First off - Forget the suggestions for a 360... that is obvious and will come later. So I guess this post is mostly for Ross, unless someone else has info to share.
I am getting to the point where I will put together my Media Center. Thinking about how I watch the most of my shows and my future need for a new computer, I think the best option for me is to plan both to make a media center. Right now, I am thinking of getting a nice LCD HDTV and a good desktop with a sweet soundcard to hook up to some sweet Logitech Z 5500 THX speakers. I am thinking Ross-station style. Wireless keyboard for internet surfing, Huge hard drives for media storage, DVD player for movies... yada yada. So, I am looking for feedback if this is a good idea, and advice for what to do and not to do. Keep in mind I will be in a smaller room, so I don't need a massive set-up. Plus - I am going for value, not top of the line. Plus I am building this idea around the speakers... they look pretty sweet.
Well, lucky for you, Jeff Atwood at Coding Horror recently put together a very nice post about this very topic. What's amazing is that this baby is cheap, power-efficient, and can play 1080p video! I am definitely considering upgrading the current Rosstation (which can only play 720p reliably) to something like this.
Did I also mention a Blu Ray drive, bitches?
I even have a wishlist at NewEgg with the parts. It appears I can't make my wishlist public instantly, so I just sent you the list via email.
Mmmm... I just read an article about using your 360 as a media extender. My brother is doing this... but the article fails to mention if you can stream HD vids to your Xbox and watch them on your TV in 1080p? I doubt this is something you can do over wireless anyway.
I think that building a home Fatzstar system will be a good project. I found a set of used Logitech z 5500 speakers that I am trying to buy... That will be my first purchase... then a TV... then the Fatzstar. At the end... the 360. Maybe around Xmas. No promises!!!
Bunks.... I am all about the tease.... give the balls a little tickle.... then a big PUNCH! C'mon, you know what I am talking about! Ya!!!!
Yes, and I will be in (insert your Californian town here) for some training. Maybe we can grab a bite for dinner? Or we have have a gaming session and I can sleep in your gaming chair.
Speaking of gaming chairs.... you've never seen mine! The Stokke Gravity.
That chair is crazy! You could do all kinds of crazy things in that chair!
Once you you get a taste of the variable massage mode in my chair, you may not want to leave! I have to turn if off during Gears because the vibration is a little much.
I have never used the game-triggered lighting effects. That's a little too gay... Anyhow, it was a birthday gift from my husband, and seeing how he loathes my 360, the thought was very sweet...
I'm Gold for the next month, so some on-line action could be arranged. I Tried GTA IV multi player and found it somewhat amusing, it'd probaby be more fun playing with friends. I liked the GTA Race, it's kinda like Mario Kart on Crack. Any Halo or Gears will be considered a lesson in humility as I havent played either more than a few hours in total.
I am terrible, and should not be allowed to drive, but would be willing to play. I will most likely be on the receiving end of some well deserved Heiss brand of justice...
My Halo powers have been weakend because Jack has brought back Gears... However, my smoke tag and fragging abilities are back in their prime!
There is enough of us with GTA 4 to do a closed game and limit the "outside" asshole factor.
We were playing with a friend of my niece's last week that Jack was preparing to boot from the Gears. Jack informed the moron of his pending departure.
The guy asks Jack, "Oh, you're gonna boot me because I am an asshole?" Jack informs him "Oh, we are assholes too. We are just different kinds of assholes!" This statement was followed by some Jackaphony and the player's prompt removal from the game....
There is enough of us with GTA 4 to do a closed game and limit the "outside" asshole factor.
We were playing with a friend of my niece's last week that Jack was preparing to boot from the Gears. Jack informed the moron of his pending departure.
The guy asks Jack, "Oh, you're gonna boot me because I am an asshole?" Jack informs him "Oh, we are assholes too. We are just different kinds of assholes!" This statement was followed by some Jackaphony and the player's prompt removal from the game....
That was pretty sweet. Although I think my response was closer to "Oh, we're all assholes. You're just not our kind of asshole."
It must be sweet to hear that and get the boot before you can even throw out any kind of retort. I have no problem wielding my Host Powers in Gears.
Well, I don't have GTA4 yet as Gamefly can suck my balls (along with Verizon, who claims to have finally mailed my check and may be truthful since my upstairs neighbor has "a lot" of my mail and has since moved away) because I've been waiting for over a week for them to send it. I am going to cancel my account today as a result and will probably buy GTA4 tonight or tomorrow. If you guys want to play tonight, that would be just the kick in the pants I'd need.
I'm up for it, but I probably can't get on until 11:00 or so (GR time). Perhaps I'll see people on.
Gee, that's 5:00am for me. I don't know what to do, stay up late or get up early. I thik some Saturday or Sunday afternoon action (US) is more my style.
I can do Sunday afternoon. We have birthday parties out the ass tomorrow, followed by wakeboarding in the late afternoon. I am hoping to sneak my sweet tube on the boat for some fun!
I was planning on purchasing the flying Manta Ray towable last year. They are super sweet. At just 23 mph against the wind, you can actually fly behind the boat like a human kite! It has an 11 foot wing span!
I prefer to be towed on a tube around 30 mph, and on this tube, that will get you hovering about 10 feet in the air above the water! All was going well in the store until my husband noticed the rider in the photo on the box was wearing a helmet and he thought it appeared too dangerous! He was afraid that my brother in law and I were not capable of using good judgement on such a toy...
I know. I REALLY want to buy one! I don't understand how my 36 year old husband thinks trying to do back flips and 360's on a wakeboard at his age is any less dangerous than me getting sweet air on a tube with an 11 foot wing span!
I have seen a couple of these out at the lake. They are as sweet in person. I had the pleasure of seeing some stupid drunk guy fall off one, which did not help my arguement. He caught a gust of wind, the tube flipped, and dropped straight down on the water. It looked painful.
We later saw his friend getting a DUI on a jet ski as we were bringing the boat into the dock. The sheriff seemed to enjoy our heckling and home video style of cops....
Normally, I would just go buy one and do the ol' "where did that come from?" He took quite the stand on this one, so I am trying to be respectful. I am getting excited just thinking about it again!
In fairness to my husband, I have done some crazy shit on tubes that may warrant raising the caution flag...
You can ride double on it, although they don't recommend flying as a duo. I would still try it with a buddy. There is a way to to prevent the tube from flying for big ass babies who just want to be pulled slowly across the water.
Anyone on our boat (including Chitlins), who gets on a tube and starts complaining about not wanting to be pulled to fast, automatically is getting thrown off. I do not want to pulled unless I am going to be thrown off.
The best part is getting whipped around in a circle and flying off the tube because you are going so fast you can no longer hang on. You hit the water so hard you bounce across it because you have so much momentum going. The initial impact hurts, but your legs usually go numb and then you drop in the water.
As far drinking and tubing goes, I learned my lesson 2 summers ago after a session of bumper tubes gone wrong. Wrestling, tubing, beer, and body slams do not mix.
Bone, what about fornicating whilst drunk on the Manta Ray?
It was 104 degrees here today, and is supposed to be 108 through Monday. That's freakin' hot!
