Have you ever wanted some shiny new maps on your phone, without wasting fees on internet cost or waiting for a snail paced internet signal to be received by your phone? Well, that's a question that I wanted a solution to, and after a little research I found... gMapMaker - the ultimate tool for creating free offline maps.
Okay... so how does this work you ask me? Well, you can check the full details out at MGMaps, however here's a quick breakdown. First, you use the Map Creation tool, by setting up markers around the area you want a map of. Then you select the zoom levels - for an everyday street map, use the numbers 8-15. Now, you generate the .MAP file, making sure that the type of map is 'Google Road Maps' (note, you can have other map too! Like for example satellite maps, and sat maps with roads overlayed - off course I didn't need anything fancy so just chose the road/street map.)
Now, after creating the .MAP file (which is simply a coordinate of each markers with a description of map type e.g 'GoogleHyb') you have to download gMapMaker (which is downloadable at MGMaps). What basically happens now is that gMapMaker will download 'tiles' for the .MAP file outputting a MGMapsCache folder. Say what?! So, for example, if you download maps for zoom 13, 14 and 15, gMapMaker will download hundreds of little tiles (these are .mgm extensions, but seem to be viewable as .png files). The more zoomed in you are, the more tiles you will need, so hence I may need 400 tiles on zoom 17, and only 1 tile on zoom 1 to display my map.
After you have created the MGMapsCache file, simply ship it to your phone's memory card. Then, download the app from the wap site, install it, and then change some settings (here's a big long explanation from the site) and hey presto, free offline maps on your phone! But before you run off to make a 1-17 zoom map of the world, be warned: downloading satellite images from Google can supposedly get your IP banned for a while - so, I normally get road maps (zoom 6-15) for my city, but fancy maps, egh, 'Google Hybrid' maps on smaller locations where I may need them.
If you're worried that you'll get your IP banned, gMapMaker comes with a proxy that works fine. You can also use Yahoo which will never ban you. But remember: the people who get banned for (supposedly around 24 hours) are downloading hundreds of thousands of satellite tiles. If you are just getting your the road map of France (zoom 6-15) and a satellite map with roads overlayed (Hybrid) of Paris (zoom 8-17) then you'll be fine.
One more bit of advice. If you're like me, and tried to put a zoom 17 road map with 50,000 files on your phone (what was I thinking?), while using your phone as a medium, while not watching your computer or your cat, and if said cat where to disconnect the cable, meaning the memcard got corrupted, which means formatting, which means putting 50,000 files back on again and having an extremely laggy phone then I guess your just like me :D Anyway I learnt my lesson - now I use a MicroSD USB Adapter, and I just put maps on that I would practically check every now and then - the result - a faster phone, and an easier process (it took 10 minutes to put a road map I'd need on my phone.)
So, seriously, I'd suggest not transferring files over your phone using a USB cable. What happens is the phone must continually start downloading and stop downloading. My opinion, use an USB adapter, and the process will speed up tenfold.
Hope this rundown helped.
- Dev
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Episode 1 Journey to the West 1986 Soft Subtitles English
Episode 1 - Journey to the West 1986 English Soft Subtitles
Created the first batch of subtitles. There are three versions. Version 1 is a direct copy from the DVD that has been run through an OCR program. The end result is an editable copy of the retail subtitles in the SubRip format (.srt). Version 1 has had minor edits, but nothing major. Version 2 is a reviewed and edited subtitle version. With Version 2, several other sources have been referenced to give the the most informed subtitles. Many edits have been made such as different wordings - once again it is in the SubRip format. Version 3 is basically a thoroughly edited version of number 2. It is in the Advanced SubStation Alpha format - also known as .ASS subtitle files. Once again, many edits have happened, and this version will be the only version updated if I need to update anything (such as corrections.)
Version 1 - Episode 1 Journey to the West English Subtitles 1986 [OCR with minor spelling corrections, DVD subs in SRT format)
Link 1 - XUP.in
Version 2 - Episode 1 Journey to the West English Subtitles 1986 [major changes in translation, SubRip format]
Version 3 - Episode 1 Journey to the West English Subtitles 1986 [updated version, ASS format, recommended]
Sample of ASS hard-coded subs [mkv, ~1 min, 8mb]
Sample of hardcoded ASS subs on Journey to the West Raw 1986 Episode 1. Watch the sample video on YouTube on my account d3vup.
http://uploaded.to/file/uvqt9b7e
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOwG5d9w6Xo
- Dev
Monday, 23 January 2012
Project: Engligh Soft-Subs for Journey to the West 1986
Project: [Eng-SS] Journey to the West [1986]
Releases: 25 Episodes English Soft-Sub
Formats: ASS, SRT
I realise that many people have the DVDs either as 'Tay Duk Ky' or the ones with only Chinese subtitles purchasable from the official website. I've decided to create a small side project while this blog stays alive - this is to create downloadable English subtitles for Journey to the West 1986. Unfortunately, I do not have time to upload the raws at the moment, but if you can source them you can watch them with the subs released. So, in addition to writing about anything on my mind, I'll be releasing subtitles as well.
