Phil’s Adventures with his Raspberry Pi: Part Three

Following part one of my story - http://it-is-phil-time.blogspot.com/2012/06/phils-adventures-with-his-raspberry-pi.html - and part two - http://it-is-phil-time.blogspot.com/2012/06/phils-adventures-with-his-raspberry-pi_04.html - it’s time to pick up the story.

Having failed to successfully connect my Raspberry Pi up to a standard VGA monitor, which is very disappointing, and then having purchased an adaptor that failed to work (thankfully Amazon have refunded me) I have dived into the deep end and purchased a cheap – but still £120 – monitor that accepts a HDMI input and – voila – I now have a monitor that accepts the signal of the Raspberry Pi and works in my parent’s music room. Problem overcome even at a financial cost of four times what I paid for the computer.

To bring everyone up to speed my plan is to replace my parent’s aging PC in the music room with this to play out music quickly and easily. Sadly at the moment it’s turning out to be neither. I am still waiting for the Pi case I ordered a few weeks ago which is now in the processing stage so hopefully should be here soon but I have come across an even bigger problem: I can’t get any sound of it.

I’ve tried playing both MP3s and WAVs through its inbuilt LX Music player, both from files on an external hard drive, USB stick and the SD card itself but all to no avail. I’m not getting any sound out of the HDMI – though I don’t think the monitor has speakers so that’s not surprising – but neither am I getting it out of the 3.5mm jack port into my stereo.

Now it’s a cheap computer and I’m no expert in this side of computing but it’s frustrating me that six weeks on its been nothing but a struggle to get images and sound out of the device, which is surely the very basics you’d expect from a computer. I fear that it’s just too problematic compared to the BBC Micro and Acorn computers I used as a youngster and I question whether it’s really the platform to be a good starting point for young people hoping to get into the world of computer programming. Or maybe I’m missing the point and all these struggles are actually a realistic recreation of the world of software development?

If anyone can point me in the right direction of where I’m going wrong regarding the lack of sound output I’d be very grateful. In the meantime I shall soldier on with trying to get it to work in a project that has turned from potential to frustrating disappointment...

Help please!

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Cofilmic Films: My Thoughts

Today Liam and myself headed to the Cofilmic event at the Gumption Centre which was an interesting six hour event where we saw some interesting improvisation, heard some poetry and scripts acted out, and heard from people involved in the comedy world, as well as having the chance to ask questions and hobnob and get some good contacts for learning more about the art of scriptwriting. Oh, and some Southern Comfort. We also got to see a selection of films that have won competitions or been nominated. But which were the best in my opinion? Coffee

A very short sketch but a great way to start the film showing as the joke is a very good twist on a familiar scene often seen in sitcoms and other shows. (8/10) Truth Prism

Both mine and Liam’s favourite film don’t let its boring title put you off. This spoof documentary is up there with ‘Look Around You’ in the humour stakes and was the only film to have everyone in the audience laughing all the way through. Very well put together with some good pay-offs. (9/10) Publishing A Piece

A short piece and one that doesn’t show off how funny it’ll become in the first thirty seconds. The reader’s face after his final guess in the main sequence is corking as the camera holds on him and it’s a brilliant piece of delivery from both leads. (8/10) We Are What We Drink

A beautifully shot and composed film with a great pay-off line but the direction it was going in was obvious as soon as the customers enter the coffee shop and the ending is disappointing as it just repeats the joke and I wanted retribution for the lead, but the concept is great and well-acted by all involved. (7/10) Boxed

A pilot for a sitcom I’d want to watch, it’s a little bit scattergun in the first half with a series of scenes that sometimes don’t connect but the final half is fun and the main two characters are well drawn, with some funny scenes. (6/10) Ball Street

One of my least favourites, the South Park animation style has its moments and there are some funny surreal sections based around Philip the cat but overall it’s a little bit uneven for my liking, but if you like your animation wacky and off the wall then you’ll enjoy this. (5/10) The Bronte Sisters

A film that is better than you first think with some Two Ronnies style misheard words, the ending isn’t a particular fun payoff but the explanations behind the weird titles are great with some memorable moments from the ‘moor’ bits to Anne’s head. (6/10) Buzz Dish

Another sitcom pilot, featuring Dave Spikey, the co-writer, in a small role, certainly has a range of interesting characters and set-ups with some good funny moments but it does, until nearer the end, seem like a collection of unconnected sketches shoe-horned together. (5/10) The Office Orphan

A great premise and well-acted and shot with a neat end, but not as overtly funny as many of the other pieces. (6/10)

Sadly my scripts didn’t get into the top three of the competition but there’s certainly inspiration above to help me improve my own writing!

