The Spam Thread!

cpd2009 · 08-07-2020, 11:18 AM

The odd Linux video corruption/freeze issue persists. Last night, did a test recording of late night TV for an hour and Ubuntu didn't crash. The file it recorded also appears to have no audio sync problems, but I can know for sure once I start looking through it more. But this afternoon, I started another record session and Ubuntu again got screen corruption and froze.

Later, I went to AMD's website for updated drivers, and they had a build for 18.04 along with an install script. Downloaded the package, ran the script, and rebooted. I can't tell the difference yet, but I have been doing test recording all afternoon for around two hours and no crash yet. I can't be too certain though. Ubuntu could run without issues for hours and then suddenly crash. You just never know with Linux.

***huckleberrypie*** · 08-07-2020, 01:24 PM

Well that bites. Guess it's one hell of a trial-and-error period on your end then.

cpd2009 · 08-08-2020, 03:10 AM

And... it crashed again. This time, I was able to do several hours of TV recordings and then put the computer to sleep. When I woke it up again, it froze right away with the same graphic corruption. Sad

I think I might just give up on Linux for the time being. I guess I could try openSUSE one last time but it wasn't detecting the HDMI capture device properly to begin with. But there is something wrong with either the drivers or kernel that is causing the random crashes.

***huckleberrypie*** · 08-09-2020, 09:25 AM

(08-08-2020, 03:10 AM)cpd2009 Wrote: And... it crashed again. This time, I was able to do several hours of TV recordings and then put the computer to sleep. When I woke it up again, it froze right away with the same graphic corruption.

I think I might just give up on Linux for the time being. I guess I could try openSUSE one last time but it wasn't detecting the HDMI capture device properly to begin with. But there is something wrong with either the drivers or kernel that is causing the random crashes.

No wonder such complications are a barrier to entry with Linux on desktop. Besides servers and workstations, the only other front Linux has dominated in is in the mobile space with Android lol.

cpd2009 · 08-19-2020, 08:48 AM

Long time no see. Tongue

Not much to report on the tech end of things, but I am noticing the 2009 White Macbook is now a decent secondary laptop whenever I'm recording video on my 2020 one. It's not blazing fast, but the SSD really does help with launching the browser and the other various apps I use this particular laptop for. And whenever I get time to work on my art, I put up podcasts or other kinds of videos on YouTube for background noise. The White Macbook speakers definitely aren't the greatest. The iMac speakers sound a lot better.

Eventually, I'm going to take the 320GB HDD out of Rusty and put it back into the old Gateway laptop, and install Windows 8.1. I'm curious as to how video recording will be with that laptop. I also hate to see it sit around unused, and IIRC the laptop's Nvidia Geforce 710m does support NVENC. If I still had all the old Windows 7 restore discs, I would just use that and find a compatible OBS release.

I have switched my browser to Vivaldi as well. I was using Safari on both Macbooks, but Chrome on the iMac. I don't really care for Chrome, and Vivaldi has a power user feature set that the old pre-Blink Opera browser used to have. Vivaldi is a bit buggy on the iMac because of the old GeForce GPU it has, but it works fine on my other computers.

***huckleberrypie*** · 08-19-2020, 02:57 PM

(08-19-2020, 08:48 AM)cpd2009 Wrote: Long time no see. Not much to report on the tech end of things, but I am noticing the 2009 White Macbook is now a decent secondary laptop whenever I'm recording video on my 2020 one. It's not blazing fast, but the SSD really does help with launching the browser and the other various apps I use this particular laptop for. And whenever I get time to work on my art, I put up podcasts or other kinds of videos on YouTube for background noise. The White Macbook speakers definitely aren't the greatest. The iMac speakers sound a lot better.

Eventually, I'm going to take the 320GB HDD out of Rusty and put it back into the old Gateway laptop, and install Windows 8.1. I'm curious as to how video recording will be with that laptop. I also hate to see it sit around unused, and IIRC the laptop's Nvidia Geforce 710m does support NVENC. If I still had all the old Windows 7 restore discs, I would just use that and find a compatible OBS release.

I have switched my browser to Vivaldi as well. I was using Safari on both Macbooks, but Chrome on the iMac. I don't really care for Chrome, and Vivaldi has a power user feature set that the old pre-Blink Opera browser used to have. Vivaldi is a bit buggy on the iMac because of the old GeForce GPU it has, but it works fine on my other computers.

