Draft Design v1 – TV/Visual Media Viewing 2011 Project

For better or worse….I think this is what I going with as the design for my TV/Visual Media Viewing 2011 Project:


Notes:
-Drop Time Warner Cable – saving $68/month (I hadn’t realized how high it had gone in the last year)
-Add Hulu Plus – costing $10/month
–Roku is adding Hulu Plus soon (so I would use mostly Netflix Streaming, Hulu Plus  and Pandora Streaming)
===>>> Next savings of $58/month ~ $700/year

Office Setup
-move existing small TV (that is digital TV ready) to bedroom
-no TV for this room
-Mac Mini w/ 1 Terrabyte Raid 1
-w/Elgato Eye TV software and USB fob
-w/iTunes, ReplayAV, Skype
-w/Browser for Netflix Watch Instantly, Hulu Plus and other “content”
-w/DVD reader/writer
-w/Bittorents
-add Digital OTA TV antenna/booster
-add as second display 17″ (or larger) HD display
-throwout failing DVD/VCR Combo device

Bedroom
-replace old (18 years?) Panasonic TV with newer TV (that is already digital TV ready) from the office
-add Digital OTA TV antenna/booster
-add Wireless Speakers to be placed near/on bed’s headboard bookshelf
-Move family room older-model Roku (Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora Music Streaming) to bedroom
-throwout failing DVD/VCR Combo device
-throwout failing VCR device

Family Room
-re-purpose/donate/inventory old (18 year?) CRT style TV
-Purchase new TV with HDTV – 36″ or better – 1080p – 4+ HDMI ports
-add Digital OTA TV antenna/booster/splitter
–Channel Master OTA DVR (dual tuner)
-purchase new Roku HD/S (mostly for Netflix streaming, Hulu Plus, Pandora Music Streaming)
-purchase Boxee Box (mostly for internet based content and stuff from my Mac)
-keep last existing combo DVD/VCR unit (for playing DVDs, for playing existing VCR tapes) [How to hook up?]
-Deploy (existing in my inventory) Wi-Fi 802.11N Bridge
-FUTURE: if the Channel Master DVR doesn’t work out, I will try the Sezmi Basic service
-FUTURE: replace eventually old combo DVD/VCR unit with Blueray DVD/VCR writer/reader


Any recommendations or anti-recommendation on HDTVs? I am checking here.

Watch and Understand

Found via Dr. Sanity:

Federal Government and Education in a Nutshell from “Yes, Prime Minister”

I found this funny and thoughtful “Yes, Prime Minister” bit via The Fifth Column:

Public Diplomacy WTF: “State Department to Name Fran Drescher a Public Diplomacy Envoy”

I don’t understand this.

Haven’t they ever heard her voice?

Update: Jay (commenting below) thinks she has some things going for her:

For some reason I have had this song going through my head today…

Lessons about Zombies and Politics from Bob Hope

Found via the Gates of Vienna:

Video – Free Tibet NYC Protest

Since Slashdot reports that the YouTube (owned by “Don’t Do Evil” Google) yanked the video, here is the video from Vimeo:

Flickr Video Test: “Seniors Gone Wild”

RedEye Snippets

Here are some video snippets from RedEye – my favorite late night TV show – driven by some saturday night insomnia.

8 Minute New Dr Who Video Snippet – Tennant and Davison

If the video goes away, look for it here.

5GW Anthem’s Video

The 5GW Anthem’s Video is on Youtube (found via LGF). You can sing along if you like.

The Ballad Of Night Man / Day Man (From It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)

My favorite Sitcom this TV season is It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (now in season three). It is LOL absurdest funny.

Here are clips of the songs from a recent episode:

More Chad Vader: Chocolate Rain by Chad Vader

Made in Wisconsin: The YouTube Adventures of Chad Vader

The episodes are here on YouTube.

Here is What Ridicule Info Warfare Should Look like

I found this on HotAir. Why can’t the US do things like this? Oh that’s right, the US Gov sucks at this sort of thing. Anyways, watch this video to see the power of ridicule in information warfare. I hope there are also versions in Arabic, Fasi, Pastun,etc.

Music Break: Fly Me To The Moon – Performed by ZackKim (that two-guitars-at-once guy)

Cleansing the Pallet With Music: The Blow Monkeys – Digging Your Scene

I Really Think I Hate the American Left

Found via from LGF:

Fuck the American Left.

Music Break: Paris Match – Summer Breeze (In Amsterdam)

Wait for the 40 second mark and beyond. It is worth it!

Music Break: Paul Weller (sans Style Council or The Jam) covering “What’s Going On”

Music Break: The Jam – That’s Entertainment

Music Break: The Style Council (With Tracey Thorn of ETBTG) – The Paris Match

Music Break: The Style Council – Shout to the Top

Music Break: The Style Council – Walls come tumbling down

Music Break: The Style Council – Headstart For Happiness

The Style Council Was one my Favorite bands from college.

Updated: Ack…I can’t embed the YouTube version – follow the link and watch it though!

Here is an older Paul Weller (from the Style Council) performing it: