tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24687422012-02-17T11:51:50.706-05:00usually more than you wanted to knowTom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.comBlogger1361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-27742222011165369252012-02-17T11:51:00.003-05:002012-02-17T11:51:50.711-05:00

Grabbed an old Logitech Orbit AF cam to do some video conferencing. Logitech does not support this device under Windows 7, and Mac OS X does not recognize it. Finally tried Ubuntu 11.10 and the camera WORKS, though the audio does not. Amusing.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-70257608411527893352012-02-10T11:01:00.003-05:002012-02-10T11:01:37.574-05:00

It's been a while since I posted. HP has just come out with a new line of laptops -- The HP Spectre. Looked up the definition of spectre on the Free Dictionary : spectre US, specter [ˈspɛktə] n 1. (Spirituality, New Age, Astrology & Self-help / Alternative Belief Systems) a ghost; phantom; apparition 2. a mental image of something unpleasant or menacing the spectre of redundancy Hmmm.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-24318111418293382312011-11-18T13:07:00.001-05:002011-11-18T13:14:00.856-05:00

Did the "click the button" update from Ubuntu 11.04 to 11.10. Zero problems. I did have to ask Mr. Google how to get the old Gnome desktop back. This is the 2nd time I have done a hands off (mostly) Ubuntu upgrade...previously from 10.10 to 11.04. That upgrade was also flawless, but I did have to answer a few questions about keeping files that were to be replaced. I have been using Ubuntu as my

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-545515336316325712011-11-17T11:48:00.001-05:002011-11-17T12:02:53.315-05:00

I just finished repairing the 2nd piece of Roland music gear in the past two months. Earlier, I removed the audio output jacks from a Roland SPD-S Sampling Pad and replaced them with a cable to an external breakout box. The 1/4 in output jacks are used more than any other connector on the device, but the parts are of poor quality, and mounted in such a way that guarantees their failure. No strain

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-34214968981365164662011-09-02T11:55:00.000-04:002011-09-02T11:55:02.531-04:00

Guys, I know you are having a hard time right now (and by the way, my HP stock is way down), but this is not the time to be running from the hardware business. My opinions vary on your consumer products, but my ongoing good experiences with your server class hardware tells me that you should keep doing that. Your background in instrumentation and testing gives you a good perspective on how to

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-11209246887452403292011-09-02T10:16:00.004-04:002011-09-02T10:24:54.703-04:00

From Hammond T-595 My new, old Hammond T-595. The previous owner got as far as painting the organ to match the room. Has a built in Leslie. From the symptoms (hum, very low sound), I'm guessing bad capacitors or a bad output transistor. The Hammond T-500's were the last of the tonewheel organs that Hammond produced. Tonewheels generate sound via spinning metal discs and electromagnets. The

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-64255195133302312011-07-04T17:43:00.000-04:002011-07-04T17:43:35.646-04:00

The jOrgan software uses "dispositions" as configurations for how a virtual organ will look and sound. When these dispositions are very complex, the control scheme is also complex. Generally, the player will choose combinations of stops and apply them to "pistons" which are basically presets. These pistons are physical controls and are generally located below the manuals, though pistons can be

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-51100618307321259452011-06-27T09:26:00.000-04:002011-06-27T09:26:41.651-04:00

The theatre organ that Cameron Carpenter uses on his "Cameron Live!" DVD/CD is located in Great Falls, Virginia near Washington, DC : http://theatreorgans.com/wurlitzer/ The reconstruction story is very detailed. An entire building was built for the organ console and pipes. My understanding is that the local zoning board would not allow the owner to build a new structure that was bigger than

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-42775302429837111812011-06-26T16:26:00.000-04:002011-06-26T16:26:57.987-04:00

For my current musical project I thought it would be fun to bring a virtual pipe organ to the recent North Carolina Maker Faire, but a traditional organ console was not very practical. I would need something more portable. Portability was necessary for my situation. But what if portability were a design goal rather than an inconvenience? This requires a rethinking of the organ console, which has

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-5306200278377364982011-06-18T18:46:00.000-04:002011-06-18T18:46:28.682-04:00

The response to my VPO project at MakerFaire was tremendous. Thanks to everyone that came out. I will be adding more information shortly.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-62880933360524779532011-06-18T18:15:00.002-04:002011-06-18T18:40:32.042-04:00

For those of you that saw my VPO setup at MakerFaire North Carolina, I have added some links in the sidebar to VPO related sites and resources. VPO software If you want to try out VPO software without having to install software to your hard drive, I would try the jOrganPup distribution which boots from a USB key and runs on most PC hardware. It runs very well on older hardware. The MidiTizer

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-29274634031100007472011-06-17T23:10:00.000-04:002011-06-17T23:10:59.114-04:00

Just about ready for MakerFaire tomorrow. Will have my VPO project (KOW Opus 1.0) and Dad's Flag-O-Matic prototype on display.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-45049951540837010542011-05-19T09:22:00.000-04:002011-05-19T09:22:38.534-04:00

