I upgraded most of the components of my PC. So, I think about mentioning the configuration here…
AMD Athlon 2000+ XP (256MB L2 Cache) (Gotta move for 2400+ 512MB L2 Cache)
nVidia nForce 2 chipset (MSI)
512MB DDR RAM (266MHz)
nVidia GeForce MX IGP (32MB Shared memory)
nVidia MCP sound (5.1 Dolby digital) sound (AC97)
nVidia MCP integerated Ethernet card
Pinnacle PCTV Pro (TV + FM Tuner with remote)
Seagate 80GB 7200RPM hard disk (2 nos)
LG 16X DVD ROM Drive
TDK 4X/2X/16X DVD all format writer
Samsung Samtron 55E 15'' Monitor (30-61, 50-120)
Zebronics 2.1 subwoofer (Gotta go for 5.1 soon)
What else?
Today I tried to burn my first DVD disk under Linux and it was painless. KIIIB is too good. It detected my TDK DVD burner straight away (was using Fedora Core 2; no scsi emulation). I copied the Matrix all in one DVD which took around 42 minutes (7.3 GB at 4X). Too good.
Today is universal blood donors' day. Donate blood; save life!
Yesterday I bought a new Pinnacle PCTV Pro card for my computer from Ritchie street. I came around Rs.2700 with one year warranty. Pinnacle PCTV Pro has BT878 chipset with FM tuner which is Rs.500 more than the PCTV Stereo model which has no FM tuner (that is the only difference). Both the cards include an infrared remote control.
I installed the card in a free PCI slot of my PC and started my Windows 2000 Professional and installed the driver and software from Pinnacle. After configuring the video standard (PAL) and frequency table region (India), the TV vision software started scannning for the stations and it numbered them. I tried capturing and time shift operations and working more or less promised by the manufacturer. For MPG2 enconding, it seems that I have to pay online and activate this feature. Well! who wants this? I will try using mplayer's mencoder for doing this. (Is it possible) After some struggle, I got my favourite 98.3 (Radio Mirchi) up and running. I had to connect an external antenna to the FM tuner's input apart from the normal TV cable input. The hardware was fine and I thought that then it is time to configure it and getting it worked on Linux.
I restarted the PC and booted into my Fedora Core 2. Kudzu detected the card as “Brooktree corporation Bt878 video capture device”. I opened tvtime and chose the video standard as PAL. It wanted me to restart the application. In the frequency table there was no entry for India. I had to run 'tvtime-scan' and chose “Custom” in the frequency table. I got the channels correctly. But still I didn't see the quality that I saw on Windows's TV vision software. I think I have to play with the frequency table. (Anyone has an idea what frequency table is India's based on?) I wanted to get my remote working on Linux. But I didn't had LIRC. I have to download and install one. Similar case about the FM tuner. I didn't had any Radio tuner softwares. I plan to use gnomeradio and try it today.
Pinnacle PCTV Pro is definetly a value for it's money. Just my 2 cents 
I just came across a funny quote in a e-mail signature from one of my friends.
“Hiroshima..45……..Tjernobil..86……..Windows..95….”
It may be very old. But I am noticing it for the first time.
As I tolerate the e-mail spams that I receive, I have to tolerate the annonymous calls I receive. In the last three months I would have received atleast some 100 calls from such sources. They sound like
“Hello sir, I am calling from XXX bank. We offer a free credit card for only YYY employees…”
“Good morning Praveen, This is X calling from so and so club. You have a lot of benifits if you become our club member…”
“Hi Praveen, we are offering personal loans for you at very low interest rate…”
“Hello, we are the providing the lowest EMI option for home loans…”
And so on.
I asked them how they got hold of my number. Most of them say that they have a name/number list. Others have a list of valid mobile numbers. But they don't have an idea to whom they are talking to. In the middle of the conversation they will ask me “What is your name?”. Is this not worse than spams. I don't know whether I can take some legal action against them. Sometimes, these calls are frustating.
The funniest part of this is that I recieved some 6 calls from ICICI bank so far in 2 months for marketing their credit card; but I have their credit card (Gold) almost for an year. How many cards do you expect me to get from you my dear ICICI?!
Today is the birthday of Illiayaraja who is respectfully addressed in the Tamil Film Industry as Raja sir. Illiyaraja is a music director in the Tamil film industry and he has done a lot of masterpieces so far. I was a Raja fan long back; once ARR (A.R.Rehman) came into the industry I became a serious fan of ARR. Still they two are unbeatable in their own ways.
I wish a very happy birthday to Illayaraja.
My company(HCL Technologies) is offering a MS in Software Systems programme (2 years)collaborating with BITS, Pillani. This programme is treated as a full-time programme though I can do this while working simultaneously. The idea is that I have to attend classes every weekends. Attendance is not mandatory though it seems. I am planning to enroll for this programme. I am not really sure how much will it be worth. Still, I can keep a Masters degree handy when I complete my third year at HCL.
Anbuselva, one of my seniors of XLIX (49th) Elex batch of MIT passed away yesterday. It is a very sad news to hear. Behalf of the LII (52nd) Elex batch of MIT, I want to express our heart-felt condolence to his family and may his soul rest in peace.
<quote>
I am really sad to inform you that one of our junior 49th batch elex,
AnbuSelva has passed away today morning. Here is the news forwarded
from his batch mate.
Sometime back Anbuselva was working in Malaysia (deputation) and only
just now went back to India. Really Sad 
He passed away in Chennai and I talked to Satish (who identified the
body in mortuary). Satish informed Anbu parents in Erode.
– mks –
</quote>
<quote>
Our friend Anbuchelva passed away today morning…
He came back from his native place by Yercaud express and after getting
down from the train , he fell down on the platform it seems…
People in the station had taken him to the Hospital . It seems to be an
heart attack… but doctors have not yet confirmed…I got the news thru
Rubber technology Satish Kumar.
Satish contact no : 9884088131
Let us all pray for his soul to rest in peace….
Vijayashree.N
</quote>