Going Pro

Hey everybody, what is going on? Welcome to the Sabbatical blog where I turn a hundred days of boredom into a never ending source of projects and entertainment. What follows today is the account of a personal experience - if you came here for the Wild Man of Canada, Swords, and dangerous things then I'm afraid this post might not be your flavour - the second part of the post is a review of the Go Pro, so you can skip ahead if you want to blank out the human experience.

I'm something like halfway through those hundred days - they go past quickly - and have been up to a thing or two over that time but one of my regrets was not getting enough pictures and video over that time so I took the plunge and decided to sink some dollars into a GoPro.

I didn't do much research before heading to the store, but I know a little bit about video technologies from working in the video games industry sad I did work in Digital Broadcasting for a while before that. Hell - I've written transcoders in the past - buying a piece of consumer level technology should be a walk in the park. And then I'll walk in the park and film it.

So - lets go shopping. I hit the store and there are no free assistants. The GoPros are located between the laptops and cameras, so I stare at the product for a second and then this cute lass in the laptops catches my eye so I ask if she can help me out. So Danielle comes over and I make sure she knows what I want.
Well it turns out I really lucked out talking to Danielle, not only is she able to talk knowledgeably about the device, but she owns one and takes it on the ski slope. She advises me about strap ons, we talk about her chest and head and the views you get. She's got the previous generation device, but the tips on impact sports, safety, and not having it crush your sternum show that she really knows her stuff.

About that time we go to look at cases, and the first of the "camera guys" comes over and joins the conversation. Now, I'm already talking to a demonstrable expert and she knows my needs but I say to him I'm looking for a hardbody case and  he just starts talking as if he matters and says they've got some great other cases discounted so we follow him over. I'm not opposed to saving some cash on this transaction.
Well he shows me two piece of shit softbody cases and I tell him thanks, and that we are going to go back over and look at cases and I literally turn 3/4 away from him, facing Danielle, to make sure he understands the message. I pulled this manoeuvre because I don't know if the staff are on commission and he isn't going to snipe a female colleague who was genuinely better than him. He was the first of two colleagues that would cut in and be useless at me before we managed to ring up the sale.

Last stop was memory cards, she took the time to check which card was needed (again, she is using the previous gen hardware that uses the older micro-SD cards) so points for diligence. But here is where I made two mistakes. Firstly, I had no idea what the minutes/GB count is for GoPro video is and neither did she - as a skier she takes a few short videos and doesn't fill up the card during the day - while I'm thinking about set-it-and-forget-it for projects where my hands are busy and then editing the footage.
She thought a single 32GB card would be fine, I decided that two 64GB cards suited me better, but because I didn't actually know what I needed it was a wild stab in the dark.

The second mistake I made was that the battery life doesn't last for 32GB of video - again, she goes on day trips so it was off her radar but I was about to spend eight days off grid so charging every night isn't an option. 2x64GB has no meaning if you've only got 20GB of battery time.

Go Pro Review

So, what do I think of the Go Pro? First impressions were Boss. It's a natty little device that records lots of video. It's a tiny form factor, chest strap, head mount.
However its compact awesomeness is not without considerations that I'd like to discuss.

Full Disclosure: I bought the GoPro Hero 5 Black - at the time of purchase it's the top-end flagship model so your mileage may vary on other kit but almost everything I'm going to say will apply.

The GoPro will record 4K@30Hz - yes it will, but it's fixed wide angle lens means you have to use wide angle for 4K.
On this note, it's write-bandwidth limited at 4K and only achieves this through a non-lossless compression. The video you playback is not the amazing 4K experience you might be expecting. It's still great, and it looks good. But if you are as picky about digital compression artefacts as I am then you'll notice some of the crisp clarity of image - the advantage of 4K - is lost.

