A badly written review, penned by mysel;f is now online at http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
Ahhh, my first published work....
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Friday, May 28, 2004
Pinnacle PCTV
I got my PCTV stereo card (pinnacle) yesterday, and spent all night last night trying to get it to capture from my VCR. When I turn the bitrate up at all the audio and video loose sync.
I have a couple of things to try :
1 - Direct to divx format - now supported in the latest SW
2 - use endItAll2 to stop all processes on my machine
3 - I have downloaded various DVR software to try
4 - I'm going to give it a try under linux
5 - Use tmpgenc to shift audio track
I have a couple of things to try :
1 - Direct to divx format - now supported in the latest SW
2 - use endItAll2 to stop all processes on my machine
3 - I have downloaded various DVR software to try
4 - I'm going to give it a try under linux
5 - Use tmpgenc to shift audio track
Thursday, May 13, 2004
X10 Software - Homeseer vs autom8it vs ???
Searching for X10 solution, started with ActiveHome software, read on and found Autom8It / homeseer, no idea which is better, they both seem to do the same thing, and they both cost around 100 quid
Homeseer supplier
Homeseer supplier
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Selfbuild Diary - see it all
www.ccso.co.uk is the location of my Selfbuild Diary where you can follow all the goings on in my house build. Enjoy!
Monday, March 15, 2004
Tivo Modes
UK Mode 0
This page explains how to configure your UK TiVo to make Mode 0 recordings. The TiVoCommunity thread is here.
The various modes are:
Mode Resolution Used by TiVo Modes
1 352 x 576 Basic and Medium
2 480 x 576 High
4 544 x 576 Best
0 720 x 576 (not used)
This page explains how to configure your UK TiVo to make Mode 0 recordings. The TiVoCommunity thread is here.
The various modes are:
Mode Resolution Used by TiVo Modes
1 352 x 576 Basic and Medium
2 480 x 576 High
4 544 x 576 Best
0 720 x 576 (not used)
True Romance
One of my fav films, Tarantino wins again. The best thing about it is that girls think they are going to enjoy it, "ahh that sounds nice, why can't we watch more films like that?" ok then.....
Monday, March 08, 2004
Status Anxiety
From the description of this book
"The urge to be somewhere else is one of the abiding traits of human nature"
I found it as a link from the site about status anxiety http://www.alaindebotton.com/status.htm, which was made into a 2 hour documentery shown on channel 4 on Sat night
"The urge to be somewhere else is one of the abiding traits of human nature"
I found it as a link from the site about status anxiety http://www.alaindebotton.com/status.htm, which was made into a 2 hour documentery shown on channel 4 on Sat night
The Game
SPOILER :
Quite an intriguing film as I watched, I started off half asleep, and became rigidly awake by the end. How disappointing. I can't even entertain the idea that such a "practical joke" is even viable in movie-land.
Its about a rich businessman who enters into a "game," offered as a birthday present by his brother. His life is immediately disrupted, the TV starts talking to him, he is locked into the back of a taxi, floating to the bottom of a harbour.... etc, etc
At the end in a double barreled twist he finds out it is a practical joke, and simultaneously believes he has just killed his brother, staggers over to the edge of the building, and jumps. Suicide. We are to believe that this "joke" led him to a mental place where he commits suicide. But he doesn't, he lands on an inflated tent, on a spot marked with an 'X', with all his friends/relatives around saying "surprise" and "happy birthday". I would still have killed them. In fact I think I may have serially murdered them over the next few months/years. It is unbelieveable (even in movie world) for him to get up and go, ah, good one, you really had me there...
An intriguing film, but turned out to be a show worthy of the bin.
Quite an intriguing film as I watched, I started off half asleep, and became rigidly awake by the end. How disappointing. I can't even entertain the idea that such a "practical joke" is even viable in movie-land.
Its about a rich businessman who enters into a "game," offered as a birthday present by his brother. His life is immediately disrupted, the TV starts talking to him, he is locked into the back of a taxi, floating to the bottom of a harbour.... etc, etc
At the end in a double barreled twist he finds out it is a practical joke, and simultaneously believes he has just killed his brother, staggers over to the edge of the building, and jumps. Suicide. We are to believe that this "joke" led him to a mental place where he commits suicide. But he doesn't, he lands on an inflated tent, on a spot marked with an 'X', with all his friends/relatives around saying "surprise" and "happy birthday". I would still have killed them. In fact I think I may have serially murdered them over the next few months/years. It is unbelieveable (even in movie world) for him to get up and go, ah, good one, you really had me there...
