#HomeSecurity Testing: #WirelessCameras #OutdoorLights #MotionSensors #Recording #ArchivalFootage

Spent a good part of yesterday afternoon (after finishing work) working on my home security configuration. Currently, I'm testing wireless camera placement to determine a layout that gives the best overall coverage. The property has a lot of odd angles, so the goal is to overlap camera viewing angles to minimize blind spots.

A nice feature: The recording equipment for the camera video feeds allows one to archive recordings to disc, if desired.

I also surveyed the outdoor lights, noting areas that were not well lit --- which I plan to fill-in with new lights --- and started installing strategically placed motion sensors in order to trigger certain lights automatically. And I'm planning to employ an UPS (uninterruptible power supply) to insure the system can be active 24/7. This is one area that the concept of Always On does not bother me.

This has only just begun. It will take some trial and error to develop a blueprint with which I'm satisfied. However, working on a comprehensive DIY home security plan has helped to calm me down and channel my anger (from the vandalism of my property) proactively. I feel better, but "there are miles to go before I rest."

#Epic? #Listen to New @FaithNoMore Single: Signup 4 @Sonar_Works #TrueFi #Test #Audiophile #Headphones 🎶

As an audiophile, I'm always on the prowl for optimal listening experiences. So when I caught this post from Faith No More and Sonarworks (billed as the most accurate speaker, room and headphone calibration software) in my Facebook feed this morning:

"Sign up for an exclusive limited opportunity to hear FAITH NO MORE's single “Cone of Shame” in a revolutionary new audio format. You will be able to hear the song on your headphones exactly like the band mixed it in the studio."
http://faithnomore.sonarworks.com/

I rushed to signup. Not only will I get to listen to new music from a band I like, but I will get to hear the track in authentic studio sound, Sonarworks True-Fi standard. I plan to post a product review (along with a music review of the new single) after participating the event. But you should check it out for yourself.

My Email Confirmation

You will need headphones to participate. The test will be released on 07-February. Reserve your spot now. Your ears will thank you later.

Those Wild & Crazy #Vikings! #Norway Ditches #FMRadio, Goes #Berserker. #DAB #BFF

I have a thing for Vikings, or perhaps, more accurately Vikings have a thing for me, because I certainly seem to attract all manner of them. (I kid you not, I was once handed a credit card and told to book myself a flight to Sweden in order to rendezvous with a certain Swede at his cabin in Göteborg --- 'twas quite the pickup line.) It's appropriate then, that one of my besties is a Viking... er... mickay... I mean, he's Norwegian.

The two of us have been good friends for well over 15 years and presumably we'll remain as such for the rest of our lives (baring his or my turning out to secretly be a serial killer or something worse). We met in California when I was still a student at university and he was working as a Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist and afterward spent a LOT of time in each other's company. We were so close that people often assumed we were a married couple when encountering us out & about, and I seemingly picked up a Norwegian inflection to my speech at times.¹

My friend and I continue to keep in touch via Skype (mainly in-app txt & Skype-to-phone), regular txt and email though he's since returned to his native Norway and I'm back in my native Georgia. We crack each other up, as we both have a sometimes acid sense of humor, coupled with a VERY secure sense of self.

An etymological aside: The English word "berserk" meaning crazed or crazy is derived from the Old Norse term bearserk, the frenzy into which bear-skin wearing Vikings or bearserkers would work themselves with all that raping and pillaging, which apparently takes a lot of energy. (You've got to respect a culture that gives yours the word for crazy.)

We spend a good deal of time ribbing each other over the various and sundry things which make our individual countries and cultures great. For instance, a month or so back an entire herd of reindeer were struck by lightning when a freak storm caught them out in the open on a random Norwegian plateau. After seeing the article on a news site, I sent him a quick Skype txt asking why Norway had it in for reindeer and pondered whether Santa Claus would be next on their "hit list."

Norway also happens to be one of the most oil-rich nations in the world and so, (circa 2003, i.e., the Iraq War) I would tease that he'd better watch out because America might "discover" Norway held WMD and use it as an excuse to invade any day now. In his turn, he, of course, laments American hubris and gets in his own zingers. We argue good-naturedly over who's selected for the Nobel Peace Prize each year ---- Norway names its recipient, while Sweden picks the recipients of the remaining Nobels --- and sometimes watch the annual Nobel concert together virtually. Between us, nothing is sacred.

