seantorbett.com

Making My Netbook Sing. And Dance. And Play Movies.

2009-02-22T06:44:22Z

I’m sure I mentioned before that I really like gadgets and a few months back I bought an eeePC 1000HA for under $400. This is one of the very first Netbooks to have the Atom processor and a 160GB hard drive instead of the paltry 4GB flash drives in the early models. I really wasn’t [...]

The DTV Delay Debacle. Just cut the cord already…

2009-02-15T22:32:00Z

Recently our congress has passed legislation to delay the DTV transition/analog shut-off yet again – this time to June 12th of 2009. For those that aren’t already aware this makes the 2nd time the date has been put off. The original date (created in 1997) for this to happen was December 31st, 2006, but in [...]

The PlayOn Beta. Bridging Internet Video To My TV.

2008-10-08T07:58:18Z

About a month ago I was selected to download MediaMall’s PlayOn Media Server and try their beta version of software that bridges content from several Internet video provider sites to a TV. In reality it requires a few more components along with the software to make it work, such as a PC to run the [...]

Hello Mobile DTV. Goodbye HDTV.

2008-08-25T06:30:44Z

Regardless of what some liberal arts students or free-love hippies may tell you, you don’t get something for nothing. Or, better yet, as the redoubtable Robert Heinlein coined, “TANSTAAFL” (There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch). This simple truth frames the cold, hard realities about to face broadcasters after the current mobile DTV [...]

New Site Location, New Site Look, New Site Smell.

2008-08-06T22:46:21Z

I thought I had a good thing going for the past few years by having my websites hosted by 1AND1. Unfortunately, over the past month 1AND1 has been having serious reliability issues and my sites have been inaccessible for days(!) at a time. Calls to the tech help line were anything but helpful. [...]

Another DTV Converter box goes under my microscope. OK, my glasses…

2008-08-05T03:01:13Z

Not too long ago I had some time to review the capabilities of an Insignia CECB (coupon eligible converter box) and found that it was quite capable for its intended purpose. However, it lacked a few features and I discovered a matrix that showed one converter box with the most features of any CECB [...]

Dr. Horrible Tops In ‘TV Shows’ On iTunes. Only It’s Not A TV Show…

2008-08-11T19:12:16Z

As broadcasters continue to face eroding audiences, lousy programming, declining ratings, a lackluster fall line-up and pending changes in FCC rules regarding ‘localism‘; here comes another punch in the gut. Joss Whedon of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Firefly and the Serenity movie fame created a three part mini-musical (!) video netcast called “Dr. Horrible” that only [...]

Will The Popcorn Hour NMT Replace My XBMC?

2008-08-04T19:28:42Z

Not yet. And after the latest debacle with the June 18th firmware, maybe not ever. My old, original xbox softmodded to run XBMC is still more polished and faster than this little guy, despite the glowing reviews I read which led me to purchase the Popcorn Hour NMT in the first place. As [...]

Comcast got Hacked! Thank You ‘No Script’!!!

2008-08-04T19:21:18Z

I just tried to log into my Comcast webmail and was greeted by the following at the Comcast.net main URL: It looks like KRYOGENIKS EBK and DEFIANT are looking for credit on this hack. Thankfully I have ‘NoScript‘ installed as a plugin for my Firefox browser to minimize the exposure I would get when something like [...]

Local Broadcasters Can’t Catch A Break. Mostly Their Fault.

2008-08-04T19:23:08Z

A writer’s strike, shitty programming and the Internet. Oh my! Viewer’s are leaving appointment television by the droves and broadcasters are scrambling to do something, anything to keep them firmly planted on the couch during prime time. I’ve covered the topic of declining viewers in the past, but the trend in hemorrhaging viewership of [...]