Geocaching GPS Treasure Hunt

If you have a GPS you should give this a try. It's called Geocaching. It's like a treasure hunt for GPS. Be sure to go into the settings of your GPS and un-select "Snap to Road". I know the Jensen NVX-225 has this option

Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets of little value. Today, well over 480,000 geocaches are registered on various websites devoted to the sport. Geocaches are currently placed in over 100 countries around the world and on all seven continents, including Antarctica.[1]

A little more info.

For the traditional geocache, a geocacher will place a waterproof container, containing a log book (with pen or pencil) and trinkets or some sort of treasures, then note the cache's coordinates. These coordinates, along with other details of the location, are posted on a website. Other geocachers obtain the coordinates from the Internet and seek out the cache using their GPS handheld receivers. The finding geocachers record their exploits in the logbook and online. Geocachers are free to take objects from the cache in exchange for leaving something of similar or higher value, so there is treasure for the next person to find.
Microcache hidden and found beside the Roman Colosseum
Microcache hidden and found beside the Roman Colosseum

Typical cache treasures are not high in monetary value but may hold personal value to the finder. Aside from the logbook, common cache contents are unusual coins or currency, small toys, ornamental buttons, CDs, or books. Also common are objects that are moved from cache to cache, such as Travel Bugs or Geocoins, whose travels may be logged and followed online. Occasionally, higher value items are included in geocaches, normally reserved for the "first finder", or in locations which are harder to reach.


Geocaches can range in size from "microcaches," too small to hold anything more than a tiny paper log, to those placed in five-gallon buckets or even larger containers. [4]

If a geocache has been vandalized or stolen, it is said to have been "muggled" or "plundered." The former term plays off the fact that those not familiar with geocaching are called "geo-muggles" or just muggles, a term borrowed from the Harry Potter series of books.[5]

If a cacher discovers that a cache has been muggled, it can be logged as needing maintenance, which sends an e-mail to the cache owner so it can be repaired, replaced, or archived (deactivated).

Wiki

Here is a huge Geocaching website.

Geocaching.com




I haven't had a chance to do this yet. I'm looking forward to starting. I'll probably wait closure to summer. I figured some other people would be interested in this.

Read More

How to add mass POI to Jensen NVX-255

Let the fun began.

1. Download the software. iGo POI Explorer
2. Plug GPS to computer and transfer the iGO.db file to your computer. It's located MyFlashDisk/iGo folder. BE SURE TO BACK THIS UP.
3. Select File/Import/iGO Database From File (offline) from iGo POI program.
4. Select your iGO.db file from where ever you saved it. Any POI that you have saved on your GPS will be displayed.
5. Go to a POI website like POI Factory (need free membership) and download the POI's that you want. I will use Advance Auto Parts for example. Download Advance Auto Parts.csv file.
6. In the POI software go to File/Import/POIs From File and change the "file of type" to "CSV POI file". Advance Auto Parts.csv file.
7. Now the POIs should show up. You may have to select that folder and drag it on iGO POI Database. (That's what I had to do) Once there, you can drag it to what order you want.
8. Nows the fun part. Select File/Export/iGO Database To File (Offline)and select the same iGO.db file then hit save. It won't let you save to a different file. (That's why you back it up) Here is the fun part. Sometimes I have to move my folders around and keep hitting export until it saves. This program is still beta. I would start out adding one folder (CVS file) at a time and hit save to make sure it works.

Good luck. I'll remind you one more time. BACK UP YOUR IGO FILE!

Read More

Modded Jensen NVX225 GPS: Update! New Pics!

I just purchased the Jenson NVX225 on black Friday. Got if for $139.99. I thought it wouldn't be that good since it was so cheap. I was wrong, it's great. It does everything I need it too.

Product Description
- 3.5" color touch screen
- 1GB flash memory with full U.S. mapping
- 1.6 million points of intreset (POIs)
- Turn-by-turn voice prompts
- Built-in rechargeable Li-Polymer battery
- Cradle with built-In speaker
- Includes mounting bracket and car adapter

I put mod in the title because it's changing it from it's intended purpose. I put a media player and shortcut to explorer. Now I can use my gps as a video or mp3 touchscreen player. I tested with my digital camera SD card and it worked fine. It even played a quicktime short video. I also changed the gps menu skin a little. I'll post some how-to's later. Check out the pics.