On 11-01-2017 at 11:11a local time, Norway began turning off FM radio transmissions, becoming the first country to officially ditch the band, and started moving to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) which proponents say will be cheaper to operate and provide more clarity of signal. Opponents, of course, worry about the Norwegians who live in far flung rural areas and who travel in older vehicles who might not be able to receive digital signals. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, but either way, it was so kind of Norway to act as world guinea pig in taking on this endeavour. I sent my friend a quick txt asking if he could still hear me now or if the broadcast signal was fuzzy where he is and attached the article. (He lives in an Oslo suburb, so I was obviously being facetious, but that's the point.)

As for the transition to DAB, as a tech geek, I like the idea of a crisp digital radio signal. And I also believe America will have to cross this same bridge soon enough --- rather like our recently completed transition to DTV. But as someone who grew up in a rural area, I can definitely understand the concerns that Norwegians in rural areas are voicing. As America is a much larger country with huge swaths of wide open spaces, such issues will no doubt be compounded for us and a solution (potentially a subsidy like that employed to assure rural America could get telephone service) will have to be found. Fun times are ahead!

____

¹An explanation for my Norwegian accent: At a friend's house party in San Francisco one evening, I happened to end up standing next to some guy who was regaling everyone with tales of the years he'd spent working in Finland. He'd also traveled extensively throughout Scandinavia, he said. He kept trying to cozy up to me and at one point asked if I wanted to go back to his place, which so happened to be right around the corner. Shaking my head "no," I made an offhand excuse which elicited a very odd look from the guy (odder than being politely turned down should have elicited). When I inquired as to why he suddenly looked as if he'd seen a ghost, he responded, "This is so strange, but you just spoke with a Norwegian accent." I laughed so hard I think I probably snorted my drink through my nose. In between my peals of laughter, the poor fellow tried to find out why on earth this was so funny. I finally gasped that as I spent nearly every day hanging out with a Viking, I suppose that was fair consequence and that I'd also never hear the end of it, if said Viking ever gets wind of the fact that he's succeeding in "turning" me Norwegian.

#Music in the Air! #BluetoothSpeakers #InternetRadio #Victrolas #Gramophones #MusicApps #RadioApps #StreamingMedia #Bluetooth

Am really loving my home stereo setup. I decided to have a main central stereo located in my entertainment center with satellite Bluetooth speakers and soundbars placed around the open floor plan. I also have smaller stereo systems in other rooms like my office and my workshop. As it's all networked, I can synchronize play across systems and speakers or have a different sound style for each area. I can control playback with a Smart Assistant, tablet, smartphone, laptop, or remote control, and can access my cloud music libraries, music and radio apps, locally stored media and play internet and broadcast radio, plus physical discs. It's pretty rad! I'm still building it out. Certainly, I'll add more wireless speakers and I'm leaning toward a turntable for vinyl.

SIDE NOTE: By the way, this is merely my audio setup on the new-fangled side. Opposite, I have desperately desired a Victrola or other big "belled" antique Gramophone, since I was 5 years old. My mother had one that I can still picture as clear as day. I didn't care that it was perhaps valuable, I simply thought its big gleaming horn was beautiful.

In what seems to be a fairly common occurrence in poor rural areas, where people were often not well educated, were desperate, yet were trusting of their neighbors and displayed hospitality to strangers, a dishonest itinerant junk antiques dealer swindled ME out of it, thinking nothing of telling a bald-faced lie to a small child --- and I have never forgotten it! It takes a despicable person to take advantage of anyone as he did; however, it takes a no account bastard to take advantage of a five-year-old little girl who has been taught to respect the words of her elders.

The theft of my mother's Victrola (which is exactly what the stranger's deceit amounted to) marked the loss of my childhood innocence. Afterward, I became withdrawn. I became wary of anyone who professed anything without showing me proof. I became skeptical of human motives. I began to distrust people. It was a dear and precious lesson to "give" a 5-year-old. My mother, bless her, was furious on my behalf when she returned from a neighbor's, not even caring that I had "given away" her prized Victrola, but only concerned that some stranger (and a grown man, at that) had taken advantage of her baby girl. Of course, by then, the lying scoundrel was long gone.

I made a promise to myself that I would acquire a replacement for it one day, so its something for which I keep out an eye. It will require the perfect specimen. I am fascinated with early record players (and cylinder players) as a result, and recognize that this is likely another personal library collection in the making.

#NerdAlert: I Was a #Cordcutter When #Cordcutting Wasn't Cool. #OTA #DTV #DVR #Timeshifting #VideoDownload #Streaming #HDTV #JustSaying

I grew up in a rural area where over the air (OTA) TV reception meant you got PBS and a few local channels, if anything. I loved the educational programming offered by PBS and my Saturday morning cartoons, but never felt that television was integral.

