...if you want to keep them permanently challenged.
You may initially not have to provide tech support, but you will eventually. Grandma will want to know how to do all the things her friends can with their PCs, and you'll not only have to teach her how to use a computer, you'll have to un-teach her WebTV.
It works exactly as I described. The pipeline itself carries heat into the ground with the flowing oil. If the pipeline is warmer than ambient air, the heat will flow to the surface. In the summer, the heat pipes have frozen the ground much more than would normally occur, so the permafrost does not recede as far in the summer.
I'm an electrical engineer, but it's basic thermo so I think I've got a handle on it;-)
"About a little guy that lives in a blue world And all day and all night and everything he sees Is just blue Like him inside and outside Blue his house with a blue little window And a blue Corvette And everything is blue for him And himself and everybody around Cause he ain't got nobody to listen
I'm Blue da ba dee da ba daa I'm Blue da ba dee da ba daa"
Well, Microsoft DOES have an Eiffel plugin for.NET! Any guesses what song rights they will buy, when they launch their new standard development language?
Here's a science project: take a cup of hot water, like really hot tap water. Then drop in some raw egg white. What you'll see, over a short period (but far from instant), is that the egg white becomes solid. That's because the proteins in the egg white are denaturing.
Proteins denature at temperatures not incredibly far above body temperature, and the rate increases with rising temperature. Your cells are full of proteins, and prolonged exposure to temperatures that simply feel really warm can damage them. It does have to be for a pretty long time.
Don't worry about hot tubs and saunas, unless you plan to live in one. If you can stand the heat over your entire body, it's not hot enough to denature your proteins yet. I believe 160F is about where there is a danger, but IANAD.
There really isn't much liquid in these. If you shook one, I doubt you'd even hear a slosh. The heat pipes work by adjusting the pressure in the pipe so that the methanol is teetering between liquid and vapor state. So technically the heat pipe moves methanol "steam", and the liquid at any time is measured in droplets.
They work most efficiently in a vertical configuration (warm vapor rises, cool droplets fall), so Sandia's work is very useful: they are developing more efficient ways to transfer the liquid back to the hotspot in a horizontal configuration, via capillary action instead of gravity.
I remember sitting in on a presentation of heat pipe theory and applications.
The article talks about how the methanol vaporizes at one end, and condenses at the other. Then the liquid wicks back to the first end, where it can be vaporized again. You don't necessarily have to use methanol; the coolant is varied according to the temperature range you operate in.
The pipe pressure is carefully set so that the vaporization takes place at the optimal temperature. Usually these pipes are used in a vertical configuration, so that the vapor rises and gets to the other end more quickly, and the condensate sinks to other end quickly. The heat pipe behavior is then kind of like a passive heat diode.
A use for heat pipes was presented; apparently a lot of structures were sinking on the Alaska pipeline. When the ground was frozen, everything was fine...but the permafrost was receding in the warm months. The solution was to keep the ground frozen all the time, by removing heat from about 20 feet down. Heat pipes were constructed with a vaporization point at the desired temperature, and sunk into the ground at the problem areas. The ground stayed frozen, and the problem was solved.
Well, maybe just one hand on the wheel. About half the posts in this thread were whining about how the Asker would be typing with one hand and holding a cell phone in the other. As if you would want to listen to music, and manage playlists, while talking on the phone anyway.
Rev. 2 of the idea: volume control wheel next to the alpha-scroll. Or else modifier buttons, located on the *other* side of the remote where your fingers wrap around the steering wheel, allow you to change volume, bass, treble, and balance. I like the modifier button idea because there's still just one wheel, and the unused space on the back of the remote gets used. So how would you tell where the volume is, or if the stereo is balanced? Tick and center marks on the wheel with the text. Rotate wheel to whichever volume/balance you want, squeeze the modifer button first and then click the wheel. Or squeeze and hold while rotating the wheel. The buttons on the back would have touch-identifiable buttons since you wouldn't be able to see them, or perhaps the remote would use a red LED to light the remote while changing volume, green while changing bass, etc. with different LED combinations providing more colors. We're still well within the capabilities of a $2.50 microcontroller. Power may not be much of an issue, microcontrollers can go into sleep modes where they draw microamps, and the LED's could time out after a minute (maybe a nice fading effect), or only activate when the remote is being used.
