A revival of sorts.

My blog, this blog, never really took off. It was a great idea but I think I was even too much of a geek for my wife to make sense of.

Recently I started a new home network project that I have decided to write a little about, so I might as well publish my ramblings here since there's really no where else...

Geek said.

Pretty sure She said, "whatever".

I love her. She humors me.

The Great Virtual Sandbox Build of 2013

For many years when I was first getting my feet wet in IT I kept multiple old computer systems and referred to them as my digital sandbox. Much like the original sandbox I played in as a child only much cleaner if you ignore the dust bunnies…oh who am I kidding, I played more with LEGO than sand but the concept is the same. My sandbox allowed me to build, tear down, rebuild and repeat. The possibilities were limitless.

Now that I have been in the field for 15 years and have started raising a family the play time is also somewhat limited, but even more so storage is extremely limited. I still have boxes full of computer parts that I need to find a new home for, but gone are the days of keeping 3 old computers just for the heck of it. However, my desire to build and test proof of concepts remain, so what is a geek to do?

Enter my latest adventure, "The Great Virtual Sandbox Build of 2013".

Computer system hardware performance has for the most part out paced the requirements of software and advancements in virtualization have been amazing. This led me to the idea that the computer I have running in my basement 24/7/365 and call my "file server" could be...so…much…more. I recently migrated a Cisco Unified Communications Cluster to Cisco UCS hardware which involved virtualizing multiple UCM application servers on ESX.

*insert geek brain gear noises*

VMWare has a version of ESXi that is free, albeit feature stripped, but certainly capable of providing the platform I was looking for. Support for a single CPU with any number of cores and up to 32GB of memory? That should do. BUT, what about hardware compatibility? Oh crap… Well let's just figure out what I want to be able to do with this thing.

1. I need to maintain my file server which is running unRAID and had been doing so for nearly 300 days without a reboot at the time I took it down to complete this build.

- To accomplish this unRAID needs direct disk access using VMWare's Direct I/O which relies on the virtualization features of the CPU and the motherboard. Eeek! Finding the right combination took a significant amount of research and reading.

2. I have a vibrant Apple culture in my house with multiple iDevices and a couple of MacBook Pros so naturally I will want to run a Mac Server and play with things like Profile Manager.

- Apple only licenses Mac OS to run on Apple hardware. Sigh. That won't work well with unRAID. Doh! Well then I guess I may have to avoid reading the EULA and seek another solution.
- Since ESXi natively supports Mac OS it would be just a matter of unlocking that functionality on non-Apple hardware.
- Don't forget Mac OS only natively supports Intel processors and chipsets. Bummer. I normally use AMD CPUs to cut costs, but in this case compatibility rules. Patching a Hackintosh VM is not on my bucket list.

3. I have a long sorted history with Windows Server and Active Directory and as much as I could care less about it I have to work with it regularly and deal with its existence. Since it is so widely used I need to test integrations with other systems.

- Windows server licenses are expensive! Cracking it may or may not be possible, but I really hate being a pirate. Except on Halloween, then it's my purpose. Argh Matey! Trick or Beer! Thankfully I have a .EDU email and acquired a legitimate license through Dreamspark. Wait, that's for students? Shame. On. Me. At least I'm using it for educational purposes, right?

4. I love Linux servers. I love applications that run on Linux. I pretty much love everything about Linux. So obviously I'll be running a Linux server VM, that's a no brainer.

- FREE FREE FREE WOO HOO HOO!!! 'Nuf said.

5. I begrudgingly admit that I am a VoIP admin. Oh wait, I already did that. That's what got me into this thought process in the first place. I would like to test CUCM in various scenarios and not break my production environment that has 9 or so sites with 1200+ phones….oh and that's just my part-time job…

- Loading CUCM in a VM on non-Cisco hardware isn't overly complicated but has some small issues. Best part is it installs with a DEMO license that supports like 6 phones. More than what I need.

Perfect. That's what I "need" to be able to do with my virtual sandbox. The hardware must also support what I want to be able to do now and in the future.

