My tip - How I beat the Bing Challenge for 2,500 points in 3 days and to increase 250 gamerscore

My tip - How I beat the Bing Challenge for 2,500 points in a week:

1. Download 4 PC version free XBOX LIVE video games app for Windows 10.

2. Look for easy points (achievements) for each of these 4 games https://www.xboxachievements.com/achievements/

3. Play them and most will give you 10 points for Gamerscore just for playing.

• a. Age of Empires: Castle Siege (I got 65 points in 2 days)
• b. Microsoft Solitaire Collections (I got 65 points In 1 day)
• c. Microsoft Mahjong (I got 115 points in 1 day)
• d. Microsoft Ultimate Word ( I got 10 points just for downloading and play the fist game).

TOTAL 255 points

wifi camera and smart phone app explained

wifi camera and smart phone app explained

I am using Winbook Action+ camera but you can try this on GoPro wifi camera as well. I want to show you how you can have the same functions without using the WinBook Action app or any third party app at all.
 

So, you can use your phone or computer access files inside the camera or get live view (lives tream video) from the camera without using the app. You can do all that from your phone or laptop.

 

1. Log into the wifi camera and enter user name and password of wifi camera by Open "settings", Connect to the Name of the wifi camera.


2. Now, you can find the wifi camera web address by clicking "Property" or "i" for the connected wifi camera on PC or iphone. It is under the line of "IPv4 DNS servers":192.168.1.2 for Winbook Action camera








3. Go to web and type in http://192.168.1.2/ you should see the 4  Buttons for "File", "Setting", "LiveStreaming", "Update".

4. Save the web page by clicking "Setting" icon on the upper right hand corner. Open the web page and you should see LiveStream is "http://192.168.1.2/uvc.html

Now you should see the live view of the wifi camera on your laptop. 


    

Learning to use Arduino Uno R3 and servo motor to build an outboard throttle speed controller

Arduino Uno R3 - I fried it after only used it 2 times

I discovered Microcontroller when I was researching for a way to steer my trolling motor and outboard motor. Arduino UNO R3 can be used to control a servo motor and then control the throttle speed of an outboard. The commercial ones like ControlKing or Trollmasters are a few hundred dollars but these electronic parts are much cheaper to buy and build them yourself. So, here is the start.







1. Bought my first servo motor - HS-485HB (pretty high torque and small so easier to mount inside an outboard motor).


2. Bought my first Arduino Rno R3


3. Downloaded the IDE and uploaded blink and the board was blinking, nice.
4. Downloaded Knob and uploaded to the Uno board, then connected the servo motor to the board and a rotary potentiometer (10K ohm) (bought it for $1) to the board. Voila, servo motor was turning as I dial the potentiometer button.

underwater camera DIY - turning old toys into new

underwater camera DIY - turning old toys into new

I have played with Raymarine chirp sonar with downvision fish images recently. One comment I got back was "the sonar image was just not clear as a real picture or video of an underwater camera. Show me the picture of an anchor at lake bottom or fishing rods, then I will be convinced sonar is of any good or value!"

That feedback after I posted my sonar images at numerous forums like iboats forum, crappie forum, the hull truth forum etc. helped me to my next DIY project - build an underwater camera to take pictures and videos of the underwater world around me. Potomac river and Roaches Run lake and Cheasapeake bay and many other local body of waters I go boating and fishing. So, time to turn my old toys into new toys.

1. Webcams - I have 2 old USB powered webcams lying around in the drawer doing nothing. Time to put them to good use.(1) Intel webcam pro bought in 2002 when computer Operating system was still windows 98. (2) Creative webcam bought in 2004.

The most time consuming and challenging and pain in the butt work was to find the drivers for windows 7 that will work for my 10" Acer Aspireone notebook.

2. 10" Acer Aspireone notebook with 160GB hard disk. I bought this in 2009, and upgraded to windows 7 from XP. Now, it is sitting around collecting dust. So, I will use this to live view and record the fish video I capture beneath the surface of the river and lake.

3. Acrylic box from Action+ wifi videocam I bought in 2015. This was too pretty to throw away. Now, I am going to place the webcam inside this acrylic box and waterproof it.

4. Inverter 100 watts - I bought this in 2000? for camping. This little inverter can convert DC to AC so I can use my AUTOCRAFT deep cycle marine battery to power my notebook. The battery of the notebook can last about 30 minutes without charging.

5. Ikelite LED waterproof flashlight - this can shine into the dark underwater world and attract fish to my webcam.

Certainly, I need silicone sealant to glue the webcam inside the box and any opening on the box including the opening for usb cable. Now problem, my 3/4" drill bit and my power drill does the job perfectly.


Click here to watch how I build this underwater camera video?

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2017 first boat ride on the beautiful Potomac River - Johnson 90 hp

What an amazing beautiful spring like weather in winter! 2017 first boat ride - took my boat out on the beautiful Potomac River for a test drive after 4 improvements in 2016.

• Fixed my reverse steering after installing the Hydraulic steering system.
  
  
  
• Installed a Craigslist bought non-working wireless Motorguide 75 pound push trolling motor.
  
  Also bought a handheld remote control to go with it and ditch the foot control that came with the trolling motor
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Installed a wise economic fishing chair and 7" pedestal in the back of my boat.
  
  
  
  
  
• Fixed my tilt and trim so I can tilt my Johnson 90 hp from the remote control.
  
  
  

Click here to watch my boat ride video

How to remove a dried and cured epoxy glued fishfinder transducer for Humminbird DX 200?

The weather is finally warm enough to do some DIY project. I decided to removed a dried and cured epoxy glued transducer inside my boat hull. It was not measuring the depth of the lake and river. Not sure whether there was bubble in between the boat transom and the transducer. In any case, time to remove it and redo the placement using slow setting epoxy instead of the 5 minutes quick setting epoxy which I used last time.

Tools I used

• pry bar,
  
  
  
  
• utility knife
  
  
  
• and 1" putty knife
  
  
  
• and heat gun

Watch my youtube video to see how I removed the dried epoxy and transducer - how to remove dried epoxy glued transducer? Part 1 of 3

my tips of the 3 Italy hotels I stayed

1. I liked the Holiday Inn’s updated room (smaller compared to US room) and their hot breakfast. Tripadvsior’s reviews commented about good hot breakfast. Yes, it was very good and all-you- can-eat hot breakfast. Eggs, Fruits (the big persimmons, apples), Pastry, Coffee, Tea, Cereal, Milk, Juices. There is a grocery store right next to the hotel. It is a 15 minute walk to both railway station and the metro station at the Garibaldi stop. The cable car from hotel to train and subway station is only 2 stops. It is super fun to ride one, but super slow. It does help when you have your luggage case with you.

2. Ca Bella Bed and Breakfast was updated in a building over 100 years old. We got the hidden canal view room (2 big windows with views) so that was super nice. We also bought the breakfast but I think I would skip buying the breakfast so we can go out any time after sunrise. Get a breakfast to go on our way to places to save time to do more sightseeing and beat the crowds by going places early. This B&B is very close to some excellent cheaper restaurants where the local people go to.



3. Mood Suites Tritone was very modern and a very nice 3-star apartment. Coop supermarket is less than 200 meters 2 blocks away. Travi Fountain is ¼ miles away and Pantheon is only a little over half a mile away.