Your other hobbies or interests?

[opiy]

I was just sitting here wondering if anyone else has other hobbies other than reef aquariums. Right now my biggest interest is in the aquarium but my other interests would be in my home theater and smaller interest in guns. I kinda bounce back and forth in the shooting interests but I would like to get more active in it one day and take some lessons. The home theater I don't ever was a hobby but it was interesting to me so I ended up getting some stuff. I will post some pics. I still need to get my center channel speaker so right now the salt water hobby is having to share $$ with the theater thing and buying Blu-Rays. No need to go to the theater anymore I know the wires are a mess but they are somewhat better now.

[Scott]

I like fooling around with computers but I am not into any of the old stuff. The thing that I have enjoyed most recently is setting up Opensuse 11.2 on a couple of laptops that are old.

I also like guns although I sold my some of my best so that my wife wouldn't have to work when my son was born. Right now I have a Ruger 10/22 and .300 Winchester Mag rifles and 22/44 pistol and a Colt Gold Cup National Match, S&W .38 and Rossi .38. I get the most use out of my Beeman pellet gun because I can shoot it whenever I like and it has really helped keeping my skills up.

[Fishfood]

I don't know if any of these will fall into the hobby category but here is what I got..

Working on the house... I'm always doing something that even some friends make fun of me. I like working on the house. Projects for this summer... Caulk the cedar siding and re-stain it, build a deck and maybe redo the master bathroom.

Vegetable garden. I just got into this. I've got a raised bed and I'm looking to do tomatos, cucumbers, and a few different peppers this year. we will see what happens..

Last but not least this is a full time project

[opiy]

I don't know if any of these will fall into the hobby category but here is what I got..

Working on the house... I'm always doing something that even some friends make fun of me. I like working on the house. Projects for this summer... Caulk the cedar siding and re-stain it, build a deck and maybe redo the master bathroom.

Vegetable garden. I just got into this. I've got a raised bed and I'm looking to do tomatos, cucumbers, and a few different peppers this year. we will see what happens..

Last but not least this is a full time project

Man you sound like a twin of my brother. I am sure this is what he would say also. I think he might add hunting also though.

[opiy]

I like fooling around with computers but I am not into any of the old stuff. The thing that I have enjoyed most recently is setting up Opensuse 11.2 on a couple of laptops that are old.

I also like guns although I sold my some of my best so that my wife wouldn't have to work when my son was born. Right now I have a Ruger 10/22 and .300 Winchester Mag rifles and 22/44 pistol and a Colt Gold Cup National Match, S&W .38 and Rossi .38. I get the most use out of my Beeman pellet gun because I can shoot it whenever I like and it has really helped keeping my skills up.

I tried the Linux thing for a little bit but I found I was over my head plus I didn't want to dedicate the time to learn it all. I am lazy with the .exe and .dmg installers where linux based while I was playing with it required more to install programs. It was cool though. The last OS I played with was Ubuntu. I am a big Mac person now. I can't stand windows.

I owned a Ruger 10/22 some years back and kinda wish I didn't sell it. They have gone up in price quite a bit since then. Most of the firearms I am into are more of a tactical style. I have a wish list of 3 guns. I think if I could get atleast 2 of them I would really want to take some lessons. Getting the $$ for them is the hard part

[Fishfood]

Well my wife gets pissed sometimes, more so recently since the baby is only 7 months and I try to get out of the house and do something. She went to Panama City to visit her parents this weekend and I stayed home. I stayed to do some work. I need to put in a french drain in the back of the house becuase I'm getting sitting water just off the back porch. What better time then when no one is around. I've also been working on building my raised garden. Anyway her parents sit and watch movies or tv all day. I just can't deal with that.

Once I build the stand for the 65 I'm going to see how well it turns out and then probably go for a new entertainment center and then maybe a bar or buffet or whatever you call if for the dining room. The killer is I have no garage or shed to work in. Oh well. Would be nice to have a table saw also but I think I can get by.

[strout]

Watching Super Bowl reruns over and over and over and over and over.

[Amphiprion]

I have lots, I guess. I like computers + home theater = home theater pc, weight lifting (haven't done this in about 1.5 years but I did it religiously before and enjoyed it), running (I still do this, oddly enough, even though I don't like it as much), FW planted aquariums, puzzles--crossword, etc., foreign languages, video games (PS3 and Wii).

The only thing I lack on my home theater is a good set of speakers. Opiy, do you have any suggestions for good SPDIF compatible speakers? Bose seem overpriced for the product you get, so I'm having some trouble.

[opiy]

I have lots, I guess. I like computers + home theater = home theater pc, weight lifting (haven't done this in about 1.5 years but I did it religiously before and enjoyed it), running (I still do this, oddly enough, even though I don't like it as much), FW planted aquariums, puzzles--crossword, etc., foreign languages, video games (PS3 and Wii).

