Owner: MrMatt57.org - Tech and Hobby Blog URL:http://mrmatt57.org Join Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:37:46 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Read about my trials and tribulations with technology and hobbies. Site statistics:Click here
My Rig 2007-12-08 06:08:34 People have been asking what I am running for my current system so here is a post dedicated to just that. Several of the components have been carried over from many configurations ago. I have been through many iterations and a lot of research to derive this system. Suggestions and Questions are welcome, please comment.
Triple Display:
Samsung 225BW 22″ LCD
Two Samsung 920N 19″ LCD
Ergotron DS100 Stand
System:
Intel D975XBX (Rev A0)
Intel E6600 Core 2 Duo @ 3072mhz (1365.7mhz FSB, x9 Multiplier, 1.259v Core)
Scythe Ninja Air Cooler w/ 2 x Thermaltake 120mm 95cfm
4Gb Geil @ 853.8Mhz 5-5-5-15 (4:5 FSB:DRAM)
EVGA GeForce 8800GTS @ 576Mhz 640MB @ 1.7Ghz
Biostar GeForce 8400GS 256MB (KVM Display)
SuperMicro 5bay Hot Swapable HDD Enclosures x 2
Drives:
NEC ND-3520AW DVD_RW
Plextor PX-W5224A CD-R
NewEgg 4Gig USB2 (ReadyBoost)
IronKey 4Gig USB2 (Portable Storage/Apps)
Western Digital 74Gig 10,000 RPM R
My 1994 Honda Accord 2007-12-04 23:45:33 This one is really digging into the archives… Here are some pictures and specs of my first car (not my parent’s station wagon). I learned a lot and have many great memories from this car. I often joked, that I literally turned every bolt on this car. I didn’t have access to air tools either, all old fashion Craftsman hand tools. There where many long cold nights completing mods so that I would be ready to drive to work the next day. I wish I had better pictures, but here they are (Mostly scanned 35mm, if I find the original print/negatives, I will rescan).
Engine/Performance:
Port/Polished Cylinder Head (Gude)
Bored Throttle Body (Gude)
Port/Polished Intake Manifold (Gude)
Reprogrammed ECU (Gude)
Racing valve grind (Gude)
Top-End Cam (Gude)
MSD SCI-L Ignition
MSD Blaster SS Coil
MSD 8.5mm Plug Wires
B&M Short Shifter
Centerforce Clutch
AEM Cold Air Intake
AEM Cam Gear
DC Sports Ceramic Header Read more:Honda
, Honda Accord
Swans HiVi - M10 Speakers 2007-11-26 17:48:01 Well, I finally replaced my workhorse Boston Acoustic BA4800. After much research, I decided on the recently released Swans M10’s. I was looking for studio quality sound on a budget. I looked at Mackies, M-Audio and several other 2.1 systems. I really wanted a two speaker system, but could not find anything with excellent sound quality at a pro-sumer price. The sweat spot for bottom-end studio quality monitors is about $300. So I decieded to look at higher-end 2.1 systems and ran right into these M10’s.
After a week of listening, these speakers definitely fit the bill. The imaging and balance is amazing. I had never heard of Swans or the new holding company HiVi. They have built their reputation with the slightly more expensive M200 model. From what I understand; what they lack in customer support, they more than make up for in build and sound quality. So far I have not had to use their customer support channels, but I have been thoroughly enjoying listening to
Peaks of Otter Camping/Hiking 2007-10-22 22:48:07 Jaimie and I went camping at Peaks
of Otter
on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia last weekend. We tent camped at site #21 and Hikes around the lake the first evening. It was a beautiful day and was quite crowded around the lodge. The park is very well maintaned and the staff is very friendly. This was the first trip with our new Mountain Hardware Casa 4 tent. Setup time is a about 2 minutes more than the average tent, but worth the effort. The design offers a roomy interior with a spacious gear vestibule. The next morning we woke up and hiked the sharp top mountain trail. We just about had the trail to ourselves on the way up. At the top, we ran into a group that took the bus up. The views are sweet, you can see a complete 360 degrees. It is also worth the trip over to Buzzards Roost. There are some cool climbing rocks and more breath taking views. Here are some pics:
Read more:Camping
, Hiking
James Bond Style USB Thumbdrive - IronKey 2007-10-07 20:15:34 I have been looking around for a good secure USB key/Software solution for quite awhile. I have used TrueCrypt for years and it works great for what it does. But I wanted more. One watch of the IronKey demo and believe me, you will want one.