To continue, the GoPro has image stabilisation. However, notice this is a digital post process that adjusts pan and scan to stabilise the image. This means you can't stabilise if you are using full-frame, so I don't think can be used during wide-angle shots ... which means no stabilisation on 4K. Not a problem when you are tripod mounted but if you are out and about it's something to think about.

The GoPro will record 1080@30Hz / 60Hz / 120Hz. This was pretty attractive, as I can see myself doing a lot of 1/4 slowmo.
Notch the FOV down to Linear or Narrow and you'll get 1080@60 with image stabilisation. This is probably your preferred setting and your default for everything. You can drop that to 30 to effectively double the capacity of your memory card.

Another option - not mentioned on the box - was 720@240. This is right up my street as I can record some great footage at the Lost and Foundry and I'm willing to sacrifice some resolution for 1/8th slomo. Maybe I can do a picture-in-picture 720 slomo insert on some 1080p fullscreen footage or something - there are lots of options here.

Battery Life... I had some spare USB power banks with me so was able to keep the unit charged for a lot of the time I was off-grid, but power was a premium every day and I could only afford a few minutes of footage and some stills. I'm going to recommend a spare battery or two, power banks if you've got them and a solar charger if you are in the wilds.
Battery life fears prevented me from doing any time-lapse, but I'll try that back in the shop where I can have it powered up all day.

All of the units were waterproof, since I was in a canoe for eight days this was rather attractive, but remember folks. It's waterproof but it doesn't float. Stay paranoid, keep your precious safe.

The custom GoPro quick release mount is good but it doesn't come with a camera mount. I was surprised a camera in the 21st Century doesn't come with a camera/tripod screw. But I guess the use case if small-form-factor-action-shots. I've since bought a 3rd party tripod adaptor, this is just one of those things you've got to know.

Summary - the GoPro is awesome. None of those details are downsides, they are just tricks you want to learn to get the most out of the device and since I was new to it I made a lot of rookie errors. Hopefully I'll be able to get great use out of it in the coming weeks.
With the cheaper model, smaller memory card, and TBH you can just use the solid plastic packaging it comes in as a case - this sort of setup can get you great results that doesn't cost the earth.

Hope to see your Go Pro pictures online soon! Whether you are going on adventures, building projects, or just baking a cake - share your expertise and experience with others!
This is Roger in Sabbatical, signing off - speak to you soon.

Summer Sab Update

Hey everybody what are you making?
I'm Roger in Sabbatical and welcome to the Lost and Foundry

I spent a good while pondering over how to do updates and which ones to combine into a single post, as I spent a few weeks out of the country and a good fraction of that off-grid. I'm going to do a quick round-up here, and in the next few days I can go into more detail on each project.
So as a taster of the projects on their way, here is what to expect from the Sabbatical Blog:

As of this week, construction has finished on the Lost and Foundry forgehouse and I've started setting up and getting projects done. It's been a long old ride getting here and the makespace it provides is amazing and brimming with potential.
The first handful of projects are all tools, gear you need to make other tools, and things to organise the shop - each of those is a project in it's own right so I'll give each its own write-up as I go along.

I've bought a GoPro, so should be able to get some pictures of these projects with a good chance of some build-along videos of each project too. The GoPro is an amazing peice of kit and I need to do a seperate review of just that really. It'll record 4K and 1080p @ 30Hz which is all I need, but also has a setting for 720p @ 240Hz - if those numbers don't mean anything to you then don't worry! It just means I'll be playing with a bunch of video recording really soon.

I spent a good weekend in Vancouver for the Canada Day 150th Celebration, food, fireworks, drinks and good company in a welcoming city - not really any pictures there but i'll type up half a page on Van City as soon as I can and I do recommend a trip out that way if you can make it.

That was followed by the Kwanlin Dun cultural festival in Whitehorse, Yukon. Again this was an amazing experience and deserves it's own write-up to describe the experience.

From Whitehorse I got in a couple of canoes with two other guys and we spent eight days paddling downriver to Carmacks - A trip on it's own. There is something about being hundreds of miles away from civilisation with a hunting knife and a fishing rod that really makes you feel alive.

