I've been kicking around the idea for a while that I'd like to build a home theater PC (HTPC). I'm going to do it as my Christmas present to myself. As I put it together and set it up, I'll chronicle the process here.
The majority of the system will come from the computer that preceded my current rig. However, in order for it to serve as the new centerpiece of the home entertainment system, some changes are in order:
First, and probably most important, will be the new case. I've ordered a SilverStone LC03V in black to match the rest of the system. A good friend of mine built an HTPC using this case and is very happy with it.
Second is the TV tuner/capture card. I picked up a Hauppauge Win TV-PVR-500 MCE which has two tuners and can either record two shows simultaneously, or record one show while you watch another. Of course, given that we have digital cable with a tuner box, there are limitations. I'll discuss those later.
Next up is the fat hard drive that will store my recorded shows. I'm going with the Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB drive. This is the WD2500KS model rather than the WD2500JS that's in my desktop machine. It was only a few bucks more but it has a 16MB cache instead of 8MB and is designed to run at a higher duty cycle which it will be doing as the storage drive of an HTPC. If I find I need more space, I'll add another one and set up a RAID array with the two drives.
For the OS drive, I'll be using a Western Digital Caviar 80GB drive. That should provide plenty of space for the OS and any applications that I might want to run on this system. As it will be pretty much dedicated to its HTPC duties, I won't be installing large numbers of apps such as games or Office on it.
The current CPU cooler is a brand that I don't even remember. It's a basic copper-finned heatsink that originally had a 60mm fan on it. Since that fan was rather loud, I replaced it with an 80mm fan and an adapter. However, the design of the adapter is such that a good portion of the air does not flow through the heatsink and it's not as efficient as it could be. So, to keep the processor cool, and keep it quiet as well, I'll be using a Zalman CNPS7000B-AlCu. I have the all-copper version of this cooler in my desktop system but the reviews I've read have indicated that there is little difference in the cooling effectiveness of the two. The aluminum/copper cooler is lighter, was less expensive, and should keep the AthlonXP 2800+ cpu plenty cool.
The power supply, video card, RAM, and optical drives will come from the old system, though I may replace one of the optical drives with a DVD burner in case I want to burn some recorded shows to DVD.
Although there are several software packages that will do the job, I'm going to use Windows Media Center Edition. I'll also need to pick up a Media Center remote and IR receiver. Microsoft makes a wireless infrared keyboard that is designed to work with Media Center, although I would need to buy a regular remote as well since the keyboard doesn't come with the necessary IR receiver. Alternatively, a company named Gyration makes a keyboard and remote set that uses radio rather than infrared so it has a longer range and doesn't require line-of-sight.
As for using the HTPC with the cable box, here's how it will probably work. Even though we have digital cable, the channels up to 99 are actually still analog and any cable-ready tv, vcr, or tuner card can receive them. Channels 100 and higher are digital and some of those are in high-definition. We don't currently subscribe to the high-def channels as we don't have an HD television. Also, support for high-def cable channels isn't currently available in a tuner card although I'm told that support is on the way.
The way I envision hooking it up is that I will split the cable and connect one line to the cable box and one line to the coax input on the Hauppauge card. The composite video and stereo outputs from the cable box will then connect to the corresponding inputs on the Hauppauge card. I'd prefer to use S-Video but the cable box doesn't support it. With this arrangement, the computer will be able to record one analog channel directly, and record any channel from the cable box. The computer will be able to change the channel on the cable box using a small module called an IR blaster. One didn't come with the tuner card so I'll either get one with the Media Center remote or may have to buy one separately. The cable box also has what appears to be standard 9-pin serial port on the back so I may be able to connect the computer to that instead. I'll have to do some research.
The video output from the computer will be via the S-Video connector on the video card (ATi Radeon 9800 Pro) connected to the input on the TV. Audio will be via the S/PDIF connector on the motherboard which will transmit digital audio directly to the Pioneer receiver/tuner/amplifier unit which supports Dolby Digital and DTS decoding. The cool thing is that the sound hardware on the motherboard can encode any audio into Dolby Digital so I should theoretically not require any analog audio connection between the computer and the receiver.