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Muse – Survival [Official London 2012 Olympics Song]

Having finally created a song that doesn’t make some sort of titular reference to space travel or something that would make Brian Cox have a hot flush like their songs were co-written with Patrick Moore (sadly forgetting his xylophone) Devon band Muse have released the official song for this summer’s Olympics, happily on the same day as it got its first radio play, perhaps suggesting that record labels are learning their lessons after the recent sound-a-like songs invading the charts.

If you’re expecting a song that doesn’t sound like a sister track to anything the band have done since ‘Black Holes and Revelations’ then you’ll be disappointed as the familiar sound of throbbing guitars and galaxian soundscapes are all present and correct and though this epic feeling isn’t necessary a bad thing there is a certain sense of familiarity around it.

Matt Bellamy and the lads do seem like they are channelling numerous musicians for this piece though with the Feeling-esque opening backed by the Oompah-Loompah crowd from the Charlie and Chocolate Factory film before giving a nod to the Scissor Sisters and ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancing’ before going all Queen on us with an ‘Innuendo’ style feel for much of the song before a gentle nod to ‘Bicycle Race’ as if Freddie wanted to come back for a second stab after enjoying ‘Barcelona’ so much.

We also get some male chanting, female backings and calls to ‘fight’. Fitting for an Olympics set in London.

Lyrically it’s very much a Muse track with their familiar sound and writing style but with key Olympian words thrown in for good measure, in the same manner that every singer leaving a boyband for a solo career has to drop in the obligatory word for freedom or fresh start in among the word sheet.

It’s a brooding, dark track that doesn’t particularly strike me as being particularly sporty. I can hear it to be the soundtrack of the England football penalties with its sense of foreboding but not so much an English athlete heading for the finish line of the 400m relay.

In conclusion ‘Survival’ is so Muse you might as well just listen back to ‘Neutron Star Collision’ and imagine Michael Phelps instead of scenes from the Twilight movies, which coincidentally what I was doing whilst watching the films. It’s not an unenjoyable track but it feels like two songs badly welded together like a sub-par javelin and doesn’t really make me feel patriotic or particular excited about the Olympics. I just can’t picture it playing over replays of footage and sounding good but we’ll see.

OK, but not Olympic. 6/10

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Jessie J vs Loomis and the Lust in copyright claim

Now I'm always a little dubious about these cases where an artist says that a recent massive hit sounds very similar to their track and sue the artist for a considerably large sum, especially after ones like the claim aimed at Coldplay not so long ago that was a tad tenuous. The latest one is this track: The artist has said it bears a resembled to Jessie J's recent (well, year old) hit 'Domino' and you can hear some similarities in the length of lines and the way they are sung in the verse and a little bit in the chorus but I think there's enough difference to make them independent. 'Domino' is a faster song with less gap between the lines, and after all there are only so many notes so there is bound to be tracks that share characteristics. But, equally, there is a certain similarity, more so than the Coldplay one. And, as someone points out in the comments, the bass is similar to Brendan's 'Gimme Some' so maybe they'll be suing Loomis and the Lust. Listen to Jessie J's song below and let us know whether you think there's a claim...

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Update: The Rise Of The Cash-in Cover Song

A couple of months ago I wrote this blog piece for All Noise about the rise of sound-a-like songs released on music download sites and what it could mean for customers - http://all-noise.co.uk/2012/04/25/the-rise-of-the-cash-in-cover-song/.

And this week an article appeared on the internet about how just such a sound-a-like is set to chart inside the top ten this Sunday as people have been downloading the track either to get a copy of the song or thinking it is in fact the actual release: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a387429/fake-maroon-5-payphone-song-may-reach-singles-top-ten-on-sunday.html.

Various comments under the article cement my thoughts that these type of songs are catching people out:

"I am really really annoyed by this. I downloaded the cover version believing it to be the Maroon 5 version. I have never heard of this before - I will be sure to double check before downloading in the future! Why are iTunes allowing these covers to be purchased???" says Ellie Thomas.

