Lost - Octagon Global Recruitment Letter

Check it out, I'm being recruited by The Dharma Initiative!

Must be a new Lost ARG (alternate reality game) for the hiatus. More info in our Lost section at: www.berryjooks.com.

Celtics Win!

The Garden was rockin' tonight, and so were the Celts as they beat the Lakers in a game 6 blowout and became the 2008 NBA Champions!

They came to win tonight, plain and simple. Garnett, Allen, Pierce, hell, the whole team and the fans all get a Tommy point for this one.

I don't think I've ever seen a team play with so much intensity. They were lights out as they demoralized and demolished the Lakers 131 to 92 and gave us the perfect ending to a perfect season.

Such a great team, and team is the operative word here. Injuries, off nights, no matter what, there was always someone stepping in and coming up big. That's how you do it.

Watching them celebrate the moment was incredible, and imagining the Zen Master and Kobe's plane ride home made it all the sweeter.

Take us home one last time, Gino...

Beefing Up Your Cable Signal

Last week I told you I was watching an older TV equipped with rabbit ears while we were away. It was an acceptable way to catch the news in the wilds of Maine, but that’s about it. It really pointed out how spoiled I’ve become by cable.

I hate poor reception, it really drives me to distraction. I’m forever tweaking the cable plant in my house, and I usually can’t stop myself from messing with my friends and relatives connections if the picture on their TV looks a little fuzzy or their home network is sluggish.

Hey, I grew up working the rabbit ears on top of our TV like a Navy Signalman, and sometimes adding things like tinfoil to them, all in a vain attempt to pull in that one extra station. I don’t think I ever really got a good look at Uncle Gus out of NH, but I certainly tried.

When cable first arrived on the scene, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. As I began to explore and expand the capabilities of my cable drop, I quickly found out that it can look just as bad as those old rabbit ears did if you’re too cavalier with it.

The key to good cable reception is keeping down the signal loss. It’s a lot like antenna reception in that way. The stronger the signal that reaches the TV, the better the picture quality. Every foot of cable, every splitter, every DVD and VHS connection, causes signal loss. Even the type of cable you use enters into the equation. You always want to use RG6 cable. It costs a little more but has less signal loss then RG59.

There’s a certain tipping point that’s dependent on both the strength of your signal at its point of entry, and the number of wacky things you do with it from there. You can calculate it all out here, but you’ll know when you hit it ‘cause you’ll start getting a washed out, grainy and/or wavy picture, or pixilation on the SD and HD digital channels. It’s a huge disappointment if you’re feeding a cool new flat panel.

I currently have 3 separate runs split off of the main. The 2 runs for the upper floors are relatively long, but we get a good strong signal from the street and the cable and connectors are in good shape, so picture quality has always been good on these TV’s.

The third leg goes into the basement, and this is the one I abuse…

I split this leg 3 times. Two short runs (15’) and a long run that goes about 50’ into yet another splitter that feeds both an HD cable box and a DVD-Recorder and VCR that are tied together in series.

The HD from the cable box looked good, but the feed from the recorders just didn’t look crisp by the time it wound its way back to its respective TV input. Having both the DVD and VCR on improved the picture to the PIP, as both devices were pre-amping the signal, but as soon as I had one or the other on by itself, the reception was poor on a lot of the channels.

As I said before, I hate a crappy picture, so I tore into things. I pretty much knew from the start that I was going to need to amplify the signal, but if your going to do something, you might as well do it right.

First I tried reconfiguring. While I was doing it, I replaced a couple of the cables and checked all of the connections. A bad cable or a loose connection is often the cause of poor reception. While you’ve got the cables unplugged, shine a light into their connectors and be sure you can still see the white dielectric, it has a tendency to shrink back into the jacket with age. If it has, either replace the cable or trim it back and crimp on a new connector.

Anyways, all that work and no change. I still had a crappy picture.

Next I went out and got an amplifier for the line. For my application I needed a Bidirectional amp. There are a couple of different types, and you need to get the right one for your particular setup.

Here’s what you need to know:

In-line signal amp: 10 db, single direction amp. Gain not adjustable. Ok for basic cable, but not for digital with a set top box or cable modems.

