Orcon Homehub Update

Orcon Homehub Update
So after a relatively painfree experience with an Orcon Homehub at work I decided to get one for home.
My main motivation was my wondering if my DLink DSL-502T & a WRT54G modded to run DD-WRT were causing double NAT issues and resulting in slow connections/torrents. You would imagine an all in one solution would at least half the possible causes for slow speeds. And since upgrading so far so good - more green lights than amber in Azureus/Vuze.

But as I've come to get used to the Homehub, I was hoping to get a feature of Leopard/MobileMe working - Back to My Mac.
The general use is to setup a zero configuration VPN between your various Macs that aren't all in the same location. If this thing
actually worked it would be an awesome. Remote Desktop/VNC, File Sharing - even Bonjour support all with no complex setup. The problem is it only works in ideal configutations - and most of those are centred around America's cable connections - and not an ADSL setup in NZ.

Back to the Homehub - although offering uPnP, it would seem to be lacking true NAT-PMP support. Via this Apple Discussion, I've found that looks like the same issues but on a BT Homehub (which is in no way the same box as Orcons).

OK, so the problem is that the BT Voyager 2100 only supports the WANPPPConnection service of UPnP, while Apple currently only supports the WANIPConnection service. There's a chance Apple could add WANPPPConnection support in a future release, but until then you're out of luck.

When I used Lighthouse, a dynamic port forwarding utility for OS-X, to give me some indepth info, it reports -
Lighthouse could not associate with the router '192.168.1.1' because of invalid protocol implementations
The router '192.168.1.1' sent invalid responses to Lighthouse's requests to associate with it. This may happen if your router doesn't support NAT/PMP or UPnP (please check its manual) or because their implementation is incomplete. It may help to upgrade your router to its latest firmware version (information on how to do this should also be present in the router's manual).

So my options would be to loose the Homehub, replacing it with a NAT-PMP supporting ADSL2+ Modem, ideally that supports Bridge mode - this turns it into a dumb modem that forwards everthing through to your routers WAN port - including login and authentication - and hopefully NAT/uPnP. The I can use my Airport Extreme to get proper NAT-PMP.
I did some reading and it would seem that the newest revision of the DLink DSL-502T does this - look out for Revision C.

Has anyone out there managed to get a bridged modem connection working into their router and if so what gear are you using?

Also - Orcon seem to be shipping a 2nd revision of the Homehub, its still based on a Siemens SX763, the new model has a WPS button on the back to allow for easy Wireless pairing (if you're other gear supports it). The new Homehub also has a Orcon Logo screened on the top and theres no standard Siemens packaging - just a Orcon branded slip around a white box.

 

Tigerdirect: Soyo DYLM26E6 26 Widescreen LCD Monitor $330

Tigerdirect: Soyo DYLM26E6 26 Widescreen LCD Monitor $330

NewEgg: Creative EP-630 3.5mm Gold-Plated Connector Canal Noise Isolation Earphones $17 shipped

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Pentax to end Japanese domestic manufacturing

PMA Newsline is reporting that according to an article in PEN News Weekly, Pentax parent Hoya has made public plans to end Japanese domestic production of all Pentax products. Read More

Raytheon's KillerBee UAV tested in simulated combat

Raytheon’s KillerBee, a 10-foot wide UAV designed for surveillance and reconnaissance, has been successfully demonstrated in a simulated combat environment. A Raytheon flight operations crew delivered the 30 pound KillerBee system to a remote location using Humvees and achieved set up and launch within 45 minutes before executing the operational scenario and retrieving the aircraft with a net-recovery system...

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Camera Labs Assignment: vote for your favourite!

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It's the first day of a new month which means a new Assignment in the Camera Labs forums. The theme as suggested by the winner of July's Assignment, Orsan Kart, is 'Urbanism'. To enter, visit the September Assignment Submissions page. This also means submissions for last month's Assignment are now closed so you can vote for your favourite entry of richcaw's 'Trees' theme. So to vote, register or sign-into our forums and head on over to our August Assignment Submissions thread

It works - 1080i with a 5200X2 in mythtv

It works - 1080i with a 5200X2 in mythtv
Title says it all really, I can now watch TV3 in MythTV with my 5200 X2. There is a bit more to the story though:

Since my last post I went through, and with the help of a fellow TR member, enabled skiploopfilter and rebuilt from source. It didn't work so I basically left it. Came back to my test install today to have a fiddle with C, and thought why not, update the box and try TV3. And its works! And now in Playback Profiles there is a GUI option to enable skiploopfilter so it looks like Paul Kendall has updated his source (confirming that with him now).

Moral of the story, an affordable MythTV-based FreeviewHD PVR is now a realistic proposition without any changes beyond getting Paul's updates. A 65W 5200 or 5400 will do the trick, find a motherboard with the required (Linux-supported) video and audio outputs and you are good to go.

For me I have 2 more very busy weeks of uni before study leave (my last ever!), so won't be touching anything until then. Hopefully though I can finish watching the stuff recorded in MP and switch to Myth for 'extended testing' :)

Will update.