And that's the plan. I imagine I'll run into at least one snag along the way but I should be able to get this working as I'm not using any obscure hardware and the tuner card, the part most likely to be an issue, is one that is specifically designed to work with Windows Media Center Edition. Still, it will almost certainly be a learning experience.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Back in black
After taking a well deserved vacation, in my opinion at least, I'm back home and back to the blog. The weekend before last the Geekette and I spent four days and three nights in Victoria, British Columbia, where we basically just unwound from our lives. I took all last week off and we spent Thanksgiving in the company of some good friends. But now it's time to write again. I'm going to take a break from the politics for a bit and do something else. I'll start it in the next post.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
San Francisco is dead to me
San Francisco has demonstrated irrefutably that is no longer a part of this country:
One of the sponsors of the bill displayed his appalling ignorance and supreme incapacity for rational thought:
I'm not going to go through why this is so wrong for the umpteenth time. Just read my past writings on the subject, or browse the links on my blogroll. I will only say this: I will never voluntarily visit San Francisco again unless and until it returns to the world of reality. To me, it simply no longer exists.
Proposition H, which requires city residents who already own guns to turn them in to police by April 1, was winning 58 percent to 42 percent with 98 percent of precincts counted.
The measure also makes it illegal to buy, sell, distribute and manufacture firearms and ammunition in the city.
Only two other cities in the country -- Washington, D.C., and Chicago -- have similar bans.
One of the sponsors of the bill displayed his appalling ignorance and supreme incapacity for rational thought:
"San Francisco voters are smart and believe in sensible gun control," said Supervisor Chris Daly, who was among the four board members who placed the measure on the ballot. "If Prop. H gets some handguns out of San Francisco and mitigates some of the violence, then it's a win."
I'm not going to go through why this is so wrong for the umpteenth time. Just read my past writings on the subject, or browse the links on my blogroll. I will only say this: I will never voluntarily visit San Francisco again unless and until it returns to the world of reality. To me, it simply no longer exists.
Washington State election results and commentary
There were several important initiatives on the ballot here in Washington State. Here's how the vote is being called at this time.
Initiative 330
The main feature of this initiative is a cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases of $350,000. It also provides for a cap on lawyers' fees, addresses the statute of limitations, affects how delayed payments are handled and several other issues.
Current status: Failing, 54% to 46%
How I voted: No
I voted against this initiative because it would allow healthcare providers to require that all disputes be settled through arbitration. Perhaps they should be allowed to do so, and then the market will make its own decision on whether that's a good idea or not. However, I considered it likely enough that the entire industry in this state would choose that option and the thought of the right to a jury trial being denied was too scary.
Initiative 336
The main features of this initiative are that it would require notices and hearings on insurance rate increases, establish a supplemental malpractice insurance program, require license revocation proceedings after three malpractice incidents, and limit numbers of expert witnesses in lawsuits.
Current status: Failing, 59% to 41%
How I voted: No
It was the part about establishing a supplemental malpractice insurance program that did it for me. It would be a program managed by the state, yet another government program that increases the size and scope of government. No thanks.
Initiative 900
This would direct the state auditor to conduct performance audits of state and local governments.
Current status: Passing, 57% to 43%
How I voted: Yes
Currently there is too little accountability in how governments and their agencies spend our money. Recent legislation passed by the state legislature is better than nothing, but this initiative would provide even better accountability.
Initiative 901
This initiative would prohibit smoking in buildings and vehicles open to the public and places of employment, including areas within 25 feet of doorways and ventilation openings unless a lesser distance is approved.
Current status: Passing, 63% to 37%
How I voted: No
I hate cigarettes. Smoking has killed several relatives, including my mother. I would dearly love to see all cigarette smoking cease. However, as much as I hate smoking, I love individual choice, responsibility, and property rights even more. This initiative would take away the right of business owners to decide whether or not to allow smoking in their establishments. I believe this is a choice for the free market to make. If you don't like to breathe smoke, then don't go to a place that allows smoking. This is yet another expansion of the nanny state; a further increase in government control of our lives.
