0 BUF 0-4 GRB 3-0
NYG 4-1 NWE 5-2 WAS 3-1
PHA 0-2
CIN 0-2</span><span style="font-family: Courier; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Anyone care to post their Superbowl win/loss record? I don't know - 19W 17L is pretty formidable!</span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-4046642007141742782011-10-05T22:29:00.000-07:002011-10-05T22:29:50.686-07:00Easy, Fast, and Cheap Solution That Converted ALL My VHS Tapes.<h1 class="blog-entry-title" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></h1><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">I had box after box of unused VHS tapes that are now converted to an acceptable mpeg 2 format for use on my media player. </span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Its basic, you aren't going to light the world on fire with this $55 software but you can easily, quickly, and cheaply convert all of your old VHS to DVDs in a snap. And isn't that what life is all about?</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7c9sXcUhokVLXcwhmO7nnx2pAhihkhr7o5yP2S1EO_7UDg4iO0vrBVBigaGbQKeeh_SLy23s4Me6TctzfprgI4iqafjuTSytNzuhYpyJrPC3UlPSBPSQLOTgFWdQg65gGnyJu84Z3flZ/s1600/VHS_To_DVD+Conversion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7c9sXcUhokVLXcwhmO7nnx2pAhihkhr7o5yP2S1EO_7UDg4iO0vrBVBigaGbQKeeh_SLy23s4Me6TctzfprgI4iqafjuTSytNzuhYpyJrPC3UlPSBPSQLOTgFWdQg65gGnyJu84Z3flZ/s1600/VHS_To_DVD+Conversion.jpg" /></a><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"> <b>Pros:</b></span><b><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></b><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Easy to Install/connect, Cheap: under $60, Fast - as much as real time can be I suppose</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Cons: </span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Cheap construction flimsy plastic, Little/No customization of preferences, bad conversion to Quicktime</span><br />
<span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
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</td><td valign="top" width="582"><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></td><td valign="top" width="582"><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
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</tbody></table><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Roxio Easy VHS to DVD for Mac </b></span><br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Overview:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
I had boxes and boxes of VHS tapes, ones that I bought, ones that I shot on camera and many of the purchased VHS I had not intention of replacing with DVD. So I had to find an easy, fast, and cheap solution to convert ALL the VHS tapes I owned. I found Easy VHS to DVD for Mac on Buy.com for about $55 and decided I would give it a try. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
Box Opening Extravaganza:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
Not much to it actually. You receive a usb dongle with RCA (composite) and S-Video squid cable inputs, a CD for the software,<br />
and a slip of paper that is supposed to pass as a manual of some sort.<br />
The dongle was cheap, light plastic but for $55 I wasn't exactly expecting pig iron with gold-tipped connectors. It is what it is.</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
Installation:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
As with all Mac peripherals and software, its one or two steps and or clicks and away you go. I plopped the CD into my Mac and double clicked the install, pretended to read the licensing blah blah blah, and then selected the destination drive. It took about 30 seconds to install. <br />
<br />
I then simply plugged the USB into my mac, plugged the audio composite cables (red and white RCA) from the output of my VCR into the connectors hanging from the dongle, did the same thing for the video/picture output of my VCR to the dongle and then, for kicks, tried to run the VHS conversion software right away to see if it is "smart" enough to find the dongle without a restart. It is not. I needed a restart. Once I did that. It was ready to go. Very easy to install.<br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">The Software:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
Yes, Roxio, vanilla called and it wants its flavor back from your software. The provided software is BORING and featureless with a very spartan interface, but for $55 I wasn't exactly expecting Adobe Creative Suite 5 or anything. Its very basic as I mentioned, You get an introduction screen to name your video and to set the approximate length of the video and the quality to set it to.<br />
<br />
Easy VHS to DVD for Mac software sets up its own folder deep in your "movies" folder without telling that it has done that. You have to go into the sparse preferences menu to set a different folder for it to capture to. <br />
<br />
The estimated lengths of video are on a pull down menu of 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes which is ok unless you have a 45, 75, 105 (most Hollywood movies), or 145 minute movie, in which case, you will either have to babysit your VHS conversion to manually press "STOP" or be content with a HUGE waste of time and space at the end of your movie. More selections of time allotments please Roxio. The quality selection is High, Medium, or Low which is strange because, you wouldn't want any less quality than the "high" setting: medium is horrible, low quality resembles something shot on a late 90's treo phone.<br />
<br />
After you've selected this criteria, you move to the hardware connection screen where it detects where your picture is connected, and it is here that a preview screen is up. I would recommend running the VCR just to make sure you are getting a picture. If you are, click continue.<br />
<br />
This brings up the next screen which is the audio hardware connection screen. This can be tricky on a Mac because you have to go into your system preference pane with audio and select the proper input for the entire computer system so that it knows to gather and process the signal from the right place. Macs are not too good in this area even with all the other Mac advantages, audio is NOT one of them, sadly.<br />
If you see the green audio bars resonating across the blue/grey bars at the bottom of this screen, audio is working, click continue and away you go.<br />
<br />
This brings up the final screen which is the big fat red recording button and the little button at the bottom which says "Automatically stop recording after ___ minutes" I would use this button religiously unless I came across a video at a length in between the presets and I didn't want a bunch of blank video and dead file space at the end of my movie file. So I toggle that button "on" with a check when I don't want to babysit the conversion process. click the big fat record button and the software and dongle hardware are now converting the VHS tape to an mpeg2 computer file.<br />
<br />
When completed, another window pops up allowing you have the option of:<br />
<br />
• Sending to Quicktime (converting to an Mp4 - which I DONT recommend)<br />
• Sending to Imovie, which is OK if you want to try to edit your movie • Sending to to Toast (convert straight to DVD through the provided toast basic software.)<br />
<br />
I have no interest in DVDs anymore so I just simply took the mpeg2 file that is automatically created by the software and used it on my Seagate Freeagent Home Theater + player (see my review here on Epinions) and that is the highest that the quality gets with this software, otherwise for the MP4 it takes the mpeg2 and FURTHER compresses it to garbage ville and I was dealing with artifacts, digital hits, dropouts, and HATED the final product when exporting to Quicktime on MP4. <br />
<br />
If I wanted mp4 I would just bring the mpeg2 into a piece of freeware software called Mpeg Streamclip and convert it there. The Mp4 conversion using Easy VHS to DVD is garbagio. <br />
<br />
Its not quite as bad for the DVD conversion, it converts the mpeg 2 to an M2V by transcoding and that is much easier for this software to handle, actually, it is a scaled down version of Toast that burns the DVD, it is very easy to convert and burn a disc, its only a matter of a few clicks and you've now converted 80's technology into 90's technology! Congratulations!<br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Hardware:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><div class="image-left"><img alt="Roxio-Easy-VHS-To-DVD-Adapter" class="imageStyle" height="121" src="http://preciseplus.com/files/roxio-easy-vhs-to-dvd-adapter.jpg" width="188" /></div><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">The device itself is cheap plastic that when the weight of VCR cables running into the stubby composite inputs on the dongle cause the plastic device to 'droop' the device doesn't hold up well. Handle it delicately. That being said it set up in a cinch and does EXACTLY what it says it does, it provides an analog ito digital input into your system. I can't argue with that.</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Overall Picture/Video Quality:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
It has its imperfections. I get acceptable picture with sync'd audio and it seems a fair replication of the poor VHS quality that I started with, so I don't have an issue with it. I am 99% certain that the hardware device is nothing more than a very cheap analog to digital 'capture' card with no compression capabilities whatsoever, but I could be wrong. It appears to me that all conversion to mpeg2 takes place in the few minutes of processing that follows a successful import. <br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Wrapping It Up:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
With everything being said, I don't advocate copyright infringement but in my little post-napster world, I feel that if I purchased videos and/or 'cassettes' and the technology is no longer viable, I can convert it to a current viable technology without violation of conscience so long as I get rid of the old format, which in the case of VHS and Cassette tapes, I do. I just throw them out basically because who would want them? <br />
<br />
So disclaimer aside, I had box after box of unused VHS tapes that are now converted to an acceptable mpeg 2 format for use on my media player. The only tapes I had an issue with were VHS-C home videos that I shot in EP...I just had to give up on those. But even store bought EP VHS (cheapie documentary) tapes gave the device some problems. <br />
<br />
If I were still caught up in the DVD world, I would have been fine with the DVDs it made, the software allows for colorful menu themes and neat little tricks that only 2001 could offer. Its basic, you aren't going to light the world on fire with this $55 software but you can easily, quickly, and cheaply convert all of your old VHS to DVDs in a snap. And isn't that what life is all about?<br />
</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">3-1/2 stars out of 5. Its a cheap, fast, and decent conversion app and hardware. Its got its flaws in makemanship, conversion quality, and features. But it does the job.</span><br />
<span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<table border="0.000000" cellpadding="1.000000" cellspacing="0.500000"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top" width="582"><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">The Bottom Line: </span><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">3-1/2 stars out of 5. Its a cheap, fast, and decent conversion app and hardware. Its got its flaws in makesmanship, conversion quality, and features. But it does the job.</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Recommended:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
Yes</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-1461253938358468062011-07-09T22:06:00.000-07:002019-09-01T07:05:44.539-07:00Best Place to Buy and Smoke a Cigar in Las Vegas a la 2011.<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hiproductions&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B002ZF5G9I&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>I originally wrote this article a couple years ago but found that much of the information I shared, desperately needed updating as many of my favorite cigar haunts have closed and shops have changed. Usually PT's or Timbers are fairly cool about smoking stogies while you have a nice frosty brew but I usually retreat to a secluded corner (if one is available) to enjoy mine. That being said, here is a bit more about cigar culture and Las Vegas:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>In case you're feeling nostalgic for the "old days" of 2009, <a href="http://hamiltonfamilylasvegas.blogspot.com/2009/03/best-places-to-buy-and-smoke-cigar-in.html">here is the original post</a> with the old information.</i></span><br />
