Escape FM Modulator Install

I figured it was about time I put some tune-age into my new ride, since the Baron is now my daily driver. The Ranger's current state barely rates as drivable. He's down for the count, but by no means out of the game. A new transmission is in his future (just maybe not the near future). Until then, I need my Snoop!

I divide my listening time between my XM Radio and my iPod, so I needed to figure out how to put both of these devices in the Escape. The goal here was to make the additions as seamless as possible. The less intrusive, the better. This meant no cutting or drilling into the dash, or other surrounding body parts, for which I have yet to make a single payment.

I have an XM Roadie 2 which has a built-in FM modulator. Unfortunately, it is, even on a good day, weak. The modulator is constantly being overpowered by the local radio stations, even after I removed the external antenna. There's something un-nerving about going down the road listening to Snoop-Dog, and suddenly some dude screaming about "Jesus is the Lord" comes breaking through. Like my iPod, the XM Roadie has a headphone jack built-in as well. To utilize the headphone jacks in both the Roadie and iPod, I decided to go with a hard wired FM Modulator, which sits in-between the vehicle's antenna and radio, making it harder for the "Jesus People" to punch through. Since the hard wired modulator uses a headphone jack for input, I can also use other devices with headphone output, such as my CB radio.

I took some pictures of the end result and figured I would put some words to those pics. I wrote up a quick tutorial of how to put this modulator into a Ford Escape, but the basics are the same for any vehicle.

	The items needed for this project are: A wired FM Modulator (These can be picked up on eBay or any place that sells car audio stuff. I used an Audiovox FMM100 ) - $35.00 Wire splices - $5.00
	As a precaution, you may want to disconnect the positive battery lead before starting this project. That's up to you! Begin by removing the lower part of the dash that has the auxiliary cigarette lighter in it. There are 4 phillips head screws that attach it to the chassis. Remove the screws and pull the piece forwards until you can see the cigarette lighter connections. Disconnect the wires. The part should now easily come forward and can be set off to the side.
	Open the glove box and fold it down so you can get access to the underside of the dash. The modulator has 5 connections. It has Antenna Out (which goes to the radio), Antenna In (which the existing antenna plugs into), power, ground, and Sound In (the headphone jack). The first connection we'll make is the modulator-to-radio connection. I was able to reach in through the glove box and up behind the radio and pull the antenna plug out of the radio. You may not be able to do this. In that case, you will need to remove the radio first.
	Plug the antenna lead from the modulator into the back of the radio. Pull the old antenna plug out from behind the dash and plug it into the "Antenna In'" plug on the modulator. Next, we need to find a power source. Since the lower dash has the auxiliary cigarette lighter in it, it makes sense to tap into this source. Using a T-Tap, splice into the existing power wire for the cigarette lighter. The tap doesn't actually cut the cable, merely tapping into it, so there's no need for wire strippers or electrical tape. For ground, I used an existing screw already present in the chassis.
	With all the connections now made and in place, it's time to pretty things up. Before you do, make note of which frequency the modulator is set to broadcast on (something like 88.1). I used some zip ties to secure the modulator to the chassis. On the Escape, there's a nice sturdy bar underneath the dash that supports the passenger airbag to which to attach the modulator to. With the modulator securely in place, put the rest of the wires (excluding the headphone lead) in a wire loom or wrap them up with electrical tape (or zip tie them together...), and tuck them out sight.
	A this point, you can put the center dash part we removed earlier back on. Make sure that you route the headphone lead out from underneath it, leaving enough length for it to reach to where-ever you will be mounting the iPod (or other music-ey device). You'll need to route the modulator power switch out from behind the dash as well. Preferably, the only wires now visible should be the headphone lead and the modulator power switch. The switch is needed to turn the modulator on and off. You probably don't want to leave it on all the time. When the modulator is on, it cuts the input from the external antenna, so that only the signal from your device reaches the radio. Turning the modulator off will give you back your regular radio stations. You can mount this switch anywhere you want (or else splice power into a switched power source--the cigarette lighter source I used is ALWAYS on!)
	To hold the iPod, I used a Belkin TuneDok (thanks Mike!), which sits in a drink holder in the center console. It is at the right height and angle for me to control the iPod while driving. To listen to the iPod through the newly installed modulator, simply tune the radio the correct frequency (you did remember to write down the frequency listed on the modulator, right), turn the modulator on, and plug the headphone lead into the iPod. Whola. Snoop Dog is in the hizzle!
	I discovered that my Belkin TuneDok also fits my XM Roadie perfectly, albeit on it's side. Belkin makes a TuneDok specifically for the XM Roadie, but I am OK with reading the display sideways.

