Tiny Computer Looks More Like A Card Reader

This is one small computer, actually it looks more like a memory card reader than a computer. Don’t be fooled by it’s incredibly small size, this thing is more powerful that my netbook. CompuLab’s TrimSlice packs one hell-of-a punch for such a small unit. NVIDIA Tegra 2 Dual Core ARM Cortex A9 1GHz Integrated ultra-low [...]

Open Source HTPC’s That Don’t Suck

In our next installment of Distros That Don’t Suck we will be looking at open source HTPC software. Sure you can load up VLC or even use Windows Media player, but having a dedicated solution with a UI that is made for a TV is a lot easier and pleasing. I’ve left the PVR-centric software [...]

Even More Linux Distros That Don’t Suck

Following my first two distro lists; Linux Distros That Don’t Suck and More Linux Distros That Don’t Suck, I bring you the long awaited third installment in my distro lists; Even More Linux Distros That Don’t Suck. As a fore-warning, this list is just what I have used in the past and what I have [...]

DIY: Arduino AppleTV Remote

Not happy with the limited ability of Apple’s remote control? Build yourself your very own by using an Arduino. Besides the obvious fact that this will act as a remote control for not only your AppleTV but also your Mac, you can easily build projects to automate tasks via the remote control. This is a [...]

Industrial Strength Firewall, Poor Mans Budget

What in this world could protect your computer(s) or network better than a firewall? If you said not connecting your machine to the Internet your right, but most of us can’t live for more than a few minutes without being online. Hell, it gives me the shakes. Now, here at the Frank residences we have [...]

Slimmed Down Xbox

Once Microsoft decided to roll out the 360, they had no plans to offer a lite or slim version. One modder has decided to defy the laws of console gaming and build his own slim version of the original Xbox. The slimmed down Xbox is reduced by almost 2 inches in length, width, and height. [...]

WD’s 20,000 RPM Drive

Seems like all the hype with SSD drives that old platter based units might be on the way out, then again they might all be wrong. Western Digital is working on an insanely fast 20,000 rpm drive. That’s nearly twice as fast as the fastest hard drive that most people use for their personal computers. [...]

Entertainer – New Linux Based Media Center

It looks like the Media Center space just got a bit more crowded. With already tons of Windows based Media Center software available and only a handful of decent Linux based ones floating around, Entertainer plans to change all of that. Unlike software like MythTV or Freevo, Entertainer is strictly a Media Center based application [...]

MythTV and Zap2It Labs to offer TV Listings

Fear-not fearless open sources PVR’ers, the people over at MythTV are real close to striking a deal (albeit a pay one) to have listing services continued. Zap2It labs, which has provided free TV listings in Canada and the US announced last month that they were discontinuing their free service. Shortly thereafter a group of Mythtv [...]

SIP for the SMC WSKP100

II’m a big fan of open source software. Probably the biggest piece of open source software that is heavily used (ok, besides MythTV) is our Asterisk phone system that runs all of the phones here at home. The problem with depending on Asterisk is the need for SIP based phones or SIP adapters, which can [...]