Their food prices are comptetitive and the place is comfortable. The wifi service at my local shop is blazing fast. The signal is from the unprotected dollar store next door, but they don't seem to mind too much.
I have to say, if you are going for a whole house setup, have the walls open, and want any type of quality - buy some wire. I bought my house almost completed (model home - I was in a hurry), and just gave up on wireless two weeks ago after 6 months of wasting time. Running the cable took a day. My house is 3900sq ft including the basement and I ran cable to 4 locations (for now)that break out to 7 different devices (desktops, DLink DSM-320, XBox, JetDirect). I centralized my networking (Router, VOIP Modem, Cable Modem, Switch, Media Server) and could not be happier with the results. Wireless is great for the laptop (running 54Mbps/G), but is less than suitable for high quality music. Video can be done, but your bandwidth is going to bet hosed as soon as someone begins talking on the cordless phone or using the microwave. You could even run a dedicated wireless network (dirt cheap), but the bandwidth is not there. I am good to go now, and can upgrade to GOC when the need arises. If I would have had the choice, I would have run structured wiring through the whole house, and may do that yet. Even in a finished home it is not terribly difficult (I have become somewhat fond of my fish tape and Rotozip).
As far as coordinating music in different locations is concerned, you have options. Most of them are expensive.
If you run:
Speaker wire: I have done this on a large residential install for some very nasty and particular people (my parents). A basic system ran about $8k. For each zone you will need an amp and you will need to install an ohm balancing volume switch (and don't forget your IR repeaters). This system style is old-school, but will have the highest fidelity and the highest material and install cost. www.nilesaudio.com and www.rotel.com
Cat5E (non-network): (Don't bother with 6 now) You can buy systems that push the music to a zone controller which contains a small amp just for that zone. This is very flexible by old-school standards. Packages can be all inclusive. Moderately priced. See www.nilesaudio.com
Cat5E (Network): www.sonos.com. Way expensive for what you get, but I still want it. It looks like everything I want save the lack of videos, pictures, and open source.
My rant: I figure if there is already a PC in the room that has memory to cache music, than why can't some client software run a some kind of crc to validate that the music is coordinated? I have nice (for computer) speakers on all my machines, and don't need a timbre matched system. What is so hard about coordinating clients? I don't know - that is probably why I have not solved it myself. That part I don't have down yet, but I have to say stick with wires. Seeing that 100Mbps light up is soothing...
Being geeky is great, but you are in over your head if you are asking these basic questions. The mower itself is a simple, slow, electric device. The commercial versions operate like a Roomba whereas they do not follow a prescribed path, but run so often you cannot tell where it has NOT been. This is due to the fact that the devices low (and considerably safer)speed cutting device is only processing an eighth of an inch of grass at a time. The constant running of the machine in random patterns helps to satisfy both the needs of the lawn (low impact, mulching, etc) and the needs of the homeowner (the lawn always appears to stay the same height, no work, etc). The machine is kept 'in boundary' by RF. You can modify an underground dog fence kit (about $60) to provide you with a boundary. I also recommend:
1. An attitude kill switch so when the thing rolls onto it's back, it shuts down.
2. Bump sensors (on the Roomba)
3. A lightweight plastic deck
4. String Trimmer for the cutting (they make extremely high quality aftermarket string that is two orders of magnitude beeter than the stuff that comes with the trimmers)
5. A toe sensor for the curious neighbor kiddies.
6. Remote control
7. Warning flags - There is no precedent for a injury caused by a robotic lawnmower - YET
I actually considered a project like this, then I realized how much time it was going to take. I calculated my time, the cost of the parts, the hit to my insurance, and the ill will of my neighbors and bought a big honkin tractor. I spend about twenty minutes cutting 1/2 an acre.
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Brilliant! Those Russians - What will they think of next? A worldwide network of computers utilizing a universal language to communicate? Brilliant!
Their food prices are comptetitive and the place is comfortable. The wifi service at my local shop is blazing fast. The signal is from the unprotected dollar store next door, but they don't seem to mind too much.
I have to say, if you are going for a whole house setup, have the walls open, and want any type of quality - buy some wire. I bought my house almost completed (model home - I was in a hurry), and just gave up on wireless two weeks ago after 6 months of wasting time. Running the cable took a day. My house is 3900sq ft including the basement and I ran cable to 4 locations (for now)that break out to 7 different devices (desktops, DLink DSM-320, XBox, JetDirect). I centralized my networking (Router, VOIP Modem, Cable Modem, Switch, Media Server) and could not be happier with the results. Wireless is great for the laptop (running 54Mbps/G), but is less than suitable for high quality music. Video can be done, but your bandwidth is going to bet hosed as soon as someone begins talking on the cordless phone or using the microwave. You could even run a dedicated wireless network (dirt cheap), but the bandwidth is not there. I am good to go now, and can upgrade to GOC when the need arises. If I would have had the choice, I would have run structured wiring through the whole house, and may do that yet. Even in a finished home it is not terribly difficult (I have become somewhat fond of my fish tape and Rotozip). As far as coordinating music in different locations is concerned, you have options. Most of them are expensive. If you run: Speaker wire: I have done this on a large residential install for some very nasty and particular people (my parents). A basic system ran about $8k. For each zone you will need an amp and you will need to install an ohm balancing volume switch (and don't forget your IR repeaters). This system style is old-school, but will have the highest fidelity and the highest material and install cost. www.nilesaudio.com and www.rotel.com Cat5E (non-network): (Don't bother with 6 now) You can buy systems that push the music to a zone controller which contains a small amp just for that zone. This is very flexible by old-school standards. Packages can be all inclusive. Moderately priced. See www.nilesaudio.com Cat5E (Network): www.sonos.com. Way expensive for what you get, but I still want it. It looks like everything I want save the lack of videos, pictures, and open source. My rant: I figure if there is already a PC in the room that has memory to cache music, than why can't some client software run a some kind of crc to validate that the music is coordinated? I have nice (for computer) speakers on all my machines, and don't need a timbre matched system. What is so hard about coordinating clients? I don't know - that is probably why I have not solved it myself. That part I don't have down yet, but I have to say stick with wires. Seeing that 100Mbps light up is soothing...
The Krauts are at it again. Colonel Hogan already knows and has formed a plan to blow up the secret superbaby factory.
Being geeky is great, but you are in over your head if you are asking these basic questions. The mower itself is a simple, slow, electric device. The commercial versions operate like a Roomba whereas they do not follow a prescribed path, but run so often you cannot tell where it has NOT been. This is due to the fact that the devices low (and considerably safer)speed cutting device is only processing an eighth of an inch of grass at a time. The constant running of the machine in random patterns helps to satisfy both the needs of the lawn (low impact, mulching, etc) and the needs of the homeowner (the lawn always appears to stay the same height, no work, etc). The machine is kept 'in boundary' by RF. You can modify an underground dog fence kit (about $60) to provide you with a boundary. I also recommend: 1. An attitude kill switch so when the thing rolls onto it's back, it shuts down. 2. Bump sensors (on the Roomba) 3. A lightweight plastic deck 4. String Trimmer for the cutting (they make extremely high quality aftermarket string that is two orders of magnitude beeter than the stuff that comes with the trimmers) 5. A toe sensor for the curious neighbor kiddies. 6. Remote control 7. Warning flags - There is no precedent for a injury caused by a robotic lawnmower - YET I actually considered a project like this, then I realized how much time it was going to take. I calculated my time, the cost of the parts, the hit to my insurance, and the ill will of my neighbors and bought a big honkin tractor. I spend about twenty minutes cutting 1/2 an acre.