I think I am going to have to flex my independence powers this weekend and make a purchase. I forgot how much I really wanted one of these. I was just watching one of the demo videos online and it is definetly a must have!
Bone - I will have to try my skills at the Mantra Ray first before I can offer it up flying fornication style. I will have to get back to you on that one.
As far drinking and tubing goes, I learned my lesson 2 summers ago after a session of bumper tubes gone wrong. Wrestling, tubing, beer, and body slams do not mix.
Upon closer investigation of your vagina, I am sure one can find two small brass balls tucked neatly away.
You certainly sound like you got the stones, sister. You might be more macho than the majority of the dudes on JA - myself included. Why can't I find a girl who just wants to cuddle?
Fatty, they are shiny, pretty, and neatly tucked away. Fortunately, they came with coordinating shoes and a handbag, so I still feel somewhat femine!
I have done some dumb ass shit on the tube. I can understand Patrick's reservations at letting me hop on a tube that actually hovers in the air 10 feet.
The funny thing about getting older is that, even in your thirties, mentally, you still think you are in your twenties.
I am trying to be a better example for my son. He just turned six and he loves the tube! Like me, he does not scare easily. I find myself getting nervous watching him do things that I wouldn't think twice about doing.
Bunky - You would so get along with Ang's family. Her folks used to have a boat and they were all about tubin' at high speeds. I was spotter because I'm "risk averse" (i.e. "chicken shit").
My husband is not a fan of the tube. He'll do a run with the sissy kids, but he is more of the "risk averse" brand as well.
Once you realize it only hurts for a second, it's not too bad. Occasionally, you can get a pretty nasty bruise on you leg, or the wind knocked out of you, but that just means you had a super sweet run.
Patrick has learned to appreciate tubing as an opportunity to torture me without fear of retaliation.
His new favorite thing to do is go to the end of the lake, and drive the boat in wide circles. He will swing you outside of the wake at a really fast speed. Just before you are ready to cross back over the wake, he slows the boat down a bit, and the hits the gas as you are crossing the wake. You are totally screwed! You can't hang on, you go flying off, and swallow a bunch of water.
We are going back out tomorrow. I will try and get some photos. I haven't had much luck of getting photos of me tubing because my husband is the photographer in the family and he is driving the boat.
His new favorite thing to do is go to the end of the lake, and drive the boat in wide circles. He will swing you outside of the wake at a really fast speed. Just before you are ready to cross back over the wake, he slows the boat down a bit, and the hits the gas as you are crossing the wake. You are totally screwed! You can't hang on, you go flying off, and swallow a bunch of water.
I bet if you wrap your hands underneath the handles you can hang on. There might be a torn tendon or two, but you'll hang on.
I love tubin. I suck at it but I love it. I decided once to flip the tube 360 degrees and fall off at the apex of the flip. Thus providing an ample opportunity for me to fall face first into the water at around 30 mph and folding my body directly in half. It felt really good.
I was planning on purchasing the flying Manta Ray towable last year. They are super sweet. At just 23 mph against the wind, you can actually fly behind the boat like a human kite! It has an 11 foot wing span!
I prefer to be towed on a tube around 30 mph, and on this tube, that will get you hovering about 10 feet in the air above the water! All was going well in the store until my husband noticed the rider in the photo on the box was wearing a helmet and he thought it appeared too dangerous! He was afraid that my brother in law and I were not capable of using good judgement on such a toy...
There was a similar thing the manufacturer had to pull last year due to the extraordinary number of injuries. In particular, the injury that occurred most often were of the single- and double-shoulder dislocation type. I believe there was even a death, but it may have been only a serious injury. don't remember.
If you want to be a 'human-kite', take up kite-boarding. Plenty of risk, lots of speed, and you have a dead-man switch that will disconnect the kite (bye bye $2500) in the event of a catastrophic failure. I played around with a friend's 15 meter kite last year just on the beach without the board. I weigh around 225. In a 8-9mph light breeze this thing lifted me off the ground like it didn't know I was there. On the upside, I got a new pair of shorts out of the deal...
Yeah, this looks like a blast, as long as you've got good health coverage. A disc-shaped object that A) isn't spinning, or B) doesn't have fins will flip over on you every time. Try this: Tie a GI-Joe (Barbie, Oprah action figure, etc.) to a paper plate. Tie kite string to that. Now pull it behind your bike.
I gotta side with your husband on this one, Bunky.
I actually was checking into kiteboarding in Hawaii. You can take lessons on Kailua beach. I just want to be sure that I will get some sweet air and not some sissy crap! If I want to get pulled across water, I will throw on some old school water skis!
It looks like a cross between a wakeboard and surfboard with straps, which is fine by me, because the bindings on the wakeboard geek me out. I don't like the feel of being trapped in the bindings. The thing I did enjoy about waterskiing was the ability to kick the skiis if necessary.
If the guys on the websites look anything like the instructors, I may pretend to be a slow learner so they keep repeating the instructions to me. I may even fake a few falls... It does look like it would be challenging, so that kind of excites me!
A.) I have excellent health coverage and my husband is a compounding pharmacist, so if I should break my jaw, he can make me pain meds in the form of sublingual drops or topical applications. IV pain meds are pretty sweet too!
B). I would never buy a round human kite! Anyone who wants to be a human kite knows this is a bad idea! You have to go with the Manta Ray. It has an 11 foot wing span and was designed to fly!
C). My husband is not the voice of reason on tubing. He vetoed my request last weekend to try bumper tubing again because he thought it was dangerous for us to be jumping back and forth and wrestling after my last mishap. I countered with offering to stand still and see who could whip the other person off first with a water noodle, but he did not go for that either.
Finally, something I can talk about! Water Noodles are certainly more my speed. I like to float on them in the shallow end of the pool when the life guard is on duty. It gets pretty crazy sometimes when your feet might slip on the bottom and you lose grip on your noodle. Man, talk about racing hearts! Oh, how can I even forget about when the chlorine burns your eyes. Man that smarts! Last time it kind of sucked. We got there late, and the purple one was already taken, so I had to take the cruddy blue one. I hate the blue one!
I am not so sure about whipping someone with a Water Noodle. It clearly states on the packaging that this is not the proper use of a Noodle. Its bad enough we use it as a floatation device! Sometimes you gotta live on the edge! High-five!
Seriously, Bunky... You should not whip someone with a Water Noodle. You know that whipping someone with a wet noodle is just an expression? Its not real. Nobody does this. It is just not safe. You should not even joke about this.
Well the Heiss family certainly is a buzz kill today. Creeko had me excited about kiteboarding for a second, until the guy disappeared and now Fatty won't let me whip him with my wet Water Noodle!
Speaking of water noodles, I was at my parents pool over the weekend and I asked my 2nd grade nephew if he knew where the noodles were. He pointed at his crotch and said "I know where one noodle is." I've taught him well apprently.
It is funny the moments in life that make you feel so proud! I know better than to ask my nephews where the noodles are!
So Rad, you certainly have had to participate in a noodle smackdown... I can't believe they only occur on the West Coast...
