Filter Life Out Error.

or, "what am i gonna do with all these left over pictures on the memory card?" Security guards on segways outside of Caesar's Palace shopping mall (add your own caption... it will be wwwwaaaay more funnier than anything i can come up with).

I might be sheltered, but this was a new one for me. The mini bar went by the weight of the product you picked up:
it was pretty creepy... i mean, you felt like you shouldn't even look at it because if you just bumped the snack tray and the pringles fell off, you'd get charged $276 for it. i didn't have the guts to even open the fridge part. oh well, at least the ice was still free.

this was the (as in one) cloud that went by in five days, but it must have been a powerful one, since its passing signaled the end of 90s & calm to 60s & windy.

but to imply the weather was miserable would be... misleading.

tax dollars hard at work at just ONE of the DTV areas. spin the wheel and get a pen or pad of stickie notes, or a water bottle, or a hat or...

FloorLife:

Chuck: "Are you sure it works?"


Center Guy: "Of course it works!"


Chuck: "What about with one server?"


Center: "Well, let's ask him. HEY! He'll know hardware. HEY!, 'camhere"


Right Guy: "Well, it should work, but, that's Version next-point-oh, which will be ready later this year, early next at the latest."

Chuck: "What about with the kind of files CBS is working with?"


Right: "Oh yeah, we've been working with just about everyone... and I think CBS too."





after a few days of that, you can feel like your b#llsh$t filter has been hard at work:

but then a hit of Kool & the Gang makes it all OK:

and then again, it is nice to be home.
thanks to Margo, Marlone & Patsy for putting up with me being gone. i love you.
thanks to all of you in the WISC operations department for enabling me to be gone.
thanks to my WISC & WKBT pals for hanging with me while i was there.
thanks to MMM/WISC-TV for sending me.
thanks for your generous donation.
thanks to YOU for tuning in!

NABlog 4

I never thought one could spend that much time in JUST the lighting section.


Spawned by a conversation Colin and I had about some “adjustments” to the news set, I chatted around with almost all of the lighting manufactures, looking for some low-profile lighting that can change color conveniently. LED lights are cool, modern & sexy… and have the price to prove it. But, there are more reasonable, all be it traditional, options.

I was also looking for an Urban Theater rock and roll lighting wish list and was surprised in a disappointed way when there no rock and roll lighting makers there. Oh well, you’ve got to draw the line somewhere.

This is from rosco, the colored gel & gobo pattern (cookie) manufacturer.
It’s a photo of a skyline printed on a scrim for use as a background for a set. You light the front of the scrim to see the day light shot:

Then backlight the scrim see the night shot.

So, you don’t have to hang a different picture to get a different look, just change the lighting. $25 a square foot, and lighting is prolly kinda tricky, but might be useful someday.


this still creeps me out. the big camera manufacturers (sony, jvc, panasonic etc) hire people to sit in these little scenes for you to test their cameras. it's just too much like i said before: "a exquisitely bored young adults section from the San Diego Zoo."


And Colin, you were right about the supaCam booth.

NABlog 3 Headlines:

On the floor: with Chyron \\\ The "Curse" goes On \\\ On Test: Colin's math skills.

Chyron Camio is a do-hikey that they demoed in Madison last fall, but I missed it… so to the NAB booth I go. Here’s the deal. To replace the HD still store, now-a-days, one just buys two HD chyrons… one to be a lower third machine & one to be a still store. Their camio product would replace control air for font & the still store control panel with one playlist. All the lower thirds AND still store events would then be entered via iNews. there’s also a graphic creation portion, which is pay to play. It acts like a very rudimentary photoshop, where you can slap stock photos on base graphic to make OTS’ & the like from any computer. The idea is that reporters or producers or directors or? could build a still… similar to how lower thirds are “built” typing them in iNews. I’m gonna just let you sit back and imagine that one for a while.
… … …
Welcome back.
I can see us using portions of the full blown camio.
~
One of the points of going to a trade show is to chat with the folks you already use, about things. Good things and well, less than good things.
I thought maybe I’d take the opportunity to find our pals at Avid and try to chat with them about “things.” Problem is, they elected not to by a booth at NAB this year. No problem, rumor has it that they set up shop over at the hard rock hotel. A cab ride later, I’ve got my plan on how to chat with these guys and I begin the search. After two trips to the front desk and a search of the facility no avid folks are to be found. Well, I don’t have any contact info, and the only number I can remember is for Avid tech support. I call & just hit buttons until I get a human. I try to explain to the tech support guy where I am and that I’d just like to meet our new sales rep., since I’m in vegas. The tech support guy tries hard enough, and finally just transfers me to the regional sales manager’s voice mail. So, I just kinda hang for a while, thinking that a sales person would never hesitate to call anyone back. Just as I was ready to give up and leave hard rock, Chuck calls. He has found Avid; they had abandoned the Hard Rock for a hotel conference room closer to the NAB’s convention center. As I wandered Hard Rock trying to make sense of this fiasco, I found the answer WHY:

The Curse of Carlos has struck again.
I don’t know how Chuck’s conversation with Avid went but at least he had one.
~
Parting shot:

Colin does a reality check of dessert. The menu’s assertion that the chocolate cake has 23 layers was found to be:

~

AND NOW, a word from the sponsor.yes, i'm riding TOUR de CURE this year, brought to you by our MyMadisonTV14. if you'd like to donate money towards diabetes, more info is here.

thanks for reading

NABlog Day 2: "Fruit is God's candy." -Mike VanSustren

Highlights: hugs from the station owner, the subtle language of managers & a reality check?

breakfast was a presidential punditry session with a groupetto of politicos, namely Sam Donaldson & some dude from CNN, and a bunch of other political webbies. food=weak, conversation=better than the food.
~
Let’s go to the flo-or, let's go to the flo-or, let's go to the flo-or and see some HD stuff!

went back to our new best buddies at Ross corp. (the HD switcher we demo-ed last year... or was it 2006?). ANYWAY... although slightly revised, to the best of my analysis, the changes are for the better. So it’s still VERY in tune with what how we do our shows. We even get a FREE M/E if were one of the first 135 buyers! So, basically what we could do is order a two M/E model and get the third for free. Unless someone out there wants to give a compelling argument for us to keep track of four M/Es... (the Rachel Kisko plug-in is extra).

here’s an chyron product that prolly will be practical to us in HD land… it’s a black box that hangs on the HD MC switcher. It will put things like school watch, sports ticker, time and temp, morning ticker, weather warnings etc. on the air. Of course, this seems to be an all in one solution. But, if a piece of gear has a limitation, we will find it.
~
Have you gotten a hug from your station owner lately?

The afternoon held a meeting unique to our Morgan-Murphy media stations. All of the TV & radio stations got together, mainly to discuss the up and coming engineering needs/wants. Although I’m still new at this, I did pick up on a couple of situations where a particular station’s budget figures, shall we say, “Needs Clarification.”

We went around discussing futurevision from the NAB floor. Then came the February 19th, 2009 checklist. We’re in pretty good shape.

Chuck presented his flow-chart for WISC’s transition to HD news, then HD programming and lastly promo editing. When can we go buy the stuff on the flow chart? Well, that answer comes later.

It wasn’t all engineers there, managers of assorted responsibilities had their take on the proceedings, as well as a discrete management “language.” Here’s an example. This is Scott Chorski, General Manager at WKBT in LaCrosse. Note the position of his sunglasses:
This position= “I understand.”


This position= “Your technical mumbo jumbo has lost me.”

A very enlightening day from start to finish, indeed.
~
Lastly, by way of follow up to the CNN party post: Mickey Thomas performed at the Roscor party. Hmmm, let’s see. Kool and the Gang @ LAX, or Mickey Thomas @ Imperial Palace. Defense rests.

~

AND NOW, a word from the sponsor.yes, i'm riding TOUR de CURE this year, brought to you by our MyMadisonTV14. if you'd like to donate money towards diabetes, more info is here.

~

Margo & Marlone, I'll be home soon. -love, me.

"I've only been here four minutes BUT...

i like this [cnn] party better than the roscor party." "there. i said it and i don't regret it." to paraphrase Dan Akroyd imitating Tom Snyder. the luxor's lax room has that elusive extra added chic that the imperial palace ball room just doesn't.

let's face it: NAB is about the schmooze... soft sell, hard sell... whatever it takes to keep your brand in good stead with clients past, present & future. and apparently, having lavish parties is an effective schmooze tool.

i felt quite like a party crasher; a production geek at the journos' party.

meet and eat... cocktail food, of course, with some nice attendees; Andrew Humphrey (L-weather anchor for Local4 NBC in Detroit), Charlotte Humphrey & Jim Nagy (R-news director, KCSG in St. George, UT).

after the waitstaff blew out the sterno cans under the chicken-kabobs. Kool & the Gang hit the stage. (it's a .mov file, so if it doesn't play... tough).

while i don't know who was at roscor's party this time... i'll bet that they weren't better than K&tG.

guess, i need to say thanks to Mark Koehn... if he hadn't lobbied to get the CNN feed back, probably no CNN party for me. so, thanks Mark!

more on today's developments (and there were plenty of 'em) later. right now=sleep.

~

Margo & Marlone, i'll be home soon. love, me.

NABlog Day 1

while this scene setter shot is eerily similar to the one from 2006...

right down to the 15 story Barry poster plastered on the Hilton, trust me, it's from this year.

highlight of the day was hanging with David Sanks & George Nelson in the big hall of fame induction ceremony & lunch.

yes, it's every one's favorite game show host, Bob Barker








...who was inducted by Buster Poindexter oddly enough.








then four audience members were invited up to spin the big wheel



and play PLINKO!



it just reminded me of how stoked Steve Schultz and Mark Koehn might be to have seen plinko LIVE!