Television was mainly an afterthought in our house, we only had a black and white TV. I didn't see color TV until I was in high school and recall finding it jarring, as the colors I'd imagined things were during all the years of watching in B&W often didn't match the colors items turned out to be.

Considering as a child that I'd rather be reading or out climbing trees, or chasing frogs or almost anything other than watching television, I was at a loss as to why anyone would PAY for Cable Television. Sure, you got more channels and sometimes got better reception, but as most TV programming when I was a child seemed a bunch of junk, so what?

No, I've never been a television fanatic. I enjoyed (some) television but could easily do without it. I never set my schedule around air times, no matter what the show. If something was due to broadcast and I was otherwise engaged I'd simply miss it. Broadcast television (like broadcast radio) was simply too haphazard, with seemingly little quality control. Depending on someone else to create programming I appreciated was a crap shoot.

Then came the Internet, and suddenly the user was (more) in control. Look, I've been watching Internet video since... well the Internet (or at least since the WWW became established, yes, back in dial-up days). Getting most of my entertainment via online conduits was a natural fit for a geek like me. I could find something entertaining or educational whenever the mood struck. I didn't have to count on some amorphous producer coming up with programming I wanted to see. It was a liberating, if slow process in the early days of the Net.

As comparatively faster internet connections expanded, my online world exploded. And, as truly fast internet --- which allowed for easily streaming video --- became the norm, videos of everything were being uploaded in droves (initially, often by mere bootlegging fans versus content creators or licensees), and it was a godsend. Being a savvy searcher, I could find whatever I wanted to see and watch it on my schedule. Content from all over the world. It was heady stuff. And a great time to be a techie!

Of course, it soon became obvious that being tied to a computer screen, or worse the handheld devices (early iPod Video, anyone?) that followed, was not optimal. If the best home viewing experience was a large screen television, why had consumers suddenly been sent on a tiny screen detour? (I have no problem with mobile video out and about on the go, but if given the choice between watching something on a tiny screen or a large one, there's no contest. Go BIG or go home! Or more aptly, go big when at home.) Funny that we had handheld video devices BEFORE SmartTV. We soon got back on track as (clunky) web-enabled television add-on boxes that weren't necessarily tied to Cable services arrived. (Cable services got with the program, too.)

Remember WebTV? Yeah, me either. I did an on-site, in office, beta test at its headquarters in downtown Palo Alto and lambasted the (at the time) clunky service, which was not an upgrade compared to using my desktop computer and would not have encouraged me to return my entertainment media back to the "television as entertainment center hub" concept.

Later these boxes evolved, shrunk to dongles and eventually became just the software pre-installed in a TV/Display. (Many modern "televisions" no longer come with built-in tuners and are actually merely displays or monitors. However, as a "free broadcast digital television" or OTA DTV advocate, I will always opt for a built-in tuner, given the choice.) Suddenly, I could watch "television" from almost anywhere in the world on an actual TV with the push of a remote button.

But throw it in reverse for a minute... with the arrival of the (clunky) web-enabled boxes and early media center software, users could now stream almost anything broadcast onto our actual TV sets instead of being tied to a desktop computer, but what to do when one wanted to watch stuff at another time than when it aired? A second component was necessary to achieve total programming control, Personal Video Recorders or PVR that would allow an individual to timeshift viewing and skip past commercials at his leisure. Pair it with a physical media burner, if desired, and users had won the lottery. (There was some rudimentary timeshifting going on, as geeky hobbyists would upload recorded video of shows, etc. but one had to count on finding a specific video, not to mention willfully participating in a bit of copyright infringement, as opposed to legally recording from a broadcast source or downloading and/or streaming from a licensed service provider.)

The third component of licensed service providers wasn't required, but is an augmentation which allows users to pick and choose catalog items to view at will, whether by individual purchase or subscription. Such services provide a pre-packaged convenience, instead of setting up the recording of one's own copy (which requires an investment in either software, hardware or both).

In January 2011, I won a top of the line (at the time) Samsung 46" 3D 1080p HDTV. I stumbled upon specs for the European model of the same unit and discovered it included a built-in PVR, software that would allow the TV to record almost anything pulled from its built-in tuner. Of course, I contacted Samsung to ask why the American unit did not also have this very cool feature and was told US "regulations" prevented it. (The thought of average folks being able to directly record OTA content apparently scared the stuffing out of the Cable lobby. And well it should.)