Update: New pictures. Improved POI icons (old ones were black and white) and look. My friend just bought the Garmin nüvi 200. He compared it to mine and took it back and purchased the same one I had and wanted me to put the mods on his. Now he's happy. I have now uploaded the mod. I'll keep it here as long as I can. Feel free to share. Just please link back to me.

Download Jensen NVX-225 Mod - instructions included. If you have any questions, just leave a comment. This doesn't include the multimedia mod - you can google for that.

Click play button to play.

Read More

Frontlines: Fuel of War Online Beta Demo

I've been playing the Frontlines:Fuel of War PC online demo lately. I like it a lot. you may need a decent computer to play. Even with my XFX 7600GT graphics card, I have to have the graphic setting turned all the way down. The only thing I don't like is that you have to put your screen name in every time you log on. That's ok since it's an awsome game.

Release date: February 2008

FRONTLINES: Fuel of War Beta Sign-Up and Download at Fileplanet.com

FRONTLINES: Fuel of War Official Website

Actual screenshot of me playing. Driving a tank! I'm CoMpAcTKilleR.


The is a remote control mortor vehicle. It's small and powerful.


This is me watching my cluster bombs go off and killing two people.


Click the play button to play video.

Read More

Wallpapers made by me.

Here are some new wallpapers I made with Photoshop and some brushed and shapes.

To download the full image, first click on the one you want below. Then click the download button on the upper left of the Deviantart.com page. Please leave comments if you like them or use them. Thanks.

1280x1024

Read More

Modded Jensen NVX225 GPS

I just purchased the Jenson NVX225 on black Friday. Got if for $139.99. I thought it wouldn't be that good since it was so cheap. I was wrong, it's great. It does everything I need it too.

Product Description
- 3.5" color touch screen
- 1GB flash memory with full U.S. mapping
- 1.6 million points of intreset (POIs)
- Turn-by-turn voice prompts
- Built-in rechargeable Li-Polymer battery
- Cradle with built-In speaker
- Includes mounting bracket and car adapter

I put mod in the title because it's changing it from it's intended purpose. I put a media player and shortcut to explorer. Now I can use my gps as a video or mp3 touchscreen player. I tested with my digital camera SD card and it worked fine. It even played a quicktime short video. I also changed the gps menu skin a little. I'll post some how-to's later. Check out the pics.


Added the Multi-media and Explorer Icons.


Original loading screen.


New loading screen.


Original gps menu.


New gps menu.

Read More

Cold Weather

We are getting the first of our really cold weather here at Minot AFB, ND. Just took this screenshot. This will be our last winter here.

Read More

DGL-4300 Wireless Router

I recommend the router to everyone. I've had it for almost a year now and it's been great. I have multiple computers and access points. Here is a little about it.

Product Features:
• Optimized Gaming Experience with GameFuel Technology
• Up to 108Mbps* 802.11g Wireless Connectivity
• 4 Gigabit Ethernet Ports
• Customizable Settings for Games and Applications

Product Description:

Networking Evolved
Push the limits of basic networking technology and experience the evolution in networking. Wirelessly share broadband Internet, boost network performance, stay competitive in your online games with D-Link's new cutting-edge GamerLounge™ Wireless 108G Gaming Router, powered by GameFuel™ Priority Technology.