Fatty, I just checked the label on my couch, and it clearly states that it is not to be frooked between the cushions.
I also believe that the washing instructions on shoes do not include "handwashing in urine" even when "woooooo f'd up!"
So see, you can't believe everything you read on labels. I think you may deserve a noodle lashing Bunky style.
So, you gots yourself a virgin couch?? Looks like Fatty's next trip will be a Californication on your couch. And that tag.... yeah, I'll take that sumbitch and add it to my collection of cushion conquests.
GROSS ALERT!!!!
So, when I am diddling your couch, you can be spanking me with the wet noodle from your gaming chair - vibration on high. Of course we are both smeared with Sweet Baby Rays and our bellies full of Baconators.
I think I just described heaven.
Plus, who here is not sportin the Badge by blowing a little early? That is a powerful image. Rad, welcome to the club.
Speaking of water noodles, I was at my parents pool over the weekend and I asked my 2nd grade nephew if he knew where the noodles were. He pointed at his crotch and said "I know where one noodle is." I've taught him well apprently.
Rad, is your nephew any chance named Todd? Scrubs... anyone? Sorry for being the new guy, still trying to sort out which references are valid and which aren't.
Ross, we need a tea-bagging emoticon... I have emotions and sentiments that can't be expressed through a big yellow head.
Robot, due to Fatty's presence on the site, we have to limit the emoticons available. Once you are here a little while longer, I am sure you will understand.... I quickly learned why...
However Ross, Jack would like a big, BLACK, minge icon for when he is feeling randy...
I actually thought of you when I was grocery shopping last night. They had Sweet Baby Rays on the end cap at Albertsons on sale for $1.66. It made me giggle.... They have all kinds of new exotic flavors out on the market now.
If you had LIVE, you could talk about BBQ sauce with Jack and I. Monkey T really enjoys it when Jack and I break off into discussions that stray from the game.... Ask the poor unfortunate Chitlins who were at Uncle Jack's over the weekend and got a verbal lashing for over an hour!
Kiteboarding seems cool but too much gear for my taste. It's also something that you aren't learning in one day. I've seen accomplished windsurfers speda weeks dragging up and down the beach just to learn how to control the kite. I'm too busy f'n for all that business.
I like to keep things simple and dangerous. I'd rather have a go on the Manta or the disc of death for that matter.
Yeah, I was checking lessons and some are 6 hours long. The first two hours are spent learning to control the kite and then you have to learn to be dragged through the water by the kite. I don't know if I have that much patience. I have never windsurfed before.
Any recommendations for Hawaii? We've done the ocean kayaking, parasailing, all the usual crap. We've been to Oahu before, so I somewhat know my way around. This will be our first trip over to Kauai. I am looking forward to doing some hiking. We are staying at the new Westin resort in the Princeville area. I've been told that is a nice area.
Really, Bunky? Let me get this straight. You're looking for ideas on what to do in Hawaii? Try this; YOU'RE IN FUCKING HAWAII! It's like asking for serving suggestions for Doritos. It doesn't get better than opening the bag and eating the entire thing (right, Jack?).
I haven't even taken a vacation in almost 6 years. The last one I took was in North Carolina. The only reason I took that one is because I have friends there, and I was already there for business. Granted, my period of vaction-celibacy is my own fault, and I don't recommend it, but still, if you're looking for things to entertain you in Hawaii, you might want to talk to the good people at Shire Pharmaceuticals.
Wow, it's a little early to be that worked up. Gets my blood pumping though.
And..................... We're back on topic.....
I just got back from picking up the first piece of the FatStation (TM). I got a second-hand (OK used) set of Logitech Z-5500 speakers. F'n box was kind of heavy and we had to order up a large cab to bring it home. I'll do a mini set up to test them out this weekend. The next purchase will be the LCD TV. At this point, I don't know why people are buying HD Ready sets. Shouldn't you be buying the FULL HD now? I am really asking. What is the consensus??
Oh - Here is the link on the speakers if anyone is interested. I am at work using M$ Explorer and the toolbar is not showing up. I'll blame the firewall.
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-THX-Certified-505-Watt-Digital-Surround/dp/B0002WPSBC
I haven't read the full thread, and you may have covered which TV you want, but if you haven't decided and you want even more information, I have a Consumer Reports Online account. That's how I decided on my Sony Bravia. They have some good information and it's constanty being updated. Let me know if you're interested.
I have no preference. Consider me a 'value conscious' consumer. I don't want the very newest, best, top-of-the-line. I am happy with a quality, popular model that gives the best bang for the buck. I know I am looking for a sub-42 inch LCD TV with 1080p. It needs to have connections for PC hookup and other goodies. Priced around a grand.
Punch that in your fancy consumer reports and see what they say! Keep in mind the brands out here are different. The big ones are LG and Samsung, but of course most of the biggies can be found. The models might differ though.
Fuck Fatty! I don't care about your Fatty station until you get a 360 and we can talk about it LIVE! Then I can whisper sweet Fatty nothings in your ear and Jack can ask if you have nipples and if he can milk you.... I just wanna be your Pinata Girl in your Pinata World!
Spider, I think you need a VACATION! Not to make you feel worse, but I just got back from a week in Maui in December! Had I known you were in dire need of a vacation, I would have left one of the 6 nephews/niece we took with us home and adopted a Spider!
I love Hawaii! I try to go once a year. It appears this is the end of my party. I can usually get round trip airfare for around $325 out of LAX. With the increase in airfare and bullshit fuel costs, it appears this will be my last trip for awhile.
We like to be busy when we are there and try something new each time. And yes, I actually leave my XBOX home when I go to Hawaii
Okay Fatty, I do I have a non-gaming question related to Fatty's Media Center. The commitment to this project implies to that you are making your current location your permanent residence.
Does this mean that you are not planning to move back to Grand Rapids and that I will never get to go on Fatty's Famous Burger Tour?
I guess I will always have Spider's Double-Blinded Doritos Taste Test in ZAGNUT at Zilla's (TM) if the Burger Tour doesn't work out for me :(
Ross, there is some process fornication with my emoticon tool bar. Maybe you are uploading the tea bag icon for Spider and that is why I can't locate it....
Never say never, Dottie. You know that someday we will meet, and when we do, a burger tour will commence. It may not be in GR, but that does not matter. It is the spirit in which we suck down burgers. I am a resident of the world. Where-ever I hang my hat is home for now. The FatStation only signifies that I'll be trying to enjoy myself more whilst in Hungary.
Today is my last day of work at my old job. Monday is the start at Morgan Stanley. We will see where that path leads me.
Tonight I will Party Fatty-Style. To kick things off, I am bringing 5 bottles of hard liquor to work for some group shots, then out into a local park to enjoy the evening of drinking. I hope to have 40-50 people show up (Strangely mostly women...) There is already a buddy system in place to ensure that people don't pass-out in the bushes alone. The last thing I want to do is wake up in the morning, spooning with a bum.
Do these people know what it means to get "whooooooo f'd up" with Fatty. Do they understand that drunk = herny? The good news is, if it is mostly women, it should reduce the risk of a gender eurphoria episode....