The next trip won't get much of a mention, because it's personal, but I managed to spend time in North Carolina with my Brother and his Wife. Some of that I'll make public, we'll see how that goes.

Before leaving the States, I flew up to New York State to meet the Anvil Ringer himself, Chandler Dickinson. Look him up on Facebook and Youtube - He's a great guy. And after chatting away all afternoon he invited me back to work on a project... and you don't say no to an invitation like that.

Back in the UK, I've got a host of projects lined up - Swords and Armour, tools, knives, a new crossbow, some commissions and a couple of projects that will presents and may have to remain secret until then. In fact, there are so many projects that I'll be busy for a long old while.

I've also have a few requests for visits to the Lost and Foundry, and I'm humbled by the interest I've received. To that end, I've bought spare ear defenders, protective eye-wear and filters, so I can - in theory - fit a couple of guests in. For those who were interested in coming up, talk to me in private and we'll talk about the other clothing you'll need, and what sort of projects we might be able to do. I'm still looking into separate insurance, but that won't take long to get sorted.

Until I see you again, stay busy! This is Roger at the Lost and Foundry saying good night - and happy building.

Busy doing nothing.

Hey everybody, what is going on? Welcome to the sabbatical blog where I try to make use of my time in a hundred-day experiment to see just how long I can be busy doing nothing.

On one hand, I've not constructed a crossbow. On the other hand, apparently you can't just change gear from software engineer to bowyer in a couple of days and there is a practical limit on just how fast you can retrain. I've mentioned before that the twentieth century turned a lot of blue collars white, and this accelerating trend is ever more significant in the twenty-first.

For more crossbow specific details here is link to the Roger in Technology blog entry where I talk a little about winding crossbow strings. When I improve I'll try and post a tutorial up too.
http://roger-in-technology.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/lost-and-foundry-another-string-to-my.html

So - welcome to the Twenty First. A question you may have heard asked is "what would you do if you could do anything?" or some variation on this - "if you didn't have to work, what would you do?", that sort of thing. On contemplation it's a question that I think is over-asked and while it has it's place I think it's a much bigger question that people give it credit for.
Here is the thought process - our definition of self has been shaped by employment for so long that the question "what do you do?" has penetrated our consciousness so deeply it's become a natural ice breaker. Concurrent to this, specialisation has meant the question can often be answered in a single short phrase which may well be the tragedy of our time.

What would you do if you could do anything? Think on that for a while - what would you do next month if you didn't have to work? What would you do on Monday, this coming Monday, if you cleared the decks and your calendar was a blank slate you could fill with anything? What would you do RIGHT NOW if you had the chance?
Unless it's something that is already part of your routine, then I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that really how you will spend you time is learning and training.

The future of employment is going to continue to be reshaped in the twenty first century. Technology is going to redefine jobs this century in the same way it revolutionised our workforce in the Twentieth and the Nineteenth before it. By my reckoning, it's time to get ahead of the game. Train in a new skill, learn a language, brush up on you hobbies and crafts. And these are things you can do now. Live your life, make something. Succeed, fail, learn and create.

There is nothing better in life than bettering your life, however you may.

Those magnificent men

Hey everybody! What are you flying? It's been a long old week and it's only Wednesday so I'd like to report in - albeit on a rather somber note - on the trials and tribulations of Roger in Sabbatical.

I had the privilige to sit in and watch Lancaster NX611 trot into position this week, and I've got to say it's a hellva beast.

The Lancaster dates back to the early 1940s - I'm sure you can imagine why. And despite the ample window space, there is a lack of legroom in there. Not the sort of thing you'd want to sit in for a few hours, that's for certain and I'll bet the in-flight meal is pretty poor. Nonetheless, the fate of the world on your shoulders is enough to put even the most reticent crew in the air. And thousands of these took to the air.

