Eastfist

A demo comparison between original 720p video upscaled 6x using Topaz Gigapixel AI and Topaz Sharpen AI.

By Chongchen Saelee

Recently got a new Windows 11 mini PC with however many cores, a powerful little beast for crunching graphics editing. But it’s still newish technology, so you can’t rely on it to run older tech like video game emulators fully. In this case, I’m trying out the latest version, as of this writing, of PCSX2 version 2.2.0 which is a PlayStation 2 emulator. (Mind you, I use PCSX2 version 1.6.0 on my much older, decade old Windows 7 machine and it runs perfectly on it, no additional tinkering)

The installation went smoothly. And I’m testing out Grand Theft Auto 3 ROM. Everything boots up smoothly with the default settings. However, it’s a subtle gripe, but I notice there being some delay in the audio. You can test this for yourself, maybe your results will vary.

When you shoot any gun or pay attention to the footstep and hopping sounds, or crash cars into each other or into a wall, or pay close attention to explosions, the audio is coming in slightly late. Maybe a few frames late. However many milliseconds late. It means there is something wrong with the timing of the video and audio.

Video output clearly isn’t the problem. As it is very responsive to my controller inputs.

So it’s an audio problem. It’s coming in too late, a fraction of a second too late. So here are the best settings for the most “accurate” synchronized audio results for PCSX2 version 2.2.0. (more…)

If you’re just embarrassed for DuckStation when it can’t even run ancient games like “Final Fantasy V” in emulation on modern PCs without screen tearing, it’s not as simple as “enable vsync”. The Enable VSync is right in there in DuckStation, but you can do all sorts of tricks, check this, uncheck that, whatever, and a simple ass game like “Final Fantasy V” just won’t run smoothly without that ugly distracting screentearing. So here’s the real solution. (more…)

And here’s the ChatGPT AI-generated response for the prompt “Tell me about Taylor Swift”:

Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Taylor Swift is a multi-talented American singer-songwriter who has achieved immense success in both country and pop music genres. Born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania, Swift showed an early interest in music and began performing at local venues as a teenager. Her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, the epicenter of country music, to support her burgeoning career.

Swift released her self-titled debut album in 2006, which established her as a rising star in country music. The album’s singles, such as “Tim McGraw” and “Teardrops on My Guitar,” showcased her knack for storytelling and relatable lyrics, earning her critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base.

Her second album, “Fearless” (2008), catapulted Swift to mainstream success. It featured hit singles like “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me,” which topped charts worldwide and earned her multiple awards, including four Grammy Awards. Swift’s ability to connect with listeners through her heartfelt lyrics about love, relationships, and personal experiences endeared her to millions of fans.

Over the years, Swift transitioned from country to pop music with albums like “Red” (2012), “1989” (2014), and “Reputation” (2017). Each album showcased her evolution as an artist, blending catchy pop melodies with introspective lyrics and exploring themes of love, fame, and self-discovery.

In addition to her musical accomplishments, Swift is known for her business acumen and advocacy for artists’ rights. She has been vocal about issues such as fair compensation for musicians and has used her platform to support causes like gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights.

Swift’s impact on popular culture extends beyond music; she is also recognized for her entrepreneurial ventures, including successful fragrance and clothing lines, as well as her philanthropic efforts. With numerous awards to her name, including 11 Grammy Awards, Taylor Swift continues to be a dominant force in the music industry, captivating audiences with her storytelling prowess and artistic innovation.

There’s some potential for fun trolling here. But would take some effort.

Some ChatGPT AI-generated fun. The prompt was “Tell me about Kendrick Lamar”. This is the response:

Kendrick Lamar photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Kendrick Lamar is a highly acclaimed rapper, songwriter, and producer from Compton, California, known for his intricate lyrics, socially conscious themes, and innovative approach to hip-hop music. Born on June 17, 1987, Lamar (born Kendrick Lamar Duckworth) grew up in a neighborhood rife with gang violence and poverty, which heavily influenced his early music and lyrical content.

His career gained significant momentum with the release of his independent album “Section.80” in 2011, which was followed by his major label debut “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. The latter album received widespread critical acclaim and solidified Lamar’s reputation as one of the most talented and introspective voices in contemporary rap.

Lamar’s subsequent albums, “To Pimp a Butterfly” (2015) and “DAMN.” (2017), further cemented his status as a visionary artist. “To Pimp a Butterfly” in particular was praised for its ambitious fusion of jazz, funk, and spoken word, alongside its exploration of complex social issues such as race, identity, and systemic oppression.

Throughout his career, Lamar has won numerous awards, including thirteen Grammy Awards. He is known for his powerful live performances and his ability to address deep societal issues with a blend of personal storytelling and sharp social commentary. Kendrick Lamar’s influence extends beyond music, as he has also been involved in philanthropic efforts and has used his platform to advocate for social justice and community empowerment.

His impact on the music industry and popular culture at large is significant, as he continues to push artistic boundaries and inspire a new generation of artists and fans alike.

I’m not going to take the time to verify if any of it is correct. But just reading it, it’s quite impressive. Even though I know how the technology works and it’s most likely incredibly plagarized. LOL

2002 Toyota Corolla Sagging Headliner Repair Tutorial

By Chongchen Saelee

It’s inevitable that your car will go through some wear and tear and one hazard is when the fabric on the car’s headliner eventually falls off and sags. If this fabric fell off during driving, it would block your vision! So you need to repair this as soon as possible.

I’ve had the headliner of my 2002 Toyota Corolla replaced by a carshop and have done so myself for the past 3 to 4 times now with reminders from YouTube videos. Works like a charm. Each repair lasts for a year or two.

You don’t have to disassemble everything like in some YouTube videos. I may have disassembled too many parts as of this tutorial’s writing, so I’ll correct or not add those steps in this tutorial. I’ll just tell you the necessary steps you need to do everything and in the least amount of time. Especially because most people won’t have all the tools and replacement parts on hand, so it will take much longer than absolutely needed to complete this repair. (more…)

This is a re-edited 9 year old clip with enhanced editing tricks and audio. Turn up the audio if you want maximum satisfaction.

Order of operations

Parenthesis, Exponents/Power, Multiplication, Division/Modulus, Addition, Subtraction

Notation example
(a² * b) + c – d
1. a²
2. * b
3. + c
4. – d

Proportions

a / A = x / X

You’re trying to solve x. You have to cross-multiply. Be mindful of order of operations.

x * A = a * X
x = a * X / A

Because I’m so nice, I coded up a very basic proportions calculator for you. Give it a try now!
(more…)

Testing it out. Not a fan of it. It works, but only because I’m previewing it in Chrome. However, it’s slow to load maybe because it’s doing some additional Javascripting to make it work. So unless there is native support, I wouldn’t recommend using WEBP images just yet.

In Chrome and Firefox, you can view a web page’s source code directly by typing into the URL bar:

view-source:[webpage address goes here]

for example:
view-source:http://www.example.com

And that will load the source code without actually loading the HTML. This is useful if you don’t want any popups or malicious code to execute, or you’re debugging a webpage.