DerekMartin.ca

Growing up, there was really only 1 type of audio OR video connector for my entire youth: RCA. Now there’s S-Video, Component, and worst of all HDMI 1.3. I say worst becasue we are now so resigned to constant upgrading that they include a decimal in the version number of a video cable. 1.4 is already on the horizon, and it is not backward compatible. It requires all new gear. With RCA, every TV could use it. Heck, even audio devices used it. Can’t we build a standard that we can all get behind? Can’t we build a standard that’ll last the test of time?

Don’t even get me started on these new TVs that have integrated Yahoo Widgets, and Hulu and Netflix clients. WHEN those sites go down, or standards change (again), your TV will have a bunch of useless crap built in. Have fun with that.

We just got HD-TV & HDMI 1.3, now they want UHD-TV & HDMI 1.4? (UHD = ultra-high-def). 4-16 times higher-def than blu-ray/1080p with 3d sound

Eff them!

http://digg.com/tech_news/Got_HDTV_Get_Ready_For_UHD_TV

Growing up, there was really only 1 type of audio OR video connector worth mentioning: RCA. Now there’s S-Video, VGA, DVI, Component, and worst of all HDMI 1.3. I say worst because we are now so resigned to constant upgrading that they include a decimal in the version number of a cable. HDMI is awesome because it can send audio & 8 different speakers worth of audio on a single cable… BUT it also what I’ll call the first “Smart Cable”. It supports some “features” (including Digital Rights Management) and doesn’t support others (certain HD audio formats, or copying what’s being sent over the cable, for example). Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t want my cables OR my devices to tell me what I can do with whatever audio & video signals I’m toying with. HDMI 1.4 is already on the horizon, and it is MOSTLY backward compatible. Mostly? Yes, mostly. It supports higher resolutions than 1.3 (UHD = ultra-high-def = 4-16 times higher-def than blu-ray/1080p with 3d sound), AND it includes a new feature whereby the single HDMI cable can not only carry your video & audio, but also your internet connection, known as ethernet-over-HDMI. The old HDMI 1.3 cables don’t support ethernet, so get ready to toss all your gear & re-wire your house (again) if you want HDMI 1.4. It makes me long for the old, dumb, RCA jacks & cables. All sorts of devices used them, both audio & video. The cables had no say in what types of content went over them. They were used for over 20 years without needing an upgrade (because Standard Def was good enough). Can’t we build a standard that we can all get behind? Can’t we build a standard that’ll last the test of time? Yes we COULD design an ultimate-evercable, that would do anything & everything, at sufficiently ridiculous resolutions that it’d never need upgrading… but then the cable companies & electronics companies would sell you just 1 cable, not 1 every 5 years. I mean, let’s face it, cables don’t usually break (unless you have pets that chew). Don’t even get me started on these new TVs that have integrated Yahoo Widgets, and Hulu and Netflix clients. WHEN those sites go down, or they change their APIs, or standards change (again), your TV will have a bunch of useless crap built in. You’ll see broken jpeg icons on the screen whenever you turn it on. Have fun with that. If you think back to when people bought stereos instead of just iPods, you might remember that teenagers always had integrated stereos (1 piece that included speakers, tape decks, a CD player, a radio, and an amplifier), while parents often had component stereos (1 piece that was a record player, 1 piece that was a CD player, 1 piece that was a radio receiver, 1 piece that was an amplifier). The integrated systems were cheaper, and sounded okay, but if one part of it broke, the whole thing was useless. The component systems were expensive, but sounded great, and if one part of it broke, you only needed to buy a new one of those parts — the rest of the system kept working fine. Today, most people have transitioned toward integrated systems without even realizing it. What do you think a TV with Yahoo Widgets is? If the widgets break (or become obsolete), your TV experience is ruined. If your iMac’s video card dies, you can’t open it and replace it. If your monitor has built-in speakers and they break, you’re screwed. If your printer is also your scanner, and the scanner dies, your printer is worthless too. Components cost more in the short run, but save you much grief in the long run. Instead of buying an all-in-one stereo, buy components. If one dies, the others will still work. Instead of buying a printer/scanner/fax, buy a printer and a scanner and a fax. If one dies, the others will still work. Instead of buying an all-in-one computer, buy a tower and a monitor and speakers. Make sure the video & audio cards are not “integrated” with the motherboard. This way, if one of the pieces dies, you can just get another piece, not a new computer. Think I’ve complained enough? My next post will be about printer ink.

