My streaming media fascination that began with the ACC Tournament continues. I found this interesting analysis of Netflix and the costs it incurs with its streaming media offering.
I wonder if the Netflix players do any swarm-type sharing of media or if it’s all point-to-point. Swarming such a large amount of data seems like an easy decision to me. Surely Netflix has considered it.
(h/t Hacking Netflix)
I decided to retire my old laser printer when it wore out its latest toner cartridge and the thought of paying $80 to order another cartridge didn’t appeal. I bought a popular Brother model from Amazon Thursday evening, not expecting to see it until today.
Instead, it arrived on my front porch Saturday morning at 9 AM – and that’s with Amazon’s free shipping. I’m still blown away at how I can order a printer with a few clicks, pay 30% less than at the local warehouse club, pay no shipping on a 26 pound shipment, and 36 hours later it’s in my hands.
Amazon runs one tight ship, my friends. They beat all I’ve ever seen.
Ever since I upgraded to an HD capture card in my MythTV backend, I’ve noticed a wide variation in the playback speeds of the recordings it makes. Some play back at normal speed while others play back far too slowly or quickly. It’s frustrating.
I was going to blame MythTV for this craziness until I remembered the dvb-utils application azap. This little app tunes the HD card and dumps the output to a pipe, thus it provides a way of testing the card (and driver) outside of Myth. I’ve never used it before but it seems to be the perfect test tool. It turns out the streams produced by the driver and card exhibit the same synchronization issues I’ve seen in Myth itself. That means Myth isn’t to blame.
But what is? My card or its driver? I suppose the next step is to somehow get Windows running on my server long enough to test the card using the Windows driver. If that works, I know Linux or the Linux driver is to blame.
The investigation continues…
It’s lyrics ain’t Shakespeare but this song is still strangely catchy.
Wind-up Bird (YouTube)
Pink Grease
I can’t take it anymore
You keep on dancing in my nowhere
I am the preacher, the preacher’s son
You keep on landing in my nowhere
You are the wind-up, wind-up bird
You keep on sounding in my nowhere
You are the cancer, cancer girl
You keep on landing in my nowhere
But now my cat is dead
my cat is dead, gone down the well
Yeah, now my cat is dead
gone down the well
my cat is dead
Continue reading
I was running our Roomba vacuum around today for the first time in a while and noticing its battery is on its last legs. This has been the first real issue with our robotic friend since we’ve had it. I’m contemplating whether to buy a new battery or consider an upgrade to a newer model.
On a related note, a fellow Roomba fan alerted me to this interesting MIT project that uses souped-up Roombas to tend tomato plants. I thought it was an artificial intelligence milestone for the Roomba just to dock itself, but these Roombas not only do that but they also pick specific tomatoes on command. Amazing! Watch them in action here.
Now if I could just get mine to overwater my plants so that I don’t have to.
Gosh, this sounds like my dream job!!11!1!!
From: “John Erskine” g.galtier@orange .fr
Subject: Employment offer
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:38:13 -0800
Dear Sir/Madam,
Global sources limited is a registered group of business agency, that deals on trade merchandize, we have a wide range of clientele across the world, we are experts in trade distribution and product marketing, having scored a distinction as to earn the much revered title, “Asian trade giants”.
Distributed products as follows;
Electronics, A/V Care, Accessories & Services • Audio Equipment • Personal/Office • Furnishings • Furniture • Health & Medical • Household Supplies • Kitchenware • Beauty Products & Cosmetics • Jewelry • Men’s & Women’s Shoes & Accessories • Watches &
Continue reading
This weekend also marks the first anniversary of moving into our East Raleigh home. It’s been a great year in our home.
My friend Matt Leary is traveling to Australia today on business. It reminded me that it was this time three years ago that I was visiting Australia myself. It’s got me wishing I was there again.
Maybe next year we’ll be settled enough in jobs and routine that the family can spend a few weeks Down Under.
I don’t know exactly what I’d do with this but I’ve always wanted one and it looks cool.
From Craigslist:
We have a Will-Burt Pneumatic antenna mast to be sold. This is a working unit and is currently installed in a 1987 Ford van. This mast is one of the ‘heavy duty models’ designed to handle approximately 100 pounds and extends to about 55 feet. This unit includes the compressor that operates on vehicle or external power. This size unit currently sells by Will-Burt distributors for approximately $12,000.00 with the pump at an additional $1500.00. This is the link to their site showing the current models http://towermast.willburt.com/vmHDNLM.asp Continue reading