I hate when I have ideas like this, because I rarely do anything about them. In 1998, I had just started freshman year in a college that required laptops. We were forced to use the laptops in a certain class while the LCD projector was running, and there wasn't much light to type by. I had the idea of putting a bright LED on a flexible wand, then using the laptop USB port to get the negligible power required. I got some parts, got distracted, passed the class, never did anything about it. So in 2001, I walked into a computer store, glanced at a rack of accessories, and was dismayed to see a stack of Kensington FlyLights retailing for $20. They still sell pretty strongly, and I've even seen people use them on their Macintosh keyboards with the USB ports on the sides. But I'm now comforted by the fact that a sort-of similar device, using a light bulb, was patented by a Taiwanese guy in 1997. So Kensington may have had to pay him a little bit.
So, uh, turn off the Beowulf cluster. I could calculate how many years it would take to find the phrase, but it would be a number similar in size to the one above.
It's probably been patented already, though. Since you're looking to buy one, I doubt you'll want to develop your own remote.
But I would build a remote that used a jog wheel, kind of like a mouse scroller. My mouse has 24 click positions, so a larger (1.5"-2") wheel could handle 36 clicks (26 letters and 10 numerals). Rotate the wheel to the desired character, click the wheel. An 8-bit microcontroller takes the encoded wheel position and outputs an IR code.
Not too fast for text entry, but perfect for navigating an MP3 title tree.
I'd make mine pretty compact, and clip it on the steering wheel at the 2 o'clock position, where it's easily adjusted and seen. And of course, the wheel would be made of clear acrylic, painted black, with the characters engraved around the edge, so it can be lighted with a blue LED.;-)
Heh, you don't need to be twelve years old to be dangerous. Just tired, bored, and slightly mischeivous.
Kind of like the other week, when I was just idly poking around my linux box. I started looking for little tricks with devices, and tried various things like cat/dev/urandom >/dev/dsp. Which of course resulted in a satisfying white-noise sound. The next, fateful step, was typing cat/dev/urandom >/dev/mouse. I was using a terminal emulator in KDE, and my cursor starting skittering and swooping around the desktop as if posessed. That was funny, until it started violently clicking random things, dragging windows around...at the same time it opened my "home" folder, I realized that the terminal window was logged in as root. The mouse frantically clicked items in my folder while I frantically tried to kick out of X, kill the process, reboot, anything! As the mouse jumped up a few directories and starting roaming, clicking and right-clicking at root level, I lunged for the power button. Before I reached it, the mouse closed its own terminal window, and the cat process.
That was the closest thing to terror I have experienced while using a computer. It won't happen again...to me.;-)
CmdrTaco excitedly grabs a large, hastily-wrapped box. He reads the tag aloud to all those nearby:
"From Timothy. Hi Rob, sorry I couldn't make it to the party. Here's something to take with you on the go; these can be really handy at times. I bought the last one the store had. Open the box to find out. Enjoy!"
CmdrTaco tries to guess what it is.
"Maybe it's a new Jornada! Or, one of those slick CD/MP3 players, or even an Archos!"
*shakes box vigorously*
"I bet it could be a new handheld GPS! Or maybe just a really good travel mug, I'd be happy with that!"
CmdrTaco rips into the box, unraveling layer after layer of bubble wrap and tissue paper. Finally he grabs something heavy, and plastic, and...orange. Pulling it out of the box, CmdrTaco sits staring at the "Safe-T-Hammer" in his hands, turning it over and over, reading the poorly translated description of its life-saving abilities.
CmdrTaco then remembers the last time he clicked on a Timothy article.
CmdrTaco lays the outrageously orange hammer on the couch next to him, places his head in his hands, and weeps silently.
I would therefore like to present my new invention, the Cell...er...Radio Boost...um...Zapper. Simply peel off the protective backing, and apply to the dash directly above your radio. The Zapping Technology (TM) uses a unique pattern of conductors that channel outgoing energy and dissipate it harmlessly. It will also be like having a FOUR FOOT ANTENNA on your car! I mean, it will protect your privacy in order to prevent others from spying on radio listening habits.