Comments from my old blog:

u.c. said: Its more the clutter I find hard to live with! Plus my back is a lot better not having to reach under the desk to a Tower. at 2009-12-18 06:26:47

u.c. said: Still have an old 1951 HMV Valve Radio, Long,Medium and Short Wave signals and still pick up lots on in.Run it up once a month to preserve valves (spares short) and it sounds just great with its huge elliptical speaker. Where you post is concerned dont get me started.Component systems are more environmentally friendly but for instance an iMAC if u keep up the warranty will last a long time,takes up less space and I certainly would get fed up with an outdated design in the end (shallow or what).Agree re all in one printers, very wasteful. at 2009-12-17 20:06:15

(Derek)[http://www.derekmartin.ca] said: If you don’t have the space for a full system, that’s another issue. I can’t deny the sexiness of the iMac.

OH, I forgot one more example. My buddy bought an Apple TimeCapsul which is a wi-fi/ethernet router and network-storage device / timemachine all-in-one. So, he stored his iTunes music collection on the network storage part, so he could access it from anywhere in the house on his laptop.

The power supply died, and now he can’t access his music or files! Apple said it’s out of warranty, and it would cost $400 to replace. The harddrive is fine, but it won’t boot up, and it’s an all-in-one unit.

This wouldn’t have happened if his router was one device, and his network storage another. A new harddrive enclosure with power supply only costs about $40, not $400. at 2009-12-17 20:20:36

(Derek)[http://www.derekmartin.ca] said: Oh fantastic. I just learned that Blu-Ray 3D will require, not new cables, but new televisions & projectors. Sure, it’ll play fine on your existing PS3, but not the TV it’s connected to :-| at 2009-12-17 22:49:19

“The ink has run out. Replace the ink tank.” U163 Ink has run out. (The lamp on the ink tank flashes.) Replace the ink tank and close the Scanning Unit (Printer Cover). Printing under the current condition may damage the machine. If you want to continue printing in this condition, you need to release the function for detecting the remaining ink level. Press and hold the Stop/Reset button for at least 5 seconds, and then release it. With this operation, releasing the function for detecting the remaining ink level is memorized. Please be advised that Canon shall not be liable for any malfunction or trouble which may be caused by continuation of printing under the ink out condition. Note If the function for detecting the remaining ink level is disabled, the ink tank in gray is displayed on the LCD when checking the current ink level. Since printing in this condition may cause the contents of the fax to be lost, the machine stores received faxes in memory without printing until the ink tank is replaced. Print the fax stored in memory manually after replacing the ink tank. You can set the machine to print received faxes forcibly without storing them in memory, but a part of contents or all contents of the fax may not be printed.

at 2010-11-25 19:59:45

Steve said: thanks for the stop/reset button trick! I just needed to scan something urgently and it seriously saved the day! at 2010-11-29 21:21:16

“They have something that we’re losing — something that we’ve lost. These people are connected to the earth. These people are singing straight from the ground. They walk past a rabbit, and they sing about the rabbit — it’s real.”

