tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998899240523273512024-03-05T19:32:33.547-06:00the frugalistUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-62548559444554896612014-12-26T20:23:00.005-06:002014-12-26T20:40:13.680-06:00DirecTV: Free Preview Weekend 1/8 - 1/11/2015<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI11kJWb_-Znk0Cl3a9Qvur3Bvyiwoy7ad0xOkqaMG4jOZ9oAMEkYB0v5MwJDIQFcLGwM0wg7iaFuSpu7InQjW9-K5u_eRF38Lnu9sXUQX3u9Tc_WYrvde_JbyQI3NIXy-A5XZeUdxYIk/s1600/directv.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI11kJWb_-Znk0Cl3a9Qvur3Bvyiwoy7ad0xOkqaMG4jOZ9oAMEkYB0v5MwJDIQFcLGwM0wg7iaFuSpu7InQjW9-K5u_eRF38Lnu9sXUQX3u9Tc_WYrvde_JbyQI3NIXy-A5XZeUdxYIk/s1600/directv.png" height="96" width="200" /></a>DirecTV subscribers - time to load up your DVRs. The next <b>HBO, STARZ, SHOWTIME AND CINEMAX free weekend preview</b> is upon us.<br />
<br />
Free Preview Begins: <b>January 8, 2015 (Thursday)</b><br />
Free Preview Ends: <b>January 11, 2015 (Sunday)</b><br />
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Channel Lineup:<br />
<b>501-511 – HBO</b><br />
<b>515-523 – Cinemax</b><br />
<b>525-531 – Starz</b><br />
<b>545-557 – Showtime</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-17216114172900406802013-05-25T18:47:00.000-05:002014-06-22T12:52:58.397-05:00Project H2O: Opt-out of the Smart Metering Device <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cityofmadison.com/water/images/logoProjectH2O.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.cityofmadison.com/water/images/logoProjectH2O.gif" height="124" width="320" /></a></div>
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All Madison, WI homeowners should have heard of <a href="http://www.cityofmadison.com/water/programs/projectH2O/" target="_blank">Project H2O</a> by now, in which Madison Water Utility is requiring all homeowners install a new "smart" metering device. The program is supposed to reduce costs by eliminating the need for manual water meter readings, but let's face it, Project H2O is really about allowing the Utility to collect its payments sooner. One side benefit is that we will receive a monthly water bill instead of one every 6 months.<br />
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The smart metering device has been the subject of controversy over health concerns of having an always-on device in the basement transmitting radio-frequency radiation. You can read about it more here: <a href="http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/city-officials-insist-new-water-meters-are-safe-after-concerns/article_004d3f62-b9a1-11e1-9a69-001a4bcf887a.html" target="_blank">Wisconsin State Journal: City officials insist new water meters are safe after concerns</a> (June 19, 2012).<br />
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Two options were given to opt-out of the new smart metering device, although in reality getting charged a monthly penalty fee for opting out should not be considered an option. Instead, I opted for the one-time $50.69 fee to have the smart meter installed on the outside of my home. I did this out of peace of mind as well as principle; if all of my other utility meters are on the outside of my home, why not this one as well?<br />
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Homeowners, here is the opt-out form if you need it.<br />
<a href="http://www.cityofmadison.com/water/programs/projectH2O/Opt-Out.cfm">http://www.cityofmadison.com/water/programs/projectH2O/Opt-Out.cfm</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comMadison, WI, USA43.0730517 -89.40123019999998642.8875022 -89.723953699999981 43.2586012 -89.078506699999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-70073618466306989322013-01-05T23:39:00.000-06:002014-06-22T12:41:15.136-05:00Installing a Radon Mitigation System<h3>
Include a radon test in your home inspection</h3>
Radon was an afterthought in my home buying process. My buyer's agent never insisted I add a radon test to my home inspection but upon reading into radon and how the EPA states it is <a href="http://www.epa.gov/radon/healthrisks.html">the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the US</a>, I decided the $125 add-on test would offer me peace of mind. My inspector, Brian of <a href="http://premierhomeinspector.com/">Premier Inspection & Consulting LLC</a>, ran a 48-hour test in the basement and sent me the results: an average of 11.1 pCi/l with a peak of 22.3 pCi/l. The EPA recommends installing a radon mitigation system with any result over 4.0.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwktIAxbsqQFSuDZ_1rzSjjQ_n6qr0bQ5WtpBoutNdnl7txlpk60ofP2bjYyFWNbv_amkICtOcfPYarV1OgKNtRPNcPkiaCo0j4jbc-Ki75LrI-ZIG7M0PsSk00wOC6EfWCIN5A093wQ/s1600/radon_results.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwktIAxbsqQFSuDZ_1rzSjjQ_n6qr0bQ5WtpBoutNdnl7txlpk60ofP2bjYyFWNbv_amkICtOcfPYarV1OgKNtRPNcPkiaCo0j4jbc-Ki75LrI-ZIG7M0PsSk00wOC6EfWCIN5A093wQ/s320/radon_results.png" height="280" width="400" /></a></div>
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Both my buyer's agent and inspector downplayed the significance of these numbers as any real health hazard, but I used it as leverage in the home inspection contingency of my offer to purchase. I was quoted an average of $850 to install a radon mitigation system by three estimates in the Madison area, so I requested this amount in addition to more funds to cover the other post-inspection repairs. The seller obliged to cover the full cost. With these funds paid by the seller, I accepted Janesville-based <a href="http://www.atproradonmitigation.com/services.html" target="_blank">A.T. Pro Mitigation Systems</a>' bid to install the radon mitigation system instead of tackling it as a DIY project.<br />
<h3>
Radon mitigation basics</h3>
If you are unfamiliar with radon gas and how to mitigate that in your home, the EPA does provide an outstanding <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1476520373"></span>Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction<span id="goog_1476520374"></span></a>.<br />
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A few things I learned about radon mitigation (or reduction) systems - they are very fast to install (usually 3 hours), there are lots of methods available, and mitigation is not limited to installing the system itself. My home inspector recommended the more common <b>active (subslab depressurization) method</b>, which makes use of a radon fan that draws the gas from below the foundation and directs it towards the outside of the home, above the roof line. Per the EPA, this method reduces radon anywhere between <a href="http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/consguid.html#installtable">50 to 99 percent</a>. The EPA provides a table summarizing how each of the methods work in the Consumer's Guide linked above.<br />
