Category Archives: Uncategorized

New site

I am not updating this site any more.

All new content will be posted on the onsen.ca blog. Please point your browsers there for current updates and new content.

This site has grown a lot over the years, but it’s all very disorganized and I wanted a clean sheet start at a new blog.

Object Oriented PHP

Some links to reading material on OO PHP

http://code.tutsplus.com/tutorials/object-oriented-php-for-beginners–net-12762

http://knowpapa.com/procedural-to-oop/

http://www.davegardner.me.uk/blog/2010/11/21/why-you-should-always-use-php-interfaces/

 

Defining relationships in databases

http://blog.andreasartori.me/defining-relationships-among-database-tables-with-eloquent/

 

Finetuning cgminer

Some links relating to BAMT and/or finetuning the hash rate of cgminer:

https://coinaxis.com/index.php/tutorials/entry/how-to-configure-cgminer-for-bitcoin-litecoin-linux

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=379082.0

https://litecointalk.org/index.php?topic=4361.195

SMOS donation script
http://pastebin.com/LmdCHtrb

Remove the donation script in SMOS
http://www.republicofsoftware.com/republic-of-mining/remove-auto-donation-cron-jobs-from-smos-linux/

It seems like most people get max performance from their cgminer setup using the “-g 2” setting . That translates to “gpu-threads” in the cgminer.config file.
Will have to try that.

Quadcopter frame rebuild

The Turnigy micro quad V2 I bought from hobbyking was great for the first little while. Then with each crash more and more parts of the frame kept breaking despite my constant reinforcing of the frame after each crash.
So a few months ago I got to a point where patching up splintered frame made no sense anymore.
So I designed my own frame and 3d printed it.

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The white frame is the original frame that came with the quad and weighs 44g. The red frame is the new 3d printed frame and it’s a little heavier at 58g. Only 14g heavier.

So far I’ve flown the new frame for maybe 5 hours and crashed it more times I can count. A good number of crashes are hard landings on grass (so not very stressful top the frame) and another good number of crashes have been quite hard. Amazing into the fence from 10ft, of into the side of my house, or the tree in the back yard, or onto patio stones.
This new frame has takes A LOT of beating with no I’ll effect. Hard landings will break props (I have another bunch coming as I’m running out) but otherwise I’m surprised that everything seems to continue to work.

I’m actually thinking of refining the frame and making it lighter side it’s obviously too strong. It could end up lighter then the original frame if I design it right.

Why Waldorf?

I’ve been asked why I send my kid to a Waldorf school, and I didn’t have a quick answer so I thought I’d collect my thoughts on why a Waldorf education is the way to go. This is by no means comprehensive, so do your own research.

I think it’s not a question of  ‘why Waldorf’ but rather a question of ‘why not the public schooling system’.
To start, here are few videos by Ken Robinson explain this quite well (much better then I could explain):

Ken Robinson: Changing education paradigms | Video on TED.com Continue reading

AF assistant v3.1

UPDATE: Work has indeed started on the (near) IR version of this tool. Details on the AF Assistant IR 1.0 (in early development stages) can be found here.

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Right from the get go, i wasn’t the happiest with the v3.0 design (see v3.0 link for details of why I built this, and previous version history) of the AF assistant. The main concern i had with it was the sloppiness of the case, and the extra cables that were required (which some of you commented about on the hack-a-day post).
So I did some searching around at local electronics shops and came across a small case that has a battery compartment for one AA battery. Digikey also sells a version of the case in black, which I will grab for the next upgrade. Much sleeker then cream colored on a black camera, though more expensive then the $0.25 I paid for the cream colored cases.

About the same time, i received an order from DealExtreme for some line lasers i had ordered some time ago. So I put together a circuit based on the v3.0 design (plugs in the side of the camera in the remote trigger port) and i have added a dc-dc boost voltage regulator that takes any voltage (0.7volts and higher) and turns it into a constant 3.3volts (based on suggestions from the hack-a-day post comments). This is perfect since that means that regardless of what battery i use, (1.5v alkaline or 1.2v NiMH rechargeable battery) i can get a constant voltage to drive the line laser. Continue reading