2009-03-22
Skins....
OK, I'm probably far too old to be watching this show (Hell, it's on at 10pm, so who the hell is it's target audience???) but this weeks episode (19/3) was a great one. A true evolution for a couple of characters.
New Projects
Right, new project news. I've got an ipod (so who hasn't?) and I'm looking at the USB Apple Accessory Protocol. There's quite a bit of info out there on the serial interface, and seeing as I have an Alpine digital car head unit, all the info is going through the USB connections, and feeding data back from the ipod to the head unit for decoding there.
The Alpine head unit comes with its own USB to iPod dock connector cable. The thing will only work with this cable, and based on the info from the iPod Linux website, it must be appearing as an Accessory, based on the electrical connections of the cable. The head unit then puts it into Advanced iPod Remote (AiR) mode, as the iPod reports that it's "OK to disconnect", complete with Alpine logo. The same effect also happens with my Philips remote dock unit, but this connects out using the conventional video and audio outputs of the dock connector.
Using the Alpine dock-usb cable on the PC, the iPod stays with the standard iPod UI, and appears on the computer as the usual removable disk drive. The PC also installs some new drivers (Ok, this is Vista, and as I've said before, don't flame me - it came pre-installed) USB Human Interface Device, iPod, and USB Composite Device. I now have access to some generic USB interface source code, so will be experimenting and will report as I find out new info.
The Alpine head unit comes with its own USB to iPod dock connector cable. The thing will only work with this cable, and based on the info from the iPod Linux website, it must be appearing as an Accessory, based on the electrical connections of the cable. The head unit then puts it into Advanced iPod Remote (AiR) mode, as the iPod reports that it's "OK to disconnect", complete with Alpine logo. The same effect also happens with my Philips remote dock unit, but this connects out using the conventional video and audio outputs of the dock connector.
Using the Alpine dock-usb cable on the PC, the iPod stays with the standard iPod UI, and appears on the computer as the usual removable disk drive. The PC also installs some new drivers (Ok, this is Vista, and as I've said before, don't flame me - it came pre-installed) USB Human Interface Device, iPod, and USB Composite Device. I now have access to some generic USB interface source code, so will be experimenting and will report as I find out new info.
2008-06-01
Canon FB 630 U and Vista
OK, before I get flamed to death for using Vista, it was pre-installed on my Dell PC.
For ages I was trying to get my Canon scanner running under Vista. Despite Vista (and Canon's own line) there are no drivers for Vista, you can get it working with the XP drivers.
You need to get the ScanGear Twain driver from Canon version 5.3.2. Extract these to a directory, by either running the exe, or using your favorite zip compatible program.
Plug in your scanner. It will come up with the usual hardware wizard. You will need to select the advanced path so you can select the location of the drivers. Select the directory you created (which has the FB63u.inf file in it) and the drivers should be found and installed with no compaints.
Voila - perfectly usable scanner now available on your Vista machine!!
For ages I was trying to get my Canon scanner running under Vista. Despite Vista (and Canon's own line) there are no drivers for Vista, you can get it working with the XP drivers.
You need to get the ScanGear Twain driver from Canon version 5.3.2. Extract these to a directory, by either running the exe, or using your favorite zip compatible program.
Plug in your scanner. It will come up with the usual hardware wizard. You will need to select the advanced path so you can select the location of the drivers. Select the directory you created (which has the FB63u.inf file in it) and the drivers should be found and installed with no compaints.
Voila - perfectly usable scanner now available on your Vista machine!!
2007-05-12
A new shiny!!!!
Well, it's been a while since I updated here - lotsa work n stuff.
Anyways, my Galant has finally been to that great carpark in the sky (well, second hand car dealership anyways) and I'm now the proud owner of a black Mondeo. Noce car, and it's black!!
Job's going well, but it looks like we're going to be manically busy.
Oh, and I've finally bittne the dust and submitted to the devil. I've ordered myself an iPod. *bows head in shame*. The initial reason for looking at one is the car stereo is a digital media one, and can control the iPod. After looking at what it can do, it looks like a rather good investment for the way I like to do my music listenning. I now cannot wait for it to turn up.