I was recently given a 17 inch MacBook Pro by an acquaintance. A very DEAD MacBook Pro. His son had spilled a drink into the keyboard. Its' demise soon followed. I had the opportunity to tear it down completely, looking for usable parts. If you own a unibody MacBook Pro, the most extensive repair I can imagine would be to replace the keyboard. Everything must be removed from the unibody to

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-6280878459718778942011-04-12T12:53:00.003-04:002011-04-12T13:22:42.037-04:00

I've been on a pipe organ kick lately, more specifically Virtual Pipe Organs (VPO) and I'm thinking of building an inexpensive organ console for the upcoming Maker Faire to show what a VPO can do, and encourage people to build their own. I've decided to combine inexpensive piano keyboards, a pedal board and preset switches --- materials I already have, and do it as simply as possible. I will be

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-77700896430881967722011-02-16T10:43:00.001-05:002011-02-16T10:44:39.440-05:00

Another crap study finds : LED bulbs not as eco-friendly as some might think Considering that : - These lights will probably be burning after I am dead (there is one in my ceiling fan) - I don't plan to put them anywhere but a light bulb socket Also, since LEDs last longer, there will be fewer in the landfill. I'm not the least bit concerned. If the bulb burns out, I don't plan to

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-11733132667545359942011-02-16T08:34:00.000-05:002011-02-16T08:34:58.040-05:00

Leaky capacitors have been replaced. I'll be replacing the main board this evening for the smoke test.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-15644218071439022492011-02-15T09:08:00.001-05:002011-02-15T09:12:01.325-05:00

Many levels of awesomeness here :

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-30473372095943117942011-02-14T17:01:00.000-05:002011-02-14T17:01:10.709-05:00

Picked up a laptop at a flea market this weekend....a HP Presario V6000. Powered up to a blank screen. This model had a lot of problems..specifically with the onboard nVidia graphics. The drive image was trashed, so I installed xubuntu, my current favorite distribution. Only problem seems to be a flaky Broadcom network card, soon to be replaced with an Intel W3945AWG ($3.99 shipped from eBay.) I

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-88739268202018902662011-02-07T13:56:00.000-05:002011-02-07T13:56:48.128-05:00

I've been using my headless Dell e1505 for various projects. In the last two weeks, I have seen this laptop (with screen) in the media two different times : a Monk episode and a DelSym online commercial. What's the deal with this laptop?

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-4973394547146829872011-02-02T11:08:00.000-05:002011-02-02T11:08:08.748-05:00

Had a big dent removed from my 1999 Quest van by the Dent Dominator today. GEICO pays me $775, I pay DD $200. Epic win, no bondo.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-44198596178078809712011-02-01T10:39:00.000-05:002011-02-01T10:39:29.912-05:00

Came across a web site on alternative music keyboards. The Axis-49 keyboard from C-Thru is $439. An iPad running Musix is 99 cents plus the cost of the iPad (a refurb 16G is selling for $429). I understand that these are not the same, but this makes the virtual version quite attractive.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-13318168825703688492011-01-25T10:31:00.000-05:002011-01-25T10:31:39.303-05:00

Discovered the problem with running "jorgan-pup"on zombie (Dell Inspiron e1505 without a screen) -- needed more memory. Replaced the 512MB dimms with 1GB dimms. Works with LPK25 keyboard. Plans now are to build a modern "portative organ", basically a portable pipe organ 2 manuals - 2 octaves each - staggered - I have spacer plates from the Baldwin and Gulbransen. Stop tablets from Baldwin

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-70650951739310646912011-01-20T21:15:00.000-05:002011-01-20T21:15:37.761-05:00

I have been working on two related projects : a virtual pipe organ (vpo) and a guitar effects processor. What they have in common is a PC running Linux. Most audio applications use a program called Jack, which is an "audio connection kit". Jack provides the connections between audio sources (like a virtual synth) and outputs (like the sound card in a computer). I have been trying for the past

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-5131321990556525722011-01-19T11:03:00.000-05:002011-01-19T11:03:09.083-05:00

My work mail is dead. The new GroupWise server is giving me an "An unexpected error has occurred". So, would an "expected error" be any better?

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-70592699639134732612011-01-05T11:51:00.003-05:002011-01-06T11:25:40.150-05:00

I was recently given a Yamaha Clavinova CVP-87A. It is a digital electronic piano with 88 weighted keys, rhythm section and recording/playback features. What you would buy if you did not have room for a real piano, but wanted the "feel" of a real piano. Beautiful rosewood cabinet. The piano is non-functional due to a number of defective components on the main sound board that have failed. The

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-8937806317139987262011-01-01T22:46:00.003-05:002011-01-05T11:52:34.193-05:00

I was getting about 20 minutes on a charge, so the battery obviously needed replacing. Ordered a kit from OWC. Got around to installing it tonight. If I hadn't forgotten to re-install a (non-critical) insulator, it would have been totally done in about 10 minutes. You can see the piece I originally left out in the upper right hand corner.  Doh! The online video warned about the problems with

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-89583698143421109282011-01-01T22:05:00.000-05:002011-01-01T22:05:00.772-05:00

