How to true a bike wheel

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As part of my project to do my own bike maintenance, I thought I'd take a shot at wheel truing.  I had just gotten through rebuilding the suspension on my recumbent bike and I wanted to make sure my wheels were as straight as possible.

Truing a wheel is deceptively simple.  There is only one adjustment possible:  you simply tighten or losen the spoke nipple.  How hard could that be?  Doing a little research I realized that there is quite a bit to the subject.  First of all, unlike traditional bolts on a bike, you don't adjust spokes to a specific torque setting.  Although a spoke is really a very long, thin bolt, you adjust spokes by turning the nipple (nut) to adjust the tension.

Furthermore, there are four different parameters that you are adjusting during the truing process.  These parameters are lateral true (side-to-side movement), radial true (in-out movement), dish (the offset of the rim relative to the center of the hub), and spoke tension.

Balancing all of these parameters at the same time is what makes truing a wheel a challenge.  However, with the right tools and a little bit of patience, it is a rewarding process.

Rebuilding a Ballistic 600 AII front suspension fork

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Recumbent bikes are a ton of fun and the Vision R45 is the second that I've owned.  I consider the Vision R45 a nearly perfect bike for me.  Mine has front and rear suspension, aerodynamic wheels, a short wheel base design, and under-seat steering.  It even has a fairly nice component group.  There is only one problem:  it is more than 10 years old and the company that made it (ATP) is now out of business.

I'm not about to buy another recumbent bike and if anything breaks on it, it is up to me to fix it.  Recently I went about doing a complete overhaul on it to get everything back into top shape.  Bike maintenance really isn't that hard and it is really enjoyable with the right tools.  See this article for how I first got started doing my own maintenance.

One of the biggest challenges in overhauling the Vision R45 was rebuilding and servicing the suspension systems.  The rear shock (a Cane Creek AD-5) isn't a problem as you can still get a rebuilt kit for it (with instructions).  However, the front shock (a 20" Ballistic 600 AII) is another matter entirely.  It seems there is almost no information about this shock online even though it was a very common shock for recumbents with suspension.

So, in the hope that it will help others, I'll share my complete rebuild instructions and even a tip to make a minor improvement.

DIY high capacity battery pack for Logitech's Squeezebox Radio

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If you enjoy the Squeezebox line of products like I do, you probably already know about Logitech's Squeezebox Radio.  I've just added a third radio to my collection (shown here with cat 1 of 2).  However, if you don't yet have a battery pack for your Squeezebox Radio you are missing out on one of it's coolest features (it's portable!).  Of course, it still must be in range of a wireless signal (all the more reason to get a really great wireless home router).  Unfortunately, the battery pack must be purchased separately for $50.  Logitech does bundle it with a mini-remote to help make it a bit more tempting.

Since the accessory pack wasn't released until well after the radio, many adventuresome owners went ahead and built their own.  Now that the pack is available, there is less reason to do it yourself.  You can still build a pack cheaper yourself (depending upon the cost of the batteries), but you might not save that much money (and it is a hassle).  The main reason for doing it yourself now (IMO) is that you can build a higher capacity pack.  Logitech claims 6 hours of battery life on their pack, but people have reported up to two hours more - not bad.  However with my pack, I've gotten just under 11 hours!   More importantly, doing it yourself is fun!

Here is what I did:

Do it yourself, do it all Media PC for $600

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If you are going to "Cut the Cord" you are definitely going to miss the ability to record, pause TV and skip commercials.  Building a Media PC is the perfect solution to make the process painless and you will wonder why you never did it before.

So, what can this box do?

• Play and Stream most disc based media: Bluray, DVD, CD, etc
• Record, Pause, Playback High Definition Free Broadcast TV (no subscription needed!)
• Plenty of storage capacity (1.5TB = 100s of hours of TV)
• Place-shift live TV and locally recorded media (watch it anywhere)
• Play Internet content Hulu, Netflix, Boxee, YouTube, etc.
• Play (all formats of) videos stored on flash drives or usb sticks
• Streams Videos, Pictures, etc. from other computers on your network
• Surf the web with Firefox or your favorite browser with long range wireless keyboard
• Fully functional TV-style remote controls 95% of Media-PCs functions
• Stream music directly to your receiver without having your TV on
• Play PC or web-based games (power gamers will want to upgrade the graphics)
• Display 3-D media and play 3-D games
• Plenty of graphics and cpu horsepower for almost any media or server application
• Stays in standby mode when not in use (uses less than 2 watts! - measured here)
• Quiet (fans barely audible)

The list really goes on as this is a fully functional Windows Media PC and there is no limit to what you can do with this it  With Windows Media Center and some properly setup software, you can do almost anything you could imagine with ease in a family friendly package.