Initiative 912
This initiative would repeal the recently legislated motor vehicle fuel tax increases of 3 cents in 2005 and 2006, 2 cents in 2007, and 1.5 cents per gallon in 2008.
Current status: Failing, 53% to 47%
How I voted: Yes
This one was probably the toughest. Living in Western Washington, and driving to work every day, I know that our highway and freeway system is in need of some serious work. I know that these taxes can only be used for roads and cannot be diverted anywhere else. Opponents of the initiative do have some valid arguments. The aging Alaskan Way Viaduct, an elevated double-decker structure similar to the one that collapsed in San Francisco in the 1989 earthquake, is badly in need of replacement, especially after the damage it took during the smaller but still powerful Nisqually earthquake in 2001.
But this state already has one of the highest fuel taxes in the country. Also, I see so many projects that really don't serve to increase safety or reduce congestion. Recently, several on- and off-ramps were constructed which lead directly to park-and-ride facilities for use by buses and carpools only. While this improves the situation somewhat for buses and carpools, it doesn't help everybody. It should be about priorities. If something has to be done now, it should be given top priority and less-important projects should wait.
When it comes to the Alaskan Way Viaduct specifically, there are other ways to pay for it. I seem to recall hearing somewhere that governments used to fund large civil works projects by selling bonds. There's also the option of making it a toll road, at least until it's paid off. It does not affect the entire state, so why should the entire state pay for it? I suppose that someone living in Spokane might realize an indirect benefit since he would be buying products and services from companies located in Seattle but it would pale before the benefit realized by someone who drives on that road every day.
And, to be honest, I think we need to send a message to Olympia that, even though the legislature and the governor's office are both controlled by Democrats, that they do not have free reign to raise taxes. Governor Gregoire, almost as her first official act, signed this legislation despite running on a platform of not raising taxes.
In short, while I agree that the roads need work, I believe we can re-prioritize the projects and come up with more targeted ways of paying for them.
Initiative 330
The main feature of this initiative is a cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases of $350,000. It also provides for a cap on lawyers' fees, addresses the statute of limitations, affects how delayed payments are handled and several other issues.
Current status: Failing, 54% to 46%
How I voted: No
I voted against this initiative because it would allow healthcare providers to require that all disputes be settled through arbitration. Perhaps they should be allowed to do so, and then the market will make its own decision on whether that's a good idea or not. However, I considered it likely enough that the entire industry in this state would choose that option and the thought of the right to a jury trial being denied was too scary.
Initiative 336
The main features of this initiative are that it would require notices and hearings on insurance rate increases, establish a supplemental malpractice insurance program, require license revocation proceedings after three malpractice incidents, and limit numbers of expert witnesses in lawsuits.
Current status: Failing, 59% to 41%
How I voted: No
It was the part about establishing a supplemental malpractice insurance program that did it for me. It would be a program managed by the state, yet another government program that increases the size and scope of government. No thanks.
Initiative 900
This would direct the state auditor to conduct performance audits of state and local governments.
Current status: Passing, 57% to 43%
How I voted: Yes
Currently there is too little accountability in how governments and their agencies spend our money. Recent legislation passed by the state legislature is better than nothing, but this initiative would provide even better accountability.
Initiative 901
This initiative would prohibit smoking in buildings and vehicles open to the public and places of employment, including areas within 25 feet of doorways and ventilation openings unless a lesser distance is approved.
Current status: Passing, 63% to 37%
How I voted: No
I hate cigarettes. Smoking has killed several relatives, including my mother. I would dearly love to see all cigarette smoking cease. However, as much as I hate smoking, I love individual choice, responsibility, and property rights even more. This initiative would take away the right of business owners to decide whether or not to allow smoking in their establishments. I believe this is a choice for the free market to make. If you don't like to breathe smoke, then don't go to a place that allows smoking. This is yet another expansion of the nanny state; a further increase in government control of our lives.
