Archive for September, 2008
Review: Roku (Netflix Player)
If you’re a fan of movies, it’s practically impossible to not know about Netflix. This flat-fee service for renting DVDs over the Internet has seriously impacted the brick-and-mortar rental stores, single-handedly changing the way movie rentals are done, and will be done. I mention the future as a seque to the Roku, a set-top box that brings Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” featured films and TV shows directly to your TV without the need of a computer. How liberating!
I’ve spent about a month with my own Roku and I have to say it — it’s pretty darn nifty for what it does (handling streaming media) and what it costs ($99, and with no extra fees from Netflix). Here’s how the process goes: From your Web-accessed Netflix account, you populate your Watch Instantly queue with the movies or television shows you want. When that’s done, the titles will then appear in your Roku box’s on-screen menu (which you navigate via the included remote control), ready for viewing. Yes, it is a rather roundabout way to do it, one of the limitations of this diminutive box — though from the box, you can rate the movies/TV shows and delete them from the queue. Given that the firmware on the box is upgradable, who knows what functionality will be added in the future. (Currently, the Watch Instantly function via Web browser is PC-only, and with fairly picky system requirements as well. No Mac compatibility, though Netflix says they’re working on it. In other words, if you have a Roku box, then who cares either way?)
For its small size, the Roku does offer some appealing output options. Crammed into the back of this device are plugs for optical audio, composite video/audio (unlike Apple TV), component video, s-video, and HDMI. Yes, there is a port that would suggest that the video can come to you in HD, but it doesn’t. Not yet, at least. Video quality varies depending on how you’ve set things up. If you’re using the built-in Wi-Fi connection with a respective router, interference might bring the quality down. Likewise if your wired Internet line is being shared through a household. Heck, I’d even factor in your ISP and whether or not they might be throttling your bandwidth (ahem… Comcast… cough, cough). I opted out of the wireless option, even if I can do it, merely to guarantee myself a better download rate. When it’s at its highest quality, the Roku delivers near-DVD quality video on my SDTV, comparable also to digital cable television. Yeah, I’ll take it.
Currently, the selection of movies and TV shows isn’t exactly on par with their DVD selection. About 12,000 titles are currently available for instant viewing, though Netflix insists they are adding to that all the time. Being a greedy little Gus, I’d like them to do that sooner than later. (In January 2008, Netflix lifted its restrictions on how many hours of instant viewing customers could have, making it unlimited for virtually all users. Sorry, $4.99-plan people. You’re the exception to the new rule.)
Again, for the price and for what it is, it really works and I really enjoy it. There are some changes I wouldn’t mind seeing in it, though. The big one is that I’d like to be able to opt out of quick load time in favor of full-quality video, no matter how long it takes to load. As of now, the box decides the quality based on whatever’s going on with your network traffic at the time. I’ve done enough research and seen the same complaints on numerous online communities, so maybe that’ll change. Of course, I’d also like full queue control from the set-top instead of going to the computer to load the titles in, but that’s not really a big issue with me. More a convenience thing, really.
It’s not a big stretch to imagine that this, or something like it, is the future of media delivery, particularly video rentals. Physical media seems to be struggling against 21st century technology and its greater ability to bring that media to you faster, cheaper, and, dare I say it, environmentally-friendlier. One day, we might have to say goodbye to CDs and DVDs. Not sure that I’m exactly broken up about that, but perhaps I’ve become more of a pragmatist in my old(er) age. In any case, the media-streaming Roku does what it claims to do and, although it is no TiVo, it’s also not meant to be one, either. For the cost, Roku is a good bet. And it sure beats having to sit around a computer to watch video.
2 commentsMGP Mentioned on Juvenile Brain Trust
Juvenile Brain Trust (formerly known as Armchair Kid Nation) not only gave mention of Yours Truly, but discussed in detail my review of their podcast show in this episode… in between all of the chatter about urinal cakes, cutting up dead hookers, and ballkicking, of course. Thanks as always to Mr. Carrino and his pint-sized co-hosts. Love the new show name, by the way.
The Perverse Candor Of Old Ladies On Cell Phones
While I was headed home last night, I had to wait on the escalator in the Square Mall because the woman in front of me wouldn’t keep walking. Normally, I hate this, but it did provide me with this no-context nugget of conversation the 60-something lady was having on her cell phone…
No comments“Is it hard yet?”
“Let Daddy play with it until I get home.”
“It feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Are you having fun yet?”