Note:  A Media PC is also sometimes called a Home Theater PC (or HTPC).  I prefer the term Media PC since it is a more general term that better describes it's capability and use.

Why do it yourself?

There are an endless list of stand-alone media/set top/DVR boxes you can buy (or rent), but in my opinion they are all flawed in one way or another.  Most of the problems with other boxes are:

1. Cable, Satellite, or IPTV DVRs have limited functionality and tie you to expensive monthly fees
2. Media streaming boxes can be limited to specific services and often will only play limited video formats.
3. Few devices will let you record broadcast TV (and usually come with monthly fees)
4. Few devices will let you surf the web (or if they do, come with crippled browsers)

There really is only one type of box that will have few compatibility issues and nearly unlimited functionality and that that is a Media PC.

Easily backup your Media PC (part 2 of 2)

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Part 1 of the backing up your Media PC covered the system drive, programs and configuration of your computer.   That was actually the hard part even though it doesn't represent much space.  This second (and much simpler) part covers everything else you want backed up (e.g. your Music, Videos, Photos, etc).

As I mentioned in the previous article, the cheapest and simplest approach to backup is just to buy a large external disk.  Another option that is becoming popular is using a home NAS box (i.e. an external disk that attaches to your network v.s. your computer).  They cost more than an external disk, but offer many cool and convenient features.  I'll talk about home NAS options in a future post.  For most of us, an external disk is the way to go.

Also, unlike backing up your system, there is nothing complex about backing up your Media files.  Simply making a copy is all you need to do.  If you are really worried, you could keep additional copies if you like.

To get started, just drag and drop (copy) your Media folders to your external disk.  This works great the first time you make a backup, but what happens if you add some files?  Or, what if you do a bit of housecleaning and reorganize a few folders?  Or, what if you fix the music tags on some of the files?

You can quickly see that it gets really hard to keep track of what files need to be copied to the backup.  Of course, you could just delete your backup and re-copy everything (potentially disastrous and a waste of time).  A smarter approach would be to use backup software, but in my opinion there is a simpler and more appropriate way to get the job done.  Instead, all you need is file synchronization software that will only copy the files that have changed.

Easily backup your Media PC (part 1 of 2)

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After you have spent some time getting your Media PC setup to do everything you want, it is definitely a good idea to make a backup.   If something were to happen to your Media PC's hard disk or you had some other foul up, it would be nice to know how to quickly recover it.

Backing up a Media PC has a couple of extra challenges, but with a little preparation this is an easy task.  Even better, you don't need to buy any software as long as you are using Windows 7.  Even if you are on some other platform, you might find some of these tips useful (or hopefully interesting).

My main goals in setting up a system for backing up my computers are as follows:

• Simple, reliable and fast
• Same process for multiple systems
• Low cost

Media PCs have the additional challenge that you really have two different types of data you want backed up.  The first is the PC configuration itself.  This is relatively small (measured in GBs), but important as it represents significant time and effort on your part.

The second type of data you want backed up is all of your media (this could be your TV recordings, Movies, CDs, Photos, etc).   Unlike the first, the space required could be quite large (1 TB or more!)  I treat these two problems quite differently and recommend different tools.

This first article will cover backing up and recovering the PC itself.  The second part is here.

Replace (or clean) your Prius cabin filter for free!

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I'm your typical Silicon Valley nerd and, of course, I drive a Prius.  I love the technology of this car for so many reasons (and it happens to get good gas mileage).   It also didn't hurt that there used to be some government hybrid incentives when I bought it and nifty yellow stickers (yes, I'm one of those lucky guys driving solo in the California HOV lane!).