An intriguing film, but turned out to be a show worthy of the bin.
Saturday, February 28, 2004
CVS from the states
Badly set up, incorrect authorisation information, and a slow connection. It just cant get worse. I cant get ADSL, so this is as fast as it will ever be.
oh for a 2meg pipe
oh for a 2meg pipe
Monday, February 09, 2004
some code, just so I dont have to write it again, again
foreach (@ARGV)
{
#P15='154 230'
#P25='256 384 '
#P50='512 768'
print "resize image $_ \n";
##get info
my $info= `../bin/imgcon -info $_`;
#Image Size: 1536 x 1024 x 1
my ($width, $height)=$info=~ /Image Size: (\d+) x (\d+) / ;
print "$width, $height\n";
my $new_width=sprintf("%.0f", $percentage/100 * $width);
my $new_height=sprintf("%.0f", $percentage/100 * $height);
print "$new_width, $new_height\n";
print `../bin/imgcon -scale $new_width $new_height $_`;
}
{
#P15='154 230'
#P25='256 384 '
#P50='512 768'
print "resize image $_ \n";
##get info
my $info= `../bin/imgcon -info $_`;
#Image Size: 1536 x 1024 x 1
my ($width, $height)=$info=~ /Image Size: (\d+) x (\d+) / ;
print "$width, $height\n";
my $new_width=sprintf("%.0f", $percentage/100 * $width);
my $new_height=sprintf("%.0f", $percentage/100 * $height);
print "$new_width, $new_height\n";
print `../bin/imgcon -scale $new_width $new_height $_`;
}
Friday, January 09, 2004
Wavelinker bluetooth dongle
The manager software that comes with this dongle is aweful [XTNDConnect], so I did a search and came up with this
The hardware is eaactly the same as the Belkin F8T001 USB dongle.
On the belkin.com site. Go to drivers , bluetooth and select F8T001 drivers
The hardware is eaactly the same as the Belkin F8T001 USB dongle.
On the belkin.com site. Go to drivers , bluetooth and select F8T001 drivers
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
Watch what you say....
Interesting articles http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html and follow links from it (from slashdot..)
Quotes:
"If you could travel back in a time machine, one thing would be true no matter where you went: you'd have to watch what you said."
"Argue with idiots, and you become an idiot."
"A lot of the questions people get hot about are actually quite complicated. There is no prize for getting the answer quickly."
Paul Graham
Follow-up article on slashdot:
I don't know what this counts as, but here's my shot, it's something I've been considering for a while.
Nothing we do actually matters. At firs this may not sound shocking, especially to those of you who are, like me, unreligious. Think about it though - I could destroy the planet, erase every life here and every achievement that humanity has ever made, yet it would not cause anything that mattered to happen. Maybe other planets would be affected, maybe the solar system would fall apart, so, who cares? I may get many replies saying 'All life matters' or 'It matters if the solar system is destroyed' but I challenge any of you to back that up factually.
MoonBuggy
You are too simple to understand your place in the bigger picture
On children and swearing
Terrorism is less of a threat than bad drivers [RayBender]
Quotes:
"If you could travel back in a time machine, one thing would be true no matter where you went: you'd have to watch what you said."
"Argue with idiots, and you become an idiot."
"A lot of the questions people get hot about are actually quite complicated. There is no prize for getting the answer quickly."
Paul Graham
Follow-up article on slashdot:
I don't know what this counts as, but here's my shot, it's something I've been considering for a while.
Nothing we do actually matters. At firs this may not sound shocking, especially to those of you who are, like me, unreligious. Think about it though - I could destroy the planet, erase every life here and every achievement that humanity has ever made, yet it would not cause anything that mattered to happen. Maybe other planets would be affected, maybe the solar system would fall apart, so, who cares? I may get many replies saying 'All life matters' or 'It matters if the solar system is destroyed' but I challenge any of you to back that up factually.
MoonBuggy
On children and swearing
Terrorism is less of a threat than bad drivers [RayBender]
Monday, January 05, 2004
Personal Media Centre Wishlist
Wouldn't it be nice to have on appliance? Just the one. No more TiVo / video / DVD player cluttered below the tv, just one slim silent case. There are a few projects out there that do this, for example
http://www.mythtv.org
I have a few more requirements for them, lets just integrate everything while we are at it. Why not.
http://www.mythtv.org
I have a few more requirements for them, lets just integrate everything while we are at it. Why not.
Physical Architecture
- Backend server(s) -capture TV and
storage.