Well, that's all there's to it. Best of all, there was no cutting or drilling, something I definitely wanted to avoid. The devices are easy to hook up and disconnect, so it's not a big hassle to take the devices in and out of the car.

I have posted the full size photos into the Photo Gallery, so if the little pictures shown above just aren't cutting it for out, you can check out the full sized ones there.

Sorry to bore everyone with a how-to here in the Latest news section, but I didn't know where else to put it.

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Mac mini Review

I aim to one day have a fine a site as those guys over at DivisionTwo Magazine. I just read the greatest Mac mini review ever written. Jorge Lopez is a freakin' genius (he's a DeVry graduate and MCSE, after all. How could he possibly NOT be a genius?), although I gotta give much props to Bleek as well, after reading her piece on Building a Linux PC for Grandma.

Awesome stuff

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Movie Review Friday: Troy

Spurt Reviews Troy

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After waiting a week to see if I could calm down (and restore my back to normal function) I have decided to write a review for the movie Troy.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0332452/

I am sure that the reviews you read there state that it sucks as well. If anybody has ever read Homer’s Illiad, then they will know that it cannot ever be matched on the silver screen. Granted in the first part of this movie, they did not do a bad job. It is very hard, if not impossible, to shrink down a 12 year war into a 3 hour movie (the cause of my back soreness). Furthermore, Homer’s cast of characters cannot even begin to be introduced in movie form (the credits would take 20 minutes). Still, this was a disgrace to the incredible poem.

The movie was good until Achilles killed Hector and dragged his body around Troy. What, you don’t know what I am talking about? Okay, a quick synopsis for those who never paid attention in school………

This chick named Helen was a babe (think Britney) and this prince liked her a lot (think Marcus) so he kidnapped her and took here home to Troy where his dad was the King. Oh yeah, Helen was MARRIED. This pissed off her husband (no duh, remember, she was hot). Now his brother at the time just happened to be Agamemnon who, like, ruled the world. So all the Greeks decide to go to war and kick some Trojan butt because they conquered everyone else (except for the Chinese but we don’t know about them yet). They all sail for Troy and get there in movie time, 2 minutes (okay, movie special affect side note. All the ships sailing and landing on the beach just looked cool). To recap: Marcus steals Britney who happens to be married to the Rock and has a brother named Mr. T!
The Greeks land and start to kick butt although they cannot break the walls of Troy and enter the city. Lots of good battles occur but the war is at a standstill. Now the Trojans have a stud named Hector who was 32-0 with 31 knockouts and is the good guy hero, respectful, honorable, a true leader. The Greeks have this guy named Achilles who is like 38-0 with 38 KOs, the best warrior in the entire world. Thing is, he knows it and is a real ass, very arrogant, and the guy you all hate in high school. Even Agamemnon does not get along with him, nobody does. Well, you see where this is going, we have Ali verses Tyson, King Kong verses Godzilla, Obi-wan verses Darth Vader, Kiddo verses Bill.

The two fight and Achilles wins, everyone is said and then the FREAKIN’ MOVIE GOES TOTALLY HOLLYWOOD. No shame, the movie has to make Brad Pitt into the hero which is a bunch of chariot horse doodoo and make everyone feel good! David Benioff is the screenwriter who decided to ruin a great story. Somehow this direction must have come from some idiot movie studio producer that is clueless on what people who actually PAY the $10 to go see a movie wants to watch. Leaving the movie, everybody was talking about how bad the ending was, how bad the movie was. Just another case of hollywoodizing a story. Didn’t anybody tell them that this is wrong?

Not sure when I will be doing another movie but I do have Das Boot coming from Amazon.com this week. Planned viewing of a classic Wolfgang Petersen movie when he did not have to sell out to the MAN!

PS – the acting, action, special effects, and cinematography of the movie were all very good. They just killed the story. Brad Pitt was awesome in the first half, then he just had to say the stupid things that were written for him, but he played Achilles very well. Eric Bana did an equally good job as Hector – this guy is becoming someone to watch for, he is an actor. Speaking of watching, do you think Orlando Bloom will shoot an arrow in his next movie too?

