Replace A Video’s Audio Track In Three Minutes or Less

KdenLive

The Problem – Switching Out Your Audio Track

It’s common for those recording musical or other performances to record audio separately from the video. For instance, the video may be recorded using an Iphone which gives good video quality. The audio however may be recorded using an external mic for either duplication reasons (in case the hookup to the Iphone or other video camera goes bad, or because one doesn’t have the proper connectors to pipe the microphone audio to the camera). To replace the audio track manually might cost you hours of time trying to sync the new audio to the video.

Automatic Syncing of New Audio with Video Track

If you find yourself in a position of wanting to replace the audio track recorded with the Iphone or other video camera with the audio recorded by an external mic, here’s a dead simple way of achieving the replacement without manually re-syncing to the video.

KDEN Live – An Open Source Solution

KDENLive is a free and open source video editing software for Linux which offers an easy way to replace the audio track while automatically syncing the new track to the old.

Steps to Replace Audio Track

  1. Install KDENLive. Go to the download page and install per the instructions.
  2. Copy the video file from your camera or mobile phone (in my case it was a .MOV file from the Iphone) and the audio file from your microphone recording (probably a .wav file) to the same folder on your computer.
  3. Open KDENLive, Select “Project” from the menu and then “Add Clip or Folder”

    Add Clip to KDENLive

  4. Select the folder that contains the video file and microphone audio file.
  5. The files should appear in your “Project Bin” on the top left of the KDENLive screen. Drag the video file to the time line below. It will create two tracks, one for the audio only track recorded by the microphone, and one for the audio associated with the video file (in my case the audio that was recorded by the Iphone).
  6. Drag the Microphone .wav file to the time line right below the Iphone’s audio track. In my case, the Iphone’s Video track was assigned V1, the audio track assigned A1, and the Microphone audio track was assigned A2.
  7. Mute the video file’s audio track (A1) by clicking on the speaker on that track.
  8. Now select the audio track from the Iphone (A1). Right click and select “Set Audio Reference”. Below is a screenshot showing the tracks, the muted audio, and setting the audio reference:

    KDENlive Set Audio Reference

  9. Now right click on the A2 track (the microphone’s wav file) and select “Align Audio”:

    KDENLive Audio Tracks

    KDENLive will automatically move the A2 track to match the audio in the A1 track. You are done. Play back the video using the preview and confirm that the audio is satisfactory then save your project and/or render your video.

    KDENLive does offer a Windows binary version for download but I have not tested as it is reportedly buggy. I would be interested if somebody would try and it and respond in the comments as to how well the audio sync feature works.

How to Force Google Safe Search on DD-WRT

Choosing Googles SafeSearch

Try Oone of These Two Methods to Force Google Safe Search

These two methods will enforce Google’s safesearch on all computers on your network (keep in mind that this won’t work for cell phones or other devices using cellular data). This is specific to any router using the DDWRT firmware. DDWRT is an open source firmware that is available to be flashed on a number of routers (check the DDWRT website for a list of compatible routers and installation details)

Method #1 of Forcing Google’s Safe Search – Rewrite DDWRT’s Hosts File on Startup

The simplest way to do this is to have your router edit your hosts file on each startup as follows:

  1. Go to Administration->Commands

    DDWRT Screenshot - administration

  2. Click “Edit” and add the following script:

  3. Click “Run Commands”
  4. Click “Save Startup”
  5. Done!

What does this do ? It redirects those urls to the ip address of forcesafesearch.com. Your hosts file will be wiped out on every reboot of the router but the script will restore the settings.

While this is a very easy way of forcing safesearch, the disadvantage is that Google could change the ip address of safesearch. In addition, this method doesn’t permit wild cards.

Method #2 of Forcing Google SafeSearch- Use DNSMasq

This method permits wildcards:

  1. Make sure that you have DNS masq enabled.
  2. Services->Additional DNSMasq option Box.
  3. DDWRT DNSMasq Option

  4. Insert the following (Note the DOT before google.com, the dot acts as a wild card to pickup any subdomains):
  5. It should look like this:

    DNSMasq Options With Google Safe Search Specified

  6. Click “Save” (button bottom of page)
  7. Click “Apply Settings”
  8. Done! If it doesn’t work right away you may need to reboot the router (use the button on the Services tab)

Make a $5 Motion Sensitive Coca Cola Night Light

Coca-Cola Night Soap Dispenser

Here’s a simple project.

Motion Sensitive Soap Dispenser

Home Depot is currently selling this “Soap Brite Lighted Soap Dispenser” which acts as a night lite, lighting up the liquid soap with one of 7 colors when it senses motion.

It will set you back a grand total of $3.88 plus tax. The LED lighting is contained in the base and shines up through the plastic container to illuminate the soap. There’s a button on the base which can rotate through the seven colors.

Coca-Cola Bottle Replacement

By itself, and for the cost, the dispenser is pretty cool, but you can give it a simple upgrade by replacing the container with a one pint Mexican bottled glass coke bottle. I found mine at a local grocery store for $1. The dispenser’s container simply lifts off the base (no screws). The base fits the pint Coke bottle exactly. Find a pump that fits the Coke bottle, and it can continue its use as a soap dispenser (I was able to snatch one from another soap dispenser we had lying around which fit perfectly).

No pump ? Than simply put it on a shelf with the cap back on and you have an interesting night light!

Coca-Cola Night Light

Caution: If you are going to use the glass Coke bottle as a soap dispenser, be careful as it is a little top heavy and may fall if one is not careful when using. Suggest using superglue to glue the base. Not recommended for kids.