I was angered at what I saw as US over-regulation, but being a tech geek simply worked around it by rigging a computer to act as an on the fly recorder. Years later now, there's no need for such MacGyver-ing, as everyone expects a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) and commercial platforms like Tablo TV and TiVo Roamio have emerged to offer OTA DVRs that don't require a Cable subscription (though in a somewhat backwards move TiVo still thinks one should subscribe to its television guide service). With all the options available nowadays, I can easily record free DTV pulled from the airwaves and watch it when I want; I can choose to transfer the recordings to physical discs; I can pick and choose content to download (my preference) or stream on my schedule.

It was a long, long and winding journey, but between cordcutting, timeshifting and a plethora of streaming + download services, we can finally spy somewhere up ahead the (entertainment) promised land where the individual viewer is the one who determines what constitutes Must Watch TV. I am in the pilot seat. Buckle up.

Saving Points for a @Vizio #SmartCast Crave 360 Speaker #WiFi #Bluetooth #MultiRoom #Fandemonium #Rewards

After I redeemed $250 worth of points for a Vizio 32" E-Series SmartCast™ HDTV, a fast USB wall charger kit and a free digital copy of Star Trek: Beyond last November, my Vizio Fandemonium Rewards points balance was pretty much shot. No biggie though, for this is what the rewards points are supposed to do, exchange for stuff. Since then, however, I've been earning points and slowly replenishing my account balance, which has grown back to approximately 39,000 points. (The rewards exchange rate is roughly 1000 points = $1.00.)

Vizio SmartCast™ Crave 360™ Multi-Room Speaker

I think I have enough TVs --- all HDTVs --- at the moment between a Vizio 60" 1080p, a Samsung 46" 3D 1080p, the aforementioned Vizio 32" 1080p and a Seiko 20" 720p (the only upgrade would be going 4K+). Instead, I've decided to aim for the 2016 Vizio SmartCast™ Crave 360™ Multi-Room Speaker Model #SP50-D5 [MSRP $249.99] as my next reward. Currently, I have an eye out for WiFi + Bluetooth speakers and/or soundbars with a goal of having one in almost every room, but there's no hurry.

The 2016 Vizio SmartCast™ Crave 360™ Multi-Room Speaker is "a portable 360° 2.1 multi-room speaker featuring amazing clarity, 8 hours of power and a wireless charging base" according to its specs. (See vizio.com/sp50d5.html.) I might change my mind regarding which reward I should next claim between now and then... I've got a ways to go yet in order to save up $250 worth of points again. As long as Fandemonium rewards continue to be offered, I'll get there eventually. Besides, it's my idea of fun to earn cool freebies!

Setup Your Own Holiday Muzak Channel #DIY #MicrosoftStore #MP3 #Freebies

It's beginning to look a lot like... the gift giving season is in full swing. Promotions are popping up left and right and tons of free goodies are being parceled out. It's a wonderful time to be a bargain hunter-gatherer!

Before the advent of the Internet, one could always suss out what season it was by the type of music being piped into area department stores. Often tinny-sounding versions of the originals, this Muzak was either a bane or blessing depending upon whom one asked. I generally found it annoying, especially around the holidays. I'd rather listen to real music of my own choosi

In that vein, I was happy to discover that the Microsoft Store made a number of Christmas albums available for free download the other day, including the classic A Charlie Brown's Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio (a Jazz standard) along with some Motown and pop tunes. I snagged them all and plan to program my own Holiday "Muzak channel" Playlist to beam across the various Bluetooth soundbars and speakers strategically placed throughout my home. Nowadays I shop almost exclusively online, but this doesn't mean I can't enjoy all the trappings of the retail holiday season. As I get to pick the music, I can assure that it doesn't annoy me, however. And you wonder why I love tech.

NOTES: I adored the A Charlie Brown's Christmas animated cartoon as a child and watched it religiously every broadcast. (I still watch it every year, but I now own a digital copy, and thus, no longer need to wait for the television programming.) The accompanying musical score has always held a special place in my heart, and so it was an interesting aside to discover after I moved to the Bay area, that Vince Guaraldi had been born in San Francisco and had died just down the road in Menlo Park. This knowledge added another emotional layer to the music, learning that he'd been a "local boy" to an area I consider my other home. Made him seem almost like a long-lost family member reclaimed.

Bring the #Fandemonium @Vizio! Say It Loud #VizioFans

Intrepid gadget geek here. I'm the kind of person who makes trips to my local Best Buy merely to ogle the wares. I make lists of "products I want" and "products I want developed". (I'm a natural born engineer.) I love technology and expect its use to make things in my life more convenient, simple and/or fun.

