Posted by: andym
Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 08:20
Was just wondering wether this is still likely to be going ahead given the upcoming change to Hugo's location?
Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet
Posted by: robricc
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 12:42
It's my understanding that the mini-meet was planned because of Hugo's moving. Hence the part about giving away stuff.
My flight and hotel is booked. See you there!
My flight and hotel is booked. See you there!
Posted by: peter
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 13:00
Hugo's already working for Apple, but he's not actually moving out there until later in the year. The July mini-meet is still very much on, last I heard.
Peter
Peter
Posted by: andym
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 16:06
Cool, I can't remember which announcement came first, the mini-meet or the move.
Anyways, Cris and I will be there!
Anyways, Cris and I will be there!
Posted by: julf
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 16:43
Elaine and I will be there - with Elaine probably straight off the flight from New Jersey!
Posted by: andym
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 17:35
Nice one!
One last thing.... it's still on the 29th of July isn't it?
One last thing.... it's still on the 29th of July isn't it?
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 17:43
Yep, mini meet is still on for the 29th July (that's the BBQ). For those around on friday evening, we're going to the Al Casbah for some food (though you're not allowed to compare the quality of the professional barbeque with the amateur one the next day, ok? 
), followed by a pub I suspect.
Fingers crossed for the weather - Im now worried that the summer will have used itself up this month and there won't be any left for July! If it's bad then I've got a gazebo and I'm sure with a little duck tape we can join multiple gazebos together for that "star wars ice base" feel. Cat5 will be provided
Hugo
), followed by a pub I suspect.Fingers crossed for the weather - Im now worried that the summer will have used itself up this month and there won't be any left for July! If it's bad then I've got a gazebo and I'm sure with a little duck tape we can join multiple gazebos together for that "star wars ice base" feel. Cat5 will be provided
Hugo
Posted by: andym
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 18:02
Friday and Saturday is very tempting. Will have to see what Cris wants to do.
Posted by: Robotic
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 20:13
This month's project in the UK and associated travel dates are slipping a couple of weeks, but I still won't stay late enough in July to make the meet. 
Sure wish I could though.
Oh well- at least I can look forward to more SF meets.
Sure wish I could though.
Oh well- at least I can look forward to more SF meets.
Posted by: mlord
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 22:13
Quote:
Oh well- at least I can look forward to more SF meets.
Yeah, we'll have to have one this summer to "welcome" Hugo. With a little bit of luck, I might be in town (SJ) on a day when he's also around. Headline News: Lord meets Creator in California. Details at 11!
Posted by: sein
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 14/06/2006 23:21
Quote:
Yep, mini meet is still on for the 29th July
I'd like to come.
Is it supposed to be a lunch BBQ? I'm at work until 1pm, so realistically not really going to be able to make it to Cambridge until 4pm at the earliest.
Just wondering whether that is a good time or not. Can't really take the day off unfortunately.
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 15/06/2006 12:29
Quote:
Yep, mini meet is still on for the 29th July (that's the BBQ). For those around on friday evening, we're going to the Al Casbah for some food (though you're not allowed to compare the quality of the professional barbeque with the amateur one the next day, ok?
Haha! I was one of the first to jump in for the mini-meet and Hugo promptly did his poll shortly afterwards. Unfortuantely, my girlfriend has organised something for 29th so I won't be able to attend the mini-meet, but we're doing something super fun anyway!
However, the friday I will be around, so it'd be nice to say hello & goodbye to hugo, maybe get him to sign my ArcBBS manual
If you're going to be down on the friday night Andy, then it'd also be nice to catch up with you!
Humn...food for thought (and eating!).
Adrian
Posted by: rob
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 15/06/2006 14:01
Quote:
However, the friday I will be around, so it'd be nice to say hello & goodbye to hugo, maybe get him to sign my ArcBBS manual
Oh.. which one was yours then?
Rob (Noah BBS 2:252/106)
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 15/06/2006 15:15
Quote:
Oh.. which one was yours then?
Rob (Noah BBS 2:252/106)
Oh cool. My foray into running a BBS didn't last long!!! I had help from olly tseliki (sp?) trying to get it all working, I can't remember the name of his bbs now though.
In the end I think I just used to to test stuff that I'd written to make sure it worked correctly on one of the BBS's we used to have our own area on (demo group!) - but can't remember the name of that BBS now though!
So you owned/ran noah then? That's pretty cool, I used to use that occasionally I think! The BBS I used to use most was TWoC.
When I saw that the MK1 used a strong-arm the first thing I kind of wondered is "I wonder what Hugo Fiennes is upto now?", wasn't until a couple of years later that I found this place (after lusting after the empeg for that time) that I realised hugo was behind the empeg!
Think I sent a message to him and he said that he should resurrect TWoC because it was still on one of his machines!
Adrian
Posted by: Cris
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 15/06/2006 16:08
Quote:
Friday and Saturday is very tempting. Will have to see what Cris wants to do.
Depends on sleeping arrangements etc... I think Friday is unlikely for me as I won't finish work until 4(ish
) No way I can have any more time off work until October now If there is promise off a bed in a hotel room somewhere and someone orders me something nice, I should make it for the meal, what do you think Andy? It would mean going down together is out of the window?
