Windows Media Player Sucks

I finally got around to ripping those old CD's I've had lying around.

WMP12 and WMC7 are our WAF-approved applications for the management and playback of music (although Ezzy does have iTunes for her phone).

Now I have to find all those album covers and WMP12 absolutely sucks at finding them automatically. Then when it does find them it takes FOREVER to load them. Then once it's loaded them, you go back to your directory and WHOA it's moved and/or created copies of files all over the place, picked up wrong album covers for songs you already had fixed and sometimes not even done anything at all.

But when it's done... ahhhh.

Further Info:
"Find and Embed Album Art in Your MP3 Collection" by Kevin Purdy, Lifehacker, 27 June 2008

Solitude is the Air We Breathe

Getting Closer to the Next Project

Just working out costs and benefits for a new fanless desktop. Inside the case we don't need that much so will go for a low power Intel Core i5 processor and as much storage as possible.


The case choices so far are:

Streacom's FC05 OD (untested)

A-Tech Fabrications NAS4x (but can't handle full i5 processor)

HDPlex's H5.S Series (but product currently unavailable)

So still a bit of thinking to do. In the meantime, let's upgrade the Lorne media centre yay!


Further Info:

Windows 7 Starter Kit

I Yawned. Solid.

Sound-Style-Power-Connectivity-Value

Ezzy has been listening to more music at home via the TV, so we thought we would look into something a little more portable and less energy-intensive. Here are some of the options:

Lifetrons Drumbass IIIe

UFi UCube USB-Digital Speakers

Philips Fidelio Prime DS9000

Sonos Play 3

Yamaha TSX80

Yamaha TSX140

Interested in Conflict?

[Solved] Front LED Too Bright

One of the issues we have with the MP45-BDR (which otherwise is an awesome little HTPC for the living room) is that the blue LED on the front is VERY BRIGHT. It also blinks when the little one goes to sleep, almost as if a pulsar is approaching.


I looked into tweaking the voltage to the LED but the risk/reward pay-off wasn't there.


Instead I have opted for a small piece of transparent plastic which I shaded in with a Sharpie.

Further Info:

Windows 7 Starter Kit

Windows XP Starter Kit

2nd Baby Arrived (father doing well)

Baby News

RKHTPC

[Solved] Wi-Fi Extender

I, Dino

[Solved] To NAS or Not to NAS

After the stupid Inspiron 5150 died, we got the Asus Ezy PC. Then we relocated the HTPC to the study and started using Ethernet over Powerline to stream from the HTPC to the MP45-BDR.  This set-up works ok and even has WAF.


BUT
Somehow we filled up the 2x1TB drives on the HTPC, so the question becomes, is the Next Project a NAS or is it a new media PC (Sandy Bridge?) to replace the one at Lorne?  In particular, I am intrigued by the promise of WiDi 2.0, which might solve the problem of the bad connection infrastructure at Lorne.


SOLUTION?
In the end I went with upgrading the HTPC HDDs to 2x2TB HDDs.  I used WD Caviar Greens (combination of low power consumption and "brand name" reliability) so now we have 4TB of storage capacity (plus the old 1TB drives can be used in the Next Project).


Switching over the drives was fairly standard but, partly for fun, I installed a new USB3.0 card, and then used a cheap HDD dock to transfer the files (max speed observed was about 49MB/s - not earth-shattering but much faster than the USB2.0 speeds I was looking at, plus now I can use USB3.0 devices).


Now to copy those archived files onto the new HDDs and fill them up too.

eBay Results

Netcomm NP204 Powerline Adapters $102.50

Cotton Hammock $5.00 (donated to charity)

USB Multi-Display Adapter $20

DVico FusionHDTV DVT-T Nano $11.83

Intel 2.4GHz 4MB Core 2 Duo T7700 $60

Bose 301 Series IV Direct/Reflecting Speakers $208.50

Aiwa HV-MX100u VCR $25

 Alan Pinkus Ladies Gold & Silver open toe heels size 9 $1.25

Bose Lifestyle 5 Series II $415

Next Project

I am not sure what the Next Project will be yet, but I know it will look cool:

Or maybe:

Further Info:

Windows 7 Starter Kit

Windows XP Starter Kit

2nd Baby Arrived (father doing well)

Baby News

RKHTPC

Windows 7 Starter Kit

The stupid Dell Inspiron 5150 finally died (well not really, it hangs on boot, but I can't be bothered to reinstall everything again).


