Anytone DMR - Resolving Type Mismatch Errors

Note, the following post references the Anytone AT-D868UV handheld radio, but I imagine the information applies to the AT-D878UV and other similar models from Anytone.

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tl;dr - The virtual com ports created by the com0com software package are incompatible with Anytone QXCodePro and D868UV (used for updating and configuring Anytone DMR radios), causing those programs to crash when they try to start up and enumerate the com ports in the system.  The error presented to the user is "Run-time error '13': Type mismatch".  The fix is to (temporarily) uninstall com0com prior to using the Anytone programs.

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I have an Anytone DMR handheld radio, model AT-D868UV.  Anytone makes several models of handheld and mobile radios and their DMR radios have become quite popular in the ham radio community, due to a combination of low price and extensive feature set.  As with all DMR radios, the Anytone radios have to be connected to a computer for programming, both for updating the firmware to fix bugs and enable features, and for configuring the radio itself including features and frequencies.

There are two software packages for Anytone radios that must be installed to do these tasks - a firmware update tool called QXCodePro, and a program for creating and maintaining the "codeplug" (just a fancy name for "the configuration file for the radio") called D868UV.  The Anytone radio connects to a PC using a custom USB cable.  Special driver software allows this to be seen by the computer as a "com" port, like an old-fashioned serial port.  Both the QXCodePro and D868UV programs connect to the radio through this serial com port to read and write firmware and configurations.

The software is updated on a somewhat irregular basis - downloaded either direct from Anytone or from a radio vendor.

Recently after not using my DMR radio for some time I decided to pick it back up and work with it.  My first goal was to download the newest software package which would include new versions of QXCodePro, D868UV, and a firmware file.  After installing the new program executables, I tried firing up QXCodePro and ran into this error - "Run-time error '13': Type mismatch".

Trying to load the D868UV software which manages codeplugs gave the same error.  I tried uninstalling the software and reinstalling, no luck.  I tried installing an older version, didn't work.  I did some Googling around for the error message - it is real common with some Visual Basic stuff plugged into Excel spreadsheets, none of which helped me.  After trying everything under the sun that I could think up, I gave in and posted questions all over a variety of Reddit and Facebook groups.

As sometimes happens, after I posted all those queries, I found my answer buried deep in the comments on a Facebook post.  I'm sharing it here for others who may have the same issue.

In addition to my Anytone radio I have a Software Defined Radio (SDR) - an RSP1A from SDRPlay.  I use a piece of software called CSV User Browser to import shortwave schedule and frequency lists, and one of the things CSVUB can do is control the SDR.  It works by sending commands to the SDRUno control software that comes with the radio. That communication is accomplished through... wait for it... com ports.  I have installed a program called "com0com" which creates two virtual com ports which are connected to one another.  I program CSVUB to grab one of the com ports, and SDRUno to grab the other, and the virtual com port pair pass messages between the two pieces of software.

The issue seems to be some characteristic of these virtual com ports created by com0com.  Remember that BOTH the QXCodePro and D868UV programs start by enumerating the com ports in the system upon startup.  Apparently there's something about these virtual com ports created by com0com that the Anytone programs can't handle - thus the "type mismatch" error.

The only solution I have found is to uninstall com0com temporarily when I need to use the Anytone programs, then reinstall it when I'm done messing with the DMR firmware or configuration changes.  It's sort of a pain in the butt, but it doesn't take terribly long.  There may be a way to configure the com0com ports so they don't trigger the type-mismatch in the Anytone programs, but I haven't found one.  I am toying with opening a bug report to Anytone, but they're a Chinese company and I don't think they are going to be very responsive.

73 -
James

Comparing C. Crane Skywave SSB & Digitech AR-1780

I have a collection of portable shortwave radios - it's grown pretty rapidly in recent years as I've finally reached a stage in my career where I can indulge a little.  This of course proves the universe has a perverse sense of humor since there's less and less to be heard on "shortwave", especially the broadcast bands, but I digress.  All of these little radios are broad coverage communications receivers that cover longwave, mediumwave (AM), shortwave (usually with SSB), FM broadcast, and some of them have VHF air band which I actually enjoy using.

Two of my favorite small, travel-size portables are the C. Crane Skywave SSB, and the Digitech AR-1780.  Note, the AR-1780 is nearly identical to the XHData D-808, and I have other posts on this site about it.  What prompted me to write today is my Skywave SSB was recently broken (maybe a post for another time) and I shall not be able to buy a new one for a few weeks.  This has led me to use the AR-1780 a good bit more, and to think hard about what I like, and dislike, about both radios.

Now there are a lot of similarities between these radios.  The general consensus on the interwebs seems to be that the Chinese manufacturer of the AR-1780 cribbed much of the design from the Skywave SSB.  I am not sure if there's proof of that, but you'll see it repeated on multiple web sites.  The radios almost certainly use some of the same DSP components.  Among the similarities:

1. Both radios cover LW, MW, SW (with SSB), FM, and VHF AIR band.
2. Both radios have unusually good AIR band performance.
3. Both radios offer 500 memories, and the memory allocations, page functions, etc. all work identically on both radios.
4. Button operation and even location are very similar (though not identical).

But there are some differences, and some of them are kind of important in real world usage:

1. The Skywave SSB operates on only two AA batteries, whereas the AR-1780 uses four.  This could be important if you are traveling.
2. The Skywave has a relatively short telescoping whip which limits sensitivity, especially on shortwave.  The whip on the AR-1780 is longer and you can tell from the performance. See next note.
3. The Skywave lacks an external antenna jack.  Given that the whip is so short, this really hampers the ability to improve reception with an external antenna.  You can, of course, clip a length of wire to the whip.  The AR-1780 has an antenna jack, and plugging in an external antenna helps with MW, SW, and AIR band.  I have read some suggestions it doesn't help on anything but shortwave, but I can tell you in real-world usage that it helps with the other bands.
4. The AR-1780 outperforms the Skywave on MW AM pretty handily.
5. The Skywave SSB has the ability to scan one bank of up to 10 AIR band memories, which is a major plus for monitoring multiple frequencies.   The AR-1780 does not do this and I am sorely missing it right now.
6. The Skywave SSB can tune all of the NOAA weather radio frequencies.  The AR-1780 doesn't have them.  And not only does the Skywave have them, it is one of the best performing weather radios I have ever owned.
7. The AR-1780 has RDS display on FM, which is a "nice to have".  The Skywave SSB does not.
8. The Skywave SSB is significantly more expensive than the AR-1780, running about $170 (not including shipping - if you have Amazon Prime the shipping is no charge), while the AR-1780 runs about $120 including shipping from wherever you have to get it (mostly available either from Jaycar's US site, or various Ebay dealers).

I am not sure this list gets anyone to "the" answer, if you were looking for a clear choice between the two radios.  I think the AR-1780 is probably the better value, but if NOAA weather is important, and if you like the AIR band scanning on the Skywave, the premium you pay for it may be worth it.  I like both radios; the AR-1780 is a little better for me indoors where the ability to plug in my external antennas helps a lot, while the Skywave is super nice for sitting outside on the patio and letting the scanner run through my AIR band frequencies.

XHDATA D-808 Radio - Some Observations On Usability

I recently purchased a XHDATA D-808 World Band radio.  It's generating a fair amount of "buzz" in the shortwave listening community due to its low cost (less than $70 US) and an impressive feature list:

• Frequency coverage - longwave, mediumwave AM, shortwave WITH SSB and covering the "full" shortwave range, FM, and air band.  
• Small size (just about pocket-size)
• 500 memories (100 for each of the bands)
• FM RDS capability
• Helpful tuning features including direct frequency entry, a variable "speed" tuning knob, a separate fine-tuning "wheel", up/down slewing buttons
• External antenna jack

Also of note, unlike the nearly identical Digitech AR-1780, the D-808 ships with a soft faux-leather pouch, external wire antenna, rechargeable battery, and USB cable for charging, and at half the price of the AR-1780.

Further, the radio performs fairly well for a set of such a low price.  While I don't find performance on any band to be stellar, the D-808 certainly is capable of pulling in stations, especially with a suitable external antenna for SW and SW/SSB use.