Fit for the True Online Gamer

* Introducing GameFuel™ Priority Technology designed to provide the uninterrupted and latency-free gaming experience serious online gamers expect
* Customized with game-centric features boasting maximum flexibility for configuration and performance
* Unparalleled 802.11g wireless performance
* Designed for the Gamers Network
* GameFuel™ Priority powered platform reduces latency and boosts network efficiency and performance
* Intelligently manages and automatically prioritizes network traffic to better execute bandwidth-sensitive applications including VoIP and multimedia applications
* Enhanced wireless technology for optimal range and connectivity – up to 108Mbps*
* High-Performance CPU to support thousands of concurrent connections – ideal for P2P applications and multiplayer interactivity
* Enables multi-tasking between other applications without degradation in game connection
* Pre-configured ports to accommodate up to 256 policies for games and applications
* Customizable settings to add or modify new applications or game configurations
* Firmware upgrade notification feature keeps your new
D-Link Gaming Router up to date
* One Fast Ethernet 10/100 WAN port which supports virtually all broadband Internet connections
* Four Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000 auto-sensing LAN ports
* 5dBi high-gain antenna for exceptional wireless signal coverage
* Fine-tuned web GUI enhancements for seamless device management
* Protect your wireless data with support for both Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and 128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
* Integrated Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall and Network Address Translation (NAT) firewall help protect against hackers, wardrivers, and other unauthorized users
* Create versatile Access Control policies to control network access based on time, date, websites, and/or applications
* Disable SSID Broadcast and MAC Filtering features protect against unauthorized access from your wireless network
* Supports Virtual Private Network (VPN) pass-through to create a secure connection to office networks

Dlink

Read More

Vibe MP3 Streamer

Here is an easy to MP3 streamer. If you want to listen to your music collection while away from home, this is for you. I've used it and love it.

Vibe Streamer is a free MP3 streaming server
that allows you to connect and
stream your music using only a standard
web browser. - Play your music anywhere!


Vibe Streamer features the following and much more:

Free MP3 Streaming Server.
Easy installation and configuration.
Share unlimited files and directories.
Full support for Windows NT/2000/XP/2003.
Protect your directories with user accounts and groups.
Easily manage your users, groups and their access rights.
Restrict access to your server based on the clients IP address, for better security.
Unlimited skin possibilities, create your own or download new skins as they appear on our website.
The included standard skin supports the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Opera.
Our own Vibe Script Language, for unlimited possibilities in skin creation.
Guaranteed free from backdoors, spyware, adware and other non-requested software.

Vibe Streamer

Read More

Demonoid Shut-down

The CRIA threatened the company renting the servers to us, and because of this it is not possible to keep the site online. Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks for your understanding.

We have brought online a forum in order to help the community stay together. This forum is not file sharing related in any way, it's just a mean to help the community stay together - please read the forum rules before posting. You can use your Demonoid account info to log in.

Demonoid

Read More

Updated Media / Fileserver

Here are my Media / Fileserver specs.

HARDWARE:

• Self-built Computer
• Intel Pentium 4, 3.0ghz
• Gigabyte 8I915PL-G Socket 775
• 512mb memory
• 64mb PCI Video
• 250 gig Western Digital hard drive
• 120 gig Hard Drive
• PSI Cleo Case

SOFTWARE:

• Windows Home Server
  
• Vibe - MP3 streaming server
• Filezilla file server

Read More

Xbox 360 Dec. 4th update

This is going to be a cool update for the Xbox 360. Check it out.

Xbox Originals

Starting on December 4, all Xbox LIVE members will receive a free system update with a host of new features and enhancements. Included in this update will be the launch of the Xbox Originals, which, for the first time ever, will enable consumers to download and own full Xbox games , such as Halo® , Psychonauts™, Crimson Skies®: High Road to Revenge™, and Fable ® among others directly to their Xbox 360. This new service will launch with an array of blockbuster titles spanning the most popular genres from action-adventure to classic role-playing games.

With no disc necessary, and at just 1,200 Microsoft Points per game, Xbox LIVE members can easily rediscover these hit titles, or check out a game they missed the first time around. This launch line-up is only the beginning as Xbox 360 owners can expect to see a growing catalogue of Xbox games for download to own over the coming year.

"In just five short years Xbox LIVE has revolutionized the way friends and family have fun in the living room," said John Schappert, corporate vice president of LIVE, software and services at Microsoft. "On its fifth birthday, Xbox LIVE truly is the place for hanging out with friends and enjoying downloadable TV shows, movies, videos, game add-ons, and now downloadable Xbox games on demand."

Source - Xbox.com

Read More

Task Manage Tabs Hidden

Found this on another blog. I was having the same problem. I figured some of you might be able to use this too. It's a simple solution.

