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Aztech Homeplug 85Mbps HL105E Review

// February 26th, 2010 // No Comments » // Technical Know-It-All

Like all my reviews, I generally try not to cover too much of the technical specifications. Chances are, the fact that you are reading this, you would have probably covered the tech specs on the vendors website and looking for a users view on it.

So, a quick brief on the problem statement that I have and why my impetus for this product.

Recently, I was given a free gift (which happens to be small form factor PC, that works very well as a HTPC) from Starhub for renewing my SCV connection. I decided to deploy this in my bedroom as an extension for my Media Collection which is in the hall (running off my Synology NAS). The problem with this setup is that, the wireless connectivity between the bedroom and the hall is extremely week making video streaming unwatchable. In order for this to work, I needed a wired connection but I wasn’t ready to start running Ethernet cables all over the apartment.

In comes the Homeplug! I have always wanted to give it a try but have always been suss about the technology and how it works. I did a lot of read up on it in the past. The discussion of using electrical power lines to run data traffic, is usually something like a big taboo in the datacentre world. Interference, performance, data privacy and integrity usually the main concerns.

So, setting it up was somewhat a breeze. Just plug your network cable to the Homeplug and the other end to your router/switch/device and plug it into any power point in your home. Optionally you would want to set it up as a Private network cause you’d never know if your power lines at home is linked in someways to your neighbour’s. If it was the case, your neighbour can easily get a Homeplug and plug it into their power point, and you guys will be looking at data privacy being compromised. However, this can only be setup by installing the configuration software on Windows. (nothing for Mac)

While it is recommended that you setup a “Private Network”, by default it is set to “Homeplug Network” which is public. So if you choose to not configure it, just skip all of the above and plug in the cable and you are ready to go.

The top speed for the Homeplug is rated for 85Mbps which is a little short of the traditional 100Mbps. For the layman, usually when we talk 100Mbps, the max throughput would probably be rated at around ~75-80Mbps  given the overheads in the IP Protocol. So when the same is applied to the Homeplugs, the max throughput expected is around ~60-65Mbps.

First bandwidth test was to stream a HD mkv file from the NAS on to the HTPC (running Windows 7). The video was very jerky and barely watchable. I then ran streaming for a 700+MB avi file. It was a little better but still choppy at times. For a moment there, it seemed that 65Mbps was not cutting it for video streaming. This doesn’t make sense given that I was able to stream HD movies wirelessly on my Macbook while sitting next to my wireless router where bandwidth is way less than 100Mbps. At that point, it seemed like a link stability issue could be the cause. I ran a latency test between the routers and the Homeplug units and they were all ~2ms which somewhat seem to suggest that the link hasn’t got any issues.

To cut the story short, in the end it was Windows 7 that was the culprit because of a new feature implemented during the Vista deployment called “Network Auto Tuning”. Instead of making things better it made it worst. Once disabled, everything worked like how a wired network should and even 4GB mkv’s were streaming effortlessly.

The bad thing about the Homeplug is that it will consume 1 power point to itself given the size of the unit. I tried running it on a multi-point power distribution unit and also a multi-adapter 3-point plug, and I must say that the performance was still good. Alternatively you can always consider the HL109EP that allows the point to we reused (which is double the price of this unit). One thing I did noticed as well is that the Homeplugs doesn’t heat up a whole lot even though its turned on 24/7 which can be a good thing for some.

In summary, I would recommend this product for those who do not require an extremely high speed network at home. It works well for video streaming, music streaming, Internet and the occasional file transfers. But if you are planning to run high bandwidth applications like video editing to a NAS unit or something along those lines, you would probably be better off running a physical ethernet cable. Also, for those who are non-tech-savvy, it doesn’t get any easier to setup your home network with this.

Blackberry Bold 9700 vs HTC Magic

// January 26th, 2010 // No Comments » // Technical Know-It-All

I recently swapped my HTC Magic for the Blackberry Bold 9700. Here’s my take on both phones.

