Things get done when I have uninterrupted time, such as today. I finally figured out at least the next layer of how Macrovision works [to copy protect a DVD]. I’ve used it, but never understood the process. It has to do with a digital key planted on each sector of the DVD. If you’ve ever looked at the file names on a DVD movie, you’ll see a list of VOB files. It was while examining the contents of these that I spotted a common string. Decrypting software seems to remove this string, which differs by “region”. Ah, the software people scream, “Piracy!” I was actually seeking the method of removing vocals from music, as mentioned y’day. This removal process is tricky unless there is a separate audio track, which there does not appear to be on DVDs. Hence, my interest because music on a CD is also in one track. Therefore, it must somehow pick out the normal frequencies of human voice. That is what I was after. Hell, the piracy I can do any time. Anyway, the anti-copy must either scramble the data or disrupt LBA (logical block addressing) and it only affects the VOB files.
To this day I still cannot figure out what use those production tailers are supposed to serve. You know, where the ugly director and crew stand around talking about how they made the movie. Self-glorification? This is totally different than an “about the author” feature. What if authors went on about their books in such a fashion? “Well, um, you see, then I wrote Chapter, um, eleven and it was tough, all them verbs and, um, nouns out there in the desert. I called a special team of stunt spell-checkers for Chapter fourteen for the, um, paragraph on time travel.”
Plus, movies do go on about production costs. I know they exist, but is that something that we need to know? Isn’t it enough we have to hear about how much the thing grosses at the box office? That got me thinking. What are my production costs here? Other than time, I don’t even use printer paper. (However, I do know what I would charge somebody else to write exactly what I do here - $73,000 per year. That is an easy calculation based mainly on opportunity costs.)
Back to the vocal thing. I want backing music without having to buy an iPod and the tunes. The guitarist from y’day clearly had no shortage of money where I have tend to be careful about such things. Hence, my interest in the Thompson Vocal Eliminator Model VE-4, from LT Sound. It took me over half a lifetime to figure out why anyone would want to remove vocals. I needed to make sure the LT people didn’t say the best way to get rid of the vocalist was to just shoot BJ Thomas. I see they have a web site and state they are “Better Than Karaoke” but so is Sesame Street. I called the demo number (770-482-2485) and they do have impressive results. It is professionally done but can it be duplicated by the average user? The recording specifically states what you are hearing is the “best results”. Same marketing tactic used by Pinnacle.
More music in the news today. Howard called to say he enjoyed the show last evening. It is a candid opinion, and I am very aware that my act does not have any enduring value. Once you’ve seen it, you’ve seen it all. That is partially why I am considering alternatives to just adding more music. I’m experimenting with tapping out the back beat on a high-hat, but only if I can do so standing up. Also, the Hippy called. Remember, although we are not on writing terms but we are still on speaking terms. If he shows up [at Jimbo’s] to play on Fridays, he can jam. Same as Cowboy Mike or anybody else. For that matter.
Trivia for today. Old books. I know they are collectible but what surprised me was it was not always for their rarity, or even their contents. They have great value for their incredibly fine construction and workmanship. Such books were produced around 1500 A.D. and have a name, “Incunabula”. I thought that through and it makes sense to me. First, there probably wasn’t much to write in a book in 1499. Second, such books were handwritten by monks over a period of years.
The bookbinders of the day would have had experience only with extremely valuable books. They would have gone all out to bind any copy. Can you imagine the scenario of the office clerk joking with the boss, “Some guy out front named Gutenburg wants your best price to bind, get this, a hundred copies of one book. He must think he’s the Pope.”
The oldest book I’ve seen to date is the novel about Russia “Elizabeth” which I analyzed for JP this time last year [09/04/06]. That was published in 1828. It was boring and predictable but now I may take a second look at the binding.