I’ve had an annoying problem for a while now and finally got around to looking into it. My Task Manager was missing all it’s tabs. In fact, it was getting displayed without being hosted within its usual Windows Form. I had know idea what I did to deserve this. See below.



Anyways, it’s an easy fix. Simply double-click anywhere around the border to viola! it’s back!. Double-click again and it goes back into this minimalist mode.

Source

Read More

Wife's Birthday

Today is my wife's birthday. Happer Birthday to her. I'm getting her a massage for her birthday. She'll be really happy about that. My sons birthday is in a few days. I'm having to work on Cyndi's and my sons birthday.

Read More

Wireless Internet

I took an old wireless router that I had and decided to use it as a wireless access point. I now have 3 wireless points in my house. It's a little over-kill. I can't hardly even get signal from the one in the laundry room. It's still cool to have. I have 1 in the living room, 1 in the den, and 1 in the laundry room. I mostly use the one in the living room.

Read More

TV Links gone

Looks like they got busted. No more tv links. That sucks.

Read More

TV Links

TV Links - Better than a remote control. That says it all. It's a website where you can watch tv shows that have already aired. They include: shows, cartoon, documentaries, anime, movies and music videos. The only disadvantage is if you watch half a show and then want to see it later, you will have to wait for the whole thing to load again. Oh, did I mention everything is free. That's the best part. They are always adding to the site. Check it out.

Read More

Joost

Joost is a new way of watching TV on the internet. With Joost, you get all the things you love about TV, including a high-quality full-screen picture, hundreds of full-length shows and easy channel-flipping.

Inside the box

You get great internet features too, such as search, chat and instant messaging, built right into the Joost software – so you find shows quickly and talk to your friends while you watch. And with no schedules to worry about, you can watch whatever you want, whenever you like – as often as you want. Joost is completely free, and works with most modern PCs and Intel Mac-based computers with a broadband connection. Get Joost today!

Joost Official Site



My Thoughts

If you have an internet connection, you should try the Joost Beta. It's kind of like having Tivo over the internet. It has a good selection of channels, including Comedy Central, MTV, CBS and others. Give it a try.

Read More

Beyond TV 4.6 and Beyond TV Link

Beyond TV 4.6^NEW is how television was meant to be watched...

Record and watch TV with your PC. Gain control over your entertainment experience. With Beyond TV, you determine what you want to watch and when you want to watch it. With incredible features and extensive setting options, TV is under your control.

More than a DVR, Beyond TV gives you...

• No Subscription Fees. Ever.
• Skip commercials and other parts of TV shows
• Search for shows on actor, director, or title
• New! Burn DVDs of your TV recordings*
• Intelligent Program Guide resolves conflicts
• Record HDTV from free, over-the-air or Clear QAM digital TV signals

69.99 without dvd burning plug-in
99.98 with dvd burning plug-in

Beyond TV


My Thoughts

BeyondTV is a PVR application that runs under windows. It allows you to watch live television, rewind, pause, record, and fast forward it just like you would with a dedicated hardware solution. It allows you to schedule shows and have them recorded, both single shows and movies, and entire seasons based upon whatever criteria to give it. Only new ones, only repeats, whatever you want. Just like a dedicated hardware solution.

It also supports multiple tuners, unlike a dedicated hardware solution. Yeah, you might get something that will record on two channels, and you can always buy two or three Tivos, but that is a pain in the rear unless you have a serious setup down in your basement with some sort of logic controller running it all. BTV supports multiple tuners out of the box.

Currently I have 2 tuners and have Beyond TV Link. Beyond TV Link is a program that allows you to connect another computer to your Beyond TV computer and has the same interface. It's kind of like having a remote desktop, except with Beyond TV. You can do all the same things that you can do with Beyond TV.

I've had Beyond TV for a couple of months and love it. I love having DVR without having tp pay a monthly fee. Picture quality took a little setting up. Once that was completed, everything runs great. I haven't tried the dvd burning software. I can't see wasting dvd's just to watch a couple shows. I do have a laptop that I put tv shows on to watch later. I recommend Beyond TV to anyone that wants to turn a computer into a dvr.