Although there is little room to bring back anything interesting we might find while we are there, may be 2 Smarts are better than one?
Cheers
Cris.
PS - First post made on new MacBook.
Posted by: andym
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 15/06/2006 19:27
Don't mind really, could always forget Friday and travel up Saturday AM instead. Depends upon what you think we might end up coming back with.
Anyways, I might not have the fortwo by then!
Anyways, I might not have the fortwo by then!
Posted by: andy
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 15/06/2006 20:06
Quote:
Anyways, I might not have the fortwo by then!
Tease, do tell...
Posted by: andym
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 15/06/2006 20:15
I'm looking at getting a Brabus Roadster. Agonising over stretching to get a new one, or getting a 6 - 8 month old one and spending the balance on a MacBook Pro and a new camera.
Posted by: rob
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 07:19
Quote:
Oh cool. My foray into running a BBS didn't last long!!! I had help from olly tseliki (sp?) trying to get it all working, I can't remember the name of his bbs now though.
I remember Ollie - wasn't he one of the rebels with an Acorn BBS running on a PC? I recall he helped me when I transformed Noah into TNCS on a PC (that didn't last long!).
Quote:
So you owned/ran noah then? That's pretty cool, I used to use that occasionally I think! The BBS I used to use most was TWoC.
Yep, I was the second ArcBBS sysop after Alan Glover (well, and after Hugo obviously). I guess that would have been 1989 - I wasn't old enough to drive yet, and Hugo had just bought his MX5. Ah, the good 'ol days.
Quote:
Think I sent a message to him and he said that he should resurrect TWoC because it was still on one of his machines!
Arcade BBS is still online but I suspect it's probably the last ArcBBS in use. My (highly modified) A440 is still in the garage somewhere so it's quite possible Noah has survived on some dodgy old 40GB hard disk.
http://arcade.demon.co.uk/
Rob
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 08:48
Wow. I thought your name was familier, but I never quite picked up on it! Just logged onto Arcade, I remember the login screen well now, couldn't remember my old ID number though so just created a new account for nostalgia, now I remember what ArcBBS looked like!!!
Out of interest, what happened to the serial port? What happened to all the software that Hugo put out, was it sold onto other companies or did Hugo just forget about it?
I'm always interested in seeing source code from that era, it was where I learnt to program, it's always "home" for me and I've got a massive soft spot for it!
I remember hugo giving me the source code to demo II to demo V (he'd lost the source to demo I!) and that was kind of interesting to look at, I'd love to see the source behind some of his commercial projects - barring of course if the rights were sold on, commercial sensitivity (can't imagine a whole lot now!) and Hugo's good will - and of course if he still has it! (we lost the source code to our first cad program here at work - although people still phone up because they're using it!). I'm not exgagerting when I say Hugo was somewhat of an Archimedes god!
Probably the most exciting time I've ever had in computing!
Out of interest, what happened to the serial port? What happened to all the software that Hugo put out, was it sold onto other companies or did Hugo just forget about it?
I'm always interested in seeing source code from that era, it was where I learnt to program, it's always "home" for me and I've got a massive soft spot for it!
I remember hugo giving me the source code to demo II to demo V (he'd lost the source to demo I!) and that was kind of interesting to look at, I'd love to see the source behind some of his commercial projects - barring of course if the rights were sold on, commercial sensitivity (can't imagine a whole lot now!) and Hugo's good will - and of course if he still has it! (we lost the source code to our first cad program here at work - although people still phone up because they're using it!). I'm not exgagerting when I say Hugo was somewhat of an Archimedes god!
Probably the most exciting time I've ever had in computing!
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 08:48
Frighteningly, TWoC is actually about 3 feet from me at the moment. I really ought to dust it off and see if it still works
Of course, I don't actually own any modems anymore...
Hugo
Of course, I don't actually own any modems anymore...
Hugo
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 08:50
BBQ on saturday is going to be early afternoon onwards, not really worked it out yet. I guess it'll start no earlier than 5 (I need as much time as possible to get stuff ready!)
Hugo
Hugo
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 08:59
Quote:
Frighteningly, TWoC is actually about 3 feet from me at the moment. I really ought to dust it off and see if it still works
I wonder if my user account is still on it?
Ahh...those were the days!
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 08:59
The Serial Port was shut down - Atomwide re-designed the hardware of the two port serial card (which became their 3 port) and sold this for many years afterwards, they also sold ARCterm for a while.
ARCbbs was slightly too high support for anyone to take on, and dialup BBSes had lost their shine by that point anyway, what with that new fangled internet thing. I can't remember what happened with Investigator, I think he didn't do any more versions and it sort of petered out (either that or he started selling it himself - it was so long ago I really can't remember any more!).
I really ought to find a monitor that'll work on my A540 and try turning it on again. It's got a 10bT network on it, it could come to the US and run on my broadband connection... ideally I'd find an emulator for linux/osx and just run the whole machine under emulation, though that would require emulating a serial port and hooking it to a telnet server
Hugo
ARCbbs was slightly too high support for anyone to take on, and dialup BBSes had lost their shine by that point anyway, what with that new fangled internet thing. I can't remember what happened with Investigator, I think he didn't do any more versions and it sort of petered out (either that or he started selling it himself - it was so long ago I really can't remember any more!).
