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Stephen Antonucci
Industry: Technology (Full Time - since 1978)
Occupation: Video & Network Engineer/Web Developer/Video Conferencing/Editor
Location: United States
Picture: My dog “Buster” the cock-a-poo
My Background
I started as a musician working in a “garage band” and performed at events and clubs around the New York area. Some of my original “band mates” went on to play with some successful acts such as “The Capris”, “Joe Jackson Band”, “Great White”, & “Twisted Sister”. Realizing early on my true passion was not just in music. I pursued technology. I was a “geek”, when “geeks” were not cool. They are cool now, I hope so at least!
I worked at the former “Sound Heights Recording Studio” in Brooklyn NY, as a production assistant during high school and college from 1974 - 1977 on many commercial record demos and projects. I "mixed" many live bands and worked on many recording sessions over the years. Also did quite a bit of audio post production and recording.
Studied at Staten Island College, American Academy, and the former Center for the Media Arts in Manhattan in the late 70s and early 80s, where I earned five diplomas, specializing in audio/video production, equipment maintenance, engineering, and electronics. I received digital electronics and computer science training from Cincinnati Institute of Electronics and I am a factory-trained technician by Sony, Panasonic, Electrohome, Cisco Systems, Vidstar, Polycom, Apple, & British Telecom.
I am a former associate member of the Audio Engineering Society and have been a participant at many industry conventions, seminars, and workshops such as NAB, CES, AES, MacWorld, LinuxWorld, Apple Summer Tech Camp, TechWorld, Infocomm, DV Expo, etc. I am a certified member in the Apple Consultants Network (ACN), a member of the Apple Developers Connection (ADC), and a member of the National Association of PhotoShop Professionals (NAPP). I have provided Mac and PC desktop, server, video support, and LAN support for many post production facilities, small businesses, and large companies for many years.
I have earned several certificates for Adobe, Macromedia, and Apple desktop graphic and video editing software. Hold a ACHDS from Apple. Taught Apple Final Cut Pro at the graduate level at a New Jersey State College and has trained many clients one on one. Received training by Sonic on the Fusion DVD Authoring System, certified by Polycom for video end points & Certified Video Engineer, have studied at the Cisco Networking Academy and have experience and training in UNIX, PHP, and MySQL.
I am well acquainted and use many applications such as MS Office, DreamWeaver, Fireworks, GoLive, PhotoShop, Final Cut Pro, Motion, DVD Studio Pro, Keynote, Director, Flash, FileMaker Pro, Illustrator, Avid, Cleaner, Squeeze, Live Channel, and iLife on a regular basis. Built and designed many editing suites, computer labs, "smart classrooms", cable systems, duplication systems, theaters, boardrooms, LANs, video-conference rooms, TV studios, and radio stations.
I have owned a small company for over 22 years. Originally this company was a DJ, event, and video production business. In 2000, the name and direction changed. Now it is primarily a web design/hosting, video production, and engineering support company. I have been involved in projects for ABC TV, NBC, CBS, CNN, WOR, WPIX, Travel Channel, MTV, ShowTime, VH-1, Sally Jesse Raphael Show, A Chorus Line (the movie), Mr. Saturday Night movie, David Letterman Show, Castle Rock Films, Saturday Night Live, Bell Atlantic/Verizon, AT&T, TCI, Cablevision, Ralph Lauren, Barney’s New York, The Wiz, WNJN, WPLJ FM, WABC AM, Lucent Technologies, First Boston, Port Authority of NY & NJ, Morgan Stanley, and “Cat’s”
I have worked at three separate video dealers as an engineer in the NY/NJ area. Served as former Chief Engineer and Academic Media Services Department Manager/Director for Ramapo College of New Jersey for five years. My duties included, technical operations for two TV Studios, FM Radio station, linear editing suites, Avid, Trinity, Media 100, & Apple Final Cut Pro nonlinear editing suites, video-conference rooms, multimedia, & “smart classrooms”, satellite download systems, and distance learning facilities as well as training students, staff, and faculty.
I taught desktop video production and TV Studio Production at the graduate level. I am a former member of the VRG (Video Resources Group) in New Jersey, a state-wide network of higher education video and data managers. And was a member and served as an adviser in designing the state-wide data and video broadband network for higher education in New Jersey.
I have recently been working at a Fortune 10 company for the past four years, as a Project Engineer providing technical assistance for distance learning for K-12 schools and higher education. This is a state-wide broadband videoconferencing and data network in New Jersey. I work as a video and network engineer as well as web site/web services developer for the special projects. I am very involved with video conferencing and streaming media. I am an experienced cameraman, editor, director, web designer & multimedia designer, video & networking engineer with extensive experience in the field. It has been an interesting journey so far.
My Computer Platforms
The first computer I owned was an IBM PC running DOS 1.1, around 1982, I think. First learning to program in BASIC. I used DOS until Windows 95 became the first usable “Windows”.
Although, PCs were my main computer for many years. I had experienced the Commodore 64, the Apple IIe, and the Amiga. Even “played” with BE OS for awhile. In fact, I ran my video business post production for years with an Amiga Video Toaster and owned several Amigas. All my accounting and “office” chores were done with an IBM PC and so was video tape machine control at that time. My experience with Macintosh was limited to my regular visits to different studios I served. I serviced and networked several Macs into different projects over the years. I was always in awe of what an Avid could do. Since I could not afford an Avid at that time, I did not buy MY first Macintosh until 1997, running system 7.5. I did this to run Digidesign ProTools for some projects I had. ProTools did not run on Windows at the time. A little research will reveal many things in computing were Apple “first”.
