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  • posts about #spacephotography more →

    Video: Arm Chair Reaches 98,268 Feet in New Toshiba Commercial

    First Teddie Bear Astronauts Conquer Space

    Homemade Backyard Digital Observatory's Spectacular Images Rivals Hubble's
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of brianmi40 brianmi40
    11/16/09

    In reply to Video: Arm Chair Reaches 98,268 Feet in New Toshiba Commercial
    I want to know what makes low air pressure and cold temps break apart balsa wood... I was trying to imagine moisture content in the wood, but couldn't see enough to do that since balsa's pretty hollow/porous fibre... any ideas anyone? #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    jepzilla promoted this comment brianmi40 was starred brianmi40 was unstarred
    Image of jepzilla jepzilla
    11/16/09

    @brianmi40: The balloon popped, and the chair was destroyed by the aerodynamic stresses of freefall, since it was designed to be lightweight, not sturdy. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    jepzilla was starred jepzilla was unstarred
    Image of Phaper Phaper
    11/16/09

    In reply to Video: Arm Chair Reaches 98,268 Feet in New Toshiba Commercial
    That's nice and all but, I wanted to see the footage of the chair falling back to earth! It had me on the edge of my seat! #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    ninjagin promoted this comment Phaper was starred Phaper was unstarred
    Image of ninjagin ninjagin
    11/16/09

    @Phaper: Sitting pun FTW. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    ninjagin was starred ninjagin was unstarred
    Image of andrewjp33 andrewjp33
    11/16/09

    In reply to Video: Arm Chair Reaches 98,268 Feet in New Toshiba Commercial
    Did they really need to play that beeping noise every 5 seconds?! I would hope that the visuals grab your attention. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    johnnyabnormal promoted this comment andrewjp33 was starred andrewjp33 was unstarred
    Image of johnnyabnormal johnnyabnormal
    11/16/09

    @andrewjp33: It's your grandmother's 56k modem! #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    johnnyabnormal was starred johnnyabnormal was unstarred
    Image of Lite: hates Illinois Nazis Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
    11/16/09

    In reply to Video: Arm Chair Reaches 98,268 Feet in New Toshiba Commercial
    Wow, something on this page is causing 50% cpu utilization non-stop as soon as it loads.

    If I close it, all is good. But starting this particular page blows. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    Lite: hates Illinois Nazis was starred Lite: hates Illinois Nazis was unstarred
    Image of Kakkoii Kakkoii
    11/16/09

    @Lite: hates Illinois Nazis: Use Firefox. If you do, then update it and adobe flash. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    Lite: hates Illinois Nazis promoted this comment Kakkoii was starred Kakkoii was unstarred
    Image of Lite: hates Illinois Nazis Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
    11/16/09

    @Kakkoii: I'm using Firefox, and Flash is updated. It was specifically something either with the video or the ad that was showing. WHatever it was, when I closed this page, utilization dropped back to nothing. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    Lite: hates Illinois Nazis was starred Lite: hates Illinois Nazis was unstarred
    Image of tineras tineras
    11/16/09

    In reply to Video: Arm Chair Reaches 98,268 Feet in New Toshiba Commercial
    That last shot seems to have exagerated curvature. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    farcedude promoted this comment tineras was starred tineras was unstarred
    Image of farcedude farcedude
    11/16/09

    @tineras: I'd guess that's a fish eye lens they're using. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    farcedude was starred farcedude was unstarred
    Image of trs trs
    11/16/09

    In reply to Video: Arm Chair Reaches 98,268 Feet in New Toshiba Commercial
    Omg my six year old son was on that chair when it took off! #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    chauncy that billups promoted this comment trs was starred trs was unstarred
    Image of Jrsy Devil's Advocate® Jrsy Devil's Advocate®
    11/16/09

    @trs: Check your attic. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    Jrsy Devil's Advocate® was starred Jrsy Devil's Advocate® was unstarred
    Image of WWSJD WWSJD
    11/16/09

    In reply to Video: Arm Chair Reaches 98,268 Feet in New Toshiba Commercial
    ...... so wait they spent nearly 4 grand for a chair made out of "biodegradable" balsa wood.....

    Last time i checked all wood was biodegradable and balsa wood cost like 4 bucks a sheet. And i think full sized model chair means they just made it so light you couldnt actually sit on it.

    Artem musta seen these guys comin a mile away. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    Joe Stoner promoted this comment WWSJD was starred WWSJD was unstarred
    Image of Joe Stoner Joe Stoner
    11/16/09

    @WWSJD: Thanks for the expert opinion, armchair carpenter!

    You're right, I bet that Toshiba forgot to consult the internet, and just wasted thousands of dollars on a prop for an advertisement.

    As experts like you and I know, there's nothing special to consider at all when shooting video, especially when you do it unmanned from a balloon at 50,000 feet.