This is not intended to be a full review of the radio; rather I wanted to share some observations on the usability factors, in particular those which I find to be lacking.  For some reason, very few radio reviewers seem to spend any time on ergonomics, or on the actual implementation of the controls that have to be used to operate the device.  Personally I find these things to be key to my long-term enjoyment of a radio, and strongly impact the likelihood that I will want to use a radio on a day-to-day basis.  I am more likely to USE and ENJOY a radio that is easy to tune, has decent auto-scanning capabilities, a sane memory preset scheme, etc. even if the radio isn't quite as strong a performer on every band.

The first thing I want to note is that the D-808 was implemented with buttons that are flush with the front of the case, and which require very firm presses to engage.  Combined with their small size and cramped arrangement, pressing them is simply uncomfortable.  My radio usually sits on a plastic picnic-style table and the radio slides around all over the table when I try to press buttons unless I hold onto it with the other hand.  This is a poor design decision that negatively impacts using this radio, especially as other design issues pretty much require a LOT of button pressing - and I'll come back to it again and again.

A nice feature of this radio is that is actually has a tuning knob, often absent from cheaper shortwave portables.  But this one has strong "stops" so it doesn't turning smoothly - each turn requires you to apply enough force to overcome the friction.  And the radio mutes with every turn, so it's pretty miserable for a casual session of "tuning around" a band.

As is the case with nearly all portable digital radios, the numeric keypad does double duty allowing entry of frequencies or access to memories.  On the D-808, the radio is always in a mode where the default action of pressing a number button is to call up a memory location.  Several negative (to my way of thinking) consequences arise as a result:

• Because every keypress instantly pulls up a memory, the memory "pages" or banks must be limited to 10 memories apiece.  So if you wanted to program in all the MWARA frequencies, you would have to split these over many memory pages.  Then to tune through them you have to do extra keypresses to get from page to page.
• In order to directly enter a frequency you have to first press a "freq" button since otherwise pressing the button would tune a preset station.  As with most shortwave radios you also have to press the freq button AGAIN at the end of any entry that doesn't use up all the available digits (basically any SW frequency under 10000). These extra button presses, combined with the poor button design (see above) makes frequency entry a laborious process.

There are of course other ways to tune; one helpful feature allows the D-808 to auto-tune-and-store frequencies in a band.  Here again, there are implementation issues - 

• The radio seems to have a high threshold for recognizing a signal, so it "finds" far fewer frequencies than it can actually tune. To be really clear on that point, I can tune frequencies manually that are perfectly listenable but the D-808 doesn't find them when auto-tuning.  I have compared this function with a number of other portables and ALL of them find more frequencies than the D-808.  Note, the same inability to recognize a listenable frequency while scanning also affects scanning with the slewing buttons.
• If you do happen to find a bunch of frequencies, they will be stored across multiple pages (see above issues with the small page size).
• The auto-tuned frequencies are always stored starting in page 0 preset 0 for the chosen band and work up from there, so if you want to manually program memories, you need to put them on a high page.  There is no option to have found frequencies added to the existing list, it always overwrites. 

One final note on frequency memories - there is no way to access (tune) a preset other than pressing the associated key on the number pad (possibly AFTER doing additional keypresses to pull up the correct page).  You can't scan through a bank of stored frequencies.  You can't move from one to the next with the slewing buttons, nor with the tuning knob.  As with everything else requiring the use of button presses on this radio, this is a pain.

As for performance, despite many reviews giving the D-808 high marks, I find it to be only average, but it's also hard to gauge due to the usability impediments I've been describing.  For example, how do you measure shortwave performance?  Unless you have bench test equipment, you mainly test it by seeing how many stations you can pick up under various conditions (on the whip, with some kind of external antenna, indoors vs. outdoors, different times of day, etc.) and listening to them.  But consider:

• Manual band-scanning sucks on this radio - the tuning knob is not comfortable for a long session moving through a band and the muting is bad
• Using either the slewing/scanning buttons or the auto-tuning, the radio seems to require such strong signals that it finds very few stations - even when you KNOW the signal is there and you KNOW the D-808 is capable of tuning it
• Auto-tuning stations and having them stored results in the frustrating experience of pressing buttons to step through them and having to switch pages

In short, in order to see what I can pick up with this radio I'm mostly spending time looking at EIBI schedules or the like, trying to figure out what ought to be tunable, and manually entering frequency after frequency.  It's very hard to compare how well this radio performs next to a radio that is much easier to use, like various models from Tecsun and Eton/Grundig.  

The end result of all these observations is that I'm again looking for a radio that hits closer to my sweet spot for features, performance and usability.  The D-808 will likely be the next radio I list on E-bay.

Comparing the Digitech AR1780 to the XHDATA D-808

12/06/18 - this post has been updated to include more current information about pricing and availability - which affect the value proposition - and to correct a couple of factual errors.

Shortwave enthusiasts learn this lesson very early - all shortwave radios are the culmination of a combination of compromises.  Price, size/portability, reliability, frequency coverage, features, and vendor support all vary from one make and model to the next.  Further, putting a value on a number of these items is a subjective process - a radio's count of memories is a fixed number, but how important that number is varies from person to person.

Not surprisingly, we tend to group radios with similar sets of features, sizes, and prices into groups and compare them to one another.  But on occasion the shortwave industry presents us with virtually identical models from different brands or companies.  Sometimes these are manufactured in the same place by the same people and just branded differently.  And you'd expect those devices to really and truly be "the same".

Recently it was noted that the new XHDATA D-808 radio appeared to be identical to the Digitech AR-1780.  Both radios are of interest due to the following items on the set of scales mentioned above:

• Frequency coverage is good - broad coverage of the shortwave band, longwave, mediumwave AM, FM broadcast band, and AIR band (a small range of VHF frequencies used by airports and airlines)
• Single Sideband (SSB) capability - important for listening to Hams and some utility broadcasts
• Small form factor
• Built-in whip antenna and external antenna jack
• Built-in battery charger
• Relatively low prices (see below)

There are also a couple of items that are not so hot - one is from a company (Digitech) that has a decidedly low reputation, the other from a company most of us here in the states never heard of (XHDATA).  And speaking of "here in the states", both radios have to be ordered from overseas suppliers and shipped to the US.

It isn't my intention to do a full review of either set here, though - but rather to list the similarities and differences.  And the similarities are STRONG:

• Nearly identical size, shape and weight (the weight WITH BATTERIES is identical, while the D-808 is slightly larger in a couple of dimensions)
• Identical placement and labeling of buttons, knobs, and jacks on the radios with only a couple of exceptions, explained below
• The built-in whips are the same size, same length and number of elements
• The radios seem to use identical circuitry / DSP chips and have identical functions (indeed the manuals, both really slim and not too informative, are word-for-word the same)
• As you would expect the display readouts are identical save for the backlight color

But there ARE differences:

