In celebration of the CDs 30th birthday, the Forester gets an upgrade from it’s original cassette deck to a new “compact disc” player.  By “new”, I actually mean an OEM Subaru/Clarion head unit out of a 2001 Subaru Liberty RX.  This $60 eBay purchase, and subsequent $15 Nissan Double Diversity antenna adapter purchase, has brought the Forester into the pre-iPod world of scratched discs and a 74-minute limit.

However, neither my MacBook Air, Mac Mini or Toshiba Libretto have optical drives.  While the Mac Mini that runs the TV does have a DVD burner, I don’t have any blank CDs, and I don’t think I can bring myself to buy any.

What to do?  Add an SPST switch, a hacked-up C-bus cable and an 1/8″ audio jack. Courtesy of a design from a Kiwi Lamb, I made this auxiliary in / iPad adapter:

It’s been a while, but here is another update on my non-Apple TV.  The set up has remain largely unchanged, though the usage has evolved with changes in the available video sources.

First up, hardware.  The system is currently based on a Mac Mini 1.66 GHz Core Du0 with 2GB RAM, and a 500GB internal HDD– the old Mac Mini G4 became someone else’s audio server.  Anyway, the display is a Dell 2209WA 22″ IPS LCD, and the EyeTV 250 is still hanging on.  Input devices are split between a standard keyboard and mouse, which are used infrequently, an Apple remote, an iPod Touch and an iPad.  I’m still using the Air Mouse Mobile Mouse Pro iPod/iPad app, and have added Apple’s Remote app for controlling iTunes.

The EyeTV doesn’t get used a lot these days.  We don’t have cable or satellite, but instead get most non-locally-stored video from online sources.  The EyeTV is attached to an antenna/areal, but broadcast TV isn’t convenient and the quality leaves a lot to be desired.  The digital broadcast available in our area would be nice, but the EyeTV doesn’t have a digital tuner, and I’m not convinced the available content is worth the cost of a new tuner.  Instead, most of the networks here offer their TV programs as streaming video from their websites.  These streaming videos don’t fit into Front Row, but using a full-screen web browser plus Air Mouse is acceptable for the few TV shows that are watched.

The  audio and video stored locally is in iTunes and is accessible via Front Row.  Stored media include our family videos, music, podcasts and a few movies and TV shows.  Front Row is by far the most convenient way to access the “TV”, and is almost solely controlled with an Apple remote.   My only complaint would be the lack of Front Row support for the Apple Remote app for the iPod/iPad, but it is rare that I’d prefer to use this application instead of the physical remote, though I’d still like to have the option.

Aside from the media functions, the Mac Mini also hosts a virtual Microsoft Home Server running under VMware Fusion.  The Home Server has essentially replaced Trash Server, and has the added benefit of saving energy as the Mac Mini is more efficient than the old P4, and would be running anyway.

I upgraded my iPod Touch OS to version 2.0 last week. Below are a few of the applications I’ve downloaded/purchased with some quick highlights and what I think of them.

iPod Touch Software Update 2.0

Publisher: Apple
Price: $9.99

Software Update 2.0 adds the ability to download/install applications from the App Store, ‘push’ access to email/calendars, and a better calculator. (Oh, the ability to take screenshots too.)

Pros:

• App Store
• Push email
• Third party applications
• Safari seems more stable than in initial (iPod Touch 1.x) version

Cons:

• Battery life seems to be reduce, perhaps I’m just using the iPod more…
• Push email audible ‘beep’ notification is annoying, too invasive, and Blackberry-like

Rating: 5/5 (buy)

Enigmo

Publisher: Pangea
Price: $9.99 USD

“Enigmo is the most unique game that you’ll find for the iPhone or iPod Touch. It is a 3D puzzle game where you manipulate slides, bumpers, and other pieces to control streams of flowing liquid. Liquids (water, oil, and lava) fall from “droppers” and will bounce around the walls of a puzzle. You move and rotate the various puzzle pieces in order to divert the flow of the falling droplets so that they can reach their target. The faster you complete each level, the more bonus you will receive.”

Pros:

• Very playable
• Intuitive controls
• Nice graphics
• Predictable physics
• Adequate level of difficulty
• Many levels (40)

Cons:

• Touchscreen control interface sometimes results in finger obscuring important items/objects on display
• Field of view somewhat constrained on more complex levels
• A landscape view would be a natural and useful feature (see previous point)

Rating: 4/5 (buy)

Cro-Mag Rally

Publisher: Pangea
Price: $9.99 USD

“Cro-Mag Rally is an incredibly diverse and entertaining racing game, and there is nothing else like it for the iPhone / iPod Touch! The game is visually stunning, has incredibly fun driving physics (you steer with the iPhone itself!), and is suitable for all ages.”

Pros:

• I like driving simulations, this almost qualifies…

Cons:

• User interface is novel but a little awkward
• Acceptable graphics (visually interesting, but not quite “stunning”)
• Game play is a little slow

Rating: 2.5/5 (meh…)

Morocco

Publisher: Bayou Games / Thomas Aylesworth
Price: Free

“The classic strategy board game of Othello® (also known as Reversi), now available for the iPhone™ and iPod® touch.”

Pros:

• Nice game
• Good price
• Nice game
• Good price
• Adjustable level of difficulty

Cons:

• Locks up
• Icons for game control/options (preferences, new game, etc.) not obvious or labeled
• Slow when played against opponent with highest level of difficulty

Rating: 3.5/5 (good game, needs to be more stable)

Remote

Publisher: Apple
Price: Free

“The free application that turns iPod touch and iPhone into a remote control for iTunes and Apple TV.”

Pros:

• Works as advertised and very handy

Cons:

• None that I’ve found

Rating: 5/5 (works like an Apple app (not including Mobile Me))