Why I am replacing my Garmin Vivosmart HR

My new Fitbit is coming in the mail today.  Looking forward to moving on from this Garmin Vivosmart HR I purchased in June.  

    The app doesn't allow me to account for time on the elliptical.  Previously with my old Fitbit I could do that.  It gave me more incentive to actually use the ellipitcal if I was getting 'step credits' for it.  

   I don't trust the information I was getting.  I could walk up and down the stairs in my house from the basement to the 2nd floor and back again and the device would not reigster any changes in levels.  Then randomly I would doing a 5 mile walk around town and the device would congratulate me for climbing 10 flights.  Not everytime or even often, just a few times.  

    More often than not I would be walking around the house, getting some cleaning done but as soon as I sat down, the device would urge me to move.  Did it not register the movement that just happened?  Can't tell.  The pedometer was not even but would "catch up" every so often.  

   The device would disconnect from Bluetooth for no reason. I would have to pair it with my phone again at least once a week.  

 

Editing mpg files with VLC

   This is a neat trick.  I've been transferring VHS tapes to DVDs for patrons.  One of them wanted to send just a 30 second bit to a friend. 

Movie Maker used to be my goto program for such but lately has been declaring files as "corrupted" without reason.  I know Microsoft is phasing out the program so I looked at that old workhorse VLC.  Amazing program, didn't let me down. 

   Pretty simple.  Open up the file in VLC (right-click and Open With…), under View —> Advanced Controls.  Once that is activated, you will see some new icons above your usually controls down at the bottom.  The one to the left is 'Record'.  Play your file, and when you want get to the part you want to separate you hit 'Record'.  When you are done you hit 'Record' again.  The copied bit will now be in your Videos folder.  

Smooooth.