Allow the Mac DVD Player to skip the commercials…

 Computers, Hardware  No Responses »
Nov 022010
 

Why won’t the DVD player in OS X allow me to skip certain content or change audio/subtitle tracks on certain DVDs? you ask.

Well, the first answer is UOPs, or user operation prohibitions, and the second answer is probably some sort of licensing blah-blah-blah that prohibits Apple from ignoring UOPs in their software.

But the real answer is that there’s nothing preventing you and me from modifying the DVD player software however we like. So here’s a patch to disable those annoying UOPs. It’s a simple bash shell script, easy to modify in a text editor should you be so inclined.

Warning: This modifies your DVD Player application, I did not create this, nor is anyone responsible for any issues that may arise.

Please remember to backup your DVD Player application before you applies this patch!

Here’s the link to the DVD Player patch.

 Posted by Benjamin at 11:58 am  Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Hello, want to kill some time? (Asteroids, in your browser)

 Fan Works, Humor, Recreation  No Responses »
Sep 292010
 

Want to destroy some web pages?  Github has a Javascript bookmarklet that will allow you to transform any web page into a game of asteroids.

Click here to kill some time?.  Or destroy some annoying web ads…

 Posted by Benjamin at 1:55 pm  Tagged with: ,

Keanu Reeves Discusses Live-Action Cowboy Bebop

 Misc, Recreation  No Responses »
Sep 162010
 

Actor Keanu Reeves (The Matrix, Animatrix, Johnny Mnemonic) discussed the current status of the proposed live-action Cowboy Bebop film project with the Collider movie news website in a Monday interview. Reeves premiered his new film Henry’s Crime at the Toronto International Film Festival on Tuesday.

When Collider asked for an update on the Cowboy Bebop project, Reeves responded:

I haven’t heard anything back. They turned in the script and it was very expensive. I don’t know if they’re going to…it would cost, like, half a billion dollars to make that script. So, I don’t know where it’s at right now.
Reeves had told MTV News last September that writer Peter Craig was rewriting the script. He added at the time that the producers were ‘just trying to pull it back’ in scope”

(See the Rest of the Story at Keanu Reeves Discusses Live-Action Cowboy Bebop – Anime News Network.)

 Posted by Benjamin at 6:35 am  Tagged with: , ,

Rochester International Airport Hydrogen Fire & Explosion

 Environment, Misc, SAN Loss  No Responses »
Aug 262010
 

There was a hydrogen fire and explosion at a renewable fuel station used by government vehicles near Rochester’s airport. The nearby freeway and airport was closed resulting in diverted flights. This may the first major incident at a hydrogen vehicle refueling station. GM has their major fuel cell development center nearby, in the town of Honeoye Falls. The fire occurred when the 18-wheeler tractor truck was transferring hydrogen to the station. The airport press conference reported that airport firefighters responded first and initially waited on the scene deciding how to respond. No news yet if the hard to see flames of hydrogen combustion contributed to this delay. The fueling station is also adjacent to a NY State Trooper station, and a firefighting training facility is a few blocks away.” RossR also provides a Police/FD Radio transcript. Luckily, no one was killed, and only two injured, including the driver.

via Google Reader (157).

 Posted by Benjamin at 5:17 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Python Indigo Restful API – Update

 Indigo & Home Automation, Python  No Responses »
Aug 152010
 

I have updated the SVN server, and now have a example command line application in there (device_report.py), it duplicates the device report plugin, reporting to screen or CSV file the devices that are in your Indigo Database.

Screen Example:


Device Name: Kitchen Task Lighting Icon
Description: None (N/A)
Address: 07.A0.B7
Device Type: ICON Appliance
Firmware: 2.8
Status: off
Last Updated: 2010-08-15


Device Name: Kitchen KeyPad
Description: None (N/A)
Address: 0B.49.F1
Device Type: KeypadLinc Relay
Firmware: 3.3
Status: on
Last Updated: 2010-08-15


Device Name: Bed Room Light
Description: None (N/A)
Address: 14.28.BF
Device Type: LampLinc
Firmware: 3.10
Status: 0%
Last Updated: 2010-08-15



CSV sample:

Device Name,Description,Addr,Device Type,Firmware,Status,Last updated
Kitchen Task Lighting Icon,None (N/A),07.A0.B7,ICON Appliance,2.8,off,2010-08-15
Kitchen KeyPad,None (N/A),0B.49.F1,KeypadLinc Relay,3.3,on,2010-08-15
Bed Room Light,None (N/A),14.28.BF,LampLinc,3.10,0%,2010-08-15
Master Bedroom Keylinc,None (N/A),0E.2B.08,KeypadLinc V2 Dimmer,2.13,0%,2010-08-15

 Posted by Benjamin at 7:33 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

Original Star Wars producer explains what went wrong after Empire Strikes Back

 Recreation  No Responses »
Aug 122010
 

What really would have happened in Return of the Jedi, if the script hadn’t been changed?  Why did the Star Wars movies start to go down hill?

Read the details from the Original Star Wars producer.

