Monday, March 16, 2009

Things & Stuff!

Running!
Yes, I have been running. So much that I felt last week should be an easy week. That was the plan, but you know how these things go… I ran 26.1 miles. All on the treadmill. I seem to be getting faster and faster…

Here is a chart to track some “Progress.”


Improving? I think so!


Home Theatre PC

What is a Home Theatre PC (HTPC)? An HTPC is a computer built to handle a household’s entertainment from a central location; music, pictures, audio and video.

I’ve had an HTPC before but decided to rebuild it. Before it had a TV Tuner, and the purpose was to serve as a secondary DVR (Digital Video Recorder). It had SageTV for the DVR software. I removed the tuner card and the software.


The build is almost finished!

I kept the motherboard, AMD duo-core processor, 1Gig of RAM and the 400 GB hard drive (re-formatted). I bought a new case, power supply, and video card. I had already added a HAVA Titanium HD Video server for my home network.


The case has a flip up cage for the peripheral devices.


Never as easy as it could be, I had to use an EIDE DVD-Rom drive to load the operating system.

The HAVA unit takes a video signal and transmits it, either via Ethernet or wireless or even from the internet. So, I take the HAVA signal and use the HTPC to act a second TV in the lower level entertainment center.


In place! No separate DVD unit or receiver amplifier now!

I am also using BOXEE and HULU as sources for the HTPC.

Now…What does this have to do with running? The lower level of my house used to be a Mother-In-Law apartment. I have the treadmill down there. It sits in front of the HTPC entertainment center. So, it is all to keep my mind as busy as my body during my runs!


The Treadmill and I are satisfied again!


Finally…
Ever get splashed while running? This Jeep is going to do it now!

12 Comments:

Blogger Petraruns said...

Wow you supergeek! You've kept that particular light hidden under a bushel! Just the sight of those boxes with wires coming out worries me but obviously not you!

3:19 PM  
Blogger Road Warrior said...

I knew I knew you from somewhere. Welcome back to the blogosphere! Love the HTPC. Clearly a nice move on your part and you've got the pride of it being home built.

Keep up the great miles, Charlie. Unbelievably impressive!

3:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are doing great with the running! Very cool stuff with the computer too. I am not handy with electronics at all.

5:23 PM  
Blogger ShirleyPerly said...

Well, I must say that home theatre system certainly womps the little 25-year-old 13" TV I have upstairs in front of my treadmill. Happy running!!

7:15 AM  
Blogger Susan said...

Yeesh - so many wires! You and Chasen could go on for DAYS talking about that! But what an end result - a fab place to run! :)

10:01 AM  
Blogger Sunshine said...

My little blog on my laptop is about the only "electronics" I do..
But my Sweetie has a blog called

http://buildmyown.blogspot.com/

Sorry I don't know how to make it clickable.. but you can highlight and copy the address, of course.

Glad to know you are running and .. well, not so glad you are getting splashed (we are too!)

2:15 PM  
Blogger Tammy said...

Wow!!! Love the computer too, can you imagine what life was like 20 years ago? Not to many folks had a computer(or treadmills) and a computer that could even come close to what we have today. Keep up the good work

4:55 PM  
Blogger peter said...

What a setup. You've almost made treadmill running palatable. But it that one of Dante's visions, mired running forever on the treadmill as your systems go down one by one?

6:42 AM  
Blogger Irish Blue said...

Charlie,
Love your setup with the treadmill and HTPC. Wow, you are getting really fast. Please share that secret with me, would you? What are you doing, speed work, tempo, all of the above?

6:09 PM  
Blogger Middalia Wayman said...

Great job with the running! It is awesome that you are getting faster and getting in so many miles :)

6:47 PM  
Blogger Alysha said...

Nice job on speed!

Any particular reason why you ditched the tv tuner? I was just thinking about picking one up myself.

3:15 AM  
Blogger Jade Lady said...

Didn't know you were such a techie! Great setup you got with your treadmill! And, those jeep videos always make me laf - they're so macho!:-)

7:22 AM  

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