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As a Las Vegas local, I saw the days where smoking a cigar was really just a matter of "Where do you want to go?" Today, it is a little more touchy with regards to lighting up a big phatty in a public place. I have decided to blog some of my favorite locales for smoking (or buying) a cigar in Las Vegas and have listed a few places to avoid that are NOT cigar friendly. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRebG9C5ER25ht0O9qhBtvZTYe9A1AQHMOXaA7e6y2pQj52VeGUd9W1ziSQFNyij5o8bO1v5VTeflnhq78KBV2HyEpR656BNRWS7vcMRn75vApPSTX3b-30ZzDsXN1pPuwbbL182XF21Ff/s1600/Chicago_Brewing_Las+Vegas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311978249400095074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRebG9C5ER25ht0O9qhBtvZTYe9A1AQHMOXaA7e6y2pQj52VeGUd9W1ziSQFNyij5o8bO1v5VTeflnhq78KBV2HyEpR656BNRWS7vcMRn75vApPSTX3b-30ZzDsXN1pPuwbbL182XF21Ff/s320/Chicago_Brewing_Las+Vegas.jpg" style="margin-top: 0pt;" width="320" /></a>If you enjoy watching a game, having a microbrew, and smoking a nice cigar all at the same time, you have two choices: Grab the rabbit-eared TV from the closet, buy some cheap Oregon beer at Albertsons, and light up a cigar in your gas fumed garage. OR, you can just make a quick trip to The Chicago Brewing Company on Fort Apache and West Sahara in Summerlin. The upstairs room opens at 5pm so you'll have to make it a night game, but you will have access to a little tobacco hideaway with leather chairs, big ashtrays, and a plethora of micro-brews to choose from. My personal micro brew favorite here is the sampler. It is about 10 small sized beers on a round rack that gives you a nice overview of everything they have to offer. A nice Maduro wrapped Punch Belicoso with a Chicago stout microbrew and you'll feel like you were watching the game from a luxury box!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4O7ER5hR0Uo7LPwjt886o1nTOW7II7khN3146bxh8u4tn2j4v9z7OoscwY_ouj2IRgj-irWQvGnWDlR1AYoO7MNNWjb_LkpaatIrQKSHUWj_5EPVoK-24OmNbCjFsCvPLNp8eg1yUrDGX/s1600/Tenaya_Creek_Vegas_Cigars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4O7ER5hR0Uo7LPwjt886o1nTOW7II7khN3146bxh8u4tn2j4v9z7OoscwY_ouj2IRgj-irWQvGnWDlR1AYoO7MNNWjb_LkpaatIrQKSHUWj_5EPVoK-24OmNbCjFsCvPLNp8eg1yUrDGX/s200/Tenaya_Creek_Vegas_Cigars.jpg" width="200" /></a>Another enjoyable haunt for locals is FAR FAR away from the strip (just like I like it!) in the northwest of the Las Vegas valley, and about 4 miles north of The Chicago Brewing Company. It is yet another micro brew house called Tenaya Creek Brewery on Cheyenne and Tenaya. Whereas this is a nice place to grab a number of delectable micro brews from the lightest to the darkest, it is not a place to get your grub on. They don't serve food here and haven't for some time. However, they are quite friendly toward cigar smokers and have a nice set of leather couches toward the back which allow for a little quieter cigar atmosphere (if that is your thing).</div>
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OK, I've covered some places far from the strip for those Vegas natives among us who avoid the strip like a pile of fresh vomit in a meat packing facility. But perhaps you are a visitor to our grand city and are staying on or near our "Fabulous Strip" and would like to find a great place to enjoy a cigar that is not far from your hotel (or motel if you're in my income bracket). Read on my welcomed visitor. Read on:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV7sZsRj4I53Zo0jMQ5IhxhjxaTLt1SObyLV62_LNLjaQNPstX4S2DE_ULna_8o8M6M43DTsg_Uj5jp1K4_WB0LEJS1_U2eO2UwQLW3eZUvmW5w18qN1d2-qa-X6kpOXyeSKZ_EfhIQOD/s1600/Napoleans-Las-Vegas-Cigars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV7sZsRj4I53Zo0jMQ5IhxhjxaTLt1SObyLV62_LNLjaQNPstX4S2DE_ULna_8o8M6M43DTsg_Uj5jp1K4_WB0LEJS1_U2eO2UwQLW3eZUvmW5w18qN1d2-qa-X6kpOXyeSKZ_EfhIQOD/s200/Napoleans-Las-Vegas-Cigars.jpg" width="200" /></a>My favorite place on the strip to enjoy a nice cigar would have to be Napoleon's Lounge at the Paris Hotel. The Paris is a centrally locate<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hiproductions&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000PJMU2C&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: right; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>d resort next to Bally's and across from Caesars Palace and the Treasure Island or "T.I." as we smug pretentious locals call it. When the Paris first opened Napoleon's, it had a sultry piano and a big, dark, and seedy interior. They have now added an additional piano and brightened up the place just a bit but it is still a nice locale to acquire an enticing glass of cognac or brandy whilst puffing away thoughtfully at the cigar of your choice. There used to be a small humidor here which sold your standard famous names at a wonderful "Strip markup" price - i.e Punch, Macanudo, Monte Cristo, Davidoff etc. but humidors come and go depending on the profitability so no promises there. I will say that the entertainment has been bumped up a bit with the second piano as you may now find "dueling" pianos on a Saturday night, which to be honest, does NOTHING for my cigar experience. Mostly because I not only like to hear myself think, but I like to hear myself talk...endlessly...about nothing...and everything...philosophical...political...religiosical, etc.<br />
whether I am with someone or not! (weird as I may look) So for this reason, I tend to stick to quieter environs para mi fumo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7JVaxVFgI-GAvVeFbELNlkMYWPS3j6XSJdzmLvs1fKugP68QDlvEcc0s8KqkClsjuhGFkYj9tqorhZmWXKJle-LM-FoeyhLgqivE1yqHB2510y3-LHBsFbRmkPnMSXhYjAICFiU0e6_b/s1600/AndresCigarLounge_Vegas_Cigars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7JVaxVFgI-GAvVeFbELNlkMYWPS3j6XSJdzmLvs1fKugP68QDlvEcc0s8KqkClsjuhGFkYj9tqorhZmWXKJle-LM-FoeyhLgqivE1yqHB2510y3-LHBsFbRmkPnMSXhYjAICFiU0e6_b/s200/AndresCigarLounge_Vegas_Cigars.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Another decent place on the Strip to smoke a stick would be Andre's Cigar and Cognac Lounge at the Monte Carlo. The Monte Carlo is probably one of the best kept secrets on the Strip, in my never so humble opinion. If I didn't look to avoid the Strip, wasn't married, didn't have kids, didn't have a morning job, and didn't have a limited bank account, I would probably hang out here on a semi-regular basis. The Keg Room has a wall of lighted kegs of some of the best beers in the world, and a 'meat and potatoes' food menu which is a great place to start. The Keg Room is not, however, a place to consider for smoking stogies as it is like most "restaurant/pub" establishments and has become "smoke free". But, cigar fans do not fear, Andre's Cigar and Cognac Lounge is but a few scant strides away here at the Monte Carlo and, like Napoleon's in Paris, is a great place to grab a nice Port, Brandy, or as the name suggests, a Cognac to sip in very upscale cigar lounge surroundings.<br />
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Now, speaking of buying cigars in Las Vegas, I have two rules:</div>
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1. Don't do it unless you absolutely HAVE to.</div>
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2. Don't buy down on the strip EVEN IF you have to! You will get reamed my friend, reamed.</div>
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hiproductions&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000H69QHA&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>So here is what you do, if you're down on the strip, hop in a cab and say, "Driver, take me to Pheasant Tobacco!" "Where is that?" he might ask, you answer, "West Sahara directly across from the Palace Station Casino" and then lean back with a smug I've-been-in-town-45-minutes-and-I-know-it-ALL look. Be sure to tip him though. Pheasant is not far from the strip at all but its WAY on the North side where the old school hotels are: Circus Circus, Riviera, Sahara, etc. It is a very reasonably priced tobacco shop with a fantastic selection. There is a cigar there for everyone no matter what your income bracket. They have a nice smoking room and , in my humble opinion, the most knowledgeable staff in Vegas. The only catch is, operating hours. For some reason, these guys seem to think that they have set up shop in Minnesota or something. They close early and don't give a rat's behind that this is a 24 hour town (is my personal frustration showing through?).</div>
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If you are happy to travel up to the west or northwest side of town, there are a couple good places to purchase a cigar.<br />
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Tobacco Leaf on West Lake Mead and Rock Springs. Again, a decent selection, but the prices are bit more jacked up. They are still probably 40-50% cheaper than what you would buy on the strip or in a cigar lounge that I've suggested. The store has been around a couple years and contains a decent walk in humidor with a somewhat helpful staff. I would consider it a bit small and cramped but they offer a frequent flyer punch card where if you purchase 8 or 9 cigars, you get one at the same level for free, so its about a 10% discount for volume or repeat business<br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hiproductions&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0033XYILI&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Another Cigar store that is a little more roomy, has a wall-lined humidor (no walk in), a decent selection with cigars in nearly every range is Hemingway's on Cheyenne Rd and The I-95 way up in the northwest of Vegas...right where I like it! This guy is very knowledgeable of all that he sells, he's very friendly every time I've been in. My typical weekend wear is flipflops and a UNLV cap...this look tends to draw a worried dithering of humidor attendants who seem worried that I might try to slip a pack of Phillies Blunts in my camo cargo shorts pocket, but this guy is hassle-free and will let you browse to your hearts delight, and will come over only if you appear to need some help (or have slipped a pack of Phillies Blunts in your camo cargo shorts pocket). I will say that he does appear to be a bit "proud" of his high end cigars and overprices accordingly there, but I usually buy in the $4-5 range and this cigar shop has more to offer along that budget line than does the aforementioned Tobacco Leaf.<br />
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The last and most recent find for a place to buy cigars in Las Vegas is WAY WAY out in the Northwest, just outside of town at the Snow Mountain Smoke Shop on the Paiute Indian Reservation. I found this sort of 7-11 looking "smoke shop" out there that I thought I might pop into as its on my way...to...well...nothing. Its not on the way to anything except wilderness. But I somehow found an excuse to stop in to this little building only to find rows and rows of cigarettes everywhere. I was afraid that I would be left with Swisher Sweets or a nice choice of Backwood Smokes (which I like by the way) but there in the corner, a beam of Sunlight from heaven and angelic voices began to sing...angelically...as I discovered a glorious corner walk-in humidor with one of the best-priced (and tax free!) selections of cigars from everywhere! (Except Cuba - but that is a different blog post) Romeo y Julieta, Te Amos (which I hate and which hardly anyone in Vegas sells anymore), El Rey Del Mundo, La Gloria Cubanas, Punch, and a slew of great mid-range cigars that fit my budget.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hiproductions&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1592575919&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>I realize that Snow Mountain Smoke Shop is way out in the sticks to go and buy...well...a stick, however, it turns out that I discovered only the tip of the iceberg as the MAIN Paiute Reservation Smoke Shop is called "Main Street Smoke Shop" or "Cigar Shoppe" in downtown Las Vegas! It has been rated by our local newspaper as the "Best in Las Vegas" for cigar and smoke shops and boasts the largest selection of cigars under one roof in the city of Las Vegas.</div>
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Ultimately, its all about finding what works best for you, your budget, your tastes, and your temperament that will determine your cigar experience here. Hopefully the above list will give a couple good places to start, that are off the tourist's beaten path.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-50324445907529672502011-06-22T00:07:00.000-07:002011-06-22T00:07:14.761-07:00A Tribute To My Dad For Father's Day<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Father's Day Dad. Late as usual I suppose. Thank you for giving your life and dreams to provide for us kids when we needed it most.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy-NqzakOFVPsIHBTh0sBkksJylZaEB43y-hZQKfY5-XknNJpRHE1degq-SE8JdK76FSYf7grA-hPJTMfPvTA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-55046880182379282032011-06-07T17:21:00.000-07:002011-06-07T17:21:40.255-07:00TomTom One - Worth its 1lb weight in gold!<div class="image-left" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tom_Tom_Best_Price_Review" class="imageStyle" height="150" src="http://preciseplus.com/files/tom_tom_best_price_review.jpg" width="177" /></div><br />
<span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Technology designed to do a number of things: phone, internet, gps, music player - will usually do all of them only reasonably well. But a device that is designed to specialize in one of the above will generally do that task MUCH better. This is definitely the case with the TomTom One 140-S GPS device.</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Overview</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">With the advent of faux-GPS available on Smart Phones today, many people, including myself, believed the stand-alone GPS device to be obsolete. Nothing could be further from the truth.</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
I discovered that when I travel overseas and don't wish to incur mammoth data charges, clumsy map books from a "petrol garage", or ask directions in a language I don't speak, I have relied on my TomTom One GPS to bail me out and help me navigate unknown towns and cities.<br />
<br />
The following review will give a basic look at the hardware and software of the TomTom One and will apply to the following TomTom One models: ONE 3rd Edition, ONE 130, ONE 130-S, ONE 140, and ONE 140-s - all of which utilize essentially the same hardware technology minus cosmetic, aesthetic changes from the 3rd edition (fatter and more square 3.5" screen casing) to the ONE 140-s (slimmer and more rectangular 3.5" screen casing) and software technology 140-S (features text-to-speech - announcing streets and Points of Interest) vs ONE 3rd edition (No voiced street names and POIs receive a "chime").<br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Whats In The Box</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
I wish I could start this review on the right foot, but I can't. Here is one of the few negatives of the TomTom One Line. You will receive the GPS unit itself, a USB Car Charger and USB cable, an Easyport Mount (Windscreen Holder for the ONE 3rd Edition), and last but not least, Documentation - Quick Start Guide and Accessory leaflet. <br />
<br />
Conspicuous by its absence is the wall charger that EVERY Electronic Device should come with, even stingy old Apple provides a very basic wall charger for its products! Not so with TomTom ONE. You can use the USB cable to charge the device on your laptop or home computer and the device will charge while running from the cigarette lighter, but if you are at a motel and don't have your laptop, and the car is parked and turned off safely 3 floors below, you're out of luck for charging this thing. It also does not come with any thin flimsy faux-leather case that even cheap $8 Sunglass purchases come with! Not to fear, I've found aftermarket GPS cases for about $7 and the discount stores.<br />