I mean, come on, he's talking about his track-powered light and says that at full power it was bright enough to read by, one foot away. It's like he never heard of a decent white LED.
Not sure why anyone thinks this stuff is cool, anyway. I dig cooler stuff out of my junk box before breakfast. Here's something I did one Sunday afternoon when I was bored. I did update the program, and now I can bookmark coordinates; *clickclick* on a list item and *whirrwhirr* the camera is on target. I plan to draw up some parts and write a HOWTO. Since it's tiny and clear, I've had people at my (otherwise uncluttered) desk wondering where the camera was. I've even done research into setting up a kit for people to build their own, and so far have the materials cost, including two RC servos, near $25.
BUT I would never write a novella about it in excruciating detail. Not to mention downright painful wording, pompous descriptions of everyday activities and products, and little asides that are supposed to be humorous, but leave you questioning the future of society.
And anyone who would publish close-up shots of himself kissing is sick. And his girlfriend is sick for putting up with it, if she knows.
Timothy, you posted the ENTIRE run-on account, of some guy fumbling with little toys.
It's not even like a model railroad club, with beautifully detailed mountains, towns, and tunnels did this. It's a guy with no clue ripping apart toys and sticking them together with rubber bands, and running a train around on his desk.
I thought it was "BU-DUM-CHING!" or just (rimshot).
But then, a cymbal is kind of like a gong. So maybe you were going for more of an Oriental atmosphere. Sort of like your comment was the wisdom of an ancient Zen master.
"Meditate on this my students, and learn the wisdom I speak. Why did the boy throw a clock into the air?"
Four hours pass....
"Students, you have meditated long enough, and the answer will be revealed. It is because the boy wanted to see time fly."
You seem to have researched your problem more than anyone else here would research it for you.
Document your results in the form of a HOWTO, or HOW-NOT-TO as the case may be. Just remember that active attacks are not necessarily your largest problem. Packets can still be sniffed off the air and analyzed, no matter what protocol you use.
Why bother with expensive, complicated solutions involving encoders/decoders when you can have an Axis Network Camera for $300.
The Video Server route is a lot more expensive ($800 per camera) but works with existing video cameras. I doubt that would save you any money, since plain NTSC video cameras are not very expensive.
You have to face the facts; that system is not exactly top-of-the-line audio equipment. But still, it seems that a $200 item shouldn't have a flaw like that right out of the box. Kind of reminds me of the new Compaq Evo computers they gave us at work. The sound hardware is horrible, and there is no isolation from the rest of the computer. So there's a continous humming, hissing, clicking and popping.
Anyway, many of the previous posters mentioned a few ideas that might help. One more thing to try though: it looks like the speakers are removable. Try disconnecting the speakers, then listening through the headphone jack. If the hum isn't there, attach the speakers and see if it returns. If the hum goes away with the speakers, then ferrite beads on the speaker wires MAY help. There is no guarantee though. The amps are probably not very carefully designed, and remember that a speaker coil has a lot of wire wound in it. That's not really a problem in FM, but remember that AM receivers use a lot of thin wire wound around a magnetic core...like a speaker. If this is the case, the speakers sound pretty cheaply made as well.
If the interfering station is AM, then you have an idea of where to try to fix this. Personally, the best solution seems to be returning the stereo. Find another model/brand, and if it doesn't have the annoying noise, the problem is solved. You can waste a lot of money on voodoo powerstrips and filters, and waste a lot of time fretting about the noise, wiggling different metal objects in the room, and twisting cables around just so. Just pack it up, take it back to the store, explain your problem, and say you'd like to try a different model.
On a side note, good quality speaker+subwoofer-only systems can be had for much less than $200. That would be my first approach to amplifying laptop and iPod audio. Check your store's computer section. I've never even paid for a set of computer speakers; one set came from a technical college that didn't want their bundled Labtec speakers; another set was free from a friend. Actually, on that last set I kept the subwoofer/amp section and threw away the cheap satellites...and used the speakers from a dead Sony bookshelf system. The sound is clean, and a bit more powerful than 15 watts per channel.