• The AR-1780 runs about $125 US plus shipping (I got mine on sale so that was about what I paid including shipping).  The D-808 runs about $69 US, including shipping (I got mine on sale at $49 including shipping).  This difference alone is driving a LOT of interest in the D-808 Over time the price of the D-808 has gone up considerably since the original post.  It is no longer possible to purchase direct from China.  You can only get it through a few E-bay sellers who are routing it through Israel.  With shipping it runs anywhere from $120 to $140.  The E-bay sellers of the AR-1780 have taken to jacking up shipping prices so that radio is even more expensive.  However if you purchase the AR-1780 through the US web site of Jaycar, you can get it for a decent price and shipping only adds about $15.
• Aside from the radio itself, the AR-1780 ships with the manual, and...nothing else.  No batteries, no charging cables or devices, no earbuds, no external antenna, and no carrying case.  I'll come back to the lack of any power supply of any kind shortly.  By contrast, the D-808 ships with a soft faux-leather carrying pouch, a rechargeable battery, a USB charging cable, and a wire antenna that can be plugged into the available jack on the radio.  Given that the radio is already half the price of the AR-1780, these extras create an even stronger  a slight advantage for the D-808.
• The AR-1780 uses 4 AA cells, and does have circuitry to charge Ni-MH batteries inside the unit.  It does not come with any batteries - I have plenty of Sanyo Eneloops so that's not such a big issue - but the radio also does not include a charger and/or charging cable.  This is a pain since the AR-1780 uses an odd 7V charger.  Again, I use an external charger for my Eneloops.  In short, the fact that the unit can theoretically be run by an external power source and charge batteries inside is pretty much moot for the average buyer.  Compare this to the D-808, which uses a larger 18650 Li-Ion cell, and uses a standard micro-USB port to to charge.  The radio even ships with a micro-USB cable - not that you probably don't already have a bunch of them laying around, but it's nice to have it included.  You can charge this off an available computer port or wall-wart or whatever you have that can charge USB.   The different charger options for these radios results in one of the only real physical differences between the radios which is the power jack.
• The power button itself is located in a different spot on each radio - just to the left of the display on the AR-1780, just to the right on the D-808
• The buttons used on these radios are different, and this is the first downside for the D-808.  On the AR-1780 they are raised and very tactile.  On the D-808 they are flush with the case making them somewhat more of a pain to press (and impossible to to use the radio by feel - these are simple enough radios you could probably learn to operate the AR-1780 in the dark, but with flush buttons on the D-808 that would be a non-starter).
• The black case used on the AR-1780 shows the silk-screened labels (some of which uses a dark orange ink in places) on the buttons and the case itself clearly.  The D-808 uses identical colors but on a grey case and the reddish orange labeling is super hard to read unless you hold the radio at an odd angle.  Advantage here goes to the AR-1780.
• The screens used different color back-lighting - amber on the AR-1780, blueish-white on the D-808.  

So - weighing pros and cons, the radios are pretty much identical in terms of form and function and features with a slight usability edge to the AR-1780 based on easier to feel and press buttons and easier to read silk-screened labeling.  

The D-808 is a MUCH somewhat better VALUE proposition based on having identical features and performance and including the battery, charging cable, external wire antenna, and carrying pouch, for HALF the same price of the AR-1780.  

What else?  Here are some TOTALLY SUBJECTIVE observations....

• I prefer the black case of the AR-1780 to the grey used by the D-808.
• I prefer the raised buttons on the AR-1780 to the flush ones on the D-808.
• For some reason the AR-1780 *feels* like it weighs more (and mentally this equates to feeling more solidly built) than the D-808, even though I have weighed them both at 11.5 ounces including their batteries.  I think this is because the AR-1780 is very slightly smaller in a couple of dimensions so having the same weight in a little smaller packages makes it denser.
• The first few hours of playing with the D-808 I was sure it was defective - it seemed to struggle to pick up the same stations as the AR-1780, the signal strength displays were reading way lower, and I was thinking about boxing it up and contacting the seller to return it.  But I removed the battery for a while, put it back in, and it has been perfect (compared to the AR-1780) ever since. 
• Likewise the audio quality of the D-808 seemed much worse at first, but I think I may have had different bandwidth settings chosen.  At any rate I no longer notice any difference.

Recommendation - I find ergonomics make a huge difference to my enjoyment of SWLing.  If a radio is a pin in the rear to use, I just won't  use it, no matter how it performs.  I think the AR-1780 has the edge here and it's the one I kept out of the two radios.  

Final note - neither of these radios would get a strong recommendation from me regardless of price.  They are both decent performers but the memories are a pain in the rear to program and to access, entering frequencies is also a pain, and there are just better choices out there (especially for the price point).  See the TECSUN PL-660/680 to understand what I mean.

Thoughts on the Harry's Shave Plan and Products

This seems important to get out of the way at the beginning - this is an unpaid and unsolicited review / commentary on the Harry's Shave Plan and products.  I have not been given any free product  beyond the trial set that everyone can order.

Harry's Shave Plan

Shave plans offer the ability to receive regular shipments of razor blades, shaving cream or gel, and related products on a monthly or semi-monthly basis.  The company offering the plan gets a guaranteed sale; the customer never runs out of blades and shaving cream, and saves money (potentially quite a lot) on products.  Assuming the blades are of decent quality, it's a win-win situation.  

Harry's seems to be the most heavily advertised shave plan, at least on the web sites I frequent.  I read a number of reviews, many of which were fairly obvious shills for Harry's, and a few which seemed (more-or-less) independent.  I also read a number of forums where people talked about their experiences.  

Without going over the "plus" side of the balance sheet just yet, the main negative thing people mentioned was that the individual blades in a Harry's cartridge are a bit closer together than on a typical Gillette (like a Fusion cartridge).  This means the Harry's blades can get "clogged" faster and require more frequent rinsing, and might also necessitate some changes in shaving technique - shorter strokes for example.

I can't count how many times I browsed to the Harry's site and almost signed up - mostly holding back because I had enough Fusion cartridges to last a while (I bought a bulk pack at Costco).  But eventually I got down to my last couple and signed up for the free trial and a shave plan.  Based on my habits, I ended up with a plan that gives me 8 blades every 3 months and a can of shaving gel.  I got my trial kit quickly and just got my first 3-month installment of new cartridges today.  I've been shaving on that first cartridge for a couple of weeks.

First Impressions

Harry's products are nicely packaged - kind of like buying an iPhone or a Kindle, you get the feeling you're unpacking something serious when you open the box.  The standard plastic handle (the Truman model) has a nice heft to it, apparently weighted within, and has a faintly rubbery surface for a solid grip.

The cartridge for the blade is easily detached and reattached, and comes with a nice plastic cover to keep "things" from knocking into the blades between uses or when packed for travel.  The cartridges have 5 blades, and even just visually they're obviously more tightly spaced than the Gillette Fusion ones.  

Shaving With Harry's Products

The gel provided by Harry's is ... gel.  It comes out looking like gel and turns into something like a thick foam on the skin.  The gel has a great "manly" scent, not strong at all yet definitely there, that will make you think about a good-old-fashioned barber shop.  As described above, the Truman handle has a little weight to it and a slightly rubberized grip, making it very comfortable to hold.  The cartridge slips on easily and is almost as easily removed, by gently squeezing a ring around the tip of the handle and sliding it outward.

As for the experience of shaving itself - if you're familiar with the Gillette Fusion, it's pretty different.  The closely spaced blades really do shave differently.  And I can understand where the complaints come in - with my Fusion cartridge I can do full, long strokes with the razor, maybe even a couple of those before having to rinse the blades, while with the Harry's it's much more likely I'll have to rinse more often - shorter strokes and very rarely more than one stroke.  And it's not just how often I have to rinse - the tighter blade spacing means that each rinse takes a bit more time and water to get the hair and gel to come out.  

So far that probably doesn't sound very good, but hang in there.

My first time shaving with the Harry's razor, I noted the above with a small amount of concern - I had read other reviews and forum posts indicating I might have the experience I've described so I was not too surprised, just uncertain if I would want to continue past the trial period.  However I decided to use the razor long enough to get the full use of the cartridge, somewhere around 4 to 5 shaves, and I began to notice some things.  

The second shave "felt" better.  I do not know why.  It just did.  I think part of working with any razor system, no matter the type, is getting to know the feel of the handle, the exact shape and dimensions of the blade, how it rocks on the handle, etc.  In short, any time you change razor systems there is going to be a brief period of adjustment.    By the end of my second shave with the Harry's cartridge and Truman handle, I was through that phase.

And on the third shave I noticed something else, totally unexpected - I liked the closer spacing on the blades.  Even though I was still taking shorter strokes and rinsing more, the blades felt better going over my skin.  

Unsure why, or whether I was just fooling myself, I did my next shave back on the trusty Gillette Fusion, and then switched back to the Harry's razor, and that's when I figured it out:  the wider spacing on the Fusion blades did indeed allow me to "shave faster" (for lack of a better phrase) but that contributed to a couple of issues that I just don't have any more with the Harry's.  Basically the Fusion tends to "slip" across my face faster, which is fine when you're on the flat plane of my cheek, but which has always been problematic on my chin, around my nose and upper lip, along my jaw line and neck around the Adam's apple.  Or to put it another way, on most of my face, I was constantly having to shave extra carefully with the Gillette Fusion to keep from scraping and cutting myself due to how fast it wants to glide around. 