Initiative 912
This initiative would repeal the recently legislated motor vehicle fuel tax increases of 3 cents in 2005 and 2006, 2 cents in 2007, and 1.5 cents per gallon in 2008.
Current status: Failing, 53% to 47%
How I voted: Yes
This one was probably the toughest. Living in Western Washington, and driving to work every day, I know that our highway and freeway system is in need of some serious work. I know that these taxes can only be used for roads and cannot be diverted anywhere else. Opponents of the initiative do have some valid arguments. The aging Alaskan Way Viaduct, an elevated double-decker structure similar to the one that collapsed in San Francisco in the 1989 earthquake, is badly in need of replacement, especially after the damage it took during the smaller but still powerful Nisqually earthquake in 2001.
But this state already has one of the highest fuel taxes in the country. Also, I see so many projects that really don't serve to increase safety or reduce congestion. Recently, several on- and off-ramps were constructed which lead directly to park-and-ride facilities for use by buses and carpools only. While this improves the situation somewhat for buses and carpools, it doesn't help everybody. It should be about priorities. If something has to be done now, it should be given top priority and less-important projects should wait.
When it comes to the Alaskan Way Viaduct specifically, there are other ways to pay for it. I seem to recall hearing somewhere that governments used to fund large civil works projects by selling bonds. There's also the option of making it a toll road, at least until it's paid off. It does not affect the entire state, so why should the entire state pay for it? I suppose that someone living in Spokane might realize an indirect benefit since he would be buying products and services from companies located in Seattle but it would pale before the benefit realized by someone who drives on that road every day.
And, to be honest, I think we need to send a message to Olympia that, even though the legislature and the governor's office are both controlled by Democrats, that they do not have free reign to raise taxes. Governor Gregoire, almost as her first official act, signed this legislation despite running on a platform of not raising taxes.
In short, while I agree that the roads need work, I believe we can re-prioritize the projects and come up with more targeted ways of paying for them.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
More on oil profits
In a column for Townhall.com, Neal Boortz expands on what I linked to in an earlier post in response to the latest Senator to weigh in on the oil industry's recent profit announcements:
He also provides a clear and concise definition of fascism:
He follows it up with some additional commentary in today's Nuze:
In another section of today's Nuze, Neal links to this article at Townhall.com by Alan Reynolds who tears apart radio talk-show host Bill O'Reilly's recent blasting of the oil industry:
He also provides a good explanation of "inventory profits":
So what do you think? I'm of the opinion that this is merely the market at work, that it's not as simple as most people think, and that messing with the industry like Senator Grassley is calling for may make us all feel good in the short term, but it will have unintended consequences in the long term that far outweigh that. Sure, it would be nice if oil companies voluntarily donated to a fund to help poor and low-income folks afford the fuel to keep warm but the government taking it by force is just another form of income redistribution, and would be another step toward socialism or, yes, even fascism.
[Senator Charles] Grassley [R-IA] has apparently decided that free enterprise no longer works for America. (The truth here is that Grassley discovered that free enterprise doesn’t serve the goal of empowering politicians.) It is Grassley’s view that American businesses must now seek the favor of the imperial federal government of the United States as to just how business profits must be disbursed. No longer, in Grassley’s economic world, will corporate boards decide on the distribution of profits. No longer will the private businessman be the captain of his entrepreneurial ship. Grassley apparently wants the government to have a de facto seat on every corporate board and a share of control in the spending decisions of every private business.
He also provides a clear and concise definition of fascism:
Sheldon Richman writes in “The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics” that fascist thought acknowledge(s) the roles of private property and the profit motive as legitimate incentives for productivity—provided that they did not conflict with the interests of the state.” In other words, state approval must be sought before important business decisions can be implemented. I think I can simplify Richman’s definition of fascism so that even Americans educated in state schools can understand: Free enterprise (capitalism) is private ownership and control of the means of production. Socialism is government ownership and control of the means of production. Fascism is private ownership of the means of production, with government control. Private ownership with government control? There’s a somewhat familiar ring to that, isn’t there?