Form Factor
This is truly a matter of preference. In terms of size, the Magic beats the 9700 hands down. Slim and sleek, but the piano black finish makes scratches very visible and a fingerprint magnet. The 9700 on the other hand, has the traditional QWERTY and a leather back. Fingerprints are only visible on the screen. There are pros and cons to both the phones, and I like various aspects of both the phones.
Result : TIE

Scroll
The Magic spots the traditional Blackberry Pearl scroll ball while the 9700 runs with a touchpad equivalent. I must say that as much as I like the scroll ball, I was truly surprised by the touchpad. It is very very sensitive and much better than I expected it to be. The scroll ball implementation on the Magic is “appalling” at best. It is sluggish and there is no way you can tweak it. Compared with previous Blackberry scroll balls of the past, it is way behind.
Result : 9700

OS
The Blackberry OS has not changed ages. The only thing that has changed is the icons and resolution of the screen. It also comes with cumbersome menus (I don’t mind them, but blackberry newbies will find them a hassle). Having said that, the Blackberry OS is stable as a rock given its maturity. On the other hand, Magic runs the Google smartphone OS, “Android”. I was extremely excited with Android, that I swapped my iPhone for the Android. I must say, I am very disappointed. I had high expectations for Android given the strong community support but it is sluggish, buggy and just can’t stand up to iPhone’s robust and fluid OS. I want to believe it that Android is better but unfortunately, for me, I need a phone that works, not something I need to troubleshoot all the time.
Result : 9700

Battery Life
Another major issue I have had with the Magic was its ridiculously bad battery life. I will have it fully charged at 9am and under medium usage of email, calls and occasional SMS’s, you will find it at 10% by 4pm. This is unacceptable as a business phone. When compared with the 9700 under similar usage, I got 2.5 days of use out of it. That’s how frustrating it was with the Magic. Without a doubt, the 9700 is a clear winner.
Result : 9700

Text Input
This is a matter of preference. Comparing QWERTY and touch keyboards is probably not a fair comparison. So lets compare the Magic and iPhone. I have fairly fat fingers, and touch screens like the Magic & iPhone can be a pain. However, having said that, the iPhone has a larger screen thus the keys are much larger. Which makes it easier to hit the right keys. As for the Magic, my fingers were hitting every single key that I didn’t want it too. I must say that the iPhone has a more usable touch keyboard (for me at least). As for the 9700 QWERTY, it doesn’t feel as good as the Motorola Q9, but I would say that the keyboard is acceptable and comparable with other QWERTY keyboards in the market.
Result : TIE

Applications
This is where the Magic tends to beat many other smartphones. The developer community is strong so there are many apps in the market. As for Blackberry, slowly we are seeing more and more apps but generally apps for Blackberry don’t come free. As much as I think that the Magic has many apps, the weak hardware platform is a major setback.
Result : TIE

PC Sync
Both the phones have no issues syncing with Windows, so I will not comment much on that. How about Mac OSX? There is no sync software at all for the Magic for OSX. Blackberry on the other hand, released a very basic Blackberry Desktop Manager for the Mac after many years of requests from loyal users. However, the features are no where near the Windows variant, but its better than nothing I suppose. I would say the 9700 beats the Magic marginally here.
Result : 9700

Bottom Line
Both phones has it strengths, but if you are a power user like myself (who values stability and battery life over design) then I must say hands down that the Blackberry 9700 still stands out. The Android phones have yet to match the likes of the iPhone and Blackberry.

59 Seconds – Book Review

// January 14th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blogroll, Goodie Bag

I was recently recommended this book by a colleague of mine.

59 Seconds, How Psychology Can Improve Your Life in Less Than a Minute by Richard Wiseman.

Initially, I thought this was going to be more of a business management kind of book, but soon realised it is a Self-Help book. However, I must say that it is an interesting read. I’m very much a techie (as you might already know) and any studies that has scientific backings usually interests me.

This book is very much in that alley!

It looks at happiness, motivation, persuasion and others from a scientific angle. For example, the usual self-help books will tell you to always visualise positive thoughts and etc., but never really had any proof that it works. The author of this book tells you exactly why positive thoughts doesn’t always work and backs it up with sample studies and etc.

If you are not into self-help books, it is still a good read (take it like an article you come across in a magazine). Not the type of book that requires you to read cover-to-cover… “RECOMMENDED!”

TD1000A-X Tyredog Tyre Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) Review

// January 13th, 2010 // 5 Comments » // Blogroll, Technical Know-It-All

With frequent trips between Singapore and KL, recently I have decided to get myself a TPMS unit. There are a few reasons for this.

1. The NS Highway has been known for its dodgy “hit & rob” incidents. Doesn’t help with a Singaporean plate. Also good to know if your tyres are slowly giving way, so you can make a pit-stop at your nearest servo.

2. Running on flats at high speed, will pretty much render it unusable later (if you don’t know that your tyres are flat & you don’t have the luxury of run-flats).

3. No second guessing that your tyres are inflated correctly. Well inflated tyres generally are safer and has better fuel economy.