By contrast, the Harry's doesn't "slip" along my face as fast, it has just a tiny bit more "grip" on my beard - not so much that I am conscious of having to tug or scrape, just more of a sure glide.  I don't worry about slipping and cutting myself with Harry's cartridges - they just move around my nose and jaw and chin and neck a a confident way.  The benefits to me are two-fold - I get fewer nicks and scrapes - no more dabbing my chin with a tissue - and I feel more relaxed about the entire process.  I will not go so far as to say I enjoy shaving, but it just seems like less of a hassle now.

Once I determined to stick with the Harry's Shave Plan, I went online and added an extra handle and pack of blades to my first order so I could keep spares in my travel kit.  I'm a Harry's convert, and I'll be quite happy paying less, having my supplies shipped to my door, and shaving with confidence.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Blades are 30% to 50% less expensive than premium 5-blade cartridges from well-known brands
• Handles are well made and comfortable
• Gel is good quality and smells great
• Shave plan delivers products on a regular basis - and you determine the frequency of shipments and amount of product you receive (and you can alter the specifics of each shipment before it goes out)
• Blades are quality steel and well-designed to glide smoothly but confidently (i.e. no slippage) across the face

Cons

• Changing shaving products always takes some getting used to
• Blades are more closely spaced which definitely changes some things, in particular practically guaranteeing a need for shorter strokes and more frequent rinses

SHAMELESS PLEA:

If you're planning to sign up for the Harry's trial, please consider using this link: TRY HARRYS.  If you sign up using that link, I get $5 off on my next box of stuff from Harry's, and assuming you continue past the trial, you also will get $5 off on your first box.  

Samsung Chromebook Pro - Early Review

This is a review of the Samsung Chromebook Pro.  I'm not a professional reviewer - I'm a user.  I do have a pretty extensive background in IT - computing, programming and networking.  This is not my first Chromebook.  Some factors about me and about my purchase of this device that will no doubt color my review:

• I already had a Chromebook.  I have a positive view of Chromebooks in general and what they do, how they're meant to be used, etc.  
• My old Chromebook worked great as a Chromebook, doing all the stuff Chromebooks do...with one or two minor caveats - a couple of web sites in particular were pretty poor performers (oddly enough Google sites like G+ and Inbox, and the CNN site is horrible)
• A few things I never expected a Chromebook to do all that well, including rendering 3D in the browser, were sub-par on the old Chromebook.
• From strictly a nerdist point of view, I was interested in the idea of running Android apps on a Chromebook.  Understand, I didn't need to run them but I thought it would be cool to try out.  Originally it could only be done using an emulator; now Google is slowly rolling out the capability for select Chromebooks, but my old one can't run them yet and probably won't run them well when and if it is supported
• The old Chromebook was the late 2014 model Toshiba Chromebook 2 with the BayTrail Celeron processor. 

I began hearing about the Samsung Chromebook Pro late last year.  It was one of a pair of new Chromebooks from Samsung (the other being the Chromebook Plus) designed in partnership with Google to run Android apps alongside the main Chrome browser and browser-based apps.  The two models are virtually identical except for the color (silver for the Plus and black for the Pro), the processor (an ARM processor in the Plus and an Intel core m3 in the Pro) and the price - about $450 for the Plus and $550 for the Pro.  For a variety of reasons, the Plus went on sale about 5 months earlier than the Pro - there were persistent rumors of problems with the Pro, everything from heat-related issues to reported difficulties getting the Intel processor to run Android apps acceptably.  Note that in theory, the Pro is supposed to be the faster device - as fast or faster than the Plus for Android, and a LOT faster doing the browser-based work Chromebooks are known for.  That's why it cost $100 more.  

The Samsung Chromebook Pro hit the market a couple weeks ago, and I got mine within a few days of the first units hitting the street.  Having had a few weeks with it, how does it stack up.  That's what I'm going to write about here, but let me give you a hint - I just sold my Toshiba Chromebook 2 on Ebay.

Basic Description

The Samsung Chromebook Pro (I'm going to use the abbreviation SCP after this) is a laptop with a Intel core m3 processor (a "mobile" processor which nevertheless is a good bit more powerful than some of Intel's previous mobile CPUs), a 12.3 inch IPS display with a top resolution of 2400x1600, 4 gigs of RAM, and 32 gigs of SSD storage.  It has a micro-SD slot and two USB-C ports.  As this device is intended to run Android apps, it has a touch-screen, the screen folds all the way back around so the device can be used as a tablet, and it has a pen similar to what Samsung provides with their Galaxy Note smartphones and tablets.

As a piece of hardware, this is a really nice laptop.  It is an all-metal housing, and the black looks sweet.  The screen is gorgeous - bright and sharp.  One of my only "complaints" is that at 12.3 inches it's really not big enough to run at the top resolution (2400x1600) because none of the UI elements scale, and even though you can scale up the content of web pages, you typically don't have that kind of control for Android apps yet.  In other words unless you have super vision, you're probably going to run this at a slightly lower resolution.

If you haven't noticed, this thing isn't using the widescreen aspect ratio that has become so common in recent years - it has gone back to the sort of 3x2 shape we used to have on most monitors.  This works better for web browsing and running web apps - and since this is (after all) a Chromebook that works very well, giving you more vertical screen space.  

However in order to keep the size down, Samsung has a very narrow margin on either side of the keyboard and has shrunk and rearrange a couple of keys.  The one everyone notices - and which I am still getting used to - is the backspace key, which is now smaller than any normal key on the keyboard.  It is super easy to hit the "=" key by mistake.  Otherwise the keyboard works well enough and feels pretty good.

The USB situation is not ideal although I presume this is where things are headed - two USB-C ports.  No regular USB 2.0 or 3.0 ports.  By the way, you have to charge the device through one of those two ports as well.  I bought a hub that passes power through a USB-C connector into the laptop, gives me HDMI and VGA outputs, a wired gigabit ethernet port, and 3 USB 3.0 ports.  That helps.

Back to the screen - the touch screen is responsive.  The device goes into tablet mode when you flip the screen around past a certain point.  The pen works on the screen at any time as a pointer/selector, but can also be used for input in writing and drawing apps, and can also be used as a magnifier for a portion of the screen.  When not in use the pen tucks away in a spring-loaded slot on the device.

What I Like

I like the size, and the form factor.  The extra vertical space on screen gives a bit more content room for web pages, and web-work is still the #1 use for a Chromebook.  The web on this device is really snappy - including some things that used to bog down my old Chromebook, like the Google Inbox email site, Google Plus (G+), etc.  CNN is still kind of sucky - I tend to go to the main page and open a whole bunch of article links in new tabs, and there's so much multi-media crap, Flash, and other junk on CNN that it gets nasty fast.  But everything else has been very smooth, including things that render in 3D in the browser, like the 3D imagery on Google Maps.

The keyboard feels nice.  I listed my one complaint already and I'll mention it again later but overall the keys have a nice feel, and I can type on here for long periods.  The trackpad is awesome, too - I loved the one on my Toshiba but this one blows it away, it's like butter.

I like that the micro-SD is recessed behind a little cover. 

I love the screen, it's beautiful.  The touch aspect is unexpectedly nice - being able to pinch zoom any time, even on regular web pages, is awesome.  The hinges on the screen are stiff enough that I can rotate the screen pretty much any angle all the way until it's flat against the back of the keyboard, and it stays where I put it.  

I like the pen - although I am not, at present, using it much as intended.  Handwriting and drawing on screen is something I have not really "taken to" - I had a Samsung Galaxy Note phone for a long time and almost never used the pen there either.  But this pen can be used like an onscreen finger for anything, which is neat for precision pointing or just flicking around; and it can be put in magnifying glass mode which is sometimes neat for a person with poor eyes like mine.  I do have several drawing and note-taking programs I'm playing with to see if I will use it much for writing.  I've been a long-time user of Google Keep but so far using the pen in Keep doesn't feel very natural.