I really ought to find a monitor that'll work on my A540 and try turning it on again. It's got a 10bT network on it, it could come to the US and run on my broadband connection... ideally I'd find an emulator for linux/osx and just run the whole machine under emulation, though that would require emulating a serial port and hooking it to a telnet server
Hugo
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 09:01
What about Tracker? I know that was sold through the serial port, but was that written by another guy? I seem to recall that being the case.
Adrian
Adrian
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 09:03
That was a QD enterprises product, though QD did use the serial port name when I was working for them. Fabrice Mercier was the guy; ISTR that when he came back from his compulsory military service (in France) he wasn't much interested in working on tracker anymore.
edit: There was the original soundtracker player that I wrote for the archimedes, but that was just a player and didn't get sold as such - well, we did flog lots of disks with the player and amiga music on them for not much more than the cost of the floppies at one acorn show, but didn't do it really commercially... that itself only came about because we were playing them on our booth and everyone was asking for a copy!
Hugo
edit: There was the original soundtracker player that I wrote for the archimedes, but that was just a player and didn't get sold as such - well, we did flog lots of disks with the player and amiga music on them for not much more than the cost of the floppies at one acorn show, but didn't do it really commercially... that itself only came about because we were playing them on our booth and everyone was asking for a copy!
Hugo
Posted by: rob
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 10:02
Quote:
I'm always interested in seeing source code from that era, it was where I learnt to program, it's always "home" for me and I've got a massive soft spot for it!
Hugo's "demo" code must have been responsible for launching more than a few software writing careers! The serious apps he knocked out inspired me to learn C and get more involved in software development. Years later he was also kind of responsible for getting me out of software development. I'm not sure which one to thank him for!
Quote:
I'd love to see the source behind some of his commercial projects - barring of course if the rights were sold on, commercial sensitivity (can't imagine a whole lot now!) and Hugo's good will - and of course if he still has it!
Dave & Dave were given the ArcBBS source and continued to maintain it when Hugo packed it in.
Quote:
I'm not exgagerting when I say Hugo was somewhat of an Archimedes god!
Acorn god, empeg god, Rio god - and soon Apple god maybe? How much divinity can fit in one small person?
Quote:
Probably the most exciting time I've ever had in computing!
Me too, it's all down hill from there, eh?
Rob
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 10:36
I'd imagine that virtually 100% of all demos released on the Acorn featured hugo's soundtracker code, I know the source for that was released because I used it myself!
Sadly it has been downhill in terms of programming from there, going from the ARM to the X86 was a massive shock, "what only 6 registers?" that I don't think I ever quite got over that one.
Things were fun on the Acorn platform, the OS was brilliant, the API wasn't just extensive, it was gigantic! (I put my ROS3 PRM's in the loft the other day and it nearly killed me!)
Sadly that whole low level/close to hardware scene is pretty much gone now, I used to write games, & desktop applications on Risc OS in assembler for fun, it was so satisfying. When I moved over to the PC it was still MS-DOS & windows 3.1, so I got to play with hardware direct, doing funky stuff with VGA registers and the like .
It's a shame that to a certain extent that whole side of computing has been lost, ok, opengl makes it a sinch to draw a gouraud shaded polygon on the screen - but I remember writing my own routines for drawing gouraud polygons in assembler!
As for now? Well, at this very moment we've just finished a production run on a ARM based product, so I've been doing lots of embedded ARM stuff which is much more fun than fighting with Windows!
Adrian
Sadly it has been downhill in terms of programming from there, going from the ARM to the X86 was a massive shock, "what only 6 registers?" that I don't think I ever quite got over that one.
Things were fun on the Acorn platform, the OS was brilliant, the API wasn't just extensive, it was gigantic! (I put my ROS3 PRM's in the loft the other day and it nearly killed me!)
Sadly that whole low level/close to hardware scene is pretty much gone now, I used to write games, & desktop applications on Risc OS in assembler for fun, it was so satisfying. When I moved over to the PC it was still MS-DOS & windows 3.1, so I got to play with hardware direct, doing funky stuff with VGA registers and the like .
It's a shame that to a certain extent that whole side of computing has been lost, ok, opengl makes it a sinch to draw a gouraud shaded polygon on the screen - but I remember writing my own routines for drawing gouraud polygons in assembler!
As for now? Well, at this very moment we've just finished a production run on a ARM based product, so I've been doing lots of embedded ARM stuff which is much more fun than fighting with Windows!
Adrian
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 12:50
I think "acorn god" is rather over-doing it, I wasn't even anywhere near the real top league of acorn people - Neil Raine would probably fit that better given his amazing game coding on the BBC!
Many people will shudder at the thought of me inspiring programmers; bad habits learnt from me that early on in a programmer's life could be fatal
As for ArcBBS, I had an HDD crash and lost some source. Piecing it together again from sector editors meant that I somehow got a mismatch in the API somewhere (you never can tell how old the file fragment you've found is!) which meant the messagebase was never as stable again. I never did get to the bottom of exactly why that was (any messagebase corruption was a big, big, pain to sort out on big bbses like Arcade or TWoC) so it sort of withered a bit.
It's definitely all downhill now, yes. And the brakes don't work...
