I got a Microsoft LifeCam Vx3000 webcam over a year ago. Recently I was trying to connect with Mary and there was a very loud hum that drowned out my voice. It sounded like feedback or 60 cycle interference picked up by the microphone. I did a Google search for this problem and found others having similar issues with the microphone on Microsoft webcams. Anyone who has a Microsoft LifeCam may want to checkout this website with pictures of the inside of the webcam and a possible solution.
I took my webcam apart and found it to be the same as the pictures on the website. (Did I mention I like taking things apart.) Mine is a VX3000 and the website shows a VX6000 but the interior layout seems to be identical. As suggested I bent a metal shield slightly away from the microphone. I also noted a magnetic bead for interference filtering around the microphone wires that was touching the circuit card. I put a little piece of tape between to insulate it from touching the card. (Standard duct tape and wire solutions.) I reassembled the webcam, with no significant parts left over, and it now works fine.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Enough Already
This morning we had temperature down to -30C with windchill below -40C for the fourth straight day. I pretty well just stay in when the weather is too cold to be easier on my lungs. But we have made it to the end of February so warmer weather should be on the way. I hope!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
One Year Blogiversary
Today is my one year blogiversary and my 115th post. I am not an every day blogger like some but have just posted when I was in the mood for it. It has been sometimes serious and sometimes silly which pretty well describes me.
I enjoy seeing on Sitemeter where people are from that have checked my blog and what they have searched for. In the last while the most popular post has been about the song God on the Mountain with many visitors per day searching for that song. Another post that has continued to have a lot of visitors from around the world was Microscope Up My Nose. I should advertise my blog as the authoritative source on "nose scopes." I have also had a lot of visitors searching for Computer History.
And an even more significant anniversary is that it is two years since I was in hospital in intensive care with respiratory failure. So I have also used my blog to give updates on my health and thank God for the improvements I have had in the last two years.
I enjoy seeing on Sitemeter where people are from that have checked my blog and what they have searched for. In the last while the most popular post has been about the song God on the Mountain with many visitors per day searching for that song. Another post that has continued to have a lot of visitors from around the world was Microscope Up My Nose. I should advertise my blog as the authoritative source on "nose scopes." I have also had a lot of visitors searching for Computer History.
And an even more significant anniversary is that it is two years since I was in hospital in intensive care with respiratory failure. So I have also used my blog to give updates on my health and thank God for the improvements I have had in the last two years.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Hamsters Harnessed for Electricity
With all the important news in the world, this is the type of story that catches my eye. Scientists have fitted hamsters with tiny jackets that generate electricity from biomechanical energy as they exercise. (Not the obvious generation from the turning of the exercise wheel.) Sensors in the jacket are connected to nanogenerators that produce electricity as they bend and stretch. They estimate that with the output of the nanogenerators it would take 1000 hamsters to power a cell phone.
The idea would be for people wearing clothing that generates electricity during exercise or normal daily activities. You could just plug your cell phone into your pants and it would charge as you walk.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Do Not Try This At Home
I saw this video on the Popular Science website of blowing up soap bubbles filled with hydrogen, or hydrogen and oxygen.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Musical Evening
Last night I attended a performance of the symphony and philharmonic chorus with a baritone soloist as guest artist. The program was a performance of excerpts from 8 operas. The director started out by saying "Everything tonight will be based on Bugs Bunny"
For the first number "Die Miestersinger von Nurnberg", Overture by Richard Wagner the symphony was joined by the youth orchestra. This large ensemble of instruments made an amazing sound.
The baritone soloist first performed a chorus from the comic opera "Barber of Seville" by Rossini, singing the part of Figaro the barber. He was an excellent singer and his actions were very amusing. He later sang two choruses by Gustav Mahler. The director said these were not from operas but he threw them in anyway because Mahler is his favourite composer.
The chorus sang two choruses from "The Flying Dutchman" by Wagner. The one by the women was "Spinning Song" and the one by the men was "Norwegian Sailors Song." (They were sung in German but that is the translation.) This was also very enjoyable.
