HTPC on the cheap

HTPC (stands for Home Theatre PC), basically you can create a mp3, movie, tivo, bittorrent server that you can then run to any tv/computer in the house for cheap. I'm looking into doing this for myself.

First and foremost is the case for the little guy. I wanted something that I could fit in my entertainment cabinet that didn't look like a computer. A quick look at Newegg and I discovered tons of cases for cheap, some not so much. It looks like you get what you pay for, like this little gem.

Next step will be to gut out your old PC that is taking up space in your closet and install it in your newly bought case. Then you need to install an O/S and all the software you'll be using. Bit-tech.net has an excellent article on installing Xubuntu (Linux) and the software needed. After reading it i'm convinced its so easy my mother could do it, and best of all its free!

Since I have a PS3 I'll be installing a "Media Server", just google it and you'll find it online, so my PS3 can read the mp3's and movies I have on my server.

Honestly i'm a bit jazzed up about this, just need to figure a cool way to turn on the unit remotely (i'm sure the higher end cases can have that handled) and then I think i'll have a nice addition to my entertainment center.

Long time no write

The great thing about having a blog that noone really reads is that I dont have to stay topical or even post on a regular basis. To that end I took a break (a really big break), but I'm now back into the blogging mood so I'll continue my ramblings.

So what have I been up to? Well alot actually. Since my last post, i've been using Ableton Live to self teach myself everything from music production to mixing to even live DJ sets. To that end I have created my first DJ set which is all Vocal Trance. So far those that have heard it (about 10 so far) have really liked it.

This is quickly turning into my new hobby. Knowing me i'm sure i'll be onto something else in a few months (it's just my way). ...but in the meantime i'm looking to purchase a small 61 key midi keyboard that will allow me to interface with the Ableton Live software. This will allow me to do more by playing around with drum racks, synthasizers, etc. I think as my next goal I'll be taking a NiN song and remove all of Trent's vocals and replace it with mine. He does some voice modulation stuff too so it'll be an interesting exercise as I teach my self everything that is envolved with that.

Pandora + PS3 = Failure

Recently I purchased a PS3, and it was a great purchase. There really isn't any steller PS3 only titles out for it, but thats not why I really bought it. I honestly bought the PS3 because of everything else. I wanted something that would be the center of my entertainment system in my living room, and the PS3 does it nicely. The benfits of a blueray player, and a player of other media (downloaded movies and music) I couldn't pass it up.

Yesterday I got an idea to use the ps3 web browser to go to Pandora and stream music. Unfortunately it didn't work out as well as planned. Pandora's website requires I run Flash 9.0, and the PS3 web browser only has Flash 7.0. There is no way for me to update this. However it looks like the PS3 will accept an installtion of linux. So to get Pandora to pump thru my stereo I would need to boot into Linux with my PS3 and then browse out to the internet and view Pandora's webpage. Seems a little bit absurd. Research i've done online about this, has brought up similar stories but no real solutions, or a time frame when Sony is going to update to Flash 9.0.

NiN Remixed

Trent Reznor once again has proven that he loves the fans, by giving them something for nothing. Trent is hosting a website called simply Remix. Remix allows NIN fans to share their NIN remixes, and when I say share you can stream and download tracks you like. With a rank system you can quickly find some really good quality remixes. A few of the fans remixes have appeared on his latest album, Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D. The album is a 2 cd set, 1st cd is remixes, 2nd cd is the software and the original tracks to remix yourself!

It's great to see an artist encourage his fans like this, now if only someone could teach me how to remix I'd be set!

More drama but it ain't Britney's!

Why on earth would I comment on Britney Spears life? Its kind of hard not to read about whats going on in her life, every news organization is writing about it. However i'm not here to comment about the drama Britney creates but about those around her.

The girl is out of her mind, no doubt. ...but honestly ask yourself have you ever had a time in your life where you were not proud of your actions? Thank god you didn't have a legion of paparazzi photographing everything you do right? It cant be easy being Britney, on top of that she is going thru some personally hard times and she's not handleing it well.

Just today I read on CNN that Britney is seeing a psychologist, this "news" broke because Britney's manager and longtime "friend" called Barbara Walters to set the record straight. Um dude?! If you were her real friend you wouldn't be calling Barbara fucking Walters to tell her that she's going to see a psychologist!

Dont forget about Dr. Phil telling everyone about how he thinks Britney is mentally unstable and shit. Remember he said he was visiting her as a friend, not as a therapist. The woman has enough problems, she doesn't need these people adding to her drama.

Honestly I think Britney's biggest problem is all her so called friends.

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

So this guy on the right is Israel Kamakawiwo'ole of Hawaii. He was known as Iz. Iz passed away back in '97 from respiratory problems due to his weight. The man at one point weighed 758 pounds!

I just recently heard some of this guy's music, BJ Penn the newly crowned Lightweight Champion of the UFC, is a hawaiian and was playing Iz's music as his entrance. ...and it was beautiful, I had to have it. Saddly I cant find a decent copy of the particular song, however his myspace (yeah even long dead musicians have myspace profiles) has some selected songs that can give you an idea of how beautiful this man's voice is. Specifically listen to his renditions of "What a wonderful world", "Twinkle twinkle little star" and "Over the rainbow".

Now clearly this kind of music isn't for everybody but I really dig it. The man believed in racial equality, something that there is a lot of animosity with in Hawaii. ...and you can just hear in his voice how much he enjoyed life and singing. In short this guy fucking kicks ass! I'm buying the album "Facing Future" which has the particular song that BJ Penn used, and I was unfortunately unable to link to.

...and while i'm talking about music

David Bryne(pictured right) of WIRED Magazine writes an interesting article on a record companies role in music. In short it talks in detail about why and how artists are less dependent on big record companies in today's internet savy world.

What is called the music business today, however, is not the business of producing music. At some point it became the business of selling CDs in plastic cases, and that business will soon be over. But that's not bad news for music, and it's certainly not bad news for musicians. Indeed, with all the ways to reach an audience, there have never been more opportunities for artists.

If you've ever wondered how much of your $15 goes to the artist vs. production costs this article can finally shed some light on those type of questions, not suprisingly though things aren't cut and dry in the record industry. There are a lot of people getting a cut of that $15. After reading the article it seemed unfair that an artist gets so little in a typical contract.

And the best-selling album of 2007 goes to...

Josh Groban. ...Josh who? This is what I asked myself as I read BBC this morning. Certainly this was the top selling artist in the UK, nope its for the US. Evidently Josh sold 3.7m copies of his "Noel" album which was released in October for the christmas season.

The next biggest seller was Disney's "High School Musical 2". Yup our musical world is definitely going to shit when a soundtrack becomes #2. ...or maybe its always been going this way for years.

This all falls under that pop genre that I just cant stand to listen to, so maybe thats why I have no clue who this Josh Gorban guy is. ...but am I the only one that is suprised when he reads stuff like this?