Anyways, my Galant has finally been to that great carpark in the sky (well, second hand car dealership anyways) and I'm now the proud owner of a black Mondeo. Noce car, and it's black!!
Job's going well, but it looks like we're going to be manically busy.
Oh, and I've finally bittne the dust and submitted to the devil. I've ordered myself an iPod. *bows head in shame*. The initial reason for looking at one is the car stereo is a digital media one, and can control the iPod. After looking at what it can do, it looks like a rather good investment for the way I like to do my music listenning. I now cannot wait for it to turn up.
2006-12-01
Entering into the realm of Windows Programming.
Well, after mastering perl and php, I'm now writing database client in Visual C++. Till now I've been using version 6 of the MS visual studio. Now the libraries I'm using to write the program with need VS2005. Last week I managed to connect to the database, and get some simple data back. Now this week I've managed to fully code one dialog box out of about 10 that are going to be needed, which does almost everything that is required of it.
Quite an accomplishment, and it means that the progress of the project that this might impact is not affected. It also gets the looged on user name and restrics access dependig on your name. Now the rest of the dialog boxes should be fairly easy, all I'll need to do is to make it create a fancy looking multi-page report output.
Quite an accomplishment, and it means that the progress of the project that this might impact is not affected. It also gets the looged on user name and restrics access dependig on your name. Now the rest of the dialog boxes should be fairly easy, all I'll need to do is to make it create a fancy looking multi-page report output.
2006-10-29
How pathetic am I?
Sat here with a half litre tub of Carte D'Or ice cream, by myself, watching the valentine episode of "What I like about you".
2006-09-15
What am I?....
A launchpad to marriage or something????
Literally just found out that another one of my exes is now married. This is my recent ex, got married in July, apparently a bi of a rushed affair. (/me wonders if the rush is for some other reason... Call me cynical but....)
Am I bothered?? Dunno. To be honest, at this hour after drinking since 1pm I can't give an honest reply. But the last serious g/f ended up married with 2 kids now, and after bumping into some of her friends, I asked for them to say "Hi" to her from me. The response was "I don't think that would be a good idea" I asked if she still had feelings towards me, and the non-reply spoke volumes.
After chating to one of my mates last nite, I wonder if I'm destined to be a serial monogomist (if I ever get the chance again). We both seem to end up either dating or interested in a girl for a bit, then end up being bored with the whole situation. Maybe I just haven't met the right girl to keep that boredom away. Part of the problem may be that women of my age don't appeal to me (shallow I know) and the girls I find attractive don't seem interested in me. Am I setting my sights too high? Maybe.
Ho-hum, enough of this semi-drunken diatribe. Guess it's time for me to go to bed and look forward to a weekend of lots of travel n excitement (fingers crossed)
Literally just found out that another one of my exes is now married. This is my recent ex, got married in July, apparently a bi of a rushed affair. (/me wonders if the rush is for some other reason... Call me cynical but....)
Am I bothered?? Dunno. To be honest, at this hour after drinking since 1pm I can't give an honest reply. But the last serious g/f ended up married with 2 kids now, and after bumping into some of her friends, I asked for them to say "Hi" to her from me. The response was "I don't think that would be a good idea" I asked if she still had feelings towards me, and the non-reply spoke volumes.
After chating to one of my mates last nite, I wonder if I'm destined to be a serial monogomist (if I ever get the chance again). We both seem to end up either dating or interested in a girl for a bit, then end up being bored with the whole situation. Maybe I just haven't met the right girl to keep that boredom away. Part of the problem may be that women of my age don't appeal to me (shallow I know) and the girls I find attractive don't seem interested in me. Am I setting my sights too high? Maybe.
Ho-hum, enough of this semi-drunken diatribe. Guess it's time for me to go to bed and look forward to a weekend of lots of travel n excitement (fingers crossed)
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