The only thing I lack on my home theater is a good set of speakers. Opiy, do you have any suggestions for good SPDIF compatible speakers? Bose seem overpriced for the product you get, so I'm having some trouble.

You know I have had some interest in FW planted because some look so amazing but I have never really ventured into it because I figured I will have to much going on with salt and FW. I have seen some that look like grass growing in a tank and maybe a log or something in it with a few fish. I like it though.

I need to start running again. I found it to be relaxing and I just thought about... stuff...

Video games would be PS3 for me. I can't wait to pick up the new Dante's Inferno and GOW3 in March.

As far as the SPDIF is that like the RCA input or Toslink? I don't know what your budget is or if you just want a 2 channel or 5.1 but you could check these out.
http://tinyurl.com/ydsbarb

This is a forum I hung out on reading about home theater and asked questions. Its a pretty good forum I think.
http://www.avsforum.com/

If you are looking for a 5 channel speaker system at a low cost but supposedly for what you get at cost (This is what I was told many time on the above forum) the Infinity Primus are very good.
http://tinyurl.com/y9zzbyb

Now the thing with speakers is what sounds good to me may not sound good to you. It is hit or miss, so you will have to do some listening to see what suites you. The Swans I have work out good for me and the cost for what you get is pretty awesome IMO. The price difference between the Swans and those Infinty is pretty huge though. The front stage is where the bulk of you sound comes from so if you are looking into a 5.1 surround system you will want to try to get the best you are able to budget on the front tower/satellites and center channel and also the subwoofer. I think the two best online only sub dealers are these guys (again opinion is subjective on this but it seems to be a common consensus).
http://www.epiksubwoofers.com/products.html I have one of their subs and LOVE IT!!
http://www.svsound.com/products.cfm I have good things about their subs

You will see subs are extremely costly but it is very worth it I think. I don't think you could go wrong with either one of those manufacturers.

I don't know if this is exactly what you were asking since I will need more info. I am no pro at home audio but I might can lead you in the right direction.

[Neuticle]

I ride my bike a fair bit, be nice to have someone to ride down to the island with this summer to go collecting.

[pheonixsoul25]

haha my room mate jus got an r-6 ill get him to message you

[Scott]

I tried the Linux thing for a little bit but I found I was over my head plus I didn't want to dedicate the time to learn it all. I am lazy with the .exe and .dmg installers where linux based while I was playing with it required more to install programs. It was cool though. The last OS I played with was Ubuntu. I am a big Mac person now. I can't stand windows.

I owned a Ruger 10/22 some years back and kinda wish I didn't sell it. They have gone up in price quite a bit since then. Most of the firearms I am into are more of a tactical style. I have a wish list of 3 guns. I think if I could get atleast 2 of them I would really want to take some lessons. Getting the $$ for them is the hard part

With the new OpenSuse 11.2 and Ubuntu Karmic Koala installing and uninstalling is very easy. A lot of the installed command line operations are just not needed anymore. I started messing around with Linux when I discovered VMWare back around 1998, just running it as an appliance. I took a short break for a while around 2002 just because I couldn't find a distro that I liked and downloading them on dial-up took too long. Recently I am doing some IT at work and we had some old laptops that had no recovery disks and the boss wanted the hard drives formatted before we gave them away. Since they were perfect for Linux and not so good for Vista I installed OpenSuse (KDE) and Fedora 10 (Gnome) on one and Ubuntu and Backtrack 3 on the other. Now my wife and kids use the Ubuntu and I use OpenSuse but they like Gnome and I like KDE.

Oh, I have my wish list too. What I would really like to get first is a .50 caliber just because prices have been going up so quickly recently. I had a Ruger Red Label over-under that I sold so that my wife wouldn't have to work when my son was born, that would probably be second on the list. CAR-15 and a .17 hornet are also on the list. I would like to get a fluted bull barrel for the 10/22 and then bed it. Since it has a Leopold scope that would make it one hell of a gun. But recently the money has been the hard part for me too.

[opiy]

Man now I am about to download opensuse and run it on my mac. Way to go scott Which do you recommend? The Opensuse or Ubuntu? Anything a must have or must download and install? I see they now have the 3D desktop thing incorporated into the OS. When I was getting into it, it was all new and still very buggy but neat as shit. There is something about Linux that will bring the computer nerd out in a person IMO, which is a good thing.

My gun wish list is small but I know I will get it one day and hopefully soon. In no particular order they will be: Benelli M2 Comfortech Stock 12g Black with either 20 or 22" barrel, LWRC M6A2 16.1" barrel and likely in the .223 caliber. It does come available in the 6.8 SPC but I will have to really think about that before going with it. FNH FNP-40 .40 cal pistol. I own the Sig P229 and its a great pistol but its a bit fat so I want to try this pistol out and also wouldn't mind spending some time with the HK USP Compact .40cal.

