X-Geek

Extreme geekiness

There are 700 posts filed in X-Geek (this is page 55 of 70).

The ultimate MythTV box?

My experimental MythTV server has been deemed a success. In fact, its a necessity! We watch so little live TV anymore that it took until Wednesday to notice the cable connection I put on our main TV a few weeks ago is bad!

Now that my surplus MythTV backend server has proved its mettle, its time to plan the next Myth setup: one for HDTV. So, let me put it out to my readers: how would you build the ultimate MythTV frontend and backend systems?

As for me, the backend’s only requirement is the ability to house multiple tuner cards. It should use PCI-E slots for this. I’m considering AVerMedia AVerTVHD MCE A180 HDTV PCI cards for my tuners.

I’m a little pickier about the frontends. I want both analog and HDMI connections so I can drive both analog and HDTV sets. I also want them to be quiet and unobtrusive. What would you use for these?

Volunteers needed to go to the moon

A local company is seeking volunteers to go to the moon. the volunteers won’t themselves go the moon, but they will help in the effort of local group TeamSTELLAR to win the Google Lunar X Prize by being the first private company to land a rover on the moon.

TeamSTELLAR is made up of a number of local businessmen and N.C. State engineers. The group is seeking volunteers to assist in a number of tasks, including administrative, fundraising, legal and engineering roles.

If you’d like to find out more, TeamSTELLAR will hold a presentation from 7 to 9 PM Tuesday, August 19th, on the first floor of Engineering Building II, Centennial Campus, N.C. State University (map here).

You’d have to be looney to pass up this opportunity.

Silent streets

Kelly figured out that her daily errands take her six miles each way from home. She wondered if we might trade one of our gas vehicles in for an all-electric one, which would comfortably fit that range. If we can find one thats affordable and doesn’t roll to a stop just outside of walking distance from where it started, we might give it a try. But there is another drawback to an electric car (or benefit, depending on how you look at it): they’re whisper quiet.

One thing I’ve noticed in my months of biking to work is how attuned people are to the sound of an approaching car or truck. Many times I’ll cringe as people open their car doors or walk out in front of me, paying no attention to the bike closing in on them. And its not just a matter of of not seeing me: they don’t even look for me. My bike is not loud enough.

If your vehicle isn’t making a racket, expect to brake for all kinds of chaos.

The Karl Fischer domain scam

Just got a scam email into my $WORK inbox. Someone claiming to be from an Asia domain-name registrar says someone named Karl Fischer is trying to register domain names related to my employer (where my company’s name is xxxx):

Dear Manager,

Asia Network is the company of internet services that the domain registration is one of the major online style of our service range. Now we have something need to confirm with you. We hope you to cooperate with us. On July 21th 2008, we received an application from one person named “Karl Fischer” who wants to register some domains(xxxx.jp xxxx.kr xxxx.pk xxxx.co.in)and internet brand(xxxx). According to our investigation, we found that domain names have relevance to your company’s name and trademark, so we send this email for you to confirm it. We are dealing with this affair in these days, so we wish to get the confirmation and the assent of your company. If Karl Fischer doesn’t belong to your company and you don’t authorize him to register these domains, Pls contact with me soon in order to prevent some guy from abusing your trademarks and the company names.
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Zenoss book

Oh, I forgot to mention this before we left for vacation. For the past few months I’ve been helping edit Mike Badger’s new book, Zenoss Core Network and Systems Monitoring. Its a good introduction to Zenoss for those who might have been intimidated by it before.

Mike and I used to work together years ago at the Raleigh startup company formerly known as NeTraverse (and even more formerly as Lastfoot.Com). It was fun working with him again.

Who knows? I may write a book yet.

Cheap thoughts: power from the sky

I was reading some news story this afternoon about approval for solar power stations being put on hold.

That got me thinking of how solar panels shade whatever’s below them, which may not be good for the vegetation or critters underneath.

That got me thinking how great it would be if there were solar collectors which could float in the sky, wirelessly discharging their electrical power.

Then I realized with a laugh that I was describing clouds!
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