Raspberry Pi’s PIXEL Linux desktop

REF: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/12/raspberry-pi-pixel-pc-download-details/

demo: https://youtu.be/RBpAkTvBbYg

PIXEL is a clean, modern desktop environment, "the GNU/Linux we would want to use."

NRCS MOS protocol

What is MOS Protocol

MOS protocol is an XML-based protocol used to communicate between NCS (News Room Computer System) and MOS device.

Need of MOS Protocol

News Room Computer System automates that operation of News Room operation that includes script writing/editing to broadcast content. This process includes many devices and each device vendor has his set of protocol to talk to NCS.
The tremendous growth of media industry inspires broadcast industry to introduce a standard protocol for the communication between NRCS and MOS devices.

REF: https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/34527/MOS-Protocol-Fundamentals

mediainfo on ubuntu to UFF

mediainfo can show UFF or BFF of a video. pretty convenient package on Linux.

Using FFmpeg to produce an interlaced mpeg2 output, from an interlaced source (i.e. DV), I have a doubt regarding the flags to use.

-ilme -top 0

does produce a valid interlaced output BFF, according to MediaInfo.

REF: http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/356455-FFmpeg-and-mpeg2-interlaced-encoding

Bitnami App Stack

Bitnami App Stack is a easy way to deploy App along with LAMP, via single installer or VM image. It works like container deployment which is useful for a better DevOps procedure.

REF: http://blog.bitnami.com/

Raspberry Pi Zero

really small and cheap board...US$5.00!! no need for box but simply two pieces of plastics can do its protection cover.

ISMS: dnsbl-check

a script for checking suspicious ip via DNSBL.

REF: http://marc.info/?l=openbsd-misc&m=148223350813762&w=2

=== dnsbl-check ===

#!/bin/sh
#
# Check if the given IPv4 address is on a DNS blacklist.
# The list of DNSBL services was taken from
# https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_DNS_blacklists.
#
# DNSBLs that return too many false positives:
# - hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com
# - recent.spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
# - dnsbl.sorbs.net

ip=$1
[[ $ip = [0-9]*.[0-9]*.[0-9]*.[0-9]* ]] || { echo 'IPv4 required'; exit 1; }
rev_ip=$(
        IFS="."
        set -- $ip
        echo "$4.$3.$2.$1"
)

DNSBL_SERVICES='
zen.spamhaus.org
bl.spamcop.net
b.barracudacentral.org
rbl.megarbl.net
all.s5h.net
srnblack.surgate.net
bl.blocklist.de
dnsbl.inps.de
ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
blacklist.hostkarma.com
spamtrap.drbl.drand.net
bl.spamcannibal.org
spam.spamrats.com
dyna.spamrats.com
noptr.spamrats.com
dnsrbl.org
dnsbl.cobion.com
dul.dnsbl.sorbs.net
noservers.dnsbl.sorbs.net
badconf.rhsbl.sorbs.net
escalations.dnsbl.sorbs.net
web.dnsbl.sorbs.net
safe.dnsbl.sorbs.net
babl.rbl.webiron.net
'

for dnsbl in $DNSBL_SERVICES
do      host -t A ${rev_ip}.${dnsbl} >/dev/null &&
        echo "$ip on $dnsbl black list." &
done

wait

Linux kernel: Dirty COW (CVE-2016-5195)

REF: https://github.com/dirtycow/dirtycow.github.io/wiki/VulnerabilityDetails

Impact

• An unprivileged local user could use this flaw to gain write access to otherwise read-only memory mappings and thus increase their privileges on the system.
• This flaw allows an attacker with a local system account to modify on-disk binaries, bypassing the standard permission mechanisms that would prevent modification without an appropriate permission set.

youtube upload with cmd

REF: https://github.com/tokland/youtube-upload
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WAKenzDOT8

$ wget https://github.com/tokland/youtube-upload/archive/master.zip
$ unzip master.zip
$ cd youtube-upload-master
$ sudo python setup.py install

• Upload a video with extra metadata, with your own client secrets and credentials file, and to a playlist (if not found, it will be created):

$ youtube-upload \
  --title="A.S. Mutter" 
  --description="A.S. Mutter plays Beethoven" \
  --category=Music \
  --tags="mutter, beethoven" \
  --recording-date="2011-03-10T15:32:17.0Z" \
  --default-language="en" \
  --default-audio-language="en" \
  --client-secrets=my_client_secrets.json \
  --credentials-file=my_credentials.json \
  --playlist "My favorite music" \
  anne_sophie_mutter.flv
tx2Zb-145Yz

HVM vs PV (Paravirtual VS Hardware VM)

REF: http://cloudacademy.com/blog/aws-ami-hvm-vs-pv-paravirtual-amazon/

Traditionally, Paravirtualized guests performed better with storage and network operations than HVM guests, because they could avoid the overhead of emulating network and disk hardware. This is no longer the case with HVM guests. They must translate these instructions (I/O) every time to effectively emulated hardware. Things have also improved since the introduction of PV drivers for HVM guest's. HVM guests will also experience performance advantages in storage and network I/O.