4. I don’t have a spare tyre (only a quick gel inflate and repair kit) and the fact that I like gadgets.

There are generally 2 variants of TPMS’s. The internal types and the external types. Internals usually require you to visit your nearest tyre store and have them fitted into your tyres. These are great if you are afraid of theft and generally they look like any other tyre from the outside. The external ones on the other hand are usually simple installs where you just screw on the monitors onto your existing tyre valves. These are more theft prone given that they some what stick out like a sore thumb.

Tyredog is of the “external” type.

My first impression on this unit was “wow, this unit is quite chunky and big”. It was much bigger than I expected it to be.

Specification

Monitor
Size : 91mm (L) x 73.5mm (W) x 22mm (H)
Weight : 100gm
Battery : 2 x AAA (can also be powered via the ciggie port)

Sensors
Size : 20.5mm (D) x 20mm (H)
Weight : ~10gm
Battery : CR1632 (for each sensor)

The monitor unit is probably the size and thickness of a mini-predated-PDA albeit it being light weight. The monitor is made of plastic and covered with rubbery coatings to make it anti slip. It has 3 buttons on it which allows you to toggle the Beep, Temperature/Pressure, and Lights. On the side of it, there is an On/Off switch. It is powered by 2 x AAA’s or alternatively, you can have it connected to the cigarette port in the car. I personally use the AAA’s because my ciggie port is used by the GPS. It also comes with a suction mount which is made of extremely cheapo plastic.

The sensors are chunky little knobs and based on the marketing material, they are black and supposed to blend in to the whole wheel setup. Don’t be completely fooled by this, the knobs are far from being “unnoticeable”. If you ask me if someone is going to notice it and try to pinch it, I would say it is very likely. Having said that, it does come with an additional collar to lock down the sensor with an allen wrench. Each sensor is also clearly labeled with markings for appropriate tyres. It is said that the batteries are good to power the unit for 1-2 years.

Setting it up was fairly easy. Just screw in the various sensors onto the tyre valves and turn on the monitor. It can take up to 5 mins before the monitor picks up any readings. Once it picks it up, then it will display the PSI values of each tyre on the screen. You can then setup the high and low pressure thresholds as well as temperatures. After that you are done! Pressing the light button brings out a bright orange light on the LCD of the monitor. The monitor and units will auto off if left on its own and a slight vibration will turn them on again (mine turns on when I open my car doors).

I have done close to 1500KMs on the unit and despite its appearance, I think it does what it is supposed to do, read the tyre pressure. However, there are things that you would probably want to watch out for. The sensors if not screwed in correctly, can slowly drain air out of your tyre to a complete flat. I had that happen the first time when I got out the next morning to find my front tyre completely flat. Also, the additional collar, while protecting the sensor from being stolen, can be quite a pain to tighten (nonetheless doable). I suppose it is not meant to be easily removed. Besides that, I would recommend this unit to anyone who is looking into getting a TPMS unit.

Mac OSX Time Machine Review

// December 30th, 2009 // No Comments » // Technical Know-It-All

Here is a quick review about Time Machine.

I have been using the Mac since the Tiger days and have always used rsync as a way to backup my files. Obviously with the recent OSX’s, Time Machine has been thrown in to the mix as a form of “backup”/”archival” utility. I finally decided to take the plunge and give it a go.

My setup was as such…
Directly connecting my Macbook Pro to the switch and running Time Machine backups to the NAS device on 100Base. (for the initial copy, and wireless for incrementals in the future)

The initial copy for 200GB took “ages”. I think it took somewhere between 10-12hours. Kinda lost track after a while.

Once the initial sync is done, its all hunky dory. For the new few days, I managed to do incremental backups over wireless effortlessly, and for a moment there, it’s the best thing since sliced bread.

As my job requires me to travel quite a bit, I don’t always get to sync it everynight. So it is pretty common that I have quite a good amount of changed files. It happened recently while I was away for a week and had to sync about 2GB over wireless. Mid-way through the sync, I stopped it and wanted to sync it up again later when I had the time.

When I tried the next time, Time Machine kept complaining it can’t sync and the removable drive was unreadable. After going through the web looking for a solution (which includes checking it for errors, mounting and remounting and etc), I chanced upon an article that explained why the backups on Time Machine is easily corrupted.

Apple usually recommends using Time Machine with Time Capsule. Apparently, the Time Capsule has more buffering cache to help it perform backups via wireless connections while 3rd party NAS are just not built that way. Having said that, even if you did use Time Capsule, it is also no guarantee that backups will never corrupt over wireless.

I knew it was too good to be true.

So for now, I have reverted back to wired connections for backups and I am currently trialling Carbon Copy Cloner. Will let you guys know soon!

This is the Time Machine!