- Processor: Intel. Fast, low power CPU with at least 4 cores, VT-d support (that direct hardware access) and preferably hyperthreading.
- Motherboard: Lots of SATA connectors, PCI-E and PCI slots, at least 32GB memory, but most importantly VT-d support. I can't stress the importance of this project relying on direct hardware access.
- Memory: Minimum 16GB, the fastest supported natively by the motherboard. You can have your over-clocking, I'll keep my stability. My 292 days runtime in unRAID was important to me.
- Power supply: High wattage, 80plus gold certified, this thing runs 24/7/365 it needs to be efficient.
- SATA controller: I'm going to need a minimum of 9 SATA ports to support the existing hard drives (1 ESXi datastore, 8 unRAID) going into this system.

That pretty much covers the main points of the hardware which guided me to a build sheet. After literally months of research and some waiting to see if others have tried the hardware (specifically the motherboard) I settled on the following parts:

- ASRock Z77 Extreme4
- Intel Core i7-3770S
- G.Skill RipJaws X Series 2x8GB -- At some point 2 more will be added.
- Rosewill CAPSTONE Series CAPSTONE-750-M 750W
- ADATA Value-Driven S102 Pro 16GB -- ESXi Boot Drive
- IBM M1015 -- Crossflashed to LSI 9211-8i, 2x4 port SAS/SATA controller

That pretty much sizes it up since I was re-using existing hard drives and computer case.

First, the ASRock Z77 Extreme4, what I learned:

- The onboard NIC requires a custom ESXi installer or it just doesn't work. It'll show up as there, but it won't pass any data.
- Only 6 of the 8 SATA ports passthrough properly to ESXi virtual machines in the default EFI configuration. Since I was putting in the IBM M1015 this didn't matter so I didn't try to figure out why the other 2 didn't.
- I used a USB3 header cable to put the ADATA flash drive inside the case rather than have it dangle out the back and get snapped off accidentally.

Second, well all I have left is the experience, the rest of the hardware worked without quirks.

I am not extremely knowledgeable with ESXi, that was part of the reason for this build so I took the first couple days breaking it. I re-installed ESXi at least 6 times because I made an erroneous change that broke it and rather than take the time to figure out how to fix it I just started from scratch and considered it a lesson learned. I did all this in a temporary case so that my unRAID server could continue to clock up-time.

When I finally settled on the ESXi setup, my SATA controller hadn't arrived. I decided to use a couple other PCI cards I had on hand for the time being. I tore down my unRAID box and replaced the hardware, hooked everything up and I thought I was good to go. I booted up ESXi, everything is happy, passed through the SATA controllers to the unRAID VM and proceeded to boot up the VM. This is where I learned another valuable lesson. Only 4 of my 8 unRAID drives showed up. Crap. Turns out only one of me 2 SATA controllers were supported by unRAID. I should have waited until the IBM card arrived. When it finally did I powered up the VM and none of my drives showed up in unRAID. Double crap! Fast solution, upgrade unRAID from 4.7 to 5.0RC(whatever the latest was). I was planning to wait until version 5 was final, but oh well. I needed to start clocking uptime again. After the unRAID upgrade all my drives showed up and everything came online.

I have the basic virtual machines built and operating and have started building out a "small business" like virtual server farm for my home network. Slowly I am tearing down the old environment and replacing it. I had been using a Raspberry Pi for DHCP/DNS, but that has been replaced by the Windows Server since I now have an Active Directory operating.

My first virtual environmental challenge will be the integration of Active Directory, Open Directory and DNS. Both Windows and Mac server will run their respective directory services as well as DNS and shall permit zone transfers.

Let the good times roll…

Geek said.

Disappointing Lion

After using OS X Lion for over a week some things have reared their ugly heads and let out a growl so horrifying one can only imagine a Lion that is dying.

It is well documented that Apple has made significant improvements in security within the operating system that users will never see. These improvements are what makes me want to run Lion. Maybe less documented because it being personal preference are the UI changes that Apple has made within certain apps that have rendered them a royal PITA to use.

This actually started a couple years back with the big re-write of iMovie. What was once a simple, fast, and easy way to edit video has become a complicated non-intuitive pile of dog feces. Each time I have tried to use iMovie I become increasingly more frustrated and long for the iMovie of the good old days. Also, I am not a Final Cut user but from the sound of it the new Final Cut didn't strike a chord with the user base. Apple, are you listening? You were the king of consumer and pro video editing and your arrogance has led you to producing garbage to replace great products.

