avi2dvd - Shell Script

I created a shell script that allows one to convert AVI files to DVD files and the option to burn them. It is definitely not where I want it right now, but I figured I would publish to the world as version 1.0 and see how much I can grow it. Here is my aspirations for future releases:

1. Allow support for custom directory paths for the DVD files to be stored (currently puts a DVD folder with files in the present working directory the script was ran from).
2. Allow for a plain text file input with the list of file names. Right now, they all have to be put in manually.
3. Allow for some minor authoring of the DVD, such as adding a menu, custom chapters, and more, which will depend on my knowledge of dvdauthor in the near future.
4. Allow option to create an ISO image of the DVD. Again, something I will have to learn.

There are a few bugs I haven't worked out yet, mainly because this program was needed for a friend of mine who needed strict DVD video discs of a bunch of AVI files I had.

• File name cannot contain spaces. This has something to do with my parser I could easily tweak, but just haven't had time. It is a hassle, though, and once I get done with the conversion and burning of 26 avi files, I will begin work on version 2
• The path which the DVD files are placed are merged by every succeeding run of the program, so that is just a feature I will have to add to allow custom paths, and/or auto-generated paths so separate runs are treated as separate project outputs.

If you have any feedback, feel free to email me at kenosando@gmail.com. Also, I encourage any tips and hints regarding my script. Thanks!

Link to the script

UPDATE: I did add a minor tweak - date logging into avi2dvd.log just to show how long the entire process takes

UPDATE2: I added support for custom DVD output path. Still working on handling spaces in file names.

Nokia N900

I was initially excited about the Nokia N97, simply because it combined a touchscreen interface with a physical keyboard, and the fact it was Nokia. However, Nokia's S60 over Symbian OS is not up to speed with today's hardware, and the reviews I read complained about the stoneage GUI and overall environment with the N97.

Enter the N900. Historically, the N7xx and N8xx series have been strictly Internet tablets, WiFi capable only, and based on Maemo, a Linux-based mobile OS. The N900 has changed completely from its last sibling, the N810. It adds GSM and HSPA functionality, the latest version of Maemo (Maemo 5), and Xvid-quality video capturing, geo tagging of photos, which is powered by a Carl Zeiss lens and dual LED flash, and applets that enable you to share all of this via social networks, such as Facebook, flickr, and Twitter.

The announcement came a few weeks ago that the phone will be arriving in US retail stores around the 27 of September. I am hoping that an announcement comes before it is released for sale that the unit is capable of 850/1900 MHz 3G (it only runs 900/1700/2100 right now, which is only supported by T-Mobile in the US ... blah!). That alone is the only deal breaker for me at this point. The price is very reasonable for a powerful Internet tablet that just happens to be capable of making a phone call. The processor speed, memory, and built-in storage are all equal to or slightly greater than that of the iPhone 3G S, and with the capability to expand the memory via microSD, the flexibility of the Linux-based OS, and the fact that this device comes from the world's leader in the cell phone industry, the apparent $600 price tag is worth it.

Ready for New Phone!

I have been totally excited since the E71 was released almost a year ago. I currently own the dinosaur that is the E61 and love everything about it. I do not need touchscreen, rich media, GPS, yadda yadda, I just want a phone that gives me flexibility with WiFi, email, word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations, easy-installable apps, a way to play music, a full QWERTY keyboard that doesnt slide out from under the screen, and not WinMo. The E61 has been all that, but at almost 4 years old now (I have had it almost a year now), it is outdated considering the phones being offered, and I have my eyes set on the AT&T branded E71x by Nokia.

I have read a lot of reviews recently, some that were great, some that were not, yet a lot of the negative reviews seemed rather silly, or was contradicted by another review. For instance, one reviewer said syncing contacts to outlook wasn't possible because of AT&T firmware, yet another reviewer said it syncs contacts, just not groups. Another review was "SMS text threading, no time of text info, no call history for a particular number", which is rather odd, because my version of S60, a tenth of a version below, had text info and call history. SMS threading is available via a third-party. And this one: Very limited peripherals -- apparently no cases available; Nokia says only Nokia-brand Bluetooth devices will pair; sound through wired earbud only passable;
Hah, I highly doubt Nokia has a proprietary Bluetooth frequency, and there are millions of listings on ebay for cases. And whatever that last part is about, who knows...

This could go on, and I could pick apart lackluster reviews all day. I want to know specifics, because I pretty much know the ins and outs of Symbian S60, so the OS is nothing new to me, and with all the AT&T software installed, it may seem somewhat different. If anyone owns a E71 (or 71x) I have a few questions:

Keyboard - is it proficient for typing out 2-3 SMS texts or does it get very painful, or just something you get used to with a new phone?

Is the screen just too small to bear, or does that also get settled in?

Battery life - is it getting you through the day or are you constantly in need of an outlet? (just heard a few complaints, want to clear up)

The OS - if you have used a previous S60 phone (E61, 61i, 62) does it differ that much?

Third-party apps - what are some of the best ones you have installed?

Goodbye Desktops?