Because Amazon is changing their approach towards the AWS AMI, we have no choice but to address this topic. It is possible that in near future you may see HVM types completely replacing PV types. If this happens it is critical that you make informed decisions today. If you want to know how to create an Amazon AMI take a look at one of our labs.

adobe FME encoder

FME can encode pretty stable rtmp stream for server side to relay, which should be top one choice of free encoder.

DevOps using AWS

S3 can be used for backup or simple cloud storage via http. however, app deployment via this kind of API usage is still slow if lack of developers. therefore utilizing app images in AWS marketplace could be a better way for MIS / app team to run a simpler DevOps procedure.

Dungeons & Dragons related creatives

this classic fantasy theme let many artists create interesting works : ) which can be viewed in the magazine.

LINE@ for marketing

• personal vs company
• push notification
• member stats, management

vs9 evaluation

在技術層面可以考慮參考Netflix的做法，用更好的壓縮方法來解決影片流的頻寬問題。但採用 VP8、VP9 也好，這些都是用空間換流量，因為 vpx codec的缺點是：不是所有裝置都支援，例如蘋果裝置，iphone、ipad、macos safari，就全不支援 html5 vpx codec 且在可見的未來 apple 也沒有計畫要支援，因此即使有vpx codec 編碼，還是得產生 h264 編碼的影片，根據不同裝置給不同的 codec，這的確能省一點流量。

以 360p 解析度而言，轉用其他幾種 codec 能省 20% 就已經算很多了(10%~15% 較可能)，加上不是所有裝置都能用，還是有一部份得用 h264 codec，大概估一下，就說有 70% 的流量都用這種省頻寬的 codec 好了，100 萬的費用中，70 萬可以省 20%，30萬不動，那麼是：

700000 * 0.8 = 560000
560000 + 300000 = 860000

REF: http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/netflix-offline-downloads-codecs-vp9-1201932502/

2016 RedHat Forum, Taipei

• Participation is Power.
• innovation
• agile
• but long term support: kernel 2.6 vs 4.9?
• container faster boot up
• next generation architecture

Check_MK: apt update

Check for normal and security updates via APT

Distribution:	official part of Check_MK
License:	GPL
Supported Agents:	Linux

This check checks for available normal and security updates by trying apt-get update or apt-get dist-upgradewithout actually installing packets. It works on Debian and Ubuntu. You need to deploy the plugin mk_apt in order for the check to work. It is recommended to install this plugin with asynchronous execution and at an interval with at least one hour. 

The check gets critical if there are security updates available. It gets warning, if there are other updates available. These two states can be overriden via a WATO rule. 

Discovery

One service will be created for each system where the mk_apt plugin is being installed and the command apt-get is present.

REF: 

https://mathias-kettner.de/checkmk_check_catalogue.html

http://lists.mathias-kettner.de/pipermail/checkmk-en/2012-January/004841.html

NYC-based Chinese-Language Broadcaster Selects Octopus

News room automation.

May 27, 2016, 11:48 AM EST by Phil Kurz

New Tang Dynasty Television in New York City has chosen OCTOPUS for its newsroom system and the OCTOPUS App for reporters in the field.

TV and online journalists at a 24/7 Chinese-language news broadcaster based in New York City will begin using the Octopus newsroom system.

The newsroom system project at New Tang Dynasty Television includes many Octopus app licenses, the company says.

The app will give the broadcaster’s journalists in the field access to all wires, rundowns and assignments via their iPhones, iPads and Android devices.

Journalists also can file from the field, edit stories and preview teleprompter text with the app.

“Using the Octopus app, we can send assignment notifications to specific television reporters,” said New Tang Dynasty TV Chief Engineer Russ Siew.

“They in turn can use their mobile phone or tablet to capture audio and video content and then edit stories in the field. They can then submit stories for approval complete with stills, full motion video and sound.”

More information is available on the Octopus website.