<br />
I picked up a $5 USB wall charger and found it to charge this unit just fine. *WARNING* Do NOT buy this accessory from TomTom or from Radio Shack, they will hammer your wallet for $40 or $50 to buy the actual "charger" and its completely unnecessary. The USB wall adapter and TomTom supplied USB cable work just fine for my unit.<br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Specifications</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"> (for all models mentioned above)<br />
<br />
Screen Size is 3.5" <br />
Screen Type is 4:3 LCD<br />
Screen Resolution is 320 x 240 Pixels<br />
It weighs about 140 grams (about a pound)<br />
It has an internal non-removable battery that is rated for 3 hrs<br />
Memory - Internal Flash Memory only 2GB no SD slot!<br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Hardware</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
I'm a big guy and this GPS device fits in my hand well, but it would not fit into a smaller person's hand. (My wife hates carrying this thing around.)<br />
<br />
It has a power button on the top and a mini USB port on the bottom (ONE 3rd edtion has a traffic antenna port on the bottom that works with FM radio - traffic antenna is an additional $125 accessory)<br />
<br />
The back contains the speaker for voice instruction.<br />
<br />
I've saved the LCD on the front for the last observation. Before the iPhone came out, the touch LCD was amazing technology that seemed to work so well. Now that I've had an iPhone for a couple years, the LCD response and lag can be a bit frustrating but ultimately does the job. Without going into the software here, it basically requires a quick 'pop' of the finger to register an entry and is sluggish to register when attempting to "zoom" or scroll like you would Google Maps on an iphone.<br />
<br />
It has an internal GPS sensitive chipset that often times requires a precise position on your dashboard or hand to properly pick up triangulation accuracy. Think of it like the old days where sometimes you had to hold the rabbit ears of your TV set and stand on one foot when trying to get M*A*S*H to come in 'just right'. Once the satellites lock on your TomTom, you're in. I've rarely ever seen this GPS drop the satellite link unless I've done something obvious like driven into a tunnel or parking garage.<br />
<br />
A negative here is there isn't an SD slot for expansion. You are stuck with the scant 2GB internal flash Memory forEVER! The problem here is that one map set: US/Canada or Western Europe etc, will use up all 2 GB of that space which means you have this horribly complicated process of wiping the GPS and trading out for the alternative map EVERY time you leave your main map area. Believe me, this process is a pain because the technology is USB 1 and the transfer time is an over night endeavor.<br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Software</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
The software is where the TomTom really shines. It comes preloaded (in the U.S.) with U.S. and Canada maps with most additional countries running about $79 for each map.<br />
<br />
Like the earlier units you get:<br />
• turn by turn voice directions<br />
The volume can be set to auto-adjust to your vehicle speed.<br />
I have been through downtown LA about 20 times and the ONLY<br />
times I have successfully navigated the tangled mess of off and<br />
on ramps without a reroute has been when I've used this TomTom.<br />
<br />
• automatic rerouting when you miss a turnoff (intentionally or unintentionally<br />
• Fast Navigation<br />
Several months ago I had this TomTom working directly next to<br />
my iPhone 3G GPS and the TomTom gave directions well before<br />
a turnoff whereas the iPhone GPS lagged behind to the point <br />
where it gave instructions (non-voice) well after I had already <br />
passed the turnoff - definite advantage TomTom<br />
• Fairly reliable and updated maps<br />
This can be user generated (most up-to-date but only somewhat <br />
reliable) or TomTom generated (behind the times but very <br />
accurate)<br />
• Find POIs near you, or near destination, etc<br />
I have used this here in the States or overseas to find ATMs, gas <br />
stations, and post offices, etc which can come in VERY handy in a <br />
city you don't know very well. On this 140-S unit, it will voice the <br />
POIs you've selected as you near them. On the ONE 3rd Edition, <br />
you can set it to chime as it nears a selected POI.<br />
• Saved destinations for future use.<br />
• Set Routes for Driving, Walking, Bicycling - Fastest, no freeways, etc<br />
I walked around Paris with this GPS in my hand and set it to find <br />
the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Notre Dame. It kept guiding me <br />
along strangely LONG routes until I discovered that I needed to <br />
set it to "walk" routes and not "drive" routes. The TomTom was <br />
paying attention to one-way streets that are all bypassed in "walk" <br />
mode. VERY handy once again.<br />
<br />
The 140-S adds the following features:<br />
• Advanced Lane Guidance<br />
Now detailed information about complex freeways (like downtown <br />
LA) and the ideal lanes to maintain your particular route of travel.<br />
• Text-To-Speech<br />
This is just a minor "add" as it now allows you to have street <br />
names and POIs 'spoken' which the older models cannot do. I <br />
don't find that this feature is necessary, so you could save a few <br />
bucks and get the older models which do not run this version of <br />
software.<br />
• IQ Routes<br />
This utilizes compiled user data of average speeds on a given road <br />
at a given time and then passes that information on to your device <br />
if you select "fastest route"<br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Conclusion</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
Technology designed to do a number of things: phone, internet, gps, music player - will usually do all of them only reasonably well. But a device that is designed to specialize in one of the above will generally do that task MUCH better. This is definitely the case with the TomTom One 140-S GPS device. If I need to do some serious navigation and don't want to continue looking at my iPhone for instructions, this is the device that has saved my bacon time and time again.<br />
<br />
I paid about $100 for this device and considering I no longer stop for directions or to buy maps or waste hundreds of dollars in time and/or gas driving or walking in circles. I would count the benefits of this GPS in the thousands of dollars - 1 pound GPS device equal in value to 1 pound of gold, even with the stingy box offering and sometimes glitchy screen!<br />
</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pros:</b> Price, Map Accuracy, Software, Fast Navigation, POI locators.<br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Cons: </span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Poor LCD map touch response, No wall charger or case! Expensive accessories, No SD EXPANSION!<br />
</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">The Bottom Line: </span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">If you need a device to help you navigate an unknown concrete jungle or spaghetti bowl of freeways, this is your GPS!</span><br />
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</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-weight: bold; font-weight: bold; font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;">Recommended:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
Yes </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-79006236883465325422011-05-08T20:34:00.000-07:002011-05-08T20:34:18.506-07:00Remembering My Mom on Mothers Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxQOqaqZufwdmclJLBM1Uo9gU5-190J7HUdtWsaSV7eGW3SfSMHuSx7PTv9PYSfmyN1ZXke3_gAWXRoDkY1hA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Today is the first Mother's Day without my Mom. I wasn't sure how to feel about it. The obvious feelings are "loss", a bit of "emptiness", and somewhat"lost", but mostly it was really just awkward I suppose. I didn't quite know how to go about the day. In the end, I figured I would write a quick blog to honor her memory and reflect on a few of the more obscure moments with my Mom.<br />
<br />
I remember that as a small boy, my Mom would pray with me every night: the typical Catholic "Our Father" + "Hail Mary" + personal petitions and intercessions. I remember that after each night of prayer she would give me a kiss and say, "Goodnight Andy, sweet dreams, God bless you!" and every night this was repeated. It became a very comforting ritual, the most satisfying of which was my Mom's goodnight blessing.<br />
<br />
One night she left my room by saying, "Good night Andy, sweet dreams." and began to close the door. I remember crying out in a panic, "YOU FORGOT TO SAY 'GOD BLESS YOU!?!'". I remember her gentle smile and a sort of laugh at my correction. She assured me that everything would still be OK even if she forgot to say one of those magic phrases. However, she saw how important it had become to me and she would never forget to include all three elements of the "Goodnight" ritual thereafter.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Today, when I pray with my six year old, I give him a kiss and repeat those three elements in that exact order, "Goodnight Joshy, sweet dreams, God bless you!" He seems to derive a similar comfort from this blessing and even repeats it back to me the same way that I would with my Mom.</div><br />
Each night I say this, I privately think of my Mom and it brings a bit of her into my daily life, her kindness and love paying dividends even to the next generation.<br />
<br />
Happy Mother's Day Mom. I'll never forget you and I sure do miss you.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-66562967122412395062011-02-23T12:19:00.000-08:002011-02-23T12:25:44.562-08:00I. Did. Not. Know. That. Little known Cliff Claven facts about the world.<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="color: #eeeeee;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="padding: 0in;"><br />
</td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="padding: 1.2pt; width: 100%;" width="100%"><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Alaska</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:007801cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="211" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw" width="286" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">More than half of the coastline of the entire United States is in Alaska .</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Amazon</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:007901cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="381" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.2&disp=emb&zw" width="259" /><br />
The Amazon rainforest produces more than 20%<br />
of the world's oxygen supply.</b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Amazon River pushes so much water into the Atlantic Ocean that, more than one hundred miles at sea off the mouth of the river, one can dip fresh water out of the ocean. The volume of water in the Amazon river is greater than the next eight largest rivers in the world combined and three times the flow of all rivers in the United States .</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Antarctica</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:007a01cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="288" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.3&disp=emb&zw" width="288" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country.<br />
Ninety percent of the world's ice covers Antarctica .<br />
This ice also represents seventy percent of all the fresh water in the world.<br />
As strange as it sounds, however, Antarctica is essentially a desert;<br />
the average yearly total precipitation is about two inches.<br />
Although covered with ice (all but 0.4% of it, ice.),<br />
Antarctica is the driest place on the planet,<br />
with an absolute humidity lower than the Gobi desert.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Brazil</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:007b01cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="285" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.4&disp=emb&zw" width="261" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Brazil got its name from the nut, not the other way around.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Canada</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:007c01cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="288" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.5&disp=emb&zw" width="384" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined. Canada is an Indian word meaning ' Big Village '.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Chicago</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:007d01cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="266" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.6&disp=emb&zw" width="200" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Next to Warsaw , Chicago has the largest Polish population<br />
in the world.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Detroit</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:007e01cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="300" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.7&disp=emb&zw" width="361" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, carries the designation M-1,<br />
so named because it was the first paved road anywhere.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Damascus, Syria</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:007f01cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="267" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.8&disp=emb&zw" width="287" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Damascus, Syria, was flourishing a couple of thousand years<br />
before Rome was founded in 753 BC,<br />