You can always download the demo and give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Read More

Meedio

The above is a screen-shot of Meedio with the hdeetv theme. More info below.

Meedio Essentials is the award-winning solution for transforming an existing PC into an all-in-one multimedia system. Organize and enjoy your digital photos, music, and movies using an attractive graphical interface that works great with a TV and remote control. This integrated digital media center even includes weather forecasts, maps, news, and games — all of which you can enjoy from the comfort of your couch. Plus, you can personalize the entire system with hundreds of user-contributed themes, add-ons, and extensions available through the Meedio Add-Ins Directory and built-in Meedio Update module.

Meedio Official Website

As I said before, behind Meedio LLC the company, is Meedio the idea and all of us want to see it succeed. The sad truth is that we had recently hit a brick wall and did not have the resources to make it flourish. But, Yahoo! has a great team that is just as dedicated and passionate as we are in this space and, of course, they carry the content and might of an early Internet pioneer. Together, the combination can be nothing but a winner. We are thrilled at the opportunity to put the Meedio idea together with the Yahoo! experience and bring it to millions of people all around the world!

Quoted from Medio Official Site Home Page


And now for the good news.

MeediOS is an open source project and community continuing the magic of Meedio onto the next level. See our MeediOS roadmap.

• MeediOS - the new open-source HTPC front-end [forum] [svn]
• Meedio Ultimate - an updated Meedio installer [forum] [download] [svn]
• Bluepill - the auto-updating self-configuring HTPC [forum] [download] [svn]
• wikiD - an open wiki-database [forum] [website] [svn]
• TheTVDB & Movie-XML - open-source media information databases [svn]
• OpenMAID - an open plugin directory for Meedio [forum] [website] [code]
• Documentation (wiki): [Meedio] [MeediOS]
  

This website also unofficially supports the old closed-source Meedio product (and Yahoo's Go4TV) via forums (please take care to post in the Meedio section), wiki (also contains the old MDN with many corrections and additions), and a new add-in repository, OpenMAID.

Meedios.com

My thoughts.

I've tried several different free media centers which I didn't care much for. Then I stumbled upon Meedio. At first I was discouraged because Meedio had already been bought by Yahoo. I did a little research and found out that there was another group (MeedioOS) that was trying to keep the Meedio software going. I was reading the MeedioOS forum and saw that there was still a free download for Meedio 1.41. I proceeded to download and install the software. I was amazed at how much you could customize the software.

Read More

My HTPC (Home Theater PC)

TV AND SOUND SPECS:

• 37" Polaroid HDTV
• Pioneer Receiver and speakers

HARDWARE:

• Compaq Presario 6000 Computer
• Pentium 4 2.4 Ghz
• ATI All-In-Wonder 9600XT
  
• 760mb ram
• 40 gig hard drive for OS
• 250 gig hard drive for tv show storage
• Hauppuage winTV-PVR 150 - tv card
• Soundblaster 5.1 live gamer - sound card
• Onboard Nvidia graphics controller
• 2 case fans

SOFTWARE:

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Beyond TV DVR software
• Beyond TV Link software
  

FUTURE UPGRADES:

• HTPC Case
• 5.25 Bay Display
  

MONEY SAVED:

$119.88 - cost of dvr through cable company, plus you have to have digital cable (more money)
$167.70 - Tivo for a year

This computer was used by my wife until I got her a laptop for Christmas. Putting it together was pretty easy, just install the tv card and plug up the IR receiver. I tried several software programs for recording. There are a couple free ones. They are usually a little more complicated to setup. I was using Yahoo Go! TV. It is a free beta product and didn't have many options. Now I am using Beyond TV. It's a great program. Very simple to use and setup. The commercial smart skip feature is great. It doesn't catch them all the time, but does a pretty good job. I've read it's because the cable company tries to trick your DVR. I also have Beyond TV Link which is great for watching recorded shows on all the computers in the house. I mostly use it to access the guide and schedule recordings. The remote control is easy to use. Over all I am satisfied with my HTPC.