I'm working on some other musical projects, mostly involving parts recycled from old electronic organs and vintage computers. Current plans include a MIDI pedalboard as part of a virtual pipe organ, and C-64 related projects.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-28742358348458178222011-01-01T22:02:00.000-05:002011-01-01T22:02:13.032-05:00

My dad developed a product called "Flag-O-Matic" in the 1950's. It was a portable traffic light controller for construction sites. He built a working prototype, but it was never produced commercially. I'm planning to open it up and check for potential problems, then have it operating at MakerFaire : NC 2011. The timing circuits in the Flag-O-Matic are all electromechanical -- mechanical timers

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-33669987599086203542010-12-08T08:27:00.000-05:002010-12-08T08:27:17.900-05:00

The hare-brained ideas have started even before the new batch of Congress-critters have entered office. They are calling on the public to vote on which science projects should be funded by the NSF.  How about we save some time and just attach some pushbuttons to monkey cages?

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-80096319219486442042010-07-15T10:50:00.002-04:002010-07-15T13:34:36.599-04:00

How to make a unicycle more menacing? Add a Larson Scanner from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. I modified a Minoura Swing Grip by removing the crossbar and replacing with a piece of vinyl tubing to enclose the Larson scanner. Here's the YouTube video.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-87246444336861630872010-07-06T10:01:00.000-04:002010-07-06T10:01:07.708-04:00

Attended the Durham Ukulele Jam at High Strung Music last night. Everyone was very friendly -- I played a loaner Denim Flea (Concert) and my jamming neighbor kindly let me play her tenor for a few songs. My mind was pretty much set on a tenor until I played the concert. While the tenor was a bit easier to play, the concert had the more traditional uke sound. The Flea played well, but they run

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-77341314803514921012010-06-15T16:26:00.000-04:002010-06-15T16:26:43.498-04:00

Our villa in Jamaica is equipped with 2 computers on which I dare not enter any personal information. I just spent about an hour working on clearing some disgusting spyware from a system running Windows Vista Basic. Even after updating Firefox, the same windows keep popping up. First thing I tries was to uninstall Firefox. Which solved the problem in an unsatisfactory way. Since the infection

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-35001612589808178562010-06-13T11:56:00.000-04:002010-06-13T11:56:50.141-04:00

Just saw this slick little cocktail arcade system on eBay. With a few minor mods, it would be much more usable as a desktop computer. If the LCD were attached to the lid, so that when it is opened, it would be oriented for desktop use. External USB ports would allow for easier use of peripherals. Very nice build, though and gives me ideas. I have an LCD display with no stand that would make a

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-13632864464836118532010-06-13T10:44:00.000-04:002010-06-13T10:44:18.406-04:00

My friend Eric wants to build a water mister for his recumbent bike. He would like to be able to vary the speed of misting. Manual triggering may be an issue as he has limited use of his hands. I suggested that we want to keep the system relatively compact, to make it easier to refill and take on and off the bike. We brainstormed some ideas and came up with the following : Triggering : use a

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-11245621797219285542010-06-13T10:21:00.000-04:002010-06-13T10:21:57.827-04:00

Flew U.S. Airways from Charlotte to Jamaica yesterday. Two new revenue generators : Drop the temperature on the plane and sell blankets  Advertise credit card offers during landing announcements

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-49243811145541398012010-05-27T23:23:00.000-04:002010-05-27T23:23:28.905-04:00

I have a Garmin Nuvi 200W which I like, but I'm finding more and more mistakes in the maps. Turns out map updates are $69. A newer model, the Nuvi 255W is available for $99. It has a faster processor and locks onto satellites faster. The old Nuvi 200w becomes the backup GPS/photo frame and the 255W takes its' place.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1145541050365227412010-05-26T20:13:00.000-04:002010-05-26T20:13:43.995-04:00

Found this blog post in my Drafts. This happened about 3 years ago, but it really happened. The parking pass system rebooted while I was trying to buy a pass. The clock was 30 minutes off. I saw a car being towed through gridlocked traffic. Here goes ...... Just came back from a whirlwind trip to the beach. My son Liam was having his pictures taken for promotional materials. I arrived the day

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-28268004580156152372010-05-26T19:59:00.007-04:002011-01-05T11:53:20.412-05:00

My sister gave me a Dell Inspiron e1505 that she found laying on the curb after the BGSU students moved out. Physically, it appeared to be in decent shape. I plugged it in and powered it on. I would get a one second visual of the Dell boot screen, then nothing. I plugged in an external monitor, and it appears to be working normally (other than the display). A little research indicates that

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-64661372525350010912010-05-14T09:37:00.002-04:002010-05-26T19:57:57.754-04:00

I had been working on soldering the wires to the Schober 61 note keyboards, but was not happy with the wire management. I had been keeping my eye out for controllers and found an Edirol PC-50 keyboard controller for $10 on Craigslist. Only $10? It had a bad key which I fixed with a pencil eraser. Planning to work more on the software, foot pedals and expression pedals and save the bulk of the

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-41169165435230305492010-05-11T09:43:00.001-04:002010-05-11T09:49:09.564-04:00