making it the oldest continuously inhabited city in existence.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Istanbul, Turkey</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008001cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="339" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.9&disp=emb&zw" width="291" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Istanbul, Turkey, is the only city in the world<br />
located on two continents.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Los Angeles</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008101cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="246" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.10&disp=emb&zw" width="366" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Los Angeles' full name is:<br />
El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula<br />
-- and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size: L.A.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">New York City</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008201cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="213" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.11&disp=emb&zw" width="184" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The term 'The Big Apple' was coined<br />
by touring jazz musicians of the 1930s<br />
who used the slang expression 'apple' for any town or city.<br />
Therefore, to play New York City<br />
is to play the big time - The Big Apple.<br />
<br />
There are more Irish in New York City<br />
than in Dublin, Ireland;<br />
more Italians in New York City<br />
than in Rome, Italy;<br />
and more Jews in New York City<br />
than in Tel Aviv, Israel.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Ohio</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008301cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="243" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.12&disp=emb&zw" width="324" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There are no natural lakes in the state of Ohio , every one is manmade.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Pitcairn Island</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008401cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="285" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.13&disp=emb&zw" width="402" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The smallest island with country status is Pitcairn<br />
in Polynesia , at just 1.75 sq. miles/4,53 sq. km.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Rome</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008501cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="354" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.14&disp=emb&zw" width="532" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The first city to reach a population of 1 million people<br />
was Rome , Italy in 133 B.C.<br />
There is a city called Rome on every continent.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Siberia</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008601cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="287" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.15&disp=emb&zw" width="403" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Siberia contains more than 25% of the world's forests.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">S.M.O.M.</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008701cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="189" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.16&disp=emb&zw" width="165" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The actual smallest sovereign entity in the world<br />
is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (S.M.O.M).<br />
It is located in the city of Rome, Italy,<br />
has an area of two tennis courts<br />
and, as of 2001, has a population of 80<br />
-- 20 less people than the Vatican.<br />
It is a sovereign entity under international law,<br />
just as the Vatican is.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Sahara Desert</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008801cbbca7$84d14a60$9301a8c0@donald" height="282" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.17&disp=emb&zw" width="376" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In the Sahara Desert, there is a town named Tidikelt, Algeria ,<br />
which did not receive a drop of rain for ten years.<br />
Technically though, the driest place on Earth<br />
is in the valleys of the Antarctic near Ross Island ..<br />
There has been no rainfall there for two million years.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Spain</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008901cbbca7$84d39450$9301a8c0@donald" height="191" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.18&disp=emb&zw" width="300" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Spain literally means 'the land of rabbits'.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">St. Paul, Minnesota</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008a01cbbca7$84d39450$9301a8c0@donald" height="235" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.19&disp=emb&zw" width="196" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">St. Paul, Minnesota, was originally called Pig's Eye<br />
after a man named Pierre 'Pig's Eye' Parrant<br />
who set up the first business there.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Roads</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008b01cbbca7$84d39450$9301a8c0@donald" height="255" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.20&disp=emb&zw" width="353" /><img alt="Description: cid:008c01cbbca7$84d39450$9301a8c0@donald" height="238" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.21&disp=emb&zw" width="337" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Chances that a road is unpaved:<br />
in the U.S.A. = 1%;<br />
in Canada = 75%</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Russia</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008d01cbbca7$84d39450$9301a8c0@donald" height="245" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.22&disp=emb&zw" width="353" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The deepest hole ever drilled by man is the<br />
Kola Superdeep Borehole, in Russia .<br />
It reached a depth of 12,261 meters<br />
(about 40,226 feet or 7.62 miles).<br />
It was drilled for scientific research<br />
and gave up some unexpected discoveries,<br />
one of which was a huge deposit of hydrogen<br />
- so massive that the mud coming from the hole<br />
was boiling with it.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">United States</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008e01cbbca7$84d39450$9301a8c0@donald" height="344" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.23&disp=emb&zw" width="268" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Eisenhower interstate system requires<br />
that one mile in every five must be straight.<br />
These straight sections are usable as airstrips<br />
in times of war or other emergencies.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Waterfalls</span></b></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="Description: cid:008f01cbbca7$84d39450$9301a8c0@donald" height="272" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=b1f6be04c1&view=att&th=12e539c1c83174d2&attid=0.24&disp=emb&zw" width="355" /><br />
</b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The water of Angel Falls (the world's highest) in Venezuela<br />
drops 3,212 feet (979 meters).<br />
They are 15 times higher than Niagara Falls.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b> <hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" /></b></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-74370107565126453242011-01-07T12:35:00.000-08:002011-01-08T22:04:49.010-08:00Ted and Pat Hamilton: Celebrate Life Memorial Fund<div class="cstmText"><a href="http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/tedandpathamilton">http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/tedandpathamilton</a></div><div class="cstmText"><br />
</div><div class="cstmText">Ted and Pat Hamilton met in 1953 in Topeka, KS. Pat was the ROTC Queen of her class at Washburn University where she attended and volunteered to register returning veterans to the University. It is here that she met a man who would become her "Knight in shining armor" and lifelong best friend: Ted Hamilton. <br />
<br />
They would marry in 1955 and welcome their first child in 1956 and their second child in 1958. Tragically, they lost their third child, "Kenneth" in the first few months of his life due to brain damage at birth.<br />
<br />
This young couple persevered through this tragedy and because of their undying faith and love for children they would bless 6 more children with life: A total of 3 boys and 5 girls.<br />
<br />
They would spend their lives wiping tears, changing diapers, and packing lunches for these eight children. Endless stories read to eager young minds, countless sessions of nighttime prayers, and an eternity of hymns and campfire songs would cheer our spirits set our childhood world aright. They would support, mentor, and pass on their values of family and hard work to all of us.<br />
<br />
Patricia Hamilton became a 4th grade teacher while still a young mother in Topeka, KS. She would eventually transition to full time "home and family builder" until her early 40s where she would move on to become a Social Worker for Clark County, Nevada. This was a God-ordained role that was a natural fit for her natural compassion.<br />
<br />
Pat also spent some time as a case worker for St. Vincents "Haven of Hope" in Las Vegas and would talk make continual mention of the kindness of those people around her there. She would eventually retire from the County with her husband Ted to a little town in Southern Utah called Cedar City. She would achieve her dream of living in a green forested area.<br />
<br />
Theodore Hamilton was a renowned photographer of his Hayden High School class, earning him the nickname "Snappy" by all of his classmates. "Snappy" would follow in his father's footsteps and join the Navy almost directly after high school. Ted went on to become a Naval Veteran of the Korean War and immediately entered the University of Washburn in Topeka, KS after his tour of duty in Korea was completed. <br />
<br />
Ted was a hard working man of many talents. With a degree in Systems Analysis from Washburn University, he would marry his college sweetheart and they would embark, on a journey that would take the family from Topeka, KS to Louisville, KY, to Greenville, TX, to Phoenix, AZ and finally to Las Vegas, NV, adding 8 children along the way! He was a firm believer in providing for his children in many ways. He was always willing to share his engineering skills and woodworking craft with family, friends, and neighbors even after he began to struggle with his health.<br />
<br />
Both Ted and Pat were quite active in the Catholic Church while in Las Vegas. Ted was in The Knights of Columbus and a lead usher while Pat sang in the choir and sat on the Church council for a time at St. Francis De Sales.<br />
<br />
Tragically, on December 14th, 2010 while toting Christmas gifts from Cedar City to Las Vegas for their children, grand children, and great children, they were involved in an auto accident outside Cedar City that would immediately claim the life of Pat and complicate the health of Ted where he would pass away and join his best friend only 12 days later.<br />
<br />
It is because of their lifelong love of 8 children, 7 children-in-laws, 14 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren that we have set up this page to celebrate the lives of our parents who tirelessly celebrated the lives of their own children. This memorial fund offers an opportunity to honor their memory by donating to the work of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in lieu of sending memorial flowers. We felt that supporting the medical well-being of children who cannot support themselves would be most consistent with the way our Parents lived on this Earth.</div><div class="cstmText"><br />
</div><div class="cstmText"><a href="http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/tedandpathamilton">http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/tedandpathamilton</a></div><br />
<div class="cstmText">Services to celebrate our dear Mom and Dad's lives will be held at 9:30am on January 26th, 2011 at Christ The King Catholic Church in Las Vegas.</div><div class="cstmText"><br />
</div><div class="cstmText"><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-31177598035690033192011-01-02T23:37:00.000-08:002011-01-02T23:37:40.025-08:00Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ :Your HD Movies,DVDs, Netflix, Internet Streaming<div class="blog-entry-summary"><div class="image-right"><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Seagate_FreeAgent+_Review" class="imageStyle" height="242" src="http://preciseplus.com/files/seagate_freeagent002b_review.png" width="228" /></div></div><table border="0.000000" cellpadding="2.000000" cellspacing="0.500000"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top" width="582"><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Great variety of formats, ample inputs, 1080p, and easy set up will cause you to overlook the awful operating system of this sub $100 glitchy media player. It will play ripped DVDs and Blu Ray files and will...</span></td></tr>
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</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">What I Was Looking For:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
I saw media boxes out there that streamed Netflix (Roku) and boxes<br />
out there that could play my HD media files and ripped DVD files<br />
(popcorn hour) but I was looking for a media box that could do both.<br />
I saw a couple variations from Western Digital etc but decided on the<br />
Seagate FreeAgent Theater+.<br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Whats in The Box:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
The unboxing was unspectacular and I found myself asking "Is that it?"<br />
Its basically a very slimline plastic box about an inch or two high and<br />
roughly as big around as fat DVD package. It came with the following:<br />
