::: jeffphillips.org :::

I’m now beginning the second phase of the new media center effort. We’ve ordered two things: a cable card tuner and a new video card. We need the new video card to be able to view HDCP content, such as HD video from the tuners, and a future BluRay drive if we go that route. It also has an HDMI jack which will give us more vibrant color than the VGA jack we’re currently using.

Secondly, we’ll be making a trial run with a single digital tuner so that I can get the system running and make sure it works before ordering the second one.

If all goes according to plan, by next month I’ll have the second tuner and we’ll ditch the cable service provided DVR box and save even more money [we saved over $12 by getting rid of the upstairs cable receiver, and should save maybe $30 or so by getting rid of the HD DVR box set top box].

I’ll let you know how it pans out.

Filed under: Life News, Technology on July 1st, 2009 | No Comments »

I know many of you won’t care too much about this, but I’ve migrated my web site photo gallery from MySQL to Microsoft SQL Server 2008. It’s now working on the new server. It was actually rather painstaking to get it set up correctly, but it’s done now.

The only thing you might miss is the links are kind of ugly now, not the neat links they used to be. I may be able to fix that in the future.

UPDATE: I fixed the links and they’re back to what they were.

Filed under: Site News, Technology on June 29th, 2009 | No Comments »

I mean it this time!

Previously, I had used our old [really only] desktop as a media center PC only to fall short of our goal. After you read that, you’ll find that I got to the point where everything was great – except for the digital encrypted channels… which was most of them. I had given up and just configured a virtual machine with an extender to play our music.

We almost never turn it on.

I had at one point subscribed to a discussion about media center and was still getting emails about it. The other day, I actually read a couple. What I read was liberating. Not in a metaphysical sense, but a technological one. In the previous post, you’ll note I discuss the fact that in order to get a CableCard tuner to work with a Windows Media Center PC, it needed to have special BIOS – and be blessed by the cable industry. While to some extent this is still true, some interesting things are happening.

First, new system boards are becoming available with the special setting enabled by default. That is great, since there was previously no way to buy special parts for those who wanted to build their own system or upgrade existing ones for lower costs. Secondly, there seems to be a “hack” out there, or more precisely a utility, which allows non-OCUR systems to show as compatible for CableCard tuners.

Guess which one I was leaning to?

Having already had a nice, capable system [4GB of RAM and 250GB HDD – possibly need more space, though] I was not really desirous of buying anything new. So, I took the old box, wiped it out and installed a fresh copy of Windows 7 RC1. Win7 is quite a bit better, I must say. Especially when it comes to Media Center. The TV Pack is included by default and it, while familiar, has a few more features. I then used a utility to check OCUR compliance: FAIL. Next, came the OCUR utility. I installed it and, Viola! PASS.

I finished building the system, including installing the Amazon Unbox player and the new beta version of the Hulu Desktop [quite cool, I might add] and customized it to be launched from inside the WMC GUI. It even uses the WMC remote control! That being done, I synchronized the music locally to the machine and took it upstairs. I hooked the old analog tuner into the computer and achieve low-def success.

Now that it’s working the way I want, the only thing left is for us to obtain a pair of CableCard tuners [I think Win7 Ultimate can handle up to 4] and cards and get them paired. I’m waiting on that because the tuners are still almost $300 a piece so that has to fit into my budget.

One thing is certain, though: the additional $40 or so per month I’m spending on cable boxes will go away once I go live with CableCards. I’ve even thought about cancelling cable. You can watch all you want on Hulu, so why do I need cable, right? Well, Laura says I can’t drop it yet and the Hulu shows aren’t in full HD and because they’re streaming tend to jump a little. So – not completely free of the cable company. Yet.

All I know for certain is that the saga will continue, and once I can save up enough for the tuners, we’ll be good to go… but…

I need to save up for a car too… decisions, decisions…

Filed under: House, Technology on June 13th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Gardening is hard work – especially when you find some kind of rock under the topsoil. Digging around it, we found that it could be broken into pieces. Not easily, but it could be done. So, for the last hour or so, we’ve been digging through it just to get holes deep enough for some flowers. Of course, we had to borrow a shovel to do this work, so that’s now on the list of stuff we have to buy.