They are quite pricey at $149 ($37.25/Gig) for the 4 gig model, so I did a bit of research before I took the plunge. Everything I read for the most part was good. Now that I have the device I must agree, it is a great solution to many peoples problems. My only gripe is that you can’t add shortcuts to the management interface. Not a big deal, but makes the interface pretty useless besides manageing the device, backups, etc. If you are looking for a USB drive to carry on your keychain everywhere you go… this might currently be your best solution. Here are some pictures of the drive.
Read more:James
, Style
, James Bond
Life after Lasik! 2007-09-21 00:09:51 It has been two weeks since my lasik surgey and I can’t believe I waited this long to have it done. My vision is still a little hazy but every day it gets sharper and sharper. It is absolutely amazing. If you are still wearing glasses, don’t wait another day… get it done!
Read more:Lasik
Building a LiPo Charging Station 2007-08-03 13:25:53 I you haven’t seen/heard about it yet. LiPo batteries can be dangerous, check it out. It is very rare that a lipo would ignite under normal use. It would take charging it at a higher rate than recommended (typically 1C) or a internal short. People have had serious property damage, here is a list of what causes the fire and what is damaged. They make commercial battery bunkers, some people use cinder blocks and bags of sand. I have also seen ammo cans used, but I could not find them locally and I didn’t want to pay for shipping. I found a honeywell steel lockbox at WalMart for $10, that is pretty stout. I don’t have the desire to test it (yet), but I think is should hold just fine. Also to help suppress any fire that could arise, I put a Pyrex pan over the battery. I did buy one of those LiPo charging bags, but it is a pain to open and close every time I want to charge a battery. I have it lining the bottom of the box. it is definitely not necessary, but si Read more:Building
, Charging
, Station
Terminal Velocity Pentax Optio S6 2007-07-20 18:24:20 I learned two very valuable lesson today.
1.) Don’t rush sending electronics airborne
2.) When attaching anything to a RC Plane, make sure it’s on there good.
I had so much fun the other day taking the video with my soarstar, I rushed out there today and look what I did…
The last time, I attached the camera on top of the wing, in the center facing forward. It worked well, but I noticed after the flight, I was blocking the air flow to the motor and it got pretty hot. So… I figured I would try attaching it under the wing, facing down to hopefully get better footage and not overheat the motor. Everything worked great. I took it waaayyy up there almost so I could tell the orientation of the plane. As I was descending I got impatient and did a dive. I have done this before, but not with a camera strapped Read more:Velocity
, Pentax
, Optio
, Pentax Optio
Soarstar RC Video (First Attempt) 2007-07-17 12:14:41 I had been flying my Soarstar for a couple of months and finally decided to attach my Pentax Optio S6 camera too it. The easiest setup what to just strap it down and record video. Eventually I would like to setup a servo to take pictures. These cameras are not great a shooting video, but here it is:
Read more:First
AirHogs Just Not Enough Anymore 2007-06-29 23:34:37 I have had alot of fun with them, but I’m just itching for more. My biggest desire is to for control surfaces. You can move the rudder and elevators on the AirHogs, but not in-flight. I have been doing quite a bit of research online and finally committed to the next step. In reading most of the “Beginners Guides” they recommend joining a local flying club and learning with a buddy box (were you can tether your transmitter to an instructors). I am sure this is great way to learn, but this is the digital age right? Yup, they have several RC flight simulators that are very realistic. The most popular is Great Planes Realflight. However, there is a new kid on the block. Horizon Hobbies has built FSOne. Apparently their physics engine is unmatched. You can get the software with a USB transmitter or with a USB adapter for a real transmitter. I decided, why not get a real transmitter and learn on that. So, I went to the LHS (Local Hobby Shop) and picked up a Spek Read more:Enough
AirHogs are a blast! 2007-06-27 22:11:17 I have been researching the different models of AirHogs and it is quite difficult to see what they actually offer. The AirHogs site is horrible. All I have to say is infomercials and the web don’t mix. They just don’t have any information on the different models. It appears that all of the ones setup with the two props are the AeroAce model. They have a BiPlane, Jet and Diamond Aircraft look alike. I have found that the other models are no good. I tried the F-22 “Park” jet and it was not much fun. It used a weird pulse for throttle control/roll and the aerodynamics/glide were really non-existent. Estes makes a few nice models, but steer clear of the larger “Park” fliers. Stick with the ones labeled “Backyard”.