He follows it up with some additional commentary in today's Nuze:
Now ... here I am to expand on one train of thought presented in that column. If this Republican senator thinks that it is the role of government to tell privately owned businesses just how they must distribute their profits, here are a few suggestions:
- Automobile manufacturers could be required to spend a portion of their profits on public transit projects.
- Broadcasters, who, after all, are government regulated businesses, should donate a portion of their profits to buy radios for poor people so that they can get the information they need to prepare for disasters like hurricanes .... as if the poor were actually going to prepare.
- Homebuilders could be required to donate profits to low income housing projects.
- Pfizer could be required to donate profits from the sale of Viagra to fertility clinics for the poor. Just what we need, more pregnant poor people.
- Financial institutions could be required to donate profits to a federally subsidized loan program for low-income Americans with bad credit.
- Food processors and manufacturers could be required to donate profits to community food banks.
Ahhh .. the list is endless. Once we establish the concept of the government telling businesses how their profits must be spent and invested .. the way is clear for our political class to further consolidate it's power.
In another section of today's Nuze, Neal links to this article at Townhall.com by Alan Reynolds who tears apart radio talk-show host Bill O'Reilly's recent blasting of the oil industry:
When the unsurprising news came out that big oil companies had big profits, Bill O'Reilly of Fox TV concluded: "My contention is the oil companies don't have to double their profits. They can maybe make them two-fifths (40 percent). Take a little less for the good of the nation."
Exxon-Mobil's recent profit margin was up to nearly 9 percent of sales. Suppose they tried to cut that to a nickel out of every dollar by offering to sell crude oil for $3 a barrel less than the going price on the Chicago mercantile exchange. Refiners around the world would instantly commit to buying every drop. By the next day, the world price of crude would be same as before.
Suppose the Big Five oil companies got together and agreed to cut retail gasoline prices at their company-owned stations by 20 cents a gallon. Motorists would soon drain those stations dry, leaving the much larger number of independent gas stations in a position to charge even more. Meanwhile, independent station owners would file a complaint with the antitrust division of the Department of Justice accusing the majors of collusive predatory pricing to drive them out of business.
He also provides a good explanation of "inventory profits":
If you sell your house for much more than you paid for it, you will receive a "windfall profit." When you take that windfall from selling your old home and go out shopping for a new one, however, you'll discover prices of replacement homes have gone up, too. That may explain why the Senate has not yet contemplated imposing an extra "windfall profits tax" on windfalls homeowners receive when selling their homes. Since 1997, in fact, couples can pocket half a million dollars of such windfalls tax-free.
Aside from the tax break on homes, something very similar happens in any business whenever the price goes up for something bought earlier at a lower price. Businesses that process raw materials hold inventories of those materials, for example, and those inventories may have been purchased for much less than the current price. When the book value of those inventories is adjusted to reflect today's higher price, accountants add that difference to the firm's profits. But this is called "inventory profit," because those paper gains will soon be needed to replace the raw materials at the new, higher price. Then they vanish.
So what do you think? I'm of the opinion that this is merely the market at work, that it's not as simple as most people think, and that messing with the industry like Senator Grassley is calling for may make us all feel good in the short term, but it will have unintended consequences in the long term that far outweigh that. Sure, it would be nice if oil companies voluntarily donated to a fund to help poor and low-income folks afford the fuel to keep warm but the government taking it by force is just another form of income redistribution, and would be another step toward socialism or, yes, even fascism.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Keurig single-cup coffee maker
In today's installment of "Stuff We Like," I would like to present the Keurig single-cup coffee brewing system.
A coworker of mine brought one to work and introduced me to the concept. I had been aware of "coffee pod" brewers such as the Senseo brewer and others but this was the first time I'd heard of the K-cup. Each cup is a sealed container of ground coffee, just enough to make a single cup of coffee. You insert the cup in the system which punctures the top and bottom and then forces heated water under pressure through the coffee grounds. Once it's done, you remove the cup and toss it in the trash. It has a large water reservoir so you don't have to worry about filling it up every time you want some coffee. Although the coffee is pre-ground, the cups are sealed so they stay fresh much longer.
