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My New Ubuntu Linux Laptop

I had been toying with getting a netbook, but I realised that most of the situations where I would use one were already covered by my Google G1 phone and what I was really missing was something for writing articles and working on web pages. Having a full laptop made more sense than a netbook for this purpose. At the same time I am not totally tied to Windows as I use a lot of online applications. I also have access to a Windows desktop machine so I had that available if I got stuck.

Having used Ubuntu previously on an old Toshiba laptop I knew it would work for what I was planning, is potentially more resistant to security issues and does not require the same level of updating as Windows Vista. I had a look around for either a laptop with no operating system installed or one that was Cheap enough that I could uninstall Windows wothout feeling like I had taken a loss. In the end I found two laptops without an operating system from Ebuyer.com for £310 and £390 respectively. The first with a Celeron processor and the second with a full Core 2 Duo. I thought about it for a few days and then ordered the more expensive Core 2 Duo version. It arrived the next day.

To get this laptop in perspective - back in 2000 I paid £1100 for a Toshiba 1100MHz Celeron with 1GB RAM and a 40GB hard drive. At that time this was quite a reasonable price. In 2005 I bought a very small Pentium laptop for £550. I did not mind paying £390 for something that came with no software but had the advantage of 4GB of RAM and a good quality battery.
Ebuyer call it the "Extra Value Laptop, Core 2 Duo T6600 2.2GHz, 4GB RAM, 250GB HDD, 15.4 TFT". Its actually a Clevo M76T and this is what is written on the bottom. Clevo make own brand computers for a number of companies (including some of the Advent PC's for Currys and PC World). Clevo also sell some directly under the LogiQ or Clevo brand names. This one was supplied with a LogiQ badge on it and the following spec (although I can't guarantee that another one bought from Ebuyer would be identical):

Processor

• Intel T6600 Core 2 Duo Dual Core Processor 2.2Ghz,
• 2MB Cache
• Intel GL40 chipset (easily compatible with Ubuntu)
• 4GB DDR2 800Mhz (not the usual 667MHz you get on cheaper machines)
• 250GB SATA II Hard Drive
• Super multi DVDRW
• Compatible with 64bit operating systems
• 15.4” Diagonal Size Screen (max resolution 1680 x 1050)

Audio

• Integrated Speakers
• Built in Microphone

Input Devices

• Keyboard and Touchpad

Networking

• 10/100 LAN
• Wireless LAN 802.11b/g (but not "n")

Dimensions

• Width 268mm
• Depth 359mm
• Height 37mm
• Weight 2.5kg

Power Supply

• 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (approx 3 hours life on one charge according to reviews on the Ebuyer.com web site)

Interfaces

• 3 x USB 2.0 ports (one on one side and two on the other)
  
• 1 x VGA port
• 1 x Headphone port
• 1 x Microphone port
• 1 x S/PDIF output port for digital audio
• 1 x RJ-11 port
• 1 x RJ45 LAN port
• 1 x DC-in jack
• 1 x eSata external Port

Miscellaneous

• 7 in 1 Card Reader
• 1.3mp Webcam

Quality of Build
It seems quite well made. Its as robust as my previous HP laptop which was a little more expensive but came with Windows Vista installed. The keyboard does not sag in the middle, which has been a problem with a couple of laptops I have owned. The white keyboard is easier to use in poor light than the darker one on the HP.

Choice of Operating System
I decided on Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala). This is a 750MB download as an iso disk image file which you then burn to a CD with a burning ROM. I used Nero to burn it as I have that on my main windows PC.

This laptop has 4GB of RAM, but only 3GB of this is useable because of the hardware architecture. This is the same for any 32 bit operating system running on x86 hardware. My previous Windows Vista laptop had the same issue. Using the 64 bit version of Ubuntu would make all of the 4GB available, but having read a number of articles it looked like it might not improve performance by much due to losses elsewhere and there might be difficulties getting some software to run on the 64 bit platform. If I needed to run 8 or 16GB of RAM I would definitely go for a 64 bit operating system, but for a laptop installation it was not worth the extra complication.

Installing Ubuntu on the Laptop
The operating system (Ubuntu 9.10) installed from the CD without any hitches. I was not expecting any problems as I had done this before on an old Toshiba Laptop with Ubuntu 6. That installation had even picked up and configured the old PCMCIA wireless card that was in it so I was confident that the newer version would install easily on a laptop with a standard Intel chipset.

The installation took about twenty minutes. After this I had to click on the wireless status icon in the top bar to connect to the network.

I tried to install some software through the Ubuntu software centre, but kept getting the error message "Not available in the current data". To fix this I ran:

sudo apt-get update

which forced an update. This got rid of the error message, but Ubuntu then decided to run its own even larger update through the update manager which took some time to complete.

(It is presumably possible to run the updates from the GUI without having to use the terminal window, but I am used to using the shell from previous professional involvement with Linux.)


Installing Software
I found that a lot of the open source software I currently use on Windows is available on Linux. This included:

• Google Chrome (needs to be downloaded from Google.com - it is not in the Ubuntu software centre).
• Check Gmail to get notifications of new email.
• Kompozer for html editing.
• Filezilla FTP.

