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portalZINE TV was my / our youtube review channel till 2014 ( purely in German). We also shared our magazine via a live satellite broadcast every month. I continued doing a short podcast series (5 auf einen Streich) until 2019 and it has been waiting for something new since then.


I kept it in a waiting position, not really knowing what to do next. A complete revival is out of the question and not really enough fun to make it happen.

What I need is a fresh start with a mix of editorials, reviews, audio (possible restart of the podcast ) and maybe some video down the road.

While doing a complete cleanup of my attic, I really reignited some retro passion.

My old 5.1 hifi setup is back up, with a record and cassette player attached. Also dug up an old Sony Walkman, which I fixed and will be doing some more work on.

So the new setup of topics, will be centering around those things and things I have talked about on portalZINE TV in the past. I have no clear roadmap ahead, I just know that I am not ready yet to let portalZINE TV die ;)

The first step will be a complete cleanup and fresh design concept. After that, I will deal with my first editorial and see what else I need.

Time to roll up those sleeves and make some magic happen ;) But no pressure, this is a pure passion project. Free time is a rare commodity these days, so this needs to be fun all the way :)

Oh and the new setup will most likely be purely English, at least for the written content!

See you there … or not!

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Elekro Scherer – offers electric services & installations of all kinds

  • WordPress
  • Fresh new design ( GREENTONIC – Agentur Speyer )
  • Twig & Timber based custom theme / templates
  • Responsive Styling with SASS
  • DSGVO integration
  • Server Configuration & Optimisation
  • SSL Tweaks

Update 04/2021
Micro-Shop to help during the corona lockdown.
Listing of products available for sale in the electronic shop.
Product detail page, with the ability to contact for purchase (invoice based) and request direct delivery.


 
Elektro-Scherer.de

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The issue

WACOM is known for stopping support for their pen tablets after some years, especially for the cheaper consumer pen tablets.

The WACOM Bamboo (in my case the CTH-461) is a pretty popular pen tablet and the latest driver wont install natively under Windows 10. Really frustrating for hardware that is still in perfect shape.

The solution

  1. Download latest available driver from Wacom
  2. Do not install the software directly yet.
  3. Right click on the downloaded file and choose „Properties“
  4. Click Compatibility on the popup
  5. Activate „Run this program in compatibility mode for“, choose Windows 8.
  6. Now you can install the driver & software.
  7. Enjoy

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Watching from the sidelines

VR has not just arrived, but it finally arrived for me and the masses ;)

I have been watching VR evolving from the sidelines for the past few years. Its been a fun ride, from the first prototypes to what we have now.

The biggest problem in the past, has been image quality and the huge upfront investment for me. With the latest generation all of this has completely changed.

As a developer …

I am constantly keeping up with new technologies and have been diving into WebVR for some time now.

Its so easy to export your own simple Unity VR project into WebVR and integrate it into your own web projects.

Unreal Engine also provides options to work on VR projects. Or build upon the WebXR API.

Microsoft also has a foot in the door, with MRTK (Allows to integrate teleporting easily / Releases).

Oculus Quest 2

With the announcement of the Oculus Quest 2 last year, I finally decided to dive in myself. Standalone VR allows me to concentrate on WebVR and experiment, while still having the option to expand into the linked PC-universe in the future as well.

PC Link / PC Rig / PC VR

I have no plans to invest into a beefy gaming rig yet, but have been trying out cloud solutions using Shadow and Paperspace Gaming / Paperspace $10 Coupon (KS4Q2TA).

Update: Latency is the biggest problem with these solutions and it can be a hit & miss! My Paperspace experience was close to perfect for pure desktop experiences, for VR sadly not :) Can not testdrive Shadow right now, as the waitinglist is already showing September 2021 LOL CRAZY! Local latency can be greatly optimized by using Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi Direct.

With the current GPU prices, building a machine makes hardly any sense. I would love to build a small form-factor PC with a Shuttle XPC for example ;) Maybe later this year ….