That was my point. If you want massively checked and proven code, as would be required when baring the source for everyone to see, you pay the price of slowed development.
You can compare NASA to the business world. If the business world had to do it the way NASA does (yes they HAVE to do it that way), development would be slowed to the point of being financially unfeasible.
Slashdot Mirror
...if you want to keep them permanently challenged.
You may initially not have to provide tech support, but you will eventually. Grandma will want to know how to do all the things her friends can with their PCs, and you'll not only have to teach her how to use a computer, you'll have to un-teach her WebTV.
It works exactly as I described. The pipeline itself carries heat into the ground with the flowing oil. If the pipeline is warmer than ambient air, the heat will flow to the surface. In the summer, the heat pipes have frozen the ground much more than would normally occur, so the permafrost does not recede as far in the summer.
;-)
I'm an electrical engineer, but it's basic thermo so I think I've got a handle on it
"About a little guy that lives in a blue world
.NET! Any guesses what song rights they will buy, when they launch their new standard development language?
And all day and all night and everything he sees
Is just blue
Like him inside and outside
Blue his house with a blue little window
And a blue Corvette
And everything is blue for him
And himself and everybody around
Cause he ain't got nobody to listen
I'm Blue da ba dee da ba daa
I'm Blue da ba dee da ba daa"
Well, Microsoft DOES have an Eiffel plugin for
You can get burned without knowing it, easily.
Here's a science project: take a cup of hot water, like really hot tap water. Then drop in some raw egg white. What you'll see, over a short period (but far from instant), is that the egg white becomes solid. That's because the proteins in the egg white are denaturing.
Proteins denature at temperatures not incredibly far above body temperature, and the rate increases with rising temperature. Your cells are full of proteins, and prolonged exposure to temperatures that simply feel really warm can damage them. It does have to be for a pretty long time.
Don't worry about hot tubs and saunas, unless you plan to live in one. If you can stand the heat over your entire body, it's not hot enough to denature your proteins yet. I believe 160F is about where there is a danger, but IANAD.
...who cares?
Me, because the processor will now burst into flames.
Thanks for verifying my earlier post about this, above.
I was too lazy to find a link or two.
There really isn't much liquid in these. If you shook one, I doubt you'd even hear a slosh. The heat pipes work by adjusting the pressure in the pipe so that the methanol is teetering between liquid and vapor state. So technically the heat pipe moves methanol "steam", and the liquid at any time is measured in droplets.
They work most efficiently in a vertical configuration (warm vapor rises, cool droplets fall), so Sandia's work is very useful: they are developing more efficient ways to transfer the liquid back to the hotspot in a horizontal configuration, via capillary action instead of gravity.
I remember sitting in on a presentation of heat pipe theory and applications.
The article talks about how the methanol vaporizes at one end, and condenses at the other. Then the liquid wicks back to the first end, where it can be vaporized again. You don't necessarily have to use methanol; the coolant is varied according to the temperature range you operate in.
The pipe pressure is carefully set so that the vaporization takes place at the optimal temperature. Usually these pipes are used in a vertical configuration, so that the vapor rises and gets to the other end more quickly, and the condensate sinks to other end quickly. The heat pipe behavior is then kind of like a passive heat diode.
A use for heat pipes was presented; apparently a lot of structures were sinking on the Alaska pipeline. When the ground was frozen, everything was fine...but the permafrost was receding in the warm months. The solution was to keep the ground frozen all the time, by removing heat from about 20 feet down. Heat pipes were constructed with a vaporization point at the desired temperature, and sunk into the ground at the problem areas. The ground stayed frozen, and the problem was solved.
Well, maybe just one hand on the wheel. About half the posts in this thread were whining about how the Asker would be typing with one hand and holding a cell phone in the other. As if you would want to listen to music, and manage playlists, while talking on the phone anyway.
