Before I continue, I need to add a disclaimer. This method can allow pirating movies and tv shows. I am very much opposed to this. What I’m describing below is what I consider fair use, since I own everything I’m converting in resolutions greater than or equal to the files I’m generating. I’d be lying if I said that I never used Napster when it first launched or used the torrent sites when I was younger, but I’ve grown up. I’m a young working professional, so if I want it, I buy it. If you’ve somehow convinced yourself that the cost of movies and tv shows is too high, then don’t watch them. Saying something is too expensive to get legitimately, doesn’t justify stealing it. And all of this applies to rental services and buying the dvd used, but using a torrent to get it in HD. Sorry folks, the price you pay decides the time you have to watch it and the resolution you can watch it in. Don’t steal!

OK, off the soapbox. Here is the good stuff. Remember, my goal is making videos for portable screens (iPad is a 9.7″ screen), not HDTVs so this will involve some loss in video quality. First, you need a few applications:

(*) A dvd decrypting/ripping application. This will allow you to make a high-fidelity copy of the dvd on your hard drive. I use MacTheRipper, but there are a multitude of options: RipIt, DVDDecrypter (PC), etc. I won’t post links to these applications. You can find them with a quick google search. But this will speed things up.

(*) VLC is a great application to play videos of all formats and it will help us verify where each episode or movie is on the disc.

(*) Handbrake will let us take the dvd video (mpeg2) and convert it to an iTunes friendly format (H.264)

(*) MetaX will let us add all of the meta data to our converted files so they look pretty in iTunes. Three notes: (1) This application is Mac only. Sorry PC folks, you’re on your own to find an alternative. (2) This application is great because it doesn’t change the container format and can query an online database called TagChimp for data. The first part of this is key. You don’t want your files in a Quicktime (.mov) format. This drastically reduces the devices you can play your videos on. (3) This application is a little buggy, but it looks like its made by a single guy. Credit to him for building an app with a good feature set. Just be ready to deal with some odd quirks with the tag search, etc.

OK. We’ve got our apps. Now to the work:

(#1) Using your ripping software, create a decrypted copy of your dvd on your hard drive. It is best to remove regions or any other copy protection/restrictions if possible. Handbrake can actually do this on the fly using VLC while its converting videos, but I think this has some disadvantages. Decrypting while converting slows the conversion and it reduces the number of videos you can queue in Handbrake.

(#2) Verify your rip in VLC by opening the VIDEO_TS folder you should have gotten from the 1st step. Use the dvd menu to navigate to each video on the disc that you’ll want to convert. When the video starts, go to Playback > Title and make a note of the currently selected title number. We’ll need this later.

(#3) Fire up Handbrake. Click the Source button. Navigate to and open the folder we got from step 1. Handbrake will analyze the folder and automatically select the longest title on the disc. You’ll want to select the title we found in step 2. Then set the destination for the resulting file.

(#4) From the presets pane on the right side of the application. Select Apple > Universal. In the main window, change the quality radio button from Constant Quality to Average Bitrate and set it to 1500 kbps. This bitrate is what is typically found in iTunes SD video content.

(#5) Next check the 2-pass encoding checkbox and the Turbo first pass checkbox. This means the conversion will be slower but of better quality because it will analyze the video first, then convert it.

(#6) Open the preview window and picture setting pane. If you have a widescreen video, you’re going to want to set the anamorphic drop-down to loose. This makes sure you get the right aspect ratio for the resulting video. Also verify the picture cropping. The automatic setting tends to work well, but for some darker movies, it can get it really wrong. Finally, if you’re converting a tv show, you’ll want to verify if its interlaced. An explanation of  interlacing is too long for this post (google it), but if it is, open the filters tab and select De-interlace and then Fast from the drop-down.

(#7) When that’s all set. Hit the start button and walk away. Depending on the size of the movie and specs of your machine, this can take some time.

(#8) When Handbrake is done, find your new video file and test it in VLC or Quicktime. Don’t double-click on the file!!! This will launch iTunes and add it to your library. We just want to make sure the video plays, so open VLC and navigate to the file to test it.

(#9) We’re almost there. Open up MetaX and drag your file in to the queue on the right side of the app. Wait for the search to finish. If it found your video, you can select the result and it will populate the middle section that holds your file’s meta data. If you’re satisfied with the search results, just check the box next to each field. You’ll want to make sure that you have the following fields populated as a minimum: Cover art, Title, Artist (Show), Short Description, Long Description, all of the TV Tags on the Video tab if its a TV Show, and the Track # on the Advanced tab (set to the episode #). Then hit Write & Share.