Hugo
Many people will shudder at the thought of me inspiring programmers; bad habits learnt from me that early on in a programmer's life could be fatal
As for ArcBBS, I had an HDD crash and lost some source. Piecing it together again from sector editors meant that I somehow got a mismatch in the API somewhere (you never can tell how old the file fragment you've found is!) which meant the messagebase was never as stable again. I never did get to the bottom of exactly why that was (any messagebase corruption was a big, big, pain to sort out on big bbses like Arcade or TWoC) so it sort of withered a bit.
It's definitely all downhill now, yes. And the brakes don't work...
Hugo
Posted by: rob
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 12:57
Quote:
It's definitely all downhill now, yes. And the brakes don't work...
I hear Microsoft have a vacancy..
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 13:00
Quote:
I hear Microsoft have a vacancy..
Maybe we could convince them to drop vista and replace it with ROS!
Posted by: peter
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 14:10
Quote:
I think "acorn god" is rather over-doing it, I wasn't even anywhere near the real top league of acorn people - Neil Raine would probably fit that better given his amazing game coding on the BBC!
Well, the Acorn gods really were gods -- Raine, Wilson, Seal, Braben, Bell. That still left a lot of room for demigods...
Peter
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 14:42
I think the subsequent success of the ARM means that Wilson (and Furber) are elevated way beyond god status! Just IMO...
Hugo
Hugo
Posted by: peter
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/06/2006 14:50
Quote:
I think the subsequent success of the ARM means that Wilson (and Furber) are elevated way beyond god status! Just IMO...
Ah, true. I was really talking about the software gods. The hardware gods are a different lot again, and yes Wilson gets on both lists...
Peter
Posted by: SuperQ
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 17/06/2006 01:25
totaly random.. my co worker Jas says to me.. "hugo? oh god, I'll never ride in his car again, he drives like crazy"
Damn.. I'm going to be in Dublin for a month (sunday through july 15th) and I probably won't have time to get to .uk
Damn.. I'm going to be in Dublin for a month (sunday through july 15th) and I probably won't have time to get to .uk
Posted by: furtive
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 21/06/2006 20:14
Quote:Quote:
It's definitely all downhill now, yes. And the brakes don't work...
I hear Microsoft have a vacancy..
Interestingly (or not) a friend of mine who knew Hugo when he was at Acorn now works for Bill...
Posted by: speedy67
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 23/06/2006 08:53
So now flights are booked to Stansted. No place to sleep yet... I'll bring my sleeping bag, if there's anybody, where i can get a little place to sleep in Cambridge?
Is there someone, who drives to Cambridge and passes by Stansted airport? I'll be there Friday, July 28 @ 11:00 am. Would be nicer than going by train...
So hope to see many empeggers, and thanks Hugo for the invitation!
And now going to hunt some good airfare for September...
cheers, Thomas
Is there someone, who drives to Cambridge and passes by Stansted airport? I'll be there Friday, July 28 @ 11:00 am. Would be nicer than going by train...
So hope to see many empeggers, and thanks Hugo for the invitation!
And now going to hunt some good airfare for September...
cheers, Thomas
Posted by: rob
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 23/06/2006 08:57
Thomas, I can't help with a lift as I'll be at work, however getting to Cambridge by train from Stansted is very easy. The train station is in the basement of the airport, and there is a direct train to Cambridge every half hour or so.
Regards
Rob
Regards
Rob
Posted by: robricc
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 23/06/2006 12:34
PM Sent
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 24/06/2006 17:15
I'd catch the train, the M11 is dull, dull, dull!!!
Posted by: Robotic
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 25/06/2006 22:18
Quote:
I'd catch the train, the M11 is dull, dull, dull!!!
Ah- but with an Empeg installed, any drive is enjoyable!
/not to mention someone to talk with!
Posted by: JBjorgen
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 26/06/2006 12:08
How 'bout getting there without a vehicle from Redhill (just south of London) assuming the poster knows absolutely nothing about traveling in the UK. I'm guessing there's a train and that one would have to switch somewhere in London? Also, how long would it take?
Posted by: peter
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 26/06/2006 12:30
Quote:
How 'bout getting there without a vehicle from Redhill (just south of London) assuming the poster knows absolutely nothing about traveling in the UK. I'm guessing there's a train and that one would have to switch somewhere in London? Also, how long would it take?
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk
Looks like it takes about two-and-a-quarter hours by train, including crossing London on the tube.
Peter
Posted by: andy
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 26/06/2006 13:19
Quote:
Looks like it takes about two-and-a-quarter hours by train, including crossing London on the tube.
The journey doesn't actually involve the tube at all, it does however involve three changes (East Croydon, Kings Cross Thameslink, Kings Cross) and a five minute walk between Kings Cross Thameslink and Kings Cross.
Posted by: peter
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 26/06/2006 13:23
Quote:
The journey doesn't actually involve the tube at all, it does however involve three changes (East Croydon, Kings Cross Thameslink, Kings Cross) and a five minute walk between Kings Cross Thameslink and Kings Cross.
Oh, OK, maybe I accidentally searched for a weird time of day, but for me it only gave journeys Redhill -> Victoria -> tube -> Kings Cross -> Cambridge.