Rev. 2 of the idea: volume control wheel next to the alpha-scroll. Or else modifier buttons, located on the *other* side of the remote where your fingers wrap around the steering wheel, allow you to change volume, bass, treble, and balance. I like the modifier button idea because there's still just one wheel, and the unused space on the back of the remote gets used. So how would you tell where the volume is, or if the stereo is balanced? Tick and center marks on the wheel with the text. Rotate wheel to whichever volume/balance you want, squeeze the modifer button first and then click the wheel. Or squeeze and hold while rotating the wheel. The buttons on the back would have touch-identifiable buttons since you wouldn't be able to see them, or perhaps the remote would use a red LED to light the remote while changing volume, green while changing bass, etc. with different LED combinations providing more colors. We're still well within the capabilities of a $2.50 microcontroller. Power may not be much of an issue, microcontrollers can go into sleep modes where they draw microamps, and the LED's could time out after a minute (maybe a nice fading effect), or only activate when the remote is being used.
I hate when I have ideas like this, because I rarely do anything about them. In 1998, I had just started freshman year in a college that required laptops. We were forced to use the laptops in a certain class while the LCD projector was running, and there wasn't much light to type by. I had the idea of putting a bright LED on a flexible wand, then using the laptop USB port to get the negligible power required. I got some parts, got distracted, passed the class, never did anything about it. So in 2001, I walked into a computer store, glanced at a rack of accessories, and was dismayed to see a stack of Kensington FlyLights retailing for $20. They still sell pretty strongly, and I've even seen people use them on their Macintosh keyboards with the USB ports on the sides. But I'm now comforted by the fact that a sort-of similar device, using a light bulb, was patented by a Taiwanese guy in 1997. So Kensington may have had to pay him a little bit.
Sooooo....
9 5603736158096942448656344237229 53097649223054391601191008149981899982676074051128 4845846468104 222383860866332220252629748631260199958355147 00445145153856524512198896688242885131345142227242 588556194154804006820840889 68760939037126038734529760350803987739899986482962 807554069 01498136231454654001646886921881251183973 84816774681730386953418928827990736202476228827711 08925486632965859241033 96495875593582385836890634380577452432194362089435 53751 6665370288042780876676144372584740270 84876619056751614412413210867546136619644940740089 8877384056761091794 77920658309755051689888358000432088349904348763109 8 623623266667200619733658076161343 77697421435214594941750234744257056741543495467320 555594526812955 14151079991912900246575863159132004499196756938 35012559922725139029199290816030799443559573586711 59471702944228502091852172043 88783887002433295056420701909737445015245025595739 19791647221 6046626773825530446877687849536667737585543 64007514403649065035663997689020989634388843032710 6353342406550110990355506 14930546567458692516747479225863650022156093597898 5255232 716970576941061851639055369889537517726 36128431121334986778153815734781439169263654682316 169353647083938706944 69991436142790619669533313006076809356958131404108 629 05891917640320608217347265291061656 51261056780306819502786689668831606379129413028721 81005048236479225 893577884732051023721218383928244456379622873525 3 4454351631899589631987643039873 03883674370743782889629171840700045444003488514759 9209009192722 586960730452114618083701309436735909547162789 18660402957674439674906117662725930387550344370100 031000454904460774159053947 45672637889847310769315336718181497614802378518237 16192319
39 characters. Each of which is drawn from a possible 256.
256*256*256.... == 256^39.
So your odds are 1/(256^39), or 1 to
1021568016110443029988932108209848027940639726640
99266798687225139
30659012450628749350546117526107980
893
039884836055211442523
396807341339892940048196017725019498679
4661938
6953461265966004652959546
7554805789160078564805708466502518235335903
51964328600
86520732672229309510586437178
64391343136552723933815799720313728892748654026
220141194251996
949772452099527397641119401738121
9
4563533317245018803
9692631458704116832791995596048853013
84451
97426329292289113858834
89424268798168401353444069527577236227036
575024501
691940871973005169306310992
499066121459916376521970299557736565630537987
7403879133479
2103616038165813569586672601930
1574281533314678806748800279592931796568088796843
59534971955955524
78293432183759883299924183849161382
571
014553154384158507285
349383551873291644839.
So, uh, turn off the Beowulf cluster. I could calculate how many years it would take to find the phrase, but it would be a number similar in size to the one above.