(#10) When MetaX is done (it will moo at you), your file is ready for iTunes. Drag it in or double click it and you should be good to go for you iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, or iPad.

Now there are a ton of options I didn’t cover to tweak this process. You can explore all the applications and their options, but this will get you started. For example, if you have an Apple TV, you may want to use the Apple TV presets in Handbrake, or a higher bitrate with the Universal preset (higher bitrate means better picture quality, but bigger files). There are also chapter markers, which I didn’t cover, but are very valuable for movies. I also didn’t touch blu-ray. I haven’t crossed that bridge yet. I highly recommend using the queue features in both Handbrake and MetaX. Its better to spend a little longer upfront to configure a batch of movies or tv episodes, rather than having to keep coming back to your computer to check the progress. Lastly, you can visit this site, for a way to get iTunes cover art for your files.

Your mileage will vary. Like I said, your computer specs matter. I do my conversions on my Mac Pro (two 2.8GHz quad-core xeon processors with 2Gb of memory running Snow Leopard.) I converted my copy of Smallville, Season 8 recently. Here’s the breakdown: 1 hour ripping (10 mins per disc x 6) + 0.5 hour queuing Handbrake + 4.5 hours converting (all 22 42-min episodes = ~950 mins) + 0.5 hours adding meta data = 6.5 hours. Considering that only 1 of those hours was real work (configuring Handbrake and using MetaX) and the rest was more or less unmanned, its not that bad. I usually let the conversion run overnight. I bought the dvd off Amazon on sale for $17. The standard def version on iTunes is $39.99. (Sadly, that dvd price is atypical for such a recent season, but if you are a bargain hunter, you can see how you would come out ahead.)  I’ve converted about 20 of my favorite movies, the first 4 seasons of The Office, and Season 8 of Smallville, all using this method and it works great. Now all I need is my iPad. Oh well, at least I’ll be ready for it!

Synopsis:
The world’s greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.), is asked to aide in the investigation of several grisly murders throughout London. With a little help from his trusty sidekick, Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), the ruthless Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) is brought to justice, tried, and hung. But what was supposed to be their last case together, turns in to the mystery of a lifetime when Blackwood rises from the dead and sets out to reshape the modern world. Can Holmes solve this great caper on his own or are there sinister powers that even he can’t overcome?

Review:
I must say that I was thrilled when I first saw the trailer for this movie. It looked like the type of facelift that Sherlock Holmes needed. I’ve seen several old films with the great detective in them. Each of them was full of detail and the slow methodical resolution of the mystery at the heart of the story. That’s not to say that there was anything wrong with these old films. Most were great from what I remember. The problem is that they’re from a different time. They wouldn’t stand a chance in today’s box office, and they would never succeed in bring such a great character to the modern audience. Here’s my take on the film that will hopefully breath a little life in to a classic character.

Plot: My greatest complaint about the film was the plot. It wasn’t the story that bothered me so much as the pacing. The writers came up with a great story that fits right in with the type of mysteries I would expect from Sir Aurther Conan Doyle. The movie clocked in at roughly 2:15 which is on the long side by most standards. Its not that I felt bored. I simple wish that they went farther with that time rather than being more explicit. In other words, I wish that they had tightened up the exposition to show us a longer story rather than a more detailed story. Now, Holmes stories by nature are detailed, but that’s when it comes to print. Film is a different media and so what we expect is totally different. This might sound like I’m nitpicking, but this was an aspect that I found surprisingly disappointing.

Acting: The acting was solid in this film. RDJ and Jude Law played their characters well and the witty banter between the two is enjoyable. I’m afraid some of the better interchanges are in the trailer, but there is still a lot of quips and jabs to enjoy. RDJ is definitely having a good run, because this is another one in the bank. I have to admit that Rachel McAdams was good too. She plays Irene Addler, a former flame of Holmes and a criminal. Its not that I think she’s bad (I liked her in Red Eye and others), she just rarely stands out. To be honest, she still sits in the shadow of RDJ and Jude Law for this film.

Overall: As a whole, this was a good movie and I highly recommend you catch it at the theaters if you can. Its definitely worth the price of entry. Though I had trouble with the pacing/length of the plot, I didn’t really feel the 2:15 so I was pretty entertained. Since he’s been making some great ones, RDJ as Holmes is also a great reason to watch this film. Finally, it won’t be hard to catch the subplot that will surely lead to sequels, so I would catch this one in some form, even if it becomes a rental. All-in-all, this one is fuzz-worthy.

