Memory prices currently low

In May we built a new workstation for audio/video editing and paid $100 for 8 gigs of memory. Today the same memory is 50 cheaper. That's quite a swing in under six months.

Need 4 gig sticks of DDR3 memory? Here's a good start:

G.Skill Ripjaw has worked well in many machines that we've put it in. Currently $30 with a $5 rebate at Newegg.

Back to school computer ideas 2011

Face it, back to school time is one of the best times to buy a new computer. Whether for a middle schooler, high schooler, or a college student, here are my suggestions for computers as of August 2011.

Netbooks often suffer from poor keyboards, 10" screens, and slooooow processors. The Lenovo ThinkPad X120e is faster than most netbooks (it uses a new AMD dual-core processor that beats the intel atom), has a slightly larger screen (11 inches) and a nice keyboard. You'll pay between $450 and $500 for it.



Need something cheaper? The Samsung NF310 is a good choice. It's under $400 and features an Intel atom 1.5ghz N550 processor and 250 gig hard drive.






Want a full size laptop? The Asus A53 series is nice. 15" screen, 4 gigs of memory, and 320gb hard drive. Under $400.

These recommendations should be good through December, 2011.

Easiest upgrade to your current PC? An SSD drive

The single easiest upgrade you can make to your current desktop? Adding an SSD drive. Nothing will help your computer speed up than putting in a drive that is usually 5 times faster than what is in your machine right now.

The strategy I like to use is to put in a 60GB drive in for the operating system, then have an additional traditional hard drive in the machine for storing your data (audio, video, pictures, etc.)

OCZ is a great brand (Intel is another strong leader). Here's my favorite for around $100: The OCZ Vertex 2. Get it for around $100-$120. Put it in, reinstall Windows (Windows 7 can be optimized for it... search for AHCI and switch your bios from IDE to AHCI for the drive *before* you install windows).

Add some NAS to your home network

We take a lot of pictures and have other digital assets that we want to be able to access on any computer in the house or home office.

Putting some network attached storage on the network solves many problems. Which one to buy? One of my favorite is the Synology DS211. Two hard drives so you have redundancy, and it's fast. Buy it for $300 and then add two hard drives. I'd suggest the Samsung F4 2tb. It's fast, cool, and quiet.

Best pocket camera 2011

DSLR users have a dilemma when planning to go out to an event where you want good pictures, but you don't want to bring the big bag with a DSLR and a lens or two that weighs in a 5+ pounds.

2011 brought a new pocket camera that I can honestly say is a significant advancement in many areas. Most pocket cameras take decent pictures in daylight or bright light. Most of them stink indoors when you have low light and moving subjects.

The Canon S95 is a game changer. It's low light shows are fantastic. Colors are great too. It's light weight, fits in a pocket, and comes much closer to the quality you get from a DSLR than any other pocket camera in the past. Pick it up for $400 or less as of July 2011.

Tiny computer builds

I love building computers. Last year it was a small micro atx box that could serve as a backup for audio editing.



I used the in-win BK644 case paired up with an ASRock motherboard. The case worked well; but it seems to be out of stock as of July 2011.

Someone asked if I considered building a mini-ITX. Not yet, but when I do, here's one case that I'm looking at. The Antec ISK 100. It comes with a power supply and is ready for it's tiny slice of your desk.

How to get started in voiceovers

Want to get started in voiceovers? This is not intended to help anyone that is already in the business of providing voiceovers. I wrote it to guide a person that asked how to get started. Also note, that although I specialize in broadcast promos, my advice for someone starting is to go for local advertising and similar.

Steps to start a career in voiceovers by Sean Caldwell. 7/2011

1. Listen to the radio and TV and find some advertisements that use a voice similar to yours. Record it on a voice recorder or similar. Consider texture, pitch, emotion, excitement. Find three advertisements for this.

2. Write out the scripts and start practicing. Ask yourself, why did they emphasize here and there; are there similarities between the three? Differences? Imitate the flow and sound of each one. You don’t want to become them, but you do want to understand the various styles that are being ‘bought.’ Do this for one week, practice 5x a day or more for 15 minutes at a time.
3. Now find three more advertisements and do the same. Are you quicker to learn the styles and imitate them? If so, you’re making progress.
4. Ready to record your demo. Take the scripts you copied and record them, have it produced up. Listen to it for a few weeks. After you hear it 100 times (seriously!) you’ll find things you wish you would have done differently. Re-record the demo.
5. Send it out. Send it to local cable companies, advertising agencies, friends in the media, people that use voices for on-hold messages.
6. You’ll need a studio to use. Or build one for $2,000 to $10,000. Speed is key, when someone wants a voiceover recorded, they can’t wait 3 days for you to make arrangements. How will you record your work?
7. Don’t expect to get rich. You might make $25 for a voiceover, or you might make $150 for a voiceover. It will probably take 5 years or more to be able to make $25,000 a year at this. Many people never make it to that level…the market is saturated with people trying to make big money with their voice. It can happen, but it doesn’t happen often.