Lawrence "The Dreamer" Chen's Blog

Last time I pulled the trigger on upgrading my DSL, I was just hoping to get them to bring me up to the speed I had been paying for (originally they said I could only get 1.5m/384k, and they did deliver that for the first month....when after a storm they then locked me down at 768/384. And, no amount of calling or emails, would make them think to let me back up.)

When I had last looked, both tiers were offered...but I was pessimistic, so I only ordered the 3.0m/512k tier. But, since sync rate is almost always this rate now....and DSLreports tools suggests that 768k upstream is possible. And, should be able to get another 1-1.5m on the downstream. I had started wondering if I shouldn't have gone for the higher speed.

Then the Roku NetFlix player was announced, and that seemed like something I would want to have. Which would make the need for more speed that much more desirable.

So, I had drafted a plan to get the NetFlix player last month and upgrade my DSL last month. Only as time went on, and reviews of the NetFlix player came in....my interest faded. The lack of subtitles or CC capability in the player is a big negative.

Especially since I've been catching up on my TV recordings, and the big thing I miss is that they weren't recorded with CC enabled. Of course, I suppose it might have something to do with the fact that some of the people behind ReplayTV are now behind Roku. Though to be fair, part of the lack of CC on my ReplayTV recordings is the transition to digital....

Anyways...I was online today to check my account information....couldn't remember if I had seen the bill or not. Decided to go ahead and order the upgrade to see how close to 6.0m/768k they can actually deliver.

I'm more likely to be holding out for the LG/NetFlix combo device now....than the Roku. Even though the LG device is apparently no more capable than the Roku for NetFlix. But, I've been wanting Blu-Ray since the beginning, and now that its the winner...it might be time to finally pull the trigger on that. Guess it'll depend on whether NetFlix streaming improves....and whether I see enough Blu-Ray now to justify it.

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Link: http://www.hdtvsupply.com/zedv5in1oudv1.html

Oh yeah...during the blog move, I picked this item up from the UPS Store.

I got a black one.

I unpacked and placed it under my TV, though I don't have much in the way of cables to put it into service. And, I don't yet have much need for it....the TV can handle everything that I currently have plugged in to it.

But, if I do get that Mac Mini and/or add a PC to my setup....or decide on Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD (or get a universal)...then I'm going to have need more inputs.

I was originally planning to get a remote controlled Digital Audio switch, because I there is one device where its audio output is not connected to anything at the moment....the OTA tuner. Though its usefulness might have reached an end due to neighboring construction (too late to move to a higher place...)

But, I anticipate a need for some kind of switch...and I had been looking at a component video / digital audio switcher for some time. Though some of the things that I switch by component now, could also be switched using DVI...and the price/feature point was in the ballpark of what I would pay/get. So, I went for it.

Link: http://blog.scifi.com/tech/archives/old_hdtvs_will_show_sony_bluray_movies_in_hd.html

Thanks to an "image constraint" flag on the new discs, movie studios could prevent any disc player from outputting a full-HD signal from that player's component-video jacks. Instead, you'd get a picture about the same as DVD-quality; to watch in HD, you would need to use the HDMI output ? a connector that didn't even exist when HDTVs first went on sale in 1998.

...

Sony says it will not put the flag on its initial wave of Blu-ray titles,

...

Sony says all of its Blu-ray titles will be flag-free for the foreseeable future,

I guess this is good news, and probably means Blu-Ray will become the defacto standard like VHS over Beta

Because, my HDTV monitor doesn't have an HDMI port....and I don't plan to replace it anytime soon. My previous TV was over 21 years old, before I finally replaced it.

OTOH, maybe they don't build TVs like they used to. My dad recently took the plunge and got a HDTV.....because his 6 years Sony TV suddenly stopped working, and he was told that it would be cheaper to buy a new TV than to get it serviced. And, I think I might have recommended the Sony....

Wonder when I'll be the position to buy a Blu-Ray player??? and how long before I start renting Blu-Ray titles??? owning Blu-Ray titles???