I invested in VR-Comfort for now ;) I transformed the Oculus Quest 2 into a FrankenQuest with the DAS-Mod (HTC VR VIVE Deluxe Audio Strap). Loving the new look, audio and perfect weight balance :) Perfect for longer sessions.

Building a VR READY PC in 2021

I am officially infected. I decided to upgrade an old computer to minimum VR specs, to at least tryout PC-VR :)
The final build is ghetto and really a tight fit, but it works perfectly :)

For 2021 and the current shortages, this is a big win! The whole upgrade was about 400 EUR, with 250 EUR for the new GPU.

Here are my current PC-VR specs:

AreaBeforeAfter / Comment
PCFujitsu P900 – i3Nice clean case. Mainboard D2990 (ultra small μATX). Really tiny! This would normally not be my dream mainboard, but I am using what I have :) Trying to keep costs low.
Power SupplyStockEVGA 600 W1. Better cooling and needed power for the GPU.
CPUi3 – 2120i7 2600K . Big change in overall performance.
CPU Cooler & FanStockBe Quiet Pure Rock Slim BK030. (Had to do some mods to install it)
RAM8GBEnough for now.
GPUNVIDIA 1030 GTX – Low profileNVIDIA 1060 6gb Inno3D. That card takes up all slots, had to add a riser card to play with some USB 3.0 cards :)
USB3USB2Inateck PCIe USB 3.0  – KTU3FR-4P , again connected via a riser card!
Make sure that the card gets proper power (green light on the card itself), that is why another Inateck card failed to connect or had random disconnects ;)
That card charges and connects perfectly with the Oculus Quest 2. I was almost giving up and glad I found a working solution ;)
USB LINKUsing a 3m long cable from KIWI Design, works without any problems and has secure fit on the Oculus Quest 2
BluetoothBluetooth 4.0 – Asus BT-400

All that is required, has been added and now the PC VR universe is open for exploration :) As hardware is getting more expensive every week, I updated a second machine with comparable specs and have 2 machines that can run VR with entry /decent specs :)

Interesting Platforms

There are many new platforms providing access to new tools and often an easy access to a broader community. Some of them with nice build tools in VR.

Open Source

OpenXR is an open, royalty-free standard for access to virtual reality and augmented reality platforms and devices. It is developed by a working group managed by the Khronos Group consortium.“

You will find a bunch of efforts on the way, to build the next open multi-platform VR solution.

Building experiences in VR

Building with Unity is always an option, but not the best solution for those that are just getting started or for those that just want a simple starting point to experiment ;)

  • Zoe – Immersive 3D Creation Platform
    Create content directly in VR or using Unity :) Zoe is a perfect tool for Educators & Institutions.
  • A-Frame. A web framework for building 3D/AR/VR experiences. Make 3D worlds with HTML and Entity-Component For Quest, Rift, WMR, SteamVR, mobile, desktop
  • OpenSpace 3D – OpenSpace3D is a free and open-source platform, designed to create virtual and augmented-reality applications or games. If you are a 3D artist, a designer, a lab researcher, or just someone with a lot of passion and curiosity, you don’t need software development skills to use our platform.
  • Amazon Sumerian is a set of tools for creating high-quality virtual reality (VR) experiences on the web. With Sumerian, you can construct an interactive 3D scene without any programming experience, test it in the browser, and publish it as a website that is immediately available to users.
  • Mozilla Spoke – Create 3D social scenes for Hubs
  • Wonderland Engine is a development platform for web-based graphics applications. It comes with an accessible 3D editor application – the Wonderland Editor – and an efficient WebAssembly based runtime that runs in the browser.

VR Office

Another evolving area is the office space. Some of the platforms above already dive into that area, like XRDesktop. But Oculus / Facebook itself is working on its Infinite Office integration.

Other solutions help to mirror your PC within VR and open new ways for collaboration:

The biggest problem is the mirroring of the keyboard. As soon as that is solved, this might become usable. Immerse VR provides an option to overlay a virtual representation of your keyboard, by mapping your real-life keyboard in VR.

Communities

Always important to stay informed. Here some communities are frequently visit:

Tools

  • Oculus TrayTool – It’s a free application that helps you get the most out of your Oculus Rift & Oculus Quest, when connected via Link.