As far as a .50cal goes I am like anyone else that likes guns and I would like to have one but the cost of one is insane. The gun itself is very $$$$ and the bullets are very expensive. Even if you reload them yourself they cost a stack of cash. Its something like several dollars a bullet, but I forget the exact amount. But on the other hand you could charge people to shoot the thing and make a little money back . Oh and I would get the Barrett Model 82A1 Semi Auto in .50. They offer is in Barrett's caliber .416.

I tried the Linux thing for a little bit but I found I was over my head plus I didn't want to dedicate the time to learn it all. I am lazy with the .exe and .dmg installers where linux based while I was playing with it required more to install programs. It was cool though. The last OS I played with was Ubuntu. I am a big Mac person now. I can't stand windows.

I owned a Ruger 10/22 some years back and kinda wish I didn't sell it. They have gone up in price quite a bit since then. Most of the firearms I am into are more of a tactical style. I have a wish list of 3 guns. I think if I could get atleast 2 of them I would really want to take some lessons. Getting the $$ for them is the hard part

With the new OpenSuse 11.2 and Ubuntu Karmic Koala installing and uninstalling is very easy. A lot of the installed command line operations are just not needed anymore. I started messing around with Linux when I discovered VMWare back around 1998, just running it as an appliance. I took a short break for a while around 2002 just because I couldn't find a distro that I liked and downloading them on dial-up took too long. Recently I am doing some IT at work and we had some old laptops that had no recovery disks and the boss wanted the hard drives formatted before we gave them away. Since they were perfect for Linux and not so good for Vista I installed OpenSuse (KDE) and Fedora 10 (Gnome) on one and Ubuntu and Backtrack 3 on the other. Now my wife and kids use the Ubuntu and I use OpenSuse but they like Gnome and I like KDE.

Oh, I have my wish list too. What I would really like to get first is a .50 caliber just because prices have been going up so quickly recently. I had a Ruger Red Label over-under that I sold so that my wife wouldn't have to work when my son was born, that would probably be second on the list. CAR-15 and a .17 hornet are also on the list. I would like to get a fluted bull barrel for the 10/22 and then bed it. Since it has a Leopold scope that would make it one hell of a gun. But recently the money has been the hard part for me too.

[Amphiprion]

As far as the SPDIF is that like the RCA input or Toslink? I don't know what your budget is or if you just want a 2 channel or 5.1 but you could check these out.
http://tinyurl.com/ydsbarb

This is a forum I hung out on reading about home theater and asked questions. Its a pretty good forum I think.
http://www.avsforum.com/

If you are looking for a 5 channel speaker system at a low cost but supposedly for what you get at cost (This is what I was told many time on the above forum) the Infinity Primus are very good.
http://tinyurl.com/y9zzbyb

Now the thing with speakers is what sounds good to me may not sound good to you. It is hit or miss, so you will have to do some listening to see what suites you. The Swans I have work out good for me and the cost for what you get is pretty awesome IMO. The price difference between the Swans and those Infinty is pretty huge though. The front stage is where the bulk of you sound comes from so if you are looking into a 5.1 surround system you will want to try to get the best you are able to budget on the front tower/satellites and center channel and also the subwoofer. I think the two best online only sub dealers are these guys (again opinion is subjective on this but it seems to be a common consensus).
http://www.epiksubwoofers.com/products.html I have one of their subs and LOVE IT!!
http://www.svsound.com/products.cfm I have good things about their subs

You will see subs are extremely costly but it is very worth it I think. I don't think you could go wrong with either one of those manufacturers.

I don't know if this is exactly what you were asking since I will need more info. I am no pro at home audio but I might can lead you in the right direction.

I've got a Creative sound card that supports up to 7.1, but I'd rather have 5.1 for various reasons. SPDIF, for lack of a better way to describe it, is like the typical 1/8" headphone jack, except multiple channels. I may be limited to computer speakers only, unless there are hubs that support HDMI and/or SPDIF for sound. I may look into the Infinity system. Its going to be a while, either way, but I like to do my homework a good while in advance, anyway.

[Scott]

Man now I am about to download opensuse and run it on my mac. Way to go scott Which do you recommend? The Opensuse or Ubuntu? Anything a must have or must download and install? I see they now have the 3D desktop thing incorporated into the OS. When I was getting into it, it was all new and still very buggy but neat as shit. There is something about Linux that will bring the computer nerd out in a person IMO, which is a good thing.

I would go with OpenSuse. Look online and add some repositories that aren't included. The big reason I like OS is that YaST works great for configuring, Webpin makes installing normal software easy and it is faster than Ubuntu. My OS and my wife's Ubuntu are on identical laptops and hers 'greys out' from time to time.