When I got married earlier this year, I added vision insurance to my policies for 2009. The really reason was that my wife can’t see anything farther than 8 ft in front of her so we needed to get her some specs! In April, we got eye exams at the Hour Eyes a few miles down the road. My wife got some new glasses from them, but since my prescription didn’t change (yay, for my eyes!!!) I didn’t bother. Simple enough.

Faster forward to December 29th. That’s when I realized that I had paid for insurance for 9 months and that I hadn’t fully used it by getting glasses. Off to Hour Eyes we went, since they already had my prescription and took the insurance. After a little while, we found a set of frames that I liked. Next we getting in to a holding pattern for an associate. After a quick game of musical chairs we find ourselves discussing the finer points of optical accessorizing. Now the fun begins.

So I wanted a pair of backup glasses, since my current pair are perfectly fine. First we get the pitch for anti-glare coating on my lenses. Sounds great but it will cost me $45 after the insurance deduction. Reminding myself that I won’t use these everyday, I said pass. Being the ambitious sales person that this lady was, we being a battle of wills that I thankfully won. Now on to the lenses. I did decide to go with polycarbonate lenses. They cost more, but if you’ve ever worn real glass on your face, you’d cough up the money too. So after a few minutes on the computer, out comes my grand total of $115. I guess that’s not too bad, but curiosity proved to be friend. I enquired about the lenses. Sure enough, they were polycarbonate, but not just any polycarbonate, super-flat polycarbonate at a $50 premium!!!!!!! Had I not asked, this saleswoman would not have told me that she had made a choice for me. So re-thinking my choice and the choice made for me, I opt for regular polycarbonate lenses with an anti-glare coating. So lets do the math together: $115 – $50 + $45 = $110. That makes sense right? Well, my new total: $72. HUH?! Ok, so I whip out credit card, sign on the dotted line and out the door I run, thinking I saved a bunch. As I’m heading out the door, the saleswoman hands me a bag with lens-cleaner and tells me it comes complimentary with my anti-glare coating. Great, who cares, I’m going home!

As I sit here stewing over the fuzzy math, thinking about the decisions that were made without my explicit consent, and looking over my receipt, I realized a few things and I’m getting steadily more disappointed with what I consider a dishonest way of doing business. First, my free lens-cleaner actually cost $7, that bites, but not as bad as the rest. Second, my insurance deduction isn’t itemized, it’s just one lump-sum discount, very informative. Lastly, when the saleswoman told  me about the premium for the super-poly lenses, it was actually $50 per lens! I’m guess she was intentionally vague, because $50 is easier to sell than $100. Redoing the math, things are starting to make sense: $115 – $50 – $50 + $45 + $7 + tax & rounding = $72

To wrap-up this little rant…I went to a store, told a salesperson I wanted something, and they intentionally gave me a more expensive option without disclosing that there was a choice involved. Sure, she could argue that I asked for poly lenses and she gave me poly lenses. But I would argue that an honest salesperson would have presented the choice to me and let me make the decision for myself, not try to slip it under my nose. I hate being cynical and skeptical about people. (In fact I was lecturing my brothers about being a little more trusting.) I guess in the end, you still have look out for yourself, because there are still plenty of people looking to dupe you. Not such a great thought, but I’m going to try to hang on to my optimism. Makes me wonder if we got hoodwinked when we bought my wife glasses in April. Oh well, I guess this is the last time Hour Eyes will get my business.

What was impressive about the Droid, and is now causing me a considerable amount of gadget envy, was the OS. The Droid runs Android OS 2.0. Now, visually speaking, it’s not as sleek as iPhone OS (even vs. iPhone 1.0). But when it comes to functionality, customizability, and expandability, iPhone 3.1 doesn’t seem like the clear winner it once was. I’ve tried other smartphones (played with BBs, WM Treo, and a Palm Treo, and had a Centro a for a while) and what I’ve always loved about the iPhone is the user experience. I know that sounds like an Apple sales pitch, but it’s true. It was the best mobile web browsing experience out there, until I saw Android.

Android works great for browsing the web, it only lacks multi-touch (which is very nice, but you can live without.) However, there is more to a smartphone than just web browsing. No one wants to be limited to just the basics of phone, MMS, email and web anymore. We want a computer that fits in our pocket. The iPhone has the App store and that’s great. There’s an app for that! But Android and Google is willing to do what Apple is not, give away the keys to the OS kingdom. Android is open-source and anyone can distribute applications for the phone from anywhere! How cool is that? For a developer like me, it means I could make all the apps I want on my phone and not have to pay anybody to use my own products. It also means that Android is a free world to play in and the sky is the limit for creativity (not an Apple imposed ceiling.)

