MPC Club Community Board - Blogs

Making your own blog...

coolstream — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 03:04:12 GMT

This is my first official blog. It's an answer to a question about how to make your own blog.

...and here's my reply:
__________________________________________________ ___________________________

From top menu (HOME | FORUM | REVIEWS ...) click on CLUBNAV link and select BLOG

In the side menu of the page that opens up, select Post to your Blog.

You will now be able to create your own blog.

I hope this helps ;)

Guide - Hanewin NFS / Allegro NFS Setup on PC for Mediaplayers

a5ian300zx — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 12:47:09 GMT

Here are two guides (attached) with screenshots on how to setup the following:

1) Hanewin NFS setup with Dune players
this has two fields adjusted to give better performance for Dune and maybe other media players. (please check guide for configure and setup)

2) Allegro NFS setup

Notes:
Please make sure you have allowed the software through any firewall inc windows if you have it activated.

Also please allow port forwarding on your router - I have allowed the following ports on mine 111 / 2049 / 1058 (these are the ones I used with Hanewin NFS which also work with Allegro) to your PC�s IP address

Mapping on on Dune:

Name: what you would like to call the share
Type: NFS
IP: ip address of the PC
Folder: /name (don�t forget the / and it case sensitive)
Protocol: this can be UDP or TCP

a5ian300zx

Attached Files

	Allegro NFS setup.doc (99.0 KB, 390 views)
	hanewin_NFS.doc (120.0 KB, 332 views)

how to remote shutdown you Qnap nas from android phone

a5ian300zx — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 22:53:49 GMT

Hi,

I have found the following app to work.

app called: connectbot from the android market (free)

setup a login i.e. admin@192.168.*.***

port 22 if needed

then enter you password for you nas

then once logged in type the following command poweroff -d 5 (case sensitive)

i'm going to see if i can find a quicker a simpler/easier solution

OR

you can also download app called telnet (free)

port 22
ssh

ip address
username
password

then the same command as above.

UPDATE:

I have found some app which make this process really easy and you can save commands.

I have tested it on the below apps and it so easy now as you just save the command and click on it everytime you want to execute it

Server Assistant
Lazier Geek
Script Kitty

a5ian300zx

a5ian300zx completed watercooled 800D with Pics

a5ian300zx — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 17:43:15 GMT

Hi,

Just thought i would share my latest PC build and setup

PC:
CPU I7 950 @ 4.2Ghz
Motherboard Gigabyte X58 UD7 rev 2
RAM 6GB Mushkin Ridgeback 998826 (1600Mhz) 6-8-6-20 1T
Graphics Card Ati 5770 1GB
Hard Drive 2x80GB intel X25-M G2 Raid 0 + 2TB Samsung
PSU 1050w Enermax Revolution
Case Corsair 800D + Custom Side Panel
Monitor 24" LP2475W HP HIPS @ 1920x1200

Watercooled:
Ek Supreme HF with custom flow jet
EK Full Cover ATI 5770 water block - FC5770 Copper Black Acetal
Enzotech 1/2" black nickel compressions all round inc 45 degree
Phobya Balancer 250 Reservoir Black Nickel
D5 Laing pump + EK rev 2 fitment
Triple XSPC RX360 Rad + Enermax TB Silent fans
Primochill PrimoFlex Pro LRT 1/2" ID UV Blue Tube
Koolance Drain Valve + adaptor (G14 to G14)
bitspowers Temp sensor (installed in res at hottest point i.e. back from the loop)
Lamptron 5 LED UV light
UV light led in G14 in Res
Silver Kill coil
Coolant: using Thermochill EC6 Clear UV blue.
1 drop of Mayhems 10ml Dropper Biocide

Custom side panel :)

I also have a wired remote control switch so I power on and reset from remote on desktop or i can use a media lab infra-red remote control to power on or even the iphone WOL - stops the kids pressing the power/reset button while i'm using it ;)

this is the when it is switched off (i can have what ever text to display)

Video of medialab/ lamptron fan controller
MyMovie.mp4 video by a5ian - Photobucket

PS: I still have 2 bays my Kama Meter and coolermaster musketeer 2

a5ian300zx

Screen Deck

Malignant — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 07:39:37 GMT

Well, it's been quite some time since i've made a post to my blog.
But i hope i can find the time to keep you guys posten with some nice posts with additional info or peripherals to make our entertainment live's easier.