Update: Just got a new video card for my HTPC. Got the ATI All-In-Wonder 9600XT on clearance for a good deal. It works great. Now I can watch something on live tv while recording something else on live tv.

Here is what Beyond TV looks like at work.



Getting ready to put it together.

Final location behind my TV cabinet.

Read More

MusikCube Music Player

I recommend anyone that uses a music player to try musikCube. It's the easiest and lightest music player. It's got an instant search function where when you type something in the search and it instantly starts searching what you typed. Best of all, it's free. Give it a shot. You won't look back.


"musikCube is an mp3 player for the modern generation. It helps you just listen to what you want to hear, while offering innovative features not seen elsewhere. For the
technical user, musikCube is based on an embedded SQL database engine
known as sqlite. For the non technical user, that means its fast.
Really fast. "Dynamic playlists" allow fully automatic, randomized
playback of songs based on your observed listening habits. The more
you listen, the smarter it gets. It also features browsable, user
reorderable playlists.

Cube also makes transferring audio between home and
work very easy with it's unique support for
removable storage devices. A "removable storage device" is any flash
memory, thumb drive, or portable mp3 player that acts as a hard disk
when you plug it in."

Source

Read More

Vonage

I've had Vonage for almost 2 years now and it's been a great experience. One of several reasons I chose Vonage is so that I can call my family back home. I'm in the US Air Force and live in Minot, ND so the closest family members live 30 hours away. Vonage has been a life saver for me.

The Phone quality is great, just like a normal phone and they have tons of free features that they are always adding to. The only time there is a problem is when the internet goes out and that's not a problem if you have a cell phone. You can set up Vonage to forward calls to your cell phone in case you lose your internet connection . They have thought of everything.

I also added the 1-800 number for an additional $9.99 a month with 100 free incoming minutes. It enables family and friends that don't have free long distance to call toll free. I have my Vonage adapter set up in a way that I can hook up multiple phones to all the phone jacks in my house. It's simple,all you do is unplug the phone line coming into the house and plug up the adapter to any phone jack.

Here are some additional features.

Residential Premium Unlimited Plan
$ 24.99/month† Unlimited local and long distance calling anywhere in the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. NEW! FREE calls to select European countries! See details below.

Residential Basic 500 Minutes Plan
$14.99/month† 500 minutes of local and long distance calling anywhere in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. Only 3.9¢ per minute after the first 500 monthly minutes.


Features:

Voicemail - This is nice because you can check voicemail through your phone or from the internet via windows media player, etc. The voicemail can be configured from the web to pick up after so many calls or after being forwarded to another number with no answer. Vonage does not limit the number of messages that you can keep in your mailbox and they can all be managed online. Vonage will also optionally email you when you have a new voicemail. You can customize the greetings and configure so that if you don't like call waiting, a person calling in gets a message stating you are on the phone so please leave a message and you will get back to them.

Call forwarding - This can be configured from the webpage and is better than most because you have the option of forwarding immediately or after so many seconds. The fact that there is no long distance charges means you can forward it to any phone number in the United States or Canada for free. You are still able to have the Vonage voicemail be the default voicemail if the forwarded number does not pick up in case you want to keep all your voicemails in the same system.

Call Transfer - I have to admit that I love this feature. You can transfer your current call to anywhere or anyone within the U.S. and Canada. Lets say you are on the phone with someone and you need to hit the road. Just transfer the number to your cell phone and keep on going. Don't stop there. Think of the possibilities. Lets say you live in Boston and your brother lives in Seattle and your mom lives in Dallas. Call your brother and talk to him for a few minutes and then say "Why don't you talk to mom". All you need to do is transfer him to your mom in Dallas and hang up. Those two will be talking absolutely free of charge for everyone.

Caller-ID - Vonage currently supports caller-ID assuming your phone has it built-in. This works fine but does not support caller-ID with call waiting at this point.

Caller-ID Blocking - Vonage allows you to use the *67 in order for your phone number not to show up on other persons caller-ID display.

Repeat Dialing - This is sometimes known as "demon dialing". You dial 5 when you get a busy signal and then you it keeps trying to contact the person and rings the phone when the line is no longer busy.

