Watching Media from USB on LG Smart Tv

 Since LG has done such an abysmal job of providing any meaningful information on the topic of watching videos from a thumb drive via an LG Smart TV... I guess I will do the work for them.

 

The USB drive evidently has to be formatted as Fat32 (exFat, even though the new "universal standard," will not work).

The TV can read most typical video formats, including to my surprise, MKV.

After searching and searching for any meaningful information on how to get things working (file formats, file structure, etc.), I finally just started poking around in the TV settings to see what I could find.  Eventually I found a way to format my USB drive with the television, so that at least showed me what format the TV preferred (Fat32).  Formatting via the TV named the USB drive "no name" and created a folder called "LG Smart TV."  In that folder is a subfolder named "TN," and inside that folder is a file called "INFO."

The INFO file contains this data:

{"INFO":"{ \"core_os_release\": \"3.8.0-61408\", \"returnValue\": true }{ \"device_name\": \"m2r\", \"returnValue\": true }"}

After formatting the USB drive with the television, I popped it back into my computer and loaded it with some videos I had created via Handbrake.  However, since the drive is now formatted as Fat32 with a 4GB file size limit, none of my MKV's ripped from my DVD/BluRay collection can be placed on the drive (those files are larger than 4GB).

There is some information on the LG website that indicates you can also use the NTFS format, which would allow larger file sizes, so I reformatted the USB drive to NTFS using my computer, and sure enough, NTFS works as well.  Therefore, I can now watch the larger MKV files via USB on the LG TV.  Huzzah!

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Roku has a “Contra Code” Secret Screen for Wifi Antenna Settings

UPDATE (5-31-16): Gardner Lonsberry has created an info. graphic containing TONS more secret screens for Roku.  Scroll to the bottom to get the skinny.

Remember the Konami code that got you 30 lives in Contra (and other stuff in other games)?  Well there’s a similar trick for your Hulu Stick to get you to a “secret screen” with settings for the Wifi Antennas and a couple of other things.  It might not be as exciting, but it could be more useful (depending upon your priorities).

From the Home screen press…

• Home x5 (press home button five times)
• FF (not the pad arrow)
• Down (on the arrow pad)
• RW (not the pad arrow)
• Down (on the arrow pad)
• FF (not the pad arrow)

I was having a lot of frustration with the Roku in our kitchen dropping signal.  This is particularly aggravating, because when it happens the show you are watching disappears, then you have to wait a while for the Roku to reboot and get through the incredibly annoying “dancing Roku” screen, then you  have to navigate back to the content you were watching.  This is not fun when you’re just trying to watch something while quickly making a sandwich and getting back to work.

So after messing with the location of my router and trying to optimize it’s settings and power output, I went looking for tips on how to optimize signal reception for the Roku.  The Roku site basically blames your router and tells you to make sure it’s not by a window, in a sealed lead box (along with your kryptonite stash), or in your basement, but they don’t give you anything REALLY useful like the information here.

The secret screen is labeled “Platform Secret Screen” and the first screen shows you how your Roku us currently functioning (temperature, IP address, SSID, Channel, N, RSSI, SNR, remote MAC address, remote battery level, etc.).  There are also options for System Operations Menu, Disable Travel Connect, WiFi Remote Menu, and WiFi secret screen.  Unfortunately none of these let you change the four dedicated content provider buttons at the bottom of the remote, but the WiFi Secret Screen is extremely useful.

On the WiFi Secret Screen there is a signal level meter for combined signal strength, antenna 1, antenna 2, and also a meter for glitch/sec.  This allows you to move around your Roku to optimize your reception.

This page also has Resets, Interference, Radios, and Power, so you can optimize your settings.

Setting my radios at TX 1 RX 1 kept my signal strength consistently at 22/23 (other settings were around 16-18 and fluctuated a lot more).  After trying different interference settings, I found “reduce non-WLAN interference” to be my best option.

Obviously your settings will depend upon your specific situation.

p.s.  If after getting things where you want them with your wifi reception you want to check the signal speed of what’s coming into your Roku, Vudu (a free channel with purchasing options for content) has a speed test under “info and settings.”

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Props:

When searching for a solution to my Roku drop-out woes, I found most of this information on Richard Loyd’s YouTube channel here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1GZO8e_KJo

The updated secret screen shown above is actually a lot more robust (there are more options, settings, and measurements) than the one Richard posted in his video from August 24, 2014.  This leads me to believe that Roku will be supporting and updating this feature into the future.

Why the New Hulu “Watchlist” Sucks

Hulu has recently implemented new functionality for how you access shows (and what is easily accessed).

If you follow Hulu’s constant recommendation to “update” to the new Watchlist, you lose all control of what content you watch.  In other words, the Watchlist is made so Hulu can force-feed you whatever programming they are trying to push.  They claim it is based on your viewing habits, but I believe that is b.s.  They are simply trying to control what you watch.

Here are some reasons why "watchlist" sucks:

1. You have NO control of what plays after the episode you are currently watching (this is a MAJOR problem).  If you don’t hit “play all” for a program, and the episode you are currently watching is finished, instead of playing the next unwatched episode, or even an episode from another show you have “favorited,” they will try and get you to watch some other “recommended” show (STOP TRYING TO FORCE ME TO WATCH “NEW GIRL.” Are you f*cking kidding me?!).  So once an episode is over, you have to spend a LONG time trying to navigate to the next effing show you want to watch.
2. When you open up Hulu or finish watching a show, there is no direct link to your Watchlist.  Not from the main page.  Not from the main navigation choices at the top of the page.  NOWHERE.
3. Sometimes if you've “favorited” a show but have already seen all the episodes, Hulu keeps trying to make you watch old episodes (even shows with new episodes you haven't seen force feed you episodes you’ve already watched from previous seasons!).
4. Similar to #3, here is no way to change if an episode has been marked watched/unwatched, so Hulu will FOREVER try to keep feeding you “unwatched” episodes even if you have, in fact, already seen them. I don't know how many times they've tried to force me to watch Episode 3 of the "The Wrong Mans."  WHY?!?!?!  I watched that episode YEARS ago, and much as I liked it, I don’t want to watch it again!!!
5. You cannot order your Watchlist, so the shows you watch most (or want to watch next or more often) are often at the end of a LONG list of garbage you've "bookmarked" but don't want to see every time I open Hulu.

