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Why Cyclists Run Red Lights

It’s perhaps only cyclists who will have any sympathy for this – but as a pedestrian, driver, and cyclist in London, I happen to agree with it entirely. Any thoughts?

http://onthelevelblog.wordpress.com/2007/11/07/stop-at-red-the-ethics-and-politics-of-cyclist-red-light-running/

Edit, oh, and this: http://thebikeshow.net/the-physics-of-running-red-lights/

Posted in Uncategorized.

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DICE are still doing it right

DICE have confirmed that Battlefield: Bad Company 2 on PC will stick to the tried, tested, favoured formula of using dedicated servers for on-line play. Infinity Ward / Activision’s recent hit Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 had dropped support for such servers, to outcry from the PC and pro gaming community.

In my opinion DICE will see both Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 3 embraced by the community in exactly the same way that Battlefield 2 was – and still is some four years after release – with prize-winning tournaments still prevalent such as at the recent i38 gaming event.

http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com/battlefield_bad_company/archive/2009/10/26/dedicated-to-our-pc-players.aspx##

Posted in Angry Robbo, Gaming.

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Using DirectShow Video Acceleration for mkv VC-1 / h.264

Marc has written a ferocious guide on how to take the load off your CPU when watching HD rips on Windows Media Centre. Check it: http://marcroberts.info/2009/11/dxva-and-mkv-in-windows-7/

Posted in Solutions, Windows.


ATi driver support is still boring

Is it so unreasonable to put a consumer grade graphics card into a computer running Windows Server 2008 or 2008 R2? ATi seem to think so as they offer absolutely no driver support for either platform if using one of their myriad of Radeon cards. You might think you could just use the Vista or Windows 7 versions, what with them being the same driver model? But no, the installer just crashes on load. nVidia Geforce cards just work.

Furthermore, like a complete plum, I bought an ATi 4550HD for my new media centre. Well now every time I take the TV out of stanbby I have to reset the HDMI connection by either running a clever app or powering the TV off and back on . Why? Because ATi can’t be bothered to fix the issue with their drivers.

The lesson here is never move away from nVidia. They are just much better at supporting their products and customers. I’ll be replacing everything ATi both home and at work with nVidia as soon as I can.

Posted in Angry Robbo, Windows.

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blinkbox.com launches Paid Streaming

blinkbox logo
blinkbox.com has launched paid streaming with over 1,100 movies from Warner Brothers and Universal available to stream instantly.
It’s actually pretty good, you know.
Continued…

Posted in Internets, Vids.

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[woob]Robbo at i36 SF4 Final

A couple of vids below (remember to click HQ), of me getting beat by Affro in the i36 Street Fighter 4 final. Good banter throughout, though if he’d landed that super-taunt into ultra I think we would have fallen out. Last time I let him do one of those for the crowd :)

Posted in Gaming, Vids.


SkyHD update fixes single feed woes for flat dwellers

Hooray! Sky have added a single feed mode to SkyHD boxes for those of us stuck with just one cable coming into our living rooms.

This is a Good Thing. Many many customers have been crying out for this for a couple of years, so it’s about time.

Here’s how you do it: Sky article on how to put SkyHD into single feed mode

Posted in Solutions.


SQL on Windows Server 2008 – Remember to run SSMS with elevated privileges

Or just turn off UAC.

If you’re getting a login failed for your Windows user – which you’re sure you put in the sysadmins role – it’s probably because UAC isn’t pasing all your group memberships to SSMS when you run it, and therefore giving you access denied. If you check your SQL errorlog and you see something like this:

Login failed for user Username Reason: Token-based server access validation failed with an infrastructure error. Check for previous errors.

It’s probably UAC. Try right clicking and running as administrator and seeing if it goes away. Of course if you added your user explicitly you’re probably fine, but just to get a cluster up and running I added my domain admins user to the DB – and of course that’s a membership that UAC will mask.

Posted in Angry Robbo, Windows.

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Reverse Graffiti Project

What a wonderful way to create art – and to make us realise just how filthy the world is that we live in.

http://www.reversegraffitiproject.com/

Posted in Ramblings, Vids.


Raptor Gaming LH1 Headset review

Today I picked up a Raptor Gaming LH1 gaming headset. I needed them because I managed to break my decent set, and I needed a replacement pair quickly.

They only cost £18, but I still feel like I’ve been robbed. They are woeful. Avoid at all costs.

Perhaps if you only need them for VoIP you could consider them – mid-tones are the only sound they reproduce so I’m sure they’re great for conversations.  Mine will be going back to the shop.

I hope this note saves someone some money.

Posted in Ramblings.