Just read the blog article post from Gizmodo (http://gizmodo.com/5301401) and I was wondering why in the world the desktop PC has vanished out of consumer home? After a few minutes to lament, I came up with a few conclusions and possibilities on my own. (Beyond the obvious laptop argument)

1. Home entertainment advancements. Now that every device has Netflix built-in, Slingbox, AT&T U-Verse and a bright future for IPTV, Blu-Ray, and all-in-one media centers, it is hard to compete if you are a desktop. The desktop was an entertainment hub because of the three 'I's: interaction, information, and Internets. Desktops could be and probably were likely used as a entertainment center before the modern-day advances in home theater, but now a desktop is likely an antique according to Moore's law standards. Now, from the comfort of one's loveseat or recliner, can rent a movie (Netflix, Apple TV, most digital cable and satellite carriers), watch home-movies (built-in memory card readers on most high-end HDTVs, YouTube-enabled sets), communicate (CES 2009 unveiled Internet-enabled TVs), and gaming consoles, the home entertainment market has surely done away with the need to gather around a small monitor in comparison.
2. Wireless. With the introduction of 802.11 standard, the desktop became threatened, and now with the introduction of 3G networks a few years back and continued bandwidth upgrades and a plethora of smartphone devices supporting such, the trend is to be ultra-portable. iPhone, Blackberry, and other high-end smartphones retrieve anything you would request out of a desktop to a phone. The iPhone has 32GB storage, plenty for about 5 movies and 600+ songs and the capability to make a phone call all the more solidifies its place as a desktop killer.
3. Other than the simple fact of the laptop, the actual technology inside the laptop has also caused decline in the desktop sales. Dual core processors are available for both a desktop and laptop, and comparable other specifications come about the same price tag, when you include a LCD monitor, keyboard, and mouse in the mix. It is amazing how much manufacterers have squeezed into a single laptop enclosure to make a complete computer, not a halvsie, and thus the fall of desktops.

It is no surprise that desktops have declined the past several years, simply because there is no way to improve them over laptops. Sure, the monitors can get bigger and cheaper, but nothing can compare to portability - anywhere computing is the wave of the future, and unfortunately, desktops cannot comply.

Reasons why Shaq will have more impact OFF the court

1) He has led two of the all-around best players in the game (Kobe and Dwyane) to Finals victories. He has helped young and coming players succeed. Altough it took Kobe 7 years to get a ring without him, Shaq helped mature and grow Kobe. Dwyane has benefitted just as much, and with less time with Shaq. LeBron should be more mature after he faces Shaq in the locker room before and after games, because Shaq is a presence, and he can't be ignored.

2) Shaq cannot be the #2 guy anymore. He will be the muscle, the rebounder, the blocker, the everything-else-but-score-20-per guy. LeBron needs a guy like Manu is to Timmy and Tony - Tony is easily the first offensive option while Timmy is your defense, although his offense is still good. There has to be a sixth man on that team, or even a third man behind Lebron and Shaq that can be a threat both ways. Shaq will be #4 or 5 at the offensive end. LeBron will be 1,2, and 3.

3) Shaq will stay within 10 feet of the basket at all times. He cant shoot and will rely on good position underneath. He will have to show off impressive passing and court vision to lure a defender and watch for LeBron at the rim. LeBron cant make it to the rim when Shaq and his man is there, or should I say it may be slighty more difficult.

4) Shaq is old. But there should be improvements with this team.

Why the endtimes are near

Donte Stallworth. Here is one lucky guy. First he is faced with 15 years for manslaugter yet pays out enough of his money to the family of the victim to receive only 30 days in prison. That will hardly be prison time, he will be locked in a county facility with no hard time, and will probably be out a week early. All throughout the case, the DA and Stallworth's attorney praised Stallworth for his actions of responsibility and how he was man enough to call police and remain at the scene of the crime.

Congratulations for fufilling a responsibility of an American citizen. Thank goodness we have people like you.

America has become a nation that rewards responsibility. When I was a kid, I never got an paid to do what I was told around the house, it was the direct benefit of my actions that became my reward, alas cleaning my room gave me a ... clean room. Thus, citizens who take responsibility and do as they should do are rewarded with the simple fact that they did so. When you make a mistake, your responsibility as a moral person is to admit and face the consequences. The justice system of America, however, greatly rewarded a man who was not responsible when he made the decision to drive after drinking well over his fill, then struck and killed a pedestrian.

How many of you get rewarded for calling a cab? Is the government sending you a job-well-done check stating how responsible you were for not driving after a long night at the watering hole? No, you were rewarded by making it safely home, not getting a DUI, and not killing someone else.

Stallworth did the right thing after he did the wrong thing, but the right thing in this case was not an act of heroism. There are soldiers overseas serving our country, taking their responsibility to the point of heroism, yet there are still those who do not think to honor them, or even those who have fallen, Mr. Josh Howard, yet we allow a man who took the life of another through a far-from-manly decision and walk in and out of prison.

Responsibility should never be an option, which is why it is called responsibility. Responsible citizens should be recognized, but the great reward is the act in and of itself, and not the acclaimation one receives for such responsible acts.

Quick Thoughts

Looks like the White Sox are really hurting to get Peavy. They just got blasted by the Twins 20-1. Peavy is looking to get a contract redone for more money before he ships out to the Windy City.

Yanks are on a roll, and it is about time, they are the most expensive lineup ever.

Lakers and Magic look forward to game 2s as they both clawed back for a game 1 win, but Orlando's win way more impresive against the best team in the NBA ... Orlando won't lose at home.