While I was wrapping presents for my family, I watched “It’s a Wonderful Life”. The main character is George Bailey. He runs a savings & loan company and loses a bunch of money, which threatens to bankrupt him. The town pulls together and gives (not loans) him enough money to recover, and a Merry Christmas is had by all. This reminded me that up until recently I’ve always been surrounded by friends over the holidays. We’d walk to Tim Horton’s and play chess, and watch movies, and give one another ridiculous gifts, and rides home at ungodly hours, even if it was far away. As in It’s a Wonderful Life, my friends would have bailed me out of bankruptcy… but these days it feels as if my friendships are all a thing of the past, and if I were in trouble, only family would take notice. It’s incredibly disheartening. The friends I’ve made in my life are the best that anyone could ask for, which only amplifies my sense of loss. I don’t want new friends, I just want to be more present with my existing friends. You’re the best of the best, but you’re also far away. I wish you were closer. I wish I had enough time & money to visit you on a regular basis, but Toronto & Boston & Vancouver & Montreal & England & Zagreb are all so far apart. I miss you all. Just because I haven’t called, doesn’t mean I don’t love you. It just means I don’t like using telephones.Earlier today I saw a newspaper that said something to the effect of “Not everyone celebrates Christmas during the holidays, but everyone appreciates the comfort of family and friends”. I couldn’t agree more… I just wish my friends were local. This sense of loss has been deepening for a while now. Ula does what she can to help me, by encouraging me to go out and meet new people, but for some reason, at this time in my life, that challenge seems almost insurmountable. I have been a heavy internet user since it first became publicly available in 1994. Heck, I used it regularly even before that, by connecting to a BBS on a dial-up modem. Every day at midnight, the BBS would connect to the internet and download everyone’s inter-BBS mail in one huge batch. I’ve emailed roommates instead of walking down the hallway to talk with them. If anyone can leverage community online, it’s me. But I’m not feelin’ it. I moved to London from Toronto about 16 months ago, and I still keep in touch with my friends via Instant Messaging, Facebook, email, and the occasional Skype or phone call… but the lack of physical proximity is starting to suck. We can’t just go out to see a movie, or have a pint at the pub, or play video games. Frank Fairfield would say “it’s not real”. I used to argue that online friends are just as good as offline ones, but now I think that only holds true when you have a combination of both. Whereas you don’t need online friends, you do need offline friends in order to have a healthy mental state. Have I mentioned that I work from home? That certainly doesn’t help the situation, because I don’t have co-workers to hang out & explore the city with. There are no interesting Meetups (meetup.com) listed in London. Nor are there any interesting meetings listed for London on Kijiji or Craigslist. The economies of scale I was accustomed to in Toronto (population 4 million) simply don’t apply here in London (population 400,000). The internet can help you find anything local, but this assumes that the local resource you’re looking for actually exists. In this way, the internet is failing me. So, dear Internet, my question to you is this: How can I get out of this funk and build a community for myself? How can I rediscover a sense of connectedness in this new locale? How can I meet people in London, given that I work from home, and never went to school here? My Christmas Wish this year is for a sense of connectedness, but not in a virtual way.

Comments from my old blog:

u.c. said: I remember the feeling when I moved from London UK (xxmillions) to Plymouth 25k some 25 years ago.Its hard keeping up with old friends but u have to phone them/email them (at LEAST monthly) and even if its only once a year meet up. I rebuilt my life and it starts with getting into your local community.Plymouth is very very different from London. (less choices of things to do). First get to know your neighbours and have an open door policy.It usually starts in the summer when folks are tending their front gardens.Go over and chat,offer help if u think they need it, ask them in for a coffee.(remember they know whats going in in your area) Second you cant be working 24/7, if u r lifes not right.Get out and do something in your community. I did a lot of Charity work and made new friends of my age.Im sure little London has stuff like the Red Cross,Rotary (Shelter Box),and lots more. Give them some of your time but avoid what u do for a living.There is masses of places wanting young people like you to help out.(with other like you) Third. Ask friends to come and stay- sure they would just love to. Fourth- integrate your partners friends as yours. Fifth-give out and u get back. If transport isnt available to you when u need to get out get some- its a priority. Being stuck at home is a NO NO. Working at home is OK if u treat where u work as the OFFICE then when u finish move away from it and get into the REAL world. I spend about 4/5 hours a day online but it dosnt interfere with my day to day life.It must not or Life as we know it ceases to exist. Even if u work odd hours and your partner does u can find time to do something for your community where u will make lots of new local friends. U gotta get OUT>>>> Derek—- you have one hell of a lot to offer other people——make it SO. Give out and Get back. Im now very very Happy in my community but its been a lot of work.But worth it!! at 2009-12-24 07:06:07

Chris Kemp said: We still love you here in Toronto, D-mart! And you know I’m always available for a coffee if you’re in the Big Smoke even though I know it’s difficult to get out here.

Merry Christmas!

cK at 2009-12-24 23:33:35

dinko said: Hi my friend. Answer to your question if you really need new people in this new environment is to start doing something that needs physical contact. You didn’t meet people at Zagreb by staying home. It doesn’t matter what you do, whatever. Go to the gym or library or club.

