maxstlg wrote:

i'm not sure whether virtualdubmod can convert to mpeg. what i usually do is convert using tmpgenc then burn into vcd. search for the conversion guide in http://www.vcdhelp.com. converting to vcd using cd burning software sometimes produce undesired result. arnel98: u have the coolest avatar i've seen ever. how did u make it? maybe u could create a tutorial for those who are interested

oh, yeah, ur right. I just looked at virtualdubmod and i did not find a save to mpeg option.

btw. thanks for the compliment. As for how to make it, I learned most of the stuff I use on my avas using ulead tutorials like this one:
gif animator - http://www.webutilities.com/community/tutorials/gat_index.html
photoimpact - http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/photoimpacttuts/index.htm
There are so much more available on the net, I just listed the ones i had bookmarked.

I do use a lot of the object eraser tool, fill tool and color replacement tool to fix the backgrounds and also just started with the perspective transform tool (see the animation in the monitor). One thing I learned though is that with gifs, filesize doesnt correlate with number of frames. Its the variation in the frame that affects filesize. That's why its best to use a constant image for the background or use a constant color. It also helps to reduce colors and dimensions. For example, the 150x178 256color version of the yukie ava i have (the one in the monitor) is originally more than 500kb in size. I removed the background and changed it to constant white, removed the reflections on the dress and made it solid black, and reduce colors to 48 and i managed to bring it down to 170kb (still big though) without reducing the dimension. So, keep that in mind when u have an ava u want to reduce filesize.

Another thing that i learned, when u optimize colors in gif animator, play around with the 2 options - median cut and minimum variation coz sometimes the minimum variation option produce a nicer image with fewer colors.

For the video source, I alternate between zoomplayer and virtualdubmod for the frame captures depending on the video.

BTW. I became interested in animated gif when i saw malorums' avatar. hehehe. Thats when i got a copy of the softwares, read some tutorials and created my very first yukie ava - that was last october. here's what it looks like...

Anyway, the more you make gifs, the more u'll get accustomed to it. I actually have a avatar request thread but it doesnt seem to gather much interest.
_________________

arnel98 wrote:

I actually have a avatar request thread but it doesnt seem to gather much interest.

Yeah, that died on the vine, didn't it? Oh well, it saved you from a lot of extra work... At least you made the generous offer...

bmwracer wrote:

Yeah, that died on the vine, didn't it? Oh well, it saved you from a lot of extra work... At least you made the generous offer...

yes, it died out pretty quickly but hey, thats good news to me, hehehe, no work effort required.
_________________

arnel98 wrote:

yes, it died out pretty quickly but hey, thats good news to me, hehehe, no work effort required.

Yep. I guess you should thank everybody for not making any requests, otherwise you wouldn't have had time to work on your Yukie-chan gifs...

Style XP
Win XP
Yahoo Messenger
Nero
Star Downloader
Bad Copy
Spybot Search and Destroy
Adobe Photoshop
Kazaalite

Power DVD
Kazaa
Download Accelerator
ACDsee
Smart Whois
Zone Alarm
Nero (burn! baby! burn!)
Norton (antivirus)
Nebula (emulator)

can anyone xplain a bit on what bittorent is all about in a simplest way..
and what should i do to get started? im bit dumb on this p2p thing.. puhleassee..

here u go...
http://www.dessent.net/btfaq/
it sort of explains what bt is and how is it different with other P2P
_________________

Thanks for all your input - I'm trying to dodge the cheapy drives out there.

Too many sales and promotions clouding my judgement.

groink wrote:

Also, if you get an IDE/ATAPI based internal unit, try keeping it on the secondary IDE controller by itself. It's highly recommended that you keep your main system's hard disk and the DVD writable on separate IDE controllers so that there's no lag. If you've run out of IDE interfaces, I'd go out and buy a PCI-based IDE controller and dedicate it to the DVD writable drive.

Following my very own advice, I just yesterday installed a SIIG Ultra ATA/133 PCI controller into my BitTorrent server (a Dell Optiplex GX110, which only has a built-in ATA/66). It was under $40 US, and configuration was very easy. The controller adapted quite well with my PC's POST. It even comes with a Ultra ATA cable!

The controller has two Ultra ATA/133 connectors, each connector handling two devices. Installing into a Windows 2000 Server environment requires installation of drivers (3.5-inch floppy included).