I installed all of these and they ran correctly.

I installed the Open Office Database component through the software centre. This was not installed with the rest of Open office during the Ubuntu installation and I use it. it was easy to add it without doing a reinstall of the whole of Open Office.

There is also some commercial software available for Linux including a version of Nero although I have not tried it.

Playing DVD's
Ubuntu does not ship with the necessary DVD decrypter as this might be covered by copyright law in some countries. This means that you have to install some additional libraries. I tried to get DVD's to play on the pre installed totem movie player by installing libdvdcss2 but this had no effect so I installed VLC.

On inserting a DVD I now get a prompt to open the disk and a choice of application to use.
I select VLC and they play correctly with all the menus working.

Fonts
For some reason Google Docs was displaying documents OK in Chrome but in Firefox the fonts were wrong so I installed windows core fonts using the command:

sudo apt-get install msttcorefonts

This has changed the display of some web pages. Not for the worse, just differently.

Battery Life
I activated the battery status monitor in the top bar and set the laptop power and screensaver settings to conserve power when running from the battery. The battery had been on charge while I was setting up and was showing 100%. After an hours use off the charger it was still showing 70% full which is in line with the battery life claimed by other owners of this machine in reviews.

Wireless
Although the inbuilt wireless card does not do type "n" it seems to be as good as my previous HP Windows laptop which did. It is better than the previous Sony one which suffered a lot from drop out or not being able to log into the network.

Chat Client
I decided to remove the Empathy client that Ubuntu had preinstalled because it did not support Facebook chat. Instead I opted for Pidgin with the additional facebook plug in.

Video Editing
I had a look at the various available video editors. They all seem aimed at DV camcorders rather than files from SD cards. The LiVES video editor seemed simple so I installed it. Kino looked better but I was concerned that it might not handle the file types. Jahshaka is a very professional grade editor, but might be a steep learning curve. Previously I had used WIndows Movie Maker for simple videos and Corel Video Studio for proper video production and HD. I need to see what suits me best on Ubuntu.

Boot Time
After installing all this software the machine boots from cold to useable in about 60 seconds, including typing in my password.

Visual Effects
Its possible to change the visual effects used when windows open and close. I tried the more advanced style but prefered the default one.

Still to Do
I have a few more things to do including:

• Deleting all the preinstalled software I am not currently using in order to reduce the time taken for system updates.
• Possibly changing the Gnome theme, but I might just change the colours of the default theme.
• Install a music library program to replace iTunes. I will probably use Songbird as it is supposed to synchronise with iPods but installation looks a bit complicated.
  
• Antivirus is probably not necessary on Linux, but AVG do a free anti virus that works with Ubuntu. I will think about this later.
  
• Might install Nero for burning CD's, but I will try the burning program that comes with Ubuntu.
• Look at printer drivers, but I have already found that Linux drivers fro my epson printer are available.
• Test the memory card reader.
• Install a 3G dongle - there seem to be some issues getting these to work with the current version of Ubuntu relating to the kernel thats being used.
• Need to arrange for pidgin and gmail check to launch on startup.

Overall conclusion
Its been a (relatively) cheap way to get a high performance laptop with reasonable battery life. It works with all my usual online applications and I have my most use open source programs running on it. It needs to be used for a while before I can give a full verdict on it.

The Cumberland Spaceman

I have done a video analysing the famous "Cumberland Spaceman" photograph taken near the Solway firth in May 1964.

Using MP4 Video Files with Corel Video Studio 12

Normally I shoot video on a Leica C-Lux 2 digital compact camera. This is primarily a stills camera with the normal low resolution video camera setting, but hidden inside the menus is a widescreen high resolution mode at 848x480 pixels. I have successfully used this to create HD movies like this using Corel Video Studio 12. I export the .mov files from the cameras HD card, edit the movie in Corel Video Studio and then save as an HD file which upscales to 720p. Its not perfect but it does work, and it forces Youtube to recognise it as an HD file - allowing the full 848x480 resoultion to be utilised.

The advantage of the C-Lux 2 is that it has optical image stabilisation. The disadvatages over a camcorder are that it does not allow zooming during a shot and it only has a three times optical zoom which is not really sufficient. I have been considering getting a Panasonic HD Camcorder, but over Christmas I had the chance to borrow a Toshiba Camileo HD-DV Camcorder which shoots in 720p.

Although it shoots in 720p the lens is of an inferior quality to the Leica C-Lux 2. It produces a higher resolution video output but the mechanical resolution of the image is inferior to the 848x480 from the Leica, even after upscaling. Also, the Toshiba does not have optical image stabilisation which is very noticeable on a zoom.

I was able to copy the MP4 files from the SD card to my computer very easily but then Corel Video Studio came up with the error "file format mismatch" when I tried to import them for editing. Overcoming thisd was not particularly difficult as I have a program called Total Video Converter. I normally use this for converting video files to Ipod type MP4 for putting on my mobile phone but it can also convert files to Apple .mov format (which is the type of file produced by the Leica camera).

