This afternoon I helped set my Dad up to use Zoom, so he can Zoom with his siblings. He's using my Widget microphone, so all I need to do is find him a webcam.
Easy, huh? It's not like I'm looking for toilet paper.
Everyone in my household already has a computer with a built-in camera so they can Zoom their classwork. So I guess I didn't notice there had been a run on webcams.
There's nothing affordable on the local Craigslist.
Our local Target is still open, so I checked their website. They haven't got any webcams that sell for less than $400.
I had a look at the Best Buy website, and everything affordable there is sold out as well. But the brick-and-mortar store is closed, so that's sort of moot.
Fry's hasn't got any webcams, but then, they're pretty much a shell of what they used to be.
The local OfficeMax does curbside pickup, but the only webcams not listed "Out of Stock" turn out to be "For Future Pickup", which seems to be a distinction without a difference.
There are a number on Amazon, but they have reviews like "Didn't work" and "Worst webcam I ever owned.". Since some of those date back to 2008, I'm sure they work even better on Windows 10!
This isn't really a complaint, as much as it's an observation how fragile the supply chain can be.
Edit: Looks like I may be able to find a digital camera and make that work instead.
Anyway, I've got to imagine there's a huge load on the interwebs these days.
Makes my glad I'm not a network admin!
Last edited by dcuny; 04/01/2003:25 PM. Reason: Digital camera
About LA and CA. The numbers have been pretty low compared to the rest of the country. Well, that's about to change I think. Watching CNBC earlier and I found out there are over 59,000 test kits that had to be sent out to labs over the last several days and it will take a few more days to get the results back. Hmmmm...
OTOH, there's more articles about how the fatality rate is lower then they initially thought.
I sure you will enjoy that new guitar Bob. New toys are always fun!
I have voted both sides of the aisle, I'm nobody's fan-boy, and I reserve the right to criticize both parties and whoever screws up. We screwed this one up and it's costing precious lives.
Well said! I too have voted both sides in elections from dogcatcher to president. And I always criticize based on performance and not on politics! An honest person should be willing to admit their screw-ups!
Me too. Staunch independent and have voted both sides of the aisle.
Beside music. My next project is getting out the sewing machine and sewing some homemade masks. I'm no great seamstress but what the heck. It seems the new advice is to wear something over your face when you go out in case you have it and don't know it so you won't spread as much. But they don't want people getting the real n95's or the hospital surgical masks because the docs and nurses really need those. I reckon anything that offers a modicum of protection is better than nothing. Infections in my parish jumped to 90 today. Only one death so far thank God.
Great idea! It's not only stopping you from infecting someone else, it's also wearing a mask helps you to remember to not touch your face. On another forum a guy said he was wearing his motorcycle helmet when shopping. That'll stop him from touching his face...
Post a pic of what you come up with, I think we would all like to see it.
I'm with you. I think that wearing any kind of mask is better than wearing none. As Bob says, it's good protection against touching your face. Our doctors are also saying that it helps reduce contamination of others if you have the virus and don't know about it.
Here in Australia, a number of our medical professionals (pharmacists in particular) are being treated really aggressively by some people. I don't get that. As I see it, like with the N95 masks you mention, we have to do everything we can to help our medics stay safe. Without them, getting through this contagion becomes much much harder.
You mentioned 'sewing' so this might interest you. I saw it on our news last night.
The below young guy is from Tasmania (my home state). He makes bears for sick children and now he's using COVID-19 isolation in a positive and productive way....
Noel that is such a sweet video and he's talented at making those bears. I'll be happy if our masks I make (ones for me and my husband) are wearable! LOL!. I'm so happy you are okay. My husband and I staying in as much as possible other than to venture into our own yard and when forced to go to the grocery.
I had to go take labs and they wouldn't let me cancel a doc visit. That was nerve wracking and unnecessary under the circumstances. But the new nurse practitioner refused to write my prescriptions (which have been the same for over a year) unless I came in person even though I've been seeing my regular doc who's out sick and she's filling in for - I've been seeing him for several years. So at the moment I'm pretty down on nurse practitioners at least this fresh out of school one. Maybe I just got a clueless jerk. So I hit the sanitizer every chance I got while I was at the lab and at the doc office and in my car and washed and changed as soon as I got home. Thank goodness it's been 14 days and I have no symptoms. Hope that wasn't too much info. I've missed you.
This afternoon I helped set my Dad up to use Zoom, so he can Zoom with his siblings. He's using my Widget microphone, so all I need to do is find him a webcam.
David, do you know if Zoom allows screen sharing? I need to conduct a training session next week and don't want video but I'd like to have my screen shared and audio both directions. I can do the audio over the phone if necessary.
Quote:
Fry's hasn't got any webcams, but then, they're pretty much a shell of what they used to be.
Ahhh, Fry's Electronics! I used to shop at their very first store in Sunnyvale, CA in the mid-80s! Geeks like me were over the moon at the idea of a store where we could buy electronics parts, C compilers and snacks all in one location!! Almost as cool as the West Coast Computer Faire!
I pass this on in case it's useful... I've been using Microsoft Teams for my online school teaching and it allows me to share my screen(s) in realtime with students.
Your nurse practitioner sounds like they were just making unnecessary work for themselves. If it makes you feel any better, I'm like you. When I go out where people are, which is rare, I sanitise my hands every opportunity, keep the 6 feet or so distance between people and am very mindful of everything I touch.
When I get home, it's wash and change, also. I'm aiming to hang around on Earth a while yet so I'm doing all I can to keep covid-19 at bay.
