The Nibbana Family

Ask anyone using a Home Theater PC in their entertainment center to define the “ultimate HTPC” and you’re sure to get a myriad of answers. When I set out to build my own version, I outlined three areas of most concern: power consumption, storage capacity, and quietness/volume. What I designed and built ended up meeting those requirements:

• 74 watts at idle, 83 watts under load (Blu-ray playback).
• 8tb of storage capacity with another 8tb of expansion available.
• <17dBA noise. That’s quieter than a library!

With the initial requirements in mind, I set my eyes on a case from atechfabrication.com called the Mini-Server 5x. This case blends easily with other audio components, holds five hard drives, and utilizes a low power consumption 200 watt power supply with a fanless CPU heatsync design which dissipates heat directly into the aluminum case fins. Atech offers a lot of options to customize the case to your liking and for this build I chose an IR port for a Windows Media Center remote and a Griffen Powermate control knob for volume control. Customization comes at the expense of build time however, as it took 10 weeks (or about the same time it would take to build a custom Porsche) to get a fully completed case. Granted, I had the almost completely assembled case in my hands at 5 weeks, but it took another 5 weeks to get the Powermate knob back after refinishing. Initially quoted at 2-3 weeks, Atech didn’t come anywhere close to the quoted timeframe but I can attest the wait was well worth it. The build quality of the case and components is top notch and the machine work is remarkable.

Atechfabrication Mini Server 5x case.

The Intel DH57JG motherboard was the logical choice for its great feature set in a mini-ITX footprint. Consisting of an integrated 1.3 HDMI port with a 1080p output and ten-channel Intel high definition audio with Dolby Home Theater, the DH57JG contains everything needed for a great home theater experience. I loaded the motherboard with an Intel Core i3-530 2.93ghz processor and a matched pair of Corsair XMS3 4gb DDR1333mhz memory. The i3-530 was chosen because Read the rest of this entry »

When my buddy James planned his latest visit one of the first things he said was, “Do you want to rent exotic cars again?”. I laughed while trying to determine if he was serious or joking. Turned out he was serious. Although I wasn’t in a position to rent a car of my own, James was kind enough to share his ride… and he even let me drive!

After driving the Lambos, there was only one car worthy of comparison: the Ferrari F430 Spyder. For those of you out there who have never gotten the opportunity to pilot a Ferrari – well then, I’m sorry. You see, words can’t adequately describe the exhilaration felt when taking the 490hp 4.3l V8 to it’s 8500rpm redline and the symphony roaring behind your head that’s more melodical than mechanical. Videos don’t do it justice. Imagine trying to explain to someone who’s never flown what it’s like to fly. You simply must experience it for yourself.

The cabin in the F430 is all about the driver, with every control and display angled that way. Passengers are clearly meant to sit in awe, thankful to get a ride. A crimson-colored tachometer nods to tradition and a 8,500 rpm redline, flanked on each side by F1 style paddle shifters to make quick duty of shift work. With a quick push of the engine starter button the Ferrari fired to life and we were off.

The highway is where the Ferrari really shines and it becomes apparent right from the get go, this is where this car is at home. Blipping through the gears is met with pure delight as the transmission shifts smoother than anything else that I’ve had the privilege of driving. The really fun part though is when you drop it down a couple of gears and put your foot in it. The noise that comes out of the exhaust will make other guys jealous and women blush. It’s addicting, intoxicating and will get you thrown in prison if you’re not careful.

The F430 comes equipped with carbon ceramic brakes – a $14,000 option imported from the Enzo. You can use these to terrify your passengers. With brakes this efficient, you can wait so long to hit them that each turn can feel as if it will be the last for the F430. When stopping with conventional brakes you want to apply hard pressure at first, then ease off as the ABS activates. But with the ceramic brakes, you brake lightly at first – then, after the ABS jiggles, you brake harder. Compared with regular brakes you are braking for a shorter overall amount of time.

Running up and down the coast of New Jersey, we had adequate opportunity to stretch her legs and see what this beauty could do. We received several nods and partook in several skirmishes with a Corvette Z06, Porsche GT3, and a Subaru STI. Handling amongst traffic is a cinch. The steering is so intuitive and so beautifully weighted that placing the car is effortless, and the chassis is so fluent and poised that it’s easy to dial out understeer with raw power. The F430 corners flat and true. This is sensory overload, and it’s great!