The barbeque is going well – I think I have the temperature down where it needs to be. It takes a lot of work just to check on it during the day. I’m glad I have nowhere else to be!

I’m also working on the new web site, or rather, redirecting the old website to the new domain name. This is the web site for our new photography business name: Phillips Photographik. It’s the same site for now that the old one pointed to, but now I’ve changed some of the language to reflect that it’s Laura and I, and updated the contact emails. I still have to update the banner.

It will take some time for us to finalize a logo, but we’ll get it done. At least this gives us a start!

We’ve been stagnant for so long, but things are going to change soon.

Filed under: House, Life News, Photography, Site News on May 25th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

I hope everyone is having a great memorial day. Just be sure to remember those who gave their lives so that you can live free.

As for us, we are barbequing. It’s what you’re supposed to do on Memorial Day, right? Fire up the smoker and cook the meat. I’m going for 10 hours on the brisket today and I hope it will be good!

At least it’s not boiling hot up here – 70 degrees is nice!

Filed under: Life News on May 25th, 2009 | No Comments »

Well, not exactly “smoking” but the charcoal is. We’re heatin’ up the ole grill and using it to grill some burgers and a kabob this time. We have some new metal grills to replace the old “well used” ones, so I’m really firing it up to season them. But, why waste a fire, yes?

Let’s cook!

Soon, it will be ready to grill and the meat will be sizzlin’.

It’s sure good to be home, now!

Filed under: House, Life News on May 10th, 2009 | No Comments »

Normally, I like a little rain. It soothes me: restores my sense of balance. But not today. Today, It’s just caused me to be very late. Late because I’m supposed to be in the air right now. I’m supposed to be about to land in Newark on my way to Seattle for training.

That’s not happening. Instead, what’s happening is that I’m delayed. I’m sitting next to the gate waiting. Waiting on a departure in hopes that I can make my connection.

Now, the rain is not so soothing. I could have stayed home longer. I could have spent more time with Laura. But, no: the rain has conspired to keep me in a little chair next to a little door waiting to get on a little plane.

Fun. Not.

Filed under: Travel on May 3rd, 2009 | No Comments »

This afternoon, I sat down on my couch to watch a little TV and relax only to find to my chagrin, that the rather new Samsung LN46A750 turns itself on and off continuously! This is way not good.

A quick search online tells me that this is a known problem and that there is a fix for it by flashing the TV. Awesome.

Now if I can only keep the TV from turning off so that I can flash it…

That would be a “no”. Now, I have to have someone come and fix it. Grr.

I’m so glad this happened while it is under warranty!

Filed under: House on April 26th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Today, I went on a ride with my motorcycle club from South Riding to Frederick, MD. It’s not that long of a ride, but doing it with a group of 35 or so people takes quite a bit of time. In fact, the round trip plus lunch took over 6 hours.

That wouldn’t have been so bad except for one thing: it was over 90 degrees outside today! Ouch! It’s not so bad when you’re moving, but once you stop, the heat gets very uncomfortable.

Anyway, it was all in all a great ride except for the heat. Then I got home. Seems that even though our HVAC has been repaired, that I forgot to reset the thermostat and put it on Auto instead of Heat. Well, it’s over 80 in the house now and it’s still uncomfortable for me to move around.

Maybe I’ll just go lay on the tile floor… too bad it’s fake tile. Won’t really be cool enough.

Filed under: House, Life News on April 25th, 2009 | No Comments »

Okay, so I don’t post nearly as regularly as I should, but at least I do post and I try to do it at least once a month.

So the AC is now finally fixed and operating as it’s supposed to.

And I’m sore like I haven’t been since high-school spring football [and not recovering near as fast] due to some increased workout activity. I’ve been doing a little of that P90X workout once per week and it really tears me up. Maybe one day I’ll be able to do it 5 days per week.

So, we went out and got great pictures of cherry blossoms. But you haven’t seen them. Ha! Okay, okay. I get it. You can see them now. I’ve posted them in this directory. Here’s a sample picture:

Now, all we need to do is post the thousands of remaining pictures…

Filed under: House, Life News, Photography on April 23rd, 2009 | No Comments »