Will you post some pictures? Maybe one of you laying in all your drunken glory sprawled across a bush?
Jack would be so happy if you were to return to Lowell someday. I hear the tales of the "show" and all of the good times you once had. I don't think he has found anyone else who can talk about BBQ sauce on a road trip for two hours with as much passion as you.
I have no preference. Consider me a 'value conscious' consumer. I don't want the very newest, best, top-of-the-line. I am happy with a quality, popular model that gives the best bang for the buck. I know I am looking for a sub-42 inch LCD TV with 1080p. It needs to have connections for PC hookup and other goodies. Priced around a grand.
Why bother with 1080p if you're going to go so small? 720p ought to be just fine on a sub-42".
That is what I am not too sure on. My wanting a 1080p comes from reading up on CNET. One good review pretty much said 720p was good enough for most people, but you should get 1080p if you plan on using it with a computer. Unfortunately, it did not go much further.
One of my concerns is if I have a lower res movie, it will look crappy on the 1080p, unless I am switching the resolution. I would like to steer away from 1080p because it is much more expensive - I'd save a few hundred bucks I am sure. But, if I do go with a 360 later, won't the 1080p make a big difference with that... and with other HI DEF goodies like Blu-ray? Or was the article pretty correct in stating that it is only really needed in TVs above 52 inches?
Fatty, if it's value you want, and under a $1000, I am going to step into Ross' world for a minute and recommend a Vizio.
It's the best bang for your buck! I have a 20' flat screen in my office and I game on the 42' one. Since I bought the 42' solely for my 360, I couldn't justify dropping excessive amount on a television and still stay married. It was a tough enough sell as it was when I strolled in the house with it and headed to the game room....
Best part? $999 sticker price! I don't use it for anything else but gaming, and I am embarassed to say that I have never watched a movie or cable on the television. I will tell you that with my HDMI connection, Locust ass looks pretty sweet when you are hittin' it!
My husband bought my dad the same television about six months ago because he thought it was sad that my dad was watching tv every night on the same 19' he has had for 10 years and my mom was rockin' out to Discovery Channel on the big screen (and that I had a better TV solely for video games).
I have noticed on my dad's TV and my 20' that the HD picture is really clear and the standard picture is just average. My dad is an engineer, so he hooks his laptop up to it and can view is AutoCad drawings on a larger screen.
Anyone who has ventured back into my cave and checked out Gears (the graphics are WAY better than Halo) on my TV (with the sweet HDMI connection) has commented on the clarity. In fact, when I first started playing on it, I got distracted reading all the writing on crap on the different levels that I hadn't seen before. The stars in the sky on Fuel Depot even twinkle!
Anyhow, here are the input/outputs it comes with as well:
Never say never, Dottie. You know that someday we will meet, and when we do, a burger tour will commence. It may not be in GR, but that does not matter. It is the spirit in which we suck down burgers.
"but only when you are sitting on his lap." I liked the ending I added.
Jack, you deciphered my coded message to Swerb! It is actually part of our very elaborate plan which involves having Fatty listen to music by artists who incorporate backmasking into their recordings.
I can't tell you what the messages say... I have already said too much. We have a master plan for Mr. Fats. I will give a few songs you can listen to if you would like to figure it out on your own. Don't say I didn't warn you...
Love Bites by Judas Priest (1984 Defenders of the Faith)
Beginning of Slayer's Hell Awaits Album (1985)
And ofcourse...
Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin
If you can't handle those, this may be more your brand
Fatty, here's my .00002 cents (read Rad's Verizon story for the reference):
It isn't a matter of the cable types or the input source (Xbox, HDTV or Blu-ray). When you're making the choice for the resolution of your TV, the thing that matters is the area of the TV screen. If you're talking about a smallish TV like you are, I will put as much money down as you care to that you will be unable to tell the difference between 720p and 1080p. Granted, 1080p has 4 times the resolution of 720p, but at that size, you just won't see it. It's only once you blow the picture up significantly past that size that the difference in resolution starts to matter. So save your pennies.
And I'll agree with Bunky that if you're going to go small and cheap, a Vizio is a good choice. I have some friends with them and they seem to be a good bargain. I'd steer you in a totally different direction if you wanted a bigger TV, but for what you're talking about, don't go crazy.
More important than screen size and resolution, IMO, has got to be black levels and the TV's ability to process movement. Without black you can't get a true color spectrum and higher resolution means nothing if the picture is all juddery because it can't handle a scroll or pan.
1080p dose not a better TV make, just like a 10 megapixel camera isn't necessarily better than a 5Mp camera. You have to take in the sum of all the parts.
As far as size goes, bigger isn't always better either, there are optimal viewing distances according to screen size and resolution. Generally, the higher the resolution the closer you can get but as the screen size gets bigger you need to get further away.
Check out www.trustedreviews.co.uk it should give you some good information on EU brands and they're pretty thurough.
Swerb, I feel your pain about camping and loud music. My husband, kids, and nephews are (luxury) camping (in our RV) at the lake near our house. I rolled out here at 6 am and some Fbags are blasting COUNTRY music. WTF? And classic redneck country at that. We are launching the boat currently and since their site is on the water, we are planning a counter attack (yes, we are mature adults. We are debating between metal and spanish radio. Our system on the boat is sweet, so the bass alone with piss them off. Especially when we sit and screw off with the our gear and yell shit like "yee haw". Did I mention the F'ers have a Harley Davidson flag pole and NASCAR chairs at their site? Oh, our generator is quiet...
Bunky said: Swerb, I feel your pain about camping and loud music. My husband, kids, and nephews are (luxury) camping (in our RV) at the lake near our house. I rolled out here at 6 am and some Fbags are blasting COUNTRY music. WTF? And classic redneck country at that.
Two points in response:
(Luxury) camping (in an RV) ceases to be "camping" when A) one has the option of not urinating on a tree or in an outhouse seeded with the rank deposits of hundreds who've pooped there before, B) the watercraft features not a paddle-based propulsion system run by the human machine, but a sound system potentially capable of offending the sensibilities of Earnhardt-worshipping hillbillies, and C) one does not get considerably dirty, and actually has the option of washing oneself off.
Oh, also: D) Camping never, ever occurs where one can get a decent wi-fi signal - it's the only way you can be "camping" and posting on JA, right?
Just kidding, of course... I've been trained by Robotspider (and a mutual friend of ours) to be a camping elitist. Our first trip consisted of hiking on a Lake Michigan island for three (or was it four?) nights with only what we could carry in our packs. Such trips don't occur very often anymore now that various members of our camping coalition have produced children, and therefore purchased tents - dubbed "Tent Mahal" or "Dome World" - in which one could park a small automobile. Being sans offspring, my tent remains tiny, cramped for two people and my dog, and that's the way I like it!
These days, our trips generally consist of pulling up the car to a mostly rustic spot, hauling out the cooler and popping a few (OK, many) cold ones while we grill steaks over the fire. Not a bad compromise, and I can still sit in the dirt.
All right, camping rant over.
Second point: Classic redneck country is at least authentic. In fact, I like some of that stuff for that very reason (Johnny F'in Cash!). Give me Willie Nelson over Toby "The Twat" Keith or Kenny Chesney any day. That new "country" shit gives me hives and diarrhea...