<h3>
Researching the right solution for me</h3>
My goals in this radon mitigation solution were:<br />
<ul>
<li>To achieve an average pCi/l level lower than 1.0 (well below the EPA standard of 4.0)</li>
<li>To be hidden from view as much as possible</li>
<li>To utilize multiple "above and beyond" methods to maximize reduction</li>
</ul>
<div>
First off, let me say there are some really unsightly radon mitigation systems installed out there. I absolutely do not want 20 feet of PVC pipe sticking out of my siding, as shown <a href="http://www.firstchoiceforradon.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=72475695">here</a> and <a href="http://blog.armchairbuilder.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Radon-Mitigation-System-Compressed.jpg">here</a>. Fortunately, John from A.T. Pro was already on the same page, and he suggested having the piping run through the basement through the garage up to the attic space and out the rear corner of the garage roof so it had minimal visibility from the exterior. <a href="http://threethingsverydullindeed.blogspot.com/2011/02/radon-mitigation-system-installation.html">This excellent DIY blogger posted photos</a> similar to what I had in mind (shown below):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FM2Sqq5cMybL1gBkTPxKLXbvDZw3nbSZZ8dqxFnbAzRgZ1gRDjtaFF3Rm2Ac5QFJNgJy1zSbAgpTcL8WSPntXIxYr7PnUZo7VvfTpOyj4gjDR0j1hD39iWbxehjx4m5lJ4_50RYzcXfV/s400/radon+06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FM2Sqq5cMybL1gBkTPxKLXbvDZw3nbSZZ8dqxFnbAzRgZ1gRDjtaFF3Rm2Ac5QFJNgJy1zSbAgpTcL8WSPntXIxYr7PnUZo7VvfTpOyj4gjDR0j1hD39iWbxehjx4m5lJ4_50RYzcXfV/s320/radon+06.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Installing this way allows the radon fan to operate within the attic space protected from the elements of nature. I figured exposing the fan to rain, snow and melting ice would only shorten the fan's lifespan and require earlier replacement. Also, I don't see many PVC solutions that have the wire guard and cap, so that's a nice touch. I don't want any bugs or rodents finding their way into the piping.<br />
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<i>UPDATE (12/26/2012): After doing more research and getting a professional opinion, I decided against the wire guard and cap, opting to leave the top of the PVC exhaust fully exposed. The main reason is to avoid creating a hot/cold air barrier that can create condensation and thus potential mold build-up and restricted air flow. Since the radon fan is designed to pump out more than 40 cubic feet of air per minute, bugs and rainfall won't be a problem. This Ohio-based contractor has a great <a href="http://www.athomeradon.com/Mitigation_Frequently_Asked_Questions.aspx" target="_blank">FAQ page</a> elaborating on this more.</i><br />
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As part of my mitigation system I requested having two entry points into the concrete slab (drilling a hole in one corner and using the sump pump chamber as the other). My thought here is that this would increase the radon suction in case there were multiple sources below. To wrap things up, I asked for complete caulking of the basement perimeter and all visible cracks. Here's a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Sx6W_83gHs">great example on Youtube</a>.<br />
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<i>UPDATE (12/26/2012): A.T. Pro talked me out of multiple entry points in the concrete slab, pointing out that it creates conflicting air flow passages where the radon suction is inhibited since the gas has more than one direction it can move. Since my home has full perimeter drain tile leading to the sump pit, there are no barriers underneath the foundation that require more than one suction point.</i><br />
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One extra touch - consider having a <a href="http://www.iaqsource.com/product.php?p=radonaway_76040-2&product=173618">condensate bypass kit</a> installed to prolong the lifespan of your radon fan. It's a negligible cost to add-on just in case.<br />
<h3>
Reviewing the final installation</h3>
I cannot over-emphasize getting multiple estimates, researching Angielist for reviews, and selecting a contractor based on a phone or in-person interview after asking a prepared list of questions. Every contractor has a slightly different approach (I prefer one who listens to my needs before telling me how it's done), and these aren't negligible expenses to select the first and only bid you get.<br />
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A.T. Pro Mitigation listened to my needs and delivered on my goals stated above. I wanted maximum radon suction, so John installed 4" PVC (typically it's 3"), sealed all of the basement cracks and sump crock, and installed a more powerful fan (Radonaway RP265) and made sure a condensate bypass kit was installed. He minimized the use of PVC elbows to ensure the radon suction and exhaust had as little change in direction as possible from the basement suction point straight to the top out of the garage rooftop.<br />
<h3>
Monitoring post-installation radon levels</h3>
There are a variety of one-time charcoal tests used to measure radon levels (such as these from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Accustar-Alpha-Track-Testing-Please/dp/B001I8A0ZS/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=lazeekat-20&linkId=DRHH2L5XX3VCZ5BZ" target="_blank">Accustar</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-RD1-Radon-Test/dp/B00002N83E/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&linkId=6FTCWPV3RTJGQCHP&tag=lazeekat-20&linkId=IBVMIVIT6HCRF3FC" target="_blank">First Alert</a>, but I prefer continuous radon monitoring devices that I can use year-round. The most common consumer-grade model I found in my research is the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Safety-Siren-Series3-Radon-Detector/dp/B000CEAY64/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=lazeekat-20&linkId=FNWY6KFOEGF4V3VN" target="_blank">Safety Siren Pro Series3 Radon Gas Detector</a>, but it requires regular re-calibration to maintain its accuracy. <br />
