Nov 30
I installed the new-fangled Windows Media Extender for Xbox today. Very simple. Drop the ‘Media Center for Xbox Disc’ (DVD) into the Xbox, connected to the same network subnet as your MCE 2005. Why should you care? Well, if you don’t have a Media Center PC, no biggie. But the promise here is pretty cool. You can have your home PC hidden in your office, or in a closet somewhere, but access the PC’s recorded TV, live TV, pictures, mp3s, and other applications on your living room PC with no wires. NICE!
Box Contents:
Setup Guide for Media Center for Xbox
Media Center Extender for Xbox Remote Control
Infrared receiver
Media Center for Xbox Disc (DVD)
Windows Media Center Extender Setup Disc (CD)
Networking Poster
So, get your Xbox connected to your TV, and then on the same wireless or wired network subnet. Plug the infrared receiver into an unused controller port on the front of the Xbox (it’s just like the DVD kit sold by MSFT), and drop the DVD into the tray and boot the Xbox.
After a few prompts, the Xbox reports a startup code you will need to enter back on your MCE 2005 box. Then fire up the Setup CD in your Media Center, mine being a Qosmio laptop across the room. After a typical Windows application install process of just a few minutes, several EULAs (who reads these?), and numerous progress bars, the installer asks first for the lengthy product key, then the startup code. Reboot the Xbox, and you should be up and running.
It seems to work quite well - although some buttons and interface elements gracefully degrade to have less animation, etc. to optimize performance over the terminal services connection being used. I found television to look quite good, most third-party apps to function just fine as well. More reports to follow!
Tags: windows media center
Nov 30
Do not, do not, repeat DO NOT under any circumstances attempt to ‘jump start’ your Lava Lamp by heating it on a stove. Mortality may ensue, as with this sad case in Kent, Washington. Unbelievable. LINK (via Boing Boing).
Tags: Miscellaneous
Nov 30
Well, Sports Illustrated made the right choice this year, bestowing their time-honored tradition of selecting the outstanding sportsman, men or women title on the Boston Red Sox and their fans. And, in a first, SI.com hosted a year-long poll to select a Player of the Year, none other than Curt ‘Stigmata’ Schilling. I approve, despite Schilling’s shilling for ‘W’ right after the big win. You can’t be perfect, I guess.
Tags: Boston, Sports
Nov 29
Ah technology. Panoramic QuicktimeVR of Spongebob at the annual Macy’s parade (via BoingBoing). This is a welcome way to experience Spongebob Squarepants in all his 3-story-tall glory! I’ve always been a fan of QTVR, ranging from my own work at several Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue shoots (which I’d link to if SI.com hadn’t moved these behind their subscription wall) and of the Augusta National Golf Club. The VR is from NYC POV - a great site with many interesting NYC panos to check out.
Tags: Photography
Nov 29
Okay. So I’m a total geek. Fine. Get over it. Anyway, I found this clip showing a test of the Marvin the robot in the upcoming HHGTTG flick. Once you get over the fact that there’s a little person in there, the body language says it all. I think they capture his despair quite well, don’t you? You can just hear him droning on about how life is so terrible, etc., etc., etc……
Tags: Movies
Nov 26
Opening May 6, 2005 - Let the countdown begin - but don’t panic!
As one of the most original, laugh-out-loud while-thinking how-odd-the-universe-really-is type-of-books, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, has finally made it to the ‘wrap’ phase of production. Douglas Adams, taken from us at far too young an age, unfortunately died without knowing that his beloved novel would go on to become a motion picture after over ten years of heartbreak at the hands of the Hollywood machine. Head on over to the official movie site to see the teaser trailer. Or click on the image above to download some spiffy wallpaper.
Continue reading »
Tags: Movies
Nov 24
Yesterday I recieved a new laptop - the Toshiba Qosmio F15 Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 multimedia machine. Amazing little laptop, that - integrated TV tuner, PVR functionality, 80GB drive, Pentium M 745/1.8ghz, NVIDIA GeForce FXGo5700/128MB, etc. Early reactions are that it’s fairly HUGE (14.7″x11.2″x1.7″) and HEAVY (8.6 lbs, plus adapter). So it’s not quite the svelte machine that my TiBook is. But then again, this machine is much faster, has better video, and can watch/record tv. The Media Center apps are an interesting acoutrement, too. Got it up and running pretty easily, but was confounded by *two* audio streams from my DirecTV box. Turned out that you have to mute the line-in audio signal, otherwise you get audio piped directly through to the speakers *and* the encoded audio from the MCE video recorder. Was proud that I figured that out. And what is the deal with user manuals only on the HD for $2500 pieces of gear? That’s B.S., thank you very much. More detailed review soon.
Tags: windows media center
Nov 24
Today, Joey was able to feel baby kicking up a storm inside Amy’s stomach. An awesome moment, really. Now I’m talking to the baby every night. I think baby likes human voices - seems more active when I do that. Wicked cool!
Tags: sam
Nov 23
One of the best graphics novels ever, created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon back in the mid-80s, looks to finally be moving closer to becoming a movie. Slashot covers a Reuters report that Bourne Supremacy director Paul Greengrass is taking the helm after another director dropped out of the picture due to scheduling conflicts. I care for two reasons. The first is that this crime drama could make for an amazing, if somewhat geek-centric film. The other is that I bought this baby at a rock-bottom price on HSX.com, and hope it adds a few million more to my Hollywood Stock Exchange portfolio. For those of you who haven’t seen this thing - it’s rather like a fantasy stock market game for movie buffs. Buy low, sell high, short options - I’ve been playing this thing since 1998. I started with $2M of their ‘Hollywood Bucks’, and have a portfolio worth over $150M now. If that had only been real money…sob.
Tags: Movies
Nov 22
The photographer who captured what could be the Eddie Adams moment of Gulf War II has posted a personal explanation of those events, addressed to the members of the squad he has been working and living with for many months. ‘Kevin Sites | Blog‘ is a must read, offering insight into not only how a journalist must function in a war zone, but into the human side of this conflict. Now, in what is reportedly the first New York Times news story built entirely around a blog entry, the Gray Lady is covering this report (free registration required) in detail in today’s edition.
Tags: blog, wordpress