It's probably been patented already, though. Since you're looking to buy one, I doubt you'll want to develop your own remote.
;-)
But I would build a remote that used a jog wheel, kind of like a mouse scroller. My mouse has 24 click positions, so a larger (1.5"-2") wheel could handle 36 clicks (26 letters and 10 numerals). Rotate the wheel to the desired character, click the wheel. An 8-bit microcontroller takes the encoded wheel position and outputs an IR code.
Not too fast for text entry, but perfect for navigating an MP3 title tree.
I'd make mine pretty compact, and clip it on the steering wheel at the 2 o'clock position, where it's easily adjusted and seen. And of course, the wheel would be made of clear acrylic, painted black, with the characters engraved around the edge, so it can be lighted with a blue LED.
Heh, you don't need to be twelve years old to be dangerous. Just tired, bored, and slightly mischeivous.
/dev/urandom > /dev/dsp. Which of course resulted in a satisfying white-noise sound. The next, fateful step, was typing cat /dev/urandom > /dev/mouse. I was using a terminal emulator in KDE, and my cursor starting skittering and swooping around the desktop as if posessed. That was funny, until it started violently clicking random things, dragging windows around...at the same time it opened my "home" folder, I realized that the terminal window was logged in as root. The mouse frantically clicked items in my folder while I frantically tried to kick out of X, kill the process, reboot, anything! As the mouse jumped up a few directories and starting roaming, clicking and right-clicking at root level, I lunged for the power button. Before I reached it, the mouse closed its own terminal window, and the cat process.
;-)
Kind of like the other week, when I was just idly poking around my linux box. I started looking for little tricks with devices, and tried various things like cat
That was the closest thing to terror I have experienced while using a computer. It won't happen again...to me.
That's not really the ice cream they are cooling...it's a stock photo! Just wait until someone figures out the true identity of the ice cream.
My fridge *already* says "Baby, this your appetite speaking" whenever I look at it. Or at least that's what the voice in my stomach tells me.
Scene at CmdrTaco's house, Christmas Day:
CmdrTaco excitedly grabs a large, hastily-wrapped box. He reads the tag aloud to all those nearby:
"From Timothy. Hi Rob, sorry I couldn't make it to the party. Here's something to take with you on the go; these can be really handy at times. I bought the last one the store had. Open the box to find out. Enjoy!"
CmdrTaco tries to guess what it is.
"Maybe it's a new Jornada! Or, one of those slick CD/MP3 players, or even an Archos!"
*shakes box vigorously*
"I bet it could be a new handheld GPS! Or maybe just a really good travel mug, I'd be happy with that!"
CmdrTaco rips into the box, unraveling layer after layer of bubble wrap and tissue paper. Finally he grabs something heavy, and plastic, and...orange. Pulling it out of the box, CmdrTaco sits staring at the "Safe-T-Hammer" in his hands, turning it over and over, reading the poorly translated description of its life-saving abilities.
CmdrTaco then remembers the last time he clicked on a Timothy article.
CmdrTaco lays the outrageously orange hammer on the couch next to him, places his head in his hands, and weeps silently.
I would therefore like to present my new invention, the Cell...er...Radio Boost...um...Zapper. Simply peel off the protective backing, and apply to the dash directly above your radio. The Zapping Technology (TM) uses a unique pattern of conductors that channel outgoing energy and dissipate it harmlessly. It will also be like having a FOUR FOOT ANTENNA on your car! I mean, it will protect your privacy in order to prevent others from spying on radio listening habits.
I already have access to a large stock of these revolutionary devices.
I mean, come on, he's talking about his track-powered light and says that at full power it was bright enough to read by, one foot away. It's like he never heard of a decent white LED.
Not sure why anyone thinks this stuff is cool, anyway. I dig cooler stuff out of my junk box before breakfast. Here's something I did one Sunday afternoon when I was bored. I did update the program, and now I can bookmark coordinates; *clickclick* on a list item and *whirrwhirr* the camera is on target. I plan to draw up some parts and write a HOWTO. Since it's tiny and clear, I've had people at my (otherwise uncluttered) desk wondering where the camera was. I've even done research into setting up a kit for people to build their own, and so far have the materials cost, including two RC servos, near $25.