Isn't wasn't Willie or Cash. That I could hang with. Cash would have been sweet. It was more along the lines of the Ronnie Milsap and Exile brand. Pure offensive. Who luxury camps with a Harley Flag complete with a HUGE pole?
I had my Blackberry with me. I tend not to bring my laptop on the boat. I only hung out for the day,
I refuse to faux camp out there.
My husband has difficulty embracing his inner A-Hole and putting it to good use. Fortunately I have trained my nephews well, and we find great pleasure in it. We opted for the Spanish radio. There is nothing like a wakeboarding boat full of blonde haired, blue-eyed, kids rockin out to Radio Lobo.
Our point was made and he shut down his one man party. The campground has a quiet policy from 10 pm - 7pm. Boats have to be off the lake at sunset to sunrise and there is no wake allowed until 7 am to keep it quiet. It is just plain rude.
Yes, we own tents. In fact, we prefer the rugged camping away from the commerical campgrounds. It is just not practical to backpack in somewhere now with a 6 and 9 year old.
We have alot of campgrounds in the Sierras and Sequioas with some great mountain bike and hiking trails, but the kids are nowhere near ready to ride any of the trails.
The RV is great to travel with the boat. It is pretty much a home on wheels, to the point of being ridiculous. At 5 mph, I am not a big fan of using it. It 34 ft. long, so I am to big a sissy to drive it.
I actually miss the tent camping and find the RV campers a bit to pretentious for my likes. Not to mention, the don't have the same respect for their environment and tend to trash the campgrounds.
Classic redneck country is at least authentic. In fact, I like some of that stuff for that very reason (Johnny F'in Cash!). Give me Willie Nelson over Toby "The Twat" Keith or Kenny Chesney any day. That new "country" shit gives me hives and diarrhea...
I just wanted to add Merle Haggard to the acceptable old school country line-up. Also it sounds like I follow the Swerb school of thought for camping. Tents, canoeing, and outhouses so nasty shitting on the ground and covering it with dirt sounds more appealing. The hiking on a rustic island is fun too.
Merle Haggard and Buck Owens both used to live here. Buck live here until he died and his nephew still runs his radio station. They are a nice family. Oh yeah. And Korn. Their bass player is fat, giant asshole.
Buck used to bring in a lot of big country singers to play at his restaurant before he died and he played there every week with his band. Very entertaining to watch. Dwight would stop by quite a bit and eat when passing through, and then random bands like Cake and some others would also play.
My husband does not understand my arguement for not wanting to camp move into a trailer park for the weekend. The lake is 25 minutes from our house. I should not be forced to interact with these individuals after dark.
The fact that he and our nephews watched some JA get arrested Friday night because he was so drunk he couldn't stand up.... Oh yeah, did I mention he was trying to sell weed and on parole?
I suppose it could be fun with a big group when you can sit around and laugh at these yahoo's, but I can hang with my husband and kids at home and watch COPS in my living with the Home Theater set up and make feel like I camping if I really want to embrace my inner white trash.
I'm a huge Cake fan. Or at least I've gone through phases where I was. I've never seen them in concert still. Maybe I'll try to catch them Thursday if I can still get tickets. They're at the Frederick Meijer Gardens.
It was funny to see them play at Buck Owen's Crystal Palace. They been through here a few times.
It's a steakhouse with a big stage. The best way to describe it is a country version of the Hard Rock Cafe.
The whole RVing group is missing a key fact. They may own a $300,000 rig, towing a $100,000 boat, and fancy themselves outdoorsmen (much like I do), but they are still only plunking down $15 a night for their spot. Ok, maybe you pay much more, but the park has to offer affordable camping for the normal riff-raff. So, you get to park next to the $200 pickup with topper full of unemployed and perhaps homeless rednecks (who are not too fancy outdoorsmen).
So, if your want to avoid this, head off to the rustic sites. They are way too far out for the unmotivated smucks to hike to.
I believe Swerby the Love Bug has been on South Manitou Island (Or was it the hardcore North One?). I have been there too. It is kinda nice, but you need to pack light. We went there once as a family and nearly got eaten alive by the mosquitoes by the inland lake. The whole damn family was sprinting way from the swarm. I went later on as an adult and enjoyed some 'times' camping on the lake shore.
One of my good friends is a Dept. of Natural Resources Officer. He is always running into unemployed riff-raff. They have too much time on their hands and can do lots of no-good things out in the woods.
Unless you start going to $500/ night RV parks.... enjoy the Po' folks!
And...... back on topic...... I've been looking in on more TVs. I think I will get a Samsung. They are pretty well reviewed and are popular here. Plus, they look like a good value for your money. And I will get a 720p - thanks for clearing that up, Ross. I did read about that, but forgot about it with all the 1080p hype.
Fatty, the redneck douche bag was in a $100K trailer being pulled by a limited edition $50k truck.
Riff raff can not afford to travel with a custom made flag pole that stands six feet high.
My boat is a wakeboarding boat. It is nowhere near $100k. That is obscene.
I prefer rugged camping, and my pampering at a day spa. As far as the RV goes, that was all my parents doing. I am not one to make that kind of financial committment unless it is on a house.
They thought my kids would enjoy "camping" in one. Yeah, all kids need bunkbeds and 3 tv's to camp.
I like quiet campgrounds, and the smell of the campfire in your hair when you get done cooking.I love riding my bike through trenches after the rain and having mud fly all over you.
Another piece of the FatStation is in place. I purchased a Samsung Series 4 LCD TV. At 32 inches, it is very small compared to some of your giant sets, but it is the correct size for my space. I looked at getting a bigger set (37 inches). The same series was 30% more. An older model lacked the quality and features. So, I opted for quality and value over the extra 5 inches.
So far it is pretty sweet. I'll need to tweak it some so it is optimized. It is serving as an extended desktop fairly well. The only poor point is I need to keep it on top of my computer desk. It is too high for comfortable viewing.
Another thought on the smaller screen... it makes it easier to upgrade in a year or two if my space gets bigger. This would easily make a sweet stand-alone monitor or bedroom TV.
Fatty, are you implying that size DOESN'T matter? When are getting the most important part of your FatStation so we can BS with you? I hear you are quite the Warrior online.....
I suspect one day I will give up LIVE and return to the normal life I once led before my nephews introduced me to XBOX crack.....
OK, amidst the threat of ridicule, I will admit I do live in a cardboard box. Bells and I calculated my square footage of living area. You full-time Americans will be shocked that my family of three live in an apartment of only 460 square feet. Yes, no basement and no garage. SO 32 inches tickles all the G-spots.
I am no apologist for this fact, and I would like more space. Anything more is quite the price premium. The proximity to the mother-in-law is priceless for a variety of reasons. She is two apartments down. We could move into a larger space at the cost of mother-in-law-baby-assistance. At this point, mother-in-law assistance is more valuable than space. The 32 inches is well suited for a 10 x 12 room. I could have gone up to a 37 inch screen for 1/3 more of the cost, but it did not seem worth it.