    It's obviously not rocket science. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    Joe Stoner was starred Joe Stoner was unstarred
    Image of WWSJD WWSJD
    11/16/09

    @Joe Stoner: Theres about as much rocket science to this as loading your car for vacation. And yes i was trained in aeronautical engineering.

    My point is they over hyped the dinky chair. Its just a gussied up piece of light wood. They act like its special, its a lightweight prop well painted and made of wood so they needn't bother retrieving it. The people who made it is a props company.

    The balloon technology has been around for decades, you hang a rig from it and send it up. It makes all your object length stationary so the optics are quite simple especially with a modern camera. Im also an amateur photographer/holographer so im quite aware of that branch of physics as well.

    Not every pithy comment on the internet is filed as serious commentary by a fool. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    WWSJD was starred WWSJD was unstarred
    Image of ps61318 ps61318
    11/16/09

    @WWSJD: Well, I have to give props to the guy who made the chair. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    ps61318 was starred ps61318 was unstarred
    Image of The5thElephant The5thElephant
    11/16/09

    @ps61318: Har! #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    The5thElephant was starred The5thElephant was unstarred
    Image of farcedude farcedude
    11/16/09

    @WWSJD: I'd guess the biodegradable part comes from it being completely biodegradable - as in it doesn't have any metal screws, and probably wasn't painted with anything that would inhibit it being biodegradable. I'd bet the upholstery is biodegradable as well. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    farcedude was starred farcedude was unstarred
    Image of Joe Stoner Joe Stoner
    11/16/09

    @WWSJD: Well, then, with your amazing training in aeronautical engineering, photography, AND holography, I expect you should be submitting your own short video soon, right?

    You seem awfully stubborn about your off-hand assertion that Toshiba got ripped off by a prop company. I still think it's entirely possible that Toshiba's ad agency has some connections in the industry, managed to negotiate a reasonable price for the prop, and shot the commercial using trained professionals.

    But maybe you're right, aeronautical photo-holographer. Maybe the prop company could have done it for about $50, and they went and filled a bathtub with all the extra money they got out of this - which would also be a great way to save money on their upcoming bathtub commercial. In this economy, everybody's got to get creative!

    Man, I hope you don't also run a side business involving bathtubs. That would be egg on my face. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    Joe Stoner was starred Joe Stoner was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday
    11/16/09

    In reply to Video: Arm Chair Reaches 98,268 Feet in New Toshiba Commercial
    So it cost like $3,000 to make a chair to destroy? I'm just trying to figure out what they would say to someone who may have been hit by this:

    My husband was hit in the head by your falling chair and is now dead!

    Yeah, but did you see the commercial? #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was starred GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was unstarred
    Image of fsusmithc2 fsusmithc2
    11/16/09

    @GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked: Also, the chair was a prop, made out of balsa. Not exactly oak we're talking about here. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked promoted this comment fsusmithc2 was starred fsusmithc2 was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday
    11/16/09

    @fsusmithc2: I know it was balsa. It was listed right before the price. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was starred GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was unstarred
    Image of fsusmithc2 fsusmithc2
    11/16/09

    @GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked: I just figured a few scraps of balsa gently floating to the ground wouldn't kill a man but hey, stranger things have happened right? #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    fsusmithc2 was starred fsusmithc2 was unstarred
    Image of Frisky Unicorns Frisky Unicorns
    11/16/09

    @fsusmithc2: Well, if the thing weighed about 4 pounds, and terminal velocity was 50 m/s, the force would be 90 newtons. 21 pounds of force. That would hurt. Probably wouldn't kill though.

    Am I right? I am not an arithmetist. I work with people here. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    The Lab promoted this comment Frisky Unicorns was starred Frisky Unicorns was unstarred
    Image of The Lab The Lab
    11/16/09

    @Frisky Unicorns: How did you calculate the terminal velocity? You'd need to know the wind resistance. Are you just using some common value of terminal velocity, because something with a large size to weight ratio like this would have a much lower terminal velocity. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    The Lab was starred The Lab was unstarred
    Image of Navin R Johnson Navin R Johnson
    11/16/09

    @GitEmSteveDave_Isn'tFreshPerked: Maybe the chair wouldn't have hurt anyone but what about the two cameras? #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    Navin R Johnson was starred Navin R Johnson was unstarred
    Image of Frisky Unicorns Frisky Unicorns
    11/23/09

    @The Lab: I went the common value route. I used a slightly lower terminal velocity than that of a human skydiver, arms and legs spread. I also googled around for some other values, and found that close to 50 m/s seemed a good guess.