Then they sang the Bridal Chorus from "Lohengrin" by Richard Wagner, again sung in German. This is the music which is traditionally called "Here Comes the Bride." I did not realize this familiar music was from an opera. The director said that if anyone is planning a wedding the full symphony and chorus would be available to perform for $50,000 for 4 minutes.
The larger part of the second half of the program was five parts from "Tannhauser" by Wagner. They started with the music for the guests entering the featuring the three trumpeters and the full volume of the symphony and crashing of cymbals, followed by the chorus joining in. The director said all operas have the basic theme that the tenor and the soprano fall in love and then fall out of the love. In this opera the guest baritone played the part of the rival competing for the woman's love in a singing contest. The various excerpts from Wagner last night made me want to hear more by this composer.
The last part with the chorus and symphony was "Nabucco" Va Pensiero by Giuseppe Verdi. This opera is about the Jews under King Nebuchadnezzar and the part sung was the chorus of the Hebrew slaves. This has been referred to as a second anthem of Italy. The performance of this last night was very impressive.
The night ended with the symphony playing the Triumphal March from "Aida" by Verdi. I love these kind of pieces where the whole symphony builds up with power and volume.
Elaine said these pieces were very challenging for the choir to learn. All the singing was in German or Italian. But I thought it was very well done and enjoyable.
For the first number "Die Miestersinger von Nurnberg", Overture by Richard Wagner the symphony was joined by the youth orchestra. This large ensemble of instruments made an amazing sound.
The baritone soloist first performed a chorus from the comic opera "Barber of Seville" by Rossini, singing the part of Figaro the barber. He was an excellent singer and his actions were very amusing. He later sang two choruses by Gustav Mahler. The director said these were not from operas but he threw them in anyway because Mahler is his favourite composer.
The chorus sang two choruses from "The Flying Dutchman" by Wagner. The one by the women was "Spinning Song" and the one by the men was "Norwegian Sailors Song." (They were sung in German but that is the translation.) This was also very enjoyable.
Then they sang the Bridal Chorus from "Lohengrin" by Richard Wagner, again sung in German. This is the music which is traditionally called "Here Comes the Bride." I did not realize this familiar music was from an opera. The director said that if anyone is planning a wedding the full symphony and chorus would be available to perform for $50,000 for 4 minutes.
The larger part of the second half of the program was five parts from "Tannhauser" by Wagner. They started with the music for the guests entering the featuring the three trumpeters and the full volume of the symphony and crashing of cymbals, followed by the chorus joining in. The director said all operas have the basic theme that the tenor and the soprano fall in love and then fall out of the love. In this opera the guest baritone played the part of the rival competing for the woman's love in a singing contest. The various excerpts from Wagner last night made me want to hear more by this composer.
The last part with the chorus and symphony was "Nabucco" Va Pensiero by Giuseppe Verdi. This opera is about the Jews under King Nebuchadnezzar and the part sung was the chorus of the Hebrew slaves. This has been referred to as a second anthem of Italy. The performance of this last night was very impressive.
The night ended with the symphony playing the Triumphal March from "Aida" by Verdi. I love these kind of pieces where the whole symphony builds up with power and volume.
Elaine said these pieces were very challenging for the choir to learn. All the singing was in German or Italian. But I thought it was very well done and enjoyable.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Love Is ...
My post for Valentine's Day is 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (New Living Translation)
This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience - it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen. (Phillips Translation)
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (New Living Translation)
This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience - it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen. (Phillips Translation)
Sunday, February 8, 2009
My Epitaph
Some others have tried the quiz "What will your obituary say?" I was trying several of the quizzes at Quiz Galaxy. Here is what I got for "What will your epitaph say?"
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Big Friday Night Out
Last night Elaine and I went out for supper to Humpty's using gift certificates I won at the Polio Christmas dinner. Then afterward we went through the new Coop car wash. When we got home I said "We sure know how to go out for an exciting time on a Friday night. Dinner and a car wash."
* By the way this is my first post using Firefox. Janny has been after me to switch for a long time. Lately IE7 has been driving me crazy bombing out with error messages.
* By the way this is my first post using Firefox. Janny has been after me to switch for a long time. Lately IE7 has been driving me crazy bombing out with error messages.
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