This might sound like I’m an Apple-hater. To be honest, I’m a Mac-fanboy and I love(d) my iPhone 3g. I’m planning to buy the Mac tablet when its released and I’m actually writing on my MacBook Air. So what is it I envy? The openness of it all. I started learning how to program for the iPhone. I became proficient enough to write a simple app for version 2.0. See the post here. The problem was that to justify spending more time, I had to be willing to pay $1oo to join the Apple Developers program. More than that, I needed to keep slogging through Objective-C, which is a rather complex (and a tad outdated) language. It became too much of a hurdle to build the types of simple productivity apps I would want. Apparently, Android apps are written in Java and can be pushed to a phone using completely free software. Sweet!

So what it comes down to is that I want an Android phone. But what about the inevitable iPhone 2010? A huge unknown for me. I love(d) my 3G, but unless that next gen iPhone has something radically new, I think I wouldn’t miss it. And what are the offerings on AT&T, my current carrier? Sadly, nothing. Rumors are flying that a Motorola Android phone for AT&T will be announced at CES 2010 next week. It doesn’t sound like a bleeding edge device, but it would give me a taste for Android. Maybe I should just jump ship now and get a Droid, but then I might regret my choice in June.

SO, what is a tech junkie supposed to do? Apparently, suffer a little envy and bide his time…..

I guess that if I’m honest with myself, I’m a tad fickle. I cave to the flavor of the month, get caught up in hype, and get distracted. Does this make me a member of the great unwashed? I can think of at least one person who might think so. Personally, I’m not so sure. There are definitely some benefits. I can’t say that I’m particularly bored, but at the same time, I have too many unfinished projects. There is a rational excuse for each of them of course. Come on, you do it too.

So what’s a fickle fiend to do? Fight temptation and demonstrate dedication? Put on blinders and charge down the course to the finish line? Maybe, but there is a cool phrase I didn’t say that might be worth considering:

Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination.

Its true that my career as a movie critic has had more starts and stops than a tired old ‘84 Chevy Nova, and my great novel is nothing more than a few notes on this laptop, but they’re still things I’ve explored. I’ve learned a bit from everything I’ve tried and I know myself a little better. Cheesy? Definitely. Wise? Beyond my ears (no, that’s not a typo). So I’m fickle, there are worse things to be. Who knows, maybe I’ll find a true passion some day. I’ve already found one, and I married her (ladies, if there are any out there reading this, feel free to sigh. And if you’re feeling generous, throw in an awwwww. Guys, just stand clear of your screen when you hurl.)

Oh well, who knows what will come up next. I have some ideas, but do I have the attention span to post it? Find out next time…..whenever that is!

Synopsis:
Bolt (John Travolta) is a super-powered dog who can run faster than a train, jump higher than a helicopter, shoot laser beams from his eyes, and use a devastating bark. He is a canine with only one mission, to use his powers to protect his lovable owner, Penny (Miley Cyrus). There’s only one problem, he’s actually an ordinary dog in a tv show, he just doesn’t know it. When he accidentally gets shipped to New York, Bolt must learn that he may be ordinary, but he doesn’t need superpowers be a hero. With the help of some new friends, Mittens (Suzie Essman) and Rhino (Mark Walton), Bolt must make it across the country to find his way home.

Review:
I never actually saw this movie at the theaters, but I found a brand new blu-ray at the local used-cd store at a great price, so I bought it just because. A friend had seen the movie and said it was worth the watch, and I figured it would make a great blu-ray. I was not disappointed. This is a fun family movie and it makes a beautiful hd movie.

Plot: The story is predictable in its exposition. Most people who watch it won’t be surprised by the plot, but they will be surprised at how much they enjoy it. Its a nice mix of touching, exciting and hilarious. Though I couldn’t name an example, I feel like all of the characters have met before in another movie. A misguided and under-powered hero makes an enemy-to-become-friend and a hapless sidekick achieve success. Been there done that, but for some reason, still enjoying it.

Voices: I don’t like Miley Cyrus and John Travolta didn’t have to do much. Suzie Essman is not so memorable either. Mark Walton, on the other hand, makes the movie (at least for me.) Rhino is awesome and he really does steal the show. He’s a little hamster in a plastic ball that has a really big personality.

