Brain Thoughts

                      When thinking of a virtual machine, two different applications come to mind. First, when I was attempting to complete a Microsoft Azure certificate, they wanted us to know how to upload a patch to a machine with specific steps without launching the patch widely. The second was when I researched emulators for my MacBook to run a copy of Windows. The program in question is Parallels, and while I have a Windows desktop, I may try some comparisons on applications running the emulated versus local versions of the Windows OS. Here is more info on Parallels if running this sort of application also interests you.  

                      Upon reading about optical drives this week and learning about RAID last week, I delved a little too deep into how to modernly do what my father always did back in the day—burning movies, just not on a VHS tape. Today, HDMI is the universal cable that connects devices to screens so that they can enjoy the content they desire. With this and the rise in digital media, HDCP was created as a “handshake” between services and devices to help curb the ability to record content that is played off them. Have you ever tried to take a screenshot of a scene from your favorite Netflix show just for it to appear black and blank? That is due to HDCP, and justifiably so. Though I won't link directly to any of these devices, there are HDCP splitters available for professional use and for delinquents like me. However, to save face, it is hard not to want a physical copy of something you lo...

  Upon researching RAID systems and their benefits, I kept wondering about a project I had wanted to do for years. Though .99 cents a month for increased iCloud storage isn’t a big deal, it adds up. As camera advancements provide better quality, more significant storage is needed. Hence, a home server.   By utilizing one of my old PCs that is just collecting dust, I can create a server to back up my photos and videos locally and have a place to store digital movies and music with the ability to stream them to any smart device that can connect. I found this article on  Wired  and think that, with some of my spare time, I may just try to get one set up.   My biggest interest is that with streaming services and digital licenses, movies and television shows can disappear or move to another service at any moment. If I can set up a home server and have enough storage to rip my physical movies to stream, that headache will no longer exist.  The link to the Wired a...