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<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/412KvLSeR+L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/412KvLSeR+L.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></div>
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Instead, I bought the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Corentium-Digital-Electronic-Radon-Monitor/dp/B00H2VOSP8/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=lazeekat-20&linkId=ZWBPD3I2SKHCRXWR" target="_blank">Corentium Digital Electronic Radon Gas Monitor</a>, which requires no re-calibration and uses batteries instead of a wall outlet so I can place it anywhere in my basement. I was averaging 0.9 pCi/l with a peak of 2.3 (7-day reading), so I achieved my goal!<br />
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<b>Final bill: $845</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-66531586383089340942012-12-30T10:27:00.000-06:002012-12-30T15:25:19.035-06:00Expenses for the first month of home ownership<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT0AlkikY95sFBCjddDlAaIzeMOIX62IILSTo4uwwlzCj1CJBAQTw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT0AlkikY95sFBCjddDlAaIzeMOIX62IILSTo4uwwlzCj1CJBAQTw" /></a></div>
Today marks the one-month anniversary of home ownership! Although not paying mortgage for the first month is nice, the initial expenses are still a bitter pill to swallow. Just have to remind myself that there's an "entry cost" associated with any long-term investment.<br />
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<u>First month expenses:</u><br />
<blockquote>
Professional movers (2-day move, labor plus tip): <b>$1414</b><br />
Locksmith (change deadbolts): <b>$480</b><br />
Radon mitigation system installation: <b>$845</b><br />
Plumbing - replace defective tankless water heater under warranty (labor only): <b>$360</b><br />
Electrician - install non-GFCI outlet in basement for freezer, ground CSST piping: <b>$110</b></blockquote>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Total: $3209</span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-16383268172104625142012-12-23T00:31:00.004-06:002012-12-23T00:31:59.232-06:00Best home wi-fi routers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images.pcworld.com/images/article/2012/09/cable20cutter-11405316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://images.pcworld.com/images/article/2012/09/cable20cutter-11405316.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Need advice on the best home wi-fi routers? Lifehacker has a great article:<br />
<a href="http://lifehacker.com/5920709/five-best-home-wi+fi-routers">http://lifehacker.com/5920709/five-best-home-wi+fi-routers</a><br />
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I used to be all about open source firmware (TomatoUSB and dd-wrt), but I got sick of the frequent firmware updates and time-consuming tinkering with advanced features that I never ended up using. I switched to the Apple Airport Extreme (5th generation - MD031LL/A) and never looked back. The Airport Extreme is, like most Apple products, all about simplicity and "plug and play." It just works and I don't need to do a thing with it.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-602120111221212542012-12-22T22:58:00.001-06:002012-12-22T22:58:11.995-06:008 Ways to Reduce Your Junk Mail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://earth911.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Junk-Mailing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://earth911.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Junk-Mailing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Earth911.com has a wonderfully effective list of ways to reduce your junk mail. It took about 2 months for me to notice the difference, and now three days a week I have an empty mailbox!<br />
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<a href="http://earth911.com/news/2011/08/18/8-ways-to-reduce-your-junk-mail/" target="_blank">8 Ways to Reduce Your Junk Mail</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-10543149224980821832012-12-22T18:42:00.000-06:002012-12-22T19:05:47.194-06:00Moving soon? Cost-effective moving equipment If you don't need professional movers and don't have moving tools you can borrow from a friend, here are some really good moving equipment deals out there from Amazon.com:<br />
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<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XCSEFnXOL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XCSEFnXOL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Tools-MOVEKIT-8-Piece-Moving/dp/B0027Z4C1E" target="_blank">Buffalo Tools MOVEKIT 8-piece Moving Kit</a><br />
List price: <strike>$224.99</strike>, <b><span style="color: #38761d;">Sale: $63.10</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HFSGIM?t=slicinc-20&tag=slicinc-20" target="_blank">Above All Lifting and Moving Straps</a><br />
List price: <strike>$29.96</strike>, <b><span style="color: #38761d;">Sale: $19.96</span></b><br />
*Occasionally, these go on sale for as low as $3.85!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-89329680754007594212012-12-02T02:30:00.000-06:002012-12-30T16:20:56.875-06:00Charter Internet in Madison, WI (my review)<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ec/Charter_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ec/Charter_logo.png" width="320" /></a>If I had a choice, I would stick to AT&T U-Verse. U-Verse Internet and DVR quality, customer service and lack of outages were excellent for the 3 years I had them. One of the trade-offs moving to the new neighborhood was being restricted to Charter Communications, the only ISP serving this area. In my previous years with Charter (2004-2008), I had frequent service outages and billing overcharges.<br />
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This time around, I am minimizing my dependency with Charter, opting only for Internet service. I have subscribed to DirecTV for television and have an excellent VOIP service for the phone line.<br />
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<h2>
Charter New Customer Promotion (Internet only)</h2>
<br />
Bundled services (Internet, Phone, TV) have better promotional discounts, but as I mentioned, I have better alternatives for my other needs. As of Dec. 2012, Charter's Internet promotion for new customers (or those who have been deactivated for more than 12 months) looks like this:<br />
<blockquote>
<b>Internet Plus tier</b> (30Mb/s download, 4Mb/s upload)<br />
<b>$29.99/mo for first 12 months</b> (then $49.99/mo thereafter)<br />