Spent almost 12 hours yesterday getting home from Bowling Green, Ohio where I spent the weekend "junking" with my sister. Spent most of the trip home listening to the EconTalk podcast out of George Mason University. Especially interesting were : Boettke on Elinor Ostrom, Vincent Ostrom, and the Bloomington School Belongia on the Fed Gary Stern on Too Big To Fail Brady On Health Care Reform,

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-55734164762634300012010-04-20T10:49:00.003-04:002011-01-01T21:45:41.119-05:00

C64 Muse Originally uploaded by tom karchesAlmost done. Need to add pots and figure out what to do with dead space with missing keys. Getting ready for maker Faire Sunday

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-85198066506191276152010-03-24T10:10:00.003-04:002010-04-29T09:17:28.741-04:00

Part of my current pipe organ obsession. Found this amusing. In Guinness as the the "Loudest Musical Instrument Ever Constructed" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boardwalk_Hall_Auditorium_Organ A quote from the page : The Guinness Book also recognizes the Grand Ophicleide 16′ in the Pedal Right division to be the loudest organ stop in the world. The Grand Ophicleide produces 130 dB at 1 metre

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-39132232348754236432010-03-17T11:28:00.002-04:002011-01-01T21:46:42.846-05:00

C-64 Muse assembled Originally uploaded by tom karchesFinally, everything is attached. Next test to make sure I didn't break anything in the process.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-11253484261242749712010-03-17T10:17:00.001-04:002011-01-01T21:46:42.847-05:00

Maker Faire is coming up at the end of April and I'm busily working on the projects I want to show there. - VPO built from Schober keyboards, Gulbransen pedalboard, Dell Mini 9 - Arduino pocket piano with full size 2 octave keyboard - Home built Etherwave Theremin - C64 Muse - C64 with full size 2 octave keyboard I don't think the MidiBox SID is going to happen any time soon. Last night I

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-47877750913652441382010-02-08T10:33:00.002-05:002011-01-01T21:42:12.036-05:00

After an arduous pickup operation on friday night, I am now the owner of a broken Gulbransen Premiere Theater Organ. David came over Sunday and pulled the parts that he wanted from the organ. Leaving me with a hulk containing 2 61 note keyboards, a bunch of transistorized electronics and a Leslie speaker. David was a super nice guy. We both graduated from Cary High in 1978. He has grandchildren

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-29839173077628441682010-01-20T19:40:00.000-05:002010-01-20T19:40:44.634-05:00

I learned something new yesterday. Antibiotics can cause insomnia. Specifically Levaquin. Scary stuff.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-88603849813480679172009-12-31T12:33:00.002-05:002009-12-31T12:33:51.981-05:00

On my way back from Dallas...discovered that I can get a free wifi session on my Delta flight. Coupon code "deltatrygogo" expires today. Enjoy....tom

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-58325230246126261582009-12-17T09:50:00.002-05:002011-01-01T21:46:42.848-05:00

I finished wiring the C-64 Muse keyboard, and it does not work. Actually, 5 of the keys work. I delved more deeply into the C-64 schematics and discovered that I can't piggyback a second keyboard matrix on top of the first. What I'm planning now is to use the PC board from a C-64 keyboard and wire the matrix lines directly to the PC board. I'll remove the keyswitch tops for those keys that map

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-4387111708311866072009-12-10T09:00:00.000-05:002009-12-10T09:00:04.989-05:00

I'm not sure what to make of this "Mobile Computing News" site. Mobile Computing News Here are some review excerpts. Decide for yourself. Sony Vaio VGN-P31ZK/Q (who thought up that name?) : "For instance you can check out the all new Sony Vaio VGN-P31ZK/Q which has a unique rectangular shape which looks pretty cool." Asus Eee PC MK90H Disney: Decorated Netbook for the Kids "The processor

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-48923065011757258672009-12-07T09:01:00.002-05:002011-01-01T21:43:23.572-05:00

This past weekend I tried out some different Linux based operating systems for my Dell Mini 9. Going into the weekend, I was running the alpha of Jolicloud, which for the most part, I have been happy with. First I tried Easy Peasy, which is a Ubuntu fork, originally developed for the Eee PC. Used Unetbootin to create a bootable USB key and installed. Discovered that wifi requires additional

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-91580569032934435692009-11-28T23:11:00.003-05:002011-01-01T21:46:42.848-05:00

Got a non-working Baldwin 172 from Craigslist for free. Took it home, it made some sounds, but could never quite get it to behave. The next day, all I could get was a single droning note. So on to the parting. What is the value in a 1983 vintage organ with cheesy built in sound effects? Even with non-functioning tone generation, it is loaded with useful parts. - Two 3.5 octave keyboards - A 1

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-35483255369180763042009-11-23T10:46:00.002-05:002011-01-01T21:38:47.560-05:00

I've been playing with Paul Slocum's Cynthcart software for the C-64 : http://www.qotile.net/cynthcart.html The software is fun, but the interface leaves much to be desired. I would prefer a labeled control panel and a real piano keyboard. Of course, there are some complicating factors. First, the switches on commercial music keyboards are matrixed completely differently than the C-64 keyboard

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-45175702986871603362009-11-12T09:54:00.000-05:002009-11-12T09:54:35.019-05:00