Laugh as you will, bitches, I am doing what I can with what I got.
Bunkz - you can stop dreaming of little Bone cranks and come out here to the land of giants. Cranks are huge here. Maybe it is because the apartments are so small that they need something big to occupy the day. My crank is lost in the shadows, but at least it makes up for it in rugged, good-looks.
I just DL'd firefox 3 at work and, for the moment, it looks like it has greater powers than my companies Net Marshal. Most of the time the page was blocked or if I managed to load the page I couldn't log-in. We'll see how long this lasts. For the sake of my work I hope they catch it soon because I'm on the short timers list and I've got 2 months left befor I start my new J.O.B. If I can get on JA at work than I say let the photo-shopping begin!
That is what I am not too sure on. My wanting a 1080p comes from reading up on CNET. One good review pretty much said 720p was good enough for most people, but you should get 1080p if you plan on using it with a computer. Unfortunately, it did not go much further.
One of my concerns is if I have a lower res movie, it will look crappy on the 1080p, unless I am switching the resolution. I would like to steer away from 1080p because it is much more expensive - I'd save a few hundred bucks I am sure. But, if I do go with a 360 later, won't the 1080p make a big difference with that... and with other HI DEF goodies like Blu-ray? Or was the article pretty correct in stating that it is only really needed in TVs above 52 inches?
If you want to use it from your computer, make sure you have a video card capable outputing a native 1080 signal, and that is has HDMI or you're just wasting your time/money. For some reason, a lot of video cards support 1050, but only the (relatively) newer cards designed for 'multimedia/tv/HD/entertainment/etc.' will do 1080 native. And 1050 scaled to fit 1080 will only frustrate you. You can find a card that will do this for around $100, if not less.
I bought a Sony Bravia V2500 18 months ago, and it supports 1080p, but the only device I have that will give me full 1080p is my 360 Elite. Even my Dish Network box only does 1080i. Granted, my Bravia is small by most standards (40"), but I can definately tell a difference between 720 and 1080. Now, interlaced vs. progressive on the other hand; at 40 inches, 1080i is just as impressive as 1080p, from what I can tell. I know I'm late to the discussion, but there you go. IMEUEUO (In My Extremely Un-Educated, Unimportant Opinion)
Well, you can do 1080p from your computer without an HDMI port on the computer, as long as your video card supports DVI-D and resolutions of 1920x1080 or higher. Then you just need a $5 DVI->HDMI adapter. That's what I'm doing now with my HTPC. And lemme tell you, the BluRay rips look suh-weet!
Photoshopping Creeko? That is sweet! Jack was just saying last night how much he loves the peanut butter photo! Maybe you could do a follow up for him!
For the record, the peanut butter photo is, IMO, the greatest photoshopping job of all time, never to be equaled again. Not necessarily because of its technical merits, but just overall hilarity. Creeko might as well hang up his mouse, cuz he'll never pull off something of that magnitude again.
It was funny. Quite shocking to come across in the random tool bar I might add. Speaking of funny, I ran across Fatty's term paper blog the other day with Prof. Gerry and have never read anything so hilarious. I believe I pee'd myself twice!
Well, you can do 1080p from your computer without an HDMI port on the computer, as long as your video card supports DVI-D and resolutions of 1920x1080 or higher. Then you just need a $5 DVI->HDMI adapter. That's what I'm doing now with my HTPC. And lemme tell you, the BluRay rips look suh-weet!
Fair point. I should have clarified that however you do it, it should ultimately connect to your TV via HDMI. The video signal in DVI is the same as the video signal in HDMI. The only difference is that HDMI includes the audio signal too, but there are lots of ways around that.
Another important point about HDMI/DVI, etc... Because it is a TRUE digital signal, it doesn't matter at all how much you spend on the cables. With component, et al. there is (arguably) something to be said for price-quality relation. But with a true digital signal, either the signal gets there or it doesn't. If you had the right connectors and a coat-hanger, you could use it to connect HDMI components. Between the nature of the signal and the encoding and error-correction mechanisms built into the devices, a $9.99 cable will work the same as the $129.99 cables the tools at Best Buy will try to talk you into. So, save your pennies for where it matters.
Ross, what software do you use to play the BluRay rips from your PC?
I just found out that my current laptop does not have the juice to place HD Vids on Media Player. The CPU maxes out. Its a 4 year-old Celeron with 512 memory. Normal shows are fine. The HD ones start to lag and jutter, then the picture gets behind the sound.
But.... I have my old Xbox back and hooked up. That just needs the HD cable pack. I wonder if I can even find those still.
Looking at my Media Center so far.... well... it looks more like a Sandford and Son Media Stockpile than a Center. Perched at the top is my TV, then you have a mass consisting of the xbox, cables, speakers, external hard drives, remotes, powerstrips, then the old laptop....
You ain't kiddin' Bells! They're offering positive feedback to Bunky in exchange for boob shots! They're even following her into Gears now... and I really have no use for the 13-year-old brand on Live.
First off, I cannot hang with any 13 year olds online.
As for the UNO debacle, I jumped into a room with one of my niece's friends. It was one of his pals that offered up the propositions. I declined thankyouverymuch.
I have no interest in appearing on Dateline or in seeing nubile crank. I have NO interest in seeing any cranks on the LIVE cam.
In fact, I have never played a game a UNO with my camera on. However, for Fatty, I may compromise my XBOX integrity.
I did notice that Ross was enjoying the online multiplayer features of GTA4 again tonight...
PS. Fatty, how do you always know? Do you have a Bunky hernie radar?
I suspect one day I will give up LIVE and return to the normal life I once led before my nephews introduced me to XBOX crack.....
Oh, I believe you, Bunky. Until that day comes, however, here's some light reading for you.
Granted, you started later than most of us, so it's still technically possible to quit, but I don't see it happening. Unless someone invents the electronic version of Methadone. And I think you misspelled part of your post... "...before my nephews introduced me to XBOX crank..."
For Rad and Ross; sorry I bailed out last night. I'd had enough of the Lag Monster getting all my kills. I hopped into Gears with everyone else, and didn't have any more luck there. I really need to start trusting my "it's time for bed" instinct. I can either go to bed wishing I had played, or I can go to bed angry wishing I hadn't... /sigh
I bailed shortly after you did Spider. It was getting late and we ended up in a 45 minute game so I didn't feel like sticking arround for the end. I did enjoy the GTA IV style though. I think we'd have some good times if Jack and Bunky got in there. It's ok if they're scared of new things though.
I would have jumped into GTA, but Bells was over and we only have one GTA disc. But it's ok you played some GTA, Rad. It's ok if you're scared of Gears.
Since all the legal age XBOX crank appears to over at GTA4, I will make an appearance when I get back to my hotel tonight. Since I am working and solo, it will be at a more East Coast friendly time....
Gears is old hat Zilla. Also there are too many things I don't care for about the gameplay. Most of the issues sound like they'll be changed for the better with Gears 2, so I'll be around when that comes out. Until then, I guess you can all have fun shooting at people who become invincible while buzzing. None for me though, I'm good.
