Videos

• Now is the Time - Roku

  Mar 4, 2013 by / 11,091 Views

  One of Walt Disney's favorite attractions was the Carousel of Progress. Presented during the 1964-1965 World's Fair, Disney seemed especially devoted to this project. The Carousel of Progress is steeped in both nostalgia and futurism, the attraction's premise is an exploration of the joys of living through the advent of electricity and other technological advances during the 20th century via a "typical" American family.

  Beam ahead nearly 50 years later and yes, the Carousel of Progress is still playing in Walt Disney World as the longest running stage show in the history of American Theater. The optimism and excitement about the future of technology was one of Walt Disney's most enduring legacies and can be heard in the Carousel's theme song - "The Best Time of your Life" - if you have ever been to this Walt Disney World attraction, then you are probably humming the song to yourself now.

  So, what does this all have to do with the Roku? It is our firm belief that we are entering a new golden age of technology that the Father of Imagineering would have found so intriguing and exhilarating that he would have concluded, as he did in 1964, that it would change the world. He would have wrapped himself around the technology and stretched it to the boundaries of space. All of the promises of the last 15 years of technology development are coming to a crescendo that will result in a major shift in social, economical and political change as the choice of freedom ceases the day. The signs are everywhere. Blazing fast computer processors, wireless internet, tablets and touch screens will eventually be attached to every device we own making our lives easier with more time for Americans to engage in what Americans have always done - innovate!

  The Roku represents what we believe is the future and promise of a new age of media and communications that will change the world. Once upon a time, watching a movie at home meant ordering a DVD online, waiting for it to arrive, then having it sit on your coffee table for weeks until you were in the mood to watch it. Then came along the Roku—the original streaming player. Now, millions of people use Roku to choose what they want to watch instantly. Whether you’re exploring over 700 channels of movies and shows, delving into what really interests you, or just stumbling across something new, Roku makes it happen easily, instantly and affordably. Movie night—or any night—will never be the same.

  • Roku was designed to be amazingly easy to use. With the simple remote, you choose what you want to watch, and it starts instantly. That's it.
  • Roku does not charge a monthly fee. Simply access your existing subscriptions like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon or watch free content with services like Crackle and Vudu. Enjoy all the free movies, shows, and music. Or browse the latest blockbusters on demand.
  • Roku connects easily to your TV and wireless (Wi-Fi) network at home. You’ll be up and streaming in minutes.
  • Access all of Celtic Radio channels using the Live365 Channel, right from your HD T.V.

  We have put to the test the HD Roku for 30 days and did not encounter one problem. Connection with our wireless access point was as advertised; simply and trouble free. We really appreciated both the HDMI port and the alternative RCA plugs for our older T.V.'s. The Roku is small and portable and can easily be carried to another room in a jiffy or to a friend's house for that matter. The Roku is the first T.V. streaming device that we consider easy to rent movies and very usable. We used Amazon and really liked the 48 hour rental time. Best of all we found the HD Roku for $48 at our local Walmart.

  We highly recommend the HD Roku for its ability to be used on both a HD TV and older VGA (RCA Plugs) TV. If you enjoy listening to the Celtic Radio channels on Live365, then you will love the Live365 channel especially on your HD TV with full color albums, song info and more.

  With the Roku and other new products coming on to the market, prepare for the Golden Age of new technology to become the Best Times of our Lives! 5 Stars from Celtic Radio! 

  

   

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• Ideas for youtube

  Jan 18, 2010 by / 2,109 Views

  The video-sharing phenomenon, youtube, has made its mark on computer screens around the world. Now everyday people are getting in on the filmmaking action posting videos of varying quality. A random look at a recent day’s most-viewed videos on youtube includes topics ranging from “A Sloppy Drunk” and “A Guy Goes Shopping with a Stocking on His Head” to “Healthy, Quick, and Easy Recipes” and “An Interview with Bruce Willis”. 

  Whether users are after their fifteen minutes of fame or are using the site to share videos with family and friends, youtube does have a variety of uses that go beyond mere entertainment. For example, one often overlooked use of youtube is in conjunction with eBay or other online marketplaces.

  For example, if you are selling an item online such as a car, RV, or boat, consider posting a video of it on youtube and providing a link in your online description. This gives buyers the opportunity to fall in love with your item by seeing it in much greater detail than mere photos can provide.

  Another youtube use is for sharing videos of the family with grandparents. This offers immediate gratification of seeing the little ones in action without the need for shipping off tapes or DVDs. You can even make your videos private by going into the My Videos section and choosing the Edit Video Info button. Simply find the broadcast section and click the option that says Private.

  Use youtube when planning a family reunion. Ask family members from around the globe to post short videos showing a little bit about their lifestyle before the reunion. This allows everyone to get reacquainted beforehand and makes a terrific icebreaker. It also allows family members to show off their homes and hobbies as well as reveal a little about themselves that otherwise might not get shared.

  Get creative and dream up new uses for video-sharing on youtube. You too can youtube.

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• Wedding Highlights Videos

  Nov 8, 2009 by / 2,060 Views

  When shopping for your wedding videographer, you’ll be faced with a variety of packages to choose from including the basic single camera shoot to elaborate choices featuring extensive editing and multiple cameras. One option that is well worth the extra money is the "Highlights" video.

