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View Full Version : I Have Arrived... (Brace Yourselves!)


Johan
08-16-2006, 02:55 PM
Hello CG Crowd!

Johan is my name, originally from Holland but now within the M25, Greater London for the last 5 years.

I share an interest in all things Webmastery with Al, that's how I got to know of this place. I also occasionnaly snap up the chance to spam the CG blog with links to the online shops I run - obviously only where appropriate ;)

Working in a computer shop, testing machines by playing Unreal Tournament is what I used to do, now I'm Head of IT at that e-tail company.

As far as gadgets are concerned, I don't tend to go all that cutting edge. Mainly because early adopters get to pay the R&D bill - wait a year and you get the same at a fraction of the cost. I did get a cool RFID door lock though, you'll be seeing more of that soon when I take some snaps and do a write up to share with you.

Some gadgets from my collections: Cassiopeia EM-500 old school PDA (I won at that PC store for selling the most MS bundles - don't shoot me!), Powerbook G4 with a bunch of Airport Expresses for wireless iTunes across my new place, a couple of PCs running Win XP, Ubuntu and CentOS (Asteriks PBX), RFID Lock, Phidgets stuff and a Roomba robotic floor vacuum I plan to hack and control remotely via the web.

I tend to start loads of things but not finish them due to time constraints. I find too much stuff too interesting and then I want to be good at them as well. Which is annoying in a way.

So, enough of an intro, you can find more about Phidgets and other geeky stuff on my blog: http://terpstravaganza.blogspot.com - soon to be hosted on my own server at home on a proper domain. (Soon as in within the next 6 years soon...)

Nice looking forum BTW though the non-anti-aliased smileys seem a bit odd, in comparison to other forums I visit.

I'll be here mainly for some Home Automation ideas and discussions; looking forward to meeting sme new people!

Al
08-16-2006, 03:00 PM
Hi Johan, welcome aboard CG (that's CG not GC :rolleyes:).

I've not had a change to play with Phidgets yet, can you actually do much with it?

Johan
08-16-2006, 03:13 PM
What are you on about? GC? :D Damn General Chat at DP... Doing my head in.

Phidgets are really cool for people like myself, who are more software inclined than comfortable with hardware. Rather than having to build and wire up your own electronics boards (how do you call them again?) you buy a complete Phidget - physical widget - and hook it up to your PC via USB. Then via the API you have it work right away in its basic form. Then it's up to you to write a neat little program to interact with or between the phidgets.

There's light sensors, humidity sesnors, heat sensors, accellaration sensors, LEDs, speakers, servo's - anything really. And if you do feel fine fiddling about soldiering hardware, the usage is limitless.

The only true current limitation is the USB part of it which for now makes it wired. Though some people have mounted mini ATX PCs on a RC car frame and then control the thing via WiFi. Also, one company will be releasing a wireless usb kit which basically cuts out the cable.

amitpatel_3001
08-20-2006, 03:21 PM
Welcome to the forums :p
I never expected that i would ever Welcome you to a forum!
Hope you dont delete my posts here ... oops you never did that :) so good of you :p
Seems you a are a gadgets freak with all the discussions you hgave here :)
Anyway get ready to get addicted :D
Amit

jack
08-20-2006, 09:52 PM
hi johan!
Glad you came here! we all were missing you :D