Clik here to view.
Home NAS Upgrade Planning
My current home storage server is a server I put together back in August of 2008. Over the years I have added hard drives, 5-in-3 expansion bays, SAS/SATA Cards, and even upgraded the CPU/RAM, but...
View ArticleRuby on Rails on CentOS
I’ve been meaning to play with Ruby on Rails for… years. Why? Mainly because it is something new to work with, but that’s usually easier said than done. Finding the time (and motivation) between other...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New Build: OpenIndiana + Napp-It
At work I have put together a couple ZFS builds using external storage enclosures. Recently, we had a smaller need where we wanted to make an easy to manage all-in-one box, while still maintaining high...
View ArticleXBMC v12 Released
With the release of XBMC v12 “Frodo” at the end of January combined with my Popcorn Hour C-200′s PSU biting the dust, I have a renewed interest in reverting back to XBMC. Since either way I have to...
View ArticlePotential USFF XBMC Build
After tinkering with XBMC v12, I have been trying to find an affordable option to switch entirely in my house. The problem is that I require 3-4 devices total. Main TV Upstairs Projector Downstairs...
View ArticleHome Server: Approaching End of Life
I built my current home server as a dedicated storage server for WHS back in 2008. Since then I have added plenty of hard drives, expanding my storage from 2TB to 14TB. I have added sata backplanes,...
View ArticleHome Server: All-in-One or Stand-Alone?
Continuing from yesterday, I am finally considering a new home server build. I have a lot of goals I want to achieve, some for fun home projects and others to support work objectives. The trick is...
View ArticleHome Server: Potential Build Options
I have two configurations I am considering, an all-in-one and a stand-alone setup. I am struggling between the two. They both have pro’s and con’s. I just can’t seem to figure out which is “better.”...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Home Server: Mini-Build Option
After putting together some potential build options and discussing them at the LAN, I resparked an old interest in a mini-build. My current storage box is a beast, and a 24U build would be great if I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Mountain Lion
In late 2009, I built my current desktop, a first generation Intel i7 processor running on a Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 motherboard. This build combined with my previous NVIDIA GTX 275 continues to serve me...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Harmony 890
A new toy came over the weekend, a Harmony 890 IR/RF Universal Remote. I wasn’t totally sure how well the RF would work, and I was leery of the $325 price tag at Amazon, so I actually picked this up...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Home Storage Server
I have been battling for months, if not years, on what to do for a new storage server. Today I bit the bullet and started a new system upgrade. I started with a 24-bay SuperMicro enclosure: SuperMicro...
View ArticleClik here to view.
SC846TQ Modification (Part 1)
I recently picked up a new all-in-one storage server for home. It includes a Supermicro 846TQ chassis, motherboard, processor, ram and three SATA controllers to handle all 24 hot-swap drive bays. The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
FOSCAM FI9821W
As we approach the due date, one of our recent discussions was around baby monitoring technology. My wife received a lot of various recommendations from friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, you name...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Amazon Fire TV
What’s this? Another new toy? Why yes it is. I have been itching for a new media center for a long time. I love my Popcorn Hour — it plays everything I can throw at it — but it’s interface is slow....
View ArticleXBMC on the Amazon Fire TV
The Amazon Fire TV is a great device. If you have no technical skills what so ever, it’s literally plug and play. I turned it on, it came pre-synched to my Amazon ID. I just had to type in a password,...
View ArticleXBMC-Server
As I am attempting to use cheaper low-powered Android devices (FireTV) for XBMC, an important feature for me with XBMC is the ability to have a shared database. I do not want the individual boxes to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
HDHomeRun Prime
Six years ago I built a Media Center that used a Hauppauge WinTVHVR1600 TV Tuner. This was great at the time, when HD was not really a concern. However, I have since come to find HD-content as a...
View ArticleNextPVR and XBMC
This weekend I had a bit more time to poke around with the HDHR Prime. Since this is a network streaming device, it works great for watching TV, but in order to use it as a DVR it takes a little bit of...
View ArticleX10SDV-F: VMware 6.0 Passthrough Fail (Part 1)
I recently picked up an X10SDV-F to use in my home lab. The goal was to replace some aging components, including an older virtual server and my loud and power hungry firewall. The X10SDV features an...
View Article