    #tips
     Reply
    Frisky Unicorns was starred Frisky Unicorns was unstarred
    Image of Serolf Divad Serolf Divad
    11/16/09

    In reply to Video: Arm Chair Reaches 98,268 Feet in New Toshiba Commercial
    4lbs, including the3 camera? Wow... that's almost the most impressive part of this.

    I wonder how much time ti would take a person to make the same fall? #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    Serolf Divad was starred Serolf Divad was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday
    11/16/09

    @Serolf Divad: Depends on what body position they took. But in the beginning, they would be both be falling at the same rate. #toshibaspacechair
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was starred GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was unstarred
    Image of SundaySunday SundaySunday
    12/04/08

    In reply to First Teddie Bear Astronauts Conquer Space
    I'm picturing the schoolyard on launch day. The group of boys lights off a Testors rocket with a He-Man duct taped to it which goes maybe 500 ft. up. The boys high five each other and start to snicker as the girls bring out the balloons and teddy bears.


    "Teddy bears?!? Ha ha."


    Later on: "19 miles?!! Wha???"

     Reply
    SundaySunday was starred SundaySunday was unstarred
    Image of admoseremic admoseremic
    12/04/08

    In reply to First Teddie Bear Astronauts Conquer Space
    Is this what would have happened without the space suit?


    SFW.

     Reply
    admoseremic was starred admoseremic was unstarred
    Image of d_r_e d_r_e
    12/04/08

    @admoseremic:


    Probably so.

     Reply
    d_r_e was starred d_r_e was unstarred
    Image of Dolly Dolly
    12/04/08

    In reply to First Teddie Bear Astronauts Conquer Space
    "If you haven't melted by now, you are not human."


    It must be a bit frosty up in your neck of the woods. 19 miles, 62 miles, who cares? Have YOU ever sent a quartet of teddy bears that high? Seriously folks when I was that age I was chasing those girls around with sticks and pulling their hair.


    I love love love the helmet made out of the bottom of a 16 oz. soda bottle.

     Reply
    Dolly was starred Dolly was unstarred
    Image of d_r_e d_r_e
    12/04/08

    @Dolly:


    I laughed at the helmet too! Sooooo cute.

     Reply
    d_r_e was starred d_r_e was unstarred
    Image of Curves Curves
    12/04/08

    In reply to First Teddie Bear Astronauts Conquer Space
    Awww.... I think this is a great way to get kids, especially girls, interested in science and space. That and its just cute as dickens.
    (No, I dont know what that means, its some Palinism and seemed to fit.)
     Reply
    Curves was starred Curves was unstarred
    Image of Ibelieveinsandwitches Ibelieveinsandwitches
    12/04/08

    In reply to First Teddie Bear Astronauts Conquer Space
    I just can't believe that they are still killing animals in space tests!


    From Laika to these four poor bears. When will the bloodshed and senseless slaughter end!

     Reply
    Ibelieveinsandwitches was starred Ibelieveinsandwitches was unstarred
    Image of weatherman weatherman
    12/04/08

    @Ibelieveinsandwitches: if you look closely you can see that at least one of the bears is wearing a protective helmet that appears to be made out of the bottom of a soda bottle. I'm pretty sure at least that one survived.
     Reply
    weatherman was starred weatherman was unstarred
    Image of 92BuickLeSabre 92BuickLeSabre
    12/04/08

    In reply to First Teddie Bear Astronauts Conquer Space
    I like beer, spiders, and teddy bears as much as the next guy.


    But seriously, have they already done everything else there is to do?

    Are they just sitting up there thinking things like....


    "Huh, what next? Let's see, what about cooked carrots?"

    "Cooked carrots?"

    "In space!"

    "Ooooooh. Cooked carrots in space?!? Genius!"


    This is not the way to convince me that we need to continue providing "sufficient" funding to NASA.

     Reply
    92BuickLeSabre was starred 92BuickLeSabre was unstarred
    Image of 92BuickLeSabre 92BuickLeSabre
    12/04/08

    @92BuickLeSabre: And yes, I am aware this wasn't NASA. But if this is what's going on up at the ISS, then the snark still stands.
     Reply
    92BuickLeSabre was starred 92BuickLeSabre was unstarred
    Image of Bueller Bueller
    12/04/08

    @92BuickLeSabre: *hands a cup of coffee* FTA: "reaching the 19 miles high mark powered by a latex weather ballon made by the Space Flight club at Cambridge University. They were wearing special suits made by school children"
     Reply
    Bueller was starred Bueller was unstarred
    Image of 92BuickLeSabre 92BuickLeSabre
    12/04/08

    @Bueller: Aaaah. I know. I read it. I don't care. I'm tired of stupid stuff in space.


    Aaaarrrgghhh!


    (And you're right, I haven't had my coffee yet - and only half a cigarette. Aaaarrrgh!)

     Reply
    92BuickLeSabre was starred 92BuickLeSabre was unstarred
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