The Prius has all kinds of potential for hacking and I've not been able to resist.   Some of my projects include adding a bluetooth transmitter, adding an auto dimming rear view mirror, and hacking in a EV-only button when I want to run on batteries, etc..   When I get a chance, I'll post about some of my more interesting mods.

Anyway, I've had my Prius for over three years now and I just took it in for it's 60,000 mile service (and to correct a recall issue).  During a major service (such as at 60,000), one of the optional services is to replace the cabin air filter.   A good friend of mine had already gone through this exercise and noted that cabin filter is both easy to replace and (even better) user-cleanable!  Most filters are made of paper and you can't clean them effectively (if at all).  However, this filter is made of plastic fibers and appears to be washable!

First of all, why would you want to do this?  If you call up your local Toyota parts dealer you will find that this tiny bit of pleated filter material costs $24.80!   I asked two different services departments and they quoted me $57 and even $88(!) just to replace the filter.   I'm sure they would have given me "a bit of a break" on the "labor" if I had this done at the same time as some other service.   Clearly this is completely outrageous for a user replaceable part.   It literally takes under a minute to replace it yourself.

Add a recording light to your Media PC

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Wouldn't you like to know when your Media PC is recording a program?

Ok, now this step is strictly optional.  However, if you are going to build a Media PC, why not do it right?  Besides, if you are going to Cut the Cord, you might as well do some cutting for real!

If you can manage to solder a couple of wires and don't mind an easy hardware project, this is a really cool addition to your Media PC.  It is also one of the "finishing touches" that makes a Media PC more Media than PC.   Finally, since my Media PC goes into "standby" mode when not it use, the red LED is a great indicator was to why the PC is awake.

BTW:  One of the things that I hated about my old Comcast DVR is that I could never figure out if the tuners were busy recording or not.   The Comcast DVR has so many red LEDs that I couldn't tell which one was which.  With my Media PC, there is no mistake.

Fortunately, someone has already written the software to control LEDs and it works great with Windows Media Center.  All we need to do is hook up a LED and tell the software when to use it.

The easiest way to control a LED from your Media PC is to use the serial port.  Most motherboards have one free and usually come with a header.

You also need a LED (preferably a red one).  In my Media PC project, I used the existing red LED that came with my front mounted card reader.  Since the card reader's red LED was on all of the time (totally useless IMO), I just disconnected the positive lead and ran a wire to the serial port.  Not only did I not have to buy another LED, but I didn't have to drill any holes in my case.

These steps should be mostly applicable to anyone who has a Windows Media Center PC.

Here are my instructions

High quality outdoor digital TV antenna for under $150

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If you live in an area that is 30 or more miles away from TV broadcasting antennas, you probably need a high quality outdoor antenna.  Fortunately, it really doesn't have to be expensive or that large.  Also, If you are worried about HOA regulations you should be aware that the FCC passed a law allowing homeowners the right to install antennas without unreasonable restrictions.

I've put together an antenna that is low cost, high performance and easy to assemble from parts ordered online.

Where I live, two of the channels I'd like to watch (7 and 11) come in on the VHF band).  All of the rest come in on UHF.  Most digital antennas are UHF only (since that is where most of the channels are).  If you try to use an UHF only antenna, you will likely get very poor reception or not be able to receive VHF at all.  Since there is lots of good programming on 7 and 11, I wanted an antenna to get both bands.

If, in your area all of your channels are UHF, you can skip the VHF antenna addition.  You can always add it later if a local broadcaster moves to VHF.

VHF antennas and UHF antennas look very different because they are designed for different frequencies.  It turns out that combining antennas is easy and has the added benefit in that you can align them separately.

By far the hardest part of this project is figuring out how to run the antenna wire into your house.  Actually assembling the combined antenna is simple.  Of course, please don't fall off of your roof in the process. If you are in doubt, hire a handyman to install this for you.

How to properly setup (point) your TV antenna

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One of the first steps to setting up your TV antenna is to find out what TV broadcasters are in your area and where they are located. Turns out the good old FCC has made this super easy.

Simply go to the FCC's DTV reception website.

There are two things we need from this website:

1. The relative positions of broadcast antennas compared to your house
2. The frequency of the stations you care about (either VHF-Hi or UHF).