One of the biggest pleasant surprises has been running Android apps.  I had heard so much FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) about how an Intel processor would handle apps that I guess I had very low expectations.  Let me just say, so far I'm very impressed with what Google and Samsung have done here.  I can access the Play Store, pick an app, and install it, and run it - and apps are smooth and work well.  I have games, including some that do a lot of 3D like Vainglory; I have the full Android version of Instagram which is superior to looking at the Instagram web interface; I have got Snapseed on here which is fun for doing certain kinds of image edits.  I found a nice diagramming tool (for basic network diagrams).  There is just SO much available now that this becomes a much more full-featured device.  

In fact, for those of us that have enjoyed Chromebooks for what they are, adding Android apps feels like it's taking things in the wrong direction...but they're cool to have.

What I Don't Like

To beat the dead horse, I don't like the tiny backspace key.  For someone that does a lot of typing, it's damned inconvenient to reach for backspace and end up typing ====== all over the place.

No USB 3.0 ports is a pain in the butt, having to buy a dongle to turn one of my USB-C ports into USB 3.0 ports is bad, having to use a USB-C port to charge...you get my drift here.

Right now Android apps either operate by default in phone size/orientation, or they open full screen if you have the Chromebook Pro screen rotated back in tablet mode.  There's not much in between.  And the phone size/orientation can leave the app running in a tiny window if you're using a higher resolution.  There is a dev-mode option you can enable to run an app maximized by default and in portrait mode, and that works better for me.  With the dev mode options you can even turn on resizing for some apps.  However until Android O (and new versions of the apps) appears, we will not the capability very widespread.

A little worse is that Android app content doesn't scale (most of the time) - text is super small and controls can be as well.  It's usually better in full screen games which tend to scale as you would expect.

Battery life is rated at about 10 hours.  I have no idea who came up with that number, but I can tell you that if you turn on Bluetooth, or attach a wireless mouse dongle, and especially if you do streaming video, the battery life is heavily and quickly impacted.  I keep this plugged into the charger at all times unless I'm going to be out and about, and then I leave the mouse home.  I used to use Bluetooth so my phone could auto-unlock my screen, but I have disabled this for the time being.

Two Widely Discussed Issues

Almost since Google and Samsung announced a pair of new Chromebooks, one with an ARM processor and one with an Intel x86, there has been a lot written about how the Intel device might struggle with running Android apps.  Some have suggested they should be just fine, since Android apps are (theoretically) pure Java.  Others have rightly pointed out that many Android apps are written with custom, ARM-specific optimizations (since most phones and tablets use those kinds of CPUs).  Of course, Intel-based Chromebooks have had the advantage running Chrome OS and the full version of the Chrome browser.  It seemed that there was a basic tradeoff being offered - buy the Plus with the ARM processor if you mostly wanted Android apps and not so much Chrome, and buy the Pro with the Intel processor to maximize Chrome capability and expect some issues (poor, buggy performance) with Android apps.

I've already addressed this but to be perfectly clear - the Pro runs Android apps like a champ.  I have run fairly complex ones, too - they work, and work really well (given the caveats above about resizing and such, which affect the ARM-based Chromebook Plus equally).  There is a guy who runs a pro-ARM web site and appears writing all kinds of nasty comments about Intel and Intel-based devices who has been spreading a lot of unfounded crap around the comment sections of Chrome and IT web sites, and simply put, he's just wrong.  

The second issue has to do with "The Verge" tech web site.  It seems the Chromebook Pro may have a bit of a bug, probably in software, that causes the device to occasionally freeze.  I've seen it myself.  Not often mind you, and only when performing certain kinds of activities, but it does happen.  It seems to me almost certain that this will be fixed quickly - it doesn't look like it will be hard to nail down.  But The Verge is recommending people "do not buy" the device.  And I think that stinks - it's a really good device which pushes a bunch of new boundaries, and works remarkably well.  I do not believe the "do not buy" recommendation to be warranted.

Update: I have not had a freeze episode for several weeks.  I have no idea why; ChromeOS has not been updated since the initial release.  

Google Pixel XL - Just A (Really Nice) Phone

Caveats:  I am not a professional reviewer.

Two Days To Pixel (and I can't wait)

On Thursday I should be getting my Google Pixel XL (silver, 128GB).  I pre-ordered it from Verizon last week, and today I got the shipping notification.  Today (Tuesday, 10/18) Google lifted the embargo on reviews and all the major tech sites have pretty much published.  The synopsis?  Here's the breakdown:

• Looks - most point out it looks like an iPhone.  Some folks like that, most think it would be nice if Google had innovated in some way.  Multiple sites griped about the glass on the top third of the back (around the fingerprint sensor).  I am thinking I'll have a case on mine as soon as possible so I will not know or care what the back looks like. 
• Camera - most sites are genuinely impressed with the camera and from what I have seen, I will be too.  I am VERY excited about this part.
• Assistant - Google Assistant is Google's "AI" similar to Siri on iPhone.  I have played a bit with the implementation in Google Allo, and for me, it's a mixed bag.  Sometimes it does something neat, sometimes not.  It seems that maybe the reviewers are experiencing the same thing - some reviews were really impressed with it and some not.

And those are the main areas the reviews have touched on.  Here is some information that puts the purchase in perspective for me.  I am currently using a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 that I bought nearly 3 years ago.  3 years isn't an eternity of course; and the phone DOES still work, and pretty well.  But for a piece of tech, and especially for an IT person, it's a bit dated.  I've waited quite a while because it's hard to justify spending the money on something like this TOO often, but I decided it was time when Google announced they were doing their first "all Google" phone.

Size-wise, it will be about the same as what I have (0.2 inches smaller diagonally on the screen but a LOT higher resolution, and probably a bit thinner and lighter).  The camera should be a lot better and more important to me, much faster - the camera on the Note 3 is a DOG to open and use.  One review says cell reception is a lot better and I'm hoping for that - I live right at the edge of Verizon's 4G LTE range and am hoping for more than a half a bar which is what I usually get now.  

One thing no one has really reviewed yet is the VR capabilities, and this is NOT something I bought the phone for - but since Google is giving away the DreamVR headset and remote, I am looking forward to trying it out.

I'll post back here soon!

One Year On - My Experience With A Chromebook

Note: If you don't know what a Chromebook is, this article may not make much sense.  Check out this link  to learn the basics - there are numerous other reviews and articles on the Internet that you can find with a quick search.  Then come back here to find out how using a Chromebook has worked for me!

Google Street View Tour of "Haven"

The SyFy TV show "Haven" was filmed using a variety of real-world locations around what is known as Nova Scotia's "South Shore."  A lot of the street scenes and store-front shots were done in the towns of Chester and Lunenburg, but there were many other locations used as well.  Below are links to Google Street View scenes showing a number of these "real-world" locations which stood in for the fictional town of Haven.

For some background on why I put this together, info on Google Street View, and general random thoughts please check out this post.

Changes since this was first published: Time marches on.  It's hard to wrap my head around it, but Haven ended filming around the end of 2014.  Google has updated many of the Street Views from October 2016 for Lunenberg and Chester.  As expected the Haven Herald signage is gone (you have to use the widget to look at historical views to see it). The 2016 shot of the Pew Arena shows a nearly empty parking lot, no RVs or anything parked there.  Nicki's Inn in Chester is up for sale.  The building next to the Chester Playhouse is painted green now.

Update for May 2018: In addition to the Street View scenes, I have added links to some user-submitted 360 degree panoramas for a few locations.

Update for December 2018: There are new (August 2018) views of the Grey Gull.  Note, I am intentionally leaving my link below to the 2014 version as it still shows the "Grey Gull" signage, but once there you can use the date widget to look at the new images.  As we knew, the signage is removed, the house looks empty and it seems like it will perpetually be up for sale.  Also the shots of the Cape Rouge in Bridgewater are now from August 2018.

Update for June 2022: Google Street View has added a little side road that runs right in front of the house used as The Rev's house in Season 1, Episode 2.  I am replacing the link and part of the description for "Hubbard's House Old Post Road" below.  The Grey Gull house has a chain link fence around it - based on the Street View image date it has been there since last year some time.  Apparently the new owners were having trouble with trespassers.  It's a shame - I've still never made it to Nova Scotia but I had long hoped to visit one day, and part of my plan would be to drive out to the Grey Gull and try to snap a few photos.