~

lots of seminars today.

frankly, these things can be as boring as they look:

but this one on selling political advertising got my attention when this...


...popped up on the old power point. yay for wisconsin activists wanting lowest unit charge & equal access for their issue ads! oh wait, no BOOOOO! it just reminded me of all the stories Roger Putnam did about issue ads, and how we had like only one 3 second clip of a referee who was part of the issue ad.

this one got a bit chippy when the two lawyers on the panel disagreed with what the guy from the FCC was telling people to do.

Bobby Baker, FCC (panelist second from left in grey suit) "well, what you need to do is have an internal memo plan for how you're gonna handle rate cards and traffic availabilities for political ads..."

Dawn Sciarrino, lawyer (third from left, black hair) was like "um, yeah, I wouldn't want to have that memo floating around if you're ever audited..."

these side swipes sorta continued as they trundled through other issues. then at one point Dawn the lawyer said something and the FCC guy then said, "all of you keep in mind that Dawn represents the only station that I've had to audit [about their political advertising practices]".

basically, this is a time to remind all you MCO's out there... DO NOT under any circumstance let anyone on the phone talk you into changing a political ad on the playlist. Steve Scadden makes these decisions.

yes, this does pass for excitement.

~

file this one under "because we can." i went to the sony screening room where they showed some HD programming in 3D. i even got to wear special Buddy Hollys:

(apparently, Stuart Copeland was so enthralled, he forgot to take them off for this photo shoot(?))

what they had done was rigged four HD cameras to shoot 3D. each camera had two bodies, two lenses & two video streams, which were then combined using TV magic. they shot some NBA games.

it was very engaging. it felt less like a gimmick and more like the feel of being in the arena for the games. even the pace at which they cut cameras was adjusted. the shots were "allowed to breathe," which added to the spectacle. yes, you do still have to wear special glasses, so how practical this will be in the future... well, not bloody likely. but they're hopeful to maybe sell it to arenas or sports bars. it would be used your home town team is on the road and playing a big game. it's the neatest techie thing i've seen so far.
~

AND NOW, a word from the sponsor.
yes, i'm riding TOUR de CURE this year, brought to you by our MyMadisonTV14. if you'd like to donate money towards diabetes, more info is here.
~

so, Marlone, you wanted to see a picture of me, here you go, straight from my CNN ID badge:

tell Mom and Grandma Patsy i love them both and give them a hug for me (and i love you too).

Late Add...

Lewis Black can bring the funny. yep.
but now i can't decide who to vote for; Santa or the porcupine.
i like the "advisory" on the ticket...

it isn't often that you get engrish on contents that wasn't translated for your happiness in the first place.

oh yeah! NAB-Vegas day Zero

WELCOME TO N.A.Bolg CENTRAL FOR 2008!

sunday at NAB is get your FREE shwagBag day. this year, in an uber-chic mini-bike messenger bag, two of the fliers were from people we actually use: BDI (they designed our news set) and WideOrbit (they write the traffic software). other stuff included a flier on how you (or your multinational communications corporation) can get your transmitter on top of the Empire State Building, with an associated snappy note pad and pen as well as a tin in the shape of a cell phone full of mints (insert George Carlin bit about a guy who gets pushed over the edge when he gets a sample of scope in the mail here).

biggest innovation so far, the "double-clip" lariat which keeps your hall pass from turning around so the sales people on the floor can't see your name. if this is any indication of how far technology has come in two years, well, i best not wear socks monday when the exhibits actually open, 'cause they're gonna get knocked clean-off!

as you can see in the photo, the green single clip design of 2006 is far inferior.

insert "finishing touch quip" here...

and why yes, i am already sunburned from walking back from the convention center to the hotel. thanks for asking.

~

AND NOW, a word from the sponsor.

yes, i'm riding TOUR de CURE this year, brought to you by our MyMadisonTV14. if you'd like to donate money towards diabetes, more info is here.

~

Margo & Marlone, i love and miss you both. i hope you get some sleep.

add video

why do my heroes end up being such flakes?

so greg lemond finally pissed trek bicycles off enough to dump him.
i mean, i guess we had all heard that lemond was a bit of a selfish ego maniac. this was confirmed by some of the stuff that he said about trek's golden boy... while it was maybe (probably) true, biting the business hand that makes and distributes your bikes at the height of their marketplace powers is just about the dumbest thing one could do. sprinkle in a little of the landis posse's shenanigans (not his fault per se, but then again, "trouble seems to follow me") and that's a recipe for disaster.

yes, there's freedom of speech and all that, but lemond isn't being censured by the gov't... he's pissing off a business which is in it for the money.

ok, this is funny especially the side swipe at gary fisher