Getting Started With RC Airplanes 2007-06-15 17:30:53 I have always been a fan of radio control; cars, robots, computers now planes. As a child I had several RC Cars that were a bunch of fun. At the time airplanes were too expensive and the technology was not all that great. I had left RC altogether for the past 10 years or so.
Recently my Dad sent me an AirHogs Aero Ace and boy I am glad he did. They are a ton of fun. You can get them at WalMart or Target for $30. Without a doubt the best toy for the price. They have a 2-axis controler for throttle and lef-right. There are two small motors setup in a push configuration. The throttle controls the prop speed and the left-right governs the speed to allow it to pitch side to side. They fly great and take a lot of abuse. Here are some pictures:
As you can see it can take some abuse. The plane itself charges from the 4 AA batteries in the transmitter. It is an amazing use of technology. More to Read more:Airplanes
My RC Planes (so far) 2007-12-19 07:17:25 Here is a overview of the planes I have been flying. More details to come…
Soarstar Electric ARF by Super Flying Models
This is my first real plane. It was a great trainer for both the build process and flight.
Yak 54F by E-flite (Quique Somenzini designed)
This is my first plane with ailerons, it flies great. 20-20 Hacker Style motor, 25amp Towpro ESC, 3S 1300 Lipos
Slowfly plans by Sloper Steve
This is my first scratch built. I am currently building another and will post details.
December is for Cynics 2007-12-14 18:26:36 ‘Tis the season for some of the most awful music. Thanks to The Matches, it’s not all bad. This song has been a favorite since the first time i heard it on radio wazee. I was also fortunate to hear them live at the Masquerade in Atlanta, GA.
“December
Is For Cynics” - The Matches
Black frames to stare out
Mod lang slang to wear out
Scoff at squares in sweaters
Ho, Ho, Ho, we’re so much better
Used is the new black
Downloads are the new crack
Mocking carols that we hate
Damn, it’s easy being great
So to hell with Holiday romantics
December is for cynics
December is for critics
Let’s get high on art supplies and hibernate
December is for cynics
Damn, it’s too easy being great
I brought you a bottle of wine full
Of flowers and this vinyl
I know we both made it clear
No stupid presents this year
But snopes.com said if you play
Strawberry fields the wrong way
You can hear Lennon’s ghost say
I buried Paul
So to hell with Ho
My very own Wiki playground 2007-12-12 16:35:53 If you havn’t already noticed, I added a new section to the site. My very own wiki, where I can organize my links, references and important information. I have many uses for it in mind, we will see if it ever takes off. Anyway, if you find something incorrect, or have something to add, please feel free to contribute. If you have been living under a rock and are new to wiki’s start here.