I have more gripes, but I’ve already wasted enough of my day on this.

There doesn’t seem to any way to revert to the old Queue functionality, and while I love the new (more expensive and I’m totally willing to pay for it!) “watch without commercials” option, if I can’t revert to queue functionality, I will be ending my subscription.

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Queuing Up Items to Watch Later in Plex Server

It is incredibly frustrating that there is no good way in Plex to click a button to add media to a “hopper” for watching later.  I have a collection of hundreds and hundreds of movies.  Some I have watched part way through (and thus are automatically marked as either “read” or “unread” depending on whatever loony logic the Plex code uses).  Some have been added recently.  Some are favorites.  Some I simply want to remind myself I want to watch again without having to search through hundreds of titles to find them (or just remember I want to watch them again!).

None of these things really allow me to access these particular movies/shows quickly.

I have spent hours looking for a solution, and finally I have discovered the ONLY (seems crazy, huh?) way to do it, at least from the actual Plex Media Server (not one of their apps for a web browser or phone/tablet).

The short of it is this: you need to add the particular title to a COLLECTION.  Then, you can use a FILTER to find those particular titles.  You can’t add Collections to a Library, or your front page, or anything that would make SENSE, you can ONLY access a Collection via a filter.  It’s a pain in the *ss, but it’s the only way!

Here’s how accessing the collection works:

HOME > LIBRARY (click the library you want: movies, television, etc.) > OPTIONS (the three bars at the upper left will expand the side bar on the left) > COLLECTION (whichever collection listed under “FILTER” that you want shown).

You can add titles to a COLLECTION by either typing in the name of a Collection in the appropriate field of the title’s settings (where you view all the fields associated with a title), or you can go to the top-tier of the library (MOVIES, for instance), click SELECT ITEMS from the tool menu bar on the left (it’s the square with a check mark icon), then tick all the movies you’d like to add to a Collection.  Finally, click the icon of the folder and plus sign in the tool bar on the left, and select the COLLECTION to which you wish to add the titles (or create a new Collection).

Furthermore, once you do this, you should be able to access a “Collection” from your Roku, so you can relatively easily go to a list of your “queued” shows.  From the main Roku screen select the Plex channel > select a library from your Plex Library Sections > scroll down to “By Collection” > choose the Collection you want.  It’s a lot of hoops, but it’s the only way!

Unfortunately, since Movies and Television shows are stored in separate Libraries, you can’t access all queued items from one list (Collection).  You must view queued Movies and queued Television shows from their respective Libraries (totally ridiculous).  It’s also much harder to “bulk” add television shows since they are stored in sub-locations where the “select” option is not available (thus you have to add single shows to a Collection by typing the Collection name into the field under that particular show’s settings).

Turns out you can only add an ENTIRE SERIES to a collection.  You can’t add just a single episode, thus this method is worthless for adding single television episodes to your queue (again, REALLY Plex?  REALLY?!).

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My Personal Handbrake Settings

There is a LOT of confusion “out there” concerning the best settings for converting your media files with Handbrake.  There are a lot of opinions, and it’s not that anyone is necessarily wrong, but there are just a lot of different things that will work depending on your needs.

When I record television or rip the DVD’s I own, I like to convert the files to h.264, as it is a very efficient format for the quality of what you see (file size to picture quality ratio).  It’s also the format that Plex streams natively to Roku for the best (fastest and glitch free) streaming experience.

Since storage has become so cheap, I don’t worry too much about shrinking the size of media, especially if I’m ripping DVD’s (which are already SD instead of HD… which means fewer pixels and less space).  I tend to just keep the file at native resolution (though I always convert to square pixels so devices aren’t confused about how to display the file –the “stretching” or “squishing” you often see when your device is trying to figure out how to interpret a file and display the correct aspect ratio).

My files are usually around 550MB for a half hour tv show at 720p, and a normal DVD movie ends up being around 800MB to a gig (which is decent, considering a “normal” DVD is around 4 or 5GB).

Here are the settings I use when I do this.

PICTURE

One thing I learned recently is that you can actually trim your video file as you are encoding in Handbrake (so you aren’t encoding/keeping any footage that was recorded before/after your program).  If you switch the “chapters” dropdown to “seconds,” you can set the beginning and end points in minutes and seconds.  Just view your file in a media program like VLC to see where you want your in and out points to be, and then when you set them in Handbrake it will encode only the part of the file you want.

I like to keep my files at their original size, but aspect ratios can wreak havoc on media files.  Some programs are in 1:78 (16:9), some are anamorphic with “non square pixels and a 1.33 aspect ratio stretched to 1.78, etc…  I like to make sure everything is just square and physically as it should appear, thus I set “anamorphic” to “none,” and then choose modulus 2.  Then I tick “keep aspect ratio” and choose my width or height.  With HD recordings, I sometimes “down rez” to 720 from 1080 (it’s a smaller file that won’t look much worse (if at all) on an HD screen).  With DVD’s and SD recordings (720x480 pixels (wide) or 640 x 480 pixels (4:3)) I sometimes “up rez” just a tiny bit if the file is actually 640x480 displaying 720x480.  What this means is that a file that is 720x480 but in anamorphic format will actually display as 720x540 in square pixels.  That means more lines of horizontal resolution, for a slightly better picture with not much more space taken up.  Alternatively, a 720x480 file that’s anamorphic but wide screen will display as approximately 848x480 as square pixels.

All you really need to know is that if you’re encoding a non-HD file, tick the “keep aspect ratio” box and then let Handbrake set the width when you set the height to either 480px (native SD resolution) or 540 (if you want to up the horizontal rez a bit –I only do this with anamorphic files so they convert to 720x540).

Finally, make sure your cropping is set to “custom” and all the fields read “0.”  This will keep your file from having black borders.

FILTERS

You can spend a lot of time playing with these.  I just set decomb to default and it does a decent job of removing the horizontal lines created by television interlacing.  Basically the “decomb” filter only applies de-interlacing when there is motion (when the horizontal lines caused by interlacing become visible).  Handbrake does a decent job of “choosing” when to apply this filter, so I just let it do it’s thing.  Using the other filters requires quite a bit more processing (thus time to convert), so I am just satisfied with the speed/quality of letting Handbrake “decomb” as it sees fit.