 Posted by Benjamin at 9:01 pm  Tagged with: ,

Indigo Security Script v3

 Add comments
 

The Indigo Security Script is a AppleScript applet for Indigo that is run anytime a Security Event has been received by Indigo.

The typical Security device is a DS10A X10 based magnetic reed sensor switch.  The sensor itself is very versatile, and can be used for a variety of tasks, including detecting:

  • Open Doors, and Windows
  • With Small modification detecting Deadbolt positions

The script itself when a event occurs, can do the following:

  • Sound a Chime  (Every time, or only on open events) on a device-by-device basis
  • Send a Growl Notification on a device-by-device basis
  • Play a Sound File on a device-by-device basis
  • Monitor for inactivate security sensors (eg. Low Battery Warning, Broken Sensor Warning)
  • Ignore the event on a device by device basis
  • Use Mac Text-to-Speech to speak the alarm
  • (Optional) Indigo Security Status Web Plugin (See below)

Security Script Version 3

The New version of the security script has been rewritten, and simplified in some ways…  But the installation (currently) requires a bit more than just installing the security script.

There are now two scripts.  Security Script v3, and Indigo Timers.  The Indigo Timers script is copy of the script from the Indigo Forums (originally written by Mac Pro, please see http://www.perceptiveautomation.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1926&highlight=timers for all the details on it’s features).  The main benefit is that this allows us to seperate the timer code from the security script, and allows the Home Automator use the timer code for other projects.

To Install:

  1. Download the Security Script
  2. Copy the Indigo Timer script to /Library/Application Support/Perceptive Automation/Indigo 4/Scripts/Background Tasks
  3. Now we need to start the script, everytime the Indigo Server Starts.  So define a new trigger “Indigo Server Startup” with a type “Indigo Server Startup”. No condition needed.  The action is to execute Applescript in a file. Select the Timer script in the Background Tasks folder. To start the script, you can restart the Indigo server or just execute the trigger.
  4. Copy the Security Script v3 into /Library/Application Support/Perceptive Automation/Indigo 4/Scripts/Attachments
  5. Please ensure that the old copy of the security script is moved out of the attachment script, but do not delete it.  You may want to revert at some point (or use it for testing purposes).
  6. At this point just update the Security script’s Alarm matrix.  See the security script for more details.

Versions for Download

Version History of Security Script

  • 3.00 – Fixed the path in the install instructions for the background & attachment scripts…  (Cut ‘n paste error)
  • 3.01 – Fixed an Applescript issue that could crash the script if a unrecognized sensor was detected.
  • 3.02 – Fixed an Growl issue that could crash the script
 Posted by Benjamin at 2:50 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,

Google: Fake antivirus is 15 percent of all malwareKn

 Computers, Tech Support, Virus Related, Windows  No Responses »
Apr 282010
 

According to a Google study, 15% of all malware consists of fake anti-virus (or Rogue Antivirus) software.  What does that mean to the average user, probably nothing, but are you sure that Antivirus warning you just received is really from your antivirus software?

Practically, this means that you need to be more aware of your antivirus software:

  • Know the name of your antivirus software
  • Make sure that your subscription is up to date, and that updates are occuring for both the Antivirus “engine” and the “definitions” file.  The Engine is the software itself, the definitions are what identify a virus to the engine.  So if your subscription expires you may still see engine updates, but your “play book” will be out of date and your software won’t recognize newer viruses.
  • If you receive a virus warning, make sure that pop up window refers to your antivirus software.  For example, if you run Sophos’s antivirus product, and you see a warning from “Windows 2010 Antivirus Defense”, chances are it’s a fake warning.  (Please note, you may also have “Windows Defender” running, that’s a anti-malware package from Windows).
  • If you see a valid warning, close all your applications, especially web browsers.  Don’t download anything, and run your antivirus software with a full scan…  If it detects anything attempt to clean it.
  • If you become infected, try running the Security Tango.
  • Why all this work?

    More recent fake AV sites have evolved to use complex JavaScript to mimic the look and feel of the Windows user interface,” the report continues. “In some cases, the fake AV detects even the operating system version running on the target machine and adjusts its interface to match.”

Fake antivirus is easy money for scammers, Provos said.

“Once it is installed on the user system, it’s difficult to uninstall, you can’t run Windows updates anymore or install other antivirus products, and you must install the [operating] system,” rending it unusable until it is cleaned up, he said.

Provos said when encountering a fake antivirus message, Web surfers should close the browser and restart the program. People who are duped by the scam may have to get professional help in cleaning up the computer, he said. They should also monitor their credit card accounts because scammers can use the credit card information for identity fraud.

  • Check the reputation of the antivirus packages that you are running, there are smaller companies that make antivirus packages that are not dependable.  Consider using AVG, Avast!, eTrust, and Panda Software’s Antivirus 201x for Antivirus.  For Antimalware, SuperAntispyware, Malwarebytes, and Windows Defender.  If your software is not on this list, please check reviews on cnet.com, or another trusted source.

Check out Google: Fake antivirus is 15 percent of all malware

 Posted by Benjamin at 8:09 am  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,
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