Details:
SIIG, Inc. http://www.siig.com/
Ultra ATA/133 PCI Controller
Model CN2487
Bought it at CompUSA

--- groink

Word of advice: when buying a burner or any electronics, try to avoid the mail-in rebates if possible unless its from a reputable name brand like Sony, 3Com, etc. Some of these cheesy companies offer rebates then they hose you: I bought a QPS CDR/RW drive a ways back from CompUSA and I was expecting $35 in rebates, but QPS conveniently declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and my rebate went the way of the dinosaur... Bleah.

Be careful!

groink wrote:

Following my very own advice, I just yesterday installed a SIIG Ultra ATA/133 PCI controller into my BitTorrent server (a Dell Optiplex GX110, which only has a built-in ATA/66). It was under $40 US, and configuration was very easy. The controller adapted quite well with my PC's POST. It even comes with a Ultra ATA cable! The controller has two Ultra ATA/133 connectors, each connector handling two devices. Installing into a Windows 2000 Server environment requires installation of drivers (3.5-inch floppy included). Details: SIIG, Inc. http://www.siig.com/ Ultra ATA/133 PCI Controller Model CN2487 Bought it at CompUSA --- groink

hehehe. i go tthe same pci controller to accomodate my extra hds...
bought one more than a year ago and never had any problems with it.
_________________

I have a Plextor 8x DVD+R/4x DVD-R (Rewritable at 4 DVD+RW/2.4x DVD-RW) Dual Format burner (PX-708A). I've used it for about 2 months now and it's been working great. They dont sell 8x DVD+R media yet, but my 4x DVD+R Memorex media are capable of burning at 8x speed with no errors or problems. The drive itself goes for a bit over $200 at www.zipzoomfly.com or you can check www.pricewatch.com for other brands and prices.

Good Luck with your DVD burner hunting

http://www.itl.nist.gov/div895/carefordisc/index.html

The actual NIST document is HUGE!!! 50-pages long. However, the 1-page reference guide pretty much sums it all up. If you're archiving your Jdorama stuff to CD-R and DVDRs, you should consult this resource so that a few years from now you'll still be able to read your archives.

--- groink

hmm my discs are all stored horizontally (I put them back in the CD spindle 100-50)

Humidity might "kill" my cds

Takez0 wrote:

hmm my discs are all stored horizontally (I put them back in the CD spindle 100-50) Humidity might "kill" my cds

One thing I learned about using spindles for storage (i.e. after burning) that isn't covered in that documentation...

When you buy the spindle, the spindle is tightly shrinkwrapped. This is so that the discs don't spin around, scratching each other. Keep in mind that when you buy pre-labeled media, the read/write side of one disc sits on top of the label side of the other.

Now... After you've burned the spindle, you probably throw them back into the spindle container. What happens now is that the discs are loose. If you're rough with the container, the discs will start to spin inside, causing the discs to rub against each other. Few things can happen here... One, the labeled side of one disc can scratch the read/write side of the other disc. Second, if you use a non-water based pen for writing, the ink may transfer onto the read/write surface of the other disc.

Just something to keep in mind...

--- groink

i either keep my cds / dvds on the spindle or in a folder.

just put in a CD-R i burnt of songs from 99 and they still read.
other cds /dvdrs are on spindle in a closet. they work well too.

as long as you arne't shaking the spindle and such, they should be ok.

i myself use the spindle way of storing my cdrs/dvdrs. i have 40+ spindles of stuff, that are sitting on a shelf or on my desk. i haven't had a problem storing them this way since i had my first burner (a 2x write hp burner!)
as long as you arent spinning them like hula hoops on the spindle and shaking the spindles like a tamborine, they'll be fine.
_________________

Good information to keep in mind. I always repackage burned discs in individual envelopes or in single/multidisc jewel cases, never back onto a spindle.

For me...

My less-important CD-Rs are kept in a spindle, and I place them in my bedroom closet.

My more important DVDR's are kept in individual jewel boxes, but the really thin ones that Memorex sells. I also leave them in the closet, but I've installed a huge CD holder so that they're all standing vertical like a book. Labeling, I write the contents of the disc onto the insert. I never write directly on my DVDRs. That shows my paranoid/anal side.

My audio CDs are also kept vertical in the closet. However, I never use the originals, instead I make copies of them when I first buy them. And I keep the copies in a binder.

And, my store-bought DVDs are kept on a bookshelf in my bedroom, standing vertical.

--- groink