VIDEO

I haven’t messed a lot with video settings.  I keep things pretty close to default, but I do know I want a constant framerate (and leave it as the same as source), and I use constant quality instead of variable bitrate.  Variable bitrate takes up less space, but it takes more time to convert and isn’t quite as “good” as constant Quality.  I set the H.264 level to 4.1 and set the speed to around “fast” or “faster” (depending on the show I’m converting and what kind of quality I want from the file).

Hopefully these settings help somebody set up their Handbrake satisfactorily!

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Cutting the Cable: One Year Later (a real world experience)

It’s been nearly a year since I cut the cable, so I thought I’d provide some thoughts on my experience, what has worked, what hasn’t, what I actively use.

For some time, the center of “cutting the cable” was a good HTPC (home theater computer).  This was where the physical media was streamed from, and also the access point for the television to actually show programs/media from the internet.  While a home theater PC is still a great tool, it’s getting easier and easier to get by without one.

I am set up with a NAS (network attached storage -in my case a Thecus N5550 with 5x 3TB RED WD drives for a total of around 11TB of media storage), and a Roku stick on each of our TV’s (one in the bedroom, one in the living room, one in the kitchen).  We also have the original television antenna that was installed on our roof around 1963, and it does a fantastic job of pulling in nearly 30 HD broadcast channels (for free). The broadcast television signal is processed through an older TV Tuner Card (Hauppauge 1196 WinTV-HVR-1250) that I purchased in 2010 and have installed in an older computer (from 2007) that we use as an HTPC (home theater computer).

Plex has become a major part of our media set up.  It’s a program that will push content to Roku from your NAS (and various other places, but I’m mostly concerned with getting my media from my NAS to my television, and that happens via Plex and Roku).  Plex has a subscription based online experience with various channels and content, but the actual channel/app for your Roku is offered for a one time purchase of only $5, and it is WELL worth it (you can try it first for 30 days free).  You also need to have a server running the Plex Media Server (I installed a free Plex Media server module on my Thecus NAS so all the media is streamed using the Plex Server from the NAS –but you could just as easily stream content from a PC).

Plex is able to convert media on the fly, so anything you throw at it is converted to h.264 and fed to your Roku over wifi.  I was allowing Plex to convert VOB’s from my ripped DVD collection (all ripped from DVD’s I own, for those keeping tabs), but I have recently begun converting a lot of my movies and ALL of the TV shows on the server to h264 using HandBrake and/or MakeMKV.  Plex does an “ok” job of converting on the fly, but if the files already exist as h264, you get a MUCH MORE streamlined media streaming experience (read: no delays or hiccups when watching).  The h264 files at the same native resolution also take up a LOT less space than VOB files (which are MPEG-2).

I am still using the HTPC (an actual computer), but funny enough, we use it mostly just to watch Hulu (you can’t get Hulu on your Roku unless you pay for HuluPlus, and I’m not interested in paying $10/month for a service that DOESN’T eliminate the commercials (what the hell?!)).  Also, from what I understand reading other people’s complaints about HuluPlus, it doesn’t even offer all of the content on Hulu free (again, what the hell?!).

I am close to finalizing our over-the-air recording set up (broadcast TV recorder) that will allow me to stop using Hulu altogether.  We pretty much only use Hulu to catch up on Network TV that we’ve missed throughout the week, so once I am recording all those shows with a PC/TV tuner and the broadcast signal from the aerial antenna, we’ll be able to stream the recorded programs from the NAS via Plex/Roku and will no longer need Hulu –or an internet connection, for that matter.

We’re actually already set up to record broadcast TV (just Windows Media Center on the bedroom HTPC), but it’s a part of an HTPC that has to be physically hooked up to the TV, and I’m working on getting it moved elsewhere, and then automating the record/convert-to-h264 for Roku streaming process and we won’t need an attached HTPC cluttering up the bedroom or making noise where we’re trying to watch/sleep.

Recorded TV: you can set up XBMC (free media software) with a third-party recorder like NextPVR to record TV from signal using a tuner card in your PC, but I prefer to just use Windows Media Center, since it comes with Windows and doesn’t require any additional work (Windows 7/8 come with television recording ready to go –you just have to buy a TV Tuner Card).  There are also other software programs you can use to record live television with a PC Television Tuner Card (often they come free with the TV Tuner Card).

If you’d rather go the XBMC route, here’s a post on Lifehacker showing how to set up the software (again, it’s a bit more complex than just using WMC).

The only problem I have with WMC (Windows Media Center) is that it records to a proprietary format (.wtv) that’s really just a container file for video encoded using the MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 standard and audio using MPEG-1 Layer II or Dolby Digital AC-3.  Some people have had trouble converting the .wtv format to h264 with Handbrake, but to date (knock on wood) I haven’t had any issues; it’s been working great for me.  I just use Handbrake to convert the files recorded by WMC directly to h264 for streaming.  If it doesn’t work for you, you can try right-clicking the WMC file (the .wtv file) and converting it to the older Windows Media Player format (.DVR-MS), then converting that file to h264 with MakeMKV and/or Handbrake.

So outside of the stuff we stream from the NAS (ripped movies and television shows from recorded over-the-air and ripped DVD’s), we use Roku to stream from Amazon Prime, HBO, and some PBS (and will likely start streaming Netflix again in the near future).  I’ve tried using Roku channels like the History Channel, but the content is limited to a couple of episodes of each show so once you’ve watched the channel, it’s basically “used up” until they refresh the content in a week or a month).

A lot of the “cable channels” on Roku are set up this way.  You can watch one or two episodes of each show, but that’s it.  Some of the channels will allow you to subscribe to see all their content, but I’m not willing to pay $30 to watch a season of a single channel when sources like Amazon Prime have tons of content (thousands of shows and movies) for one, much lower, subscription price.

So, to recap, I rip DVD’s to h264 and put them on a NAS (network attached storage, 11TB of media that is always on and available).  I also record Network TV from an old fashioned television antenna that receives almost 30 broadcast channels (in HD resolution) over the air.  The ripped DVD’s and recorded television are converted to h264 (.mp4 or .m4v) for streaming from the NAS via Plex on the Roku hooked up to each television.

We also watch movies and television from Amazon Prime (paid subscription), HBO  (Comcast has added streaming HBO to a couple of their ISP packages, including Internet Plus and Blast Plus, see image below), and soon Netflix again (we dropped it for a while, but are going to sign up again).