Time For Another Ride On The Tragic Bus
My bus to work arrives at the Cherry Street stop at a relatively early time. As I stand in line to enter the vehicle, I notice something unusual about the reddish-haired girl in front of me. She turns her face just enough for me to think, “Hey, this girl looks like a female version of Mich… NO, WAIT! NOT AGAIN!” Yes, faithful readers, I have once again run into the female version of Michael Moynihan (mentioned previously here)! It’s quite eerie to behold, particularly after spending a weekend at his house and then seeing his gender-reversed doppelganger. Eerier still is that this girl has an insanely hot body, particularly the backside. But, then she turns around and she’s stolen Moynihan’s face — and it’s just plain wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Sitting on the bus waiting to exit the main stop, my ears pick up on a persistent light snapping sound. It sounds like way too many things to actually figure out by hearing alone, so I turn my head away from the window I’m looking out and towards the front of the bus. There is a woman in her 30s wearing thick-rimmed glasses, rather fat and dumpy, and with greasy dark hair in some generic non-hairdo. By all appearances, she’s a person who likes to eat a lot and, as I stare in horror, she’s also someone who likes to take care of post-eating dental health right away. Yes, I bore witness to this beastly lass flossing her teeth right there on the city bus. And I don’t mean just a few teeth — I mean each and every single one got the full treatment. It actually took my civilized brain a few seconds to process the rudeness and vulgarity of this public act. Being someone who actually takes pride in his appearance, I immediately wondered if I was out of projectile range, seeing as she was getting rather snappy with the floss, perhaps even able to slingshot some of her between-the-teeth slop in virtually any direction. Luckily, I had angularity and distance on my side. The bus driver was probably not so fortunate, but that’s really conjecture more than anything else. That, and I really don’t care about him. He’s on his own.
The other day, I was taking my usual seat on the bus and keeping a casual eye on the potential cast of characters entering up front. Generally speaking, I have a preferred seat, but I’m not completely insane about it. But, on occasion, I see evidence of others being less than secure with the loss of their favorite seats. While cueing up one of my news podcasts to watch, I noticed a regular coming down the aisle. He’s of the “messy nerd” variety — tousled dirty blond hair, askew clothing, looks like a teenager even if he’s probably well into his 20s, etc. — and, on most trips, is thoroughly glued to his Nintendo DS. So, to invoke my love of nicknaming, he will henceforth be called Nintendo Champ. Anyhoo, NC gets to his usual seat (the one right in front of mine) and finds a middle-aged fella already sitting there. He stops and just stares agape in completely exaggerated amazement. Then, his stare turns into a 30-second glare at the guy, a look that clearly shouted disdain and indignity. The seated man looked up at Nintendo Champ, first confused, then dismissive, then not at all. You could tell that NC wanted to huff and stomp his feet, but he instead collected himself and took the seat in front of his sedentary nemesis. I got a small chuckle out of it all.
More bus tales as they come…
1 commentHoly Astringent Plum-Like Fruit… I’ve Been Memed!
Bill passed it to Molly. Now Molly has passed it to me. So, in the spirit of good clean fun, I will indulge the lady and her new Rosemary Woodhouse hairdo by revealing my deepest, darkest secrets, corralled under the moniker of “6 Random Things You Wouldn’t Know About Me Unless You Asked.”
- In junior high school alone, I got into approximately 400 schoolyard fights, traversing eight schools. It was the price to pay to survive and retain dignity as an undersized kid.
- I played alto saxophone when I was 10, but switched to clarinet at 11 because it was easier to carry and it put me closer to the pretty flute-playing girls in Six Grade band class.
- When I was 13, I would go to the local rollerskating rink and pretend I couldn’t skate in order to trick pretty girls into “teaching” me. Executing a planned fall in front of them was a common tactic. Secretly, I could skate circles around most everyone I knew.
- I have never seen a single episode of Seinfeld, Frasier, The Simpsons, Friends, Survivor, Family Guy, American Idol, Law and Order, Heroes, Lost, and virtually any other network television show from the last 18 years. Nor do I care to.
- Through the course of my life, I almost drowned four times, three mentally ill people tried to kill me, had two accidental overdoses, three severe food poisonings, and one near-fatal car crash.
- My very first record album was the soundtrack to Flash Gordon (1980). I still have a deep and nostalgic love for the film and its score to this day. Hail Ming!
Rex Church @ ESOZONE 2007 (video)
(Forward playhead to these times elapsed during video play for Magister Church’s segments: 4:27, 31:45, 44:10, and 86:39)
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ESOZONE – 10-12 Oct 2008 – Portland, Oregon
Of special note to the abovementioned event will be the appearance of Magister Rex Church discussing the Ragnarok Engine on 11 October 2008. More on ESOZONE can be found here.
No comments9/21/08 – Hope Cemetery, Barre, VT
A group of friends and I visited a rather unusual cemetery in Barre this weekend — unusual, due to some of the rather unique headstones. I kept wondering if Tim Burton had ever been there because it certainly looks Burton-inspired, whether intentionally or just by coincidence. Here are some pics from the afternoon. Also, go here for more information.
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