The Keurig K-cup isn't the only single-cup coffee system. The second major type is the coffee pod which is much like a large tea bag. Since the bag is not sealed, they probably don't retain their freshness as long, though I would imagine they come in plastic wrappers which help alleviate that somewhat. The third major type I'm aware of is Senseo. However, as far as I know Senseo is the only company which produces pods for their brewers so you don't have the same variety as with the other two systems.
Prior to this I had been reluctant to purchase a single-cup brewer of any type because I was concerned about the expense. For some time I had a standard coffee maker both at home and at the office. But after talking with my coworker I realized that I very seldom brewed my own coffee either at home or at work. The main deterrent was the time required to grind the coffee, brew it, and clean up afterward. Lately I've been either drinking the engine degreaser which passes for the free coffee, or going to the cafeteria where they serve one of the big name brands and buying a cup. My coworker and I did some math.
The Keurig B50 coffee maker was 150 bucks and the K-cups work out to be around 40 cents or so each if you order them online. If you figure that I spend between $1.20 and $1.60 for a cup of good coffee anyway, this brewer would pay for itself in a year or less. And the variety available is quite large. I recently received my first order from Coffee Whiz. Check out the varieties available. They deal in both K-cups and coffee pods and have a great page which compares and contrasts the two technologies.
I currently have my Keurig brewer at work though I'm seriously considering getting one for home as well, or getting a lesser model for work and taking this one home. Another option would be to get a coffee pod brewer for work since I drink more coffee here and the potentially shorter freshness duration would be less of an issue.
Another nice thing about single-cup brewers is that you don't have to worry when entertaining friends and family that one or more will only drink decaf. With a single-cup system, you can give everybody what they want without worrying about wasting a significant portion of a regular pot.
A coworker of mine brought one to work and introduced me to the concept. I had been aware of "coffee pod" brewers such as the Senseo brewer and others but this was the first time I'd heard of the K-cup. Each cup is a sealed container of ground coffee, just enough to make a single cup of coffee. You insert the cup in the system which punctures the top and bottom and then forces heated water under pressure through the coffee grounds. Once it's done, you remove the cup and toss it in the trash. It has a large water reservoir so you don't have to worry about filling it up every time you want some coffee. Although the coffee is pre-ground, the cups are sealed so they stay fresh much longer.
The Keurig K-cup isn't the only single-cup coffee system. The second major type is the coffee pod which is much like a large tea bag. Since the bag is not sealed, they probably don't retain their freshness as long, though I would imagine they come in plastic wrappers which help alleviate that somewhat. The third major type I'm aware of is Senseo. However, as far as I know Senseo is the only company which produces pods for their brewers so you don't have the same variety as with the other two systems.
Prior to this I had been reluctant to purchase a single-cup brewer of any type because I was concerned about the expense. For some time I had a standard coffee maker both at home and at the office. But after talking with my coworker I realized that I very seldom brewed my own coffee either at home or at work. The main deterrent was the time required to grind the coffee, brew it, and clean up afterward. Lately I've been either drinking the engine degreaser which passes for the free coffee, or going to the cafeteria where they serve one of the big name brands and buying a cup. My coworker and I did some math.
The Keurig B50 coffee maker was 150 bucks and the K-cups work out to be around 40 cents or so each if you order them online. If you figure that I spend between $1.20 and $1.60 for a cup of good coffee anyway, this brewer would pay for itself in a year or less. And the variety available is quite large. I recently received my first order from Coffee Whiz. Check out the varieties available. They deal in both K-cups and coffee pods and have a great page which compares and contrasts the two technologies.
I currently have my Keurig brewer at work though I'm seriously considering getting one for home as well, or getting a lesser model for work and taking this one home. Another option would be to get a coffee pod brewer for work since I drink more coffee here and the potentially shorter freshness duration would be less of an issue.
Another nice thing about single-cup brewers is that you don't have to worry when entertaining friends and family that one or more will only drink decaf. With a single-cup system, you can give everybody what they want without worrying about wasting a significant portion of a regular pot.
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