Playing DVD's on an Apple TV 2

1. Own the DVD
2. Create an .M4V file using Handbrake
3. Attach meta data to the .M4V using MetaX
4. Have iTunes configured not to copy files into the iTunes library
5. Drag the .M4V file into iTunes

Creating picture books

Purpose
Create a picture book after a trip OR for a special event like milestone birthday

Service - Blurb.com
Experience - Created ~ 5 books with Blurb. 
Quality of book - Is very good.  
Tools to build - Free software is flexible but very slow (example, inserting a photo)
Cost - Good - $40-$100
Delivery time - 2 weeks (a little long)

Service - Aperture using Apple.com

Experience - Created ~ 2 books with Blurb.
Quality of book - Excellent
Tools to build - Fewer templates but interface is faster.  Requires a Mac and $75 Aperture software
Cost - High - $40-$150
Delivery time - 1 weeks (as expected)

 
Workflow
1. Use a tool to select photos to use
2. Find a way to sort the photos - Aperture used keywords
3. Create a book template in tool
4. Use Autoflow function to add all of the photos
5. Go back an modify captions, photo sizing
 
Tips
Doing selecting photos and page formats page by page can be agonizingly slow
 
Alternatives
CVS (tool and quality concerns), Lulu (tool concerns)

Home Weather station to send data to Weather Underground

Requirements
1. Weather station should be reasonably priced but of acceptable precision - met
2. Data wiring to weather station - prefer wireless - met
3. Power wiring to weather station - prefer none - met
4. Weather station should not be unsightly (like placed in middle of the yard) - well
5. Preference is not to have a computer running 24x7 - met
6. Data should be sent to the WeatherUnderground.com - met
7. If software required, should work on Windows or Mac - met, not required

Solution (bundled for about $460)
1. Davis 6250 Vantage Vue weather station with console/receiver ($395) 
2. Davis 6555 WeatherLink IP ($295)
3. home made mounting pole and base

Siting
Siting the station near trees or structures lowers wind measurement quality.    No location was available that met the tree guidelines.   The station is mounted on a 5 foot steel pole.

Installation
The console sits inside and is attached to an Ethernet cable and AC adapter.
Register the station on Weatherlink.com using the included ID and key.
Register a new weather station on WeatherUnderground.
Go back to Weatherlink.com and add the WeatherUnderground station ID and your account password to the Upload section of WeatherLink.
It takes about 15 minutes for the WeatherLink site to send data to WeatherUndergound.com.  
Follow a similar set of steps if you want data sent to Citizens Weather.

Note - The installation requires no software install even though the marketing materials suggest a Windows computer is needed.    An internet connect web browser is all that is required as the Weatherlink.com site actually sends the data to other sites.

The Weatherlink IP package does include Windows software to do local analysis but is not required.

DIY Passport and VISA photos

Most in-store photo processors (CVS, Walmart, etc.) will take a photo of you and give you 2 passport photos.   If you don't need extra photos, this way is the safest way of getting photos that meet government requirements.     When traveling internationally, it is always a good idea to have extra passport photos.   Not only do some countries require the photos for visas, some parks (like Angkor Wat) also require a passport photo to include on your ticket.

The quickest and easiest way to do it yourself is to use a free service like ePassportPhoto. ePassportPhoto gives you simple instructions to take, upload, and a simple tool size your photo online.   You then download a 4x6 image that has 5 copies of your picture properly sized.   Simply print this photo on your home printer or send to a service like CVS.   20 copies cost me $2.    ePassportPhoto offers a $7 paid service were they will confirm your photo meets government regulations and sends you the photos in the mail.   That service is probably worth the piece of mind if you are using the photo for your passport.

Note - different countries have different size regulations and ePassportPhoto will adjust for the country you need to comply with.   This is something that CVS or Walmart don't seem to offer.

Moving a Wordpress blog

Problem
Had trouble updating the underlying GoDaddy MySQL to version 5.0 required by Wordpress 3.

Solution
Create a new Wordpress site on same hosting server and migrate the data

Steps
1. Export content to XML in Wordpress admin console
2. Create a new Wordpress blog (which also creates a new MySQL instance)
3. Import the XML content into the new Wordpress blog
4. If using a custom them, copy the contents of the theme folder in Wordpress to the new Wordpress site
5. On New Wordpress site admin console, change path to existing Wordpress URL
6. On Old Wordpress site admin console, change path to a name like blog_old for the Wordpress URL
7. Via a FTP client, rename the production blog folder to blog_old
8. Via a FTP client, rename the new blog directory to the production folder name

Music Mix Party

Many times it is difficult to find new music.   One idea is to host a mix-tape party.    Invite your fellow music lovers to send 5-10 songs from artists loved but not widely known.    At the party, play all of the submitted music and provide a print-out of the songs and artists.

Getting the music
1. Send out a message asking people to submit their songs.   Recommend they send MP3 files as they do not contain DRM (digital rights management / copy protection).
 Option a. - email the MP3 songs
 Option b. - use a service like drop.io or yousendit.com to upload and send a link
2. Save each person's submissions to a folder.
Organizing and Tagging the music
3. In iTunes, go to the Music view and make sure the column Date Imported is showing.   Sort this column so the most recent song imported is at the topic of the list.   
4. Select File, Library Import and select the folder from one person
5. You should see the songs from the person you just imported.   Select their songs and click Ctrl-I (or Apple-I).   This allows you to update the meta data about the songs.   In the grouping field, put in text like "Sean's picks" to identify those songs as coming from that person.
6. Do steps 4 & 5 for every person.
7. Now your iTunes library has all of the songs and each is marked with the person's name.
8. Create a Smart Playlist.       The filter should be Grouping contains "picks".   This playlist shows all of the songs sent in.   Order the list as you desire by clicking the appropriate column.
Creating a printout
9. Ctrl-Click on the play list and select Export.    This will save a file called playlistname.txt with all of the song information including whose pick it was.
10. There is a lot of unnecessary information in this file.   Open the file in Excel or Google Docs and delete the unwanted columns (right-click on the column and select Delete).
11. Print out this list.
Play or Burn the MP3
12. After taking into account copyrights, click on your playlist and click Burn CD.  Since you most likely have more songs than will fit on a standard CD, use the MP3 selection when burning.   Note this will not play on standard CD players but will play in most computers and standalone DVD players (as long as they are in MP3 format).   Play this CD at your party (or play the playlist through your computer or iPod).