once again

So here's a post again, its been quite a while since my last. Its not that I didn't want but I effectively had only my blackberry to blog from, and that needed setting up again. I have such a lot that I want to update but I guess most pertinent is on the content creation side. I got a full HD capable webcam for an absolute steal second and that brings with it the potential for usage in Monkeyjam, (http://monkeyjam.org/) because the webcam, has a WDM driver. So that means some Stopmotion animation aspirations can be fulfilled.

It also means I can use high res 3D scanning (www.david-laserscanner.com/)

Now with this in mind if I can lay my hands on a kinect and successfully cannibalise it to be used with Jasper Brekel's software I have motion capture for full body and face, albeit seperately for now. And all that means background character creations for film ideas. I find myself pining for a camera capable of full manual control whilst shooting and the pieces are currently just not falling into place courtesy of car insurance claims that are sucking up my money...

But hope springs eternal...

Gizmos gizmos

Its been a while since I updated this blog but in the last few months I've dived into making a panoramic camera head and photo stitching ad also investigating building a cnc router.

Currently I have an arduino which I fiddle with periodically and I now have 4 easydriver stepper motor driver boards and 4 stepper motors. Sadly the easy drivers don't handle enough current for the steppers I have. So my cnc router, although much closer eludes me still.

So I now have a circuit to build such a stepper driver but I have yet to finance making the pc boards.

Eish, I miss having a job. Its so difficult funding hobbies without one.
Campbell Rae
079 218 4360

Gears and gear

It seems I'm finally getting somewhere in my metal work. Some time back I was able to get a Canon powershot A495 cheaply and I got CHDK (Canon Hack Development Kit) for it.

Now I've decided to make a geared meter of track for interesting timelapse photography using this camera and CHDK. It has yet to be geared but right now the motion is smooth, and I feel good about that.

More to follow.

Them changes

I have a lot to report currently but actually it becomes a prioritisation thing.

I'm pining to finance a Xbox kinect camera for using with Brekel Kinect and Motionbuilder. Now first an explanation on what that is.

Brekel Kinect is a nifty piece of software which I have downloaded and installed on my laptop. It allows the Xbox Kinect camera to capture the motions of your limbs to a armature/skeleton in Motionbuilder. So now one can produce realistic motion for animation right in one's home.

I have several projects that I have been pursueing now for many years to affect the same result.

Having just finished studying to become a programmer I can now develop some of these tools, or at least their software parts to realise what I've wanted for so many years.

So now again like a junkie I find myself thinking of what I can sell to finance this need, that is until I get a job.
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Steps forward again

Its wonderful to be able to come up with an economical solutions that empower me to do new things.

By this I'm referring to the new portable DVD player I have that has a video input. With this new addition and a little cable I have made with a friends help, in one fell swoop regained functional use of my digital camera (now viewing what I shoot on the DVD players screen) and a monitoring solution for my steadicam.

So now with completion of the steadicam on the cards again, new creative things can happen.
Exciting times ahead.
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Big Strides forward

In a singulary serendipituous moment I was blessed with a great laptop computer from a friend. It even has the Mac OS on it.

Now with this advance I'm feeling so much more empowered to create.
The MacOS installation needs redoing though but I'm up for that challenge.

Hopefully with a little trading I'll be able to soon buy a suitable HD shooting camera. Then armed with me trusty hackbook and Shake 4.1
and camera I can begin to finally start doing some serious work.

Its going to be great fun and I can't wait. Oy... So much to do.
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Built and working

I've had a bit of a break from updating the blog, but where the beginnings of my new sanding gear was pictured last, I now have a two very handy and completed machines.

I itch to finish the steadicam but making the remaining 8 bearing housings proves tricky since its getting darker faster now with winter approaching. That makes decent work on the lathe (and I'm no fitter and turner) more difficult. But I may cheat And throw some money at getting 16 of the plates made. It all depends on the budget.

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