Bidirectional amp or Forward Gain: If you have digital cable boxes in the house or get voice and data through your cable provider, you need a bidirectional amp. It has a portion of the bandwidth (5-42MHz) reserved as a return band to the provider, which allows two way communications for the voice and data connections and also the interactive features on the cable box. This single port bidirectional amp boosts your signal by up to 10 db and the gain is adjustable via a small knob. This device boosts only the incoming signal. It does not boost the return signal to the provider.

There are also Reverse Gain and Two Way Active amps, the former beefs up only the return band, the latter, both. You’d want one of these if your box is timing out during interactive functions or you have a troublesome link between your cable modem and your provider.

So I got the amp that was right for the job, and it really did the trick. I put the amp in line right where the feed comes into the house, then came off of it with a 6 foot cable that ties into the input of the first splitter. This way it’s distributed evenly throughout the whole system, and it’s amplifying the best signal possible. This is important, as once you start splitting the cable, you water down the signal, and you don’t want to amplify crap.

Not only did it clear up the feeds to the recorders, it also made the sets that we already thought looked good, look even better!

The amp I’m using is a single input, single output. They come in all kinds of configurations (1 in, 4 out, etc.), and once again, you want to get the one that’s right for your specific application. Keep in mind though, that too strong a signal can be every bit as problematic as a weak signal. I barely needed to tweak the gain at all for my setup. I have it set at 3 of 10. Any higher and the signal is too strong on the shorter runs.

Okay, here's the stuff to remember:

Most reception problems are caused by cables or connectors, check them first, and use the right components for the job:

Use RG6 cable and connectors

Use 1GHz splitters

Research and come up with the best wiring scheme in regards to signal loss. Pay attention to the amount of signal loss on the outputs.

And if all that fails:

Be sure to get the right amplifier for your situation.

Don’t put it too close to the end device; keep it at or near the cable’s entry point. Amplifying crap just gives you amplified crap.

And as always, when in doubt, look it up. Broadband Reports FAQs section is a wealth of information on all things broadband and dsl related.

It's Gino Time!

Wow...

Thank God I didn't give up and go to bed. This was a game I'll remember for a long time.

It was the most incredible comeback I've ever seen, after the worst first half I've ever seen.

They were down by as much as 24 in the first half, and they still came back to win, on the road, against the Lakers...

Wow.

The Celts are really in command of this series now with a 3 to 1 lead. It would be an awesome Father's Day gift to see them clinch it on Sunday.

For now, let's just revel in the moment, and watch Gino dance. Feel free to dance along.

Full game coverage here.

unplugged

We've been unplugged for the last few days, and it was soooo nice. No Internet, no phone, no cable, and barely any cell service at all. Of course, we weren't completely unplugged. We had the iPods, and there is a vintage tv set with rabbit ears in the cottage, but we were without the major distractor factors.

Hey, who needs technology when you've got fresh lobster sauteed in butter and wild blueberry pie? Not me. It's been way to long since we took a real break, and although this one was short, it was sweet, and just what the Dr. ordered.

I find that if I'm connected, I just don't relax. Even when I'm home under the weather, I still end up fielding calls or on the PC. Our home phone never stops ringing, and half the time it's someone looking for a donation or trying to get us to participate in some survey.

"Is this Mr. or Mrs. berryjocks? I'm calling on behalf of the Crop Dusters Benevolent Society and we're raising money to buy gas masks for the pilots. Should we put you down for the standard "Golden Mask" contribution of 50 dollars? There are cheaper packages, if you're not fully committed to saving lives..."

They always butcher your name, and they always spit out at least a paragraph before you can get a word in edgewise. It drives me nuts.

So, it was time to retreat. Time to lay in the sun, read, nap, walk the beach, and of course, eat. No ringing phones, no urgent emails, nothing but our own agenda.

Unlike most things in our lives today, you can't recharge your internal batteries unless you unplug.

Manny, Manny, Manny...

Number 500! What a weekend to be a Boston sports fan!