<b>No contract/no early termination fees</b><br />
<b>Required $19.99 installation fee</b></blockquote>
I recall U-Verse Internet Max (12Mb/s) being $48/mo after the promotion rate ended, so Charter's price is far more competitive given I'm getting almost 3x the speed.<br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>I have found that Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends are generally the best periods to sign up as a new customer for Charter. Google "Charter Specials" and you should find authorized resellers who throw in slightly better promotional rates.</i><br />
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The $19.99 installation fee is mandatory and despite my best efforts, I could not opt out of this fee even though the previous homeowner had Charter service and left all of his Charter equipment in the home. Installation was about 20 minutes.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.isuppli.com/PublishingImages/Teardowns/2010-09-20_Ubee%20U10c035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="http://www.isuppli.com/PublishingImages/Teardowns/2010-09-20_Ubee%20U10c035.jpg" title="Ubee U10C035" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As of July 2012, Charter requires all new<br />customers use one of their provided<br />modems, such as the Ubee U10C035</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The one disappointing policy is that as of July 2012, <a href="http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Charter-Stops-Supporting-Customer-Owned-Modems-120059" target="_blank">Charter no longer allows customer-owned cable modems</a> (apparently to reduce troubleshooting difficulties), so I had to sell my rock solid Motorola SB6120 cable modem on Craigslist. Charter leases the cable modem (doesn't charge for it) and gave me a choice between a Ubee U10C035 and some Cisco (didn't get the model), but the technician told me to stick with the Ubee as it's more reliable.<br />
<br />
Existing Charter customers are fortunate because if you do happen to have a Motorola SB6120 or SB6121 cable modem, you can continue using one of the best rated modems on the market. Wish I could have kept mine.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Testing my Internet service</h2>
Reviewing the quality of Charter Internet boils down to what max download speeds I am getting, any throttling limitations and service outages.<br />
<br />
I ran a <a href="http://www.speedtest.net/" target="_blank">SpeedTest</a> to confirm my bandwidth and was pleasantly surprised with the results:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.speedtest.net/result/2346930061.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.speedtest.net/result/2346930061.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Given that my Charter Internet Plus plan is supposed to be "up to 30 Mb/s" download speeds, I can't complain! For the first weekend in the new home, so far I haven't experienced any speed drop-outs or service outages.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall rating: A+</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>UPDATE (12/30/2012): After the first month of Charter Internet, service is still reliable and I haven't experienced any issues yet. I have noticed my download speeds drop down to about 33Mb/s in peak times, but I'm still clocking over 60Mb/s in off-peak hours. </i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comMadison, WI, USA43.0730517 -89.401230242.8874687 -89.7170872 43.2586347 -89.0853732tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-84428956620379458452012-06-24T01:04:00.000-05:002012-07-01T23:31:08.533-05:00Alternatives to a Landline: VoIP Roundup - MagicJack, Ooma, VOIPo<i>This article assumes you are ready to make the plunge into VoIP as a cost-effective alternative to residential telephone service. Not sure what VoIP is? Here is a <a href="http://www.voipreview.org/faq.aspx%23Howfastdoesmyinternetconnectionneedtobe">good article</a> (voipreview.org) that sums up general questions.</i><br />
<br />
I am rounding up 3 residential VoIP options for U.S. residents out of my own research. There are certainly many other options, but these were the most prominent or well-regarded options I found. As long as you have reliable Internet service, any of the options below will work for you. Call quality is generally comparable as it is the quality of your Internet connection that determines call quality with VoIP.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
<a href="http://wiseelectronics.ca/images/Magic-Jack_logo8.png" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="55" src="http://wiseelectronics.ca/images/Magic-Jack_logo8.png" width="200" /></a></h2>
Unlimited local and long-distance calling anywhere in North America for $19.95/year. Magicjack is a USB device with a built-in phone jack compatible with any phone or headset. It requires a personal computer or laptop that must always be powered on, meaning you should factor in utility costs (average $5-6 per month in electricity bills if you leave a PC running 24/7 for an entire year). You can opt for the MagicJack Plus which costs $30 more but does not require an actively running PC, so it pays itself off in utility bills in just 6 months compared to the standard MagicJack.<br />
<br />
Initial (equipment) cost: <b>$40 for MagicJack; $70 for MagicJack Plus</b><br />
Annual or monthly rates: <b>$19.95/yr</b> (unlimited calling in US, Canada, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands)<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Number porting fee: </span><b style="background-color: white;">$19.95 one-time fee</b><span style="background-color: white;">, then</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><b style="background-color: white;">$9.95/yr fee</b><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">for having landline or mobile number ported to MagicJack</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://readareview.webs.com/magicjack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://readareview.webs.com/magicjack.jpg" width="320" /></a>The heavily advertised $19.95/yr rate for unlimited calls across US/Canada is appealing, but as the adage goes, you get what you pay for. There are lots of online forums deriding MagicJack for its poor customer service. There is no published customer support phone number on their website; you are directed to go through the online chat.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">One benefit of Magicjack is, as a USB tethered device, you can easily take it with you on the road to hotels, airports, and business trips. As long as you have a wired connection to the Internet, your phone service is always running. The portability and convenience may be worth the negatives in needing a powered computer and poor customer service.</span><br />