  As much as you and your guests enjoyed the day, how realistic is that anyone is going to sit through a two-hour video of your wedding? The two-hour version is for you, your future children, and posterity. A shorter version of the highlights is the one you’ll watch over and over with family and friends. In fact, you’ll likely enjoy this version even more than the longer one because it cuts to the chase and shows the main points.

  Work with your videographer to discuss how much of the ceremony you want to include. You may want to choose one classical song and condense the seating of the important family members such as elderly grandparents. Instead of showing their entire slow approach, the editor can use techniques such as dissolves to condense this and show them as they approach the camera and take their seats. You may want to skip this altogether and begin with the procession, move quickly through to the vows and kiss, and then cover the reception highlights including the entrance, cake-cutting, toasts, first dance, and so on.

  The key to making your wedding highlights video exactly what you want is communication with your videographer or the person who is going to edit the video. Ask to see a few samples of their previous highlight videos and select one whose style matches what you expect out of yours. Discuss music, length, whether you want certain readings or speeches included, and how much reception dancing footage to include and then back off and let the editor make your dreams come true.

  What’s an ideal length to shoot for? It depends on how elaborate the wedding was to start with but an average target length should be between fifteen to twenty minutes. You want it to be short enough so that you will actually want to share it and your friends will actually want to watch it. Music sequences and good editing will keep it moving - both in pacing as well as emotionally.

  Be sure to order multiple copies because this is the version you’ll want to send to family and friends who were not able to attend the wedding. Save the longer versions for immediate family and grandparents.

  And now for an example of a great wedding video called the JK Wedding Entrance Dance. This shows how creativity and video can go hand in hand in making your day a lasting memory for video. Almost makes you wanna try it out!

   

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• Tips for Shooting Great Videos

  Oct 5, 2009 by / 2,651 Views

  It's pretty obvious that one of the reasons cell phone cameras are so popular is they're so convenient. Many people carry their phones everywhere. Few carry their cameras everywhere.

  The same is true for video cameras. It's easy to shoot a quick video clip with your cell phone camera; it's not so easy to haul around tons of equipment.

  But while cell phone camera technology is constantly improving, cell phone videos are often short, grainy and blurry, discouraging many people from using their "video" setting very often.

  It doesn't have to be this way. Here are eight tips to shoot better cell phone videos.

  Before you start shooting:

  Make sure you're using the highest resolution.
  Check your options or settings menu when you're in video camera mode. My Samsung Sync offers two choices: 176 pixels by 144 pixels, or 128 pixels by 96 pixels. Other phones give you a choice between 320-by-240, or 640-by-480. Pick the highest numbers your camera offers. Higher resolution videos eat up more memory, but it's worth it.

  Make sure your phone is not set to end the clip automatically after a set period of time.
  The Sync offers choices such as 10 seconds, 30 seconds or full memory. If your phone has a full memory option, or something that appears similar, pick that. It will keep the camera recording as long as you want or until the phone's memory fills up. You can always edit it down later.

  Check the memory on your phone to make sure you have enough. If you need more, get more.
  I had a Nokia 6102i that had a nice camera but had only a few megabytes of memory. I could only record a little more than a minute of video. Many newer phones today have much larger internal memory capacities and are expandable via MicroSD or other cards. If you're a serious cell phone video enthusiast, you can carry several cards and swap them out as needed. That means your phone memory is limited only by your budget and how many cards you can physically carry. If you're not sure whether your phone's memory is expandable, check your manual.

  Make sure the lens area is clean.
  It's easy to get a fingerprint smudge on the plastic in front of your camera phone lens. You don't want that showing up during your videos, so make sure you wipe the plastic area clean before you begin.

  Once you're shooting:

  Lighting, lighting, lighting.
  It takes a lot of light to produce a good cell phone video picture. You'll find your best shots typically come outdoors on sunny days. Inside, you'll need well-lit rooms with lots of sunshine or bright lamps. It's possible to shoot at night or in dark rooms, but your videos will be much grainier and blurrier.

  Get up close and personal with your subjects. Don't use the zoom.
  Whether you end up watching your video on your phone or on a computer, the picture is going to be small. Try to avoid making the subjects inside the frame small as well. If you're shooting someone who is talking, hold the phone up fairly close to him or her. Your subject might think it's weird at first, but most people get used to it pretty quickly. The same goes for objects, like cars or buildings. Get up close and fill the frame with your subject. Try to avoid using the camera zoom lens; zooming is usually choppy on a camera phone.

  Move the camera as little as possible. If you have to move it, do it slowly.
  Once you've started shooting, keep the camera as still as possible to reduce blur. If you do need to pan or move around somehow, do it slowly to reduce blurriness and jerkiness (unless you're moving simply to line up another shot, and you plan on cutting out the movement later during the editing process; then, it doesn't really matter). To keep the camera steady while shooting, try resting your hand or elbow on a flat surface for stability, or leaning against a wall or doorway.

  Most importantly, have fun.
  Let's be honest. If you're using a cell phone to shoot a video, it's probably not something too terribly serious or important (although there are notable exceptions, such as a car accident or other disaster). So why not have fun? Don't worry too much about things turning out perfectly - it's a camera in a phone, after all. Just enjoy yourself and try your best to make a video that you and your friends will like to watch.
  

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