It will be something fun to do - I'll extract the image based subtitles, then run in through an OCR program. From there, I'll edit all the mistakes I can find, and use other sources to create what I believe to be the truest and most coherent soft-subtitles for Journey to the West 1986 available. These may not be accurate, but I hope that editing what I have from three separate sources (VCD, DVD, YT) will give the best subtitles. Because currently this is a one-man-show, don't expect releases to be everyday - but be patient :D If anyone wants to help, then feel free to contact me for info!
- Dev
Releases: 25 Episodes English Soft-Sub
Formats: ASS, SRT
I realise that many people have the DVDs either as 'Tay Duk Ky' or the ones with only Chinese subtitles purchasable from the official website. I've decided to create a small side project while this blog stays alive - this is to create downloadable English subtitles for Journey to the West 1986. Unfortunately, I do not have time to upload the raws at the moment, but if you can source them you can watch them with the subs released. So, in addition to writing about anything on my mind, I'll be releasing subtitles as well.
It will be something fun to do - I'll extract the image based subtitles, then run in through an OCR program. From there, I'll edit all the mistakes I can find, and use other sources to create what I believe to be the truest and most coherent soft-subtitles for Journey to the West 1986 available. These may not be accurate, but I hope that editing what I have from three separate sources (VCD, DVD, YT) will give the best subtitles. Because currently this is a one-man-show, don't expect releases to be everyday - but be patient :D If anyone wants to help, then feel free to contact me for info!
- Dev
Review: Journey to the West (Xi You Ji) 1986 Collectors Edition Boxset
Introduction
Perhaps one of the most famous Chinese dramas is 'Journey to the West' based on the works of Wu Cheng'en. Journey to the West is a CCTV produced live action drama serial first broadcasted in 1986. The 1986 version stars Liu Xiao Ling Tong as Sun Wu Kong. For many years, Xi You Ji (as Journey to the West is known as) was not available for English speakers.
Content
However in 2010, an 11DVD 'Collectors Edition Boxset' of the 1986 version of Journey to the West became available on Ebay. After years of searching, with partial success (a YouTube user uploaded the first series in average-quality with English subtitles; another user on a forum D-addicts il1li uploaded the VCDs with English subtitles) I decided to buy it.
The contents of the Collectors Edition Boxset are as recorded: 1 disc of a 40~ minute interview with the original actors (seems to have been recorded from TV and features Chinese hard-subs); 6 discs for 25 episodes of Journey to the West series 1 featuring around 4 episodes on each DVD; 4 discs for 16 episodes of the second series of Journey to the West 1986 (the picture quality for the second series is greatly improved, and also stars Liu Xiao Ling Tong, I'm guessing it was made in the 1990s with better camera equipment). Each disc is region free, and has a plastic sleeve within a cardboard box, which slides into a cardboard holder.
Subtitles
The subtitles have been synced wonderfully, and do not lag. The image based subs could have been in a nicer font (they look slightly like a type-writer font). As for the translation, as an English speaker one can notice grammatical errors, and a few strangely worded sentences, other then that, the translation seems fine and the stories make sense. Compared to other versions, the transcriptions deviate (from the top of my head, 'The Small Planet' is referred to as 'Venus', 'Thousand-mile Eye and Wind-Accompanying Ear' are referred to as 'Yare-Ear and Mile-Eye (something along those lines)'. However, I can feel that they've made an enormous effort. Translating 49 episodes that are roughly 40-60 minutes long, and then syncing it would have been a phenomenal and tedious task that is to be commended. Subtitles for Chinese characters inside the serial have been accounted for (such as when Wukong enters the cave and looks at the characters on the wall, the subtitles say 'Waterfall-Curtain Cave').
Conclusion
For less then 50 US dollars, reliving the memories of Journey to the West 1986 is priceless (I'm still kicking myself for only recording 6-7 episodes on VHS which had the most accurate, beautiful subtitles). The picture quality is the best you'll get for series one. No matter where you look, unless the producers decide to remaster the original series from the reels, the quality of the DVDs are the best.