Lunenburg

Lunenburg is home to a couple of landmarks which are important to Haven, and has provided street scenes for numerous episodes.  The Lunenburg waterfront is featured prominently and frequently throughout the show as "the" Haven waterfront.  Although waterfront and aerial shots of other towns are sometimes used, Lunenburg is used for more of these than the others - especially as the backdrop for scenes of Audrey standing out on a dock.  The building used as the Haven Police Station is in Lunenburg as well as a church seen in the opening credits.

Lunenburg - Town Hall Blocks

There are city blocks in front of and behind the Lunenburg Town Hall which are pretty interesting and contain a number of locations from Haven, some of which are seen repeatedly:

• Lunenburg Town Hall Gazebo - This gazebo is seen in various episodes. 
• Lunenburg Town Hall (Haven Police Station) - Lunenburg's Town Hall served as the exterior for shots of the Haven Police Station.  The interior of the police station was a set located elsewhere.  This building is right next to the gazebo.  In between them is a monument to Lunenburg residents who served during the first world war.  The monument can sometimes be seen on the show but never well enough to read.  Note, in real life the arch over the door is very bright (almost white) and reads Lunenburg Town Hall, while the "Haven Police Station" has a red brick arch and a grey marble slab.  The Haven PD also has flagpoles out front.  At various times, shots of the building with the obvious Lunenburg signage and missing the flagpoles ended up in the show, usually aerial shots of the building.
• Lunenburg Courthouse (Haven Courthouse) - this is the north entrance to the same building as the Town Hall.  Seen in the episode where Duke is in court and attacked by lady justice, possibly others. 
• Lunenburg Town Hall Park Panorama - User submitted 360 panorama taken right next to the Town Hall in the park near the Gazebo and memorials.
• Lunenburg Park East End Panorama - User submitted panorama at the east end of the park.
• Homework assignment - I'm not providing a link for this, but try to navigate on your own - Use Street View to travel east on Townsend St. a few "clicks".  You should see the back side of the gazebo and a park area with grass and some benches.  This area was featured in the episode with the fireman whose trouble caused him to make other people spontaneously combust.
• St. John's Anglican Church - a couple of blocks west of the Town Hall, this church shows up in a variety of episodes (it's kind of hard to NOT show it sometimes), easily spotted in aerial shots of the town, but most famously it is the "burning church" in the opening credits.  The church actually did burn some years ago.  It was very hard to find a suitable Google Street View shot of this due to the surrounding foliage, but there are LOTS of nice photos of this church available.
• St. John's Panorama - User submitted panorama in front of the church.  There's another nice one inside the church...
• Intersection of Cornwallis and Lincoln - While there are far too many "random" street scenes from places in the area to include them all, I wanted to put this one in because it is featured numerous times during season 1 episode 1 (i.e. the pilot episode).  The view my link brings up is facing north- the scene where Vince and  Dave first introduce themselves to Audrey happens on the right-hand corner while on the left is the antique shop featured in the episode.  Also if you go back and watch the episode you will see a shot of the Bronco driving down Lincoln.
• King St. Mural - Head east down Lincoln St. until you come to King St. and turn north (back towards the Town Hall) and you will see this mural on the side of a building - it shows up in one or more episodes.  Look north on King St. to the intersection with Cumberland, you will see a TD Canada Trust bank with some green signage on it.  That building was used as the Haven Post Office in at least one episode.

Other Lunenburg Locations

• Waterfront (Bluenose Drive) - The Lunenburg waterfront is such a key piece of Haven, yet hard to display with Street View.  That's because we usually see it from the water side.  The particular spot I have linked is right where there is a pier used in some scenes.
• Lunenburg Angled Dock - Duke's dock - this is the dock where Duke's boat (the Cape Rouge) is located during the show.  Several things to note - the boat was not kept here year round, it was only here during filming.  In real life it sank (I think after season 4) and they only used old footage of the exteriors after that - the interiors were a set in Chester.  The linked Street View Image is from August 2012 with a ship that is probably Duke's - there are a number of later shots but they are missing the ship.  NEW LINK: Better View Of Duke's Boat from August 2012 (while filming for season 3 was taking place).  Not sure how I didn't think of this one sooner - it's from just down the street looking back at the dock.
• Duke's Dock Panorama - If I'm not sorely mistaken this user submitted 360 shot was taken on the dock where the Cape Rouge was moored during the show.
• Lunenburg Dock - they actually got a Street View camera out at the end of one of the docks looking back toward town, and I think this very dock was used in some scenes.
• Tannery Road Park - The Street View image may not look like much but zoom in and you will see this little spit of muddy land with the remains of a dock on it - this is where Audrey goes when she needs some alone time, and I think where the Colorado Kid was found.  I was able to verify this is the right location by looking at the buildings you can see behind Audrey and some of the other characters - if you spin the street view around you will see a little house with a red garage or mini-barn next to it.  The red barn is clearly seen in several episodes of the show.  The little house that is currently there is NOT what was there when the show was first filming - it was apparently torn down and rebuilt.
• Out Past Audrey's Dock Panorama - this is a user submitted shot taken out past the old dock, when the water is low.
• Lunenburg Academy - This very cool looking building is seen pretty clearly in the background of one episode, and is one of the most easily recognizable landmarks in the frequent aerial shots of Lunenburg used for Haven.
• Lunenburg Battery Point Lighthouse - NOTE: there are no publicly accessible roads leading to the lighthouse, so there are no Street View scenes.  There are a lot of photos of this lighthouse online, so this link is now a Google Image Search.  There are two lighthouses used in the show - the other being at Peggy's Cove.  This one at Battery Point is the one you see in the main credits, and it was used as the "Heart of Haven", where there was a cave underneath with a magical door leading to the Void...Of course it is destroyed at the end of Season 4, but somehow still shows up in aerial shots of "Haven".
• Intersection of Cornwallis and Fox - I picked a location for the view just a little south of the intersection.  This is where Jordan and the Guard confronted Nathan, Duke and Jennifer as they returned to Haven in Season 4, Episode 1.  The steeple of the church (Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church) is ripped off by a tornado in the sequence.  This is a lengthy scene in the show offering lots of viewpoints and vantages that you can compare with the Google Street View scene. 
• Kaulback Block - The "Mermaid Building" - during the opening credits there's a brief shot of the camera panning along a second-story row of windows with almost ghostly images of mermaids reflected in them.  If you have Netflix or some other way to pause it will be easier to confirm.  This is the building.

Chester

As with Lunenburg, various places in Chester were used for Haven scenes, and there are a number of points of interest grouped together around a couple of specific areas.  Chester is home to the Haven Herald offices, a couple of blocks on Pleasant St. were used tons of times in the show, and the local hockey and curling arena was home to a number of indoor sets used throughout the series.

Chester - Queen St.

• Mecklenburgh Inn - The Mecklenburgh Inn was Audrey's home base early in the show (before she started living above the Grey Gull) and was also used in numerous street scenes.  In season 1 episode 2 when the giant brass ball is rolling down the road, it is shown going by the Mecklenburgh Inn.  Just south of here is Chester's post office which occasionally shows up on screen as well.
• Queen St. Cluster - Ok, I just didn't know what to call this spot, but it's got a lot going on here.  When you click the link to bring up the Street View you should be looking at the building which served as "The Haven Herald" newspaper office dead-on.  If you go up the street north or south a click and look back you can see the sign hanging from the eaves, and if you zoom in you can still see the logo painted on the glass.  The link currently should bring up a Street View version from 2014 when the show was still being filmed - the signage has since been removed, and there is a 2016 version you can bring up that shows it is gone.  Spin the view 180 degrees - the house on the opposite side of the street shows up in a LOT of episodes due to the proximity to the Herald.  Look at the yellow building just south of and next to the Herald (Street View shows it with a sign that says "ABLE Engineering Services") - that building was used as Haven Joe's Bakery.  But in some episodes you see it with the ABLE signage...Go up the street north of the Herald and look back and you will see it is actually a "L" shaped building with a little parking lot - the entrance to the building buried back there in the corner of the "L" was the exterior of the "Gun & Rose" restaurant where Jordan was a waitress.  Finally - note this building has a red roof.  The L-shape and the red roof make this building really stand out in aerial shots, once you know it's there, you can't miss it!
• South Queen St. Monument - Go south on Queen St. - WAY south until the road dead-ends at the waterfront and turns into South St. - and you will see a neat little black monument.  Almost this exact shot is used in season 1 episode 2 when the giant ball is rolling along.  