<br />
• a feather light (not always a good thing) remote control<br />
• a composite cable (yellow, red, white old-school garbage) <br />
• a component cable (red green blue - for up to 1080i play) <br />
• an ethernet cable. (for streaming Netflix, Youtube, Mediafly, etc)<br />
• a 1 year warranty.<br />
<br />
Strangely, a big selling point of this box is the fact that it can play <br />
1080p which is HUGE. However, Seagate went cheapie cheap and did <br />
not include an HDMI cable. I guess when they considered all that <br />
expensive plastic they poured into the box and remote, we had <br />
already received enough value for our $99.<br />
<br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Hardware:<br />
</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">OK, so I've harped on the somewhat "flimsy"-feeling construction,<br />
but lets look at what we can plug into the Seagate Theater+.<br />
<br />
• Connection of this box is very simple and very straightforward and<br />
requires very little technical expertise. However, operation of the <br />
remote, as you will soon see, requires the patience of a thousand monks.<br />
<br />
• No physical buttons on this thing save a small deeply recessed reset<br />
button on the back panel. Get familiar with this button you will need<br />
it. No buttons means TOTAL reliance on the remote. DON'T LOSE<br />
THAT REMOTE. Just a subtle warning.<br />
<br />
• This compact media box has a removable plastic cover on the front<br />
right panel. When removed it reveals a niche with a dock that <br />
fits/connects a USB Seagate FreeAgent drive "almost" nicely. I say <br />
"almost" because the drive extends beyond the front of the player and <br />
the removable plastic cover does not fit back over the niche with an <br />
attached hard drive so you're left with a media player that constantly <br />
looks like its in the middle of giving birth to an overpriced mini hard <br />
drive at all times. <br />
<br />
I don't know what Executive at Seagate signed off on this glorious<br />
design but really, 2 more inches of plastic and it all looks wonderful.<br />
Seagate wanted an almost invisible media player, so in a brilliant<br />
effort to preserve aesthetics, some designer decided to sacrifice...<br />
well...aesthetics. Weird, really weird.<br />
<br />
• On the backside of this unit there are a number of ports to <br />
accommodate a variety of audio and video input. <br />
Going left to right:<br />
- a 1/4" mini "AV" input which is compatible with the standard<br />
definition composite to mini cable included in the box. This also<br />
acts as an audio input to compliment the component input.<br />
<br />
- Red, Green, Blue component input for those who still have only</span><br />
<div class="image-right"><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Media Player, Reviews, Netflix HD" class="imageStyle" height="246" src="http://preciseplus.com/files/seagate_freeagent002b_inputs_review.png" width="232" /></div></div><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
1080i capable TVs and/or devices. These inputs are picture only<br />
so if you are finnicky like me, and require audio with your video<br />
you will need to utilize the composite to mini cable and just plug <br />
in the red and white (audio) cables to your TV or device. This is a <br />
clunky weird set up for this box I know. Seagate could have just <br />
added an additional 2 RCA audio inputs and Bob would be our <br />
uncle, but they went ultra cheap on this media player to compete <br />
with Roku and get one up on Popcorn Hour,<br />
so this is what we get.<br />
<br />
- Optical Audio Input - this is pretty cool, if you have a TV or<br />
device that has an Optical Audio output. If you do, by all means,<br />
utilize this input for your component audio, its far better and<br />
clearer kluging RCA composite cables with Radio Shack<br />
extenders to get the AV cable working.<br />
<br />
- HDMI Input - For those of us who decided to party like its 2007.<br />
Basically all HDTVs now come with multiple HDMI outputs that<br />
enable you to view 1080p HD. This is an added feature to the<br />
Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ and the picture quality is not bad<br />
in my opinion. In fact, very good considering the sub $100 price.<br />
<br />
- LAN or "Ethernet" input - Run this to your broadband router or<br />
home network and you are well on your way to enjoying Netflix,<br />
Youtube, Mediafly, vtuner, picasa, Flickr, AND access to any <br />
movies you've made available on your home network.<br />
<br />
- USB port - You can load your movies, music, pics on an external <br />
USB2 hard drive, run a USB cable discreetly to this USB 2.0 port <br />
on the back of the box and you've just expanded instant access <br />
to your media library. You can also connect digital cameras, <br />
camcorders, or flash drives to access movies, music, & pictures.<br />
<br />
- 12v DC power input - not sexy - just does what it does.<br />
<br />
- RESET button - DEFINITELY not sexy - wished it weren't necessary<br />
<br />
• And now, we address another "con" of the Seagate FreeAgent Theater+: <br />
The Remote. <br />
<br />
Actually, I'm not really even sure if its the remote or the infared<br />
receiver on the box, but nearly every command to this player from <br />
the compulsory remote, requires 2 or 3 presses of the same button to <br />
get the box to respond. <br />
<br />
Sometimes, its just horrible lag and then suddenly it catches up and <br />
bombards the interface with multiple "left" or "enter" or "back" <br />
commands and you find yourself at the root folder of the player and <br />
far far away from that glorious Meatballs III movie you had intended <br />
to watch 5 minutes ago. <br />
<br />
This remote, I believe, is responsible for more hair and eyes being <br />
pulled out of humans than all mass murderers in history COMBINED. <br />
Very frustrating interaction between the remote and the box.<br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Software Interface (OS):</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
Some of the problems I've listed above are actually not problems with<br />
the remote but rather are issues with the OS of the media player.<br />
<br />
The Interface is very basic and really feels like a 3rd rate Chinese rip <br />
off of Popcorn Hour or Roku, which, I believe, are both 3rd rate <br />
Chinese rip offs of something else. <br />
</span><br />
<div class="image-right"><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Media Player, Rip DVDs, Rip Blu Rays, Play Movies" class="imageStyle" height="315" src="http://preciseplus.com/files/seagate_freeagent002b_software_review.png" width="319" /></div></div><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Very basic selections to choose from: Movies, Pictures, Music, </span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Internet, Devices - all as square thumbnails floating in a blue room.<br />
<br />
• "Movies" opens up an archaic "DOS-like" screen which lists all movie<br />
files you have on any connected hard drive.<br />
• "Pictures" opens up a thumbnail list of available pics found on a <br />
connected hard drive.<br />
• "Music" same as pics and movies<br />
• "Internet" connects you to Netflix, Youtube, Mediafly, some VIDEO <br />
RSS feeds and hundreds (if not thousands) of internet radio stations<br />
through vTuner. You can also access Picasa and Flickr photo sites. <br />
Sadly, no Hulu connection here yet, a DEFINITE disadvantage over <br />
other competitive media boxes for sure.<br />
<br />
• "Devices" gives you access to media on whatever hard drive, or 3rd<br />
party devices you have connected.<br />
<br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Software: Media Formats</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
This is definitely a strong point for the Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ <br />
Media Player, and definitely the reason for my decision to buy:<br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Video:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"> MPEG–1, MPEG–2 (VOB/ISO) this was important for me <br />
because I wanted to rip my collection of DVDs and make them <br />
available on my home network for instant viewing (in my home only <br />
of course, only legal usage) When you use the VOB/ISO file format, it <br />
will play with menus like you have a DVD running.</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
More Video:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"> MPEG–4 (Xvid), DivX Plus™ HD, Xvid HD, AVI, <br />
MOV, MOV is a format that I've noticed gives the FreeAgent Theater+ <br />
some problems for some reason. The Mpeg1,2, and 4 formats work <br />
fine but the larger .MOV files are not readily recognized when the <br />
Theater+ scans my drive for movie files. <br />
MKV - This is HUGE I tell you, HUGE! If you own Blu Ray and have <br />
figured out how to legally rip your blu rays to MKVs for personal <br />
in-home "backup" or some other legal reason, then you will delight in <br />
the fact that the Seagate box plays those blu ray files. yahoo.<br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Even MORE Video:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"> RMVB Real Media, AVC HD, H.264, WMV9, VC–1, <br />
M2TS, TS/TP/M2T <br />
<br />
Video Resolutions: NTSC 480i/480p, PAL 576i/576p, 720p, 1080i, <br />
1080p<br />
Subtitles: SAMI (smi), SRT, SUB </span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
Audio:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"> AAC - it is important to note here that this box will definitely <br />
play Apple's AAC format, but will not play the "protected/locked" AAC <br />
files you've purchased from iTunes. That isn't really a knock on the <br />
Theater+ though, even most APPLE devices won't play the locked <br />
AACs unless you authorize them with big brother.<br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">More Audio:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"> MP3, Dolby® Digital, DTS, ASF, FLAC, WMA, LPCM, <br />
ADPCM, WAV, OGG Playlist: M3U, PLS <br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Photo:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"> JPEG files (up to 20 megapixels), BMP, GIF, PNG, TIFF<br />
<br />
I have had a couple firmware upgrades which have made some of the <br />
above file formats play a bit more smoothly but there are still a few <br />
kinks to work out with this media player. I paid about $85 for my box <br />
and then about $150 for a 1TB FreeAgent "Go" drive and overall I'm <br />
not really disappointed, but not overly overjoyed with this media <br />
player. <br />
<br />
It has been a workhorse in my home and my 5 year old quickly <br />
figured out how operate it, AND, dare I say, trouble shoot it when it <br />
freezes up: that's right, he clicks the recessed "reset" button on the <br />
back which starts the box all over, or he just unplugs the DC cable <br />
and fires it back up.<br />
<br />
I would recommend this box to a friend or family member at the <br />
current price point of about $50-$75. Its definitely worth that much.<br />
</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Versatility of file format playback<br />
Versatility of inputs<br />
Price<br />
Picture<br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">CONS: </span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Navigation interface and software is circa 1994<br />
Remote Control operation is horrendous<br />
Plastic Construction<br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">The Bottom Line: </span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Great variety of formats, ample inputs, 1080p, and easy set up will <br />
cause you to overlook the awful operating system of this sub $100 <br />
glitchy media player.</span><br />
<table border="0.000000" cellpadding="2.000000" cellspacing="0.500000"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top" width="582"><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">PROS: </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font: bold 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;">Recommended:</span><span style="font: 12px 'Lucida Grande',LucidaGrande,Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
Yes</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-29777237631047112542010-12-20T23:14:00.000-08:002010-12-20T23:32:49.055-08:00Otterbox Defender for IPhone4: All-In-One Bulky Protective Case But Worth The Price.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGo4ZdyWlVDqhnnLkKbRTEeJBwc2l2FrA-6plzjj8aGCxWCEs-zw6eQo6FKo9VBg_IRV9yXbcZcQCEyWc4HBjr4LJCq5M4nZrehKorAuha5aFxAPPQePxGeS_m-KFz4gUQ4j1mwKQhlqC/s1600/Otterbox_iPhone4_Case.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGo4ZdyWlVDqhnnLkKbRTEeJBwc2l2FrA-6plzjj8aGCxWCEs-zw6eQo6FKo9VBg_IRV9yXbcZcQCEyWc4HBjr4LJCq5M4nZrehKorAuha5aFxAPPQePxGeS_m-KFz4gUQ4j1mwKQhlqC/s200/Otterbox_iPhone4_Case.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="xkr"></span><span class="rkr"><b>The Background:</b><br />
<br />
My wife and I recently picked up a matching set of iPhone 4's and because I was a veteran "screen breaker" of my old iPhone 3G, I figured I would either buy insurance at $8-10 per month, or pay a bit extra for a top quality case that could protect my phone. I chose the latter and 2 months later, I am not looking back.<br />
<b><br />
</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="rkr"><b>Types of iPhone Cases:</b><br />
<br />
First of all, with regards to iPhones in particular, there are 4 basic types of cases: <br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="rkr"><b>Bumpers</b> - the cheap rubber ring that surrounds the outer edge </span></li>
</ul><span class="rkr"> of the iphone while leaving the front and back open to all the <br />
disasters that are magnetically attracted to all iPhones.<br />
This is the type that Apple temporarily offered for "free" to quell <br />
an angry mob that was suffering from the antenna design flaw <br />
built into the iPhone 4. If you didn't get the freebie, then you have <br />
to cough up about $4 on ebay (plus shipping...usually $44.95 or <br />
some ridiculous amount that ebay Nazis charge)<br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="rkr"> <b>Silicone Case</b> - this is generally an inexpensive "wrapper" that </span></li>
