Category: ROX

If I Could Only Breathe

Life has been somewhat crazy lately.¬† I have been searching for a job for a while now, and it’s gotten to the point where I’ve went back to Big Red Liquors, and have taken a call center job.¬† Big Red never treated me bad, and was always there for me.¬† I have to give them major props for how they treat their “good” employees.¬† If they only paid more.¬† I am worried about this call center job though.¬† I worked in telemarketing back when I was 18, and I hated every minute of it.¬† This is “supposedly” not telemarketing, but I will believe it when I see it.

I have been sending out resumes like it’s going out of style, but I’m not getting a bite.¬† I have only had 1 interview, which I thought went really well.¬† My stepmother worked for the company when I was younger, I thought I was in.¬† I guessed wrong.

I have been making some progress on my Video jobs though, I completed a slide slideshow (511 slides), an 8mm film transfer, and I’m currently working on transferring a show for a friend.¬† I am somewhat dissapointed in the results from the 8mm film transfer, and so is the customer.¬† My first un-satisfied customer.

That project had problems from the start.  I received a call from him on Christmas eve 2005!  He then transferred me some money through paypal.  Then 4 months later I received the film.  The box he sent it in smelled of vinegar (old film smells like that when it breaks down).  I spent countless hours working on the project before I purchased my home, but it was nothing I was happy with.  After I moved everything changed.  I had lots of work to do on the house, yet I was receiving emails from this guy wondering where his film was.  I had informed him that I had ceased all activities until things settled down with the house.

I recieved an email from him stating he was worried about this transfer and the amount of time it was taking to complete.¬† So on a day I had some time, I shot as much as I could.¬† I ruined 2 of my vintage projectors in the process, but that’s another story.

I received another email from him today stating he received the completed DVD from me.  He said he felt as if it was a slap in the face, and that I should have just refunded his money and sent his film back. 

Part of me feels bad for not giving him a good product.¬† But the other part of me feels he received what he paid for.¬† Many companies on the internet charge more than double what he paid me to do 1 reel!¬† I did 10 or so!¬† In the end, I shouldn’t have taken on the project.¬† I say farewell to film transfers for good!

I am also working on as much as I can for ROX.  I am still needing footage due to heat damaged episodes, but progress is coming.  I have finally squeezed 5 episodes onto 1 DVD!  I believe the quality is as good as it should be too.

Season One Still Needs Your Help!

A very special thanks to roxfan, who sent me a copy of episodes 8 and 9.  They are of great quality and will be used in the upcoming release of season one.  He will be receiving a free copy of the season once it is released.

More help is still needed, as we are still searching for copies of episodes: 14 (Not Special Episode), 19 (Cold Weather Tips), and 21 (Our 21st Birthday).

If you, or anyone you know has undamaged copies of these shows, please let myself or editor b know!  You will be given a free copy of the entire season on DVD!

I have copies of these shows from the CATS archive and they are heat damaged.  Please help us, and we will return the favor.

Thanks again roxfan!¬† If you have any other episodes, please send them my way.¬† I’m always looking for more.

What a Week!?!

I’ve been so busy, tired and just plain confused to even think about writing for a while.¬† I have “some” free time, so I thought I would vent.

I had a chance at really making my mom & pop operation a real business!¬† Indiana University requested I give them a bid for a HUGE DVD transfer job.¬† It was going to be 250 or 500 DVD’s.¬† Luckily I had some inside information because my wife works there.¬† I tried to undercut everyone, which I think I did.¬† But in the end, the company who produced the video to be transferred received the job.¬† Better luck next time I suppose.¬† It’s nice to be considered though.¬† If I could only get my foot in the door.

Business has taken another one of it’s on again cycles.¬† My first customer had me transfer 19 VHS tapes, another co-worker wanted a tape transferred onto 2 DVDs, one in NTSC (American TV standard) and the other in PAL (a different TV standard).¬† It was a very interesting job.¬† Now the person who sits directly across from me wants me to transfer 12 VHS-C tapes into 3 DVD’s.¬† Something is better than nothing, I just hate this feast or famine stuff.