 
(here’s a full screen shot with address bar to “prove” the free HBO with internet is coming directly from Comcast)

We have almost cut out the HTPC (the home theater computer), and the only thing that might be missed will be direct access to the internet (but almost all content accessed directly from the internet can be found through other plug-ins/apps/channels/routes).

We are doing quite well without paying for cable.  I think some people would miss the “ease” of channel surfing, but I actually like the control of a more specific and intentional media watching experience.

There are also TONS of options for streaming to your tv from your phone or tablet (things like Twonky, Roku Screen Mirroring, various content provider apps, etc.) as well as Boxee, Apple TV, Xbox, Chrome Cast, Amazon Media Fire, etc., but for us, an antenna with a PC tuner card, NAS, Plex, and Roku are what we find serve us best (and for so much less cash than a cable subscription!).

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Comcast is Deceitful, an Unfair Monopoly, and Does Not Deliver What They Advertise

[UPDATE]  As much as it pains me to say this (because I feel like an idiot): I was wrong in this post regarding the speeds.  I was using an outdated modem.  Comcast’s advertised “super speeds” utilize a new protocol that requires modems designated as DOCSIS 3.0 which enables faster transfer of data over the same lines (regular old coax cable).  DOCSIS 3.0 enables “channel bonding” of up to 8 downstream and 4 upstream channels.  This means the user could actually see speeds of 300Mbps down and 100 Mbps if the service provider was offering it.

After installing my new Motorola/Arris SB6141, I ran a check on SpeedTest.com and got this:

Wow.  That is fast. So my apologies to Comcast for making a post which stated they do not provide the speeds which they advertise.  Perhaps they should have made it clear that there were new protocols (DOCSIS 3.0) that could only be harnessed by new hardware (like the Moto SB6141), but it’s completely my fault for not thinking about/addressing this possibility before writing this post.

My opinions on the “unfair monopoly” and the fact that Comcast won’t post their pricing online (and instead provide only information on their “new customer” and “bundle” promotional prices) stand.  My opinion on the abysmal Streampix service stands.  My opinion on suddenly charging customers for equipment they’ve been using for years stands.

My “basic cable” requires a little box that causes clutter and requires me to use Comcast’s crappy remote.  Comcast charges me $1.99/month for equipment rental for this box even though I’d been using it free for years before “upgrading” my internet package.  I get only 4:3 SD picture (which means most programs are missing 25% of the picture which gets cut off on the edges).  It cracks me up that 4:3 SD is even an option anymore.  Also, I have to scroll through HUNDREDS of channels I do not receive.  In other words, when using the up/down buttons on my remote, I will see a “you don’t get this channel” many, many times when scrolling from one station to the next.

But again, my apologies to Comcast regarding the speeds.  I am achieving the advertised speeds, and the only reason I wasn’t is because I was using an outdated modem.

 

I’m sure there are millions of “this is why Comcast sucks” type posts out there (there certainly are millions of angry comments on any post with Comcast in the title).  I’m adding my voice to the throng.

As I research and type, I find there are more and more things to write about, so I want to just get this out up front:

I pay for 50Mbps internet.  I realize it’s “up to” 50Mbps, but when you NEVER receive anywhere near that, and in fact receive, on average, only the speeds advertised for TWO FULL TIERS BELOW THAT SERVICE, it is a blatant lie.  Comcast is selling me something they KNOW they absolutely cannot and will not deliver.  Here is a screen grab of my internet connection speeds (from SpeedTest.net) over the last few months.  I’ve just been clicking “check now” at random times; I know it’s not very scientific, but it definitely illustrates the point.

Please click to enlarge and take a look at how incredibly abysmal my ACTUAL internet speeds are.  Feel free to make sure my testing times don’t target typically busy times (i.e., 3.5Mbps down speed at 11am on May 18?!).  Also, can you find the point where I “upgraded” to the 50Mbps service?  No.  You can’t.  The speeds consistently SUCK across the entire polling time.  But for the record, it was back in April.

Not once, not even ONCE, did I get close to 50Mbps.  The fastest my internet speed has EVER been is 35.41Mbps (I broke 30 only twice).  My average is 11.10 Mbps.  The speed is OFTEN below 5Mbps.

The first “explanation” Comcast would give is that their data is shared on neighborhood hubs and at any given time there are many households sharing the same connection so speeds will suffer.  First of all: what an incredibly frustrating way to set up your service –the times when you want internet most your speeds are slowest?!  Second: I am the ONLY household on our point of service.  I know this because I complained for THREE YEARS (and the neighbors for another five years before that) because the apartment complex behind my house receives Comcast, but we could not. Finally Comcast relented and put a hub waaaaay out in front of our house near the street (the hubs that serve the apartment complex are all behind our house, on the other side of the fence, about 20 feet from the house).  There are no other houses anywhere near that hub.  I had a long conversation with the service tech who installed the line.  He had nothing but wonderful things to say about Comcast. Ahem.

My connection is ideal. So why can’t I get anywhere close to Comcast’s advertised speeds?

Ignoring the fact that they are lying about what they can/will provide, my theory is that they don’t want to enable you to “cut the cable.” If you were really getting 50Mbps, then the dream of purely internet served media entertainment could be realized, and cable is where the vast majority of Comcast’s revenue comes from.

Conspiracy theories aside, it’s almost comical that it’s nearly impossible to watch Comcast’s new “Streampix” service when you have their fastest high-speed internet, because your internet connection isn’t fast enough and/or consistent enough to allow for streaming an online television show (we tried to watch an episode of The Newsroom at 9:30pm via Xfinity Online and had to turn it off after about 10 minutes of buffering, super-glitchy, garbled garbage).

Speaking of “cutting the cable,” I recently was going to cut cable entirely. I had the most basic cable package, which was pretty much 20 channels or so (less than my current ultra-basic cable package) about 1/4 of which were in Spanish, which unfortunately I don’t speak. They were/are also all 4:3 SD, which means (not including the language barrier) I’m missing around 25% of everything that is shown (a 4:3 screen only shows 75% of a 16:9 screen) and I see it in horrible resolution!

It took me a while to get up the gumption to actually make the call.  After all, the price of basic cable and internet “bundled” was only $5 more than the internet service alone.  It’s a pretty good scam they have going to nickel and dime the customer.  In fact, they got me with it again when I went to downgrade to internet only.