<br />
Website:<br />
<a href="http://www.magicjack.com/">http://www.magicjack.com</a><br />
<br />
Detailed reviews:<br />
<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703444804575071582715212268.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703444804575071582715212268.html</a>
<br />
<a href="http://www.timeatlas.com/reviews/reviews/magicjack_phone_not_quite_ready" style="background-color: white;">http://www.timeatlas.com/reviews/reviews/magicjack_phone_not_quite_ready</a><br />
<a href="http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/07/22/magicjack-plus-review/">http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/07/22/magicjack-plus-review/</a>
<br />
<a href="http://www.financefoodie.com/2012/06/magic-jack-plus-it-really-is-magic.html">http://www.financefoodie.com/2012/06/magic-jack-plus-it-really-is-magic.html</a>
<br />
<h2>
</h2>
<h2>
<a href="http://www.finsmes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ooma_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="70" src="http://www.finsmes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ooma_logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></h2>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;">Ooma has received a strong backing from Consumer Reports, which as of May 2011 rated it the #1 VoIP solution). Costco sells the Ooma for $150, but retailers like Office Max and Sears have been selling the Ooma for as low as $110.</span></div>
<br />
Initial (equipment) cost: <b>$200 retail</b> ($150 at Costco, but has been on sale for as low as $110)<br />
Annual or monthly rate: <b>varies by taxes (generally $4-6/mo), Ooma Premium is $9.95/mo in addition to monthly taxes </b>(unlimited calling in US only)<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Number porting fee: <b>$40</b> (waived if you pre-pay one year of Premium service)</span><br />
<br />
Ooma's monthly fees are only in taxes. You can <a href="https://go.ooma.com/tax_calculator">specify your zip code here</a> to find the exact monthly rate you will pay.<br />
<br />
There are two tiers of service - Standard (Telo) and Premier. Ooma Telo should suffice for most individuals, as the Premium tier includes a slew of advanced features that most callers never use. You can review the <a href="http://www.ooma.com/products/ooma-telo/features">Ooma Telo (Standard) </a>and <a href="http://www.ooma.com/premier/features">Premier</a> features. There are two features lacking in the Standard tier that I think are inexcusable, however - Caller ID Names and Blacklist numbers.<br />
<br />
Ooma's customer service is based in the Philippines.<br />
<br />
For international callers, Ooma offers a standard per minute rate (which can be outrageously high) or a monthly 1000-minute package for $11.95 (2 cents a minute). <a href="http://ca.ooma.com/products/international-rates">See Ooma's International Rates here</a>.<br />
<br />
Website:<br />
<a href="http://www.ooma.com/">http://www.ooma.com</a><br />
<br />
Detailed reviews:<br />
<a href="http://www.epinions.com/review/Telo_Free_Home_Phone_Service/content_554967273092?sb=1">http://www.epinions.com/review/Telo_Free_Home_Phone_Service/content_554967273092?sb=1</a>
<br />
<br />
<h2>
<a href="https://billing.voipo.com/order-res/images/logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="46" src="https://billing.voipo.com/order-res/images/logo.gif" width="200" /></a></h2>
<span style="background-color: white;">This is the VOIP provider I currently subscribe to, so I have thorough experiences on which to base my review. VOIPo is owned by Host Gator, so there's the added confidence of a reputable company behind its business model compared to Ooma. I have used VOIPo for 13 months, and I have appreciated its prompt customer service and no junk fees.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Initial (equipment) cost: </span><b style="background-color: white;">none, but factored into prepaid 2-year service</b><br />
Annual or monthly rate: <span style="background-color: white;"><b>$185 for 24 months</b> ($7.12/mo)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Number porting fee: </span><b style="background-color: white;">$0</b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">There is just one tier of service, which I appreciate. Review </span><a href="http://www.voipo.com/voip-features.php" style="background-color: white;">VOIPo's feature set</a><span style="background-color: white;"> here.</span><br />
<br />
VOIPo's customer service is based in Southern California, so it's US-based.<br />
<br />
For international callers, VOIPo offers 60 minutes of free international calls to "eligible" countries on any package. The standard per minute rate after that is better than the other VOIP providers. For international-heavy callers, you can buy the optional monthly 1200-minute add-on for $7.95 (less than a cent per minute). In terms of international calling packages, VOIPo has the best rate I could find. <a href="http://www.voipo.com/international.php">See VOIPo's International Rates here</a>.<br />
<br />
You can try VOIPo completely free for the first 30 days (no junk return fees), and if you use coupon code <b>6082747460 </b>you will get a free month of service should you agree to keep your subscription.<br />
<br />
Website:<br />
<a href="http://www.voipo.com/">http://www.voipo.com</a><br />
<br />
Detailed reviews:<br />
<a href="http://www.whichvoip.com/voip/user_reviews/voipo-voip-review.php?page=all&mode=">http://www.whichvoip.com/voip/user_reviews/voipo-voip-review.php?page=all&mode=</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vonage.com/images/common/logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vonage.com/images/common/logo.png" /></a></div>
I excluded Vonage from consideration because their overall prices have been inching closer to telecom prices and many of my peers have jumped off of the Vonage bandwagon for several years and have never looked back. I only did preliminary research of Vonage and was convinced their international calling rates were too high to warrant my consideration.<br />
<br />
For international callers, the Vonage World Plan is the best option, but it is only a $15.99/mo introductory rate for the first 6 months (no taxes or fees), after that it is $25.99/mo. Given the more cost effective options in Ooma and VOIPo, Vonage isn't really a good deal.<br />