And today i found such a thing.

Say hello to the ScreenDeck.
Do you have your TV setup on a cabinet but lack the space to put the peripherals.
The guys over at screendeck sure did, and they made a very nice solution for that.

Since all TV's have those nice mounts on the back, and there are a lot of people that didn't use them, they thought why not make good use of them.

The screen deck is fastened by the vesa mounts on the back of the TV, and is basically just 2 brackets and a shelf.

The brackets extend to the top of the display where you can fasten a shelf to it.
And voila you have a nice shelf to put something on.

Maybe a mediaplayer, or a small center speaker.
The only downside is that it can just hold 3Lbs ( ~1.5Kgs ) so big center speakers and amplifiers are out of the question.

But hey, if you don't use the vesa mounts and need some additional space it's a nice solution. And you don't need to make a heavy investment for this as it's supposed to retail around $40,-

For more information : http://screendeck.tv/
Available now over at Amazon.

Way to go for content and apps!

Hi-Jack — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:57:25 GMT

Based on a POLL at MPC CLub, 76% of media enthusiasts would consider an "all you can eat" download program based on a monthly fee of �25 - �50. Only 23% would continue downloading for free... This poll shows people are often downloading due to freedom and convenience or availability and not necessarily should be classified as "pirates" and "criminals"... Examples on how this may work for games and software is showcased by "Wolfire" at the time selling their software for any price people want to pay for it, while supporting a cause... http://lnkd.in/yFYbC4

The Humble Indie Bundle (pay what you want for five awesome indie... wolfire.com
Pay what you want for five cross-platform games and donate to two non-profits. This promotion has no middleman: all of the proceeds go directly to the developers and non-profits!

Importing iPad from US: Yes but...

Hi-Jack — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:47:28 GMT

Importing the iPad from the US, it seemed such a great idea. Although the device is "awesome" and will become even better once multitasking is enabled in iPhone / iPad OS4, there are limitations like the in-app purchases failing and the iTunes store failing on the device... Belgium is behind once again... We are allowed to purchase overseas but should not expect the device working properly. It's a similar "black hole" as with region protected DVD's... Yes you can import these overseas but you can't play them on your region 2 protected DVD player...

Apple OS is not untouchable...

Hi-Jack — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:47:05 GMT

Even though it may seem so, Apple is not untouchable... In the USA "Android" OS (26%) has surpassed Apple OS (21%). Obviously these numbers can be explained by more mobiles using Android and there's only few Apple devices (iPhone and iPad).

Inventions... Where are they?

Hi-Jack — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:46:37 GMT

What was the latest thing that really changed our daily life? Can current inventions still compete with the old ones like the guy who saw a cow and thought... let's press those thingies down there on his belly and drink whatever comes out of it...? :-)

To ISF or not to ISF

Malignant — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:17:47 GMT

I thought it was time for some information from the sideline here.
The last year HD mediaplayers have become a common fact and more and more people are using them these days.

There is a lot of discussion going on about the Picture Quality (PQ) for each diffent chipset. And more and more people are playing back FullHD media on FullHD panels or beamers etc.

What most people do not realize and that the PQ is hugely dependant on the settings of their display device. I think it�s even more dependant on the display than the source of the signal.

Most of us think they have set they display to the correct settings and that the picture is optimal. So why the heck should we pay around �250,- for a calibration if the display is fine. I must admit that I myself was skeptical about this as well at first, but after taking the leap I must say I�m amazed.

Let�s just start off by a small explanation of what ISF calibration really is.

Basically it�s just a tech guy coming into your house with some strange equipment that he sticks on the TV. This equipment measures the color temperature, gamma & contrast & grayscale of the display. These measurements are not doable with the naked eye, but the end result is more than visible.

So why is this color temperature thing so important and what is it ?