Then I had a slight computer melting problem.¬† For some unknown reason, a power connector to my video card sparked, and melted the connector.¬† Luckily a local computer shop gave me a pigtail to replace the connector and I’m back in black.¬† With as much DVD transfer and ROX work I’ve been doing, I’m seriously pondering replacing my case and upgrading to a dual-core processor.¬† From what I’ve read and researched, it would be a seamless upgrade.¬† The benefits would highly outweigh the costs.¬† For example right now it takes 2+ hours to render a ROX episode.¬† I could cut that time down to a little bit more than an hour with a dual-core processor.¬† So we’ll see I guess.

I got some interesting news today.¬† “ROXFAN” sent me an email saying he had copies of episodes 8&9 of ROX.¬† He said they are in decent shape.¬† Hopefully I will be getting a copy soon.¬† Maybe season one will get done before Christmas?

Season One Needs YOUR Help!

I have been carefully reviewing, and generally going through all of the season one episodes.¬† A few episodes have some significant heat damage.¬† This is not a problem that can be corrected.¬† All of the episodes I have are from the CATS archive, which is the “owner” of the show.

The damaged episodes are the following:  8 (Special Mish Mosh Episode), 9 (Family Values Special), 14 (Not Special Episode), 19 (Cold Weather Tips) and 21 (Our 21st Birthday).  If you have a copy of one of these episodes, please let us know.

Anyone who can provide us with NON DAMAGED episodes, will recieve a complimentary copy (that means FREE) of the season, once it is finished.

I would much rather use something of better quality if it is out there.  ROX needs your help on this one.  If you are a fan of the show or know anyone who is, please help.

I’ve Got The Encoding Blues

Since I have a bit of a break between DVD jobs and moving, I thought I would spend some time working on ROX season one.¬† I have all of the video on my computer, ready to go.¬† The problem is the sheer amount of episodes in season one, it’s staggering.¬† I’m trying to fit 20 episodes on 4 discs.¬† If they were all the same length, it would be easier.¬† My “corporate sponsors” have¬†provided me with QuickTime Pro which has helped.¬† I have found that .mov files have more flexibility than MPEG’s do, which is what the DVD format is comprised of.

I have started testing my newfound capabilities, but to my concern it is taking 6 hours every night just to encode the files.¬† This is just testing mind you.¬† The only thing I know of that would help would be a dual core processor and a memory upgrade, but that’s not cheap.¬† My “corporate sponsors” have informed me if I need anything to enable me to perform this task better, to just ask.¬† This is just such a big amount that I would rather not.

It’s not like I need the computer for other things at the moment, it’s just frustrating.

Season Zero Now Available! Coming soon to PSP (Just Kidding)


Insert Zero v3.7

Originally uploaded by LML Video Services.

I made the first version DVD set when Editor B and XY were in exile here in B-Town.  I then built a business around it!

After receiving input from J and Editor B, I revamped my original creation, and transformed it into something much, much better.  This set includes the first 7 episodes of the show, plus a few extras that I had never seen or heard before.

Due to copyright restrictions we cannot make any money¬†towards the sale of these sets, which doesn’t bother any of us.¬† As the ROX website boldly declares, “Losing money for over a decade.”¬† Read my last post for¬†my views on the subject.¬† I just want everyone to know this.¬† The cost, a mere $15, has been carefully calculated.¬† The shipping, if necessary, is Priority Mail and the exact charge.

Coming soon will be Season One.  I hope to have the entire series on DVD within 2 years.  All will be available on the rox.com website as they are released.

This is a MUST have for any serious ROX fan.¬† Be warned, the quality of the video is not the best, we have preserved it in digital form for your viewing pleasure though!¬† The discs are DVD+R’s, but can be put onto DVD-R’s upon request.