Radmobile said: Gears is old hat Zilla. Also there are too many things I don't care for about the gameplay.
Let me outline Rad's points against Gears:
The Zilla cackle after being shotgunned in the face
The Zilla cackle after being buzzed in the A
The Zilla cackle after being smoke-tagged and generally disrespected
The Zilla cackle after a solid diddling
Unfortunately, I'm not sure these issues are being addressed in Gears 2, Rad. Methinks you'll have to sit in the co-pilot seat and roll with the Zilla to fully enjoy Gears again. Remember those days?
While the cackle can be offensive at times, mostly it's just not understandable. How can the same thing be so funny 1000 times? Don't you want something new to cackle about?
Let me outline the reason's Jack's afraid to play GTA IV:
-Jack getting run over by Rad in a garbage truck
-Jack getting atomized by Rad's rocket launcher
-Jack having to witness Rad driving a moped with Robotspider in his skivies riding behind
*that last one was something that happened last night that I thought deserved mention.
Well Bunky, it appears the GTA gods don't want to allow us in a room together. I think after doing some research I may have a solution if we get a chance to play tonight. It's pretty frustrating though since I can play with most everybody else but as soon as we try to get in the same game it boots me and says my router is too strict. For a temoporary fix I may try just running the 360 straight out of the modem.
I've been playing a pretty fun game mode lately. The regular deathmatches have gotten a bit old/repetetive so I've been playing something called Mafia Work (or something like that) where it's a free for all. You still get points/cash for killing your oponents but you get more money for completing objectives that the mob guy calls you and requests. Anything from picking up strippers to hijacking trucks and killing gang members. You're all going after the same goals so you of course fight each other on the way.
Ross, what do you do on GTA? It always says "high end assassin". Is that on online game mode or are you doing single player stuff?
I dunno, I've only played online two or three times, so it's probably me in single player mode. It could be me doing the assassin side missions... right now I'm trying to complete all the side missions I can find and get as many achievements as I can. They sure are stingy with the achievement points in this game!
Yeah, I've given up hope on the 100 percent achievement. Far too much goes into that one. Finding 200 pigeons/(flying rats) to kill, finding all the stunt jumps, etc. The ones that are kind of fun I attempt though, like getting all the cars I get text messaged, and and the police computer vigilante missions.
You have to do the e-mail requests for cars from Brucie first. Maybe ten of those? Then you should eventually either start getting texts or get an email or a call from Brucie first saying you will get them soon.
Rad, I driving home today, so hopefully not having hotel internet will help. Just to let you know, I am terrible. I am a Ghetto Theft Auto Tard.
It was fun dying last night Rad. I believe I have perfected my fall to the ground.
I was actually having alot fun just listening to the profanities flying out of Robot's mouth! It was completely unexpected and highly entertaining! At times it was difficult for me to distinguish between who was Robot swearing and who was Ramshakleton.
Ross and Robot, and I going to stop by Nordstroms today while I am out and about working and see if I can find a stylish white hood to wear while I play. I am hoping the conceirge service there embroider "Bunky" on it.
So the shitty GTA multi-player crap isn't fixed yet? We had issues when it first came out with not being able to get everyone in the same game. It kinda takes the wind out of your sails when you spend 30 minutes bouncing between lobbies. WTF RockStar!?!
I'm willing to give it a go if others are playing. Maybe tonight?
I'll be attempting it again tonight. I was fine 2 nights ago with Ross and Robot Spider. Apparently the idea of rolling with Bunky gets my machine too herny.
GTA IV tip of the day: Hitting left bumper in multiplayer will make your person shout a random thing. It can be funny sometimes.
And don't feel bad, Bunky. The GTA controls are a bit wonky and nonstandard. Getting into and out of vehicles is very finnicky. I find that if you just hit Y once and let your character do all the work, he'll eventually (usually) get in the car. But sometimes not. Even so, pressing Y repeatedly will only screw you over.
I did get kind of sick of getting effortlessly waxed by those hoodlums last night. Seems like they had deadshot aim and could cap me in the dome almost instantly every time. On the other hand, they usually made no attempt to get out of the way as I mowed them down in my ghetto sled.
Well I was having fun again last night, even though you guys were over in Halo world. I do have a 3 day weekend though so maybe we'll find some time in there somewhere for some shanigans.
Spider, Bunky, and I were trying out GTA again last night, and I think I'm already getting sick of it. I know Robot will agree that it just isn't much fun when everyone has superhuman aim and can take you down with headshots almost instantly. I think I could go back to Halo for a while.
Were you just doing deathmatches? The mafiya work is more entertaining I think. You have to travel arround the map doing objectives so people aren't as likely to set up camp and snipe you. Also it adds a little variety to it. I'm pretty sure there's a team variant. Plus if we get enough of our buddies together we can just make a private room maybe and not have to deal with the 12 year old brand.
It would be fun to hear the Zilla cackle used against the 12 year old brand.
Zilla would've enjoyed hearing this insult I got last night. Someone shot me with a rocket launcher while I was driving around, going about my business. Then I got got to hear about it....."ha ha, now who's a Rad Mobile?"
Fatty, I was thinking you this morning when I get was prepping my ribs for our 4th of July party.
I will rub the Sweet Baby Rays (TM) on them gently later today before I slap them on the grill in your honor...
Really? That's funny. I'll be thinking of you whist I'm gently rubbing something else and slapping it around. Its not exactly ribs, but there is a bone involved.
I guess I should clarify my statements.
When I was prepping my ribs (which I bake slowly all day before grilling so the meat is perfectly tender and falls off the bone), I had the Sweet Baby Rays (TM) on the counter with the garlic, pepper, and all the other necessities.
My husband was also busy preparing 18 lbs. of tri-tip for the grill. Anyhow, I was thinking how you are over in Hungary and would be probably be so happy to have some 4th of July BBQ with real beef and some Sweet Baby Rays (TM).
I suppose I should say it was the 18 lbs. of raw meat in front of me that made me think of you....
Feel free to give me a shout out whist you are rubbing and slapping!
Bunky said: My husband was also busy preparing 18 lbs. of tri-tip ....
Is this a swinging reference?? Brings new meaning to 4th of July. Bunky all intoxicated, spelling as bad as Fatty, in a four-some with 3 meaty guys. She likes fireworks especially ones with a big bang!
Oh no. I have gone full Fatty. Sorry, no swinging reference. Just good ol' Costco tri-tip!
I will work on the spelling!
To get you really hernie Fatty (I prefer the way the ie looks versus herny), I am taking the nephews and my niece to the Anime Expo in Los Angeles tomorrow.
I am hoping to get a nice shot of me spanking Man Faye that I will post on this site against my better judgement.
The nephews want photos with hot asian chicks, while Jade and I are going for the fat, white, cos-players. The worse the costume, the better!
Patrick got a new super sweet boat wakeboarding boat today, so I had to barbie that bitch up with a new sweet tube!
I was sad to learn that I could not purchase the flying tube for a weekend trip because they are now illegal in CA due to some people dying while on tubing on them.
The ridiculous factor is sweet! I will be a human weeble! Everyone knows "Weebles they wooble but the don't fall down," Jack!