<br /><br />
<h2>
<span style="background-color: white;">Closing Thoughts - Ooma for US Callers, VOIPo for International</span></h2>
<b style="background-color: white;">Ooma</b><span style="background-color: white;"> and </span><b style="background-color: white;">VOIPo</b><span style="background-color: white;"> are the two options I would strongly suggest you look into. The bottom line - if you are strictly intending to make unlimited calls within the US, then Ooma is the more cost-effective option after 24 months. The initial equipment cost will pay itself off in under 2 years, and from there you will literally only be paying for monthly taxes (which as of writing should be under $4/mo in most areas of the US) to continue unlimited service. </span><span style="background-color: white;">There have been concerns with Ooma's business model and whether they can sustain themselves in the intense VoIP market but they seem to be proving this over the last few years.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">If you are heavy on international calls, VOIPo offers a more generous international calling package (200 more minutes than Ooma for $4 less/mo. </span><span style="background-color: white;">VOIPo requires less in up-front cost (no equipment fee) and includes free number porting. VOIPo also provides free unlimited calling to US/Canada, wheras Ooma only covers calls within the US. </span><span style="background-color: white;">I like that VOIPo does not push for tiered service plans so most of the features you would possibly want are included, with no obvious omissions such as Caller ID names and blacklists.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">I found VOIPo combines an impressive feature set, very responsive customer service, and a more valued international calling package that it was the better choice for me.</span><br />
<br />
Please share your experiences with any of these (or other) VOIP solutions.<br />
<br />
<i style="background-color: white;">Notable but not mentioned: Nettalk Duo, PhonePower, skype (softphone) and GizmoProject (softphone)</i><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-36591567750340385532011-12-21T23:02:00.000-06:002012-02-06T01:03:35.116-06:00Building My Video Editing PC<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Updated February 5, 2012</i> - Here are the specs for my custom-built video editing PC, mainly to utilize Adobe Premiere/After Effects CS5.5.</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ASUS P8Z68-V Pro motherboard</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Intel i7 2600k CPU</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eVGA NVIDIA GTX 570 HD Superclocked Edition video card</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Corsair Vengeance 16GB DDR3 PC10666 memory</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Intel 320 Series 160GB SSD boot drive</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 x Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB 7,200RPM scratch drives (in RAID 0)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seasonic X750 80 Plus Gold power supply</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooler Master 690 II Advanced chassis</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooler Master 212 EVO CPU cooler</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Windows 7 Professional x64</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Total cost (before taxes): $1,106</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The key to building this within my budget was <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">patience</span></i>. Start to finish, it took about 4 months to wait for individual components to go on sale within my targeted price range. I subscribed to deal alerts at <a href="http://slickdeals.net/">slickdeals.net</a> to notify me when each component in my wish list was at a discount, and relied exclusively on purchasing from newegg.com, amazon.com, frys.com or Microcenter.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went with a Windows-based PC instead of Apple out of personal preference to the Windows 7 x64 OS, as well as the fact I wanted more long-term expansion than what any pre-configured Mac could provide. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I had to go with a laptop video editing solution, I would have chosen the Lenovo Thinkpad W520 instead of a MacBook Pro.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of the prices below are before taxes.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Motherboard (ASUS P8Z68-V Pro) and CPU (Intel Quad Core i7 2600k) combo - $410</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Intel i7 2600k has a $100 premium over the i5 2500k at the time of writing, but the benefit with hyperthreading should help with HD non-linear video editing. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Main feature set in the MB that helps with short-term future-proofing is USB 3.0 and SATA6 interface support. Microcenter had a $80 off any Z68 motherboard with the purchase of an i7 CPU, which came out as the best deal I could find anywhere, online or B&M.</span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://slickdeals.net/f/3322124-Microcenter-B-M-i5-i7-Z68-Motherboard-deal-40-off-any-board-with-2500k-80-off-with-2600k"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://slickdeals.net/f/3322124-Microcenter-B-M-i5-i7-Z68-Motherboard-deal-40-off-any-board-with-2500k-80-off-with-2600k</span></a>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Video card (eVGA NVIDIA GTX570 HD Superclocked Edition 1280MB GDDR5) - $260</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since I'm going to be using Adobe Premiere and After Effects CS5.5 almost exclusively for this video editing rig, I prefer leveraging the CUDA support of NVIDIA cards as opposed to ATI. Mercury Playback Engine (MPE) is supported out of the box without a software hack, otherwise the price-friendly 560Ti would have been my second choice. The NVIDIA Quadro cards just have too high of a price/performance ratio to make it worthwhile for me.