Here to stay

VR is here to stay, I would have never though it would take off 2020 / 2021. But we all face new challenges and technology is evolving to make space for new possibilities.

Not all gaming

While gaming / fitness / social are the entry point for VR currently, this whole market will expand quickly in 2021.

Really looking forward to new possibilities and another facet of my developer life.

Looking forward meeting some of you in the VR-Multiverse :)

Enjoy coding ….

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Frohe Ostern aus dem Norden. Da an Urlaub dieses Jahr nicht wirklich zu denken ist, ist Kreatives gefragt! 
Wie wäre es mit dem Eiertrullern (geht auch im Garten oder in der Sandkiste )
Auf den Ostfriesischen Inseln – speziell auf Norderney – spielen Einheimische und Touristen das Eiertrullern traditionell in den Dünen. Die Mitwirkenden stellen sich dabei auf die Sandseite und lassen die Eier auf planierten Rampen, einer „Lünskebahn“, hinunterkullern, ohne sie dabei zu werfen. 

Sieger ist derjenige, dessen Ei am weitesten kommt und dabei unbeschädigt bleibt. Als Gewinn erhält er das Ei des Gegners. Aus Naturschutzgründen findet das Eiertrullern heutzutage nur noch auf künstlich aufgeschütteten Sanddünen am Strand statt.

English – „Happy Easter from the north. Since vacation this year is not really an option, some creativity is required!

How about the –Eiertrullern– (also works in the garden or in the sandpit)
On the East Frisian Islands – especially on Norderney – locals and tourists traditionally play the –Eiertrullern– in the dunes. The participants stand on the sand side and let the eggs roll down on leveled ramps, a „Lünskebahn“, without throwing them.

The winner is the one whose egg gets the furthest and remains undamaged. As a win he receives the opponent’s egg. For nature conservation reasons, egg trolling now only takes place on artificially raised sand dunes on the beach.“

Ein paar schöne erholsame Tage im Kreis der Familie.
Moin aus Löningen
Alex 

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28. März 2021

VIKTUALIA | HOFEINKAUF

Viktualia liefert an Abholstationen im Raum Heidelberg.
Viktualia bündelt für dich das Angebot kleiner und kleinster Höfe aus der Region. Das Ergebnis: Die ganze Vielfalt dessen, was ausgewählte Erzeuger zu bieten haben. Einfach im Onlineshop Brot, Eier, Fleisch, Käse, Joghurt, Gemüse und vieles mehr bestellen und die Einkäufe entspannt auf dem Heimweg an einer Abholstation mitnehmen.“


Viktualia delivers to pick-up stations in the Heidelberg area.
Viktualia bundles the range of small and very small farms from the region for you. The result: the full diversity of what selected producers have to offer. Simply order bread, eggs, meat, cheese, yoghurt, vegetables and much more in the online shop and take your shopping with you to a pick-up station on the way home. „



01.11.2020: This project has been with me for the past months. We just finished our beta testdrive with a close testing group a few weeks ago. The shop will be completely open on the 25.11., with the first delivery going out on the 2.12. It was pleasure working on this project and I am looking forward to its lift-off.


25.11.2020: Viktualia is open for business! (Viktualia ist am Start!)


28.3.2021: Now also delivers directly to your doorstep, if your address is within the delivery area. A perfect fit for those that can not go out and still want access to fresh products. We also added a quick category menu within the shop, to access certain areas more easily.


This was a combined effort with GREENTONIC, Heike Frank.

Viktualia Hofeinkauf / Pelin Yildiz

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26. März 2021

Tracking your body in VR

A new passion!

VR is a new passion of mine, that I play with in my freetime, but also explore as a developer and tech enthusiast.

As video quality has evolved a lot in the past 2 years, the big topic now is full body immersion.

What needs to be tracked in VR?