I am pretty exicted about trying some barrel rolls around a corner. I think the trick will be to tie the line off the tower where you normal run the wakeboard line instead of off the pylon in the back. This will allow you more control and a much sweeter air. You can fill the ballast system on the boat and adjust the wake plate, which will put off a huge wake, and have a frickin' awesome launch ramp to shoot me in the air.
I will need to perfect my landing into a barrel roll. Wish me luck!
The inflatable suit will also cushion the wonder twins to soften any impact.
Spider, Bunky, and I were trying out GTA again last night, and I think I'm already getting sick of it. I know Robot will agree that it just isn't much fun when everyone has superhuman aim and can take you down with headshots almost instantly. I think I could go back to Halo for a while.
I think I figured out how those guys were getting insta-kills: http://www.acidmods.com/forum/index.php?topic=17385.0 Basically rendering the controller programmable so they can adjust rapid-fire rates (don't have to keep pressing the button, just hold and spray). I realize I'm not the greatest gamer who ever held a controller, but these guys were getting headshots before I could even pull the trigger.
Patrick got a new super sweet boat wakeboarding boat today, so I had to barbie that bitch up with a new sweet tube!
I was sad to learn that I could not purchase the flying tube for a weekend trip because they are now illegal in CA due to some people dying while on tubing on them.
So, I opted for the Sumo Tube!
Kind of makes you look like a human butt-plug. Nice.
Back to the original topic of this thread: building a media center/home theater PC.
The Rossation took a dump on me last night, so at long last, I have cause to follow through on my threat to build a new one. Version 2.0 will largely be what I outlined above - and match this wishlist. I'll probably start a new thread once I order the parts and start the build.
I decided not to get a Blu-Ray drive because there are just too many hurdles - your video card and your TV have to support the HDCP (hd copy protection) protocol and my TV definitely doesn't. Well, fuck 'em. Just one more reason to continue to pirate movies...
After much time wasting and research, I have settled on a laptop. Currently, Dell is chugging away on my order.... but something seems amiss. The order is not going through. Ok, it is through now. I am getting the Studio 15 with:
Studio 15
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo P8400 (2.20GHz/1066Mhz FSB/3MB cache)
4GB3 Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz
320 gig hard drive
HDMI Out
256K Dedicated Video Card
Intel WiFi Link 5100 802.11agn and Bluetooth
2 year warranty
Plus much much more!
All this for just over a grand. The warranty was the main factor since I need world coverage. HP and Gateway did cover out of the US. The Apple was a close second, but with everything I wanted to do and have seemed to be covered by the Dell better.
Hopefully you won't be getting shitty customer service and a sub par product like these folks have. I do believe you were previously warned about Dell's decline.
Apparently there is only one thing worse than dealing with a Dell that sucks, it's dealing with their customer support.
Yeah, I tend to agree based on my limited experience - I have always had Dell laptops through my career since around 2000, and they started to drop off in quality in the past few years. My latest one is definitely no great shakes. I think that's one reason the Apples are respected a bit more in the laptop department.
I agree that Dell's are crap. I have 3 laptops sitting in the closet in my office because none of them work.
Our work laptops are Dell's and I agree with Ross that the quality had indeed dropped off.
There is no disputing the quality issues, that is a concern of mine and I found further evidence in my search. But, this has a two year warranty that works in Hungary, PLUS, my old company is the Dell Service provider here. Its a calculated risk on my part.
Thanks for pooping on my birthday cake :) Wait, I meant to post this on JackNicery.
Should have gone Apple. I love my Macbook and it honestly makes my previous Dell, Thinkpad, and ASUS look, feel, and perform like a K-Mart shitbox. Plus they have a store in Budapest. You can make an appointment online and show up and they'll help you with anything in person. Apple customer service is beyond sweet. Oh well, hopefully things will turn out well for Kid Hyme the jew!
After much time wasting and research, I have settled on a laptop. Currently, Dell is chugging away on my order.... but something seems amiss. The order is not going through. Ok, it is through now. I am getting the Studio 15 with:
Funny, I just bought the exact same laptop, albeit slightly less juiced-up than Fatty's. The price was right, for sure. I've had it for about two weeks, and for what we need it for - surfing the web, running MS Office, light-duty stuff - I have no complaints so far...
Update... Fatty's Dell would not be delivered in time before I left, so I went back to the drawing board. The only other company with the worldwide warranty is Apple... but I did not get the Macbook. Fatty got the desktop. It is better featured at the same price-point. It will be here by Saturday. I also ordered the Apple compatible, Firewave 5.1 external soundcard.
Now my biggest problem is how the F to pack this thing for the airplane..... It certainly will be my carry on... just a rather large one.
Good job Fatz. I'm really digging my Apple. The only thing that sucks its they just came out with the new Macbook. If I would have known I would have waited but Apple is sweet. For what I do, it makes every PC I've ever owned look like a half assed, ninja rigged, Sanford and Son, contraption.
The weird thing is I haven't surfed for teh pr0n on my Macbook. I feel bad about violating it's virginity. I still use my old PC 100% exclusively for "research".
I still have a lot of Apple learnin' to do. Overall, I am very please with the purchase. The computer is sweet on many levels. What is best about it?? The design. Not only the signal monitor/CPU but how things you need and use are easy to reach. The Keyboard is a perfect example. Stuff I used to mouse around to execute is a useful button. My imac is a little out of porportion with the rest of The Fatstation. It having a 20 inch monitor and the TV is 32. Playing HD movies? Yep, no problems. Plex is supercool. Its an Apple port of XBMC. It is used daily. The only criticism I have now is I cannot switch off my monitor when I watch movies on my TV. This is an obvious need that Apple overlooked. My external 5.1 soundcard is acting up today. It was only $20 (80% off). It had been working fine. I'll have to look at the adjustments and setup again.
Whats next? My buddy has a line on a MODDED HD SAT receiver so I can get HD signals. I still have to hook up the cable to the TV. It is just for internet now. AND... I am not saying, but I am saying..... As of November 7, Europe has a Gears of War 2 Bundle pack. There is a planned Bee-bop this weekend at one of the malls.
Just back from shopping... Went to the electronic stores.... Saw the bundles.... did some comparison shopping.... AND.... I go to London tomorrow so I am waiting until I get back. Maybe next weekend.
With me Bunkz, anticipation is better than the real thing.
Ok, I have been a little lax in embracing the IPOD. I felt like walking around with headsets on shuts the real world out. Recently, I happened on a NPR streaming show and I realized how much I missed that station. So, I tried out the iTunes podcasting service and got a few shows. Man... I like to shut the world out in a big city. Now I can ignore bums for real cuz I can't even hear them asking for booze money.
I walk an hour r/t to work. That is plenty of time to burn through some shows. So far I have This American Life, Planet Money, Science Friday, and Car Talk. You guys have any other suggestions for good shows? My wife's 3 year old Shuffle is finally getting some use. Its only 512K!
This is the newest tube to join our family. We will be testing it out next week on vacation. We got the 2 person one, and we will not be Poo-says like the ones you see in the video!
Oh yeah baby.... spank it....
