How to expand the capacity of NAS Lacie Network Space

The LaCie Network Space is great for sharing files over the network

This tutorial applies to version 1 of the Network Space, but probably applicable to the (more rapid and complete) version 2 with little change.

I will replace its 500 GB SATA 1TB another, but it would also be February 1 TB (not sure if bear more capacity, but possible).

This NAS features low power:

• Consumption of only 8W, completely silent without a fan.
• Ethernet port with a maximum transfer rate of 6 MB per second despite using a SATA (somewhat limited in this regard because of its small processor) hard drive.This has been improved to 65 MB / sec. in the Network Space 2 with a more capable processor.
• Ability to create users and access permissions to the shared folders, all managed through its web configuration page (also accessible via the Network Assistant ).
• Very good price / quality; for little more than the cost of a hard drive, you have a NAS.
• USB Port to expand its capacity reading systems EXT3, XFS, NTFS, FAT file systems.
• And if you know Linux, you can access it and set various things .

Disassembling the Lacie Network Space NAS

In order to expand your hard drive before we disarm. This NAS, apart from a very proper design, no screws to release something we will have to help up as a screwdriver and some clips to go by releasing the tabs where the lid, as in the following image is secured.

A single turn split gradually inside the blue LED side bearing, since the other side carries the connections embedded. 

Batch conversion Autocad drawings to different versions (2004, 2010, etc)

Using Autodesk DWG Trueview 2012, free to use for viewing developed plans in AutoCAD, we can also convert between different versions if we only license for an older version (apart from that we can always turn to a universal format dxf). 

(This document was translated using Google Translator from the original spanish article)

First install and open the application, clicking on the "DWG Convert" icon: 

Add planes to convert as many as you want, with the button indicated by the cursor: 

How to isolate thermally and acoustically your home in a simple and economical way

Insulating materials; extruded polystyrene foam in rolls

As discussed earlier in this blog, isolate housing is one of the best investments you can make today , for welfare, economy and health. 
In most of the houses in Spain and all over the world waste an incredible amount of heat due to their poor insulation; a well insulated house is heated with very little energy and keeps the temperature better. 

Most of the heat loss is caused by roofs (especially if they are lowered with insulation) first, then finally the walls and the floor, in that order. 
In this post we will see a way to isolate (isolating ceilings from acoustic and heat , so as not to be disturbed by neighbors with noise, and save energy) and also you will see how to thermally insulate a wall inside losing only between 3 and 4 cms. 

Insulation options 

Earlier we saw that it is best to fill the air chambers with a durable and inexpensive insulation and treated injectable cellulose with borax salts (the cheapest and currently effective), but sometimes there is no air space so we have to apply insulation in the interior sided, reducing some space in the local, but earning much economy, comfort and welfare, as discussed below. 

When deciding on one or other insulators we have multiple options for different needs and different prices; generally good thermal insulation is not as good sound insulation and vice versa. After evaluating different options the best choice in terms of price and effectiveness is a thermal and acoustic mixed solution. 
Thermal insulation work by limiting air movement in some way to slow heat transfer as much as possible. 
Best acoustic insulating materials are flexible (rubber and the like) that absorb noise to muffle it, and also tend to have good thermal properties. Flexible materials with air chambers inside are also good sound insulation. 

• We chose extruded polystyrene thermal insulation that is less expensive than other materials (such as fiberglass or rock wool), with very good thermal insulation and acoustic insulation to keep in mind; about 3 € grilled 1200x600 of chovafoam M30 3 cm thick (without intent to advertise, have been acquired in Leroy Merlin ). Durability (over 100 years), strength and lightness are further advantages that will enable us to place the battens directly over the insulation.
• Another option to consider (but I have not seen in Leroy) are wooden fibreboard , economic and good thermal and acoustic insulation, which usually come treated with flame retardants to slow combustion.
• And acoustic insulation for its price, effectiveness and lightness we chose sponge rolls, 2 inches thick, place them between the plasterboard and thermal insulation.
• If we have very limited budget, it is best to use rock wool or glass in rolls; has good water permeability, are nonflammable (hold up to 1000 ° C), and reduces both thermal transfer and sound, giving very good results in most cases.
• If you have a very, very limited budget, and acoustic insulation we can use pieces of mattress, rubber, cotton or even old clothes like ... look at the Wikipedia options.
• In this page we have a very good relationship of thermal insulators options and recommendations.