At the end of the day it was hard letting this one go. Part of me began contemplating ways to trade in my mortgage for an F430 payment and figuring out sleeping accomodations. To own one is worth the price of admission few can afford. To join the few who have had the opportunity to pilot such a divine work of art is an honor. One more check off the bucket list.

When I was 10 years old I had two enormous posters hung over my bed. One was a red Ferrari Testerossa, the other a white Lamborghini Countach. I would stare at those posters and endlessly daydream about one day getting behind the wheel of the real thing. As luck would have it, that dream has come to life. I discovered a rental agency outside of New York City called Gotham Dream Cars that rents everything from Ferraris and Lamborghinis to the Mercedes McClaren SLR and Bentley. My buddy James was coming into town and we decided to each rent a Lamborghini, he a Gellardo and I chose the Murcielago.

When “Lambo Day” was finally upon us, I was just as nervous as I was excited. How often do you have the opportunity to drive a car that costs as much as your house? I settled into the seat of the Murcielago and familiarized myself with the interior. Formula 1 style tiptronic transmission: check. 580hp V12 engine: check. Enormous 14″ wide tires: check. Updated will and testament: check. After signing my life away I was handed the keys. It was time to cut this monster loose!

Seeing a bright orange Murcielago on the open road is enough to turn heads. Seeing a bright orange Murcielago next to a bright yellow Gellardo is enough to break necks and cause whiplash! These things are attention getters, no doubt. We hadn’t driven more than a mile from our starting point and already I had a feel for what it would be like to be a naked supermodel walking down a busy street. Not familiar with the area, we accidentally took a wrong turn into a residential neighborhood and people were literally coming out of their homes with cameras and kids to get a peek. Everyone was gawking!

We made our way up the Pallisades Parkway to a public park called Bear Mountain. Here we found lots of curved, open roads where we could have a little fun and play a little cat-and-mouse. Once confident I simply put my foot down, watched the revs climb and blipped my way through the gears. Intoxicated is the only way to describe what I was feeling and to be honest, I couldn’t tell you how fast I was going, nor do I care. I simply enjoyed the sweet melody of the V12 at 8000rpm as I down shifted and the computer controlled transmission rev-matched the gears before re-engaging the clutch. Who needs a radio when you have a symphony right behind your head?

Truth be told, the day ended way too fast and it was over before we knew it. Caught up in all the excitement I didn’t realize until afterwords that we had hardly gotten any video or photos. Oh well, that just means we’ll have to do it again!

And “A Christmas Story (You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out!)”…

It’s been two weeks since my birthday, and I have been silently frustrated about it since. Birthday’s are a sore subject with me. Who actually enjoys getting older after 30? It’s also hard to digest the fact as you get older you receive less recognition on your birthday. Fewer friends and family seem to even acknowledge them with each passing year. Once you have children, the center of attention on holidays and birthdays becomes focused upon them (as it should). But a culmination of events has resulted in my utter despisal of my birthday.

This last birthday was especially frustrating. I asked for one gift, tires for Kelsi’s car, because her tires are nearly bald and we haven’t had the money to replace them. Kelsi objected to this idea because it wasn’t really a gift for me. What she failed to realize is that a gift that helped her in turn helped me, as we share income and bank accounts and new tires would have eased the burden of having to figure out how to pay for them. I knew I was asking for an expensive gift beyond the scope of normal birthday presents, but I figured other family members with birthdays had also recently asked for tires and they got them. Since people didn’t agree with my idea, nothing was done, and my birthday came and went without acknowledgement.

For the past several weeks I have been quietly reflecting on my Birthday and trying to decide how to change my celebration in the future so I won’t be dissappointed. Finally, the other evening an idea came to me that was long overdue. Why do I depend on others to enjoy my birthday? Why am I hoping others will do something for me? After all, it’s my day, so why shouldn’t I celebrate it and do something for myself? So, hence forth, I have decided my birthday will be a day I will do something special for myself. And I have already decided what I will do next year.

Next year for my birthday I am going to take The Dream Car Tour. The Dream Car Tour is an opportunity to drive six different vehicles from among a stunning collection of the world’s greatest automobiles, including the Ferrari F430, F430 Spider, and 360 Spider, the Lamborghini Gallardo, Gallardo Spyder, Murcielago and Murcielago Roadster, the luxurious Bentley Continental GTC, the stunning Aston Martin DB9, the monster Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG, and the brand new Ferrari-powered 400hp Maserati GranTurismo.

For once I’m actually looking forward to my next birthday. Hopefully I won’t be a birthday Grinch after next year.