Recent Comments:
Antennas Direct taking preorders for ClearStream2 OTA antenna {Engadget HD}
Jun 21st 2008 7:34PM Other thing I forgot. The 80 degree beamwidth is normal for that kind of antenna. It's not going to be extremely directional so it's not the best for deep fringe.
Antennas Direct taking preorders for ClearStream2 OTA antenna {Engadget HD}
Jun 21st 2008 7:23PM Looks like a quad loop. Very similar to the bowtie grills seen elsewhere. I have a homemade version, though for some reason it works better when mounted sideways at a 45 degree angle. Might be worth the $80 if it's really well made, otherwise there's not much to it.
Reading between the lines of the press release, there are no baluns or electronics in it.
Will the digital changeover make people put away the rabbit ears? Probably not {Engadget HD}
Jan 20th 2008 11:01PM I dropped cable five years ago and didn't watch TV for a few years due to eye surgeries. I have a homebuilt OTA antenna hooked to the Hauppauge on my PC. I love it!
I miss the public access channels on cable (I work at the studio) but I can't pay $50/mo. for something that'll be $60 in 12 months. (Something is wrong when it will near $100/mo. for standard cable.)
Should there be a digital TV transition test market? {Engadget HD}
Jan 15th 2008 9:09AM No market would volunteer to be the first.
Hauppauge intros WinTV-HVR-950Q USB tuner with Clear-QAM support {Engadget HD}
Jan 9th 2008 10:26PM I have an Hauppauge HVR-1600 with hardware MPEG-2 on analog--but not on ATSC (which is all I watch). Wonder if there are any ATSC/QAM cards out there that do HW MPEG-2. It'd be great if those were on a USB device.
Ask Engadget: Which mouse is the best mouse? {Engadget}
Nov 10th 2007 10:51AM I used Kensington trackballs for years, and had an Expert Mouse Pro. I loved them, except when they didn't work.
I had two Expert Mouses die on me for the same reason: The X axis eventually got very erratic. I opened a ticket with Kensington Support for the first one, got a new one, and the new one died a year later. From the conversations with the tech, I figured they got a bad batch of chips that weren't encapsulated properly and would let moisture in after about a year and a half.
I hated the maintainance on the Kensingtons and always thought that they had mechanical sensors for a long time because of the Logitech trackball patents. I punted on them.
Presently using a Logitech Marble Mouse. I wish it had a wheel. I wish it were Kensington-sized. Etc.
Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 Beta Now Available {Download Squad}
Oct 14th 2006 11:38PM VPC 2007 works, but people might run into a problem I've been having with Virtual Server 2004 R2 SB1, which I'm using in beta.
At certain times, VPC bluescreens the host when you start a VM. MS knows about this issue in VS 2004 R2 SP1 beta, but this is the first time seeing this in VPC. (VS and VPC share the same virtualization DLL, VMM.DLL)
Host here is an AM2 with virtualization support running in x86 XP.
Breakfast Pizza with Egg {Slashfood}
Sep 26th 2005 4:14PM I make something like this I call a pizza omelette, though it's really a pizza shell (homemade) under a fritatta. Put the crust in the oven on top of some parchment paper and a pizza stone, add veggies (I like peppers) and (a little) cheese, such as feta plus what ever cheese is left over from the night before). Beat two eggs (or so, depending on the size of the pizza crust) and a little milk as you would for anmelette and pour into the crust. I usually have to turn up the corners of the parchment so the egg doesn't run down to the oven floor. Bake at 400F for 20-30 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan, salt and pepper to taste. Excellent!
Are HD tuners worthless? {Engadget HD}
Aug 26th 2005 10:24PM I have been waiting for the deadline that is supposed to require HD sets to have ATSC tuners. I don't have cable (very expensive for what it is here, never mind digital) and I'm in an apt. so no satellite. With the latest fifth-generation Zenith tuners, I should be able to get better signals through digital than I get in analog currently, and I will have a set I can use to watch widescreen DVD's without the meter running. I paid $500 10 years ago for my 27" Panasonic and I would be very surprised if I could not get a similar-sized (32" or so) widescreen set for about that price with tuner near the analog phaseout at the end of 2008. But, I want that tuner!
Bewitched statue unveiled {TV Squad}
Jun 16th 2005 8:45PM I live in Salem, and there has always been a small--but very influential--number of complete snobs who settled in Salem for property values and "history", but mainly property values. These same folks won't give me the time of day even though I've lived here all my life! Remember that Mrs. Montgomery came here to film in October, 1970. If we are pimping witches for publicity, we have done so for 35 years!! (the horse has not only left the barn, it's run off a cliff...) The historical snobs would rather sit in their little houses on Chestnut and Federal Sts. to look down on the rest of us. With their SUVs and plasma screens, of course... It's a beautiful statue. Mrs. Montgomery would be very pleased if she were still with us.
