Posts from other blogs and news-sources are in smash's shared links. (check-it)

--- Tuesday, October 31, 2006

CableCARDs installed.

Permalink: 10/31/2006 12:38:00 PM

Put the call into Comcast last week for two cable cards, and for them to pickup an older Digital Cable box. They showed up today with a single card and a digital box. It's Comcastic! *rolls eyes*

So after we got that sorted out, the installer guy put the two cards into the Series3 and things actually went pretty well thanks to Tivo's guide. It was the first time the guy had done one of the new CableCARD-enabled DVRs, but Comcast Customer Care seemed very well aware of it. (When I called to order two cards before, they cheerfully asked right away if I had one of the new Tivos.)

The only thing you lose, apparently, is On Demand. Pay-Per-View still works but only if you call the number... just like the olden days. Comcast blabs that you don't get their TV Guide (along with its ads, haha)... but you get Tivo's instead to replace it.

So far, so good.

--- Monday, October 30, 2006

Tivo Series3 Mini-Review

Permalink: 10/30/2006 01:24:00 PM

So I decided that as soon as the prices on the new Tivo came down, I would get one to replace my crappy Comcast Motorola DVR. (which, in the past, was the only way to get a Dual-Tuner High-Def DVR in one box, EDIT: With Comcast's digital channels... that's the key)

"The OLED screen is pretty sharp, and you can control its brightness. The LEDs beside it seem kind of pointless though. I wish it would show whatever was on all of the time... not just when recording."

Last week, deals started appearing for $100 off the Series3... not bad. I chose to buy one from eBay and received it this morning. $700 for the S3, plus $299 for three years of service. $999!?!? Well, let's look at it this way: I was paying $15/month for a Comcast DVR up-until-now... which would cost me $540 over 3 years. So, $999-$540 = ... ** $459 including three years of service (an $8.30/month value) ** is my actual cost here. Plus, I can sell the Tivo later on... where as Comcast's Motorola box I have to give back. Even though the Tivo is likely to decrease in value, it's still a better investment than renting a DVR from Comcast in most cases. And! The last thing I want is to give Comcast more money. (especially for such a buggy system with an interface from the 1990s.)

Blah blah blah. So I hooked the box up to my TV with the included HDMI cable, which I wish I'd known they'd included because I bought one separately... d'oh. (they also include composite, component, phone line, a phone splitter, and a Coaxial cable) Plugged one end of an Ethernet cord into the Series3, then the other end into my Airport Express, and it was downloading its TV guide in no time at all.

Comcast is bringing over my CableCARDs tomorrow, so in the meantime I tried setting it up using "Cable & Antenna". In theory, this will use the local Basic Cable channels, in addition to whatever it can receive over any High-Def Over-The-Air stations. For me, I tried three antennas without any luck receiving FOX or NBC via HD... they were just out of reach. (and with HD, you either get a perfect picture, or no picture at all, so you can't compensate with static) ABC, the WB, and others came in... but without the complete line-up I ended up setting the unit to "Cable Only". Hooray for grainy analog! (until tomorrow)

"Like my über lame show choices? :D"

Then it was on to program my favorite feature... the 30-second skip. Perfect for jumping past commercials and boring/sappy parts, you can watch twice as much TV in the same amount of time! Record a show, start playing it, then press Select, Play, Select, 3, 0, Select... and you should hear three chimes. Now the "advance" button will have this function, and the nearby "instant replay" button will remain a 15-second rewind.

Although I'm still figuring out the interface (this is my first Tivo), Comcast set the bar pretty low with their Motorola box so I doubt I'll have any complaints. So far, so good. I'll try to post again tomorrow on how the CableCARD install goes.

--- Monday, October 09, 2006

What's not to love about the Airport Express?

Permalink: 10/09/2006 11:06:00 PM

It's four products in one.

1) Base Station: Plug in your local network or cable/DSL modem, then configure it to share internet around your home or office.
2) Remote Station: Use it to extend your current wireless network, or to bring wired internet to places not wired. It works in the reverse of the method mentioned above, and requires an existing Airport base station... whether it be a regular Airport or another Airport Express.
3) Wireless/wired Print Server: Plug in your printer, and have it shared to all compatible machines on the network. (even Windows machines with the "Zero Config Wireless" service enabled can see them) It does this in addition to the things above.
4) Wireless Audio link: iTunes connects and streams audio through the built-in Optical/Analog Audio-out port.

I installed one near my TV and game consoles, then had my existing Airport Base Station automatically configure the new, Airport Express. They talk securely over the air, while the new Airport Express provides a media link from my Mac Pro or MacBook to my stereo, and it also provides an Ethernet port for a Tivo or for online play with XBox or PS2.

I was very skeptical at first, but it's definitely a great product.

What's not to love about the Airport Express?

Link

--- Monday, October 02, 2006

Facebook disabled my dog's account!!

Permalink: 10/02/2006 04:27:00 PM

Facebook disabled the account today (Monday 10/2). Someone deactivated it yesterday, but I was able to reactivate it. They clearly aren't very happy that happened so everyone else go sign up stupid accounts, haha. :P

This sucks, poor Frederick really liked being on Facebook and had almost 50 friends already. Shame on them for imposing such strict regulations... he was clearly a mature user unlike the weirdos that are probably about to sign-up. (now that the site is open to everyone)

WTF they deleted my dog's facebook account

--- Sunday, October 01, 2006

I just signed my dog up for Facebook.

Permalink: 10/01/2006 01:03:00 PM

Facebook is so stupid now that anyone can go on. What happened to our sanctuary?
In protest, I've signed my dog up. He's of age, and has interests, activities, and an e-mail address... so why not!

Please add him as a friend if you are mad at Facebook, or even just for the hell of it! (Digg this?)

UPDATE: Damn it, they disabled the account.

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