Color temperature is a characteristic of visible light that has important applications in lighting, photography, videography, publishing, manufacturing, astrophysics, and other fields. The color temperature of a light source is the temperature of an ideal black-body radiator that radiates light of comparable hue to that light source. The temperature is conventionally stated in units of absolute temperature, kelvin (K). Color temperature is related to Planck's law and to Wien's displacement law.
Higher color temperatures (5,000 K or more) are cool (blueish white) colors; lower color temperatures (2,700�3,000 K) are warm (yellowish white through red) colors.

Source : Wikipedia

Color temperature defines the balance between the primary colors of your display.
If these aren�t correctly set up you will get a picture that was not intended to be viewed. Pretty much all material, be it DVD, BluRay etc, is mastered for optimal color settings. If you have your display calibrated correctly you will be able to view the material the way the director wanted you to view it.

The grayscale & gamma being measured defines how your display handles all the value�s between �absolute� black and �absolute� white. An incorrectly calibrated display cannot define the difference between certain forms of black and certain forms of white. This process goes really close together with the set gamma curve in your display. Having this properly calibrated will give you a lot more detail in the picture and it will contribute to a better sense of depth as well.

Last but not least is the contrast calibration. This defines the ratio of luminosity between black and white. Now this is a very important one as well to get right. If you have the contrast on to high, you will loose the darker area�s of the picture. And if you have an LCD like me ( I know, I�m ashamed of myself writing an ISF piece while I own an LCD ) you will only get gray�s and not a single black on your display ( even worse that with a calibrated LCD ). Also you will have white�s popping out of your screen in the contrast is to high, which pretty much throws all other colors out of whack. The same goes the other was around if it�s to low. Then you will have virtually no detail in the black levels in the picture, just one slab of �nothing� and the overall white�s will be more grey than white.

The level of detail, clarity and contrast is just so much better with a properly calibrated display. If all these settings are done correctly you will even get an awesome sense of depth coming out of you display. No more washed out colors, image�s that are to blue or red, shades of white or black that you cannot perceive. The level of detail in darker scene�s is amazing. And best of all, your LCD can produce a color that actually resembles black.
Now I can keep blabbering on about this, because I really think it�s worth every cent. Just look on the Internet for other reports from people who were skeptical at once but now are convinced. Let�s stop all waisting out time and finally look at digital media the way it was intended. Get your display calibrated and post your reaction here. I bet you won�t know what hit you.

I found this nice clip on youtube as well giving an short explanation of the ISF process, way better than i just did but i like to talk. Note that it says part one, part 2 was never made as far as i know :)

Also I suggest taking a look at this video, it�s a very informative video giving some explanation of all the terms used and what the influence of these settings are,

And finally, just take a look over at our friends from AVSforum for some really nice tutorials, guides and experiences on display calibration.

AVSForum.com

Holographic Sound System

Malignant — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:22:04 GMT

During my daily routine of browsing the web i stubled upon some really nice info.

Audiophile's like me are always looking for a better sound, we are never satisfied.
Luckily there are a lot more people on the same quest.

And that is pretty much the introduction needed and that is the reason why people started experimenting with Holographic sound roughly 30 years ago.

The basic idea is pretty simple here, normally audio is recorded with 2 mic's ( assuming that stereo is still the basics ). This does not represent the way we percieve audio tho. This is because the human ear has all kinds of shapes wich causes alterations in the frequency and fase of the audio signal. A mic just has a direct pick up of the audio.
Mic's don't pick up things as height etc.

This is what lead to to development of holographic mics. These mic's simulate the behavior of the human ear. So the audio that is recorded is pretty much the way you would percieve it when you were there. Note that i say pretty much, because each ear is different it will NEVER be a 100% representation of what you would hear when present.

Never the less, these recording technique's have produced some really impressing results so far. And these results are now available to the public on this nice site i found.

Follow the link at the bottom of this page. Download the uncompressed wave files and either burn them to a CD or stream them with your mediaplayer and be amazed by the result. Please keep in mind that you MUST have decent equipment for this to work properly and not some $100,- audio kit. But assuming that you are an audiophile like me i don't think that's a problem.

For the best experience just load up the files at night, close the curtains, dim the lights and assume your favorite listening position with your eye's closed and be amazed by the results.

I was smashed by this, let me get your thoughts on this as well.