The image is a little soft, so ripping the discs and running it through some filters will probably make the picture sharper - for TV viewing the softness is not noticeable. For the second series, the quality is simply sublime - characters are sharp and the DVDs are filled with colour - one would expect the same quality from a soap or program aired in 2012 with a 4:3 ratio - I was not expecting that the quality could have improved so much but it did! The subtitles are synced, and to my knowledge fairly accurate.
The box in which it comes in is definitely of high-quality. It features first an outer box that slips onto a 'book'. Upon opening the book inside the outer box, there is a page for each DVD. Each page contains a slip for the DVD and beautiful drawings with Chinese characters - the DVDs themselves are protected by the slip and also another plastic slip. In conclusion, the Collectors Edition Boxset is the perfect edition for anyone who wants a real and fresh look into Journey to the West 1986.
End Notes
Perhaps one of the most famous Chinese dramas is 'Journey to the West' based on the works of Wu Cheng'en. Journey to the West is a CCTV produced live action drama serial first broadcasted in 1986. The 1986 version stars Liu Xiao Ling Tong as Sun Wu Kong. For many years, Xi You Ji (as Journey to the West is known as) was not available for English speakers.
Content
However in 2010, an 11DVD 'Collectors Edition Boxset' of the 1986 version of Journey to the West became available on Ebay. After years of searching, with partial success (a YouTube user uploaded the first series in average-quality with English subtitles; another user on a forum D-addicts il1li uploaded the VCDs with English subtitles) I decided to buy it.
The contents of the Collectors Edition Boxset are as recorded: 1 disc of a 40~ minute interview with the original actors (seems to have been recorded from TV and features Chinese hard-subs); 6 discs for 25 episodes of Journey to the West series 1 featuring around 4 episodes on each DVD; 4 discs for 16 episodes of the second series of Journey to the West 1986 (the picture quality for the second series is greatly improved, and also stars Liu Xiao Ling Tong, I'm guessing it was made in the 1990s with better camera equipment). Each disc is region free, and has a plastic sleeve within a cardboard box, which slides into a cardboard holder.
Subtitles
The subtitles have been synced wonderfully, and do not lag. The image based subs could have been in a nicer font (they look slightly like a type-writer font). As for the translation, as an English speaker one can notice grammatical errors, and a few strangely worded sentences, other then that, the translation seems fine and the stories make sense. Compared to other versions, the transcriptions deviate (from the top of my head, 'The Small Planet' is referred to as 'Venus', 'Thousand-mile Eye and Wind-Accompanying Ear' are referred to as 'Yare-Ear and Mile-Eye (something along those lines)'. However, I can feel that they've made an enormous effort. Translating 49 episodes that are roughly 40-60 minutes long, and then syncing it would have been a phenomenal and tedious task that is to be commended. Subtitles for Chinese characters inside the serial have been accounted for (such as when Wukong enters the cave and looks at the characters on the wall, the subtitles say 'Waterfall-Curtain Cave').
Conclusion
For less then 50 US dollars, reliving the memories of Journey to the West 1986 is priceless (I'm still kicking myself for only recording 6-7 episodes on VHS which had the most accurate, beautiful subtitles). The picture quality is the best you'll get for series one. No matter where you look, unless the producers decide to remaster the original series from the reels, the quality of the DVDs are the best.
The image is a little soft, so ripping the discs and running it through some filters will probably make the picture sharper - for TV viewing the softness is not noticeable. For the second series, the quality is simply sublime - characters are sharp and the DVDs are filled with colour - one would expect the same quality from a soap or program aired in 2012 with a 4:3 ratio - I was not expecting that the quality could have improved so much but it did! The subtitles are synced, and to my knowledge fairly accurate.
The box in which it comes in is definitely of high-quality. It features first an outer box that slips onto a 'book'. Upon opening the book inside the outer box, there is a page for each DVD. Each page contains a slip for the DVD and beautiful drawings with Chinese characters - the DVDs themselves are protected by the slip and also another plastic slip. In conclusion, the Collectors Edition Boxset is the perfect edition for anyone who wants a real and fresh look into Journey to the West 1986.
End Notes
- The Collectors Edition Boxset 11DISC set and 10DISC set are, to my knowledge, the same. The difference would be that one title is simply referring to the number of discs contained, whereas the latter title refers to the number of discs of episodes. There was 1 disc with an interview that is not part of the series, hence meaning some titles overlook the extra disk stating 10DISC whereas another title shows you how many TOTAL discs there are.