That unfortunately isn't the end of it for me. I only use iMovie occasionally, but I use iCal daily and the last update to iCal as part of Lion is the worst UI nightmare that I have ever been thrown into. I must mention that if I only had one calendar the new iCal would probably be fantastic, but I maintain at minimum 8 different calendars which in the past was a joy in iCal. Creating new events on the correct calendar (or even creating events in general) was quite simple and intuitive.

Now with the new iCal I am increasingly frustrated every time I create a calendar event. Despite selecting the calendar I want the event to exist on before creating the event, the event is created on the default calendar. Oh, and don't click on the calendar to hard or random events will be created without so much as a double click. Don't even get me started on the horrible performance, creating one event on the correct calendar takes an excruciatingly long time for somebody that's trying to make life more manageable.

The iCal changes aren't my only frustration with Lion, it's just the biggest. Apple made an omission in OS X that makes no sense. With a machine like the Mac Mini that is perfect for the home theater and the 27" iMac which can double as a TV in a small apartment (or dorm room) removing the Front Row application to encourage AppleTV sales seems childish. AppleTV albeit a fantastic product has always been niche. I love my AppleTV but some folks just need more from their Home Theater than what AppleTV can provide. Thankfully Plex, Boxee, XBMC and others are happy to fill that void.

This is my soap box and although my rant is most likely irrelevant my frustration attempting to create my weekly menu inside of iCal like I have done for well over a year led me to unload here.

Geek out...

Manipulating Apple iOS's use of Google Mail and Calendar Services

I use Google Calendar and Mail extensively. I also use an Apple iPod Touch and iPad extensively. This has created a conundrum for me up until now. Recently I had a light bulb moment, so I took the time to test a theory on how to get the best usability out of Google services on my i-Devices.

Initially I used Exchange account configuration in iOS to configure Gmail/Calendar. This led to problem #1.

Problem 1:

"She Said" and I use Google Calendar to organize our personal lives. With 4 children keeping track of where everybody is supposed to be and when can be a challenge. Each person in the family has a Google Calendar that "She Said" and I have read/write access to. The older two children have their own Gmail/Calendar accounts so they have read/write to their own calendar as well. Incidentally they also have iPod Touches.

When using Exchange account configuration for Google Calendar you can only sync the main calendar associated with the Google account. This made it rather difficult to keep track of our childrens'/spouse's schedule.

So, I switched to the Gmail account configuration in iOS which solved problem #1, but that led to problem #2.

Problem 2:

I like receiving push email with notifications. That is the point of having a mobile device after all, getting email in a timely manner. Unfortunately with the Gmail Account configuration it only uses pull mail, so I have to manually check for new email messages. This is rather disappointing.

I have been living with Problem #2 and not thinking of it as a big deal until recently I came up with a bright idea.

If you are familiar with iOS you will know that you can select which components of an account that you sync to a device. The typical options are Mail, Calendar, and Contacts. Here's when the light bulb came on.

Bright idea 1:

I almost feel like a schmuck now and a little surprised I didn't think of it sooner. I just needed to setup my Google Account twice, once as an Exchange account for Mail only, and once as a Gmail account for Calendar.

So this morning I put my theory to use. I removed mail from the existing Gmail configuration on my iPod Touch and added a new Exchange account for my Gmail for mail only. Thank you Apple for allowing multiple Exchange (activesync) accounts. (If I remember right that was new in iOS3.)

Result 1:

Success. I have my cake and I'm eating it too. I now have the whole family's calendars syncing to my i-Device AND I'm getting push mail for my Gmail account.

...it's great to be a geek.

Geek Said

Myth(HD)TV, part 3

Geek said:

One of the most difficult choices in building a MythTV box is choosing an appropriate tuner. Granted there are functions of MythTV that don't require a tuner, but it's hard to be a DVR without one.

There are a lot of options in TV tuners and selecting one that works with Linux/MythTV can be a challenge, especially when you consider all the recording sources. One thing is certain, the Hauppauge brand is popular and is generally supported. I have used the PVR-500 NTSC cards for a long time without any problem. The built-in MPEG2 encoder comes in handy when recording analog sources because it offloads the digital conversion from the processor.