That's glad to know. In my case I was able to source a replacement battery for one of my Nabi tablets, and finally got myself into replacing the more-than-five-year old battery that came with my mum's iPhone 6 Plus. Getting the first two glue strips was easy, but the third one proved to be a major pain, and even more so when you're dealing with a daily driver used by mum for the bulk of her real estate business, confidential emails, photos and all that. Fortunately the battery job proved to be a success in both devices though. In the case of the Nabi, it was easier as the screen was unglued to begin with, though I can tell that it's a pain in the rear if you're trying to unglue the factory adhesive.

cpd2009 · 08-20-2020, 09:53 AM

I still wish batteries in tech were easily replaceable. Recently, I had to get a new BL-5C battery for my portable radio as the original was showing a slight bulge and wasn't charging correctly. Same goes for one of my cheapo Famiclone handhelds, but I still have yet to purchase the battery for that (GBA-SP battery). My Moto E6 also has a replaceable battery along with the older LG phone it replaced.

The issue with thinner and lighter tech is the battery. Once the battery gets worn out or over discharged, they have a tendency to swell and damage surrounding components. They are also hard to replace without the technical knowhow, and manufacturers can charge large amounts for a battery replacement. Tech companies like Apple also make it hard for independent repair shops to replace batteries as well. 20 years from now who knows how many of these old tech products will be in a dangerous swollen state.

***huckleberrypie*** · 08-20-2020, 11:09 AM

(08-20-2020, 09:53 AM)cpd2009 Wrote: I still wish batteries in tech were easily replaceable. Recently, I had to get a new BL-5C battery for my portable radio as the original was showing a slight bulge and wasn't charging correctly. Same goes for one of my cheapo Famiclone handhelds, but I still have yet to purchase the battery for that (GBA-SP battery). My Moto E6 also has a replaceable battery along with the older LG phone it replaced.

The issue with thinner and lighter tech is the battery. Once the battery gets worn out or over discharged, they have a tendency to swell and damage surrounding components. They are also hard to replace without the technical knowhow, and manufacturers can charge large amounts for a battery replacement. Tech companies like Apple also make it hard for independent repair shops to replace batteries as well. 20 years from now who knows how many of these old tech products will be in a dangerous swollen state.

Tell me about it. I don't mind a thick phone, but if they're going to make them devices as thin as possible, they should have at least make it less of a pain to service rather than contribute to the already growing problem of electronic waste. My mum's third-gen iPad for one was reportedly a monumental pain in the rear to have its LCD panel and battery pack taken out, hence why I didn't even bother messing with it at all apart from jailbreaking it.

cpd2009 · 08-20-2020, 03:18 PM

In recent years, American KFC has produced strange and bizarre ads featuring various comedy actors playing the role of Colonel Sanders, in a rather over-the-top stereotypical fashion. Here's a 1994 ad from KFC that also features an actor playing the Colonel, and it's much more realistic portrayal. I like this Colonel a lot better than the new ones, even if he really didn't come up with the "rotisserie gold" idea.

The rotisserie chicken was short lived, discontinued after only a few years. I never knew it existed since my small rural town never had a KFC and I didn't watch much evening TV as a kid.

Another series of ads that ran during the 90s was for a KFC restaurant in a fictional town called "Lake Edna". I guess KFC tried to market their restaurants as a kind of a down-home gathering spot where people meet. KFC had a change in management around 1994 and got rid of the Lake Edna setting, calling it "hokey".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXrLJbDxpfY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv7Ng_VfJ2Y

Also make note of the strange 90s-style "buckets" shown in these ads. By the time I had my first visit to a KFC restaurant in the late 90s, these odd bucket designs were gone and standard barrel-style ones were the norm.

***huckleberrypie*** · 08-20-2020, 03:49 PM

In our case here, we had local actor John Arcilla do a self-parody of General Antonio Luna in a series of commercials for Kentucky:

...albeit as an Expy to allay any concerns about Arcilla ridiculing or tarnishing the historical figure. Perhaps ironically enough, he is shown endorsing an American fast-food joint, just as when the IRL Luna has had beef with them Yanks during the Filipino-American War as he valiantly fought them off.