I was already paying nearly $80 a month for high speed internet bundled with ultra-basic cable, and I was planning on dropping the “bundle” to pay $61.95 a month plus additional fees (the price offered at the time for stand alone 25Mbps service) for an internet only plan.

This “bundle” I had included two services: 25Mbps high-speed internet for $48.95 and Economy Cable for $21.62. In addition to all the miscellaneous charges (network fee, franchise fee, etc.), they were also charging $3.99 a month for a service protection plan, since last time I had a major problem with my service, they wouldn’t even take my call because I didn’t have the “service protection package” –even though the problem was ABSOLUTELY outside my house at the service point near the street. The “service protection plan” is specifically for covering problems inside the house… hilariously, I have only ONE cable jack inside my home –and it’s immediately on the other side of the wall from where the cable physically touches the house.

When I called Comcast, they did their typical “we can offer you this” to keep you from cutting services.  They offered to upgrade me to a “special” existing-customer-only bundle they were running: their NEW AND IMPROVED 50Mbps “Blast!®” internet with basic cable bundle, with the addition of their streaming television/movie option called Streampix.

So now for $79.95 my bill clearly states, and I quote: “Blast Plus Includes Blast! Internet Service And Digital Economy With Digital Converter, Streampix”

When I got my first bill, I found they are now charging me $1.99/month for a digital adapter (DTA) which I’ve had in my possession for YEARS, even though my bill specifically states that Blast Plus “INCLUDES” my “Digital Converter.” What the eff is up with that?

My old bill was usually around $77.03 (the specific amount on an old bill I grabbed). My new bill is $85.57 (this month’s bill). My internet speeds are exactly the same (and only around what is offered via their bottom tier package).  The only thing that changed is that I now have to pay every month for my digital adapter… oh, and I have access to the world’s shittiest online streaming media selection via Streampix.

Streampix’s content is horrible.  Just plain horrible. “It’s JUST like Netflix” said the salesperson when I upgraded to my new Comcast package back in April. I can assure you it’s NOTHING like Netflix. It’s honestly the worst selection of movies you’ve NEVER HEARD OF offered ANYWHERE. It’s not just bad movies; it’s movies you’ve seriously NEVER heard of.  Titles like Jack Hunter and The Lost Treasure of Ugarit or Daryl Hannah in Storm Seekers are the cream of the crop.  Even their PROMOTIONAL graphic (seen to the right) touts a bunch of shows YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT (and it’s definitely the BEST of what they have to offer).

Speaking of “upgrading” to new services… one of the many complaints you’ll see online about Comcast is this: try figuring out how much their service costs for an established customer (not a a promotional rate used to ensnare you into their web of lies).  Go ahead.  I’ll wait.

Couldn’t find it, could you?  That’s because there is NOWHERE ONLINE WHERE COMCAST LISTS THEIR REAL PRICES.  They litter the web with all kinds of promotional deals, and they tease you with “click here”’s promising to take you to “real” pricing, but they all re-direct to promotional pricing and bundled packages.  In fact, just click around the Comcast/Xfinity site for a while.  There are THOUSANDS of links that all go to the same damn page (which contains no valuable information).

There is NOWHERE you can find a clear listing of what Comcast’s services cost.

For the record, at the time of this posting, here are THE REAL stand alone high-speed internet service prices from Comcast:

The cheapest internet service Comcast offers is called “Performance Starter” and is $49.95 a month for up to 6Mbps down and 1Mbps up. The next tier is “Performance” which boasts 25Mbps down and 5 Mbps up for $51.95/month (that’s right, only $3 more, but good luck seeing those speeds!). Finally, the third tier is “Blast!®” which claims to offer up to 50Mbps download speeds and 10Mbps upload for $61.95 a month. However, I can GAURANTEE you will not see those speeds on a regular basis (if EVER).

Regarding my claims of “monopoly:” I have two choices for internet service, and two choices only.  I can have Comcast, or I can have Century Link.  The absolute fastest speed Century Link can give me on DSL is 10Mbps, and you almost NEVER hit that speed (I used to have it, and my neighbor still does).  Service from any “dish” provider is pretty much the exact same thing rebranded (definitely DSL) and still mind-bogglingly slow.  Comcast is the only provider who can even touch the cable running in my neighborhood.

So, there are two choices for “high speed” internet, and both suck.  Is there ANY room for competition?  No.  Can you imagine trying to “break in” to the high-speed internet market?  What an hilarious thought.  I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of a monopoly.

…

Charlie Rose David Letterman Interview

I forgot to post about this when I saw it the other night… well, quite a few nights ago.

Charlie Rose interviewing Letterman after the Kennedy Honors.  One of the better interviews I’ve seen on television in a long time.

Here’s a link to the full 32 minutes on Charlie Rose’s website.

http://www.charlierose.com/view/content/12721

I often think Letterman is an asshole, and maybe he is, but this interview really offers some insight into what he’s achieved and how hard he has worked (and still works). He also talks about being an asshole, and maybe trying to be less of one.

This interview was aired with an interview of Led Zepplin (I guess also part of the Kennedy Center Honors).  What should have been much more interesting was, well, not really very interesting at all.

The Mom from the Galaxy S III Commercial about Waiting in Line for iPhone

Another thing on TV that was driving me crazy… I couldn’t place the actress who plays the mom in the new(ish) Samsung Galaxy III S commercial where all the iSheep are waiting in line for the new iPhone 5.

Her name is Jeannetta Arnette (click for IMDb).

She’s been in a LOT of TV (going all the way back to Riptide and Three’s Company!), has done a lot of crime television, and was even a “party guest” in 10 starring Bo Derek and Dudley Moore, but I think she is most emblazoned on my mind for her role in the Criminal Minds episode where she played the wife (also accused) of a serial killer (they were sort of like serial killer celebrities back in the day).  She painted pictures in her jail cell.  The team was searching for the “final victim.” You know the one.

Anyway… that’s who she is.

…

Argo is a Remake (why is no one talking about this fact?)

When I first saw the trailer for Ben Affleck’s new movie Argo, I thought, “Huh, they’re remaking that.”

Later, as Ben Affleck was getting more and more press and praise for this “original” film, I began wondering why no one was talking about it being a remake.  I was positive I had seen the film, and remembered enjoying it quite a bit (the plot, at least).