</ul><span class="rkr"> surrounds your iphone around the back and edges but leaves the <br />
front open to any disasters that might befall your over priced <br />
iPhone. you can use a thin annoying film-plastic sticker over <br />
your screen if you are a glutton for punishment and crud on your <br />
screen. I have tried these "film screen protectors" and the only <br />
thing they protected my iPhone from was actual use by its owner. <br />
dust, cold, heat, breath, will cause this film to become a barrier <br />
between your touch and the touch screen. Nevertheless, some <br />
people use this film crud and swear by it. This Silicone style can <br />
be picked up for about $8.<br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="rkr"> <b>Hard Shell Case</b> - this is definitely the "next step" of cases and </span></li>
</ul><span class="rkr"> offers slender hard shell protection around the back and edges <br />
and is raised a bit above the front rim of the iPhone which allows <br />
minimal protection against dropping the iPhone. This is the type I <br />
had for my old 3g before buying the Otterbox Defender for the 4. <br />
This can be used with a thin annoying plastic film to give a "thin <br />
annoying" level of protection to your screen but I still don't <br />
recommend this type. A hard shell case usually runs about $15 or <br />
so, I got mine at cellphoneshop.com or something like that. <br />
shipping was free, price was fair, legit dealer, no problems there.<br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="rkr"> <b>All-In-One Case</b> - This is the best of all worlds. Generally is a 3 </span></li>
</ul><span class="rkr"> or 4 part case that involves in internal plastic case that securely <br />
wraps the phone and has a plastic "window" that protects the <br />
iPhone glass and allows for touch operation directly through the <br />
plastic and this snap on case is covered by a grippable "silicone" <br />
wrapper/bumper that allows for holding the Phone and offering <br />
water resistance and an additional layer for phone and case <br />
longevity. <br />
These cases are like plastic tanks that protect your iPhone: Big, <br />
Bulky, and Pricey, and if you've broken your iphone screen a <br />
couple times like I have, those things stop mattering as much. <br />
This style of case will generally run from $30-50 depending on <br />
what kind of shopper hound you may be.There are only about 3 <br />
makers of "All-In-One" cases: <br />
Ballistic, Logitech, and the one I am reviewing - Otterbox. <br />
<br />
<b>The Look and Feel</b>:<br />
<br />
The Otterbox Defender Case for iPhone 4 is definitely the skinniest pig in the litter of fatso cases. The new Defender case has been slimmed down to better match the contour of the squarish iPhone4 yet the outer silicone is textured to allow for a good grip. I like that the Otterbox has a coating on the outside of the touch screen protective window that protects it from static, oil slicks (eww), and bubbles while still permitting full functionality of the touch screen.<br />
<br />
<b>Access:</b><br />
<br />
The Otterbox Defender allows for easy, protected access to all major ports: headphone on top, sync/charge cable on bottom, and the silence switch on left side. Otterbox has improved the Defender line by removing that annoying plastic film (all plastic film is annoying by the way) that used to cover the camera holes on the old 3g versions of the Otterbox. They now just have a beveled/recessed hole for the lens and for the flash which now gives us clear wonderful pictures without weird light aberrations. Good job Otterbox.<br />
<b><br />
Installation:</b> <br />
<br />
Here is where the negative mark comes in. Yes I want protection, yes I'm glad it completely covers the phone. No, I do not want to take more time to open the phone case than it takes to prepare a Doctoral Thesis on the mating habits of the amoeba! MAN! They make this totally un-user friendly when it comes to popping this thing apart, putting in your phone, and plopping it all back together. <br />
<br />
Basically, it requires peeling the tight silicone off the snap ridges on the top and sides and then popping the interior plastic case apart and then lining your iPhone in the front half just right and then aligning that front half with the phone into the snap slots of the back part and then the silicone goes back around the outside. God help you if you need to take your phone out of the case in a hurry. Its not going to happen at first.<br />
<br />
Be prepared to watch a couple Youtube vids like I did to figure it out. Apparently its hard for those weirdos too because every video cuts away right at the point that you have to pry the plastic case apart to insert your phone. Anyhow, this is the only negative I found besides the price. In defense of the Otterbox, once you've mastered the install it becomes easier to take the iPhone in and out each time.<br />
<br />
<b>Protection:</b><br />
<br />
The outside silicone absorbs shock from drops, the interior plastic case further absorbs shock and keeps the phone secure, because of the plastic operating window, broken or scratched screens are a thing of the past. <br />
<br />
There is a soft felt lining on the interior that serves to gently protect your over priced iPhone from the inside against case scratchings etc.<br />
<br />
However, please note, this case does not protect the iPhone 4 from owner stupidity. It does not protect from theft and: The Otterbox Defender for iPhone 4 is NOT, repeat 'not' waterproof, but rather, is water resistant. So dropping the iphone in the toilet while in the Otterbox case will not save the iPhone. However, if you have to speak on your phone while holding it in the rain or if you are using your phone in the sweltering Sun of Las Vegas and your palm is sweating profusely (again, ew), the Otterbox will keep your iphone relatively dry and safe. The majority of risk with an iPhone is damage by droppage or squashage etc and the Otterbox is awesome to protect your there.<br />
<br />
<b>Whats in the box?</b><br />
<br />
You will get a fully secured Otterbox case fully built in one piece that you will have to learn how to take apart like a rubix cube. You will now get a holster which can be used to attach your iPhone 4 to your belt like you were some kind of techie Clint Eastwood. AND, this holster doubles as a stand for "hands free" viewing of movies, etc OR, as a decent stand to use your overpriced iPhone as an overpriced </span><br />
"web cam" on your desk.<br />
<br />
<b>Price and Availability:</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmcoBQ_nWouJdJZyLn01bLob8-bq0GrONU-q0A2iMSMGXbIDiRZJ4FYfsHF9ABHoXXPTSZBKPB8dZERjF0ULjyfbygKNez6Pl0Xs_DTrOR5-0d-2lExEcNAdR0sN78DJ0RiKU6kvU95GZ/s1600/Otterbox_iPhone4_Case2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmcoBQ_nWouJdJZyLn01bLob8-bq0GrONU-q0A2iMSMGXbIDiRZJ4FYfsHF9ABHoXXPTSZBKPB8dZERjF0ULjyfbygKNez6Pl0Xs_DTrOR5-0d-2lExEcNAdR0sN78DJ0RiKU6kvU95GZ/s200/Otterbox_iPhone4_Case2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The Otterbox Defender for iPhone 4 lists for $34.95 on the Otterbox site but I've seen it at Amazon for around $25. We got ours from a place called "recellular" where it was basically an open box or store demo and we got it for about $15. I do consider the $34.95 a bit pricey for this case, however, the alternative is paying for a new $125 screen replacement or $8-10 per month for insurance. I'll pay the $30 and zip it. Its a value for what this case provides <br />
<span style="line-height: 120%;"> <span class="lkb"><b>Pros: </b></span> <span class="rkr">Protection, Access, Usability, Look and Feel</span> <b><br />
</b> <span class="lkb"><b>Cons: </b></span> <span class="rkr">Complicated installation and Price</span> <b><br />
</b> <span class="lkb"><b>The Bottom Line:</b> </span><br />
<span class="rkr">Of the "all-in-one" plastic bulky tank cases, the Otterbox leads the pack. Great protection, horribly difficult to install, but worth the price.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="lkb"><b>Overall Product Rating:</b> </span><br />
<span class="rkr"><img alt="Product Rating: 4.0" border="0" height="10" hspace="0" src="http://img.epinions.com/images/epi_images/e3/4_med_stars.gif" vspace="0" width="54" /> Above Average</span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="lkb">Recommended: </span></b><br />
<span class="rkr">Yes</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-91305522653717242932010-09-10T14:47:00.000-07:002010-09-10T14:47:52.310-07:00Is There Life After Death? Or Is There Nothing After Death?Very interesting comparison of what some of the major world religions have to say about "what happens when you die" and even addresses the atheist "after death nothing" position. Its a good read from a good site in my Stumblr opinion! Enjoy! <br /><br /><a href="http://truthforsaints.com/when_i_die/when_i_die.html">Is There Life After Death? Or Is There Nothing After Death?</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-87962751732685204522010-08-10T16:57:00.000-07:002010-08-10T20:57:46.458-07:00Democrat Spenders FailSo, let me get this straight: The first stimulus went to Democrat pet projects and non-existent public works, it resulted in less private sector jobs AND (wait for it...wait for it) it put YOU and ME on the hook to pay for it. FAIL. I'm sure Obamulus really believes that the failure of this stimulus was somehow George Bush's fault.<br />
<br />
It gets better. Now, Harry Reid and the Obamacrats backdoor us for another 26 Billion "stimulus" while our Reps in Congress were in recess. For what will this second FAIL stimulus be used? To pay for failing Democrat incumbent campaigns?<br />
<br />
The following article is hilarious:<br />
<br />
Republicans Suggest Names for 'Second Stimulus' Bill... <br />
Click to view story:<br />
<a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/70813">http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/70813</a> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=326971849&mt=8"></a><br />
Happy Reading!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-56997384949115313772010-07-30T13:56:00.000-07:002010-07-30T13:56:38.847-07:00A Salute To The Famous Ladies of Politics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0PyehemvMFuxyHLjwHpbLv8cdvgY_kWFxtfPOb5QXdIhkI6onzFNaCX5SdNJuOF2fOBEcFJN3IJo4M3OSFJ7Q2q-ksRTmYlxIyiFZF7j_orGy7lmizMXNSwCAxM_oN2h2KG2xMJMrLTz/s1600/Famous_Ladies_of_Politics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0PyehemvMFuxyHLjwHpbLv8cdvgY_kWFxtfPOb5QXdIhkI6onzFNaCX5SdNJuOF2fOBEcFJN3IJo4M3OSFJ7Q2q-ksRTmYlxIyiFZF7j_orGy7lmizMXNSwCAxM_oN2h2KG2xMJMrLTz/s320/Famous_Ladies_of_Politics.jpg" /></a></div>In the fun of this political season, I wanted to take some time out to give "much luv and respeks" to all the wonderful ladies that grace the famous political scene here in America.<br />
<br />
While some are loved only by MSNBC, CBS, and CNN. and others only loved by FOX, nearly all of them are not without controversy of some kind: whether it is defending the sanctity of marriage years after making a controversial video, slaughtering an entire compound of innocent women and children, defrauding millions in a Whitewater investment, or vowing to vote for Hillary Clinton if John McCain garners the Republican nomination, these women are all worthy of note when it comes to today's political landscape in the U.S.<br />
<br />
Most of these ladies are conscientious observers and contributors of ideas that fuel discussion and debate regarding the policies that shape our future, and for that, I say "thank you".<br />
<br />
Perhaps my next post will be honoring the controversial dudes of American politics. I'm open to suggestions for that list.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-50743003012486244322010-07-10T22:03:00.000-07:002010-07-10T22:05:18.633-07:00How Gullible Are We?This was found on the newsgroup: rec.humor.funny<br /><br />Dangerous Chemical!<br />A student at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical "dihydrogen monoxide."<br /><br />And for plenty of good reasons, since:<br /><br /> 1. it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting<br /> 2. it is a major component in acid rain<br /> 3. it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state<br /> 4. accidental inhalation can kill you<br /> 5. it contributes to erosion<br /> 6. it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes<br /> 7. it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients <br /><br />He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.<br /><br /> * Forty-three (43) said yes,<br /> * six (6) were undecided,<br /> * and only one (1) knew that the chemical was water. <br /><br />The title of his prize winning project was, "How Gullible Are We?"<br /><br />He feels the conclusion is obvious.<br /><br />Al Gore would be SO proud.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-46269326477581580002010-07-07T10:24:00.000-07:002010-07-07T10:37:28.797-07:00You asked for it! The big-spender scorecardHow did the congressional representative in your state vote on key "fail" issues?<br />Bank Bailout? It was supposed to "keep the loans for business and homes flowing". It did not. The banks took our money, and now refuse to give business and home loans.<br /><br />Auto Bailout? It was supposed to "keep the auto manufacturers stable and profitable" It did not. In fact, GM - Government Motors is doing worse and Ford Motor Co., who refused the bailout, is more profitable than the manufacturers that took our money.<br /><br />Cap and Trade? It is being pushed as legislation to stop evil industrial monsters from dumping poison into the atmosphere, lakes, and rivers. When in reality, that is not happening. It is legislation to tax you and me for using hot water, air conditioning, heating, gas, etc that is in "excess" of what Big Brother says it should be.<br /><br />Health Care? It was supposed to usher in a utopia of shining happy people all secure in their government provided health care. It hasn't even gone into effect and already, the insurance companies are revealing that they will not cover certain "high risk" health patients. Already our insurance premiums are going up and coverage is going down to compensate for the future claims of deadbeats that show up at the door of the hospital and jump in on some gub'ment health care.