My Junk Trunk

GBTV #411 (test for Mevio)

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:37:39 -0700

The Announcements Show

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:28:27 -0700

Announcements with Cali, Rob and Neal

Ones and 0s by Geoff Smith

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:45:42 -0700

One of my friends, Jeff McCord recently wrote a post on his blog about the nastiness of comments on YouTube. I keep hearing the same thing about Digg.com users too. The Web is very much an extension of who we are as people and it's really sad when we forget that. I think I'm guilty too. The episode where I made fun of Gary Krakow for saying Steve Jobs should "put the BlackBerry on the iPhone" was a perfect example of me not thinking about Krakow as a fellow human being. Even though I thought (and lots of bloggers thought) what Gary said was crazy, my goal is not to be mean to anyone anytime.

Geoff Smith might be well known for his "can't get them outta my head" jingles, but he's a brilliant musician who records real music that I love. Jonathan Davis is a student filmmaker who interned for us last Christmas. This Summer, Jonathan is interning for one of the top music video producers in the world. Neal thought it would be cool to introduce Jonathan to Geoff on the off chance that Jonathan could help Geoff do a little music video. Jonathan didn't just help Geoff do a little music video. Jonathan and Geoff produced an amazing music video based on Geoff's song Ones and 0s.

Ones and 0s is about how nasty comments on a blog post can really hurt a person. I loved the song from the first time I heard it. I hope you like the song and the premiere of the video. We're honored that Geoff and Jonathan are letting us release it first. If you have a blog or a Web site and you like the song and the video, please consider embedding it. This version is just the video without me introducing it. I love the idea of confronting mean, inappropriate comments with music.

Geoff and Jonathan will join me live on Ustream.TV Wednesday night at 6 PM PDT. I want to deconstruct the making of the video with them. If you have questions about how the video was made, join us!

It's been a long drive. I'm going to sleep and I'll be back with tech news in about 24 hours.

Cali's Shirt Courtesy of Brew City Online
Go there.

GeekBrief.TV Show Credits with Mevio Stinger

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:56:18 -0700

GeekBrief.TV Show Open

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:48:13 -0700

Cali's Dad - Arby's Pre-Production

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:13:39 -0700

Podcasting Photo Shoot

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:00:45 -0700

Family Visit to Chicago

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:14:48 -0700

Gadget Channel

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:23:46 -0700

Fathers Day Special

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:34:36 -0700

Fathers Day Special

Father's Day Gadget

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:06:56 -0700

http://www.amazon.com/ESPN-Ultimate-Remote-Universal/dp/B00198LRPE/cali-20

streaming test

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:44:03 -0700

NY Festivals' Innovative Advertising Awards

Tue, 27 May 2008 01:26:32 -0700

Technical Sat Uplink Test

Fri, 23 May 2008 20:15:37 -0700

Our Story for Podcast Secrets

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:05:08 -0700

This is the story of how Geek Brief got started in a nutshell. We recorded this for Paul Colligan's Podcast Secrets Class.

http://www.podcastsecrets.com/specialoffer/

BigDog Robot from Boston Dynamics

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:01:33 -0700

Cali Learns to Shuck Oysters

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:43:27 -0700

We hate that this has to go to the Junk Trunk. Cali did an amazing job editing and with the music. My camera settings were bad, though and that overshadows the good parts.

We've recently produced a tremendous amount of oyster-related content as of late. Who would have imagined?

Sydney Needs Knee Surgery

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:50:27 -0800

Vara Software ScreenFlow Sample

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 23:34:52 -0800

This is a sample video created from Vara Software's screen capture app, ScreenFlow. It's really good. Beyond the capture, the editing features replace three or four other applications.

Weird Little Audio Podcast about the Big Trip

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:17:15 -0800

This a weird little audio podcast about the big trip. Really, we're just being silly.

Talking 'bout the Big Trip

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:04:59 -0800

In preparation for the Big Trip, we're experimenting with new shooting styles and camera angles. This was a test...only a test. It isn't indicative of anything we regard as quality work. At any rate, some people enjoy watching the learning process and if that's you, this is for you.