Also you should be aware that this is time of year that your kind of thoughts come to mind. Lets see will you in three weeks feel the same. at 2009-12-24 16:27:44

u.c. said: p.s. even the little chap on the right is giving u a few hints - indoor sports club?meet the locals! at 2009-12-24 18:13:43

Napalm said: I suspect the main issue (besides the limits imposed by proximity) is that you aren’t putting much effort into holding on to your friends. My sense is that you get wrapped up in your life and don’t reach out much. If you want to reconnect with your old friends, you need to show them that you still care about the relationship. at 2009-12-24 01:17:49

Personally, I can’t picture myself w/o an iPhone and will gladly get the “tablet” to replace my laptop (more like a desktop) when I’m on the go, depending on its technical specs. at 2009-12-30 15:44:12

u.c. said: Hi VK, my Mate is no fool he just knows me so well .Im dithering you see, well thats what happens when you get older:) I dont do on the move Music,hardly play any in the Car and my mobile (brick) lives in the Car in case I breakdown and need to call someone. I was looking for a small device to use the Web when away from home on holidays etc and first looked at a MacBook Air, very light and then got to thinking of the fab iPhone and ordered one only a few days ago using my Mates 20% discount. Now having heard of the Tablet I have put matters on hold as if this is lightweight, cheaper than the Air ,it could well suit my needs and the bonus is my better half can use it to surf the web at home rather than using my iMac 24 when I want it.I have 100mb internet speed so sharing some of that wont slow me down much. At my age we make arrangements to see people on a Monday and turn up exactly on time the following Friday.We have a landline with an ansaphone which is really all we need. You younger folks are a lot busier than us.Me and the long suffering wife are enjoying our retirement but make use of tech to make our life easier not harder.My first computer was an IBM in about 1975 good only for a Lotus spreadsheet. HAPPY NEW YEAR in advance:) at 2009-12-30 16:44:16

(Derek)[http://www.derekmartin.ca] said: Translation: “ansaphone” = “answering machine” = “voice mail” = “call answer” at 2009-12-30 16:58:32

Richard said: Makes sense. Apple is about making money on the device and Amazon is about selling content. Would you buy a Apple tablet? Right now I don’t see the need for me to have one. at 2009-12-29 14:45:25

(Derek)[http://www.derekmartin.ca] said: I’d get one in a second. Would be nice for web browsing from the couch, or watching videos in bed. Also, handy for Ula to surf from the living room while I’m working. You see, she has many week days off and works many weekends, so there are LOTS of times when I’m trying to work, and she has the day off, so she’s on her computer watching Big Brother or Survivor or something. Can be pretty distracting, depending on how treacherous the episode is ;) at 2009-12-29 17:05:30

u.c. said: Wow, how did I miss that info on Apple Tablet.Could suit my needs more than an iPhone as I dont make many mobile phone calls anyhow.Much bigger screen and looks very light. Have put iPhone on hold (they will hang onto my money but thats OK for now) and wait to see whats cooking with this Tablet as even my mate at the Apple Store is very short of info but agrees I would be a fool not to wait. I dont want an iMac, an iPhone and a Tablet. Noone seems very sure about surfing capabilities yet. at 2009-12-30 07:17:23

u.c. said: Ansaphone=====goes back a long long way. When they first became available in the UK it was a reel to reel tape machine manufactured by a USA company ANSAPHONE. The name stuck with this type of product. Actually Old Boy I cant imagine a Brit saying it either.Got to toodle along its time for High Tea dont you know and the Memsahib gets a tad frosty if Im late for it at the Club.

Ho Ho and HNY at 2009-12-31 17:15:52

VK said: fair enough. even with an iPhone I would wait since most likely a new gen. will be annouched in June. don’t wait too long though, there’s always something better on the horizon when it comes to technology :)

HNY

p.s. although I never heard the word “ansaphone”, I understood it right way. sounds simple, cool and funny at the same time. something I would expect to hear from Bronx resident: “yo, let da ansaphone answer dat, bitch!”. can’t picture a Brit saying it. at 2009-12-31 13:56:35

1. Body (health, fitness, fun)
2. Mind (learning, problem solving, working)
3. Spirit (love, family, giving, oneness)

Body Goals- Eat well (whole foods, mostly plants, not too much) - Exercise regularly - Reduce or eliminate caffeine intake (if I need to stay awake, go for pure sugar instead)