Time to upgrade! Especially since Ezzy needs a new laptop for her Ph.D.


We chose the Asus Ezy PC 1215N (Black) based on size, looks, and ability to run some basic apps.


Here's what I'm installing this afternoon:

• AVG Anti-Virus
• Google Chrome
• Adobe Flash
• Adobe Reader
• MS Office 2007 (have the install DVD)
• 7-Zip
• K-Lite Codec Pack
• Internode Monthly Usage Meter
• PC Coach
• iTunes :(
• Skype

Further Info:
Windows XP Starter Kit
2nd Baby Arrived (father doing well)
Baby News
RKHTPC

Chinese Rule

Further Info:
"Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior" by Amy Chua, WSJ Online, 8 January 2011
"The Tiger Mother Responds to Readers" by Amy Chua, WSJ Online, 11 January 2011
"Why I Love My Strict Chinese Mom" by Sophia Chua-Rubenfeld, NYPost, 18 January 2011

Xmas 2010 Menu

• Chicken drumlets in honey & soy
• Beijing "lobah" duck
• Cha siu
• Potato salad
• Bok choy noodle salad
• Pumpkin, pine nut & pomegranate salad
• Fresh cooked prawns

Check the audio track

Who said...

Genius is born - not paid.


One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.


This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.


Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.


Thought: Why does man kill? He kills for food. And not only food: frequently there must be a beverage.


Happiness depends upon ourselves.


An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come.


If you're at Thanksgiving dinner, but you don't like the stuffing or the cranberry sauce or anything else, just pretend like you're eating it, but instead, put it all in your lap and form it into a big mushy ball. Then, later, when you're out back having cigars with the boys, let out a big fake cough and throw the ball to the ground. Then say, "Boy, these are good cigars!"

Further Info:
Good Memes Never Die
Jack Handey Quotes

New Puppy!

iPhone 4

Time to customise ringtone + SMS tone = 1 hour + #ERR

HTC Legend

Time to customise everything = considerably less

Further Info:

Android XBMC Remote Mock-Up

T-Shirts &/Or Android Apps I'd Like to See

New Silcon Case!

Android XBMC Remote Mock-Up

I might try to make this one.


Credits:
android-xbmcremote
IMDb: Aliens (1986)
App Inventor


Further Info:
XBMC Skin Mock-Up: "Pred"
Desktop Mock-Up (First Try)

T-Shirts &/Or Android Apps I'd Like to See

REGION FREE

KDE 4.4 ≠ Gnome 2.3

CONTAINS ACCELEROMETER :)

小皇帝

R.I.P. MIX. BURN.

WE'RE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT

Try fewer keywords, dude

204 ERROR

PSEUDORANDOM PANDA

Who said...

"Who's doing what with huh?"

"Donald where's your trousers?"

"I know what that word means."
"And yet you still won't tell me!"

"Because one egg is un oeuf!"

"It all makes sense, in the comics you know who the arch villain is going to be. He's the exact opposite of the hero! And most time's they're friends like you, and me."

"Oh, we got both kinds, country AND western!"

"An angel doesn't make love. An angel is love."

"It's run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible!"

"Can everybody just notice how much fire I'm not on?"

"Hi, my name's Plenty"

"You just shot at your imaginary friend next to a truck full of 400lbs of nitroglycerine!"

"I'm a mean hm... hm... servant of God."

"No, the towels you can keep."

"I could stand to hear a little more."

"Or the fact that you steal my clothes?"

"Miggs is dead."

"Oh yes! A bolt of lightning into a huge copper conductor. I thought you lived at a school?"

"I'm not locked in here with you! You're locked in here with ME!"

"Bite my shiny metal ass!"