Peter
Posted by: andy
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 26/06/2006 13:40
Quote:
Oh, OK, maybe I accidentally searched for a weird time of day, but for me it only gave journeys Redhill -> Victoria -> tube -> Kings Cross -> Cambridge.
You probably searched for a rush-hour period train. At that time of the day there are lots of Redhill -> Victoria trains, during the rest of the day there aren't and the Thameslink route is quicker.
Posted by: speedy67
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 28/06/2006 19:10
Thanks for hints and offers, i have a lift and a room. RobRicc will catch me at the airport and offered me the free bed in his hotel room. Thanks, Rob!
So let's hope for summer in GB and cold beer in the pubs and Hugos garden...
See you there,
Thomas
So let's hope for summer in GB and cold beer in the pubs and Hugos garden...
See you there,
Thomas
Posted by: julf
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/06/2006 07:32
What hotel are you in?
Posted by: robricc
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/06/2006 11:05
Travelodge Cambridge Central as recommended by Hugo.
Posted by: julf
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 01/07/2006 07:01
Quote:
Travelodge Cambridge Central as recommended by Hugo.
Ahh. Will try to get room for Elaine and me there as well.
Posted by: julf
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 01/07/2006 10:39
Duh - looks like it's fully booked. Will do another hotel instead.
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 03/07/2006 09:30
You could try activehotels.com to find a hotel. No particular plug apart from Claire works there and they tend to have lots of smaller places that don't have an online presence themselves.
Hugo
Hugo
Posted by: julf
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 03/07/2006 22:39
Will keep that in mind - for now, Elaine booked us
here: http://www.theroyalcambridgehotel.co.uk/
here: http://www.theroyalcambridgehotel.co.uk/
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 04/07/2006 08:35
I think that's a pretty nice place, close to the pretty bits of Cambridge but still walkable from the barbie
Hugo
Hugo
Posted by: thinfourth2
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/07/2006 13:11
Hmmm should i come down as i think i will miss the main meet
Any trackdays near by?
Any trackdays near by?
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/07/2006 15:16
Snetterton is fairly close (I've never done it myself, though) and there's Bedford Autodrome which has some events. Rockingham is sort-of on the way (well, you'd be coming a long way!) and they have spaces for the friday before the bbq - see bookatrack's website.
BaT are fine, been on events organised by them before. It's open pit lane, so make sure you know where to get some replacement tyres at the end of the day
Hugo
BaT are fine, been on events organised by them before. It's open pit lane, so make sure you know where to get some replacement tyres at the end of the day
Hugo
Posted by: andym
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 16/07/2006 19:40
Quote:
You could try activehotels.com to find a hotel. No particular plug apart from Claire works there and they tend to have lots of smaller places that don't have an online presence themselves.
Hugo, could you PM me your post code? It'll make it easier to figure out wether half the hotels I'm looking at are walkable or not!
Posted by: thinfourth2
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 18/07/2006 03:21
Ah ha you are used to those heavy trackcars you insist on using that eat tyres brakes and fuel. A 7 is incredibly light on brakes and tyres as you don't have that much to slow down and turn round.
Have you ever driven a 7 round a track?
do you want to
Have you ever driven a 7 round a track?
do you want to
Posted by: furtive
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 18/07/2006 13:05
Are you really going to drive your 7 from Aberdeen to Cambridge? 
And BaT's Rockingham dates look good Fri 28th and Sun 30th July. I'm hoping to be at the one on the 28th
And BaT's Rockingham dates look good Fri 28th and Sun 30th July. I'm hoping to be at the one on the 28th
Posted by: andym
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 18/07/2006 15:46
Nadgers! The Travelodge I was looking at is fully booked. Any recommendations for something that's not 30 miles away or £200 a night? Tried activehotels, nothing really suitable for those dates....
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 18/07/2006 16:47
Tried the holiday inn on (or just off) Coldhams lane? That's more than the travelodge but supposedly not too badly priced.
http://www.e-travelguide.info/expresscambridge/findus.htm
Walkable, but it's a fairly dark walk so a 5 minute taxi might be better
Hugo
http://www.e-travelguide.info/expresscambridge/findus.htm
Walkable, but it's a fairly dark walk so a 5 minute taxi might be better
Hugo
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 18/07/2006 16:48
Driven a 7 but only at a drift day (which I was pants at) so I didn't get much of a feel for it... don't think I'll be able to take the time off to go to the track next week though as I'm off to china on the monday after!
Thanks for the offer though
Hugo
Thanks for the offer though
Hugo
Posted by: Cris
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 18/07/2006 19:13
Dammit! That's booked up too!
I guess we should have booked much earlier. What time are you kicking off the BBQ, maybe we can do a round trip in the day, no beer mind
Cheers
Cris.
I guess we should have booked much earlier. What time are you kicking off the BBQ, maybe we can do a round trip in the day, no beer mind
Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: furtive
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 19/07/2006 08:16
Have you tried searching the AA website for B&B's? They are usually pretty reliable.
Posted by: boxer
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 19/07/2006 09:38
Quote:
Have you tried searching the AA website for B&B's? They are usually pretty reliable.
47 choices for Cambridge and a map to show you whereabouts in town at www.theaa.com.
