This is exactly what I am in the process of doing, in my house.
Ethernet has already been strung all over the place, and I've set up a 250GB (total) fileserver to be placed in the basement. After that, a client computer at each television / stereo system will be all that's necessary for the ability to listen to any piece in a huge collection of music, on demand.
In addition, with video-output hardware in the client computers (onboard most modern motherboards, anyway), there's the possibility to watch stored video on nearby televisions.
FIRST's (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) annual robotics competition has been supplying high school-based teams from all over the United States, Canada, Brazil, and the UK, with motors from power drills, car window mechanisms, powered van doors, and motorized camper jacks for years, now.
I would assume that any problems you'd see with precision could be remedied by gearing the stepper motors down (increasing the ratio of steps to distance), and by using a fine point dremel bit or endmill.
I, personally, have a huge interest in both mechanical and electrical engineering, so I think that a project like this could be quite fun, despite the fact that you may think it's "unconditionally useless." I even have a couple stepper motors laying around...
If the CIA were to sell this software to the NSA, then they (the NSA) would be able to do wacky (read: invasive[pervasive?]) things with cell phone converstions, but they do already, so I'll just shut up now...
Eh, just reply with thoughts.../me looks foreward...
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This is exactly what I am in the process of doing, in my house.
Ethernet has already been strung all over the place, and I've set up a 250GB (total) fileserver to be placed in the basement. After that, a client computer at each television / stereo system will be all that's necessary for the ability to listen to any piece in a huge collection of music, on demand.
In addition, with video-output hardware in the client computers (onboard most modern motherboards, anyway), there's the possibility to watch stored video on nearby televisions.
FIRST's (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) annual robotics competition has been supplying high school-based teams from all over the United States, Canada, Brazil, and the UK, with motors from power drills, car window mechanisms, powered van doors, and motorized camper jacks for years, now.
Check out the FIRSTrobitcs.net galleries for pictures of the kinds of robots we make.
It's not BattleBots or Robot Wars. The goals are never to destroy an opponent. The program is focused on education.
Words can't do it justice.
</shameless plug>
I would assume that any problems you'd see with precision could be remedied by gearing the stepper motors down (increasing the ratio of steps to distance), and by using a fine point dremel bit or endmill.
I, personally, have a huge interest in both mechanical and electrical engineering, so I think that a project like this could be quite fun, despite the fact that you may think it's "unconditionally useless." I even have a couple stepper motors laying around...
*cough* Forrest Gump *cough*
If the CIA were to sell this software to the NSA, then they (the NSA) would be able to do wacky (read: invasive[pervasive?]) things with cell phone converstions, but they do already, so I'll just shut up now... Eh, just reply with thoughts... /me looks foreward...
argh
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http://stomped.com/shared/nsystem/comments/13850_1 _page_1.php
DailyRadar has recieved official denials of this whole thing, but their server is actin' funky right now...