Mom prefers the old black and white Nokia phones, but they have started to become unreliable on the AT&T network. So yesterday, I got her a Nokia 6350 from the AT&T store. I wanted something that would be simple to use, and that would let me create a slide show for the wallpaper (for family pictures). The slideshow feature I discovered by poking around in the phone. Google searches did not

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-26986258967250371022009-11-09T12:28:00.000-05:002009-11-09T12:28:05.287-05:00

My sister lives in Bowling Green, Ohio, which is the home of Bowling Green State University. Every year, as the students are about to move out, they hold a "Big Junk Week" where residents load the curbs with unwanted "stuff" and turn the entire town into a week long free yard sale. In past years, my sister scored replacement bathtubs and toilets for her early 20th century home. I've gotten

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-10121059454575038982009-11-09T12:15:00.000-05:002009-11-09T12:15:44.598-05:00

I live on a street in old Cary which has turned into a speedway, especially near my house. I live at the end of a stretch of straight road that the leadfeet (leadfoots?) in my neighborhood can't resist. Here is a clever solution from a fellow in Hamburg : a Fake Traffic Camera. Looks like a fun project. I have an official looking watertight box (thanks NCSU Surplus!) and stuff that looks like a

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-18249188341771922082009-10-26T14:03:00.000-04:002009-10-26T14:03:42.709-04:00

Picked up a 4 GB SSD pulled from a Dell Mini 9 for $8.50 (shipped) on eBay. Now I will have boot drives for OS X, XP and Ubuntu. Not exactly triple boot, but the changeover only takes a few minutes. The MIOS studio software that is used to program the Midibox SID is unsupported on Mac OS X, but works under Linux, so this will provide me a way to reprogram my MidiBox SID after I upgrade the

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-23774517638273490582009-10-08T13:04:00.001-04:002009-10-08T13:10:02.814-04:00

These figurines are seriously creepy. First job was to remove and trash them. I'm thinking about recording scary sounds and have this activated by a motion sensor for a Halloween setup.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-27706839881577972202009-09-21T11:33:00.003-04:002009-09-21T11:45:10.134-04:00

When Aidan saw the Mini 9 I bought, he was immediately jealous. So, we got him one for his birthday. Bought this one at the Dell Outlet, just like mine. In this case, I bought him the Vostro A90, which is a Vostro branded Mini 9. Only difference is that the black A90 is all black, where mine is silver below the keyboard.Since I was planning on eventually loading mac OS X on mine, I didnt want to

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-56381383420833146912009-07-27T15:18:00.002-04:002009-07-27T15:22:10.868-04:00

Finally liquidated my Merrill Lynch account. A 27% loss from it's peak. Sigh. Time to implement the Black Swan portfolio...

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-21052997990062697332009-07-21T14:37:00.002-04:002009-07-21T14:45:14.406-04:00

Saw a forum reference to xPUD (http://xpud.org) as a lightweight OS to run on my Mini 9. Downloaded and installed it to a bootable 64 MB flash drive.I changed BIOS options on the Mini 9 to allow booting from USB. Then I deleted syslinux.cfg, and renamed isolinux.cfg to syslinux.cfg.Moment of truth. The Mini booted in about 30 seconds (maybe less). The entire OS loads into RAM (not SSD, the RAM)

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-32436279842666761242009-07-21T08:10:00.003-04:002009-07-21T08:19:05.629-04:00

Finished the Chronulator circuit board last night and hooked up some meters. I haven't decided which meters to use yet, so I wired in some old transistor sockets and plugged in the resistors that control the meter scaling. Used the big meter for minutes and the small one for hours.My next one will probably run on a small off the shelf arduino/freeduino kit with built in USB. That will give me a

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-7786199898850087352009-07-20T09:22:00.003-04:002009-07-20T09:24:59.761-04:00

I've had a few days with the Mini 9, and I'm sorry I didn't get one sooner. Win XP runs faster on the Mini than on any other system I own. Excellent tool in the server room.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-10979112414644648162009-07-15T09:19:00.003-04:002009-07-15T09:22:18.493-04:00

Ordered my Dell Mini 9 from the Dell outlet earlier this week. Waited too long and all the Mini 9's with webcams were gone. Just discovered that the Dell Outlet Business section is selling the Vostro A90, which is the same as the Mini 9. With webcams. For exactly what I paid, $249. They even have units with 16 GB SSDs. Doh!

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-48358558970504303302009-07-14T14:19:00.004-04:002011-01-01T21:49:01.837-05:00

While waiting for my Mini 9 to arrive, I'm looking at SSD expansion. It comes with an 8MB SSD, which is fine for Linux, but a stretch for Mac OS X. There are basically 2 brands of SSD expansion : Runcore and Super Talent (STEC).The Runcore is slightly more expensive : 16GB $78, 32 GB $127than the Super Talent : 16GB $63, 32GB $109There is a slower (2X slower writes, almost 3X on reads)Super

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-74649333701051518502009-07-13T08:59:00.003-04:002009-07-13T10:55:07.108-04:00