Why should I give the AA a helping hand, they've just diddled me out of £50, misselling insurance?
Posted by: furtive
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 19/07/2006 10:24
Eh? You aren't giving the AA anything.
Posted by: Cris
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 19/07/2006 10:25
I think I have found the root of our problem, Cambridge Folk Festival spoke to a few places now, they all say the same, NO CHANCE!
Looks like it will be there and back in the day then
Cheers
Cris.
Looks like it will be there and back in the day then
Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 19/07/2006 22:01
You could always camp in the garden
Barbie probably starting about 4 or 5...
Hugo
Barbie probably starting about 4 or 5...
Hugo
Posted by: Cris
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 20/07/2006 04:28
Andy has booked us the travel lodge in Fenstanton, a bit further out, but shouldn't be too much in a taxi?
Hope this weather holds out!
Cheers
Cris.
Hope this weather holds out!
Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 20/07/2006 05:12
£24.80 each way. I live 2 miles from Fenstanton!
Posted by: Cris
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 20/07/2006 15:31
25 QUID !!! Blimey I hope there is a bus
Cheers
Cris.
Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 20/07/2006 16:26
Quote:
25 QUID !!! Blimey I hope there is a bus
Cheers
Cris.
Fenstanton is a bit of a trek from the Cambridge city centre, takes me about 15 minutes by car to get to impington (village on the outskirts of Cambridge where the hotel is that rob recommended for the main meet). Then add another 10 minutes to the journey dealing with Cambridge.
Of course this is me driving, add a taxi driver into the equation and you probably have to add another 10 minutes for them trying to rip as much money as possible out of you!!!!
Last bus back (from drummer street - no idea where Hugo is in relation to this) is quarter past eleven at night, the one before is about quarter past nine if memory serves me correctly - then you'll have a little bit of a walk from the stop in fenstanton to the travelodge, unless you can convince the driver to let you off at the top of the headlands!
I guess you guys are only coming down for the BBQ?
Posted by: boxer
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 20/07/2006 16:58
Are you both in Smarts?
Logically, if the four of you drove there in one car, and got a taxi back, and then two of you went and collected the other car in the morning, you would halve the taxi fare: But it doesn't need me to think of that!
Mind you, if you add 25 quid each to the price of a Travelodge, you probably only come up with the price of a central hotel.
Logically, if the four of you drove there in one car, and got a taxi back, and then two of you went and collected the other car in the morning, you would halve the taxi fare: But it doesn't need me to think of that!
Mind you, if you add 25 quid each to the price of a Travelodge, you probably only come up with the price of a central hotel.
Posted by: Cris
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 20/07/2006 18:48
It's a boys weekend, so it's just the 2 of us. The girls are doing their own thing.
I can't make it for the friday night food But I think we are going to get to cambridge quite early so we can have a look around first, it's one place I have never been to before. Any suggestions of ways to pass 3 or 4 hours ???
Cheers
Cris.
I can't make it for the friday night food
But I think we are going to get to cambridge quite early so we can have a look around first, it's one place I have never been to before. Any suggestions of ways to pass 3 or 4 hours ???Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 20/07/2006 20:32
Quote:
Any suggestions of ways to pass 3 or 4 hours ???
The Eagle (watson & crick drunk there - make sure you go into the back bar)
The Anchor (across the road from the mathematical bridge)
The Mill (get your pint and sit by the river)
The Granta (just nice)
That should pass a few hours! I'm sure there are loads of things to do in Cambridge, but it's just "town" to me, bunch of rubbish shops, bunch of rubbish pubs and a few good ones.
The fitzwilliam museum is ok and free, maybe walk along the backs and see the colleges, erm, take photos of random walls to look like an authentic tourist! Go get some free fudge samples from the fudge shop on trinity street.
Mill road has to be done for it's many fine eating establishments
Mmnn...spicy potatoes!
Posted by: Robotic
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 25/07/2006 19:19
AHAHAHAHAHA!
So, yah- my project slipped by weeks and then also the planning was horrific and didn't include enough resources or time.
End result is that I will be in the UK this weekend- my fifth week away from home.
I haven't actually had a weekend off in the last three, though, so I'm still not certain whether I can make it to the meet.
The probability *is* growing.
I'm working in Earby, Lancs (1hr north of Manchester) and Cambridge is going to be quite a drive. If anyone has some extra floorspace for a lost Yank I'd much appreciate it... if this works out... I'm always such an optimist!
So, yah- my project slipped by weeks and then also the planning was horrific and didn't include enough resources or time.
End result is that I will be in the UK this weekend- my fifth week away from home.
I haven't actually had a weekend off in the last three, though, so I'm still not certain whether I can make it to the meet.
The probability *is* growing.
I'm working in Earby, Lancs (1hr north of Manchester) and Cambridge is going to be quite a drive. If anyone has some extra floorspace for a lost Yank I'd much appreciate it... if this works out... I'm always such an optimist!
Posted by: speedy67
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 26/07/2006 08:00
After weeks of dry and hot weather it seems to turn over. Heavy thunderstorms here in SW-Germany. Hope, it won't jump over Hugo's garden at the wrong time... 
cheers and cu,
Thomas
cheers and cu,
Thomas
Posted by: mlord
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 26/07/2006 10:26
Quote:
After weeks of dry and hot weather it seems to turn over. Heavy thunderstorms here in SW-Germany. Hope, it won't jump over Hugo's garden at the wrong time..