ESPN - The Ultimate Remote

First off, thanks for all the emails, calls and comments regarding "Our Thoughts and Prayers". I'm glad you liked it, and I'm glad that so many of you are also keeping the Senator in your thoughts and prayers.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming...

Check out the ESPN Ultimate Remote. I saw it on the Buzz Report's Gadget of the Week segment and I want one! It's a Wi-Fi enabled remote that controls multiple devices and activities ( all on, etc.) and it links up to your wireless router to allow you to surf and IM from the comfort of your couch!

You can download the latest device codes and TV listings, plus check the scores and get updates on your fantasy leagues, all without ever needing to boot up your PC. Too cool.

Setup looks pretty straight forward. For Wi-Fi it searches for and lists available SSID's and will prompt you for your WEP key or WPA password. For device control for your home theater, you program it as you would any other universal remote, except you won't have to worry when the "next big thing" in the AV world comes along and needs a code not factory installed, you can just download it.

The standalone qualities of this device are what makes it unique. I really like the idea of being able to look up TV listings without needing to turn on your box or PC, or having to rifle through the newspaper or TV Guide. On the weekends I'm always wondering "When are the Sox on today, is it a day or night game?" This is a sweet solution.

It's a bit pricey at $299 through Amazon, but I still gotta have it!

Our Thoughts and Prayers

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Senator Ted Kennedy and his family. He is a great man who has done many great things for our country, most notably fighting for the disabled and the uninsured. I've always admired him, and he's left an indelible mark on my life and my family.

When I was 10, my family was his guest at the Capitol. We were in D.C. visiting relatives and my Dad had called and made an appointment for us to visit with him. It wasn't long after his plane crash, and Ted was still on crutches and obviously in pain, but he took time to show us around the Capitol, and made a point to let us know that as his constituents we were always welcome to visit.

He took us into the Senate chambers and explained the proceedings to us as we watched. He made a huge impression on me as he told me how things worked and how important the work being done there was. It was a truly remarkable experience for me.

He influenced my wife in much the same way. She interviewed him as a teen reporter on the show "For Kids Only" on WBZ-TV with Bruce Schwoegler, and he made a lasting impression, sparking her interest in politics and government.

Later in life, when I was a reckless teen, Ted affected my life in a much larger way. I had been in a car accident out of state and suffered massive internal injuries. Truth be told, there wasn't a lot of hope for me.

I had graduated from high school, so I had come off of my father's insurance, but I wasn't gainfully employed and had no insurance of my own. My parents had gotten me flown back home in hopes of getting me into one of the major hospitals here in Boston, but with no insurance, that just wasn't happening. I ended up in New England Memorial in Stoneham, and within a couple of days the doctors there told my parents that there wasn't anything more they could do for me.

A friend of the family called Ted's office and explained the situation, and that same afternoon the State Police came and escorted me to the New England Baptist Hospital and delivered me into the care of one of the most amazing and talented liver surgeons in the country, Dr. Kenneth Warren. The rest, as they say, is history.

Without Ted's intervention, I wouldn't have made it. Children, grandchildren, none of that would have happened.

And who was I?

Just some constituent.


God bless you and your family Senator Kennedy. We know you'll fight the good fight, and we know you have the will and determination to beat this.

Cool Stuff From IOGEAR

I was reading a post on Engadget about a new networked USB device from IOGEAR, and in the process found out that they make all kinds of cool stuff.

Let's start with what drew me to their site in the first place, the USB Net ShareStation . It's a networked USB port. Plug it in to your router via it's 10/100mbps port, then plug any 1.1 or 2.0 USB device into it for network access. It will even support connection of a 4 port USB hub instead of just a single device and it supports multi-function printer sharing. I like the fact that it's a hardwired device. If your router has Wi-Fi you can use it from anywhere wirelessly, and yet still be hardwired when you're at your workstation for better throughput.

The next thing I stumbled across is their Portable Media Player. It's basically a 120GB portable hard drive with a USB input and Composite/Component RCA outputs, plus media player functionality. It supports a wide variety of media formats and it even comes with a remote. Too cool!

My favorite device by far though, is their 4 Port Automatic HDMI Switch. A 4 in 1 out auto sensing HDMI switch that also comes with a remote, just in case you have more than one device powered up and your butt is parked on the couch.