If I were to recommend a tuner right now to somebody I would go with the Hauppauge HVR-2250 and here's why.

• Supported in Linux/MythTV and Windows Media Center if you give up on MythTV
  
• Dual ATSC/ClearQAM/NTSC tuners
• MPEG2 Encoder Chips for NTSC/Analog capture

This particular card should setup easily in Mythbuntu (probably the easiest method to build a Mythbox) and allow for recording two shows (either analog or digital) simultaneously without much CPU usage. This card also has analog inputs for connections from set top boxes for satellite subscribers.

Personally I went with the HDHomeRun from Silicon dust for my digital recording because of the fantastic reviews, but mostly because of the compatibility. All the DVR packages I've looked at are compatible with it from MythTV (Linux and Mac), Windows Media Center, and EyeTV (Mac). That will allow me to evaluate every one of them without disrupting my production Mythbox. Another reason I picked the HDHomeRun was that I already had 3 PVR-500 cards which have 6 analog tuners between them so my ClearQAM tuner didn't need to be a hybrid.

The last thing I can say and probably the most important regarding tuners. Avoid the ATI All-In-Wonder card like the black plague. That particular card looks like the holy grail but will give you nothing but heart ache. It just doesn't work.

Geek out...

Windows 7 Media Center, part 1

Geek Said:

My HTPC has had many faces, most of which are Linux/MythTV as I have discussed in other posts, but seeing as how I'm never satisfied with the technology I'm using I always spend some time playing with other options.

Despite what you might believe, I do not hate Windows, at least not ALL Windows. First there is XP, I really like XP. Vista I do despise to no end, but I am still on the fence with Windows 7, it's just too young to be overly critical of it. Win7 definitely surpasses the nightmare that is Vista, but I still prefer XP. Where this leads me is to giving Windows Media Center a go....but on Windows 7 since it is built-in to Home Premium edition and not a completely different version of the OS (modified Pro as it was with XP). I do have some experience with Vista Media Center and I admit it was simple to setup, even with controlling a set-t0p-box with an IR blaster, but can you say resource hog? OMG.

I recently updated the kids computer from XP Pro to Windows 7 Home Premium. For those of you that consider yourselves Geeks, notice that I said "updated" and not "upgraded"... Anyway since I have the HDHomeRun on the network I decided it would be easy to try out WMC.

Thanks to SiliconDust and their fantastic instructions setup was a breeze. No thanks to Microsoft and their lack of information regarding ClearQAM. WMC fails to find any ClearQAM channels....or does it? Wait a minute, they are all there, just inactive. Say what? Yeah, Windows Media Center finds all the channels that he HDHR can tune in but since the listings source doesn't match up to the channels it disables them and tells you that it didn't find any. That's real intuitive...

Like I said, Thank You, SiliconDust because if it weren't for your directions I would have had no idea where to edit the channel information to enable the ClearQAM channels and assign a listing source to the channel. Once I manually enabled the channel and assigned listings I finally got to watch live TV with WMC. It didn't take long, but are you kidding me? I can see why people aren't gung-ho on building/using HTPCs. I have an internal NTSC/ATSC hybrid card that I had tried previously under Windows 7 and experienced the exact same issue, the difference being that manufacturer had no help what-so-ever to tell me how to enable the hidden channels and I never got it functioning...but that might because I didn't care to invest any time in it either.

I didn't play with it long but I did watch some golf and I have to say the WMC user interface is really intuitive and although it may require a geek-like attitude to set it up to work the use and function is definitely easy enough for everybody.

There is one primary reason I would never consider running Windows Media Center as my HTPC application. WMC embeds DRM into the recordings and limits what you can do with the resulting file. MythTV on the other hand has a bare mpeg2 file (or Nuppel video in some cases) that can be edited or transcoded and moved to any platform your heart desires.

Geek out...