Heh.. same weather over here, too!
Posted by: rob
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 26/07/2006 10:51
Quote:
After weeks of dry and hot weather it seems to turn over. Heavy thunderstorms here in SW-Germany. Hope, it won't jump over Hugo's garden at the wrong time...
We're supposed to be getting some storms today, no sign of them as yet.
I was in Schopfheim yesterday and the weather was absolutely fantastic. Isn't that South West Germany? My geography's not that great, but I do know it was the first time I've driven in three countries for one little 32Km journey from the airport.
Rob
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 27/07/2006 06:21
I think we should have some floorspace/sofaspace/tent-in-gardenspace here if you can make it. Got a sleeping bag? (though maybe with the heat you may not need one!)
Hugo
Hugo
Posted by: speedy67
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 27/07/2006 07:55
Funny, what are you doing in Schopfheim? There's nothing than forest around it. It's just about 35km from where i live. Just over some Black Forest mountains to the east from Müllheim...
Posted by: mlord
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 27/07/2006 10:14
Quote:
I think we should have some floorspace/sofaspace/tent-in-gardenspace here if you can make it. Got a sleeping bag? (though maybe with the heat you may not need one!)
Hugo
I can vouch for the sofa -- it was comfy enough for me a few years back! Have fun on the weekend, folks!
Cheers
Posted by: rob
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 27/07/2006 10:59
Quote:
Funny, what are you doing in Schopfheim? There's nothing than forest around it. It's just about 35km from where i live.
It has some very pretty houses, a nice Greek restaurant, and a tiny company that develops the best USB audio drivers in the world!
Rob
Posted by: speedy67
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 27/07/2006 11:25
Wow, cool. High-Tech in my area. You'll have to tell me more on Saturday...
Posted by: Robotic
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 27/07/2006 12:57
Quote:
I think we should have some floorspace/sofaspace/tent-in-gardenspace here if you can make it. Got a sleeping bag? (though maybe with the heat you may not need one!)
Hugo
Excellent! Thanks!
No- no sleeping bag, but nearly any sort of cover will do fine- old newspapers, dog rags, old carpet...
The chances of my making it to Cambridge on Saturday are very good. The home office has sent reinforcements and the system is expected to be in production on the weekend. Confidence is high!
edit:
Ah- Hugo, would you PM me with an address or some form of approach instructions?
Posted by: julf
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 27/07/2006 16:09
Quote:
Ah- Hugo, would you PM me with an address or some form of approach instructions?
Ditto - just realized I didn't have any coordinates to program into the GPS...
Posted by: furtive
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 29/07/2006 15:37
I was hoping to make it to Cambridge today but things consipred against me.
Anyone want 1 x small baby. Lungs in more than excellent working order. WARNING: may interefere with sleep patterns
Anyone want 1 x small baby. Lungs in more than excellent working order. WARNING: may interefere with sleep patterns
Posted by: Robotic
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 29/07/2006 20:42
Quote:
I was hoping to make it to Cambridge today but things consipred against me.
Me too.
On the up-side, my robots are behaving much better than a few hours ago... I may actually get to see my hotel room before morning!
Posted by: robricc
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/07/2006 12:33
Posted by: mlord
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/07/2006 14:29
Mmmm.. funny, but I don't see many photos from after the beer began to flow.
A favour to ask: could somebody who snagged a bundle of those 1.8" HDs perhaps be persuaded to part with one for my Dell X1 notebook (it uses them inside). I'd like a spare for the day when excessive heat finally toasts the factory drive!
Cheers
A favour to ask: could somebody who snagged a bundle of those 1.8" HDs perhaps be persuaded to part with one for my Dell X1 notebook (it uses them inside). I'd like a spare for the day when excessive heat finally toasts the factory drive!
Cheers
Posted by: peter
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/07/2006 15:23
Quote:
A favour to ask: could somebody who snagged a bundle of those 1.8" HDs perhaps be persuaded to part with one for my Dell X1 notebook (it uses them inside).
I'm pretty sure those are all 2.5in. They're all pretty small, too: I don't think there's any over 10Gbyte.
Peter
Posted by: matthew_k
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/07/2006 15:36
It looks like a great time was had by all.
If anyone's looking to get rid of the rio receivers cheap, let me know...
Matthew
If anyone's looking to get rid of the rio receivers cheap, let me know...
Matthew
Posted by: andym
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/07/2006 16:08
Quote:
Thanks again Hugo for the party and large amount of awesome junk!
Yup, many thanks Hugo it was a great night!
It now looks like multi-room audio is now a reality in the Marriott household! Any chance of a pinout of the amplifier board in the Dell/Rio Receiver? I get the feeling Cris wants a few amplifiers building!
Posted by: Cris
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/07/2006 17:12
Quote:
Any chance of a pinout of the amplifier board in the Dell/Rio Receiver? I get the feeling Cris wants a few amplifiers building!
He know me too well.......