The following things are becoming more important:

  • Hand-Tracking: hand & fingers, touch, grab & place …
  • Eye-Tracking: left & right eye, focus …
  • Lip-Tracking: speech, facial expressions
  • Body-Tracking: arms, legs, hips …
  • Free Locomotion without boundaries
  • Smell & Taste-Tracking
  • Brain & Neural Tracking

I will use this article to collect things that are already available, diy projects, experiments and things that are in their early stages.

Hand Tracking

Hand & finger tracking is already making its way into consumer products. It is still not widely integrated, but has made big jumps the past year.

Eye Tracking

Eye tracking is not only important to make avatars more life-like, but also to track your eye focus and help to reduce processor load.

Lip Tracking

Lip tracking has made a big jump, with the new Vive Lip tracker and is important for social interactions.

Body Tracking / Tracking parts of the body

Body tracking is one of the areas, that has so many projects attached to it. There are so many neat solutions out there, that almost anyone can use it by now.

  • KinectToVR – Full-Body Tracking with your Kinect for Xbox 360, Kinect for Xbox One or PlayStation Move + Eye
  • SlimeVR – Open Source Full Body Tracking. Crowd Supply / Youtube
  • DecaMove – Hip tracking. They also offer an Android App, to do the same.

Free Locomotion Tracking

Free locomotion is one of the biggest challenges in VR right now. You can increase your playarea, but that is still limiting and requires space. Their are VR treadmills, but none of them really reproduces life-like natural movement yet. And those solutions that come close, are still out of your reach. Most of the tracking above is somehow covered and will be available soon, while real locomotion is really the hardest to solve of them all.

  • Natural Locomotion – Natural Locomotion is an application that emulates the controller thumbstick input (to use in any game), to walk, run and jump more naturally moving your arms or your feet. It includes a driver for SteamVR for this purpose.

Tools & Software

  • VirtualHere – allows USB devices to be used remotely over a network just as if they were locally connected!

Avatars

Always crucial to have the right look for yourself in VR :)

Lets get started ….

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Verein 3.0 is an e-Learning platform, that is meant to assist people in the creation of new clubs in Germany. Germany has a vivid club culture, but many people are afraid to start their own, due to new legal requirements or too little knowledge of what is actually required.

Verein 3.0 offers educational videos, download and online written content to subscribers.

Update 2021: Cookie Manager and workflow adjustments

Concept & Design by Greentonic

Verein 3.0 / WerteWissenWandel

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„Klaro [klɛro] is a simple consent management platform (CMP) and privacy tool that helps you to be transparent about the third-party applications on your website. It is designed to be extremely simple, intuitive and easy to use while allowing you to be compliant with all relevant regulations (notably GDPR and ePrivacy).“

The tool is developed by KIPROTECT and can be found on Github.

Black & White

As I integrated Klaro on a couple of websites so far, I decided to make my work a bit easier and start building some basic clean themes for it.

I have a basic white and black&white theme so far. The download includes a testdrive folder, to showcase the themes. The white theme is also used on this website ;)

I really hate those standard consent management modals, that integrate badly into the website native design.

Klaro does a good job allowing to override its core theme and makes it a bit more pleasant. We do have to live with those modals from now on ;)

The themes are Sass-based and provide easy configuration options.

Enjoy!

cubicFUSION Themes for Klaro! @ Github

Klaro! Tweaks

Klaro is still missing some things, will collect some workarounds here for you to play with.

Missing events for consent modal open / closed …

Updates: Github Discussion
– 0.7.10 also adds custom callbacks to services (onAccept, onDecline, onInit) NICE!

Used a simple MutationObserver to do some magic for now, without diving into the core Klaro code for now. I am sure they already have an event listener or watcher setup.

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Custom theme and integration for a coaching website.

  • WordPress Backend
  • Custom website design, all designed in house.
  • Vectorization and cleanup of logo
  • Custom template based theme (TWIG / TIMBER / GULP / SASS)
  • Custom plugin for internal functionality
  • Analytics
  • SEO
  • AMP
  • Social Integration (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
  • Hosting & Maintenance
  • Custom eCommerce integration
  • Newsletter

Update 2020: Global cleanup / tweaks


KAIAKOO – PERSÖNLICHKEITS – ARCHITEKTUR

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