Boxee Beta, part 1

Geek Said:

A while back I started playing with the XBMC derivative called Boxee. I joined the early access beta group and when they jumped from Alpha to Beta I took the plunge and was very pleased. The Alpha was just XBMC in sheep's clothing in my opinion, not much different. The Beta on the other hand shed some skin and introduced a whole new experience. Boxee is on a mission to create one fantastic media center UI.

The primary reason that Boxee caught my eye was it's cross platform nature which had carried over from XBMC. Having the same UI on Mac, Windows, Linux is very important to me and the functionality of an HTPC environment throughout the home. Teaching my family to use multiple systems is definitely not the answer... I keep my family operating system agnostic, they are exposed to Mac, Windows and Linux in hopes that they learn how to complete a task with the tools that are available and not just specific tools. FYI: Microsoft Word is not the only word processor in the world... surprised?

The first thing to remember about Boxee is that it is not a DVR/PVR and has no intentions of becoming one. This is much different than MythTV, Windows Media Center, and EyeTV which is the primary function of all three of those systems. Boxee's purpose is to provide a simple UI to access multiple media sources from local media files to Internet based streaming services like Hulu and major TV network sites. The Beta goes a long ways toward simplifying access to those various streaming providers. It's not perfect but there is hope one day it will be seamless.

The second thing to remember is that it is still in Beta which means there are significant bugs, the advantage is that Boxee is under constant development and new versions are available on a fairly regular basis. Although that can also be a disadvantage because something that was broken may now be fixed and vice versa. I hate the vice versa but it happens.

I have to add, even though Boxee doesn't have DVR functionality that doesn't mean you cannot connect to your DVR media. As a MythTV user I used a couple of scripts that create symlinks (shortcuts) to the mythtv files with names that Boxee can correctly interpret for cataloging the recordings.

This has uncovered two issues with my current environment. My main MythTV backend also serves as a frontend in my family room. Running Boxee, it is incapable of HDTV MPEG2 playback (the MythTV ClearQAM recording format), however those files playback fine in MythFrontend. Most likely that's an issue with VDPAU support within Boxee...I'm sure that will get resolved at some point, but it doesn't work now. The second problem is that my wireless network is definitely not fast enough to stream HD content which is very disappointing to me because I cannot watch recordings in my bedroom where "She said" and I watch the most TV.

At this point I am not sure what part 2 will bring but it will be coming soon.

Geek out...

She said...

It's been much longer than between posts than I had hoped. Apparently "She said" is MIA... sort of like another blog I'm familiar with. schuermanfamily.blogspot.com

This may become a "Geek Said..." often and a "She Said..." occasionally.

Geek out.

Myth(HD)TV, part 2.

Geek said:

In part 2 of my Myth(HD)TV series I want to discuss an overview of the hardware and software that goes into building a MythTV based HTPC.

When I first started with MythTV it was in version .15 if my memory serves and it was a #$#!@$@ (for Beetle Bailey Fans) to setup and configure and required nothing short of "uber geek" status to accomplish. The project has matured significantly since then and thanks to the community there are modified Linux Distros dedicated to the project. Mythbuntu for instance makes configuring and setting up MythTV on a new system (or a virtual machine) and absolute cake walk.

When it comes to hardware for a new project I am definitely not one to run out and buy a bunch of new stuff. I scrounge up whatever I can find and build a frankenputer which usually gets referred to as "Sandbox" because in essence that is exactly what the computer is, my big boy sandbox. Once my proof-of-concept is operational then I look into buying new hardware to make it come alive.

Hardware requirements vary greatly based on the wants/needs of the user. My HTPC runs 24/7/365 so I do my best to keep the power consumption down while still having enough horsepower to do things such as transcoding video. If you have no desire to transcode video then an ultra low power CPU like the Intel Atom on an ION platform is perfect. My needs are a little hungrier than that. I use the MythWeb interface to stream back recorded shows online. If you've heard a Slingbox, I have enough of that functionality in MythWeb. It's not as easy to get to and use away from my home network, but it is possible.

The ability to stream video through MythWeb requires the HTPC to transcode the file to a reduced quality that is small enough to transfer over the Internet. That process requires a significant amount of resources and a more powerful CPU.