Big Trip | Holiday Rambler Endeavor

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:10:40 -0800

The Holiday Rambler Endeavor was the first RV we looked at a few weeks ago. It still ranks up at the top of our list of favorites.

It's still no Big Red MCI Bus, though. :)

Taking about The Big Trip

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:44:12 -0800

There are so many things to do as we get ready for the Big Trip. One of those things is practicing new ways to shoot.

Top 3 Favorite Ways to Use the N810

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 10:11:02 -0800

Drobo Video

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:47:43 -0800

Whitney at the Wharf (Happy Version)

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 17:58:45 -0800

Music by thegeoffsmith.com.

Whitney at the Wharf (Sentimental Version)

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 17:19:10 -0800

The Wharf on the waterfront at Maine is something tourists don't usually see when they visit Washington, D.C. It's about five blocks south of The Mall, opened on weekends and definitely worth a visit.

Neal's Travel Channel Academy Video Assignment #1

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:28:57 -0800

At the Travel Channel Academy, Neal has to produce two videos. This is the first.

He had to create a 1 minute story from 20 minutes of footage. He was supposed to shoot in a salon or a restaurant or a shoe repair shop, or something like that. We chose a nail salon and the guy who did my nails was really quiet and really shy.

This is the end result

Playing with the Marantz in Washington, DC

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 04:26:12 -0800

Neal and I arrived in Washington DC last night and after a long travel day and an awesome meetup with viewers, we wanted to test the Marantz. Amazing how much it picks up!!

Drobo Project (Rough)

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 22:21:09 -0800

Cali's Streaming Christmas Party Intro

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:55:32 -0800

A Conversation with Tim Ferriss | GeekBrief.TV

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:14:54 -0800

In my South by Southwest packet, there was a little flyer offering bloggers a review copy of a book called The 4-Hour Work Week. I filled out the form, got the book and started reading it. I kept talking to people about it and giving them my copy. I bought three copies before I finished. Tim joined me on Skype to talk about the book and a charitable initiative he calls Litliberation. What I like about the book is that it lays out explicit instructions for using technology to launch and run automated businesses.

A Conversation with Paul Colligan | GeekBrief.TV

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:13:01 -0800

GBTV @ PNME Experiment | PodShow Press

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:24:26 -0700

The experiment is to try to remotely interview people on Skype video. In this test, I talk to Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff while he's at the PNME and I'm home with the Measles. Mark is heading up the book publication division of PodShow, PodShow Press. They are signing people now. If you've written a book and are releasing it as an audiobook, you can find details at books.podshow.com.

Pacific Coast Hellway
PodShow Press

GBTV Nashville Meetup

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 20:15:05 -0700

We're not releasing this on the main feeds because it's so off topic, and such a gigantic file. Hopefully, though, it'll give you an idea of some of the fun we have when we do a meetup. Geoff Smith was our gracious host at The Big Bang in Nashville. About twenty Geek Briefers showed up, and for me at least, the night was unforgettable.

It was extra special because Matthew Ebel showed up, and played some really good music. If you like what you hear, his song, Drive Away is available at iTunes. You might want to just buy the whole album, though. You can pre-order his next album from MatthewEbel.com.

Geoff Smith's Album on iTunes is here .

A dueling piano bar is all about requests. We noticed Geoff kept checking text messages, so Neal texted a request for the Christmas song, Mary Did You Know . The guy who wrote that song, Mark Lowry, is a friend of ours and he came to support us. Geoff asked him to come up and sing it. There's always something special when a gospel song gets sung at a bar. It's even better when it's sung by one of the biggest names in Southern Gospel music.

If, for some reason, you don't find yourself interested in this, you should download and zoom to the end. Neal, after having a number of martinis, comes to the stage to sing along when Geoff plays something that sounds like Gospel. The best part is when Geoff asks, "Who's your daddy?" You'll have to watch for Neal's answer. It was classic.