Read more:Wiki
, playground
Live Music 2007-12-11 08:38:12 Who doesn’t like live music? To me it is one of the purest forms of art. It used to be the only way you take it in was, well to go to a concert. That is unless you happened to find a mono cassette copy or got really lucky and scored a soundboard recording. Most bands know for their live creativity have an open taping policy. This is great for people who only get out a couple times a year to take in a show. With a good stereo or set of headphones, you can enjoy a concert while you relax at home.
Recording technology has come a long way. Just a couple of years ago, the only way to get your hands on live recordings was to network/trade with tapers/collectors or request blanks and postage (B&P) exchanges. Most taping policies do not allow recordings to be bought or sold. B&Ps are a great way to get started, friendly collectors (or people who accidentally burned two copies) would offer up shows. All you had to do was send blank media with a return mailer. This was how I got st Read more:Music
Google Chart API, Wow! 2007-12-21 09:10:48 I have always been a sucker for statistical eye candy. Last week Google
launched their chart APIs. I have always done charts client-side with a java applet or SWF application. Server-side solutions where always kludgey. They required way to much customization and each provider/chart style had a different interface. Thanks to Google, static charts are now super simple. The API currently supports line, bar, pie charts, venn diagrams and scatter plots. Most of the standard Google API rules apply. You are going to see these popping up all over the place. I know I am definitely going to give them a try.
this … http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=lc&chd=s:cEAELFJHHHKUju9uuXUc&chco=
76A4FB&chls=2.0,0.0,0.0&chs=200x125&chg=20,50,1,0&chxt=x,y&chxl=0:|0|1|2|3
|4|5|1:|0|50|100
… turns into this …
… beautiful isn’t it.
Read more:Chart
Movie: Into the Wild 2008-02-19 07:14:22 You have undoubtedly heard about this outstanding book/movie. Well if you haven't seen the movie yet, the consumer copy is being released on March 4th. This is a must see (and/or physically own if your primitive squirrel instincts are in overdrive).
Thank you Microsoft, Vista SP1 is Nice! 2008-02-16 09:31:36 I just installed Windows Vista
SP1 and so far have noticed quite a performance improvement. Nothing scientific here... just "click of the mouse" impressions. But everything seems more responsive and smooth. One tangible difference is Read more:Thank
, Microsoft
RC Airplane Flight Box/Field Bag 2008-02-12 15:20:32 Field boxes are an essential part of rc flight. As I graduate from backyard flying, the more I realize this. There is nothting worse than ... Read more:Airplane
, Flight
, Field
Webmasters: Don’t forget about DNS… 2008-01-29 23:12:49 The Domain Name System (DNS) is arguably the single most important part of the internet. Just think: If websites only had a numerical lookup... our Rolodex's would be massively confusing. Read more:Webmasters
QOS for SOHO VOIP Solved, Tomato Firmware 2008-01-24 17:15:38 One of my biggest challenges setting up my Small Office and Home Office (SOHO) Voice Over IP (VOIP) network has been related to Quality of Service (QOS). Have you ever been on a VOIP call and had people complain that you sound like you are in a tin can? Read more:Tomato
, Firmware
Pet Fish Archive 2008-01-19 01:17:04 I have had pet fish on and off ever since I can remember. I don't currently have fish, but can't wait to setup another tank. Here are some of my recent tanks. Read more:Archive
Funny IT Voicemail, “That Projector Stinks” 2008-01-17 03:59:47 This is a classic... "Matt, Hi it's rob. I wanted to give you an update on the power point projector that we loaned out. We haven't used it yet, and there is a reason. Um... Before, we were going to use it for a client presentation, we had a supplier come in and borrow it ... " Read more:Funny
, Voicemail
, Projector
Printing on paper is a bad habit 2008-03-29 07:51:00 Why do we print things on 8.5x11" pieces of amalgamated fibers? It's a valid question these days. We have trained ourselves over thousands of years to cling to something physical or tangible. I just call it stuff. Read more:Printing
, paper
CSS Naked Day 2008-04-08 23:01:43 No my site isn't broken... Today I am observing CSS Naked Day to help promote web standards.
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