My Writings. My Thoughts.
Biostar TForce TF7050-M2 Review (part deux)
// October 17th, 2007 // No Comments » // technology
Made the decision to disable the HD audio to the HDMI port in the bios. I know, i hate workarounds too, but I wasted more than an hour looking for a solution, and i’ll never get that hour back. I could have been having fun playing “Phantom Hourglass” instead.
So, rather than waste more time talking about the motherboard with the flaw, I’m going to spend the rest of the time talking about how fun the “Phantom Hourglass” is. It is really fun. If you own 1 game for your Nintendo DS system, it definitely should be new super mario bros. If you can afford two, definitely pick up Zelda: The Pantom Hourglass… It has the same feel that made Zelda for the super nintendo so great – but since it uses a real 3d graphics engine and the stylus for all control, it’s way funner. It has sailing, so if you hated that in the Wind Waker, you’ll still hate it here… but at least the cannon is fun, and you can blast things to your heart’s contempt.
Biostar TForce TF7050-M2 Review
// October 16th, 2007 // No Comments » // technology
Got this motherboard for my latest build – Nice featureset – includes HDMI out, supports AM2 chipset, 2 sets of dual chanel ddr2 ram, 3 internal usb headers… all in all not a bad setup.
Threw XP pro up on the build and everything is smooth sailing, till we get to the High Definition Audio Bus. The drivers for the HD audio actually install fine from the enclosed driver CD, but this “Audio Device on High Definition Audio Bus” keeps popping up like it has no idea where it’s home is. Biostar, while their hardware value is prime, their website lacks – the US version of the site has dead links for the HD audio driver, and the global site thinks you’re looking for the setup executable (included in the installer… along with about 2 dozen other files that are needed) – it just barfs when you try to run it (duh! it’s like they threw the installer cd at some intern and said “put all these drivers on our website!” and he just started copying what he thought was right from the disc to the web!
Did a little googling on the problem, found some other people who had trouble with HD audio and fixed it with updated video drivers – “yay” i thought – a little unorthodox, fixing audio with video, but since it’s an integrated chipset, i figured, what the hey… Downloaded, installed & no dice.
Dug more on google, found generic realtek drivers for the same model/chipset (these should be the drivers from the biostar site) but alas, they were on some weird site, downloaded, installed, nada.
I’m starting to remember why I hate XP and new hardware so much
to be continued….
I can ride a 2-wheeler!
// July 23rd, 2007 // No Comments » // life
Over the weekend, we made the decision to remove Harmony’s training wheels. After advice from a number of people that she was tall enough to try, we figured that we should give her a few hours of attention over at Rockwell park to see how she does. Aria has been doing so well on harmony’s old bike that she didn’t stop riding the whole time! What a little trooper!
So after about a half hour of trying, we got a few feet out of Harm without too much success – and it took us at least that long to get into “patience” mode with the whole thing. Mel and i took turns walking behind her, holding her seat.
Ding dong! the Ice Cream truck pulls into the park and of course we all need some “refreshment” – so we sat on the rocks and ate Dora, Spongebob and the typical faire… Of course Mom and Harm finish first, so while I sat behind and helped Aria to not drip all over herself, Harmony goes and rides the length of the parking lot the first time out without help! Go figure!
By the end of the evening, she was starting out by herself, and beginning to take corners. The next night, we took over one of the upper parking lots over by the high school – she rode non-stop for 2 hours!
The Passing of P.A.M. and Our Short Trip to Canada
// July 8th, 2007 // No Comments » // life
This morning we’re leaving to return home after the better part of a week here in Simonds, NB Canada. Last Sunday, we had recieved the call that Percy Allen Milbury, Melody’s remaining grandfather had passed. He was 91 and died from complications of a broken hip and fluid in the lungs. Although we were sad, we were somewhat prepared, so we decided early monday that we needed to be up here for the family.
Wednesday was July 4th – We attended the funeral and visited with the “Milbury” side of the family – lots of really interesting folks from all over! After the receptin in Tracy Mills, we made our way over to Presque Isle to take Mom and Gram out for fireworks in Limestone. We had a wonderful visit with Mom; visited her at Baptist Park for dinner, and had a nice evening and Thurs. morning at the house. We stopped by Gram’s place in the afternoon for a nice little visit, and Visited my cousin Andrew and the cows (and buster the goat) up at the dairy farm before heading back across the border.
Friday, we visited at Julie & Sheldon’s camp – ran around on some Jetskis and ate way too much food. We got to meet Dakota, and the girls (especially Aria) had lots of fun playing with bubbles, special thanks to Aunt “Sweet Marshmallow” for bringing all the cool bubble stuff! After a not-so-honest but still just-as-fun game of Skip-bo with Grammy Graham, Julie, Alan, Dakota, Marsha and Me, we decided to call it a night and play “spot the moose” all the way home.
Saturday we borrowed some quads and took to the rain-soaked trails to check out the 4-lane they’re getting so close to finishing. Now, the funny thing about that, is that they were working on the four-lane highway to replace Trans-Canada route 2 since I was in college, back in 96-97. I guess that kind of project just takes an awful long time.