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Microcenter (B&M) had a 20% off video card coupon, $20 rebate, and a separate promotion for a free digital download code for Batman Arkham City (PC), which were stackable. Sold the download code to get down to the $260 price. Pleased since I've always have been a fan of eVGA </span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://slickdeals.net/f/3294350-20-OFF-ALL-PCI-e-Graphics-Cards-MORE-COUPONS-at-Microcenter"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://slickdeals.net/f/3294350-20-OFF-ALL-PCI-e-Graphics-Cards-MORE-COUPONS-at-Microcenter</span></a>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>RAM (CORSAIR 24GB (6 x 4GB) DDR3 SDRAM PC10666, 1333MHz CMV4GX3M1A1333C9) - $55 ($25 out of pocket after selling two unused sticks)</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm loyal to strictly three memory brands - Corsair, Kingston or Crucial. Ridiculous value for 16GB, although not 1666Mhz (who's complaining for the price?). 9-9-9-24, 1.5v, this $55 rebate-based deal was too good to pass up. The ASUS z68 V-Pro motherboard only has 4 RAM slots, so I sold two unused sticks to offset the out-of-pocket expense.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://slickdeals.net/f/3734082-24GB-6x4GB-CORSAIR-Vengeance-DDR3-1600-Desktop-Memory-55-after-20-Rebate">http://slickdeals.net/f/3734082-24GB-6x4GB-CORSAIR-Vengeance-DDR3-1600-Desktop-Memory-55-after-20-Rebate</a>
</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Boot OS Hard Drive (Intel 320 160GB SSD) - $105 </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The write speeds are not the strongest relative to other SSD drives, but the reality is that Intel has the highest reliability and the 320 series is no slouch. I would have preferred the SATA6 speeds found in the Crucial M4, but it was unavailable. The Intel 320 160GB model had an appealing Black Friday discount with a free Battlefield 3 (PC) digital download code, and using Newegg's Iron Egg price guarantee, I was able to knock off another $20 one month after I bought it. Sold the digital download code for $25 to offset the cost.</span><br />
<a href="http://slickdeals.net/f/3612301-Intel-320-Solid-State-Drives-120GB-SSD-w-Battlefield-3-download-155-after-120-rebate-80GB-SSD-w-Blacklight-Retribution-T-Shirt-Beta-Game-10-Newegg-Gift-Card-80-After"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://slickdeals.net/f/3612301-Intel-320-Solid-State-Drives-120GB-SSD-w-Battlefield-3-download-155-after-120-rebate-80GB-SSD-w-Blacklight-Retribution-T-Shirt-Beta-Game-10-Newegg-Gift-Card-80-After</span></a>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Scratchpad Hard Drives (2 x Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7,200RPM drives) - $80</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Offloading the video editing and scratch pad space to a pair of RAID-0 1TB drives made more sense to me than using a single 10,000RPM Velociraptor or a pair of SSD drives which don't help for non-linear editing. Due to the Thailand flooding, finding decent hard drive deals near Black Friday 2011 was close to impossible, but newegg pulled through at put the Samsung Spinpoint F3 drives on sale for $80 a piece. Combined with a stackable $20 off $40 newegg coupon promotion via Google Deals, I landed a pair of drives for $80 total. Only thing I wish I had was the SATA6 speeds, but all of the prices were jacked post-flooding.</span><br />
<a href="http://slickdeals.net/f/3094190-SAMSUNG-Spinpoint-F3-HD103SJ-1TB-7200-RPM-32MB-Cache-SATA-3-0Gb-s-3-5-Internal-Hard-Drive-Bare-Drive-50-Shipped-after-promo-code-newegg?"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://slickdeals.net/f/3094190-SAMSUNG-Spinpoint-F3-HD103SJ-1TB-7200-RPM-32MB-Cache-SATA-3-0Gb-s-3-5-Internal-Hard-Drive-Bare-Drive-50-Shipped-after-promo-code-newegg?</span></a>
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<a href="http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/63782/newegg-40-newegg-credit-for-20"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/63782/newegg-40-newegg-credit-for-20</span></a>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Case (Cooler Master CM 690 II Advanced) - $50 after rebate</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Researching for a mid-sized ATX case was the most difficult piece of the entire system. There are just way too many options for a solid chassis out there, with varying levels of cable management, cooling and desk appeal. My suggestion is to stop by a Microcenter or Frys if you have one near you, since these stories have a much wider selection of tower cases to examine. The Corsair 400R, Lian Li Lancool PC-K62, Cooler Master HAF 922 and HAF-X were all contenders, but for me the 690 II Advanced featured the best feature/price ratio I could find. At the time of writing, the U.S. still does not stock the USB 3.0 version of the CM 690 II Adv, so I was stuck with the USB 2.0 ports only. However, if you buy a CM 690 II today, they do include the rubber grommets and larger CPU sink space than previous builds.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Power Supply (Seasonic X-750 Gold 750W) - $109</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I could have opted for a $60 Antec Gamer series PSU (non-modular), but I really did not want to skimp on quality with the power supply so I went with one of the best. This was probably the most luxurious option I went among all of the components in my system. This is most likely more power than I really need for a single video card setup, but the Seasonic quality and brand name appealed to me much more than Antec, and I really grew to appreciate modular power supplies for making cable management so much easier.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3604546">http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3604546</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>OS (Windows 7 Professional x64) - $30</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Upgrade license (digital download) available only to students, but fortunately all you need is an .edu e-mail address to get the deal. Register for a free alumni e-mail from your university, or befriend someone who's in college now. The digital download allows you to burn the ISO and use it for a clean install, not just an upgrade.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2805913">http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2805913</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Optical Drive (Lite-On LightScribe 24X SATA DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive) - $24</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not much research put here, just went with a drive with solid reviews. One disappointment of this drive is that the disc tray is grey and thus does not blend into the black mesh of the CM 690 II Advanced case.