Download links & source : http://www.indenop.nl/Holographic%20Sound%20System.html

Abigs t6 & d7 wireless media players jump into the hd fray

Malignant — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:17:32 GMT

Just a copy / paste of this article i came across and wanted to share with you all.
Looks like a nice player.
Personally i don't like the form factor but i do like the 5cm full color display.
Haven't been able to figure out the chipset is these players tho.
I suspect it's an RTK based player but i can't seem to confirm this.
My korean isn't that good, maybe somebody can translate this all :)

Hot off the heels of the CES show, the market is flush with countless set-top media player boxes � my personal favorite being the upcoming Boxee Box. But even the Boxee Box doesn�t have tons of local storage. The Sarotech abigs T6 & D7 media players have room for an internal 3.5-inch SATA hard drive, you�ll never fear for lack of storage. And the top-of-the line D7 can even record analog media and encode it in real time.

The compact abigs T6 box features a clean and attractive modern design with a nice LCD screen for navigation of content on the front. The player can handle a wide variety of video formats including MPEG 1/2/4, XviD, WMV9/9HD, H.264, MKV, WMV, AVI, ISO, VOB, MPG, ASF, and DAT among others. And it can play video at full 1080p resolution. There�s also support for MP3, WMA, OGG, AC3, PCM and DTS audio formats. (Sorry, no AAC).

You�ll also find a wide variety of A/V outputs, including component video, HDMI, S-Video, and optical, coax and analog audio outputs. You can also plug in a pair of USB flash drives, or an external e-SATA drive. It�s also got built-in wireless networking (802.1b/g, but no n) for streaming files from your computer.

And if the T6 isn�t enough for you, keep your eyes peeled for the even newer abigs D7, which adds full Dolby Digital Plus and DTS surround sound processing, 802.11n networking, as well as the ability to record analog video (composite only) into digital formats in real time. Make note, the D7 does away with the coax audio output if you have a need for that.

These media players are made primarily for the Korean market, but Sarotech is including menus
in English and many other language as well. I was able to find the abigs T6 over on eBay for $279 (no hard drive) and $349 (with 1TB storage). The D7 hasn�t started to show up stateside yet, but I�d expect to see it very soon.

Source: http://technabob.com/blog/2010/01/21...#ixzz0dLI4YCPE

Product website : http://www.sarotech.com/product/prod...=&item_idx=240

Blu-ray 3D specification is final

Malignant — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:13:23 GMT

THE SPECIFICATION for 3D Blu-ray has been finalised by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) so it shouldn't be long until we can all fork out another wodge of cash for new kit if we want to buy into 3D.

Jumping on the 3D bandwagon, the BDA has decided we need our headaches to be created in full 1080p high definition and is attempting to thwart the traditional format war by coming out with a standardised spec as quickly as possible.

"Throughout this year, movie goers have shown an overwhelming preference for 3D when presented with the option to see a theatrical release in either 3D or 2D," said Victor Matsuda, chairman of the BDA global promotions committee.

"We believe this demand for 3D content will carry over into the home now that we have, in Blu-ray Disc, a medium that can deliver a quality Full HD 3D experience to the living room."

The specification uses the Multiview Video Coding (MVC) codec, an extension to the ITU-T H.264 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) codec currently supported by all Blu-ray Disc players. MPEG4-MVC compresses both left and right eye views with a typical 50 per cent overhead compared to equivalent 2D content. It also provides details on other features such as 3D menu navigation and subtitles.

According to the BDA the specification will ensure 'uniformity and compatibility across the full range of Blu-ray 3D products, both hardware and software' and you'll be happy to know that your 2D Blu-ray discs will work in your 3D player, so can safely trade in your current brand new player for pittance in order to upgrade.

Furthermore the specification is display agnostic, meaning that Blu-ray 3D products will deliver the 3D image to any compatible 3D display [surely that's the definition of 'compatible', innit? - Ed].

"From a technological perspective, it is simply the best available platform for bringing 3D into the home," said Benn Carr, chairman of the BDA 3D Task Force.

"The disc capacity and bit rates Blu-ray Disc provides enable us to deliver 3D in Full HD 1080p high definition resolution."