My current system consists of the following:

CPU: AMD64 X2 5050e (65Watt, 2.6GHz, Dual-Core, 64bit)

RAM: 4GB DDR2-800

HDD: 1x 500GB (System), 1x 1.5TB (User Files), 1x 750GB (MythTV Recordings) all are SATA II

For an operating system I run Ubuntu 64bit, but I've added on the Mythbuntu packages for ease of configuration. My suggestion for a dedicated Mythbox is to use Mythbuntu and if you want to use Boxee or Hulu, stick with 32bit unless you want to hate yourself and start over. Boxee doesn't have an official 64bit version and making the 32bit version work is a headache you don't want. Hulu on the other hand relies on Flash which is also a bit of a nightmare when it comes to 64bit Ubuntu. One thing that is really missing in my HTPC is the ability to stream Netflix, however I solved the problem by purchasing a blu-ray player with built-in support for Netflix streaming. Before that purchase I was considering a move to a Mac or even (God forbid) Windows based HTPC just for Netflix functionality.

TV tuners is where it gets really interesting because you need to know what source you are going to record from. There are so many possibilities.

1. OTA (over-the-air) broadcasts using an Antenna with an ATSC tuner.
2. Analog Cable broadcasts using an NTSC tuner.
3. Unencrypted Digital Cable broadcasts using a ClearQAM tuner.
4. Digital Encrypted Cable broadcasts using analog outputs of a STB (set-top box)
5. Digital Encrypted Cable broadcasts using a firewire enabled STB
6. Digital Encrypted Satellite broadcasts using analog outputs of a STB

Personally, I'm doing 2 and 3. I record analog cable and digital unencrypted cable which as far as I'm concerned are two of the three easiest setups. OTA for someone close enough to pick up the broadcasts with an antenna would be just as easy.

Anytime you involve a STB it will complicate matters and what's the point of recording an analog version of a digital broadcast? To be honest you'd be better off using the satellite service DVR. That's not to say that MythTV and an HTPC wouldn't be useful to you because it is way more than just a DVR which I will get into in future posts. Cable STB's can be a little different, the FCC requires that cable companies provide a STB with a functional firewire port upon request allowing the use of a DVR like MythTV to record the digital programming. Getting the cable company to enable the port on your STB will probably be a bit of a challenge, most are completely unaware of the FCC's requirement.

There are NTSC, ATSC, ATSC/ClearQAM and hybrid NTSC/ATSC/ClearQAM tuners, with single and multiple tuners in various configurations, but if you're using a set top box you want one with S-Video inputs as well. In part three of Myth(HD)TV I will go in depth on my TV tuner selection and why I chose the ones that I did.

Geek out...

She Said:

...she didn't say, but hopefully some day she'll chime back in. Farmville seems to be more important.

Myth(HD)TV, part 1.

Geek said:

Several years ago, around the year 2001 a former coworker of mine was trying out a piece of software and was experiencing some difficulty, he called me and challenged me to figure it out. My life would never be the same. This started my long and storied history with MythTV a Linux based DVR/Media Center application. I can't begin to tell you the number of hours I have put in making it work; accidentally breaking it and fixing it; replacing and upgrading hardware.

In the beginning I begged, borrowed and adopted old, used and unwanted hardware to create my Frankenstein Mythbox. It wasn't pretty but it got the job done. I managed to squeeze everything I could out of the hardware and was able to record two shows simultaneously which was a feat because it required the CPU to encode the analog video to digital on the fly. The quality was cranked down so low it looked worse than a VCR recording, but have you ever seen a VCR record two shows at once? A far cry from what my current system is capable of: 4 digital (HD) and 4 analog simultaneous recordings on a single mythbackend.

This post is the start of a series of HTPC posts centered around MythTV. However because I am a geek (and often times a glutton for punishment) I plan to play with Windows Media Center on Windows 7 as well as EyeTV on the Mac and will share my findings.

Geek out,

Sherm

She said:

A *free DVR (TiVo)? When Kelly first starting playing with the Myth TV (not meth, I've had to clarify that a few times), I didn't understand the benefit. This was when TiVo was either non-existent or just unheard of to most people. Essentially, what Kelly was doing, was using the computer to record tv shows, for later playback.