And what could be more fun than earning free HDTVs/Home Theater Displays & Home Theater Audio equipment, especially when you're a tech geek, movie lover and music aficionado like me? Not much, let me tell you.

Back in December 2014, I stumbled upon Vizio's loyalty rewards program, known as Fandemonium, and immediately signed up. At the time, I couldn't believe a TV/Audio manufacturer was offering a person the chance to earn big ticket gear for free merely by performing such simple tasks as visiting its website or watching product videos. I thought there had to be a catch. But no...

Since becoming a member, I've amassed enough points to cash out for two sweet soundbars (29" and 38") to complement the HDTVs I already owned. And just this last week I cashed out for a "$250 Off Any Purchase" voucher (good at vizio.com) which I then used to get a brand new 2016 Vizio 32" E-Series SmartCast HDTV with Google Cast built-in (MSRP $229.99) plus a Smartphone/Tablet Fast USB/Wall Charger Kit (MSRP $19.99) for completely free! (The voucher applies to base merchandise cost, so the discount made my subtotal $0.00, which in turn generated no taxes and each item I bought included free shipping.)

BONUS: Vizio.com is currently running a promotion (while supplies last through 31-Dec-2016) wherein one gets a free Star Trek: Beyond UHD Digital Copy (MSRP $29.99) --- in the form of a VUDU code --- with the purchase of any of its new SmartCast HDTVs or (tuner-free) SmartCast Home Theater Displays.

Thus, in addition to getting a free 32" HDTV along with the equivalent of a free Google Chromecast* (MSRP $35.00), and a free Smartphone/Tablet USB/Wall Charger, I should also get a free digital copy of a recent theatrical release movie. (The promotion terms state that the Vudu movie redemption code will be emailed to you 7-10 business days after you register your new SmartCast HDTV/Home Theater Display purchase on Vizio's website.) My new telly arrived last Friday, so I'll find out if code supplies have been exhausted roughly a week afterwards. However, as the promotion is still being actively advertised all over the Vizio website, I fully expect to get a Vudu redemption code in my inbox soon.

*NOTE: New 2016 Vizio SmartCast products have Google Cast built-in. Google Cast is the software only version of its Chromecast hardware. You get the same functionality of a Chromecast device natively, without having to plug a dongle into your TV's HDMI port. So it's an upgrade.

Getting a free Star Trek movie is a cool bonus. I grew up watching TOS reruns on the tube so I'm a Trekkie of old, but I actually haven't seen this latest film. I was unimpressed with the "meh" Star Trek reboot and snored through the "weak tea" Star Trek: Into Darkness, as a result I didn't rush out to see this one. But I was willing to chance it for free. If I hate it, no biggie, though I'm hoping it proves to be a stronger flick than the first two, because it wasn't helmed by JJ Abrams. After disliking what he did with Star Trek and then Stars Wars, I realize I'm just not an Abrams fan (professionally). I was super annoyed that he messed up not one, but two of the iconic Sci-Fi franchises of my childhood.

Regardless, I'm winning the race! I'll have gotten a total of about $315.00 worth of new A/V products and accessories for free. Obviously, I spent time to earn the rewards points in order to trade them in for merchandise, but it only takes me a few minutes to participate in the program each day. Plus, I'm already accumulating Fandemonium rewards points again, saving for the next go around. (There are other rewards available for redemption like branded Tees and mugs, autographed gear, etc., but I save my points up for the big ticket items.)

After I've had a chance to play with my new toys for a bit --- which with the holidays upon us unfortunately may not be until after Christmas --- I'll put up an E-Series SmartCast HDTV review and also give some background detailing my experiences with Vizio (customer service) and its products. I own two Vizio HDTVs and two Vizio soundbars at this point. All of which I got for free. (A few years ago, I won a 60" SmartTV 1080p HDTV in a Winter Fest contest sponsored by an unrelated third-party company. It was my first Vizio product, and is what led me to investigate the company that manufactured it, which is how I stumbled upon the link to the Fandemonium Loyalty Rewards program, and ending up joining. I figured, why not.)

My only regret is that is didn't discover the Fandemonium promotion sooner. I missed out on nearly two years of point earning opportunities. Urgh! But don't cry for me Argentina, as I have attempted to rectify the situation post haste, by earning every point I can nowadays.

Yeah, I'm sitting here grinning as I type this. Sign-up for Vizio Fandemonium Rewards!

NOTICE: I'm a loyal member of the Vizio Fandemonium Loyalty Rewards program, however, I was not asked or required to make this post. The opinions expressed are entirely my own. I have earned Vizio rewards for program participation and may earn (a few) points if you sign-up for the program using my referral link above.