Then when Wired magazine started taking credit for breaking the original story as if it was all theirs, I started getting really annoyed that I wasn’t hearing anything about Argo being a remake.

When I tried to research the original film, I found that it was incredibly difficult (well… at least by today’s standards) to find any information on the subject.  Was I crazy?  Had I imagined this entire film?!

Finally, however, I found some answers.  Argo is a remake of the 1981 film “Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper” (brilliant title, no?).

Here’s an image from the original movie that I found via the webpage of some guy actually selling a homemade DVD of the made for television movie!

Here is the Wikipedia page highlighting the actual events upon which this film was based.

To the right is the actual (fake) movie poster created by the CIA for the fake movie Argo.

So… while I think the film is going to be fun, and I’m REALLY excited about the art direction and production design, I wish people would quit talking about it like Ben Affleck is the Lord Almighty reigning down from on high, and that wired is responsible for bringing the (admittedly very cool) story to light, especially since this is ABSOLUTELY a remake of a made for t.v. movie from 1981.

…

No Signal After Turning TV Off and Back On

I built a Media PC out of some older parts I got from a friend.

It’s fantastic having a Media PC, and I love using it, but because it’s made of older parts, I come up against a problem every once in while.

 

The biggest problem I had on a regular basis was that when I turn off my Sony Bravia television and then turn it back on, the TV no longer has the HDMI signal from the PC (I get a blank screen that states simply “no signal”).

 

I searched for a long time for the answer before stumbling upon this solution.

 

User “th3dude” at Superuser.com states:

This problem seems to affect many people (as per search engines) with the most suspected/mentioned cause being insufficient drivers from ATI (NVIDIA apparently has updated its drivers for related issues successfully, while ATI tried that too, but some users still seem to have the same issue afterwards).

I tried updating my ATI Radeon HD 3200 video drivers to the latest version before coming across the solution below; it didn’t work.  I even installed AMD Catalyst when another thread suggested there’s a setting in there that will help (there isn’t, and I’ll likely be uninstalling AMD Catalyst as it’s just bloatware taking up space).

 

User Steffen Opel points out that the cause is EDID, or extended display identification data.  When you turn of your TV, the “handshake” between PC and TV is lost, thus when the TV is turned back on, the PC no longer has the information identifying the television and can’t communicate properly.

 

The solution?  There are evidently physical devices that can store the HDMI ID, but why spend money on a physical device (not to mention add that eyesore to your hardware setup) when Travis Hydzik has your back?  Travis created a three line program called hdmiOn.exe that goes something like this:

#include <windows.h> int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdLine, int nCmdShow) { // Turn off monitor SendMessage(HWND_BROADCAST, WM_SYSCOMMAND, SC_MONITORPOWER, (LPARAM) 2); // Turn on monitor SendMessage(HWND_BROADCAST, WM_SYSCOMMAND, SC_MONITORPOWER, (LPARAM) -1); return 0; }

It just turns the HDMI signal off and back on, thus your PC is able to reacquaint itself with your television.

 

Because you won’t be able to see your computer screen to mouse-click a shortcut or the actual program (to run hdmiOn.exe), you’ll need to assign the program to a hotkey.  Luckily god gave us AutoHotkey. (Don’t worry; it’s easy!)

 

Here are all the steps to fix your “no HDMI signal” problem:

 

1. Download hdmiOn.exe and place it in the root directory of your system drive (you can put it anywhere you want, but this location makes it easy to find and access).

 

2. Download and install AutoHotkey.

 

3. Create a hotkey script as follows.

1. Right-click an empty spot on your desktop or in a folder of your choice.
   
   
2. In the menu that appears, select New -> AutoHotkey Script. (Alternatively, select New -> Text Document.)
   
3. Type a name for the file, ensuring that it ends in .ahk. For example: hdmiOn.ahk
   
4. Right-click the file and choose “Edit Script.”
   
5. On a new blank line, type the following:
   
   #space::run C:\hdmiOn.exe (obviously you’ll need to be sure the path matches the location where you installed hdmiOn.exe)
   
6. Save and close the file.
   
   
7. Double-click the file to launch it. A new icon appears in the taskbar notification area.
   
   
8. Hold down the Windows key and press the space key.  Your screen will cycle, letting you know that the computer in fact ran hdmiOn.exe
   
   
9. To have this script launch automatically when you start your computer, create a shortcut in the Start Menu's Startup folder like this:
   
   
   1. Find the script file, select it, and press “Control-C” (copy).
      
      
   2. Right-click the Start button (typically at the lower left corner of the screen) and choose "Explore All Users."  In Windows 7 you need to go to All Programs>"right-click" on the Startup folder and then select "Open All Users" so you're not just altering the Startup folder for the account you're currently logged into.
      
      
   3. Navigate to the “Startup” folder inside the “Programs” folder.
      
   4. From the menu bar, choose Edit -> Paste Shortcut (or right-click Paste, or Control-V).  The shortcut to the script should now be in the Startup folder and will automagically run each time you start your computer.

You’re golden.  Turn your TV on and off all you want, all you need to do is click your windows key and the spacebar at the same time and your PC screen will reappear on your television.

…

myRemote Android App for Windows Media Center

I am in heaven.  I had been using gRemote to remotely controller my computer when watching media.  It basically turns your phone screen into a track pad.  There’s another screen with play, ff, rew, etc., but I honestly have no idea what good it does, as I’ve never seen it work with any program.

I just downloaded myRemote from Viclabs on the Android Market.

All you do is download the msi from the link above (it’s the server software that allows your phone to communicate with your computer), download myRemote from the Android Market, right click the myRemote icon in your tray to find your computer’s IP, and enter the IP into myRemote on your phone (make sure WiFi is enabled on your phone).

Now you have a robust, suberb remote to control Windows Media Center.  Not only are there plenty of buttons specifically for Media Center, but you can click the mouse button on the myRemote interface and use your phone screen as a track pad to control your entire computer (like gRemote).  The trackpad screen also has a text input field at the top, so you can input text.  Click your dpad or trackball to apply the text you’ve typed.  Very slick.

Probably my favorite feature of myRemote is the fact that it has volume control and a MUTE button (sort of).  If you long-press either volume button, it will jump in 15 point increments.  I no longer need my TV remote control to handle the volume.