BUT I would never write a novella about it in excruciating detail. Not to mention downright painful wording, pompous descriptions of everyday activities and products, and little asides that are supposed to be humorous, but leave you questioning the future of society.
And anyone who would publish close-up shots of himself kissing is sick. And his girlfriend is sick for putting up with it, if she knows.
I can't believe Slashdot was assaulted with this.
Timothy, you posted the ENTIRE run-on account, of some guy fumbling with little toys.
It's not even like a model railroad club, with beautifully detailed mountains, towns, and tunnels did this. It's a guy with no clue ripping apart toys and sticking them together with rubber bands, and running a train around on his desk.
This is not cool, it's dumb.
"appalled"
Cymbal crash, eh?
I thought it was "BU-DUM-CHING!" or just (rimshot).
But then, a cymbal is kind of like a gong. So maybe you were going for more of an Oriental atmosphere. Sort of like your comment was the wisdom of an ancient Zen master.
"Meditate on this my students, and learn the wisdom I speak. Why did the boy throw a clock into the air?"
Four hours pass....
"Students, you have meditated long enough, and the answer will be revealed. It is because the boy wanted to see time fly."
GONG: BWAAASSSHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh......
"Thank you. I will be here all decade."
You seem to have researched your problem more than anyone else here would research it for you.
Document your results in the form of a HOWTO, or HOW-NOT-TO as the case may be. Just remember that active attacks are not necessarily your largest problem. Packets can still be sniffed off the air and analyzed, no matter what protocol you use.
Why bother with expensive, complicated solutions involving encoders/decoders when you can have an Axis Network Camera for $300.
The Video Server route is a lot more expensive ($800 per camera) but works with existing video cameras. I doubt that would save you any money, since plain NTSC video cameras are not very expensive.
*drum roll*
;-)
Everyone say hi to Xenocide from The Conversatron!
You have to face the facts; that system is not exactly top-of-the-line audio equipment. But still, it seems that a $200 item shouldn't have a flaw like that right out of the box. Kind of reminds me of the new Compaq Evo computers they gave us at work. The sound hardware is horrible, and there is no isolation from the rest of the computer. So there's a continous humming, hissing, clicking and popping.
Anyway, many of the previous posters mentioned a few ideas that might help. One more thing to try though: it looks like the speakers are removable. Try disconnecting the speakers, then listening through the headphone jack. If the hum isn't there, attach the speakers and see if it returns. If the hum goes away with the speakers, then ferrite beads on the speaker wires MAY help. There is no guarantee though. The amps are probably not very carefully designed, and remember that a speaker coil has a lot of wire wound in it. That's not really a problem in FM, but remember that AM receivers use a lot of thin wire wound around a magnetic core...like a speaker. If this is the case, the speakers sound pretty cheaply made as well.
If the interfering station is AM, then you have an idea of where to try to fix this. Personally, the best solution seems to be returning the stereo. Find another model/brand, and if it doesn't have the annoying noise, the problem is solved. You can waste a lot of money on voodoo powerstrips and filters, and waste a lot of time fretting about the noise, wiggling different metal objects in the room, and twisting cables around just so. Just pack it up, take it back to the store, explain your problem, and say you'd like to try a different model.
On a side note, good quality speaker+subwoofer-only systems can be had for much less than $200. That would be my first approach to amplifying laptop and iPod audio. Check your store's computer section. I've never even paid for a set of computer speakers; one set came from a technical college that didn't want their bundled Labtec speakers; another set was free from a friend. Actually, on that last set I kept the subwoofer/amp section and threw away the cheap satellites...and used the speakers from a dead Sony bookshelf system. The sound is clean, and a bit more powerful than 15 watts per channel.
Idiot.
That was my point. If you want massively checked and proven code, as would be required when baring the source for everyone to see, you pay the price of slowed development.
You can compare NASA to the business world. If the business world had to do it the way NASA does (yes they HAVE to do it that way), development would be slowed to the point of being financially unfeasible.