This particular Lanc actually spent most of her time serving as maritime search and rescue, but one can't help but notice the swastika on the scorecard. Just standing in awe at her side, it's apparent that every plate, every rivet, every curve of her flank is there for a reason. And those reasons are few. The minimalist, extremely practical design shows all too clearly how quickly our civilisation went from the wright brothers first fateful flight on a beach in North Carolina to the four-engine thunder of the Lancaster bomber.

Those four big old engines - cowled so that ground units can't see the tremendous fire she spits out, make so much thunder that Thor would quake in his boots. Just watching her head off away toward the runway inspires enough fear, and it's difficult to imagine the roar as a whole squadron is launched hull after hull on their fateful flight.

And so, the Lancaster has become the textbook example of test driven development. Each plate, rivet, turret, engine cowling, the tailgunner down to the huge depressing void of the empty payload bay - all of these are birthed of necessity and each have their exact job to complete.
At some point, this was a plane, and specifications changed, so a payload bay was added. The design got bigger, longer, fatter. At some point in twentieth century aviation, a tailgunner became required so they just built one in and recompiled. Resources were scarce and there is little to the Lanc that isn't required to pass it's unit tests.
Does it fly?
Can we put a thousand pounds of bombs on it?
...
Ok, there are a few other tests - as the Lancaster Bomber Haynes Manual demonstrates and a lot of engineering has to go into keeping just one of these in the air. But each of those resolves to a literal bullet point of criteria that it has to achieve and each of those ends up expressed in a simple Yes-or-No decision about it's fit for purpose.

We have a Lancaster bomber in all of us - a project, a dream, an exact "this and that" which has to be just right. Like the Lancaster Engineers of Longbridge, sometimes things just get in the way but you have to strike those chocks and let your ambitions fly.
Be precise, be professional. Face your runways, and may your four engines roar.

Piss up in a brewery

Hey everybody, welcome to the Sabbatical blog! This is just a quick-fire post about the way we spend time.

As the title suggests, I went to a brewing company with some friends and sampled a selection of their delights. Hats off to that Mr Aled Parry and his drinking associates for the great plan. A good time was had by all and there was pork pie for tea and hangovers for breakfast!

The Leighton Buzzard Brewing Company were our generous hosts and while it may rather sound like we were sitting in the blazing sun in the car-park of an industrial estate, surrounded by clientele you'd expect to find drinking beer in the car-park of an industrial estate, the reality of the experience was that they also had a DJ playing music I'm unlikely to identify.

A hot grill supplied an endless quantity of sausages and burgers and the brewery provided a fine selection of beer. From the former I'd say a pulled-pork burger is a top pick, and from the latter tip my hat to the "Ninja" and the red river one and whatever that golden one was but I'll admit to the connoisseur that details might have become slightly blurred.

Organising a piss up in a brewry is an idiom in English for a task that is so mindbogglingly simple that it requires no planning at all, and day made it into the sabbatical feed not for the fact of the matter, but rather because it's how my mind works all the time. No. Not blurred by alcohol. I mean that I'm a knowledge-based thoughtworker, and the blog is chronicling the differences in different mediums.
In programming, I treat everything I know how to do as impossibly easy, and everything I don't know how to do as impossibly difficult and there is a sheer gradient between the two. When I'm sitting chilling, I'm a dreamer - the sky is the limit. Sure, I've never made a crossbow before and it's probably pretty difficult. But it's only made of stuff, right? stuff that's the wrong shape and I'm going to do stuff to this stuff until it's the right shape ... how hard can it be?
And besides, wouldn't it be cool.

I don't know if I ever made a transition from a dreamer to a wall-climber, certainly some of these mind games coming from knowing how difficult a task is. Am I more willing to fail because I don't know what I'm doing? That is a rather convenient excuse for failure. Is it because I've got nothing to lose - or nothing to prove?