The dedicated full screen toggle button is great.  You can also open and close WMC right from the application.  The power button will close whatever window is currently in focus, so not only can you use it to close WMC, but any open program.  In the bottom right of the main area are two buttons to toggle between a full screen view and a scrolling carousel view of all your open windows.  Very, very cool.

There are dedicated shortcut buttons to Live TV, Internet TV, Video Library, and music library.  For some reason there is no button for the Movie Library, but if you press the windows logo button it takes you to the default screen so you can scroll to the correct library.

The plus/minus buttons function as skip forward/skip back during movie playback. The FF/RW buttons at the very bottom to the same, but in greater increments.

I have no idea what the camera icon button does, so someone please tell me (it’s driving me crazy).

I run Hulu and Netflix via WMC.  I’ve also found that you actually don’t have to run Hulu from Media Center to control it with the dedicated myRemote keypad.  For Hulu, use the center arrow keys.  Ok is play/pause, left and right are fwd/rev.  The dedicated FF key at the bottom left functions as a full screen toggle for Hulu.

For added fun-ness: you can run the server over 3G instead of WiFi. Forward port 9876 (UDP) to your PC and then use your router’s IP address (from your ISP) in your myRemote app.

…

Fix Windows Media Center and/or VLC Video Washed Out (too bright)

Whenever I try to watch my ripped DVD’s the video is washed out (too bright).  For the record: I rip the DVD’s I’ve PURCHASED so they don’t get scratched and they’re all on a media server so I don’t have to load DVD’s.   It doesn’t matter if I use VLC or Windows Media Center, the picture is always too bright.

Windows Media Center doesn’t really have a way to adjust your picture settings (stupid), so there is no obvious way to fix the problem via the software’s controls.

VLC at least allows you to make adjustments to how your picture appears, but since the video was washed out in both programs, I assumed something else was wrong.

I downloaded the latest drivers from NVIDIA and updated my settings, but still the problem persisted.  The blacks just aren’t black (the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are MUCH darker than the blacks in the video).

I spent a couple of hours searching for solutions, and while there seems to be a fix for ATI cards, a documented fix is lacking for NVIDIA (it’s outlined at the end of this post).

For your general knowedge, Here is the ATI reason and fix (from Stephen Neal on AVForums.com):

Bottom line... Microsoft appears to have messed up and stipulated inconsistent support for SD and HD (or SD and HD protected path?) video in Vista's EVR (and probably else where)

This results in SD DVD and TV appearing to have set-up or raised black levels and dull white levels (i.e. grey blacks and dull whites and washed out colours) OR HD Blu-ray (and AIUI HD TV) content having crushed blacks and clipped whites.

Cause is inconsistent handling (and I suspect downright ignorance) of broadcast and pre-recorded video running with black at 16 not 0, and white at 235 not 255. (This dates back to 1982 when the first major international digital video standard - ITU 601 - then CCIR 601 - was ratified, and has remained the standard - for very good engineering reasons to do with retaining image quality - for both SD and HD video ever since)

There IS a registry fix for ATI cards and IGPs - called the BT601CSC=1 registry hack which changes ATI's SD handling to match their HD handling, and works well.

There appears to be no such fix for nVidia - I've raised it with Gigabyte and nVidia but have had no constructive solutions offered yet. (Gigabyte hilariously suggested I try a new video card to solve the problem on my newly built 9400 IGP HTPC...)

AIUI the problems are as follows :
HDMI Displays expect 16-235 video as a norm (though some can switch to 0-255 inputs this is no use if you are using an HDMI input with an AV amp, and your other sources switched through your amp are 16-235 standard) Bottom line - HTPCs feeding HDMI displays should be operating in 16-235 colour space. Both ATI and nVidia cards appear to support this.

DVDs, SD and HD TV broadcasts, DVDs, HD-DVDs and Blu-rays all use 16-235 video levels as well.
PCs use 0-255 levels internally.

What seems to happen is that SD content is kept with black at 16 and white at 235 in the PC 0-255 representation, which means that when this is converted to 16-235 HDMI output PC 0 is mapped to HDMI 16, and PC 16 - input video 16 to quite a lot above this in HDMI, PC 255 is mapped to HDMI 235 and PC 235 - input video 235 - to quite a lot below this... However for HD this doesn't happen and instead the input 16 is output as 16 and the input 235 is output as 235...

With nVidia cards you need to run in 0-255 mode to get 16-235 SD content passed through cleanly, but run in 16-235 mode to get 16-235 HD Blu-ray content passed through cleanly.

So the fix I found was to use the NVIDIA control panel to control your video playback instead of the video player’s settings.

1. Open your NVIDIA Control Panel (type NVIDIA in your start menu search field and select NVIDIA Control Panel).
2. Go down to Video and select “Adjust video color settings.”
3. Under #2 (How do you make color adjustments), select “With the NVIDIA settings.”
4. Under the Advanced tab change the Dynamic Range with the drop down to “Full (0-255)” (not “Limited (16-235)”).
5. For my display to look as it should, I had to uncheck “Dynamic contrast enhancement.”

My video now appears as it should (not washed out).

…

Getting Rid of the “beep” in Viera Cast

The other day I was at Costco and saw that they had the Panasonic DMP-BD655 on sale for $130 ($30 off).  I normally buy my electronics online, but that was a decent price, and it meant I could have it now.

I don’t know that I’ll be watching BluRays anytime soon, but having Netflix on a dedicated box so I don’t have to hook my laptop up to my TV every night?  AWESOME.

I debated on getting a more expensive model with wireless built in, but I want the speed of a dedicated CAT6 cable anyway, so saving the extra hundred bucks or so to forego the wireless was the right choice for me.

First of all, let me say that the difference in quality between the browser version of Netflix and the Viera Cast (Panasonic’s interface for the online content) version of Netflix are night and day.  I’m watching shows in full HD (the indicator bars almost always go all the way to the right and light up the “HD” like that carnival game where you use the giant hammer to smash the lever that rings the bell way up in the air), and the content looks amazing.  Not to mention I can scan forward and reverse, even if it’s a choppy excuse for the feature, which you can’t do at all in the browser version.  The online community seems to be up-in-arms about not being able to edit their Netflix queue content in Viera Cast, but I don’t mind so much that I can’t add and remove titles.  However, it’s a MAJOR pain in the butt that the only way you can view and select from your instant queue titles is one-by-one (in a horizontal line).  Why in the hell can’t they at least put the titles in a grid so you can view multiple titles at once?  That’s just STUPID.  I’ve got like 70 movies in my instant queue.  Scrolling to number 55 one-by-one is not a viable solution.  You’d think Panasonic could figure out something this obvious.