<br /><br />So how did your Congressmen and women vote. Here is a scorecard. Bookmark the site and make sure you bounce these clowns in November. There is no reason to allow them to continue to take our money and use it for extremist liberal left uses.<br /><br />A new, simple guide about how lawmakers voted on controversial measures such as the TARP bill, auto bailout, cap and trade, food regulations and health-care reform bill. A new congressional scorecard details votes by House members on key measures , evidence of growing federal government control and excessive spending. A man named Dave Kittley created the scorecard using data from Govtrack.us . He included a red label next to each member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus , or CPC, the largest caucus within the Democratic caucus in Congress. CPC was set up in 1991 by then-Rep. Bernie Sanders, in conjunction with Democratic Socialists of America and the far left Institute <br /><br /><a href="http://www.skewz.com/link/link_details/you-asked-for-it-the-big-spender-scorecard">You asked for it! The big-spender scorecard</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-69985496125921150222010-06-28T15:23:00.000-07:002010-06-28T15:23:32.768-07:00"If Movie Posters Told The Truth" listThis was quite a funny little find. Because I refuse to watch movie trailers, often times I am left with nothing to go on but<br />a movie poster. It might be helpful if a few of those movie posters REALLY told me what the movie was about!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.listal.com/list/m-p-t-t-t">"If Movie Posters Told The Truth" list</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-4120341971289049942010-06-21T23:29:00.000-07:002010-06-21T23:44:52.284-07:00Putting Things Into Proper Perspective<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76xOQuSfz6vwEineGp4weXE5zMQG-DbNCBe2t5lHsts-hkPUpzY0LC3Zfgr_PyjbCc64eaaHk5gSKLrBJfj_s4Kzihz_V8n56kEjkhcEk-4MobBHuZ1VFO5dAIuA6N3-8Zd0Du0LZb43a/s1600/Put_it_all_in_Perspective.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 574px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76xOQuSfz6vwEineGp4weXE5zMQG-DbNCBe2t5lHsts-hkPUpzY0LC3Zfgr_PyjbCc64eaaHk5gSKLrBJfj_s4Kzihz_V8n56kEjkhcEk-4MobBHuZ1VFO5dAIuA6N3-8Zd0Du0LZb43a/s400/Put_it_all_in_Perspective.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485482401359844514" /></a><br />With all the griping and political bickering and ceaseless concern for what I don't have, I came across this interesting collection of statistics.<br /><br />I suppose it gave me reason for pause...and a bit of correction for perspective on life in general.<br /><br />In case you have trouble with the "artsy" overuse of EVERY font in the book, here is a summary of what it says:<br /><br />Food, clothes, shelter = richer than 75% of the world<br /><br />Money in the bank, wallet, and spare change = top 8% of world's wealthy<br /><br />Etc. Etc. Etc.<br /><br />OK...I'll stop complaining - for tonight anyway.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-68636279550388655882010-05-25T22:33:00.000-07:002010-05-25T22:33:48.892-07:00Obama - Greatest HitsAn interesting little collection to help keep a clear mind with the primaries coming up.<br />Vote for the candidate that has the greatest chance of removing this guy and his<br />cronies.<br /><br /><object style="background-image:url(http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/tnd5l1_uD0M/hqdefault.jpg)" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tnd5l1_uD0M&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tnd5l1_uD0M&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="425" height="344" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-69055174091642540202010-05-01T22:57:00.000-07:002013-05-24T17:47:16.651-07:00Zoom H4n - Field and Home Recording Studio In Your Pocket.Not too long ago, I picked up a field recorder to improve audio captured for various random shoots. I felt inclined to thoroughly express my opinion through a review on the overall value of the Zoom H4n Recorder...<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros: Sound Quality, XLR input versatility, and some home recording functionality, not normally found on digital hand-helds like this one.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons: Small buttons, tricky double-punch-to-record function, poor battery life when utilizing 4 channel recording. VU meter reading is only activated by "single" pressing record button.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QoXrCv-WV5EITf4GbCtV4QUqpzHaQexqy19PmhVscrVOL8GfvqepAywtFDQ0iahlwzsDP4V-gCS7FmrkwC70rN3w-JruOOz_Cd4fVxG-Rvn8xpTKSEZiysVIqrgAALpvJOgKimqSPomy/s1600/h4n_Overview_pic.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466551800358072610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QoXrCv-WV5EITf4GbCtV4QUqpzHaQexqy19PmhVscrVOL8GfvqepAywtFDQ0iahlwzsDP4V-gCS7FmrkwC70rN3w-JruOOz_Cd4fVxG-Rvn8xpTKSEZiysVIqrgAALpvJOgKimqSPomy/s320/h4n_Overview_pic.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 210px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">
The Bottom Line: </span>The H4n Digital Recorder is worth every penny I spent on it. Great audio quality in a small mobile unit along with XLR, 1/4", and 1/8" input versatility.<br />
I own a <a href="http://hiproductions.com/">video production company in Las Vegas</a> and more and more we were looking for a reliable field recorder to allow us to capture professional qualitiy audio outside of the cameras we use. I also wanted a unit that could be used for a quick studio recorder with a USB interface for an editing bay. I shopped around and, on paper, the best buy for my buck looked to be the Zoom H4n. I had never purchased a Zoom product before so I was a little tentative, but once I got the H4n, I immediately began to feel comfortable with my purchase.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Whats In The Box</span><br />
When the recorder came in, I liked the combination of sturdiness and mobility. I also liked the accessories that Zoom included with the purchase. The package came with the H4n unit itself, an AC adapter, a 1GB SD Card, a mic wind screen, a mic clip adapter, a USB cable, Cubase LE recording software, and a plastic case for the H4n unit. I have seen retailers online try to pass these accessories off as their own "add ons" but don't be fooled, Zoom includes them in every box.<br />
That being said, I bought mine at an online company that included a microphone stand with boom and a 16gb SD card for the same price as what everyone else was selling just the H4n by itself. Amazon currently has the best deals on these recorders either as standalone or in kits, as you can see here:
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hamiltonint02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001QWBM62&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hamiltonint02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0026HZ66I&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hamiltonint02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B003N8U1VE&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=hamiltonint02-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B007SO4NBI&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
My point is, take a look, there are some good packages out there where you can pick up some additional accessories at no extra cost.<br />
I will run through an overall look of the Hardware itself and will incorporate pros and cons along the way:<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Hardware</span><br />
As I mentioned before, this unit was a bit surprising, I've used voice digital recorders before and they were light as a feather and were built that way. I half expected the H4n to be the same but it had some girth and substance to it (for a hand held mobile recorder) yet was still about as light as some of the old school ipods.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Microphones and Mic Inputs:</span><br />
Here is the big selling point for me: 4 channel recording with XLR inputs. I could not find this in a sub $500 recorder, until the H4n, end of story.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1XjRPMZ22najCIUd6ysll6DoZh6BFiDkjt1HvwsyqF7e2HJNXfLoRY6a_9mfYv3bbs7V59E1iDX2pYws76NFTJ4nIoJHHk3yZ3L4opaSKvpGmg6O2AkZ3RH9dIMtVwRBjP_GBkPa_acJ/s1600/h4n_XLR_phone_input_view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466555209383104946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1XjRPMZ22najCIUd6ysll6DoZh6BFiDkjt1HvwsyqF7e2HJNXfLoRY6a_9mfYv3bbs7V59E1iDX2pYws76NFTJ4nIoJHHk3yZ3L4opaSKvpGmg6O2AkZ3RH9dIMtVwRBjP_GBkPa_acJ/s320/h4n_XLR_phone_input_view.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 144px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 190px;" /></a>I use professional mics that utilize XLR outputs so I needed a field recorder that would have XLR inputs, this unit has 2 XLR inputs on the bottom. If you are a home recording musician and your instrument utilizes 1/4"...no problem, the XLR inputs double as 1/4" inputs as well.<br />
There are 2 high quality built in XY mics at the top<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipp6rGYIlScKAqyRlLw_kB9sNJ4OdT-hJfTY84OiJ8xjXoQVlb0HG8RzBc_yD2dfDZm55YhH09RBLmNxoEWEduzZyfMTBwoYfJYIIDFIV1ckHDeNePtF58jc72UZiXn3MXvAoJ5dQ9YKZc/s1600/h4n_top_mics.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466555691806872050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipp6rGYIlScKAqyRlLw_kB9sNJ4OdT-hJfTY84OiJ8xjXoQVlb0HG8RzBc_yD2dfDZm55YhH09RBLmNxoEWEduzZyfMTBwoYfJYIIDFIV1ckHDeNePtF58jc72UZiXn3MXvAoJ5dQ9YKZc/s320/h4n_top_mics.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 140px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 190px;" /></a><br />
of the unit that aim either 90 or 120 degrees depending on how you want them. On the back of the unit is a 1/8" mini stereo mic input in case you would rather use a mini input for an additional mic instead of the XY mics. The versatility is staggering I could set the unit up for 4 channel recording and have 1 XLR in one channel, a 1/4" in another channel, and either the XY built in mics OR a 1/8" mic to record audio. This is really amazing, and after using it several times, works beautifully with a simple 1 button configuration!<br />
At the top of the H4n Digital Recorder are two very good XY microphones. They are VERY sensitive which means that if ANY contact is made to the chassis of the H4n, these mics will pick it up. They come set up as a 90 degree setting which will allow for a standard, directional room ambient setup. However, they are adjustable to 120 degrees to allow a wider coverage area like a full audience response in a conference room, which is what we need for convention speaker videography here in Vegas.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Display and Controls</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4xoXl160M1XniAePgi5T1zoPegaKml_8JUG8EpFGKhyphenhyphenl1lB-DKgxC4b8QL0jnzzDDHCgrV7y3rRnWtMWMgCBjT2gyGG7mJ8TCk2hvhnJPkN72KKtvHNtNCc2Ao7N5N_Yidqz4PjlCizn/s1600/h4n_LCD_view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466556228570729602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4xoXl160M1XniAePgi5T1zoPegaKml_8JUG8EpFGKhyphenhyphenl1lB-DKgxC4b8QL0jnzzDDHCgrV7y3rRnWtMWMgCBjT2gyGG7mJ8TCk2hvhnJPkN72KKtvHNtNCc2Ao7N5N_Yidqz4PjlCizn/s320/h4n_LCD_view.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 141px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 188px;" /></a>The front of the H4n Digital Recorder has a 1.9" LCD display which give you channel VU meters, record remaining time, and even a battery remaining meter.
*Please note* when checking the LCD to see if the H4n is receiving a signal, you need to press the record button once. This does not start the recording but rather appears to just ready the unit for recording. Only after pressing the record button are you able to see the VUs registering a signal. Its an annoying 'feature', I know, perhaps Zoom will allow for the VUs to register without having to press a button at all in the future.<br />
Moving along, above the LCD screen is an LED mode display to give you a quick glance at whether you are in 4channel, Stereo, or MTR mode.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Controls</span><br />
Beneath the LCD screen are 4 short cut and track select keys, which, like nearly all of the control buttons, are teenie tiny itsy bitsy. Which, is one of the true Lame-ities of this product, I have big fingers which makes selection a bit challenging, and when my videographers need to use it, they are trying to select things on the fly which doesn't bode well for small buttonry, but aside from this, its liveable.<br />
Underneath the short cut/track select keys are the playback and record buttons called the "transport" keys by Zoom. The record button has a "gotcha" built in that can be costly when professionally recording a "one-time-only" event. I've alluded to this above, when you press the record button, it is more of a "standby" on the first press that readies the unit for recording. Pressing it a second time, actually starts the record timer on the LCD which tells you that you are recording. It can be a gotcha for newbies who think that they are recording only to find out after the session that they didn't press it the second time. Ouch!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Menus and SD Card slot</span><br />
The right side of the H4n is where you'll find the menu and jog dial selector. This information will be displayed on the LCD screen to configure the unit the way you like. I really like the set up the menu controls, it seemed intuitive enough for me, but I've read that others aren't too happy with them. The controls felt very "ipod-ish" to me, with jog dialing to sub menus and more sub menus, but the main selections are all on the main menu selector so that didn't bug me much.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRAVcOWm4Jx-p6sEz2zABz2ty7Mjai6WMkGmJ1RQVkgkHpInYIAqUZK5vdH8h_hS9tAlCoEnOhLCu-F5CTAZi9coQe_n-8v0qHv4d294UJMkq29jWn5wCeCI0DafL2CcN4YyBbBadqujd/s1600/h4n_right_SD_card_view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466558175988844594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRAVcOWm4Jx-p6sEz2zABz2ty7Mjai6WMkGmJ1RQVkgkHpInYIAqUZK5vdH8h_hS9tAlCoEnOhLCu-F5CTAZi9coQe_n-8v0qHv4d294UJMkq29jWn5wCeCI0DafL2CcN4YyBbBadqujd/s320/h4n_right_SD_card_view.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 142px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 190px;" /></a>Also on this side is the SD Card slot. I LOVE that this unit is expandable with SD cards, as long as SD cards (or SDHC) keep getting cheaper and the space on them even larger, my H4n recorder capacity will grow accordingly, BEAUTIFUL. OK, I'll calm down now. There is a "gotcha" involved with the SD card slot that seems to be consistent with ALL recording devices (video as well) that record to flash memory. Remove the card while the unit is running or processing in any way and you stand the chance of losing ALL data from that session...OUCH again. But no one reading this is going to try that are you? Are you!? Its just good to be aware of this pitfall ahead of time in case you fill a card and try to change it out too quickly. Dont do it!<br />