I set the program to maximum quality, .mov MP4 file type and accepted all the other default settings. Then I set the output directory to the same directory I had the original files in and ran the conversion. It did not take long to convert all the files and the converted versions appeared to be of identical quality to the original ones when I viewed them in Nero Showtime.

After analysing the original and converted files using Gspot I found this:

Original File - MP4 .mp4

Video

Codec: avc1

Type: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC

Sound

mp4a: MPEG-4 AAC LC

48000Hz 128 kb/s tot , stereo (2/0)

Converted File - MP4 .mov

Video

Codec: mp4v

Type: ISO MPEG-4

Sound

mp4a: MPEG-4 AAC LC

48000Hz , stereo (2/0)

I did a bit of investigating and H.264/MPEG-4 AVC was introduced in 2003. ISO MPEG-4 was introduced in 1998.

Corel Video Studio 12 was released in 2008 but it started as a much earlier product (Ulead Video Studio) so its underlying systems predate the newer MP4 format. I have done some research and it looks like the newest version "Video Studio x2" will handle H.264 MP4 files natively, although I can't guarantee this.

If I do change to a Panasonic HD Camcorder they use yet another file type so I will need to investigate what I need and maybe upgrade to Video Studio X2. Until then I will settle with using the video conversion process while I test the Toshiba camera.

London Underground and Tube Information - Including tube map, underground route planner and other useful links.

As a regular visitor to London I got fed up searching for tube and underground information from my smartphone so I created this page to help me when I am on the move. I also put in some tips based on my own experience of using the tube and helping tourists and visitors to the city.

So if you are looking for London Underground information this site is worth bookmarking:

www.londontu.be

How to Choose a Cornet Mouthpiece

"I wear size 9 shoes so you should too!"

If I was to say that to you, you would think it was daft, yet we hear this sort of advice about mouthpieces all the time.

I used to play on big mouthpieces (I played a Wick 2 in the front row in first section and championship section - what a mad fool I was), but after I changed my embouchure set up to get a smaller aperture I had to shift to smaller mouthpieces. I actually play on a 4B now. Its not ideal. I would prefer to play on a 4 or a 4 1/2 but my cornet has to have the shanks turned down slightly to get the gap right so changing mouthpieces is a chore, and I can't pass them on to anyone once they have been cut. This is entirely my fault as the instrument was gapped for a Bach mouthpiece when it was made - a huge error and not easily corrected on this particular cornet.

Some of the issues that affect mouthpiece choice:

• Need for endurance (brass band cornet players play like violins in an orchestra so there is more need for endurance than with the trumpet meaning that rims are likely to be wider or flatter than trumpet).
• Need for flexibility (thinner rims give more flexibility but increase attack, this is why I think the Wick rims are the way they are - to prevent very brassy attacks without sacrificing flexibility too much).
• Resistance requirement (in general tighter feeling instruments work better with slightly more open mouthpieces and visa versa - this also has a lot to do with the mouthpiece gap). 
• How much pressure you use when playing.
• Whether you are required to play after the point when your lips have gone (a serious issue for brass band and big band players who have no choice in the matter!).
• The sound model you are aiming for.
• Physiology of the lips (children have smaller mouths and need smaller mouthpieces, people with big lips can't play on really shallow mouthpieces without adopting odd embouchures).

I think that resistance is the key. An instrument set up feels best is when the resistance of the whole system from the lips through to the bell is optimal for that particular player. This is where adjusting the gap can make a huge difference. By gap I mean the distance between the end of the mouthpiece and the beginning of the leadpipe. This has a huge effect on resistance and the feel of the instrument.  Incidentally, old cornets with  removable shanks usually have no gap so this is a relatively new issue (past 30 years or so).

That's my thoughts on the subject as someone who has been through more mouthpieces than hot dinners.

How to make a Tin Whistle or Penny Whistle in E

To make an E whistle get hold of a cheap Clarke Meg whistle in D.

Measure up from the first hole (the one nearest the mouthpiece) 20mm and make a mark with a fine permanent marker.

Cover the mark with clear tape or tap very lightly with a centre punch to help the drill bit grip.

Drill a 5mm hole using very light pressure and a high drill speed as you don't want to buckle the tubing.

Measure down from the third hole (the third one down from the mouthpiece - the original third one, i.e. the fourth hole you now have in the tube) 14mm and mark again with a permanent marker and tape.

Drill a 5mm hole.

Now cover the original fourth hole with a bit of insulating tape (you may be able to get a bit the same colour as the whistle). This is a small hole anyway so its not much to cover.

Your whistle now has seven holes. Put your fingers on the top six holes and you should get a scale of E.

If you use your pinky to cover the seventh hole you will hear a concert D.

It may be safer to start with a 4mm drill bit and test the tuning as making the holes bigger sharpens the notes.

You could then file out to 5mm with a round needle file.

You can also give a few strokes across the new holes with a half round needle file to take off the sharp edges from the drilling.

The hole spacing is a bit irregular but it works.

Now t0 make a D whistle from a C whistle with a bottom hole for the concert C!