Chester - Pleasant St. 

• Pleasant St. Cluster - another spot where there is just too much going on!  The view brought up in this link is pointing at a space between two buildings which are frequently seen on the show.  The one on the left - the Chester Playhouse - will be very familiar to the fans.  In the Christmas episode where the town gets stuck in a snow globe this building serves as the Haven movie theater.  During season 5, Mara stabs a woman in the eye with a pencil on the sidewalk right in front of the building.  Spin the Street View 180 degrees and behind you is the Kiwi cafe - which is seen in a number of episodes, but in particular was Big Benjy's Ice Cream in Season 1, Episode 4.   You see all these buildings in the episode with the people in bear suits walking around. 
• Nicki's Inn - Just west along Pleasant St. is Nicki's Inn, which appeared early in the series as "The Rust Bucket", which was partly destroyed by the giant rolling ball.  It also appeared as the "Black House Coffee" shop in Season 4, Episode 2 (where Jennifer bought coffee and found a number of burned bodies).  If you have trouble visualizing it as the coffee shop, they used the entrance in the alley to the right of the front of the inn.  Fans of the series who have followed Twitter and Instagram posts and interviews with the cast and crew may recognize this as the establishment run by Nicki Butler.  She was apparently loved by many involved with the show as well as being a local icon, and passed away unexpectedly back in 2015.  The establishment is now closed and the building was for sale as of late 2016.  Right across the street is a building that appeared as a restaurant during the show (The Irreverent Oyster).  Go up Pleasant St about a block further west and look back towards Nicki's - this is the scene in the final episode of season 1 when the ground opens up and swallows Max Hansen.

Other Chester Locations

• Chester Yacht Club Gazebo - that's probably not the right name, but it's the gazebo NEXT TO the Yacht Club.  It is used in a LOT of episodes.  It was the location of the Farmer's Market in Season 1 Episode 4.
• Chester Yacht Club Gazebo Panorama - User submitted 360 view inside the gazebo.
• Homework assignment - just west of the gazebo is a funny looking swimming pool (The Lido Pool) - do you recognize it?  To see it you may have to go south down Peninsula Rd. a half-dozen "clicks" and look back towards the northwest.  
• Church Park / Pew Arena - This is not a terribly interesting picture, yet in it you are seeing a place where the cast and crew spent a LOT of time - inside that building were housed a number of sets used in the series, including the interior of the Haven Police Station, interior of Duke's Boat, and interior of Audrey's apartment over the Grey Gull.  If you switch to the overhead Google Map view and use the "earth" view which shows the satellite photo you will notice this is a complex of buildings and there are tennis courts - these courts are featured in at least one episode, Season 1 Episode 5 where a woman's trouble causes men to age and die rapidly - a man dies right on the tennis courts there.  Just north and a little west is a large expanse with a couple of schools.  The Arena was also recently used for sets for the Lifetime movie "Sea Change".  UPDATE FOR 2024 (I know, the show has been over for 9 years!!!) - Was just checking and found that Google now displays a series of Street View images that way up into the parking lot and much closer to the area, such as this view here.
• MAJOR Homework Assignment - if you go west along Pig Loop Road looking at the huge space outside the arena, as you come to the corner, you can see a green Pontiac van shoved in the corner.  It's a little hard to see through the foliage and chain link fence, but it looks kind of beat up.  I'm 95% certain this is the van seen flipping over and tumbling down the road just over 21 minutes into season 5 episode 1.  Hopefully Google will keep this one archived - it's from August 2014.  Now, use the little widget to change to the version from August 2012.  If you look through the fence you will see a "Haven" ambulance.  And if you keep the date set to August 2012 and work your way back east towards the entrance, and keep looking towards that corner, behind the ambulance you will see...THE BRONCO.  BAM!
• Chester Middle School - It was hard to find a good Street View shot for this, as it's a bit back on the property where the Google car probably couldn't go, but this is the "blue school building" seen in a number of episodes.
• Chester St. Augustine's Parish - When the "Darkside Seekers" come to Haven, they set up their night shot at the beginning of the episode in front of this church.  Spin the camera 180 degrees and look at the yellow house on the opposite corner - they entered this house and encountered the "Rougarou."  A number of shots were done in that episode taken from various angles up and down the street by the church.
• East Chester Community Centre - Used as the "Dixie Boy Truck Stop" in multiple episodes. 

Hubbards

• Hubbards Shore Club - The Shore Club was featured in the episode when Nathan and Duke time traveled to the 1950's.  I believe the interior of the Shore Club was actually used on the show.
• Hubbards St. Luke's Anglican Church - This is The Reverend Driscoll's church on Haven.  It is featured in a lot of shows.  The giant rolling ball started out as a statue on the lawn here.  One of the things I love about Haven is how they tied together all these locations spread around multiple towns but made them feel like a single town. 
• Hubbards Bishop's Park Gazebo - Gazebo number 3!  Used in several episodes, just down the street from the Rev's church.  The scene in Season 4, Episode 2 where Duke tells Jennifer the story about a kid who broke his arm sledding when they were younger (the story is about Nathan) takes place here.
• Hubbards House, Old Post Road - This house was used as The Reverend Driscoll's home.  I am 90% certain they actually used the interior of this house.  The house is up on a hill which, when looking out through the front windows, would have a view of the Rev's church (St. Luke's).  Watch the episode (season 1 episode 2 I think) and you will see what I'm talking about.
• Hubbards St. Mark's Anglican Church - used as the outskirts of Haven in more than one episode.  Now spin the camera 180 degrees - in the current Street View image at the time I am writing this, which is shown with an image date of August 2014, there are HAVEN POLICE CARS parked across from the church!  COOL!  The blue Chevy Tahoe there is Dwight's vehicle on the show as well.  I *think* these cars were parked here for filming scenes for season 5, episode 14 (first episode of season 5b or season 6 or whatever we're calling it).
• Hubbards House at Tilley's Cove - The Grey Gull.  There are several decent shots of the building from the road, just walk the camera up and down.  Also, use the little widget (in the upper left on my browser) that lets you view historical images from previous years.  The "current" images right now are from August 2014.  However there are a number of really nice shots from April 2012 when the Grey Gull sign was up, and there was less foliage covering the building.  There are also some shots from 2009 prior to the start of filming the show, when the building doesn't have the sign - or windows or doors apparently.  In photos I've seen elsewhere since these Street View images were done, the signage has been removed.  June 2022 Note: There are new images of the house which has been painted, has perhaps new siding and roof, and is now surrounded by a black chain link fence and clearly marked "Private Property".  I had wondered how long people would be able to continue wandering down to the house to take pictures...
• The Grey Gull Panorama - User submitted panorama taken at the porch corner by the water, ground floor.

