I have been working on the home distribution center, and think it is finally done! From Top left to bottom right: We have the DSL modem (delivering 12Mb/s down), the phone/cat5 distribution and inbound phone line, N wireless router, video and security camera distribution and inbound satellite, audio distribution, the OOMA VoIP line, and the networked RAID server.

For those of you keeping count, there is two phone lines going to every room via cat5. Six modulated channels (four separate satellite channels and two security cameras) going to every room via coax cable. Nine hard wired Ethernet devices, not including the VoIP box, and typically seven wireless devices. Currently distributed audio to three rooms, with plans to add more.

There is the server which house all our music and video collection, documents and programs, and is accessible from any of the computer in our house.

The space next to the router is to add a second router for public use. This will keep our computers and data safe from quest that visit the house.

All of this jam packed in a little, easy to access space out of the way. And I still can’t find a good job

A real sad group of people runs time Warner Cable and I feel sorry for all its customers. As once having the pleasure of doing business with Time Warner and other cable companies, I know that there is just no getting through to them. Comcast services the area where I live now and let me tell you that they are no better!

A few weeks ago, I was looking to cut costs wherever I could, so I called up Comcast to see what cable internet plans were available in my area. Once I finally talked to someone (a task in its self), I was told that there were two packages available. One at 6 Mbps and the other at 8 Mbps, priced at $49.99 and $59.99 respectively; Furthermore, I was told that the service in my area is fiber to the home! (I will eat my hat if it rely is fiber to the home) To put all of this into prospective I currently am a DSL subscriber and am happily (at least now) paying $39.99 monthly for 12 Mbps.

The point of this small rant is that Comcast, Time Warner and other cable internet companies are ripping there customers off and think that said customers don’t know any better. Here is the kicker. The community of Wilson, North Carolina has had enough of the nickel and dimming that Time Warner has been doing to them, so they set out to make their own high-speed internet provider. Greenlight, the internet provider created to compete against the monopolistic Time Warner, offers a range of packages to its customers from $35, 10 Mbps plan all the way up to an unheard of 100 Mbps for $300. This severely undercuts Time Warner’s business and instead of innovating, they teamed up with Embarq to stop Greenlight by having it banned by the state Government.

This industry rely needs some innovation, and competition. There are countries all around there world that are getting unimaginable internet speeds at pennies in comparison to what we pay for here in the states.

Attention all Facebook friends and family, this is just a reminder that there has been a re surge in the Facebook exploit, Koobface. Koobface is a nasty worm that’s being spread on social networks like Facebook; however, you can get it without being a member of Facebook. What happens is you will get a message that appears to be form one of your friends, asking you to take a look at a “funny video” or a “video of you”. You would click on the link that would take you to a YouTube like site to see the video. Upon arrival to this fake YouTube site you will be instructed to install an update to your player, thus installing a backdoor Trojan on your computer. Whatever you do, never click on links that you are not familiar with, and never install software unless it comes directly from a vender’s site. If you have received a similar message from a friend on Facebook, chances are they have been infected by the Koobface worm.

This should go without saying, NEVER click links from people you don’t know, and NEVER install software from sites that are unfamiliar!

Also, I have been seeing a serge in the Anti-Virus 2009 worm. If you came across a site that pops up a window that says that you have been infected with malware, NEVER download the software that they say will remove it. These pop-ups are fake and are trying to get you to download a Trojan!

Be safe and responsible out there, don’t contribute to the problem!

UPDATE:
The White House is asking the public what they thing about the digital transition. Voice your opinion before it is to late! This is the responsibility of the American people! Click Here

Well it is official; the digital transition was delayed until June 12, 2009. I do not understand what the government hopes to accomplish by delaying the digital transition. Think of it like a band-aid, tare it off now or wait until later, it still hurts the same. If they delayed the transition because the coupon program has run out of money, then add more money to the coupon program. By delaying the transition, they are confusing an already confused public. June will roll around and nothing will have changed, people are still going to be confused. This transition has been delayed long enough, going all the way back to 2006.

There are some things to keep in mind, as we now get closer to the digital transition.

- Your TV will continue to work after the digital transition; however, if your TV doesn’t have a digital tuner you will need a converter box if you do not have cable or satellite.

- The coupon program is low on money; however they are still taking applications. As coupons expire, money will be reverted to the system.

- You do not need an HDTV to receive digital broadcasts; however, you will need a HDTV to receive HD broadcasts. With that being said all modern HDTV’s have built in digital tuners. Having a digital converter box will not give you HDTV, you must have an HD set.

- Digital gives you better picture, in fact, in some cases better than DVD quality. You get better sound with the ability for 5.1 surround sound. You also get more channels, with the ability of the broadcast stations to multi-cast. Most, if not all of your stations are broadcasting in digital rate now!

It is time to make the switch, and we cannot delay it forever. Are you ready?

This middle school teacher from Austin, TX is obviously drinking the Microsoft kool-aid…

“Mr. Starks, I am sure you strongly believe in what you are doing but I cannot either support your efforts or allow them to happen in my classroom. At this point, I am not sure what you are doing is legal. No software is free and spreading that misconception is harmful. … This is a world where Windows runs on virtually every computer and putting on a carnival show for an operating system is not helping these children at all. I am sure if you contacted Microsoft, they would be more than happy to supply you with copies of an older version of Windows and that way, your computers would actually be of service to those receiving them…”