Monitor your vehicle with Android Torque OBD2 reader and bluetooth

Today all cars bring a connection to the OBD diagnostic system ( most comprehensive in English) to connect to the control of the same, a small computer that controls many engine parameters and car electronics to improve consumption and seek mechanical (or user through the control panel) of the potential problems and maintenance required.

The vehicles are increasingly complex, and the fact that the unit warn you of these problems often prevents the operator hours of maintenance shop.

In Europe, according to Directive 98 / 69EG, gasoline cars from 2000 onwards, diesel cars from 2003 onwards and trucks from 2005 onwards must be equipped with an OBD.(Wikipedia)

Those who like "tinkering" with the car like me, to know it like the back of your hand, we can use this to read the status of the vehicle with a cheap bluetooth connector like the following image:

vgate, a cheap, simple and reliable reader ODB2

(This document was translated using Google Translator from the original spanish article)

Torque: A complete Android program to monitor our car

Modifying Dacia key to accommodate longer lasting battery

Hello dear readers. Today I will discuss a small modification I made to my remote control car, a Dacia Sandero diesel, a simple, robust and economical european car, both in price and consumption. 

Adding a mp3 headset to a 3M hearing protection

If you are lucky enough to work in a factory with the times, surely ye be required to wear helmets as a image.

The workshop music rarely it gets, and even went down, between the noise and helmets could barely hear, but ... what if we add a mp3 to helmets?

Use this idea with responsibility; if you put loud music, maybe you do not hear a fellow warning danger.

A friend had the bright idea to do it, and here is the result.

Get professional photos on your Android phone with HDR Camera

When we get a picture with a camera either, and there is a great contrast of light from one area to another, or out overexposed photo if we get all the details of the dark side (in the photo below, the reflections in the cups): 

Image Gallaxy S SCL focusing the dark side of the glasses

Or the details of the shaded areas are lost, when we focus on the brighter side, as shown in the following image:

Galaxy S SCL image focusing the white part of the vessels

(This document was translated using Google Translator from the original spanish article)

Installing the USB driver for Arduino Leonardo in Windows 7 32-bit

The open source electronic board Arduino Leonardo

Yesterday I could try an electronic board that will accompany me for a long time in all my projects; the open source electronic board Arduino (Leonardo model with more inputs / outputs). 
This plate, if you like the "Do It Yourself" is impressive: 

• Cheap (from 20 €)
• Modern, comprehensive and flexible, with 20-pin I / O for highly complex projects
• Open Hardware and Software (no secrets, you can make yourself the pieces)
• Easy to program (using high-level language based on Processing )
• With many examples and an ever larger community
• Very economical and complete, Have I said it yet? XD

If you want to know more about how was this wonder of electronics, nothing better than "Arduino The Documentary" . A demonstration of the power of open source and collaborative altruism: 



Let's go to the topic ... It cost me a lot to find how to install the USB driver for Windows 7 32-bit; I could'nt get it to work, did not find it, despite following the official guide . 

How to Install Windows 7 on a Compaq NC8430

Today we are going to install the best current Windows; 7, in this somewhat dated computer but with a Centrino Duo that can cope with the Win7. I've found that does not have the drivers for the hard drive, so I had to go to the manufacturer's website, HP, and download the AHCI Sata hard disk controller. 
To copy it to a USB need to burn it to a floppy, and as I don't have this anymore, I have had to do with a virtual floppy using an USB pendrive. 

What to do if you drop your mobile into water

First, stay calm and act quickly, take it out of the water and remove the battery, the chances of recovering a long time is decreased if the battery; internal short circuit could be damaging and irrecoverable watching it later.

Then it is best to disarm as much as possible (there are numerous online manuals how to disarm the different terminals) and give heat with a hair, but not too hot as to melt XD.

If you act fast, you will probably only get wet surface. Remove the battery, and if you see it completely dry inside, you can dry it with a hairdryer. You were lucky this time! XD

(This document was translated using Google Translator from the original spanish article)

Once disarmed (without battery or SIM and memory card and lost everything you can) you can opt for the easy solution, which gives a result most of the time, which is putting it in a closed rice for several days container, at least one week if you have not disarmed lot, or at least 3 days if you separate all the pieces, until it is dry. Rice is the desiccant (moisture absorbing) cheaper there.