REF: http://www.tvnewscheck.com/playout/2016/05/nyc-based-chinese-language-broadcaster-selects-octopus/?pfstyle=wp

Quolinara, the elven nation

The Druid guild is located somewhere in the forests of the Kingdom of the Elves of Quolinara as they share the same elven belief in nature.

Sermon (Tharor)
May, 1512
As some of you may already be aware, Her Majesty of Quolinara and our Lord, have worked together to create a community on the outskirts of Quolinara. In the center of this new community is a memorial to the fallen world of Teciann.

REF:
http://druids.wikidot.com/tharor
http://www.ateraan.com/guilds/guilds_kingdom.html

OTT analytics strategy

• OTT data sources
• audience profiling, behavior
• audience rate via time series
• geo mapping for interest groups
• geo mapping for regional, global
• platform comparison: cable vs. digital
• customer market analysis: world vs. city
• => data driven, branding combinition marketing.

ffmpeg encode vp9

Variable Bitrate

libvpx-vp9 offers a variable bitrate mode by default. In this mode, it will simply try to reach the specified bit rate on average, e.g. 1 MBit/s. This is the "target bitrate".

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libvpx-vp9 -b:v 1M -c:a libvorbis output.webm

Choose a higher bit rate if you want better quality. Note that you shouldn't leave out the -b:v option as the default settings will produce mediocre quality output.

REF: https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/VP9

rsync to SDS

files can be rsync to traditional storage pool such as LVM + RAID, or SDS like GlusterFS. However, factors below need to be considered:

1. rsync target folder need to be cleaned up for the first time.
2. kernel / userland support of storage device. 
3. HDD and machine combination for the pooling. LVM may be the least choice. 

ffmpeg 1080i

• up-converted NTSC to 1080i has the same fps of 29.97 = 30000/1001 mode.
• crf =35 will result in VBR about 1Mbps w/ H.264 high profile. 
• CPU = 300%, much more than NTSC = 60%.

digital marketing SOP

1. Product / Brand target market TA analysis, from world to city ranking globally.
2. Media platform coverage / reach matching.
3. Customer interest / plan integration.
4. Data-driven programmatic advertisement for the TA.

new c-suite

• automation
• data
• UX / ecosystem

REF: https://www.fastcompany.com/3048398/the-future-of-work/10-c-suite-jobs-of-the-future

Superforecasting

a simple answer is: we still need specific persons to do good forecasts. hard to automate it by AI.

" It is not "just" a matter of scanning a massive database and triangulating in on the most plausible Bayesian-estimated answer. I put scare quotes around "just" because I do not in any way want to trivialize what an extraordinary achievement WATSON is. "

REF: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/can-we-improve-predictions-q-a-with-philip-superforecasting-tetlock/#

rsync cross-infra

rsync via ssh tunnel is convenient to replication files between site, by 'ssh -p port' and -avz in one-line. cheaper than backup into cloud infra.

MTG: Return to Ravnica

five colors form ten combinations by selecting either two. contrasting to Tarkir series of three out of five, the two may not have a leading color in them.

VPN cross-infra

Using VPN for cross infra:

• SSO with LDAP or AD.
• SSL tunneling in public network. Certified cert is freely available from Let's encrypt if needed. 

HD engineering migration

• VDA
• switcher
• router, ip based
• cam
• multi view

nginx CDN

Reverse Proxy with Caching.

http {
    proxy_cache_path  /data/nginx/cache  levels=1:2    keys_zone=STATIC:10m
    inactive=24h  max_size=1g;
    server {
        location / {
            proxy_pass             http://1.2.3.4;
            proxy_set_header       Host $host;
            proxy_cache            STATIC;
            proxy_cache_valid      200  1d;
            proxy_cache_use_stale  error timeout invalid_header updating
                                   http_500 http_502 http_503 http_504;
        }
    }
}

REF: https://www.nginx.com/resources/wiki/start/topics/examples/reverseproxycachingexample/

OTT markets

• YouTube: the earliest social video platform, making profit by display & pre-roll ads. seems that hard to cover its costs, thus subscription model called youtube red was released recently.
• Facebook: the largest social friendship platform, making profit by display ad. try to increase traffic by original contents of instant article, video and live streaming. however, video costs much more than image/text. Seems than cost of Facebook ad increases drastically to compensate it recently.
• Netflix: the well-known OTT vendor, making profit via subscription model. Seems working by balancing the cost and the subscription fee.

MTG: Kaladesh

The new Kaladesh series include several new mechanics, such as vehicles, energy, fabricate, etc.

The Newsroom

The Newsroom series by HBO is also a good reference for team organization and precedure, from Host, EP to Senior Producer, etc.