Getting Closer to Good Audio

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 20:42:17 -0700

There aren't really notes for this test. we do talk about Signal, the best iPhone app. ever!

GBTV @ PNME Experiment | Whispered Pearls

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:09:58 -0700

The experiment is to try to remotely interview people on Skype video. In this first test, we talk with Ayleen, George and Matt from ToyBreak.com, and discover the broadband at the Expo wasn't sufficient enough to make this work. There was also too much noise in the room. We could have probably fixed that with a noise canceling microphone. It's difficult to hear much of what's being said, but we still wanted to publish in order to get other people involved in finding solutions for making remote Skype interviews more practical. Michelle Balaskie is the host of Whispered Pearls, a podcast where she, Maureen and Susi explore sexuality and discuss boundaries of what's socially acceptable. Michelle is also the author of The Golden Path of Love, an erotic audiobook. Check out Whispered Pearls at whisperedpearls2.podshow.com and The Golden Path of Love at goldenpath.podshow.com.

Whispered Pearls
The Golden Path of Love
PodShow Press

Mackie Mixer Test #3

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 20:29:27 -0700

We're pretty satisfied with the audio quality of our setup, but it doesn't seem strong enough. We're thinking when PodShow adds the D-Gap stuff, it's going to require a volume adjustment for you. Sorry about that. That's why we're calling this a test and not a show. If you have tips, please! send them.

GBTV @ PNME Experiment | ToyBreak.com

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 14:56:38 -0700

The experiment is to try to remotely interview people on Skype video. In this first test, we talk with Ayleen, George and Matt from ToyBreak.com, and discover the broadband at the Expo wasn't sufficient enough to make this work. There was also too much noise in the room. We could have probably fixed that with a noise canceling microphone. It's difficult to hear much of what's being said, but we still wanted to publish in order to get other people involved in finding solutions for making remote Skype interviews more practical. Toy Break reviews all sorts of toys and covers toy news. Thanks to Ayleen, George and Matt for being our guinea pigs! If you can forgive the audio quality, we had a pretty great conversation. Check out Toy Break at ToyBreak.com.

Another Audio Test...much more of a test

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:39:26 -0700

The goal...to sound as good as an NPR radio show. We're not yet there. I want a slight bit of separation. Last test, we had too much. This is a little tighter.

Neal

Mackie Mixer Test

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:53:27 -0700

This might be the best audio we've achieved so far. It still doesn't sound like NPR, though.

New Audio Equipment Test

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:16:35 -0700

We just ordered two Electro Voice RE-20s and a dbx 1066 for recording audio. This is our first test of the new equipment and we also pull William, the Geek Brief Intern in for a quick impromptu interview.

Cali @ Yellowstone

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:20:20 -0700

This is video from our day at Yellowstone National Park. Old Faithful was underwhelming. Everything else was outstanding!

For William, the Geek Brief Intern

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:34:22 -0700

Our intern, William, is a big Leo Laporte fan. Leo had this to say to William...

How we lit Brief 208

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:10:27 -0700

We made the, in retrospect, controversial choice to shoot Brief 208 with Cali Driving. This is about how we lit it.

Chinook Winds

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 23:51:52 -0700

We decided to stop at a motel on the way to Yellowstone. Neal isn't a rustic kind of guy. This place blended comfort with rusticiity in just the perfect way.

GBTVpc #6

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 03:49:08 -0700

This is the troubleshooting episode and we/'re not releasing it on the GeekBrief.TV feed because it doesn/'t seem like most people will be interested.

There is a little adaptor piece that is most likely the problem, but the case has a little board that seems to over-ride this piece. We/'re missing something and we/'re asking for help to find out what.

Our Building Makes Us Constantly Cough

Sun, 20 May 2007 05:47:26 -0700

Our building makes us constantly cough. This episode is the reason we/'re moving the GBTV HQ.

My future Brother-in-Law, Michael's Birthday

Thu, 10 May 2007 10:34:17 -0700

One of my favorite Podsafe Music songs is What To Do With Michael by Candy Butchers. It always reminds me of my sister and her soon-to-be husband Michael.

