Calculate Rheem EcoNet Real-Time COP (ESPHome + Home Assistant Guide)

Quick summary • Goal: Calculate real-time COP for Rheem EcoNet systems • Stack: ESPHome + Home Assistant • Method: Estimate thermal output from temperature rise • Result: Live efficiency metric for automation and diagnostics • Difficulty: Intermediate Introduction ESPHome-Econet enables fully local, cloud-free control of Rheem water heaters and HVAC systems using ESP32 and ESP8266 … Read more

mpv HDR Guide 2026: HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision & Tone Mapping Explained

Introduction If HDR video looks washed out, too dark, or inconsistent in mpv media player, the problem is usually a misunderstanding of how HDR actually works. This mpv HDR guide explains HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision in practical terms, how mpv handles them internally, and why many HDR setups fail even with “correct” configurations. The … Read more

The Secure Storage Trilemma

Backing up personal data should not require trusting a blockchain economy. A short while back, I published a design for a decentralized storage network that deliberately avoided blockchains. The idea was simple. Most people who self-host backups do not need global consensus, token incentives, or smart contracts. They need recoverability, privacy, and reasonable guarantees that … Read more

Designing Symbion: A Hardened, Serverless P2P Storage Network

Backing up your data shouldn’t require trusting a blockchain economy. Yet most decentralized storage systems are built for speculation, not recovery. They require wallets, gas fees, global consensus, and financial incentives. For self-hosted users who want an offsite backup for family photos or personal documents, this is unnecessary complexity. Symbion is an attempt to design … Read more

Beyond the Ledger: A Case for Self-Hosted P2P Storage

For the last decade, the conversation around decentralized storage has been dominated by blockchain projects. Projects like Filecoin and Arweave have focused on solving Global Permanence by relying on Global Consensus: the entire network must validate and record the proofs of storage for every file, secured by a native token, mining rigs, and a global … Read more

Enable USB Serial (FTDI230X / Palette 2) on Flashforge Adventurer 5M (Pro)

Background I replaced my original 3D printer with a smaller Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro, but the Mosaic Palette 2 wasn’t connecting when plugged into the printer’s USB. dmesg showed the device was seen but not mounted, indicating the kernel was missing the USB-to-serial driver module. I spent time trying to compile the modules using the … Read more

Calculating Your Home’s Electrical Load for an EV Charger: A Guide to the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC)

As electric vehicles (EVs) become more common, one of the first hurdles for homeowners is installing a home charger, also known as Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). A common question arises immediately: “Does my home’s electrical panel have enough capacity?” Unfortunately, getting a straightforward answer can be difficult. The rules laid out in the Canadian … Read more