What made it different from a VCR (closest comparison at that time)? Well, we could record multiple shows at the same time on different channels, while watching live tv. The bigger benefit though was that you set the schedule once, through the web application. So, I named a show I like to watch but never get to see. Kelly would locate it in the schedule through the Myth web interface and click 'record'. No setting times and channels, no tapes to mess with, and it recorded that show every time it came on.

Now, it wasn't always roses. The 'Frankenstein' Kelly mentioned - he was using the old, crappy computer parts that weren't cutting it in other machines. This resulted in a lot of system failures and rebuilding work. Imagine building your house on sand, and you'll understand the difficulty this created.

As the Myth software became more sophisticated, we decided it was worth the investment of better hardware. Over the years, Myth has become an expectation in our home.

Of course - if you know anything about Kelly, you know that he's not satisfied with things working and running smoothly. He's continued to push the envelope with Myth. He set up a commercial skip method, where the system would id the commercial breaks and automatically skip them. This wasn't always perfect, there were times when we would miss some of the show as well. He has worked it to a science now and I haven't watched a commercial (outside of the Super Bowl) in two years.

Where does that bring us now? This year Kelly has been dabbling with other tv offerings, including Boxee and Hulu. For the past several months, we haven't watched tv from a tv - all from the computer to a wide screen computer monitor mounted in our bedroom. We use the apple remote (or iPod Touch) to select the show we want to watch and click play. This set up brings with it all the expected features of a dvr (Digital Video Recorder), with pausing, replaying, etc.

Kelly is now working on building our home theater PC set up (HTPC), and leveraging our dvr recordings as well as web based media such as Netflix streaming, Boxee and Hulu. The newest set up allows us to record up to 4 shows at once, in HD quality. I personally think this goal came from my challenge - "Why do we need a HD TV when everything we watch comes from Myth - which is all compressed video quality**?" Now the video quality is clear enough to project onto our 9' movie screen in the basement, with no pixalation.

To me - the absolute best part of this is the freedom to live our busy life, and watch the TV shows we actually enjoy, on our schedule. As a result, we, and our children, watch a lot less TV (and no commercials, not even to skip through them).

Stay tuned as Kelly continues to change and build this system as I point out opportunities for improvement.

*Free - we don't pay for any services,software or subscriptions, only the hardware of the machine. Plus, the time to tinker. (Geed Edit: We do pay about $20 a year for the TV listings and then there is that pesky monthly cable fee...)

**think of the fuzzy picture from trying to make a small picture into a poster

Wendi (Wifey)

Geek Said, She Said

...and it begins.

Geek Said:

I am a self proclaimed geek that works in IT and spends countless hours pounding the keys at home as well. My job duties include Mac and Windows desktop administration and imaging; Windows, Mac and Linux server administration; Cisco Voice-Over-IP telephony administration; Flash, Windows, Quicktime and Real media streaming; H.323 video conferencing support; Cisco ASA, Switch, and Router administration. About the only thing I don't do is Active Directory and Exchange administration, but I have done that in the past as well. At home I am constantly working to improve my home media center and occasionally play with some interesting technology.

My wife had an idea for me to do a blog titled "Geek Speak" where she would translate my geeky ramblings into easy-to-understand, not-so-techie, somebody-might-actually-read blog entries. A twist on her idea struck me almost immediately and "Geek Said, She Said" was born.

The idea is that I will still do my rambling and everybody will have an opportunity to not understand me, followed by my wife's interpretation of said rambling.

If you want to see short bursts of geek, follow me on Twitter.

Geek out,

Sherm

She Said:

Yes, my husband is a self proclaimed geek. His interests vary across platforms and devices and applications. I would consider him an early adopter and a tinker-er. Kelly has always enjoyed building and rebuilding systems and trying new things.

Kelly has a deep passion for technology and loves to share the progress of his different projects with friends of all technology levels. What that usually translates into - is a lot of people that don't understand what he's talking about. It's not uncommon for friends and family to comment on his facebook status with a 'I have know idea what your status means'. So - I consider my role in this blog, to take the projects he's working on and make them relevant to the average user.

I'll warn you - I'm in marketing, so its in my nature to take the details and translate them into features and benefits.

Note: I will always have Kelly review and approve my translations to ensure accuracy.

Wendi (Wifey)