Other Areas Of Interest

• Peggy's Cove Lighthouse - Another lighthouse used in the series, in Season 1 Episode 5, where a woman's trouble causes men to age rapidly and die.
• Mahone Bay Centre - This building appears in numerous episodes as the Haven Medical Center.  Note that early in the show the building was doctored up with signage that said Haven Medical Center, a flagpole with a US flag, etc.  But similar to the issue with the Lunenburg town hall, later aerial shots of this building are missing the Haven-related signage.  
• Mahone Bay Street Scene - This is one of the many street scenes from all over the South Shore area to be featured in Haven - in particular this one is seen in the episode where Audrey relives the same day repeatedly and various people are getting run over ("Audrey Parker's Day Off")...Be sure to zoom the view out all the way and pan around, and you may recognize more scenes.
• Robinson's Corner Farm - this is the home of "The Barn", the supernatural construct that plays such a big role in the show but which is seen only a few times considering.  It's located pretty far back on the property off the road, and presented a challenge to find a good Street View angle.  In Season 2 Episode 3 when the "real" Audrey Parker finds the barn, it is shown onscreen flipped left-to-right, but definitely still the same building.
• Halifax Dingle Tower - Dingle Tower in Halifax was used as the Armory in the final episodes of Haven.
• Halifax Boondocks Diner - The Boondocks Diner is where Nathan and the "copy" of Audrey (created by Croatoan to trick Nathan) were eating at the opening of Season 5B Episode 13.  The diner in the show was also called Boondocks, but they hung a "Cleaves Mills" sign out front - nice Stephen King reference...
• Bridgeport Cape Rouge - The Cape Rouge belonged to Duke Crocker, serving as both his home and an important part of his business as a smuggler.  During the winter months when the show was not being filmed, the boat was docked here in Bridgeport (during filming it was docked at the "angled dock" in Lunenburg, liste above).  Note - the boat partially sank in March of 2014 but it was apparently raised, since the linked Street View image was captured in September 2014.  If you have any doubt this is the Cape Rouge (that was actually the original name of the boat), check out this article about the sinking.  There's a series of 10 photos - number 7 is a good shot for comparison the the vessel pictured in Street View.  This site featuring the work of Katherine Bickford has a few photos of several ships lined up along the wharf in Bridgeport; the third ship (in the back of the line) is the Ryan Atlantic II, otherwise known as the Cape Rouge.
• Corner of Montague & Prince - OK, if there is a "Most Obscure Location" on this page, I think this is it.  Take a look at this building.  If you don't recognize it, take a look at these pictures: http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/haven/gallery1/gallery1/gallery4/gallery.htm, and then come back to the Street View scene.  Spin the camera around.  Those promo shots for the first season were done right in that building in the linked Street View scene.  It used to drive me crazy wondering where they were done.  I was absolutely convinced they were done in Chester, but turns out it was right there in Lunenburg. This building was used for some early promo shots of the three main actors.  Unfortunately the site I used to point to for those shots is gone.

Conclusion...

And that's all I have for now folks.  If you know of a location that was significant to the show and that you'd like me to add, please let me know.  I'd like to give a special thanks to Pauline P. whose Haven Photo Project  got me to thinking I should share these links, and who kindly helped with a few locations that had eluded me.  Also I would like to to thank Michelle Diesbourg for some locations as well as additional detail about how some were used.

Notes on the Google Street View Tour of "Haven"

A while back my wife introduced me to a TV show called “Haven” which aired on the SyFy channel.  Haven is about a fictional town in Maine where a portion of the residents suffer from supernatural curses called “the Troubles”.  Through the experiences of FBI agent Audrey Parker, we learn about the town and its people, what the Troubles are, where they come from, and how Audrey is connected to the town.

Instead of being filmed on a studio back lot somewhere, Haven’s outdoor scenes - streets, storefronts, houses & yards, etc. were filmed in the real world, specifically in and around several communities that are part of Nova Scotia’s South Shore.  Chester and Lunenburg provided most of the principal and recurring locations, but there were also places around Hubbards, Mahone Bay, Robinson’s Corner, and more in between.  These locations not only made Haven seem more real, but they have a charm that is captivating in its own right, and (no doubt like many other people) I wanted to learn more about the area, and perhaps to visit some day.

Since these are real places, (the exteriors of) most of them have been cataloged by Google’s Street View.  Street view is an adjunct function of Google Maps and Google Earth, which allows you to zoom down to a specific map location, bring up a 360 degree panoramic view, pan around (and up and down), and “walk” the view up and down the street or road.  Google has a fleet of vehicles (mostly cars, but in some cases bicycles or other) that drive around, with special cameras and GPS trackers, imaging as much of the world as can be seen from the road.

I have found a number of places that were used in Haven - some of which were used repeatedly and frequently in street scenes, aerial views and the like, and a few that were used less often but still significant.  I collected links to these scenes, which when clicked should open your browser and go straight to a particular Street View (including the direction and zoom level I had set when I made the link).  

To get the most fun out of this you will need to familiarize yourself a bit with Google Maps and Street View - and the easiest way to do that is to just play around with it a bit.  Click one of the links.  Pan around (click and hold left mouse button on main picture and drag around and up and down), zoom in and out (scroll the mouse wheel while pointing at main picture), “walk” up and down the road (when the mouse cursor is “on the road” look for the circle with an arrow and click to move).  Look for the “film strip” below the main image and click on Street View links provided by other people or images they’ve posted.  Above all, have fun - this is all virtual, just explore and enjoy!

Some semi-random thoughts:

• IMPORTANT - do not travel to the South Shore of Nova Scotia hoping to meet the cast or crew, or to see an episode of Haven being filmed.  The show has ended, filming ended around the end of 2014, and the final episodes aired in 2015.  If you want to go and walk some of the sidewalks your favorite characters walked, or if you just fell in love with the area and want to experience it for yourself, by all means make the trip.  But nothing you see on this site (or any other) should be construed to mean that there is still any active filming of Haven occurring - there’s not. In one or two places the Street View images linked from my blog may still show Haven-related signage, but in real life and in the present day, it's all gone.
• Likewise, if you travel to Nova Scotia do not be disappointed if the real world locations don’t look exactly like the Google Street View photos.   Just like any photographs, these represent a point in time - a specific time on a specific day in a specific year.  (Street View photos show you the “image date” when they were taken so you can see how old they are.)  Over time, Google "re-images" sites, and they (usually) keep (some of) the archived, older versions of how locations looked available. When I find a site and create the HTML link for it, it records not only the location and such, it should point to a SPECIFIC version (date/time) of the scene. So if the version available on Google Street View when I made the link was from August 2014, that's what you're (hopefully) going to see when you click the link - even if Google has since created new images.
• The older versions of locations can usually be accessed with a little on-screen "widget" that sits in the upper left (it shows the month and year the current image was created). Click on it to access other views - older ones and maybe newer ones too. This may allow you to see some shots taken during the time the show was being filmed, so you may see "Haven" signage on some buildings, the paint jobs on buildings (and cracks in the street and so on) will match what you see on the show, etc. Also because the Street View cars are in motion when the images are taken, the views are rarely in exactly the same spot - so sometimes you get "better" views in different years.
• The streets themselves are pretty much public, and there are various parks and gazebos that you can access.  However, some locations are private property - just because they’re visible from the road doesn’t open them to tourist traffic.  For example, the "Grey Gull" house is privately owned, “the Barn” is on private property, and so forth. For some of those you may only be able to take pictures from the road.  If you travel to the South Shore, enjoy the publicly available locations, but don’t trespass.
• When finished, the show will have aired 78 episodes.  The show featured many locations around the NS southern coast.  An exhaustive list of locations is beyond my ability to provide, and would probably be too much anyway.  That being said, just by learning the layout of a few places, you’ll soon be recognizing scenery in a LOT of shows.  These locations got used over and over, maybe just from slightly different angles.  It starts to feel like a familiar place.
• Or perhaps I should say familiar places - knowing that some scenes are shot in Lunenburg and some in Chester, and more important WHICH are shot in which places, can kind of throw off the continuity.  This is especially true when you see an aerial shot of Lunenburg followed by a storefront on a street in Chester, or a shot of the school in Chester followed by a street scene in Mahone Bay.  Speaking of aerial shots, you will perhaps have already noticed that Lunenburg and Chester look quite different from the air, and yet both are depicted as “Haven” (I think maybe Mahone Bay aerial shots are used as well).  Whether this will affect your ability to enjoy re-watching the show is something I can’t control or predict - but if you are worried about it, this kind of Google “pixel peeping” is probably not for you.
• At the risk of stating the obvious, Google Street View cameras are VERY different from television film or video cameras, and the filming is done under entirely different conditions.  The Street View cameras tend to use fairly wide-angles, while a lot of the TV shots are done from a distance and at a very high zoom.  TV shots are done when the lighting is “just right” as well (or lighting may be manipulated artificially), whereas Google Street Views are mostly on relatively clear days and when things are pretty evenly lit.  In other words, what you see on Google Street View may only bear a passing resemblance to what you see on the show, and you may have to use a little imagination to figure out how things fit.