- Small STB to replace all existing units (video/DVD/TiVo)
- One per TV
- One per TV
Features
- TV
- TiVo like
- Program guide with
overlay
- Video editing (crop/join)
- Storage folders
- Users
- Multi channel (add on tuners)
- TiVo like
- Video
- DVD Rip
- Duke box functionality
- Automatic film information
- Camcorder integration
- DVD Rip
- Music
- Fully configurable mp3 (etc) server
- Use as aux in to Hi-fi with TV off
- Fully configurable mp3 (etc) server
- Web
- Context sensitive google searches
- Music/film advertisement??
- General browsing capability
- Banking etc..
- Context sensitive google searches
- Email
- Email / news reader
- Mail Notification overlay
- Rule based
- Email / news reader
- Phone
- Caller ID overlay
- Images
- jpg photo server
- Digital camera integration
- jpg photo server
- games
- ???
- Security
- Integrated home security
- Alarm status / visualization
- Event history
- Security camera view
- Overlay on doorbell press?
- General
- Automatic rip - mp3/divx etc
- just pop the cd/dvd into the drive, and it will appear
in the menu
Out of Sight
Cool film, doesn't stand watching loads of times though - the best death in a film, bar none - the fat guy trips on the stairs - excellent.
Back to work tomorrow, wonder what the new year has in store? .....
[1998 George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez ]
Back to work tomorrow, wonder what the new year has in store? .....
[1998 George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez ]
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Cast Away
What an aweful film. Man gets shipwrecked, man gets rescued. The end. Yes, I know there is some sub-story in there about his true love, and moral issues round why he can't have her in the end, but it's not exactly thought provoking.
An absolute waste of 2 hours of my life. Sorry. Don't get me started on talking to a ball.
[2000 staring Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt]
An absolute waste of 2 hours of my life. Sorry. Don't get me started on talking to a ball.
[2000 staring Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt]
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
High Fidelity
Hmmm, this is a strange one. I don't think I would recommend it, but it's better than nothing. Nice dialog at the start about music:
"What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands, of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or, was I miserable because I listened to pop music? -Rob Gordon (High Fidelity)
Different kind of film, but just didn't do enough for me.
[High Fidelity (2000) Stephen Frears, John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, Jack Black, Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, Tim Robbins, Chris Rehmann ]
"What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands, of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or, was I miserable because I listened to pop music? -Rob Gordon (High Fidelity)
Different kind of film, but just didn't do enough for me.
[High Fidelity (2000) Stephen Frears, John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, Jack Black, Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, Tim Robbins, Chris Rehmann ]
Tuesday, December 02, 2003
redhat rpm upgrade
Upgrading redhat 6.2 to 9.2 I hit the problem of rpm 3->4
upgrade. I got failed dependancies on trying to upgrade,
some said version was too high, some said too low.
There was a database upgrade from db1 to db3, which
seems to have caused the problem with the upgrade.
After performing the rpm upgrade the upgrade function on the CD
should word to upgrade from 6.2 -> 7/8/9
The following instructions should work for the upgrade:
##get the files...
ncftp ftp://updates.redhat.com/6.2/en/os/i386/
get rpm*
get db3-*
get popt-1.6.2-6x.i386.rpm
#exit ftp
##rebuild the database, to ensure sanity before we start
rpm --rebuilddb
rpm -Uvh db3-*
rpm -Uvh popt*
rpm -Uvh rpm*
##check reported version - should read 4.0.2
rpm --version
##now rebuild the database - this is where it changes from db1->db3
rpm --rebuilddb
##f
Files and versions which I picked up:
-rw-r--r-- 1 simonmcc ntms 1073382 Nov 4 15:23 db3-3.1.17-4.6x.i386.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 simonmcc ntms 5368423 Nov 4 15:23 db3-devel-3.1.17-4.6x.i386.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 simonmcc ntms 749569 Nov 4 15:23 db3-utils-3.1.17-4.6x.i386.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 simonmcc ntms 55222 Nov 4 15:23 popt-1.6.2-6x.i386.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 simonmcc ntms 1283762 Nov 4 15:23 rpm-4.0.2-6x.i386.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 simonmcc ntms 63876 Nov 4 15:23 rpm-build-4.0.2-6x.i386.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 simonmcc ntms 313646 Nov 4 15:23 rpm-devel-4.0.2-6x.i386.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 simonmcc ntms 32303 Nov 4 15:23 rpm-python-4.0.2-6x.i386.rpm
links:
http://rpm.redhat.com/hintskinks/rpmv3tv4/
[cache]
http://www.rpm.org/
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