"Having a stab" at something is a workplace skill that we should all retain. Not everything has to be as easy as a piss up in a brewery or so impossible we should abort mission. There is a healthy middle ground of play that isn't a bad place to be.

Thursday work.

Hi everybody what is going on? Welcome to the sabbatical blog where I turn a hundred days of holiday into a plethora of painful projects. 

To summarise my position - Good progress is being made on the forgehouse, and before long I'll be working steel and bronze. Until then, I thought I'd make a crossbow. I've never really stopped to ask why, I find such questions can get in the way of blinding buffaloing on. 

There are three material choices for making a crossbow, when you are me. The first is a wooden prod, which is going to involve a lot of careful work and a whole load of luck to get right first time. This involves literally carving a wooden bow and sticking it onto a crossbow shaped body. Option two is to make a prod from spring steel. This is a much more uniform material than wood, so you can fabricate it with some precision and it'll behave as expected. Option Three is to use a synthetic composite material - a plastic that I can shape easily.

Well, if I had a forgehouse I'd use steel, but there are many crossbow making skills that are prod-material agnostic. Making the furniture, string, firing mechanism and ammunition. So it makes sense to construct a temporary plastic prod and then use that to get practice building all the other parts. Besides, I can make a second spring steel crossbow afterward so I have two to compare.

Remember when I said a "plethora of painful projects"? 

My three successive attempts at making a plastic prod have been a learning experience that I'm not sure if I was expecting. This past week has contained a lot of learning how to learn, so here is a smithing 101 lesson free of charge. Need a tool? Make a tool. With a long enough lever and proper application of force you can move mountains, by which I mean selecting the right too for the job can make even the most mountainous task achievable. 

This is all fine in the games industry. There are a lot of games problems I know the solution to. Heck, there are a lot of solutions I know the problem to as well. Being able to spot a problem, then diagnose it, and then find and apply a solution is a methodical process and you forget just how many of those steps you power through when you have an implicit understanding of the problem domain.
But now I'm taking my first shakey steps as a backyard bowyer and I've reached a new level of incompetence that I've not known for twenty years. For a more detailed breakdown, I'll post up the ashes of disaster and roses of success to the Lost and Foundry blog and save this space for the causes and effects of the process.

Tuesday 2.0

Hey everybody and welcome to the Roger in Sabbatical blog where I struggle with the realisation that all projects I do get resolved as if it's a software problem. When your best tool is a hammer, everything becomes a nail.

Today's lesson comes in the shape of iterative, incremental design. During Tuesday 1.0, the square form of the forgehouse was marked up out back and it just looks a little out of place in the context of the rest of the garden. Today is Tuesday 2.0 and represents the last cost effective time I can move the walls before it becomes a pain in the ass.
This must be what a producer feels like, and bleh, it's terrible. So for extra credit today, I've learned a little about exactly where the buck stops. 

Seeing the thing in position is the integration test - does this part work with all of the other parts? I have unbelievable confidence that it'll work perfectly in isolation. The forgehouse is well designed, it's the right size, materials, and composition. All unit tests passing. But how it slots into the rest of the garden is the problem I had to solve in Tuesday 2.0

The two options are reasonably simple - I can "stick with the plan" and run with the 3x5 size or trim it down to about 2.5x4.5. This is only a smidgen off the size, and a 25% reduction in footprint but brings it clear of the surroundings a bit and is just going to look better. 

Next on the agenda is learning how to make a bowstring. There are a few different types and techniques, so I twisted and tied string until my hands cramped, and eventually blisters threatened to end the day.
This is an interesting self-limiting factor that I'll have to consider over the next hundred days - I'll have to round-robin the skills I learn so that I don't overextend myself. It's going to take more production work. I can see this turning into a gant chart.

Having to make an irreversible construction decision and finalise the size of the forgehouse was more of a mental struggle than I was prepared for. I guess it goes to show that sometimes you've got to go big or go home, and I'm already home.