A key element of my article is also repeated by Rebecca Tedder:

"This is something I have said for a long time. From the first radio airing it should be available to download. They can still do the pre-release interviews and hype but if they want to stop/cut cover-versions or illegal downloads, then this is the obvious thing to do. If I hear something on the radio and really like it, I would probably buy it sooner rather than later"

Something needs to be done to tackle these cash-in covers for the protection of consumers and ensuring the band's get the royalties they deserve, though as someone points out on the blog, will anything change as the songwriters will get cash for the cover then for the original when consumers realise their mistake...

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Has The Tomb Raider Series Lost Its Way?

In a big coo of publicity for upcoming ‘Tomb Raider’ prequel ‘Crossroads’, or whatever it will be called (surely not that, unless it features bad acting and wobbly sets) has been all over the news (for instance see http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/gaming/crystal-dynamics-release-tomb-raider-rape-clarification-statement-7854068.html as one of many examples) after it was suggested on one website that Lara, seen in the game as a young inexperienced adventurer before all her big adventures, is threatened with rape before escaping which helps build her into the balls-to-the-wall Tomb Raider we know her as later. Now it seems to be coming out that this isn’t the case and the words of the website were ill chosen, but this aside has the series of video games, like Lara in a maze of tunnels and passage-ways leading to a room of treasure, lots its way?

I have played ‘Tomb Raider’ since the original 1996 game, and have played each entry in the series on one format or another aside from the handheld ones and have to say that none of the games have truly captured the magic of the series after Core Design lost the franchise after ‘The Angel of Darkness’ that was, yes, difficult to play control-wise but certainly more interesting than what has come after.

Though each game has improved ten-fold with the graphics and scope, in my opinion the heart of the games have gone. On both ‘Legend’ and ‘Underworld’ out has gone the exploration, the puzzle-solving and the general wonder and in has come a more gun-toting focus and a lack of magic. Even the original game re-imagined under the banner of ‘Anniversary’ was only good in seeing the original areas rendered in modern graphics.

Sure there may be a level of rose-tinted glasses here with games you grew up with always having a special place in your heart, and re-playing the originals now is a pain on the eyes due to the swift advancement in graphics, but I just don’t enjoy the Crystal Dynamics-created games as much as the old ones and I think it shows with their confusing plotting.

The original six games – 1, 2, 3, The Last Revelation, Chronicles and Angel of Darkness – all had the same continual storyline and built on the mythology but since then thanks to the reboot, the two movies and now another reboot coming next year, Lara’s past and upbringing is now muddy than the tombs she visits. It’s almost as if they’re stumbling blindly from one game to another to see what works and not, meanwhile dragging the once respected franchise down.

One classic example is about her parents. Did they die in a plane crash which led to her becoming the Tomb Raider? Or was her father alive like in the film and the later games? Or was her mother whisked away by supernatural forces to Avalon?

Did she become a Tomb Raider under the privileged tuition of Vernon Von Croy or because she had to learn to survive by being stranded on an island? I just don’t know any more.

And how can the original Natla-based story fit both the plot continuity of the original six games and the newer three games? Am I just being anal in trying to establish a continuity into a game series pulled apart and confused, like people trying to rationalise the actor changes of the James Bond series or creating a credible timeline for the Legend of Zelda?

The new game in 2013 certainly looks interesting and promises to feature more puzzle elements so I hope it is a return to the style of the originals with fewer shooting elements and more opportunities to do the classic puzzles that defined the game. Sections such as one where she is escaping whilst tied up piece shown in the trailer mirror the levels in the first game where Lara has to survive without guns so perhaps there will be a bigger focus on capturing the appeal of the original games.

I for one would happily forgo all the fancy graphics for inspired sections set in skyscrapers with laser beams; visits to Loch Ness with a surprise guest; and dinosaurs in the South Pacific.

I just hope they finally settle on what they’re doing with Tomb Raider and don’t get confused over what the series should be about and where the characters goes from here. I for one would love to see what Core Design could do, if they were given the chance, to help resurrect the series but will hold my judgement until next year’s game is released.

What do you think? Am I holding the originals in too high a regard or am I right about the changes in the series?