And thanks again Hugo had a great time! I got so drunk I even slept through Andy's snoring, and even let him drive half the way home due to the hangover
Anyone for a write once pre-programmed PIC??? I think I have about 100 going spare
Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: altman
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/07/2006 19:24
Note - no returns on useless goods accepted. You asked for something useless, and that's what you got
Thanks to everyone for coming, it was great to see everyone. Boy are the recycling people going to have a shock when they see how many bottles they have to collect
Hugo
Thanks to everyone for coming, it was great to see everyone. Boy are the recycling people going to have a shock when they see how many bottles they have to collect
Hugo
Posted by: andym
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/07/2006 19:48
Quote:
I got so drunk I even slept through Andy's snoring
Hello Pot? This is Kettle...... Your snoring was really bad and it started as soon as your head hit the pillow!
Posted by: Cris
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/07/2006 20:19
Quote:
Your snoring was really bad....
Like I keep telling Nicola, I don't snore, it's all lies I tell you
Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: Waterman981
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 30/07/2006 20:53
Yeah, what Matt said!
Posted by: sn00p
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 31/07/2006 05:10
Gutted I missed this
On the bright side, fatboy slim was awesome!
On the bright side, fatboy slim was awesome!
Posted by: julf
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 31/07/2006 06:31
Indeed, a good time was definitely had! Once more thank you, Hugo and Claire! It was a great party, and we even managed to get all the goodies safely through as carry-on lugage at Luton Airport. Of course the x-ray operator had to ask "what's in your bag?", but he was OK with the "oh, just some parts for car stereos" response...
Posted by: speedy67
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 31/07/2006 08:46
First of all, many thanks again to Claire and Hugo for a really lovely weekend. Thanks to Hugo for the stuff, which will let my empegs hopefully live for another 10 years or more.
It was a great party with great people and i can't wait for September to come back again.
Here are some of my photos, and Mark, they are covering the whole paty.
And thanks to robricc for picking me up at Stansted airport and the sofabed in his hotelroom. I really enjoyed staying with a real US-guy, cause the travellodge is NOT walkable from Hugos house. (considering my own driving habits i would be a good US-citizen, i think)
I had no trouble to get my spare parts and stuff as hand-baggage through the customs. They even didn't ask. The receivers were in my checked-in bag. At least 4 of them, the other one i left with robricc, cause my bag was totally overfilled.
It was a great party with great people and i can't wait for September to come back again.
Here are some of my photos, and Mark, they are covering the whole paty.
And thanks to robricc for picking me up at Stansted airport and the sofabed in his hotelroom. I really enjoyed staying with a real US-guy, cause the travellodge is NOT walkable from Hugos house. (considering my own driving habits i would be a good US-citizen, i think)
I had no trouble to get my spare parts and stuff as hand-baggage through the customs. They even didn't ask. The receivers were in my checked-in bag. At least 4 of them, the other one i left with robricc, cause my bag was totally overfilled.
Posted by: Robotic
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 31/07/2006 08:58
Very sorry to have missed this- I really thought I'd make it, but in the end my system was still stalled with teething pains. It was a case of 'so close and yet so far'.
The success story is that back-to-back all-nighters (not the drunken kind) aided the situation. Saturday we were in production with a somewhat functional system and by Sunday morning all the gremlins were worked out. We'll be able to meet our customer's deadline.
I'm beat- It's been five weeks of hellish hours. Now my flight booking is set for Tuesday and I'll get to go home!!
I was really, truly looking forward to an escape to Cambridge!
I'm glad everyone had such a great time, though. Wish I could have been there!
See you in SF, Hugo!
The success story is that back-to-back all-nighters (not the drunken kind) aided the situation. Saturday we were in production with a somewhat functional system and by Sunday morning all the gremlins were worked out. We'll be able to meet our customer's deadline.
I'm beat- It's been five weeks of hellish hours. Now my flight booking is set for Tuesday and I'll get to go home!!
I was really, truly looking forward to an escape to Cambridge!
I'm glad everyone had such a great time, though. Wish I could have been there!
See you in SF, Hugo!
Posted by: sein
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 31/07/2006 10:16
Cool photos RobR and Thomas
It was really nice to meet some BBS people for real. It was a lovely evening, and RobV's fondue was amazing! I really should have stayed a little longer, Patrick's tiny little helicopter looked fantastic and it would have been nice to see it on the move.
See you all again in a month and a bit. If I have any working Rio Receivers left then I'll bring them with me if anyone wants one.
It was really nice to meet some BBS people for real. It was a lovely evening, and RobV's fondue was amazing! I really should have stayed a little longer, Patrick's tiny little helicopter looked fantastic and it would have been nice to see it on the move.
See you all again in a month and a bit. If I have any working Rio Receivers left then I'll bring them with me if anyone wants one.
Posted by: mlord
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 31/07/2006 11:09
Quote:
Here are some of my photos, and Mark, they are covering the whole paty.
Ahhh.. much better now, thanks!
Posted by: FireFox31
Re: Empeg Cambridge Mini-Meet - 02/08/2006 00:51
Excelent photos Rob and Thomas! Wish I could have been there, but now I'm just more excited for September. Oh, remind me to plan my trip and buy my tickets......
Hugo and Claire, have a safe trip out to SF. Take care!
Hugo and Claire, have a safe trip out to SF. Take care!