Call Return - You can dial *69 and a computer voice will tell you the last person that called and ask if you would like to return the call. This is voice activated so you just need to say YES or NO into the phone.

911 Service - This is a new feature at the time of the writing. You have to register this with Vonage by entering in your exact address and then Vonage will have any 911 calls go directly to your local emergency team for your area.

Bandwidth Saver - This allows to sacrifice sound quality for the phone using less bandwidth. If you have a good broadband connection, you might as well leave this at full which is 90kbs.

Network Unavailability Forwarding - This is the feature that allows me to get rid me of my local phone carrier. If your cable modem is not on or there is a network failure then Vonage will forward the calls any number of your choosing. I have it set where it forwards to my cell phone. This way if there is a power, I can still receive the calls to my cell phone.

Virtual Phone Numbers - You can have multiple virtual phone numbers in different cities. If you live in Boston and want to make it local for your family member to call you in Atlanta then you can get a phone number that is local to Atlanta. It does cost 4.99 a month extra for each phone number outside of the first one you choose.

Instant Online Records - In case you want to see who called and didn't leave a voicemail or who you or a family member has called in a month, it is all accessible in real-time from the web page. They have a dashboard view that shows all activity of incoming and outgoing calls. You can do advanced searches in case you want to find out who called on a certain date or how many phone calls were made to a certain phone number.

Take Vonage Anywhere in the world - You can travel anywhere that has broadband connectivity and hook up your phone and still call the U.S. and Canada for free. The internet connection still goes to the Vonage server so as far as Vonage is concerned, you are calling from the U.S.

Read More

Windows Home Server RC

I'm trying out the new Windows Home Server Release Candidate. It's the final beta before the full release later this year. It's fully functional. So far everything works on it. I've backed up my computers and put all my files on the server. It's very easy to use. I will definitely be getting this when it is released. Here is a little more on what it is.

"Introducing Windows Home Server

Windows Home Server helps you simplify the digital aspects of your life, connecting PCs, devices, and people. It provides a familiar way to store, share, and automatically protect what's important to you—your digital memories.

With Windows Home Server, you can store your music, photos, and other files on a central hub-like hard drive, accessible from every PC in your house. Protect your files and your PCs with automatic backup and a simple restore process—even gain access to files on your PCs from anywhere with an Internet connection through secure Web access.

Simple to set up and easy to use, Windows Home Server helps you and your family get organized, connect your PCs, and protect your data."

Source

Read More

My Home Network

UTILITY ROOM :

• Dlink Wireless Gaming Router - DGL-4300
• Netgear Hub - DS104
• Linksys Vonage Adapter - PAP2
• Cable Modem - U10C018

LIVING ROOM :

• Airlink Switch - ASW105/A4
• Belkin Wireless Access Point - F5D7130

COMPUTERS :

• Amd Athlon 64 3000+ - Self-built
• Pentium 4 3.0ghz - Self-built
• Compaq Presario 6000 HTPC / DVR
• HP file storage
• HP Pavilion dv6000us Laptop - AMD Turion (the wife's)
• HP Pavilion ze4400 Laptop - AMD Athlon XP 2200+
• Xbox 360

My network busy with transferring files and Vonage.

Read More

My File Server

HARDWARE:

• HP Computer
• Intel Celeron 1100 Mhz
• Asus motherboard
• 512mb memory
• onboard Intel graphics controller
• 250 gig Western Digital hard drive
• 2 case fans

SOFTWARE:

• Windows Home Server
  
• Vibe - MP3 streaming server
• Filezilla file server

Read More

My Home Theater

HARDWARE:

• Polariod 37" LCD HDTV FLM-373B
• Pioneer receiver - SX-316 and speakers
• Pioneer laser disc player - LD-870
• RCA dvd player - RC5220P
• Sanyo dvd player - DWM-400
• Hitachi VCR - VT-F382A
• Phillips Audio CD Recorder - CDR775/17
• HTPC Compaq Presario 6000 - 6473SA
• Sony Powered Subwoofer - SA-WM40
• Xbox 360 - Oct 05

Read More