The mini 9's on Dell Outlet sold faster than I thought. By the time I checked yesterday, all that was left were Mini 9's without webcams. Ordered a 1GB, 8GB SSD, Bluetooth configuration. I could have gotten a 10, but I wanted small.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-10359553164063714092009-07-10T23:05:00.002-04:002009-07-10T23:12:04.537-04:00

Our 21st anniversary was today; Kerry asked what I wanted. I think I'm going to get a Dell Mini 9 netbook.As part of my job, I'm in the server room copying data onto printed spreadsheets. When back at my desk, I type in the numbers. It would be great to capture that data as it is generated and avoid double entries. It would also avoid repeated reprinting of my server data spreadsheets.I like the

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-16697103322183684802009-07-09T11:01:00.003-04:002009-07-09T11:26:52.190-04:00

I've been having problems with podcast listings on my iPod Touch where the podcast appears on the iPod Touch, but does not show up in iTunes. I could delete these podcasts on the Touch, but they would never go away. After reading about auto purging of listened podcasts, I played the podcasts in question, oldest to newest. The "phantom" podcasts were essentially empty (1 or 2 seconds long) and

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-57719114551492228262009-07-08T18:52:00.010-04:002009-07-09T10:42:13.038-04:00

I was listening to Bjork as the guest DJ on All Songs Considered. She has an esthetic I can appreciate ... blending electronic and natural sounds in her music. She is using a gestural control instrument from Reactable on her Voltaic tour that can be seen in this video from "Later with Jools Holland".To get a feel for the Voltaic live show, here is a video of "Pluto" from the Paris show.Just

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-47374725598583616972009-06-18T12:30:00.002-04:002009-06-18T12:30:39.910-04:00

Today was pretty lazy. Woke up early -- 0630 -- even though I went to bed past 2230. Kerry and I went for a walk on the road leading to the villa. Saw some birds and of course lots of crabs. Nearly missed breakfast while reading on the patio, which would have been unfortunate as it was excellent. French toast, sausage, eggs, toast, pineapple and mango. Finished "The Black Swan", went swimming in

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-71303973871734883132009-06-18T12:26:00.002-04:002009-06-18T12:28:58.696-04:00

Slowly, I am becoming used to the keyboard on this computer -- it was designed for the Spanish speaking market, and the country settings in Vista do not quite match. I still don't know how to type a colon.I tried to fix this once, but since Vista requires a reboot after changing the keyboard language, I decided to live with it. I feel like I am only one reboot away from a re-configuration

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-83300348147112512562009-06-18T12:20:00.001-04:002009-06-18T12:25:58.346-04:00

Today we went ATV riding. Alan arranged it and all but Kerry and Stacy went on the trip. We cruised along the beach and through the forest adjacent to the beach. Crabs are everywhere. In some places it looked like the ground was moving.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-59300535239822565282009-06-15T19:48:00.000-04:002009-06-15T19:49:24.601-04:00

This was to be the day of the Internet Fixing.Woke up around 0800. Had some breakfast, did some reading. Watched the ocean. I've always enjoyed the sights and sounds of the ocean more than swimming in the ocean.So, I'm in Costa Rica, and I'm fixing problems. Can't get it out of my system.I had been unable to get the wireless internet working yesterday.Some additional complicating factors :- The

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-77975223596158818262009-06-14T22:47:00.002-04:002009-06-14T23:30:20.927-04:00

Woke up at 0400 Saturday morning...made it to the airport by 0530. Flight left on time for Miami. So far, all uneventful. Met some nice folks in Miami that were scheduled to be on the same flight from San Jose to Tambor on which we were booked. She spoke Spanish and called Sansa to tell them that we would be a bit late. Missing the Tambor flight would put us on the bus to the coast, a long ferry

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-15553795802255307012009-05-19T21:52:00.005-04:002009-05-20T12:24:49.898-04:00

Our Sun servers have CR2032 lithium coin cell batteries. Thes batteries are obviously very dangerous, considering how replacements are shipped. When one goes bad, this is what you get from Sun : A large box with ominous stickers, which contains a smaller box protected by "packaged air". Inside the smaller box is an anti-static envelope (protected by foam). Inside the envelope is a single CR2032

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-62860153266264882782009-05-11T22:33:00.011-04:002009-05-12T10:49:27.914-04:00

I found this item on a recent trip to the Raleigh Flea Market. It appeared to be some sort of custom point-of sale terminal. It had :smart card slotcredit card scannerPC card attachmentlarge rectangular touch screenThere were no external markings. It was only $1, so what the heck. As is usual with such items, I take them apart.The internals are a spectacular mess. Wires go in every direction.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-438769941396166312009-05-05T07:59:00.003-04:002009-05-05T08:03:32.607-04:00

On my ride into work today, a spoke with an ex-member of the King Charles Troupe, a unicycle basketball exhibition team founded in 1968. It's a small world.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-78197353688233542182009-02-12T09:02:00.003-05:002009-02-12T09:09:07.995-05:00

My son's 1G iPhone has started misbehaving. Looks like the sleep/power button gets stuck down, which causes a reboot loop. Needless to say, he is not particularly enthusiastic about Dad taking his iPhone apart.For now, I told him to not use the Sleep button...just allow the iPhone to power itself off.Mr. Google was not particularly helpful. I did find a few people that have had this problem and