JVC Everio GZ-HD40

JVC Everio GZ-HD40

The inexorable march away from tapes and discs has picked up steam in Camcorder Land—and this trend will continue until MiniDV and DVD home video makers take their place on the obsolete shelf next to Walkman cassette music players and analog televisions. This won’t happen overnight, but it’s happening right in front of our eyes as flash-based and hard disk drive camcorders win-over the public and take share from competing formats. Basically, it’s the iPod Phenomenon dramatically reshaping the camcorder biz. According to industry execs, tape and DVD cam sales are dropping while the new—and definitely cooler—formats take over. Almost all of the recent releases were memory card, flash or HDD based. And many of them are high-definition. I’m a big fan of high-def hard drive camcorders because their storage capabilities can’t be beat. It’s great not worrying if you have enough blank tape or DVDs for saving memories. And the small size and weight of flash-based models is also a winner. Finally, a high-definition camcorder is the only way to go, even though they’re much more expensive than SD ($799 USD is still about the cheapest, compared to $250 USD for MiniDV). With these preferences on the table, I was happy to test a new JVC HD Everio with a 120GB HDD. This high-def camcorder saves up to 15 hours of best-quality AVCHD video plus it performs several other unique tricks we’ll disclose on the following pages. Is it worth 1,300 clams? Read on, read on…

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Microsoft SQL Server Data Services (SSDS) takes SQL to the web

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Complete Nikkor lens range with details and prices

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If you're shopping for a Nikon lens you've come to the right place. To complement our existing lists of cameras and DSLRs, we now additionally provide details of the complete Nikkor lens range including specifications and updated prices. So whether you're wondering which zoom is best for you or just how much you'll need to save for a big-aperture pro lens, check out our Nikkor Lens Listings.

CircuitCity: Logitech QuickCam Communicate MP $15 AR

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Kiwicon '08 Keynote speaker and VC Hacking.

The keynote speaker began discussing legislation currently underway regarding legalizing the ability for the police to "hack" into a system, currently this is restricted to requiring a warrant issued by a judge, however under the new legislation it'll be a "issuing officer" which as the speaker said,
sounds like an automated online form they fill out, then get emailed a warrant.

The discussion was very engaging, and discussed the issue of personal privacy an issue which is very close to my own heart,

The fact is we are 'sleepwalking into a pan-national totalitarian state'

and people aren't doing anything about it.

the discussion was wide ranging and discussed the topic of hacktivism, which is unlike many of the definitions on the web, hacking to defend personal freedoms, and electronically taking a stand against law makers and politically / financially motivated entities that want to limit our freedoms,

a great example cited was the Cointel project by the FBI where the FBI were performing illegal acts and it only came to light after the fbi offices were broken into by an organisation called "The citizens commission to investigate the FBI" the information around the project was leaked to the press and J. Edgar Hoover had to admit to the operation and shut it down.


Another interesting point of note was the keynote speaker was detained at customs recently and had his laptop removed from his sight for 45 minutes after they demanded his passphrase,

pursuant to this he developed a duress proxy, which boots a window partion, records the activities of law enforcement, and can alert a remote sight if possible / needed.

the reason being, you need to know what they are doing with your machine when you can't see them, the fact is it wouldn't be a first for law enforcement or other government organisations to plant evidence or undergo an illegal phising expedition.

the final part of the talk, which stirred much debate, the idea of direct-E-democracy, which has many pro's and con's and I'll likely discuss more at a later time, suffice to say, I pointed out that one risk we run with a direct - e-democracy is ending up with rick-astley as our national athem.

The next set of speakers were discussing the inherent vulnerabilities around the H323 protocol, and a large number of very popular video phones and conferencing equipment,

I won't discuss this much here due to the nature of the topic, but suffice to say, its amazing how much you can find out, and see throughout the tubes, _and_ how much damage could be caused!

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Windows Vista - Explorer - Increase Stability via Separate Processes

Increase Windows Vista's stability by launching Explorer folders in separate processes.

If you have difficulties with Windows Vista that cause Explorer to crash frequently, you may be growing tired of the blank screens, refreshing Desktop icons and Explorer restarts, or computer reboots that result. There is a tweak you can perform that may help increase the stability of Explorer by making each folder window open in its own separate process.

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The Federation of European Photographers can count on Epson

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Canon imagePROGRAF iPF6000S and imagePROGRAF iPF6200

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Windows Vista - Explorer - Increase Stability via Separate Processes

Windows Vista - Explorer - Increase Stability via Separate Processes
Increase Windows Vista's stability by launching Explorer folders in separate processes.

If you have difficulties with Windows Vista that cause Explorer to crash frequently, you may be growing tired of the blank screens, refreshing Desktop icons and Explorer restarts, or computer reboots that result. There is a tweak you can perform that may help increase the stability of Explorer by making each folder window open in its own separate process.

1. Access the "Folder Options" dialog box by doing one of the following:...

Read more at MalekTips.

Thanks Duncan from Orcon

I have a phone again, amazing! My internet has only failed 3 times today (it is of course only mid morning, but that's cool.

And in reply to the comment about how retro I am still having a phone line, think of it this way, it comes with the net and it means that relatives who are still more analogue don't have to pay me, but there's a thought, maybe the ones I don't care to hear from won't lol.

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Microsoft wants to fire your receptionist, are you and I next?

Microsoft wants to fire your receptionist, are you and I next?
Every year robots get a little more capable. In Japan where there has been a short supply of security guards they've built security robots to patrols malls at night.

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