Tonight was Michael/'s birthday and we shot some footage of the event.

Test for the PSP - GBTVpc #5

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:10:55 -0700

On this episode, I install the RAM and the PCI cards. Installation of these components is super simple. If you/'re doing it for the first time, you may feel like you/'re pressing too hard, but with even, careful pressure, you/'ll do just fine. I/'ve been coughing non-stop for a week. I/'m starting to sound like Mini Mouse!

GBTV PC Project
GBTV PC Forum
RAM: 2GB, Crucial Ballistix
HD Tuner Card: (2) pcHDTV HD-5500/'s
SD Tuner Card: Hauppage WinTV PVR 500
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce 7300 GS

Footage from our first GBTV Meetup

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 03:11:31 -0700

Our first GBTV viewer meetup was SO MUCH FUN! 17 people came. After lunch half of us went to a CompUSA that is closing and got some bargans.

Family Christmas Video

Sat, 27 Jan 2007 03:56:32 -0800

Song: Do You Hear What I Hear, Jill Parr

Footage of my family at Christmas so my sisters can download it.

Panasonic AG-DVC60

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:37:28 -0800

We're going HD, so we're putting our other two cameras on eBay. This is a video so buyers can see the actual camera.

Panasonic AG-DVC30

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:34:26 -0800

We're going HD, so we're putting our other two cameras on eBay. This is a video so buyers can see the actual camera.

Testing the wireless mic with the Sanyo Xacti HD1a

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 02:57:58 -0800

The Thick Man (remix)

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 01:20:39 -0800

Brief 88 - Am I Too Sick to Release This?

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 10:09:51 -0800

Cali Lewis | live action news

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 12:41:35 -0700

We were shooting Brief #82 when the sounds of sirens started blaring outside our window. We/'re not sure what was burning, but the smoke looked pretty dramatic.

Cali on Rumor Girls

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:15:27 -0700

I met Karen and Karla at the PME. They/'re super sweet! They had me on for a short Rumor Girls episode.

Producer Neal's Butt Injury

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 12:08:04 -0700

Neal injured his butt during the taping of a Behind the Scenes episode of Geek Brief TV.

Cali on Torrent in the PodShow Pimp Mobile

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 02:28:12 -0700

Torrent is a weekly one-hour television Internet-culture show for tech-savvy audiences looking for unique first-person pop-tech stories from around the world. Torrent is the first TV show to broadcast podcasts. It/'s on G4TechTV Canada and it is hosted by Matt Harris.

GeekBrief.TV on Rabbit Bites

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 01:25:34 -0700

Rabbit Bites is, to us, hilarious. It always makes us laugh. Sometimes the criticism is harsh--hence the use of the word, "Bites".

This is the episode where Buns and Chou Chou make fun of GBTV.

Initially they started out just making fun of Vloggers. Now Buns and Chou Chou make fun of anyone who dares to go in front of a camera.

You can see more at rabbitbites.com.

Behind the Scenes Footage at Call for Help

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 01:07:04 -0700

We were testing out an HD camera and this is the footage from the test.

Dawn and Drew Take Cali to the PME | Take 5

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 07:25:35 -0700

Dawn and Drew Take Cali to the PME | Take 4

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 07:20:29 -0700

Dawn and Drew Take Cali to the PME | Take 3

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 07:17:24 -0700

Dawn and Drew Take Cali to the PME | Take 2

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 06:52:11 -0700

Dawn and Drew Take Cali to the PME | Take 1

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 06:47:07 -0700

GBTV #72 (New Codec Test)

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 06:46:55 -0700

This is a test of a new Codec for GBTV

Colbert Green Screen Original

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 03:17:57 -0700

Okay, here/'s the challenge (and there will be prizes). Steven Colbert issued a challenge for future George Lucases (or is it Lucasai?) to work his green screen action into a sci-fi clip.

I want to take his challenge and bump it up a notch.

More information coming soon...