I saw a woman yesterday who was wearing rubber gloves. I haven't gone that far yet because I don't have any open wounds on my hand. Fortunately the virus doesn't penetrate skin. If I had a cut on my hand, though, I'd definitely get out the latex gloves!
Where safety is concerned, it's much better to err on the side of caution, I think.
It's great to see you in the forums, again! It's not the same when you're not here.
David, do you know if Zoom allows screen sharing? I need to conduct a training session next week and don't want video but I'd like to have my screen shared and audio both directions. I can do the audio over the phone if necessary.
My kids - who use it for school - assure me that you can share the screen.
I'm using zoom to teach my school kids. You can share your screen, see all the people at the same time or not (Top right corner). It's great. Also they've taken away the 40 min limit on the free version for the time being - at least in Hong Kong. Be warned that there have been articles about security. People taking over webcams and kids recording lessons, and spreading them on the web and basically being little [*****]. Just so you're aware. You can record your lessons to cover yourself anyway. Some of my colleagues don't show their face or home on webcam to be covered.
As for a webcam. I reckon it's of limited interest to older people. Just a lot of trouble. They seem quite happy with audio and it's a lot less bandwidth.
Windows 10 Home 20H2 Build 19042.487 BIAB 2021 (Build 818) Intel(R) Core(TM), i3-4160, CPU @3.60 GHz RAM 16 GB, 64 Bit X64-based processor Zoom UAC-2 (USB 3 interface-built in midi) VoiceLive 3 Extreme, Sputnik Valve Condenser Mic
I pass this on in case it's useful... I've been using Microsoft Teams for my online school teaching and it allows me to share my screen(s) in realtime with students.
David, do you know if Zoom allows screen sharing? I need to conduct a training session next week and don't want video but I'd like to have my screen shared and audio both directions. I can do the audio over the phone if necessary.
My kids - who use it for school - assure me that you can share the screen.
I'm using zoom to teach my school kids. You can share your screen, see all the people at the same time or not (Top right corner). It's great. Also they've taken away the 40 min limit on the free version for the time being - at least in Hong Kong. Be warned that there have been articles about security. People taking over webcams and kids recording lessons, and spreading them on the web and basically being little [*****]. Just so you're aware. You can record your lessons to cover yourself anyway. Some of my colleagues don't show their face or home on webcam to be covered.
As for a webcam. I reckon it's of limited interest to older people. Just a lot of trouble. They seem quite happy with audio and it's a lot less bandwidth.
Thank you lambada! I heard something about security concerns too.
Leilani and I get along so well that 24/7/365 isn't too much time to spent together. In fact, it isn't enough.
We're making new style and fake 'disks' for Band-in-a-Box, and when we aren't doing that, we're spending quality time together.
Yesterday I left my house for the first time in over a week. We went grocery shopping for perishables. It's like living in a Sci-Fi movie. The enemy is invisible and could be anywhere (cue theremin music).
People wearing masks, keeping their distance, wearing mostly blue or purple gloves, spraying shopping carts, looking at each other with suspicious eyes, greeting cashiers behind plexiglass screens, blue tape on the floor where the lines are spaced 6' apart, and so on.
Needing gas for the car, I brought a disposable nitrile glove, touched everything with only that hand, and disposed of it before getting back in the car.
All this just seems eerie to me.
Following advice I brought a small spray bottle filled with 70% alcohol. Sprayed everything including my credit card when I took it out of the reader. We sterilized our hands before touching the car, washed them many times during the trip and first thing when we entered the house.
We unpacked everything outdoors, rubbed down with either diluted bleach/water or alcohol before bringing the groceries in the house. We stripped to our underwear and hung the grocery bags and our clothes on the clothesline (we have privacy in our back yard). We left our shoes outside as well (that part is normal practice for us).
Paranoid? No. We just decided that since some people who recover have diminished lung functionality, and since we make our living with our lungs (voice, sax, flute, wind synth) it's best to err on the side of caution.
The governor put us on a "stay at home" order today, but I've been doing that for weeks already. Since all my gigs have been cancelled, I call it "Economic Isolation"
I probably won't have to leave my little half-acre in paradise for another couple of weeks.
Funny result. Every day I walk up and down our dead-end street for a total of 4 miles. Getting in the car and driving down the road at 35mph seemed like I was traveling at light speed in comparison (that wore off in a mile or so).
I do hope everyone is being cautious and that none of my BiaB buddies will catch the plague.
Using Webex, Zoom, and Micro$oft Teams on my work from home as an IT person in the Stock Market/Finance industry. Webex started slowing down as soon as the virus had people switching to home. Most of us migrated to Zoom when that happened and it's been holding up well considering the large amount of users in both business and education now.
Your nurse practitioner sounds like they were just making unnecessary work for themselves. If it makes you feel any better, I'm like you. When I go out where people are, which is rare, I sanitise my hands every opportunity, keep the 6 feet or so distance between people and am very mindful of everything I touch.
When I get home, it's wash and change, also. I'm aiming to hang around on Earth a while yet so I'm doing all I can to keep covid-19 at bay.
I saw a woman yesterday who was wearing rubber gloves. I haven't gone that far yet because I don't have any open wounds on my hand. Fortunately the virus doesn't penetrate skin. If I had a cut on my hand, though, I'd definitely get out the latex gloves!
Where safety is concerned, it's much better to err on the side of caution, I think.
It's great to see you in the forums, again! It's not the same when you're not here.
Noel
It's great to see you in the forums, again! It's not the same when you're not here.
[Quote ]It's great to see you in the forums, again! It's not the same when you're not here.[/quote]
You are dearly loved 'round these here parts, Josie. We need your logical mind during this unprecedented crisis.
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
Playable RealTracks Set 4
RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
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