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About Systm

Systm is the Do It Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. We will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. Read more

Patrick Norton

The latest from Systm: Episode 66 - Photo Archaeology

Using the power of digital photos, common web tools and photo sharing sites we show you how Cassidy Curtis is documenting the changes to living breathing cities that's accessible to almost everyone with the click of a mouse.

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Episode 47 - Overclock your PC
April 21st, 2008 - Back in the day, only the foolhardy overclocked a PC. Today? It's practically expected for home builders. We walk you thru the basics of getting free performance from your processor.

Episode 46 - Versalaser
April 14th, 2008 - Get an up close and personal view of the latest toy in our toolbox. Whether it's ceramic, wood or acrylic this thing can cut or etch near anything!

Episode 45 - Practically Free DIY WiFi Antennas
April 7th, 2008 - Cut and past your way to better WiFi reception? It costs pennies and takes the fabrication skills of a kindergartner... then bend a 6dBi Omni and a 10dBi directional out of copper wire!

Episode 44 - Create light with Mentos, save gas and generate free power!
March 31st, 2008 - 3 clever hacks: save on gas, use Mentos and Mt. Dew to create an emergency light and a way to harness the power of photons to create free energy.

Episode 43 - Pimp Your Laptop with Paint, Lasers and Fur
March 24th, 2008 - A fabulous mink wrapped notebook? Automotive paints, laser etching and water bubble finishes? It's one of our odder episodes of Systm.

Episode 42 - We Need A Bigger Cannon... and a VersaLaser!
March 17th, 2008 - 300 yard tennis ball hucks? No problem. Your questions about calculating barrel to air chamber ratios, finding fittings and what exactly Schedule 40 is? No problem. David's new Versalaser? Problem: he's out sick!

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iPhone 3G Headphone Adaptor

Posted by tbcompdesign on 09/02/2008 at 07:18:12 pm in Systm

Hey everyone,
After watching the ep on modding a bluetooth headset, which never actually happened ;), I decided I wanted to sup up the audio cable I use to connect my iPhone to my Car Head unit. It currently uses a straight audio cable. While this works fine for Music, podcasts and audio books, I have to disconnect it to make/receive phone calls.

My car stereo, a Sony MEX-BT2500, does have bluetooth but it BLOWS hardcore. Most people can't bear talking to me on it because of the microphone being encased in the head unit itself.

I want to create a cable that will plug into my iPhone with a 4 ring adaptor (Tip, ring, ring, sleeve) that can carry the audio to my head unit and also to a Mic that I can install on my dash closer to my mouth.

I've found the pinout for the headphone adaptor at *link*

The last thing I need, aside from a new Iron as I burned mine out recently, is a place to by a decent mic with some noise cancellation and the AV adaptor that connects to the iphone headphones jack. It is a 2.5mm 4 "channel' connector. Anyone know any good Suppliers?

Episode 65 - Vista Media Center: Wireless Keyboard

Posted by on 12/31/1969 at 04:00:00 pm in Systm

Mediaportal and remotes

Posted by SamH on 09/01/2008 at 05:57:28 pm in Systm

I've gotten mediaportal setup and running beautifully. I have it setup in my livingroom but currently i'm tied to using the keyboard and mouse to navigate the menus. does anyone know of a way to get a media center (or any remote) to work with mediaportal? Thanks!

Help / New DIY project

Posted by tokenuser on 09/02/2008 at 07:06:04 pm in Systm

This is going to sound like third hand rhetoric (because it is), but a friend of mine's mother was in advertising.

The ads are not louder. They can't do that. What they can do is shift the frquencies so that we perceive them as being louder - but the db is physically still the same. So, what you would end up doing is clipping the freqs that give the background ambience in movies and shows or allow the BOOOM of an explosion to be felt.

Oh, and violate your warrantee.

My TV comes with noise suppression. Its called the "mute" button, and when used in conjunction with watching 90% of programming buffered via DVR, allowing you to FF through ads, it has become far less of an annoyance.

Episode 66 - Photo Archaeology

Posted by Will_Stutler on 09/04/2008 at 05:17:48 pm in Systm

"

heres a thought that Pat might like (sorry Patrick just picking on you).....how about the two of you co-host the show

i know your a busy lady and might not beable to do it all the time or hell you might even think that this is the worst idea of all time

i think you have the talent to do it as do many others

What about a MacMini Media Center

Posted by ZeroRadius on 08/30/2008 at 10:50:53 am in Systm

I enjoyed the shows on mythtv and vista media center but what about the mac alternative. The mac mini is a supper small and quiet case and Elgato sells mac TV tuners that can do analog/atsc/qam on one small USB stick. I was thinking about setting one up myself and I wonder how the elgato software is and whether it integrates with itunes. Check out the tuners here:

*link*

ZeroRadius

Project Idea: Oil Cooled PC

Posted by Kamitsuna on 08/29/2008 at 09:09:52 am in Systm

I have this old Dell Optiplex that I use as a media box next to my TV. I bought the thing for 100 bucks from an army surplus. I wanted to take on some new project and I thought making a fully submerged PC cooling system would be fun. How about a show on how to make one?

For people who are unfamiliar with this, you can run a PC completely submerged in Mineral Oil in an aquarium. The up sides are that the computer is almost 100% silent if done right (you cant submerge the Hard Drive or the Optical Drive). The oil is also a great thermal conductor. The cooling works very well. The system with proper light looks friggen KICK ASS.

Anyway I think it'd be a fun project for System since they did the whole watercooling bit which kinda flopped with the car radiator not actually doing any good. This could be a fun follow up.

Technology and the future.

Posted by computoman on 09/04/2008 at 03:20:28 pm in Systm

Cliff is a cool guy. I read the book the Cuckoo's Egg and saw the pbs movie. Doing both puts all the pieces together. I read about two pages of the snake oil book and put it down. I have not read the soul of a new machine. Time to hit the library. I was lucky enough to talk to Cliff before the www via email. It is a shame,but he and his beautiful law student wife (at the time of the cuckoos's egg) broke up. I would have spent more time at home though to begin with. Smart women are the best. You don't have to explain anything to them. They just get it.

Episode 65 - Build a Great Vista Home Theater PC!

Posted by Zenji on 09/01/2008 at 03:07:12 pm in Systm

There was some quick discussion on the episode about wireless keyboards for media center PCs. I use the Adesso WKB-4000US. It's a small 2.4Ghz unit with a built in track pad. I picked it up at Microcenter for about $90.00. I'm sure it can be found cheaper online but I was in a hurry.

Product Link:
*link*

zenji

Episode 65 - Status

Posted by chuckles on 08/25/2008 at 03:19:52 pm in Systm

"

You're right!! Gave it a lil prune juice and the next thing you know.. the bits just flew across the ether!!

Enjoy the show!!

-chuckles-

Systm News

Revision3 Launches Incubator - “Revision3 Beta”
08/14/2008
In the bad old days, if you want to get a show on TV you had to head to Hollywood, suck up to guys w... read more »

Systm episode 64 Delayed
08/11/2008
We've had a few complications with our DIY projector, and unfortunately we won't be able to bring yo... read more »

Revision3 Up on YouTube
07/09/2008
Want to see something cool? Head over to our brand new R... read more »

Epic Fu Comes to Revision3
06/06/2008
This truly is an epic announcement. I’m overjoyed to say that the amazingly entertaining, cool an... read more »

Internet Television Leader Revision3 Announces Interest in Science and Stuff
04/01/2008
San Francisco, CA --- Revision3 Corporation, the TV Network for the Internet generation, has announc... read more »

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