house – Page 5 – frans goes blog

Squeezebox

This is another great little gadget: Squeezebox (by Slimdevices, which is now part of Logitech) is an easy-to-use device for playing all those mp3’s and other media files that reside in your media server disk through the speakers in your library or living room. It can use both Wi-Fi and wired ethernet to connect and can also connect to Shoutcast and other net radio stations. I had some trouble in configuring the Slimserver software in Ubuntu server to access files in my USB hard disk. Here are couple of useful links to help in that:

Smooth sounds

One thing that Santa brought us this year that has already proved to be almost constantly in use: Model One (Platinum Edition) by Tivoli Audio. Smooth sounds, intuitive no-nonsense interface and luxurious finish. Everything you need from a radio.

Unet.fi back online

Unet.fi, which is a file and web server in my home network, was transferred into new Internet service provider’s network yesterday. We are now using NebulaZone Advanced connection, which means that the theoretical maximum download is 8-24 megabytes/s, upload 3 megs per sec. This is still copper cable technology, using ADSL 2+ with Annex M extension (what a mouthful). I still need to test whether we actually get what we are paying for, but at least the line is working, and also the customer service. Having spent time among various operators whose reliability and particularly customer service is slapdash, this was particularly the criteria for turning to Nebula. I have used their services in various web hotel and domain arrangements for years, and they have consistently provided great service in the past, and I just hope this to continue.

The transition was not without its hurdles: my old Zyxel modem would not update its firmware into Annex M capable version, and I ran to buy a new one, TeleWell TW-EA501 v3. In the next phase TeleWell would appear to make connection, but then nothing would actually work over the new, bridged ADSL configuration. After three phone calls into Nebula service line (I had to run to work in between), the connection now appears to work, more or less. I think I have even configured all services in Unet.fi server to run again, somewhat surprisingly. With currently five computers (with various Windows XP/Vista, Mac OS X and Linux configurations), two routers, two Wi-Fi routers, three online connected game consoles and some Internet phones etc. on top of that, our home network is a typical, challenging mixed home environment. I think I had to change parameters in perhaps 100-200 different places yesterday, and still consider this an easy transition. But you do not want to change ISPs every day.

Unet.fi goes offline?

Lets see what happens: our ISP contract with WlanNet is ending tomorrow, and the new one into Nebula should be starting day after that one. According to my experience, these things almost never go over smoothly, so lets be ready to live without Internet, and to accept that this domain and server will also probably be offline for some time starting tomorrow.

Winter morning

Winter morning
Originally uploaded by FransBadger

Winter comes — oh yes: and the snow show! (On the way to the car…)

DIY: a changing table

Launching a new category here: Do-It-Yourself. Starting from a simple woodworking project, this is how to make a baby’s changing table.

1. You create/obtain some beautiful drawings (here made at the back of an envelope in a cafeteria):

2.You get some wood (I used some planed sawn timber and hard MDF plate that I got from the local Bauhaus store). Continue reading “DIY: a changing table”

Stiga Collector

Stiga Collector
Originally uploaded by FransBadger.

One practical thing to consider in gardens is the lawn. Our aim is to have less grass and more “woodlands” or natural look in our yard, but still there will be more than enough grass. This morning was spent setting up Stiga Collector 46 S Combi, which we got after a lengthy comparison process. This is a compromise, of course. The professional, solid-body lawnmowers can cost 1000 euros or more. This one is not as sturdy in its construction and materials, but it has the right feature set: 3-in-1 cutting, collecting and bio-slicing functionalities. And since Stiga is coming from Sweden, you can trust Finnish stores providing spare parts and service for it also in the future.

Pinsiön taimisto

Pinsiön taimisto
Originally uploaded by FransBadger.Another extremely busy week behind, and time to relax by doing something physical. This weekend we traveled to Pinsiön Taimisto, a nice plant and garden sale c. 12 km from Tampere. They have rather good collections of trees, bushes, various flowers and also garden path stones, gravel and sand. This is important as we move towards the next stage in the garden project (albeit planting all these trees requires some serious shovel-work, and we have much to do in the house project, too). Keeps you busy, and also better fit, I hope. Gardening is a nice counterpart to the digital life.

A new Angel in our aquarium

A new Angel in our aquarium
Originally uploaded by FransBadger.

Vappu was too cold to be outside, mostly. So we fixed places inside instead. We got some new fish, including four natural-coloured Angelfish in our aquarium and seeing how they took the moving (rather well, and in good spirits) was fun. More photos of fish, butterflies and babies in: http://www.unet.fi/pics/2007-05-01/