Check out their site, they've got a lot more cool stuff, from video extenders to a really slick Mobile Digital Scribe, an electronic pen that captures handwriting from any surface.

Issues With Videos In PowerPoint During Projection

Okay, so you've got someone coming in to do a presentation, class or pep talk. They're bringing their material on their own laptop or media device of choice, and you want to have everything ready to rock.

You've got your room set up with an LCD projector, screen, PC and laptop video connection. Every thing's plumbed through a nice neat patch panel with USB inputs and connected to the in-room sound system. You're so golden, your tail's waggin'!

and then the guest arrives...

They plug in their laptop and things go well, until they get to a slide that calls out a video clip. On the screen, all you see is a black box where the video should be. Yikes, talk about a buzz kill.

On some machines, videos will play correctly in PowerPoint when using a single monitor, but will only show up as a black box when the system is driving both it's own monitor and an external one. The quick fix for this is to FN/F4 toggle your local screen off, then restart the video. A less crippling to the presenter, but slightly more time consuming fix, is to turn off video hardware acceleration.

Of course, the real solution is to update your video drivers or upgrade your ride, but these aren't going to help you in the here and now. Warning: DO NOT be the guy who starts updating stuff 2 minutes before, or worse, during, a presentation.

Here's a link to a great site for more in depth info on both the quick, and the correct, fixes: PPTools

Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel

I had the pleasure to stay at the new Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel last week and I give it two thumbs up.

We had been working with them since before they officially opened, planning a large 4 day symposium, and I can't say enough about the hotel and the staff.

The hotel is beautiful. Ultra modern with an ocean motif and gorgeous views, and it's equipped with the latest and greatest technology and a staff that knows how to use it.

Add in the great food, the incredible turn around time in the meeting spaces, and the luxurious rooms (HDTV's, iHome iH9's, and pillows to die for) and you can't go wrong.

Check it out for your next meeting, or even for a weekend getaway with your significant other. South Boston has a lot to offer these days, and it's only a block from the Bank of America Pavilion.

Wi-Fi Security - Disabling SSID Broadcast

If you're using Wi-Fi in your home or business you should make sure you take the proper steps to safeguard your network and computers. While many people enable WEP and Authentication on their routers, it's just not enough.

There are always people scanning for available Wi-Fi networks (think about the last time you were on vacation, you were probably scanning for available networks yourself!), and if they can find yours and they're smart enough, they can break in. Here's a few simple tips to help you keep war drivers, and the neighbors, out.

First thing you want to do is change your router's admin password. Every manufacturer has a default password, and every unit they ship is configured with it, so when you're doing the router's initial setup, change it. While this won't keep interlopers from using your network, it will prevent them from getting into the router and changing it's settings.

The next thing you want to do is enable WEP and Authentication. This will encrypt your data and will only allow systems with the right "Key" to access the network. For more information on WEP and other security protocols you should visit the Wi-Fi Alliance web site. You can find a brief overview of WLANS and their recommended security practices here.

The last step is to change the SSID (Service Set Identifier) and turn off it's broadcast. This is the step many users miss.

The SSID is the name of your network, and just like the router's admin password, they all ship with the manufacturers default setting enabled. When you scan for available networks on your computer, it's the name you see pop up on the list. Usually you will see the manufacturers name, D-Link, Netgear or something similar. Sometimes you'll see something clever like jimsnetwork or maryjane. Don't do this. Not only are you making it easy for someone to figure out, you're also broadcasting your personal information to anyone with a Wi-Fi enabled device in your vicinity. I see routers in my neighborhood that are either set to the default SSID, or someones name, and they're unsecured. Don't be these people.

Change it to something random, like bLtzpHk8, and be sure to make a note of it and keep it somewhere safe, preferably with your router's documentation.

Next, you want to turn off SSID Broadcast. This setting is usually on the performance tab of the router's setup. Once you disable broadcast, people will see only the manufacturer's name when they scan, not the real SSID, and they won't be able to connect. You'll have to enter the correct SSID in your computer or phone's Wi-Fi setup to be able to see or connect to the router.

Simple but secure.