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-18656569810641959962009-01-13T12:45:00.006-05:002011-01-01T21:51:58.410-05:00

When I bought the iPod Touch, I realized that I would not have :phone capabilityGPScamerabut I wasn't willing to spend the $1200 out of pocket expense ($199 + 24 mo * $40).Most iPhone apps work on the iPod Touch, but data is only available within the range of a WiFi hotspot. So I concentrated on apps that can sync when the network is available, and still function offline.The apps that I use that

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-34063713800159196792009-01-12T17:52:00.006-05:002011-01-01T21:51:58.411-05:00

A short list of my favorite iPod Touch apps so far (not pre-installed) :AOL Radio (free) - Dozens of streaming radio channels, free from AOL. Personal favorites are "Video Game Scores" and "Anime Radio".Google Earth (free) - Still useful even without the GPS. Can do simple location determination based on information gathered from Wi-Fi hotspots by Skyhook WirelessGoogle (free) - GMail, Google

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-20554793769605750982009-01-09T23:46:00.004-05:002011-01-01T21:51:58.412-05:00

So, I've been watching Aidan use his iPhone, and have been impressed with what is available through the app store. I am still using my 5G iPod, but the screen is a bit small for watching video. So perhaps a new 3G iPhone?Well, I have a work issued BlackBerry 8703e, and it's hard to justify paying for another phone. The BlackBerry has Internet service. I have a very nice Sony-Ericsson k790a Cyber

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-12519868869890427242009-01-09T23:37:00.005-05:002011-01-01T21:51:23.503-05:00

So my son wanted an iPhone, but there was no way he could afford a $40/month service plan. Solution? Purchase a used 1G iPhone (thanks Hal) and activate it without a data plan. While the new 3G iPhones require a 2 year data plan, repurposed 1G iPhones do not. Big thanks to Esai at AT&T for making all the appropriate account settings to disable the data service on Aidan's iPhone. He wanted to be

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-71864664174711793272009-01-09T23:10:00.004-05:002011-01-01T21:48:49.997-05:00

It's been a while since my last update. Many changes. We are into our second year as a merged IT organization at NCSU. I've been spending much of my work time deploying new equipment. There is something especially satisfying about starting with a box of parts and seeing the results shortly afterward. We will shortly be deploying our new VMWare ESX cluster. But enough about work.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1146969464919832292006-05-06T22:24:00.002-04:002009-01-17T13:48:06.468-05:00

Recently watched the video of Steven Colbert's presentation at the White House Correspondent's Dinner. Funny and sad at the same time. The John McCain "salad fork" bit was cold, cold, cold. And priceless. Unfortunately, only our comedians have the balls to "undress" Emperor Bush and his conspirators.....tkThe transcript, for your enjoyment :Other links :http://www.radioopensource.org/

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1144690963849254082006-04-10T13:38:00.001-04:002009-01-17T13:47:26.909-05:00

German for "battle between the frogs and the mice". Used by Albert Einstein's secretary on a file folder tab.Said folder contained information that " (described) the long and bitter dispute between the School of Math and the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study." Also useful for describing discussions involving email and calendar systems.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1143735542897566322006-03-30T11:16:00.001-05:002009-01-17T13:47:49.131-05:00

After initially thinking I would be chief election judge in my precinct this year, I was told that the Democratic Judge would become the chief judje, as my affiliation is currently listed as "unaffiliated".Got a call this morning that the Democratic judge had resigned, and I'm the chief judge again.Training starts tomorrow and I get to see the new election equipment on the 17th.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1143735345312477722006-03-30T11:11:00.001-05:002011-01-01T21:48:21.178-05:00

Two nights ago, I completed the moving of all my GMail to my iBook G4, where it will be sorted and a subset will be moved to my fastmail.fm account. It had gotten quite slow and kind of unreliable. This morning, I couldn't get access.I currently have the GMail account forwarding to my fastmail.fm account, but not deleting mail so I can catch the few straggler accounts where the gmail address is

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1141927345554834992006-03-09T12:46:00.001-05:002011-01-01T21:49:49.387-05:00

Ross Rubin in his Switched On column, feels that Microsoft is being quite earnest in trying to please its' customers.I would contend, that this earnestness exends only so far as determining which version of Windows the customer should be running. Sometimes, especially in the area of mobile devices, the devices should not be running Windows at all. But with Gates and Co., that is never an option,

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1136312728112875122006-01-03T13:23:00.001-05:002011-01-01T21:49:49.388-05:00

If your Super Nintendo is dead, it is probably easily repaired. This posting has been sitting in my Blogger queue for 3 months. I'm planning to add pictures, but for now, I want to get at least something up.Disclaimer : You do this at your own risk. If your house burns down as a result of these attempted repairs, it's not my fault.One has to admire the engineering that goes into these consoles.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1135629451552069242005-12-26T14:55:00.001-05:002011-01-01T21:51:58.413-05:00

