MIT Researchers Find New Electricity Production Means
Add comment March 8th, 2010
Even more awesome news! I hope such innovative technologies gain momentum and acceptance in building better ways to save energy and, in this case, store energy!
Posts filed under 'Cool'
Super-critical Fuel Injection!!
1 comment March 8th, 2010
Now we are talking!! Innovative and (relatively) inexpensive way to increase fuel efficiency and cut CO2 emissions?! Sign me up!!
According to this startup company called Transonic Combustion, they created a way to make conventional engines at least 50% more fuel efficient!! Sign me up!!
A Very Funny Rendition of “The Final Countdown”
Add comment February 23rd, 2010
This video is simply just too funny! If you know the original pop song of the same name from the ’80s, you MUST listen to it!
Broadcom’s Crystal HD mini-PCI-E Decoder Review
4 comments January 28th, 2010
Anyone that follows computer and tech industry should’ve heard about Broadcom’s mini-PCI-E based HD decoder called Crystal HD last year. I decided to try it out. I mean, how can you say no to HD hardware-decoding for $20?! My Acer Aspire One netbook has been great except in that department. If I threw anything 720p or higher, it played like a slow slideshow! Currently, only HP offers this Crystal HD decoder as an option in a netbook, HP Mini 110 as a $35 option.
So I got one off eBay for $24 or so and decided to find out for myself if this really does wonders! Before you proceed, since you won’t have Internet for a bit, download latest Crystal HD drivers (ver. 3.1.0 as of this writing) and drivers for your WLAN USB adapter (for Airlink AWLL607, get it from here)
1. First thing first, I had to take the netbook apart. Youtube is awesome for that.
This Youtube video above shows you how to take apart the Acer Aspire One to upgrade memory. You don’t have to go through all the way to the end, but just to get to the WLAN mini-PCIE adapter.
2. Remove power connectors to WLAN adapter and replace it with the Broadcom’s Crystal HD decoder. This means that you won’t have WLAN. I got a mini-WLAN USB adapter for $16 (Airlink101 Wireless 11N) from Meritline. Close it up.
3. Upon closing it up and booting, once you are in Windows (I have XP Home on the netbook), it will ask to install drivers for the Crystal HD. Click Cancel! Install the drivers via the setup msi file.
4. (Optional) Install WLAN USB adapter like I did with Airlink 101.
5. I have been using CCCP codec pack so it uses Media Player Classic Home Cinema Edition and Crystal HD supports that! Also GOM player, KM Player, Windows Media Player 12, Arcsoft TotalMedia Theatre, Cyberlink PowerDVD, and Adobe Flash 10.1 are supported! Also, on that Broacom’s driver page, Linux drivers are listed and supported.
Performance
Did it work?!! Heck yeah! For 95+% of the time, it played things just fine. That 5% of slight delay/skip may be due to the fact that I was playing the HD files off another PC on my network (and not on the netbook itself). Airlink101 did drop signals couple of times over the past two days so you get what you paid for but I am happy with it overall. I didn’t have any 1080p source files to play but all my 720p videos played just fine. Just don’t forget that you do have to configure your softwares to use hardware-decoding.
Summary
For any video watcher out there that wants portability at its best, this is a no brainer! Sure you may lose your PCI-E WLAN card (some like Samsung has second available mini PCI-E slot), but for video enthusiasts like myself, it’s all worth it! Note however, that the palm rest area on the right side (where the Crystal HD lies underneath) gets really hot when it is working… but I won’t be typing when I am watching HD video so I don’t see this as an issue…
EDIT: It seems that newer Media Player has to be installed and/or re-configure it as instructed here.
Full-length Movie on Youtube – Born of Hope
Add comment January 18th, 2010
It’s rare to see anything longer than 5 minutes on Youtube but here’s a good exception! A full 70-minute movie inspired by the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece, “The Lord of the Rings” Though it may not be an award-winning title, this should be the direction of future movie releases…
Lego Short Film
Add comment January 14th, 2010
I have always been a big Lego person and a supporter… it is by far the single best toy a kid can have! So when I came across this video short, I was immensely pleased and just HAD to share it! Enjoy! And if you have kids, get them some Lego!!
Outdoor Ice Skating in Houston
Add comment December 14th, 2009
It is doable! Even in Houston, it’s doable to ice skate outside!
It’s available through January 18, 2010 at Discovery Green. Sure it costs $10 per person (even for a 5-year-old kid!), but it’s an experience not easy to come by! Especially for a hot place like Houston! It was my kids’ first time on ice and skates at the same time! I was unsure how they would respond to it but they responded phenomenally! Sure it was crowded but JJ loved every minute of it! He “skated” as if he was tip toe walking it (that’s because he did!) and Anna seemed almost natural!
This Friday, some families from our church will go to Galveston’s Moody Gardens for its Festival of Lights, a light show that is annual. During my 11 years of life in Houston, we have yet to go! So it will be fun I hope… and ice skate again!