Mind Goals- Continue to advance in my trade (web development & entrepreneurism) - Create my own revenue generating websites and become self-sustaining - Become competent in electronics & magnetism

Spirit Goals- Develop my ability to concentrate, imagine, & visualize (necessary for lucid dreaming, gnosis, etc) - Raise a family in our home & yet-to-be-acquired cottage. Build as much as possible with my own 2 hands. Travel with family as much a possible. - Develop my community, both in my neighbourhood, and with like-minded people in the city, by seeking out existing groups and creating new ones. Examples: Habitat for Humanity, St John’s Ambulance, Community Choir, CSETI Contact Teams, Paranormal Researchers

How will I work on all of this? Well, I’m sure the process will evolve quite a bit over time (especially when a kid/kids are added to the mix), but here’s my initial stab at it: Weekday Routine (work & personal project focus)6:30-07am - spirit - meditation to plan the day 07am-08am - spirit (reading for fun) OR body (workout) 08am-12pm - mind - work 12pm-01pm - body - healthy lunch sitting at the dining table 01pm-04pm - mind - work 04pm-05pm - body (workout) OR spirit (reading for fun) 05pm-06pm - body - healthy dinner sitting at the dining table 06pm-07pm - mind/spirit - electronics/magnetism 07pm-08pm - mind/spirit - electronics/magnetism 08pm-09pm - mind/spirit - personal web dev project 09pm-10pm - mind/spirit - personal web dev project 10pm-11pm - body/mind - watch TV or play video game to wind down 11-11:30pm - spirit - meditation to end the day (plan dreams/probs to solve, express gratitude) Saturday Routine (family focus)6:30-07am - spirit - meditation to plan the day 07am-08am - spirit (reading for fun) OR body (workout) 08am-12pm - spirit - chores/renovations 12pm-01pm - body - healthy lunch sitting at the dining table 01pm-04pm - spirit - chores/renovations 04pm-05pm - body (workout) OR spirit (reading for fun) 05pm-06pm - body - healthy dinner sitting at the dining table 06pm-11pm - spirit - family time 11-11:30pm - spirit - meditation to end the day (plan dreams/probs to solve, express gratitude) Sunday Routine (community focus)6:30-07am - spirit - meditation to plan the day 07am-08am - spirit (spiritual reading for fun) OR body (workout) 08am-11am - spirit - volunteer/community involvement 11am-12pm - spirit - church/zen/temple/community event 12pm-01pm - body - healthy lunch sitting at the dining table 01pm-04pm - spirit - volunteer/community involvement 04pm-05pm - body (workout) OR spirit (spiritual reading for fun) 05pm-06pm - body - healthy dinner sitting at the dining table 06pm-11pm - spirit - family time 11-11:30pm - spirit - meditation to end the day (plan dreams/probs to solve, express gratitude) Because I’m not specifying years, I am free to adjust plans accordingly. I don’t think it’s important that I plan specific goals so much as it is important that I set aside the time for everything I want to be able to do. If I can stick to the plan most of the time, I should be able to accomplish a great deal. Oddly, when I finished writing this, I went into a directory of images to find one for this post, and I stumbled upon a photo that was taken 10 years ago tonight! We had just finished making a “couch cushion fort” at Amy’s house, to hide in, because it was about to switch from 1999 to 2000, and everyone was mildly worried about the Y2K bug. Shortly after this photo was taken, we decided it would be better to be outside at midnight, so we went out into the corn field to hunt for sharks. Long story. To infinity, and beyond.

1. Body (health, fitness, fun)
2. Mind (learning, problem solving, working)
3. Spirit (love, family, giving, oneness)

Body Goals- Eat well (whole foods, mostly plants, not too much) - Exercise regularly - Reduce or eliminate caffeine intake (if I need to stay awake, go for pure sugar instead)

Mind Goals- Continue to advance in my trade (web development & entrepreneurism) - Create my own revenue generating websites and become self-sustaining - Become competent in electronics & magnetism

Spirit Goals- Develop my ability to concentrate, imagine, & visualize (necessary for lucid dreaming, gnosis, etc) - Raise a family in our home & yet-to-be-acquired cottage. Build as much as possible with my own 2 hands. Travel with family as much a possible. - Develop my community, both in my neighbourhood, and with like-minded people in the city, by seeking out existing groups and creating new ones. Examples: Habitat for Humanity, St John’s Ambulance, Community Choir, CSETI Contact Teams, Paranormal Researchers