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lite--LightScribe-Layer-Drive-IHAS424-98/dp/B002SIMPXM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312949457&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/Lite--LightScribe-Layer-Drive-IHAS424-98/dp/B002SIMPXM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312949457&sr=8-1</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>CPU Cooling Fan (Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO) - $13</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For limited i7 overclocking, the Hyper 212 Plus/Evo coolers are the best bang for the buck. The Noctua DH-N14 is the premiere option and can be found for $50 online at times, but I was concerned with fan clearance issues with the motherboard RAM slots. The CM 212 Evo revision fuses all four heat pipes for improved conductivity than its 212 Plus predecessor. I stuck with the stock thermal paste which appears quite good although I have not done a comparison with the best-of-breed Arctic-5.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065</a></span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #1c1c1c; color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>After-market chassis modding</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835242011" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prolimatech Blue Vortex 140mm case fans</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> * 3 = $39</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835242017">Prolimatech Blue Vortex 140mm blue LED fan</a> - $13</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835242014">Prolimatech Blue Vortex 120mm case fans</a> * 2 = 24</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Antec+-+TriCool+120mm+Case+Cooling+Fan+-+Clear/9297897.p?id=1218080198541&skuId=9297897&st=Antec%20120mm&cp=1&lp=2">Antec TriCool 120mm case fan</a> - $10</span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005C31G30/ref=oh_o02_s00_i00_details" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NZXT Sentry Mesh Fan Controller w/ 5 30-watt channels</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - $25</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/CB-8P-8-Pin-Motherboard-Extension-Premium/dp/B0036ORCJY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328501321&sr=8-2">NZXT CB-8P motherboard power extension cable</a> - $8</span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-Maximum-Vented-Covers-AEROSLOTS-BP/dp/B0040JHMIA/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328502357&sr=8-2-spell" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Silverstone Aero Slots (black)</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - $5</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Techflex 1/2" 25ft cable sleeving</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vanco-160009-Electrical-Tape/dp/B003KZJEG8/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1328506519&sr=1-5">25ft electrical tape</a> - $2</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Total price: $1,106.00</b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comMadison, WI, USA43.0730517 -89.40123019999998642.9861292 -89.561198699999991 43.1599742 -89.241261699999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-399889924052327351.post-53865592245980754522011-05-22T19:03:00.001-05:002011-05-29T22:01:55.608-05:00How to setup VOIPO service with AT&T U-VerseOne of the few things I found challenging with VOIPo is that they did not include any manuals or instructions when they mailed the VOIPO ATA. I am sharing the steps I used in the hopes it will save you some time.<br />
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<br />
<b>My Equipment</b><br />
<ul><li>AT&T U-Verse 3800HGV-B (any ISP Residential Gateway or router will do)</li>
<li>Grandstream HT502 (VOIPo ATA adapter) - this is what VOIPo mailed me within 3 days of signing up</li>
</ul><br />
<b>Networking Terms</b><br />
<ul><li><u>Router/Gateway</u>: The network device that provides the Internet services into your home. Should include at least one built-in LAN port that you can link to the ATA. Can be an all-in-one device such as </li>
<li><u>ATA</u>: The device you received from VOIPo. This is the unit that will serve all of your VOIP services and needs to be connected to your home network.</li>
</ul><br />
<b>Resources:</b><br />
<ul><li><a href="http://www.voipo.com/help/%20">http://www.voipo.com/help/ </a></li>
<li><a href="http://voipo.com/help/article/grandstream-h502-installation-guide-17.html">http://voipo.com/help/article/grandstream-h502-installation-guide-17.html</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.grandstream.com/user_manuals/HT502_User_Manual.pdf">http://www.grandstream.com/user_manuals/HT502_User_Manual.pdf</a></li>
</ul><br />
<b>Setup:</b><br />
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1. Connect the provided ethernet cable between your gateway/router LAN port into the WAN port of the ATA. The LAN port will not be used.<br />
2. Plug in the provided AC adapter so the ATA turns on. Wait 1 minute for the unit to fully boot up.<br />
3. Open a web browser and log into the gateway or router device you connected to the VOIPo box (ATA). For the vast majority of routers, the default address is http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.1.254. If you are using AT&T U-Verse, you can also navigate to http://gateway.2wire.net/<br />
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For steps 4-6, you need to read the manual for the router you are using. Each vendor may have different steps involved, and firmware varies as well.<br />
<br />
4. Assign a static IP address to the VOIPo adapter. <br />
5. Enable port forwarding and forward the following port ranges to the static IP. Make sure to forward the entire range of ports and not just the first and last port:<br />
<ul><li>UDP 5004-65000</li>
</ul>6. Disable the SIP ALG feature if your router supports this. The current firmware of AT&T U-verse's gateway does not support disabling SIP.<br />
7. Check with VOIPo support if you are using other VOIP devices on your network. My setup instructions assume only VOIPo will be used to connect a maximum of two phones.<br />
<br />
Notes:<br />
AT&T U-verse's gateway does include a DMZPlus mode. I did not use this feature and found my VOIPo service to work perfectly fine without it.<br />
<br />
VOIPo Mailing address:<br />
4500 Campus Drive<br />
Suite 380<br />
Newport Beach, CA 92660Unknownnoreply@blogger.com