How To: Configuring MPV for Best Video Quality Including 4K Upscaling
This article covers the current recommended graphics stack for MPV across Windows, Linux, Android, and Apple platforms, with specific configuration settings for 4K upscaling. MPV has no native Metal backend, so Apple devices running macOS, iOS, and tvOS have historically been limited to OpenGL, a graphics API Apple deprecated long ago. However, Mac users can now route Vulkan calls through MoltenVK via Homebrew, yielding measurable performance gains over the deprecated OpenGL path. Continue reading How To: Configuring MPV for Best Video Quality Including 4K Upscaling
Review of Allegro Coffee Beans (Another Trip to Whole Foods)
Allegro Coffee’s whole-bean line at Whole Foods spans a range wide enough that roast selection materially changes the character of a milk-based espresso drink. This review tests several offerings against that specific use case. Organic Continental Blend earns our top recommendation; while some lighter roasts produced flat, grain-forward results that steamed milk amplified rather than softened. Continue reading Review of Allegro Coffee Beans (Another Trip to Whole Foods)
How To: Play HD Radio on Your Mac
HD Radio is embedded in more than 35 percent of new U.S. car radios but is incompatible with every Wi-Fi speaker platform, including Google Cast and Airplay. This article explains how to build a local HD Radio server using an RTL-SDR USB dongle and open-source software on a Mac. Continue reading How To: Play HD Radio on Your Mac
Synology DS1817+ Network Attached Storage (NAS) Review & Configuration
The Synology DS1817+ is an eight-bay NAS running a quad-core Intel Atom processor with SHR2 RAID, capable of surviving the simultaneous loss of two drives without data loss. This review covers hardware configuration, file system selection, file sharing protocols, and security hardening for a demanding home prosumer environment. Btrfs goes beyond what EXT4 offers by adding automatic file self-healing and snapshot replication, but migrating between the two on Synology requires a full volume rebuild. Continue reading Synology DS1817+ Network Attached Storage (NAS) Review & Configuration
Cooking: the Best Cookbook Collection
Twenty years into collecting cookbooks, I’ve learned that the best volumes focus on the “how” of the kitchen rather than just the “what.” If you are building your own library, I recommend prioritizing fundamental technique books that serve as the foundation for the rest of your collection. This article names the specific titles that have earned permanent shelf space in our home. Continue reading Cooking: the Best Cookbook Collection
How To: Using a Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard with an Amplifi Guitar Amplifier
The Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard is an advanced foot controller that is designed for hands-free control of Line 6’s Firehawk, Amplifi, and Spider lines of guitar amplifiers. The FBV 3 features five assigned footswitches with color-coded LED rings that synchronize to specific amplifier settings and effects. This guide examines how the hardware integrates with Amplifi systems while managing MIDI software via USB. Continue reading How To: Using a Line 6 FBV 3 Pedalboard with an Amplifi Guitar Amplifier
Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker with WiFi Review
Anova built its reputation on laboratory instruments before entering the consumer kitchen market. We test the WiFi-enabled Precision Cooker, examining its hardware specs, mobile and voice-assistant setup, and step-by-step use for sous vide cooking. Central to our experience is the Anova mobile app, which served as the primary interface for pairing, configuration, and monitoring a cook remotely. Continue reading Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker with WiFi Review
Introduction to Sous Vide Cooking
Conventional pan-frying overcooks the outer layers of meat to guarantee a safe center, a problem Thomas Keller calls the “bulls eye effect.” This article introduces sous vide, the precision water-bath method long used in professional kitchens, and covers equipment, technique, and why it produces more consistent results than conventional heat. Achieving doneness within a single degree fundamentally changes how cooks define a finished dish. Continue reading Introduction to Sous Vide Cooking
Nikon D7500 Camera: Review & Comparison to the Nikon D500, D7200 & D7100
The Nikon D7500 shares its 20.9-megapixel sensor and EXPEED 5 processor with the flagship D500, giving it identical image quality at a lower price point. This review compares the D7500 against the D500, D7200, and D7100 across image quality, autofocus, speed, video, and battery life. The case for the D7500 weakens considerably once you account for its single card slot, reduced autofocus points, and the D500’s current street pricing. Continue reading Nikon D7500 Camera: Review & Comparison to the Nikon D500, D7200 & D7100
Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar Review
The P-90 pickup, originally designed by Seth Lover for Gibson in the late 1940s, was eventually displaced by the humbucker it inspired. This review covers the Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO, a limited-edition semi-hollowbody built around a revival of that single-coil design, including its construction, electronics, and real-world performance. The central question is whether the P-90 PRO’s characteristic clean sparkle and overdriven growl justify choosing it over a humbucker-equipped alternative. Continue reading Epiphone ES-339 P-90 PRO Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar Review
How To: Playing a USB-connected Guitar in GarageBand for Your Mobile Studio
The Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III has a USB output built directly into the guitar body, eliminating the need for a separate audio interface. I describe the exact cables and GarageBand settings required to connect it to an iPhone or iPad for your mobile studio. What makes the setup work is a specific two-cable chain that sidesteps a gap in the adapter market no single off-the-shelf cable currently fills. Continue reading How To: Playing a USB-connected Guitar in GarageBand for Your Mobile Studio
Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III Guitar Review
Upgrading from the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II to the Ultra-III centers on one key hardware addition: a built-in USB output that connects the guitar directly to a digital audio workstation. This review covers what changed between the two models and whether that upgrade justifies the switch. New ProBucker humbuckers, patterned after Gibson’s PAF-style BurstBuckers, are a notable addition alongside the USB interface. Continue reading Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III Guitar Review
Fujifilm X100F Camera: Review & Comparison to the Fuji X100T
The Fujifilm X100F uses the same 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III sensor as Fuji’s flagship interchangeable lens cameras, X-Pro2 and X-T2, with a processor that Fuji rates four times faster than the X100T’s. This review covers the upgrades to sensor, autofocus, viewfinder, and controls. Focus points expand from 49 to 325, which may finally resolve the X100T’s persistent target-acquisition failures. Continue reading Fujifilm X100F Camera: Review & Comparison to the Fuji X100T
Nvidia Shield Android TV: 2017 Hardware & Shield Experience 5.1 Review
The Shield TV continues to be an anomaly: in 2017, it is by far the most powerful media streamer and a capable gaming platform though not as advanced as the Xbox One or Playstation 4, but costing nearly as much. While Google focuses on stripped down Chromecast devices and Chromecast-enabled TVs, Nvidia singularly showcases the advanced functionality of Android TV including DVR, media serving, gaming, and now smart home capabilities. Continue reading Nvidia Shield Android TV: 2017 Hardware & Shield Experience 5.1 Review
Line 6 Amplifi 150 Guitar Amplifier Review
Line 6’s Amplifi 150 strips out the physical knobs and replaces them with an iPad app that controls over 70 amp models, 100 effects, and 20 speaker cabinets via Bluetooth. Here, we examine the remote app workflow and the hardware limitations discovered during testing. The amplifier performs differently in home practice versus live contexts, and the app-dependent control scheme is the reason why. Continue reading Line 6 Amplifi 150 Guitar Amplifier Review