I just bought a 5G Video iPod last month and I love it. What I don't love is the high price of iPod accessories. $30 for a rubber protective sleeve is just too much. I have also discovered that some accessories can be used in multiple ways. I keep all this stuff in a small carry bag.- silicone sleeve - purchased from PC Microstore for $10 with free shipping.- Belkin Auto Kit - The Belkin iPod

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1130448134362553992005-10-27T17:06:00.001-04:002009-01-17T13:50:22.889-05:00

I have been listening to gaming podcasts lately and the usual doom and gloom stories about Nintendo. Don't worry about Nintendo. They are doing fine. Read the book "Game Over" and you'll understand :- Everything they sell makes a profit. The more they sell, the more they make.- They are utterly ruthless. Read the book if you want examples.- Sony and Microsoft sell the PS2 and XBox at a loss. The

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1129989613681954412005-10-22T09:56:00.001-04:002011-01-01T21:48:21.179-05:00

First posting with Flock, basically Firefox with integrated blogging and bookmarking capabilities. First impressions : faster than Firefox. Blog posting appears relatively simple. Integrates with deli.cio.us. Also integrates with flickr. I'll see if I can upload some state fair pictures.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1129726809087306862005-10-19T08:56:00.001-04:002011-01-01T21:48:21.180-05:00

I've always liked the Nokia 6800 form factor, but it does not use the Series 60 interface, like my 3650.Well, Nokia has just introduced the E70...which is basically a Series 60 interface in an updated 6800 form factor. Plus a camera and WiFi. Will do VOIP. A worthy upgrade from my 3650.

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1127745666212990502005-09-26T10:30:00.000-04:002005-09-26T10:41:06.263-04:00

Someone has discovered a buffer overflow that allows a PSP with 2.0 firmware to be hacked.Imagine how many more PSPs Sony could sell if they encouraged PSP owners to develop applications for the PSP rather than trying to shut them down.I admire the perseverance of PSP owners to unlock their hardware, but should they really encourage Sony by buying the intentionally crippled PSPs in the first

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1126191895555593612005-09-08T11:00:00.000-04:002005-09-08T11:04:55.560-04:00

Blog comments everywhere are filling up with comments about the ROKR iTunes phoneI can sum it up as ......yada yada poo crap ugly yadaWhatever...I expected ugly....lets move along. The Pontiac Aztec of cell phones...The RAZR is the only non-ugly phone that Motorola has designed. Go look at the crap they make for Nextel.The ROKR has a 100 song limit, no matter how big your memory card is. This

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1124372075463042772005-08-18T09:17:00.000-04:002005-08-18T09:34:35.490-04:00

My GameBoy SP has been hijacked. My son has discovered "Pokemon Emerald". He has also discovered the Pokemon card game, which I play with him, but I digress.Nintendo has just announced the GameBoy Micro :http://micro.gameboy.com/and already all the geek experts :http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000520043660/are chattering on about what a huge mistake Nintendo has made. Probably the same "experts

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1123098574130382742005-08-03T15:43:00.000-04:002005-08-03T15:49:34.130-04:00

I have been listening to a lot of podcasts lately as an alternavive to FM and have been noticing that there are many ways podcasts can be named (track name), but most are not named such that they sort properly on your portable device (iPod, whatever). This seems like such a trivial thing, but in order to organize the podcasts, I have to rename (pretty much) all of them so that the episodes sort

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1118848707014435852005-06-15T11:10:00.000-04:002005-08-03T15:42:58.116-04:00

The Dreamcast is a bargain as gaming goes; a console and a few games can be purchased for less than $50Here are 2 of my favorite games :- Looney Tunes Space Race - If I wasn't such a Looney Tunes fan (I own both DVD box sets), perhaps I would not rank it as highly. The graphics are spectacular. It is literally like being in a cartoon. Cartoon physics abound (characters hang in mid air before

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1118848228796058702005-06-15T10:43:00.000-04:002005-06-15T11:10:28.840-04:00

Just finished rewiring my video game console setup which consists of :- Sega Dreamcast- Super Nintendo- Playstation OneJust had some family in town and my nephew played Looney Tunes Space Race on the Dreamcast. While they were out of town at the beach, I finally spent some quality time with "Crash Team Racing" on the Playstation. While it is a fun game, the quality of the graphics is atrocious,

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1118404999964924972005-06-10T07:48:00.000-04:002005-06-10T08:03:19.970-04:00

Began this week on monday morning with a visit to the SunCom store. See previous posts for grisly details.Then took mom to the hospital to prepare for surgery on friday. Arrived at 11 am, left at 6 pm. Most of the time was waiting. Used some of this time to find the unolock codes for my Nokia 3650.Tuesday...picked up new countertop from Lowes.Wednesday... Started new countertop installation. Had

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2468742.post-1118329002974217562005-06-09T10:47:00.000-04:002005-06-10T07:48:00.293-04:00

Perhaps I am not being completely fair to SunCom. It's just one example of not respecting your customers.I once had my own consulting/training business. My livelihood depended on treating my customers well. Perhaps this is why I am sensitve to it.How could SunCom do better ?- Use music on hold instead of commercials on their customer service line.I am already a customer. I am calling because I am

Tom Karcheshttps://profiles.google.com/112508237552597095077noreply@blogger.com0