- Region free and protection free - you can rip it, and play it on any new DVD player.
- If I am correct, there audio would be Mandarin (I remember hearing yoguay as 'devil' and altahmen as 'children').
- The subtitles are English, Chinese, Chinese Simplified and Japanese (or atleast that is what VobSub told me).
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Free Small File Hosting Sites
Hey,
A lot has happened in 2012 regarding file-hosting sites. The complete shut-down of Megaupload (and arrest of key players), has lead to Fileserve (and its sister sites) and Filesonic greatly limiting their use, along with many other '1-click-filehosters'.
A major change that Filesonic has implemented is making files uploaded only accessible to the original user who uploaded the material. Filesonic, and many other sites, have begun to delete millions of files, rendering dozens of links useless, and greatly incapacitating mega-search engine 'Filestube'. For video and audio distributing, this is a phenomenal blow, as Filesonic and Fileserve were among the most popular file-hosting sites.
However, if you only need a small reliable file-hoster to upload, say, document1.pdf (2.1mb), then these filehosters that I've compiled are definitely something to consider:
Free Small File Hosting Sites
XUP - Registration is free, and you can upload 15mb max, however it is in another language. The navigation is easy, and you'll easily be able to figure it out (or just use Google Translate).
BigUpload - Another small filehosting site. Registration is not required, and users can upload up to 20mb.
senduit - Has a 100mb upload limit. This filehosting site is great for private links. Users can choose an expiry date (e.g. in 30 minutes, or 2 hours). Senduit is great for hosting something temporary (project, assignment, holiday pics), and not worrying to delete it as files expire in 30 minutes - 1 week depending on your choice.
TinyUpload - Has a limit of 50mb. According to the site, files uploaded will remain forever.
SmallFiles - Users can upload small files. One of the simplest small filehosting sites.
WikiSend - Has a file size limit of 100mb, and provides password protection, however uploaded files only last for a week. It also provides a handy file ID download service.
Free Bigger File Hosting Sites
Crocko - Crocko has a larger size limit, but comes in handy because of its ability to upload large files.
SendSpace - Sendspace has a 300mb file size limit. Its useful for sending a file link to a specific person.
MirrorCreator - Uploads to multiple sites, has a huge limit of 500mb, and is handy if you want to give the downloader some choice as to which site to download from.
Hopefully, this compilation of links is helpful for finding a new uploading site if you were using MegaUpload or FileServe when they closed.
- Dev
A lot has happened in 2012 regarding file-hosting sites. The complete shut-down of Megaupload (and arrest of key players), has lead to Fileserve (and its sister sites) and Filesonic greatly limiting their use, along with many other '1-click-filehosters'.
A major change that Filesonic has implemented is making files uploaded only accessible to the original user who uploaded the material. Filesonic, and many other sites, have begun to delete millions of files, rendering dozens of links useless, and greatly incapacitating mega-search engine 'Filestube'. For video and audio distributing, this is a phenomenal blow, as Filesonic and Fileserve were among the most popular file-hosting sites.
However, if you only need a small reliable file-hoster to upload, say, document1.pdf (2.1mb), then these filehosters that I've compiled are definitely something to consider:
Free Small File Hosting Sites
XUP - Registration is free, and you can upload 15mb max, however it is in another language. The navigation is easy, and you'll easily be able to figure it out (or just use Google Translate).
BigUpload - Another small filehosting site. Registration is not required, and users can upload up to 20mb.
senduit - Has a 100mb upload limit. This filehosting site is great for private links. Users can choose an expiry date (e.g. in 30 minutes, or 2 hours). Senduit is great for hosting something temporary (project, assignment, holiday pics), and not worrying to delete it as files expire in 30 minutes - 1 week depending on your choice.
TinyUpload - Has a limit of 50mb. According to the site, files uploaded will remain forever.
SmallFiles - Users can upload small files. One of the simplest small filehosting sites.
WikiSend - Has a file size limit of 100mb, and provides password protection, however uploaded files only last for a week. It also provides a handy file ID download service.
Free Bigger File Hosting Sites
Crocko - Crocko has a larger size limit, but comes in handy because of its ability to upload large files.
SendSpace - Sendspace has a 300mb file size limit. Its useful for sending a file link to a specific person.
MirrorCreator - Uploads to multiple sites, has a huge limit of 500mb, and is handy if you want to give the downloader some choice as to which site to download from.
Hopefully, this compilation of links is helpful for finding a new uploading site if you were using MegaUpload or FileServe when they closed.
- Dev
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