Windows XP Starter Kit

I can sense another imminent failure of our crappy Dell Inspiron 5150, so I'm setting out a list of software installed on this 'computer' to help with future re-installs:

• Windows XP (have the install DVD!)
• Dell drivers (Sigmatel C-Major Audo, Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller, Dell Wireless 1450 WLAN - R61603 R89437 R151517)
• NVidia drivers (Geforce GX Go5200)
• AVG Anti-Virus Free
• Google Chrome
• Adobe Flash
• Adobe Reader
• Microsoft Office (have the install DVD!)
• 7-zip
• BurnAware Free
• K-Lite Codec Pack
• Windows Media Player 11
• Zune Desktop Theme (darker themes use less power!)
• Internode Monthly Usage Meter

Alternatively, I may just give up on Microsoft and give Kubuntu 10.04 a try.  Or on the other hand, maybe it's time to put the second child to work.

Further Info:

CNet's Windows Starter Kit

Baby News

RKHTPC

Eva's Useful Guide To Ubuntu 9.10

Watching You Like A...

Watch live streaming video from nytnestcam at livestream.com

Instant Classic (just add furry mammal)

Large Hadron Rap (The World Didn't End Yet)

Who said...

"IT MEANS HE GETS RESULTS, YOU STUPID CHIEF!!"

"Did any of them manage to miss you?"

"That's not strictly true. You still have your teeth."

“Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster by your side, kid."

"I aim to misbehave."

"Inconceivable!"

"I'm no punk bitch!"

"The details of my life are quite inconsequential."

"Protection from who? Zee Germans?"

"Get away from her you BITCH!"

"Don't even think about it. I'm better off on my own."

"It's not a tumor!"

"He doesn't know about the three seashells!"

"I'm sorry my responses are limited."

"I'll go. I'll go. I'll go. I'll go. I'll go."

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say, 'huh?'"

"Live every week like it's SHARK WEEK!"

NYE2009 Menu

Finger Food:

• San choi bao (veg)
• Chicken drumlets in honey & soy
• Steamed dumplings (veg)
• Cha siu rolls
• Bok choy salad (veg)
• Assorted chips/snacks

Dessert

• Summer berry sorbet
• Fresh fruit

Who said...

"One ping only."


"It's spelled LUXURY YACHT but its pronounced Throat-Warbler Mangrove"


"That was irrational of you. Not to mention unsportsmanlike."


"In China, you'd be dead already."


"What did you do?"
"Knocked out two of his teeth."
"Would you like some champagne?"


"See, you are what you are in this world, that’s either one of two things: Either you're somebody ... or you’re nobody. I'll be right back."


"Tell me, is there any scientific or forensic insight likely to be gained by spying on this woman in the shower?"
"Shanti, we're trying to make sure the woman's clean."


"Good job."


"If they're big and you're little, then you're mobile and they're slow. You're hidden and they're exposed. You fight only the battles you know you can win."


"No, no, no, NO!! Dad! Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"
"Yeah, I am. You're not getting a Porsche!"


"Get some rest, Pam. You look tired."


"Excuse me, Jack, tell me one thing in life that is absolutely for certain."


"First I'm gonna use you as a human shield, then I'm gonna kill this guard over there, with the Patterson trocar on the table. Then I was thinking about breaking your neck."


"What should I tell your men when they realize you're gone?"
"I'll be back."


"My Pussy Wagon died on me."


"Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go fVck himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus."


"No, I'm not talking about that. I beat the sh!t out of some kids today. But it was for a purpose. It made me feel good about myself. It was like I did something constructive with my life or something, I dunno, like I accomplished something."


"Sorry. I, uh … I ate a lot of sugar today."


"Tell me Miss Trench, do you play any other games?"


"'Fat' seems to be a word people most connected with him. 'Terribly rude' also rang a lot of bells."


"I think my mouth is too big."
"It’s just the right size... for me, that is."

An important piece

2nd Baby Arrived (father doing well)

AOpen MP45-BDR purchased through various suppliers and self-assembled to be used as the bedroom media centre.

• 165(W) x 50(H) x 165(D)mm
• T9600 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.80GHz CPU
• 4GB RAM
• 500GB/7200 HDD

Running Windows 7 (primarily for WAF)

Further Info:
Baby News
RKHTPC