The left side of the unit has the ever-popular "power" switch (its a good thing to know where this button is located), the headphone output - 1/8" mini which can double as a line-level out if you are working with a larger soundboard and/or mixer, volume controls, and, another gem feature of the H4n: The mini USB port.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The USB Port</span><br />
This glorious USB port will allow you to power the H4n<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kBmLhyphenhyphenxMao2dtNghRW55yuLRzNPtIsmpgBqNgAWUaWRDJsC-ZHlDfnngZaYG-0222T1_6HB-dw_9G_QQFxCSNNrHwLTcLgrO9zM9EtWSCTOvCwcHJoVR_J2UX_wYYec8baFpysjiXBI6/s1600/h4n_USB_Computer_view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466560246674972082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kBmLhyphenhyphenxMao2dtNghRW55yuLRzNPtIsmpgBqNgAWUaWRDJsC-ZHlDfnngZaYG-0222T1_6HB-dw_9G_QQFxCSNNrHwLTcLgrO9zM9EtWSCTOvCwcHJoVR_J2UX_wYYec8baFpysjiXBI6/s320/h4n_USB_Computer_view.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 148px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 193px;" /></a><br />
by your computer's USB bus, or it lets you use the H4n to offload your files to your computer directly from the device OR, another great feature, use the H4n as an interface between your microphone(s) and or instruments to directly record to your computer. Ah, therein lies the 'home recorder in your pocket' phrase. The H4n is equipped with a preamp which will allow you to connect unpowered mics and instruments directly to the H4n and then directly to your computer.<br />
Don't worry about picking up a USB to mini USB cable to accomplish this, as I've mentioned before, its in the box.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBX2XKP9CM30GS8Iov_RCPKNQ3onkrZHf1dJ2h96FaukMvbaJP8erE6h44_L4TVLJlCHb1reTjJ07g9h-j5_9mE2isW5YuuKWt5xI61Khj46zT_Ql5H9dRtTeWouoCEOVxkvgxHahZrTC/s1600/h4n_Speaker_mini_input.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466559193142053298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBX2XKP9CM30GS8Iov_RCPKNQ3onkrZHf1dJ2h96FaukMvbaJP8erE6h44_L4TVLJlCHb1reTjJ07g9h-j5_9mE2isW5YuuKWt5xI61Khj46zT_Ql5H9dRtTeWouoCEOVxkvgxHahZrTC/s320/h4n_Speaker_mini_input.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 148px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 193px;" /></a>The final stop on our hardware tour is the back of the H4n digital recorder. At the top there is a small 1/8" mini input should you decide to use an external mic instead of the XY built-in mics. Obvious as this may be, if you choose to use this mic input, you DISABLE the built in speakers AND I've not been able to get it to work properly in "Stereo Mode" so using this output may be a choice only for the 4 channel mode.<br />
Below the speaker to give you an audio reference apart from the headphone jack. VERY handy when trying to quickly get an audio read...remember, VU meters can tell you if you are getting a signal but they can't tell you if that signal is clipped (distorted) or wacked out in some other way. This is where the headphone jack is a must! And, when in a hurry and needing a quick reference, the speaker is a small blessing.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Tripod Mount</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzFC3Ldp0UcZ4Xztm4ssl35fq9xhDfmiAlHBC4IPlK9vsrrUKGvl6gib8JguTFFzuioV5gjk6iYf4_rVcpxX0NBM5KtXPNxFColXSsBIqH7cmVbdjyrNuUUDEG7ZackDIM9LTKuk-Fpcc/s1600/h4n_tripod_windscreen_view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466561219796480738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzFC3Ldp0UcZ4Xztm4ssl35fq9xhDfmiAlHBC4IPlK9vsrrUKGvl6gib8JguTFFzuioV5gjk6iYf4_rVcpxX0NBM5KtXPNxFColXSsBIqH7cmVbdjyrNuUUDEG7ZackDIM9LTKuk-Fpcc/s320/h4n_tripod_windscreen_view.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 144px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 187px;" /></a>Beneath the reference speaker, is the threaded tripod mount. It is the standard size which I think is 3/8" or 1/4" basically the same as what you find on the bottom of consumer and prosumer video cameras. The great thing here is that Zoom includes a wooden Mic-handle shaped adapter that screws into this slot and the mic handle attaches to any standard mic clip for use on a mic stand. This is how <a href="http://hiproductions.com/">hiproductions</a> uses it exclusively.<br />
I set it up as an "ambient" mic on a stand with the windscreen on the XY mics, put it in 4 channel mode, run my mics to it and Bob's my uncle.<br />
The mic-handle adapter is included in the standard box, but the microphone clip and stand are not. As I mentioned, I found a nice kit that included these so I was set to go when it all came in.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Power, Batteries, and Stamina</span><br />
Underneath the tripod mount on the H4n is the battery compartment . It takes 2 AA batteries and inside the battery compartment, (hidden by the battery cover, is something Zoom calls the "Stamina Switch" this is a switch that supposedly doubles the life of your batteries. Herein lies another slight flaw with the H4n. First of all, Zoom advertises nearly 6 hours of life on a set of 2 batteries...eeerrrmm, not so much. This unit might give you 6 hours if you attach it to your wall and use it as a night light, but try to do serious recording, especially 4 Channel recording and the battery life drops off significantly. When the batteries go, so does the recording, OUCH yet again.<br />
I lost part of a recording during a shoot because I refused to believe that the batteries were dying after only about an hour of usage. They did. But I have seen 2+ hours on 4 channel recording with this which does the trick but its NO 6 hrs as advertised.<br />
Zoom's answer to this is the hidden stamina switch. Supposedly this doubles the life of the batteries but does so at a cost to the responsiveness and performance of the H4n. I personally prefer to sacrifice battery life for performance everytime so I am not complaining, however, I did experiment with the stamina switch and it did improve my battery time, but I did not try it while 4 channel audio. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRUElj3kl4fxVQnjQVvrMG5YSiwR2FWUKZa3d7VxvGSXa8PPT8ApJ8kke_hPSv4eYremWLL1hiELHV1GssqSEI_QeK6VORq9YKTu7cX0YznxcnBmlqFkyyzro7syXkbw9XyIhBGSJ5HVn/s1600/h4n_tripod_stamina_views.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466561844893975554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRUElj3kl4fxVQnjQVvrMG5YSiwR2FWUKZa3d7VxvGSXa8PPT8ApJ8kke_hPSv4eYremWLL1hiELHV1GssqSEI_QeK6VORq9YKTu7cX0YznxcnBmlqFkyyzro7syXkbw9XyIhBGSJ5HVn/s320/h4n_tripod_stamina_views.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 144px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 190px;" /></a>Herein lies yet another "GOTCHA". You will set up your rig to record 4 channel and the unit will record in 2 channel stereo. You will scramble to find the setting in the menus and submenus, you will try to press the 4channel mode button all to no avail. It is only going to record in 2 channel UNTIL, you find that sneaky nagging little hidden Stamina switch inside the battery compartment and turn it OFF. Then, magically, 4 channel mode is enabled again. So, stamina mode only works with Stereo 2 channel and will disable the ability to record in 4 channel.<br />
Of course all of this can be avoided by using the adapter that is included in the kit and running this to the DC5V jack on the bottom of the H4n - but who wants to do it the easy way!? We find ourselves in a situation that requires a field recorder without access to power on outdoor shoots, but maybe this isn't your application. If its home studio stuff - then the power adapter is the way to go.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Software and Features</span><br />
Included in your H4n package is a disc for Cubase LE software that allows you to record directly to your computer. This software is not bad at all, its on a level with Garageband for Mac (which is somewhat superior) but better than the freebie audio software out there for PC and Mac. Its not Pro Tools or advanced audio editing software but it is a great start for someone just getting started.<br />
In addition to the H4n being a field recorder and a home studiio audio interface, it is also a phase trainer for musicians trying to learn a song by slowing down the playback without changing the pitch. The playback can be slowed to 50% or sped up to 150% as needed. This is also good for video work where we would need to add subtitles to an audio track to go along with picture. We can roll the session playback from the recorder and madly type in the appropriate subtitles in FCP's absolutely useless text 'mode' (I'll save that for the FCP review).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsg9wg2qO8W4gUIhJNKtpQCrdlXD7Z1wMvRVhSkc9OICUNaarPzJvANbrkKrPjDTfPcqC1_AGVe7MUp0JHrtnKxPJWz3FwRuTj5LHTT-Nd-9MvSg4h97B3jf0AJbgj-wvU5W5JGymrN7n1/s1600/h4n_4track_MTR_View.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466563711997187570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsg9wg2qO8W4gUIhJNKtpQCrdlXD7Z1wMvRVhSkc9OICUNaarPzJvANbrkKrPjDTfPcqC1_AGVe7MUp0JHrtnKxPJWz3FwRuTj5LHTT-Nd-9MvSg4h97B3jf0AJbgj-wvU5W5JGymrN7n1/s320/h4n_4track_MTR_View.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 148px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 193px;" /></a> The H4n can also be used in MTR mode to record continual 2 track audio and dub down to 4 track for mixing vocals and music on the fly. Pretty cool. It also triples as a digital tuner for guitarists and a metronome for rhythm as well. Guitarists can also plug in and utilize some preset "amp" models should they decide to go on the cheap for this.<br />
For Guitar FD Clean, VX Clean, HW Clean, US Blues, BG Crunch, MS #1959, PV Drive, Rect Vnt, DZ Drive, TS+FD_Combo, SD+MS_Stack, FZ+MS_Stack For Bass SVT, Bassman, Hartke, SuperBass, Sansamp, Tube Pre<br />
I haven't used it for this purpose but I've read that they are probably not the recommended method for amp modeling. You can be the judge there.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Quality</span><br />
The H4n can record to Mp3 or to WAV (less compressed) files up to 24bit quality, which is superior to CD quality and to most prosumer camera audio record quality (16bit). Recording to 24bit, and in WAV for that matter drastically reduces the amount of record time on your SD card but I tend to record in this quality exclusively and have been VERY pleased with the crisp, clear, rich sound that I've received from this unit. Granted, this is a $300 recorder so I'm not expecting the world, but for the money, the quality is more than acceptable.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span><br />
Since I bought the H4n several months ago, the price has dropped by about $50. If I had to do it all over again, I would be willing to buy it at the $350 price point. It has been worth every penny to me. Yes a few gotchas and minor construction issues i.e. button size, but the quality, versatility, and functionality of this little H4n make me forget about those altogether.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Recommended:</span><br />
Yes - by all means if you are in the market for a decent little 4 channel hand held recorder.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-8512114899012243022010-04-14T15:55:00.000-07:002010-04-14T15:55:57.542-07:00Evidence That I Do Not Yet Have The Worst Job In The WorldSometimes the clock is moving so slow it can feel like this is our job but it isn't. I wonder how the benefits are for this? Do they have coffee makers and microwaves in there for breaks? These are the things that pique my interest.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/12/real_time_clocks_powered_by_humans.html">Make: Online : Real time clocks are powered by humans</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-90023554820312279262010-03-11T09:46:00.000-08:002010-03-11T09:47:34.384-08:00Your Old Mac is Not Dead!...not yet anyway - Here is How to Revive It<object width="425" height="425" align="middle"><param name="movie" value="http://www.instructables.com/static/flash/viewer.swf"></param><param name="quality" value="high"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="title=Upgrade-your-original-1984-Macintosh-to-run-OS-X-S"></param><embed src="http://www.instructables.com/static/flash/viewer.swf" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="425" height="425" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="transparent" FlashVars="title=Upgrade-your-original-1984-Macintosh-to-run-OS-X-S" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br><font size="1"><a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Upgrade-your-original-1984-Macintosh-to-run-OS-X-S/">Upgrade your original 1984 Macintosh to run OS X Snow Leopard.</a> - <a href="http://www.instructables.com/">More DIY How To Projects</a></font><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952549776800779905.post-18699911391556237062010-03-07T13:42:00.000-08:002010-03-07T14:10:10.253-08:00Joshy counts to 100 (video made by Qik VideoCamera)Joshy counts to 100<p>The attached video was created using Qik VideoCamera application for <br>the iPhone.<p><br>Sent from my iPhone, please excuse any misspellings or odd words.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add="><img src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/fave/tech-fav-1.png" alt="Add to Technorati Favorites" /></a></div>Andrew and Sarah Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17600572852366369980noreply@blogger.com0