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Excellent review! Welcome onboard, Spurt.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta get going. Britney awaits me.

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Kill Bill Volume 2 - Review

[Spurt's Review]

Much like finding a crisp twenty in a pair of pants you haven't worn in months, imagine my joy as I opened my inbox today and found inside it Spurt's much anticipated review of Kill Bill Volume 2. I know ya'll're (that's German redneck slang for "you all are") as eager to read it as I was, so without much further ado, be in awe!

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Quick Review: Wow!

It has almost been two weeks since my viewing of the epic tale of revenge, Tarantino’s latest production. And still I sit here thinking of what to write. No words can describe the cinematic genius, incredible acting, artful cinematography, and brilliant story. Each are superior to anything done in years. Together they create a masterpiece. This film will be talked about in movie circles for years, will become a classic, will have a spot in my Top Five.
There are two ways to watch this movie, one as a film expert, the other as a guy watching a late night movie. I have hit on the “expert” stuff, now the guy stuff.
Simply put, Kill Bill is the best B movie ever made. It is all of the late night/hung-over Saturday afternoon movies you have watched laying on the couch eating Doritos and bean dip and a Super Big Gulp. It is all those truly blissful moments of where you escape from reality and imagine yourself fighting alongside with Bruce Lee against equally skilled desperados working for the evil Caine from the Bizzaro world speaking like Burt Reynolds in the essential tough guy movies from the seventies, earning the approval from Joseph T. Wladislaw.
The Bride (aka Black Mamba, Uma Thurman) is one of the toughest, meanest, focused characters in all of movies. Other than Michael Corleone, there is nobody you would want to piss off more. Revenge is brought to a new level by Ms Thurman and the rage of her one desire, to kill Bill. She devastates all that are in her way, showing mercy to those deserving, extracting agony from those deserving. A true warrior and antihero. At the end of the day, you realize Ms Thurman is a woman, beautiful and delicate, sensuous and exciting, not someone you would toss out of bed for eating cookies!
I apologize for not writing more, but it is the same as describing a Monet to somebody who only knows paint by numbers. Tarantino is an artist, a master. (but somebody please let me know what the heck his fetish is with Uma Thurman’s toes?!?!? It is just wrong!)

I give this movie, of course, a Five-Point Palm - exploding heart technique and one Big Toe, wiggling.

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Excellent review if I must say so myself!

Plain and simple, Kill Bill Volume 2 rocks! Although it complements Volume 1 very well, Volume 2 functions perfectly as a standalone flick, not punishing the viewer in case they have yet to view Volume 1. Kill Bill Volume 2 is a two hour joyride that does not disappoint. I am no DVD Whore, but the Kill Bill series will definitely work it's way into my small, but nimble, DVD collection. It is the greatest imitation of a B-movie ever filmed and I fully expect to see it being aired on USA's Up All Night series when I'm an old geezer. It ranks way up there on my top movies of all time list, right up there with Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure ( don't even think about Bogus Journey. It is to Excellent Adventure, as Scrappy-Doo was to Scooby-Doo), My Cousin Vinny, U-571, and Happy Gilmore. Notice the lack of The Matrix on the list. That series was killed by a lame ass third movie. I'd rather watch a handfull of Gilmore Girls repeats than ever lay an eyeball on Matrix Revolutions again (I may still be slightly bitter about this subject, don't know).

Well, there you have it. Go out and watch Kill Bill Volume 2. And when you're done with that, go watch it again!

Speaking of DVD Whores, RAD2020 is online with a new presence at RADHOLE.com. He was even kind enough to provide a link to MarcusLingl.Net in his "Links" section. Just for that, I may have to syndicate his site here.

Well, History Channel show just about over, so I am outta here for tonizzle!

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Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

Editors Note: Today's post comes to you courtesy of a guest editor, only known from the comments he leaves, as Spurt. A few days ago, he promised to leave a movie review of Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. Apparently, the review was too much for the comment system handle, so I am allowing it to be posted here. Plus, I am a slacker, and have no material of my own to post, so sit back and enjoy a great movie review.

