Cool A/V Things

I've purchased a couple of things recently, well, within the past few weeks that I think are really cool. Both of them have to do with audio and/or video - so if you are not into either you can stop reading now. The first thing is the Ion Audio iTTUSB turntable. This thing is awesome - especially for someone like me who has a lot of records and wants to listen to them on the go. The iTTUSB allows you to transfer the analogue audio from a record digitally. The best thing is that it uses the open-source software Audacity which I found very easy to learn and use. Recording the audio is basically a two-step process: place the needle on the record and hit play, press the record button in Audacity. That's it. When you're done, the software allows you to easily insert track labels and do a multiple export in the MP3 format. Then I add it to iTunes and I'm ready to roll. I've got the hang of transfering records now so it takes me less than 20 minutes of labelling, processing, and exporting once I have the audio captured.

The other thing I made mention of that I purchased is a newly released version of the VDMX software by Vidvox. VDMX5 is touted as a realtime video studio for professional VJs. Well, I am not a professional VJ by any means, though I do like mixing video, synching video to music, and exploring video artistry. I've used Vidvox's Grid Pro software for over a year and got fairly proficient at using it - though there were always a few cryptic elements which eluded me. But VDMX5 is miles ahead of what Grid Pro could do. VDMX5 allows you to import multiple video clips into layers and create as many layers as you want. The program is much faster - much more graphic card intensive - but much cleaner too. My favorite aspect of the program is that you can incorporate Quartz Composer projects into your video mixes. Again, this is way ahead of what other real-time video mixing programs can do. The software is still young, meaning it's only about half-complete, a number of features are slated to be added in the coming weeks. So why would I buy a software package that's only half finished? Because the software design crew they have at Vidvox are some of the best around - if they say they're going to do it, it's going to get done. Plus, if you are into real-time video mixing, once you see this software you'll know it's the best around. That, and I got a deep discount for buying it early.

So there you have it. Now you know I am a complete audio/video geek.

More Pictures

Summit is doing great. He had his one week birthday this week. We're debating whether we should celebrate each week. Maybe that's a little too much? I guess it makes more sense to have a birthday every year. He's eating really well and picking his head up - though he still lacks some control of it. He's still keeping us up at night but not nearly as much as he was the first week. I was trying to teach him how to do a push-up yesterday but Lisa tells me he's a little young for that. Another page of photos has been added - if you're interested.
Click here.

An Addition to Our Family...

Lisa and I had our first son on January 10, 2007 at 12:03 am. His name is Summit Wesley Gibson and at birth he weighed 8 lbs. 14 ozs. and was 20.5 inches in length. We are so excited to have him here.

Here's his first photo page.

Nicole 2nds "Witness" - Arkansas

So Fred Nicole travels from Switz-land - TWICE - just to attempt and send "Witness The Fitness" (aka WTF), the unrated, uber-steep crimpfest roof boulder problem in the Ozarks west of Horseshoe. Hearing about this achievement makes me feel like Oklahoma climbers are missing the boat. Arkansas is mere hours away! We should be doing these problems! Forget WTF - if you've climbed in Arkansas much and seen pictures of the "Witness" cave or seen the problem in person you know that there are likely hundreds of caves in the Ozarks with the potential to hold a line comperable to WTF. It's just a matter of getting out there and uncovering and trying some of these lines. I guarantee you the bouldering potential in the Cave Creek area alone has not been tapped in the least! It would just require some exploring and the mindset that you are focusing on finding stellar boulder problems.

But if you want to focus on repeating WTF I've got $100 bucks for the first Okie that sends it. Anyone want to match my offer?

Someone get out there and try the damn thing.

(more on this here)

Brand New (in 2007)

It's amazing to me to look back over the course of a year and realize just how much has changed. It makes me think about how much is going to change in 2007. As most of you who know me (or who visit this site) know, my wife and I are going to have our first child any day now. That, of course, is going to be the biggest change for us and we are really looking forward to it. We are excited about being able to introduce a new person to the world and all it has to offer.

Because Lisa and I are climbers we are ready to go on a climbing trip as soon as we feel like the little guy is ready to. Do they make climbing shoes for 7-month olds?