Media: The blu-ray is a nice presentation of the film and has some nice extras. I particularly enjoyed the Rhino short. I also got a good laugh watching John Travolta sing with Miley Cyrus. It was disturbing yet fascinating. The picture is great and this is definitely worthy of being called high definition.

Overall: The movie is fun, entertaining, and great for families. It is just funny enough to be worth it even if you don’t have kids and just enjoy animated movies (like me.) I will say one thing, the box claimed it was the best Disney movie since The Incredibles, and that’s just not true (have you heard of Wall-E?) Anyway, when it comes down to it, Bolt is definitely fuzzworthy. Its just not fuzzy enough to beat some of the more memorable Pixar films.

There’s an app for that.

So why bother? After all, I did miss the first wave opportunity. Well, besides the thrill of learning something that’s quite challenging. There are still some great tools that aren’t out there yet. Some that maybe only I would find useful. Some that everyone might find useful. So why can’t I be the one to make them? All I need is an idea, the right tools, some knowledge, and a little motivation. Well, I’ve got some ideas. I’ve got most of the right tools. And I definitely have motivation. All I need is knowledge, and I’m slowly gaining that too. That’s where the world wide web comes in handy. I’ll share my knowledge with you if you share with me. When I learn something new (and handy), I’ll post it here, and you can add comments that will help me and everyone else learn just a little bit more.

So I used to work in software development. Most of my days were spent coding on PCs in languages that hardcore programmers wouldn’t even call true programming languages. For them, it’s not programming unless you’re writing in C, Fortran, or some other hard to learn language. Well, I’m one step closer to becoming a hardcore programmer. I’ve learned Objective-C. At least the basics anyway. Before you go on, I should mention that if you don’t feel like learning C and Objective-C (you really should learn at least a little C), then forget about programming for the iPhone (unless you want to build Web Apps.) As far as I can tell, there is no alternative language you can use to build a native app.

Which finally brings me to my first little tidbit of knowledge: MVC (Model-View-Controller) Architecture. A little disclaimer: outside of an intro programming class (where I learned MATLAB scripting and a little C++), I’ve had no formal training. Most everything I know if self-taught, learned on the job, or picked up from friends or the internet. So if I’m wrong, I’m sorry. I’m not an expert.

Model-View-Controller philosophy is a big thing with Apple. The idea is that your abstract concept (the model, such as a calculation engine to do math) should be independent from the interface (the view) you use to interact with it. So much so that you should always have a middle-man (the controller). What this means to us beginners and noobs is that everything belongs in a class and there is no direct communication between the heart of your app and the interface. This a little different from what I’m used to. My classes tend to encapsulate model components (database access, for example), but I never used classes to differentiate between my gui and the code that controlled it. So you might say that I was using the M-(VC) architecture for coding.

Because Apple believes in a very controlled environment, you really have to play things their way. Maybe when you’ve become an expert, you can break free of this coding philosophy. Until then study it, and study it well. The fact is, its really hard to understand the tutorials and documentation out there unless you grasp this basic concept: Model speaks to Controller which speaks to View. So if you want to manipulate a view in an iPhone app, then you need to understand its controller. This unfortunately means that there is just one more class for you to figure out.

The last thing to mention is the concept of a delegate. Its one that I’m still working to grasp, but the idea is exactly what the word implies. You can appoint an object to act as the middle-man for certain classes. The thing is, that sounds like the definition of a controller. So what’s the difference? I’m still not sure. So far, assuming that they are one in the same (conceptually) has been working for me, but I’ll tell you when that’s stops being the case.

Before too long, you’ll be building your own views and controllers (I’m already doing it), but it was a struggle to clearly delineate my classes to stick to the MVC concept. To be fair, I’m probably making it sound a little harder than it is, but its definitely not a cake walk. Just don’t plan on taking the leap from a simple tutorial found through the Apple Developers Connection (ADC, the Apple equivalent to MSDN) or the web to a full-featured app in a short time. Unless, of course, if you’re already a developer for Mac applications.

Until next time, keep it fuzzy….

Jen And Our Cake

If you want to read Jen’s blog post about how she designed our cake, you can check it out here. Oh, I should also mention, she made us some awesome truffles as favors. Of course, I can’t forget to thank her assistant (and husband), my friend (and groomsman), Rohit. So I give them 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Definitely fuzz-worthy!

I’ve decided that one of the many problems with my site is that I’ve tied myself down to just writing movie reviews. While that is a lot of fun, I have other hobbies that folks may find just as interesting. It should also give me the motivation to write more often. Starting today, Gotfuzz will be fuzzier. Stay tuned…………….