Summary of yesterday: Went to see
ashuraou. Had lols and big meaty dinners. Got back way too damn late to do anything except showerbed.
HELL YEAH we'd do it again! D= If we see Ash twice a year, that's good. ::T_T:: [Dude, move SOUTH of the tolls, peas?]
[[Note to self: Watch as we approach the tolls--more than three cars in a lane, tell C to get over or repeat the WAIT FOR IDIOT WHO CAN'T HOLD OUT TWO DOLLARS game...]]
It feels as though almost everything I can do is ruled by this law of, "I cannot X until Y." Y is often something as insignificant as "get the ironing board" [X being "iron my clothes"] or some such trifling thing. What gets me is when it's something more obnoxious, such as, "I can't capture my tapes until I get a functional capture setup." The latter has the following problems at minimum:
- Amestris [main compy] does not have capturing capabilities because the case is too narrow to utilize my capture card.
- Xing, which CAN use the card, is slow as hell and requires the same monitor as Amestris. Monitor sharing requires:
- switching out the monitor cable by hand every time I want to use the other computer [irritating to say the least],
- buying a second monitor [waste], or
- using a switch box. [preferred] Problem with the switch box is:
- I need additional monitor cables and/or adapters to connect the monitor to multiple systems [which includes the 360, since most switches support up to four per device], plus
- I can't find these damn cables just anywhere, so
- I have to make a special trip to a computer store specifically. [The good ones are out of the way, and I have this habit of wanting to get everything in minimal trips/distance to travel.] [[This is not to say I can't, just that the Y in this case is "go to the store I don't like 'cause it's out of the way."]]
- If I decide to get a new capture device that doesn't require a card that won't fit in Amestris [I did look, just to be looking], I pretty much have to gamble on one--or more--of the THOUSANDS of devices out there now. Problems:
- None of y'all have recommended any [...yet? Ash?].
- Reviews are mixed on absolutely every device I've looked at, suggesting it will be hit or miss if one I get works.
- The likely reason is capturing video is such a niche requirement that there is no consensus on what devices are good and less incentive to QC them.
I can feasibly throw money at whatever sounds the least likely to fail [though I have reason to distrust things like brand name equipment]. In fact, that might be my only course of action here, rendering my Y to be "go to the store, buy something, then come back and try it."
My primary reason for introspection on all of this is that I might have gotten this mess sorted out LONG ago had I gotten past a hurdle. I've wanted a proper capture setup for, what, at least ten years now?? Why am I only now working out the bits about it? How is this such a problem?
The main thing is, I realize, if I do get it set up, I'm almost obligated to start capturing. Reminder of how many on-going projects I have at any one time...? =/ So, in a way, being lazy and not getting past the Y for capturing video frees up time to... NOT do all my other stuff 9_9
The other thing isn't one I should really get into talking about. I guess as a ferinstance, C has a perfectly functional capture setup, once he drags out the VCR. [He also knows what the fuck he's doing with it, vs. my I keep forgetting where I am and that's how I end up with so many Ys keeping me from Xs...] The problem is I don't want to keep bumming his computer for the same reasons I don't want to bum using his car--it's not the same, it's more of a hassle than if I had my own, etc.--yet this conflicts with the inner miser in me saying, "Why get your own? C already has it, use his!" BUT... XB
The getcherown voice and the miser voice have been at war FOREVAR |=/ Getcherown is winning a little more often lately, though--computer gear has gotten a LOT cheaper from the prohibitive cost it was when I was just scraping together enough for groceries [though, thankfully, no rent--which I may never be able to repay/express in enough gratitude], so there's really no reason I can't get my tapes copied NOW.
...except the whole "I don't want the distraction" voice. -_- Ah, I hate myself. [Any of you remember Herman's Head? I believe we're all EXACTLY like that, but with significantly more distinct personalities than just the four.]
PIE