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Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

Quick review: If you are over 13, stay at home and clean your toenails. In fact, clean a neighbor’s toe nails too. It will be more fun and not as painful.
Who is it for: 8 to 13 year old girls and Def Leppard fans

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0361467/

Like anybody would want to hit the link above to find out more about this movie! I think the run time of the movie was 4.5 years……..sure seemed like it. Basic young adolescent movie that you can catch on Disney, Nickelodeon, or ABC Family channel of a girl who is forced to move away with her divorced mother and two younger twin sisters (who you never see again in the movie other than the opening sequence all of them in the car leaving the niceties of the upper west side of New York. Hmmmm, maybe in the sequel we will find out what happens to them), from New York to the ugly, gloomy, suburbia of Somethingdale New Jersey. The girl, Lola (who’s real name is Mary but that is, like, just too boring, like Lola is, like there) played by Lindsay Lohan who has been in some other movies such as this (Freaky Friday, Parent Trap – the remakes) and does a okay job for what she is asked to do. Not sure what she was asked to do though…..
Back to the nonexistent plot, quickly because this is bringing back memories that I really need to repress – Lola moves to new jersey where she wants to be the coolest girl but some long hair brunette currently is the coolest girl so the competition is hot, Lola befriends the geeky nerd girl and they are on there way to wanna-be high school popularity, brunette girl and Lola compete for the lead part in some Rock-n-Roll Pygmalion production that the theater teacher (Carol Kane – remember Latka’s girlfriend?) is putting on, Lola wins and then for some reason the hottest thing is to go to this rock concert by some Bon Jovi rip-off band but they must be bigger than the Stones cause everyone knows who they are, Lola and the geeky friend go to New York, left their money for the tickets on the train, can’t buy a ticket to the concert, walk every street in New York looking for the after concert party from a picture of a door, they find the place (if you have never been to new york, not very realistic that you would be able to find a door that you do not know, especially if you are a blonde teenage girl at 2am in the morning), they meet the rock star guy who is drunk and in despair, they all get arrested for having coffee and throwing a donut a cop in a coffee shop, Lola’s dad bails them out, they all then go to the party, Lola is crushed because her heartthrob rock star is a lush, she tells him so, the next Monday they are all in school, somebody cries – don’t remember why and don’t care, the production of Pygmalion is about to start, Lola doesn’t want to go, the geeky friend talks her into going, she goes, brunette girl’s stand in hopes fade, (interjection here – I did actually get excited at this part, I was thinking this might be the climax of the movie followed soon by the conclusion of the movie followed real quick by me leaving the theater), *****APPLE COMPUTERS*****, Lola is FABULOUS in the production, she even sang Ziggy’s Changes – I was crying at this point, everyone clapped, even divorced mom and divorced dad (more sequel stuff? Could they get back together), every teenager in the school (no parents) then went to the brunette girls house for another party, doorbell rings, guess who it is, the rock star drunk dude all shaved and cleaned up and wearing a sweater vest, he wants to see Lola, brunette girl sooooo embarrassed that she walks back into a fountain, gets wet, Lola helps her out and smiles, rock star says he is in rehab, again, Lola and him dance, credit role.
Pretty bad movie although some of the movie going companions I went with said it was good, better than Kangaroo Jack but nowhere near as good as X-Men or the Hulk!!! Theater goers of all ages were in attendance, I heard a few snores (assuming they were dads who did not go to Starbucks prior and ordered a triple shot Americano – my true mistake of the day) and the laughter and giddiness of the 100 or so 8 to 13 year old girls was very minimal.
I give this movie the Stu Wolf (just remembered the Rock stars name) puke, followed by two slurs and a Hey Baby – translated to _ wet socks.
9 year old rating: 7 groovy Coke cap necklaces
10 year old rating: 8 stylin’ roadster bikes


*****APPLE COMPUTER*****
As some of you who bothered to read the review above, you might have noticed the shameless “product placement” advertising above. This was an example of the poor marketing campaign that Apple computers feels it must do. During the production of the high school play, the geeky students all played music on about 30 iBooks. Since all the parents (also read: the ones with an income) were sleeping during the movie, the not so subtle advertising was wasted on them. Thus, I expect with the red hot success of this movie that the local Apple stores (what 2 of them?) will be crammed full of adolescent girls thinking that the iBook is an affordable product such as the flower earrings at Clair’s. Be forewarned MAC users, your stores might have more than three people in them this week.

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Well, I really thought he knew what he was talking about. Seemed like a great review, but then there was that last part, where the author felt the need to talk trash about Apple, so I don't know what to think about his review now. Apparently, his view is somewhat tainted.

I kinda like this guest editor thing. May have to try it again in the future....

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