How will I work on all of this? Well, I’m sure the process will evolve quite a bit over time (especially when a kid/kids are added to the mix), but here’s my initial stab at it: Weekday Routine (work & personal project focus)6:30-07am - spirit - meditation to plan the day 07am-08am - spirit (reading for fun) OR body (workout) 08am-12pm - mind - work 12pm-01pm - body - healthy lunch sitting at the dining table 01pm-04pm - mind - work 04pm-05pm - body (workout) OR spirit (reading for fun) 05pm-06pm - body - healthy dinner sitting at the dining table 06pm-07pm - mind/spirit - electronics/magnetism 07pm-08pm - mind/spirit - electronics/magnetism 08pm-09pm - mind/spirit - personal web dev project 09pm-10pm - mind/spirit - personal web dev project 10pm-11pm - body/mind - watch TV or play video game to wind down 11-11:30pm - spirit - meditation to end the day (plan dreams/probs to solve, express gratitude) Saturday Routine (family focus)6:30-07am - spirit - meditation to plan the day 07am-08am - spirit (reading for fun) OR body (workout) 08am-12pm - spirit - chores/renovations 12pm-01pm - body - healthy lunch sitting at the dining table 01pm-04pm - spirit - chores/renovations 04pm-05pm - body (workout) OR spirit (reading for fun) 05pm-06pm - body - healthy dinner sitting at the dining table 06pm-11pm - spirit - family time 11-11:30pm - spirit - meditation to end the day (plan dreams/probs to solve, express gratitude) Sunday Routine (community focus)6:30-07am - spirit - meditation to plan the day 07am-08am - spirit (spiritual reading for fun) OR body (workout) 08am-11am - spirit - volunteer/community involvement 11am-12pm - spirit - church/zen/temple/community event 12pm-01pm - body - healthy lunch sitting at the dining table 01pm-04pm - spirit - volunteer/community involvement 04pm-05pm - body (workout) OR spirit (spiritual reading for fun) 05pm-06pm - body - healthy dinner sitting at the dining table 06pm-11pm - spirit - family time 11-11:30pm - spirit - meditation to end the day (plan dreams/probs to solve, express gratitude) Because I’m not specifying years, I am free to adjust plans accordingly. I don’t think it’s important that I plan specific goals so much as it is important that I set aside the time for everything I want to be able to do. If I can stick to the plan most of the time, I should be able to accomplish a great deal. Oddly, when I finished writing this, I went into a directory of images to find one for this post, and I stumbled upon a photo that was taken 10 years ago tonight! We had just finished making a “couch cushion fort” at Amy’s house, to hide in, because it was about to switch from 1999 to 2000, and everyone was mildly worried about the Y2K bug. Shortly after this photo was taken, we decided it would be better to be outside at midnight, so we went out into the corn field to hunt for sharks. Long story. To infinity, and beyond.

Comments from my old blog:

sacha said: I think my new new year’s resolution is to become as proactive as Derek. at 2010-01-01 16:07:57

u.c. said: There goes the value of my shares in Canadian Jello Doughnuts with sprinkles on:)

Seems a good healthy mix . GO FOR IT…

06.51 01.01.2010. at 2010-01-01 06:52:14

Kellie B said: Hey Derek—this is a great and inspirational list! I’ve been working on something similar the last little while. Seeing this has helped me focus my own list more. Thanks! at 2010-01-02 19:06:46

rebecca said: i made a plan about 8 years ago, at that time it was about how i would take care of nurturing myself. then about 5 years ago i set some specific goals. i gave the paper to a frend and 2 years ago after forgetting all about it, we re-opened it. amazing is all i can say. for the most part i have stayed on the path i wanted to be on, even though i had forgotten about it. i guess if you have it in your mind, you work in that direction even when you are not aware of it. i am still moving forward, and a friend of mine said, if you move forward and fall flat on your face, you are still moving in the right direction. on that note i would like to say Happy New Year to the world, keep on moving forward, we will all end up in the same place. see you there ! lol at 2010-01-03 03:10:51