Well not long after owning a Mac, I found myself using it more and more. Usually due to my three Windows machines in my office would NOT work or have problems and I needed to make a deadline. I am an expert at Windows support and have extensive experience running several "flavours" of Linux. I have run Windows, Linux, and Macintosh side by side for many years and I am comfortable with all of them. But I would say that the Macintosh is my main platform since 2001 with the release of OS X. I bought my SECOND Mac in 1999 running System 8.6. I STILL use it daily. Sure I have upgraded RAM, HD, video cards, and even the processor as I needed to (as I am a “power-user”). But although, I own several Macs now. The one I bought in 1999 is still used everyday!
Did someone tell you you could not easily upgrade a Mac? Well it is easy, I assure you. Mine just was updated to Leopard OS 10.5, the latest OS. How many users of Windows machines are still viable after 7 and a half years of daily use and are running the latest Windows OS without problems? Not many I bet. I know first hand, I have owned so many Windows PCs!
OS X gives you the best of all worlds with UNIX, ease of use, and so many applications to do anything. It is far more stable, reliable, and easier to use than any other OS on the planet. It is virus-free and spyware free. And I was a long time Windows user and still use Windows daily. My job requires I support Windows, Macs, UNIX, and Linux. Although, our office at work is totally cross platform, even the servers. It is the Macs that get the most trouble-free use. Am I biased? Maybe, if you consider pointing out the facts and truly accessing my experiences, and the experiences of my supported users and customers! I am no apologist for any platform. I just point out the facts and have them land where ever they may.
I’ve spent many years working with technology, and here are my insights, rantings, and ravings…
Why This Blog
This blog site is just a place for me to inform, vent against the mis-information I read daily, rant and rave about my experiences in my many years working in technology. It still surprises me to hear and see what average users of computers think. And the “Windows Apologists” amaze me. So this is my “soap box” and a way to help others navigating the same digital highway.
All the content on this site are MY own opinions based on my many years working with technology, education, and people. I take no hostages, I pull no punches. I have no allegiances with any one company or platform. Although, at times you may think I do. I simply use what I feel is the superior technology and I am unafraid to try something new. I was a long time Windows user. I am passionate about Macintosh these days. Why? They are making the best computers and have the best platform. If that ever changes, so will I.
I use Linux and Windows just about everyday due to my job, so I will know first hand if and when that happens. I have been writing a daily Mac users group emailed newsletter for several years and many of my readers and friends also told me to do this as many them feel I was helpful in some way. I also use this site to sharpen some of my web skills and try out some new ideas. This website was totally built on a Macintosh PowerBook running OS X using a very modified and tweaked version of WordPress 1.5, Gallery, numerous hacks & WP plug-ins, DreamWeaver, and Fetch. It is hosted on Red Hat Linux server running PHP and MySQL. No Microsoft products were used as they simply were NOT needed to “slow down” the process.
ReelSmart.com is based on web standards and Open Source. I recommend Safari or FireFox as browsers as these are the most advanced browsers available today. But this site should render OK even in IE, if you must. But if you must, maybe it is the time you discover “Happy Browsing” with FireFox.
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The ReelSmart Domain Name
Where did the name ReelSmart.com come from and why am I using it? Well I do not think I am “Real Smart”? I am experienced in many things tech, and I am master of very few. So that is not why. The name “REEL” “Smart” was the name of a training center where I was a partner in NYC. We taught desktop video production for a few years. Mostly, Final Cut Pro which I have used since version 1. I simply recycled the domain name for my blog as I feel much of what I do still revolves around desktop video and Macintosh. Hence the name, “REEL” and I hope to make you “SMART”!
So please do not send me emails calling me “smart guy” when you may disagree with me. My goal here is to make you THINK, sometimes even “DIFFERENT!” NOT to change your mind. Maybe just “open” it, once in awhile.
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My Hobbies
Well you might have guessed it. It is technology. I love gadgets and trying out new things. I spend way too much money and time doing that. See it is not just my job, but I live a digital lifestyle. I spend about an hour or two a day on average reading tech news. And then trying to see what fits with my life. Been like that since I could walk and talk. From XM and Sirius Satellite Radio to EyeTV (TiVo-like Mac app) box, to the latest GPS in my vehicle, the Mac mini, to every remote iTunes and iPods have out.
Speaking of iPods I have had most of them including the very first model sold on the day it went on sale. Not many computer games though. Photoshop is enough of a game to me. I challenge myself with projects. Well I do have a home life also. My girlfriend, luckily, is also into Macs and technology. She is a webmaster, graphic artist, trainer, filmmaker, and Mac person. There are two Windows desktop PCs, one HP Windows laptop, two Linux machines, one EeePC, five PowerBooks (Ti 15″, two AL 15″, AL 12″, old Lombard), two iBooks, two PowerMacs, one iMac G5 with built-in iSight, one Intel iMac 24″, one Mac mini (Intel), two MacBook, two MacBook Pros one Mac 7200, and one classic Mac that still works great in our house. We also have seven iPods and two iPod shuffles, and there are only three people.
Our house has a Tandberg codec, a Polycom ViaVideo, iChat, Vonage, Skype, GizmoProject, and Marratech web conferencing. So you can see we are into technology and modern communications. We also have the Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PSP, and a Nintendo Wii.
I also love music, digital photography, videography, hiking with my “tracker” girlfriend, and hanging around with our three dogs, two cats, and my girlfriend’s teen.