Fortunately it appears that some Blu-ray players, including the PS3, will be upgradeable to support 3D. If you're one of the unwashed masses unfortunate enough to be stuck on 2D, the 3D discs will have a 2D mode for your existing player while you wait for the second mortgage on your house to be approved.

According to Matsuda in 2009 Blu-ray was the "most rapidly adopted packaged media format ever introduced," but no details were given about how such a conclusion was reached.

"We think the broad and rapid acceptance Blu-ray Disc already enjoys with consumers will be a factor in accelerating the uptake of 3D in the home," he said.

"In the meantime, existing players and libraries can continue to be fully enjoyed as consumers consider extending into 3D home entertainment."

The completed specification will be available shortly so manufacturers and content providers will be able to get into making Blu-ray 3D devices and discs in the New Year.

Source : http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/...fication-final

Just wondering what the fallout off this will be for the sigma based players.
Will the PCH & HDI players be upgradable as well ?

Broadcom Announces Single-die Blu-ray Chip, 3-D Support

Malignant — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:57:02 GMT

Found this interesting article while browsing the web.
Seems that the people at Broadcom managed to slap everything onto one chip as well.
Exact specs i could find, but it looks like the guys from Sigma might get some competition in the SoC market. Seeing that pretty much everything is integrated into the new chip i suspect it to handle streaming as well. Just a matter of wich codecs are supported.

Original message :

Semiconductor maker Broadcom Corporation announced today the first "true single-die" Blu-ray Disc chip: The BCM7630 combines optical front-end and back-end video decoding and display technologies in a single-die solution. It also supports Netflix 2.0, Pandora Internet Radio, Vudu and CinemaNow movie services and other streaming applications, as well as Wi-Fi and BlueTooth. Also announced today is the BCM7632, which adds support for the playback of 3-D Blu-ray movies in stereoscopic full 1080p.

Although the 3-D Blu-ray standard is not yet finalized, it is anticipated that the BCM7632 will comply with the final specification.

The BCM7630 and BCM7632 support Broadcom's market-leading Wi-Fi and Bluetooth solutions providing manufacturers with a system solution that features integrated wireless support. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth solutions can also be used for remote controls.

The BCM7630 is in production now. The BCM7632 is sampling to early access customers.

Dan Eiref, Vice President & General Manager, Broadcom Consumer Electronics Line of Business, said: "Blu-ray Disc players are poised for continued growth in the coming year, and our next generation Blu-ray solutions will help bring to market a new line of players for 2010 that meet consumer demand for connected applications such as Netflix 2.0, Pandora Internet Radio, Vudu and CinemaNow."

Source : Blu-ray.com

More HDMI confusion to come

Malignant — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:45:37 GMT

Just when you thought you understood what HDMI v1.3 or v1.4 meant, in terms of cable and equipment specifications, HDMI Licensing has ruled that companies using its standard can no longer refer to Version 1.4 whatsoever, and have a year to remove all other version numbers from their products.

In place of the familiar version numbers, companies will now have to refer to cables as being one of the following five types:
- Standard HDMI Cable
- Standard HDMI Cable with Ethernet
- Standard Automotive HDMI Cable
- High Speed Cable
- High Speed Cable with Ethernet

In addition, the new ruling defines specific features, and sets minimum technical requirements to be met, before a manufacturer can say their product supports them. These are:
- HDMI Ethernet Channel
- Audio Return Channel (for example, to let a connected TV send sound back to an AV receiver)
- 3D
- 4K (the super-HD TV format)
- Content Type
- HDMI Micro Connector
- HDMI Automotive Connection System

Still with us? For products other than cables, version numbers are also to be phased out by the start of 2012, meaning that the likes of switchboxes can no longer be described as supporting v1.3, for example, or TVs be said to have v1.3 inputs.

Until January 1, 2012, the HDMI version number can still be used, but "only when the Adopter clearly specifies the feature or features associated with that HDMI version number."

So a product currently claimed to be 'HDMI V1.4 compliant' will now have to be described as featuring, for example, 'HDMI v.1.4 with Audio Return Channel and HDMI Ethernet Channel.'

As already mentioned, there is a one-year grace period for the implementation of most of these changes, and we'll be amending our technical specifications accordingly over the coming months.

Source : WhatHiFi.com

Original press release : HDMI.org