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Top Cat: The Movie [Movie Review]

Now I have to admit I do have what some might say a unique taste in movies and often disagree with popular opinion. For instance, dismissing some of its occasional cringey moments, I enjoy the third entry in the Sam Raimi Spider-man trilogy and feel it’s the second strongest of the films. I prefer the third Matrix film over the first. I think ‘Signs’ by M Night Shyamalan is one of the cleverest plotted films of recent years. And I also think films like ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘The Avengers Assemble’ were over-hyped and good, but not great.

OK, so I’m probably setting myself up for a fall here but I have to say I also enjoyed the recently released, and widely panned ‘Top Cat: The Movie’, a Mexican export re-dubbed and released over here.

The film, based on the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon of the same name, tells the story of Top Cat and his gang of alley cats who are the feline equivalent of the cast of Hustle, always on the lookout for a get rich quick scheme much to the annoyance of New York cop Officer Dibble who tries to keep them in line. In this film, though, Dibble has more to worry about with shabby millionaire Strickland conning the New York police commissioner into letting him become his successor and replacing the entire police force sans Dibble with computers, CCTV cameras and robots in an attempt to become even richer thanks a series of ridiculous laws that come with their own equally ridiculous fines. It’s up to an imprisoned Top Cat and his gang, with Dibble, to stop him and reclaim New York.

Getting to see the film was an interesting journey as my first attempt to see it was cut short by a faulty film showing so it was only a week later I found another slow to see it.

I feel that ‘Top Cat: The Movie’, like other Hanna-Barbera adaptations recently (“Yogi Bear” springs to mind), has been unfairly given negative reviews by critics. Sure, the movie is not laugh out loud but it’s certainly not a tedious ninety-minutes and is a vast improvement on toons brought to the big screen like 2002’s ‘Scooby Doo’.

The film has its fair share of great humour brought about by the situations the characters get themselves into, from a selection of Family Guy-style cut-aways based on observations, to a well-timed and spot-on parody of the opening titles without Top Cat, who at this point in the film is imprisoned in ‘Dog Jail’, and many other one-liners and puns from the characters and the generic robot guards, who are given a range of personalities and quality lines. It also has its fair share of weird off-the-wall moments such as the back-story to the Anthill-Mob-style gangsters introduced late into the film and the random small police officer in Dibble’s office, alongside some nod-and-a-wink jokes aimed at the more adult audience.

For a fan of the original cartoons it’s very in keeping, with the quiet, gentle humour that perpetuates through the animation studios work. It does drop a few clangers script-wise with Strickland’s repeated emphasis of saying he’s handsome when he’s in fact pretty ugly wearing thin, a male-dominated cast with a female cat originally just there as eye candy (but does get good characterisation as the films nears its conclusion) and a potentially dodgy characterisation of an Indian sultan in the opening sting (who incidentally comes from Pikachu, surely up there with choosing the name of the creatures in film ‘Lady In The Water’ as narfs, as a misake in naming) but these are out-numbered by many other better jokes.

Officer Dibble is one character who benefits from the film with a much stronger characterisation than the original films and you certainly grow to feel for him as a character as he becomes the central focus as key parts of the film as a victim of Strickland.

The animation style has also been heavily criticised as being poor for the film. However, I would disagree as it certainly suits the original as it looks like what Hanna-Barbera cartoons would look like if they’d be done now. Mixing in cell-shaded 3D environments with flatter characters, a sort of 2DTV-style, I think it really suits the piece and though it’s not to a Pixar-level of detail the classic cartoon characters look just as they used to but brought into the CGI era and there is still plenty of detail in background visual jokes, water effects and much more. I think the style is great and distinctive and suits it. That’s not to say it’s, of course, perfect with a few inexcusable animation faults (in a scene where a character digs, a piece of rubble doesn’t move as it should) but mostly works well.

Added into the mix the voice work captures the feeling of the original with Top Cat and Benny the Ball in particular sounding like the classic characters and there is a good nod to the original with a modernised version of the opening and closing credits with a fantastic new version of the classic theme. The movie manages to balance the old and the new with the sixties feel of the original with references to modern technology and society.

Overall it’s not a film that’s going to win any awards but certainly doesn’t deserve the drubbing it has been getting in the press. With animation that mixes 2D and 3D effectively and suits the style of the original with a plotline that captures the gentle humour of the inspirational cartoon series, it’s definitely worth ninety minutes of your time to watch.

(7/10)

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