Which brings me to the “ding” that happens every time you move the cursor in Viera Cast.  I searched for hours trying to figure out how to disable it (both online and in the BluRay player’s settings) before giving up and just using “mute” when navigating the content.  However, last night I stumbled upon the solution!

The settings specifically for Viera Cast (not the BluRay player itself) are hidden on the last page of the Viera Cast content grid; why there isn’t simply a dedicated “settings” button on every page I cannot fathom.  However, in the center of the Viera Cast interface are arrows that allow you to navigate to “deeper” screens (a total of three screens).  On the third screen, all by its lonesome, is the Holy Grail.  You can turn off the navigation audio chime, and as an added bonus you can rearrange the order of the content panels (so you can move Pandora to the first screen, and Twitter to the last –who in the hell Twitters on their TV?).

Excellent.

…

OK Go! Does It Again (amazing Rube Goldberg machine)

No words.  Oh wait… how about 5 million views in five days?

 

I love it when the sledge hammer hits the TV playing their treadmill video.

…

GRemote Is My New Best Friend (remote control for PC via mobile device)

I’ve been trying to configure my Omnia i910 as a remote for my PC, and thus Windows Media Center (via Bluetooth and Windows SideShow), for a while.  I have been extremely unsuccessful in this endeavor, so today I decided to see if I could find a decent 3rd party app to take care of this seemingly simple task.

Hello GRemote!!!

There are two versions of this program (both work on Windows Mobile and/or Android): GRemote Pro ($14.95), and GRemote free.  I went with GRemote free, and it seems to do everything I need it to.  GRemote Pro has a larger suite of features, but since I’m just looking for a media controller, GRemote free is perfect for my needs.

Evidently GRemote Pro will work with .Net 2.0, but the free version requires .Net 3.5 or later (no big deal –just make sure you have .Net 3.5 installed on your device).

To make GRemote work, you’ll need to install the GRemoteServer program on your PC and GRemote on your device.  You can configure GRemoteServer to spawn on startup, or manually; I have mine configured manually, as I’m not always using my laptop as a media center.  Be sure to install the appropriate CAB for your device’s resolution.  The first time I installed the program on my device, like an idiot I installed just the “qvga” version instead of the “wqvga” version appropriate for the wider screen of the Omnia.  Because of this, the app was crashing on me quite a bit until I figured out what was wrong.

You can configure the app to work with multiple profiles, which means you can have a profile for all your computers (just make sure you install GRemote Server on any computer you wish to use with GRemote).  Configuring profiles is extremely easy thanks to the “find” button used to automatically retrieve the IP address necessary for communication between the server (your PC) and the device.

GRemote will work via USB, WiFi (my choice) and Bluetooth.

The free version includes these main parts:

	GCenter, where you select the control type you’d like to use,
	Gmouse, a virtual mouse that works with your device’s gravity sensor to control your PC (on the Omnia I have the HTC Emulator installed, and it works beautifully! Make sure to hold your finger on the screen to make it work (it took me a little while to figure that one out). If you click the “touch free” icon, the feature will work without touching the screen),
	Touchpad, a virtual touchpad to control your PC,
	GPad, specially configured for navigating around things like Media Center,
	GMedia, for directly controlling media program features (volume, stop, start, forward, reverse),
	Keyboard, an interface that you can type with,
	and GRace, a 2 axis, 12 button (?) game controller.

 

The app works perfectly with Hulu and Windows Media Center.  In fact, since it can function as a gyroscopic mouse and touchpad, it works perfectly with damn near anything on your PC (like Miro and VLC)!

Extra points for a really nice, clean looking interface with simple, finger friendly buttons and great design.

I love it.  One of the best (if not the best) apps I’ve installed on my Omnia to date.

…

Wolverine Declares: THE MUSICAL IS BACK

Before I get to the Oscars, I want to point out how primed the world is for MUSICALS. And hey, if it's an indie film to boot... well all the better! That's awesome news for somebody who just happens to be in pre-production on what stands to be the coolest indie-dance-musical of 2010. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, check out: LeadingLadiesMovie.com. I am currently producing (I'll also be editing and scoring) a film co-written by my main squeeze, Erika Randall Beahm. She'll also be co-choreographing with So You Think You Dance's Melanie LaPatin (also starring in the film's Sheri role) and co-directing with the film's co-writer, Jen Bechtel.

So the ball keeps rolling faster and faster like a beautiful, 1930's, deco, streamlined, steam-train, picking up more and more momentum to make Leading Ladies poised to be the best thing to hit the silver screen since Flying Down to Rio, Dirty Dancing and My Big Fat Greek Wedding all rolled into one!

Keep an eye out for developments on the film. The buzz is growing!

So, onto last night's festivities...

I feel like it's safe to say, last night was probably the best Oscar Ceremony of my lifetime. It wasn't the craziest, it didn't have the best speeches, it didn't have a super-whacky, expensive opening... it was just the overall best I've seen. It was a return to the "Grand Hollywood" of yesteryear. Performers were actual performers and producers and set designers actually went for it. It was classy.

First of all, Hugh Jackman is a bad ass. When the guy who plays the most ferocious of all the X-men can perform song and dance after song and dance and nail it... that's just awesome.

And can I take a moment to appreciate graciousness? First of all, Hugh Jackman thanked everybody, all the time. From the people who played bit parts in his skits and songs, to the [gasp] show's producer and designers! That's a true performer: somebody who knows who makes the magic happen... and is APPRECIATIVE of those "semi-invisible" roles.

Then, on top of Hugh Jackman's graciousness, there was the presentation method for the main acting awards. Fantastic actors appreciating the craft and being gracious to all the nominees. Awesome. Really nice.

And the set... the set was just beautiful. And they put the band ON STAGE! Not only that, but they were playing what I consider to be real Hollywood music. Stuff that makes you think of Duke Ellington, Les Baxter and Dizzy Gillespie. Fantastic.

As an aside, I was sooooo happy to see Sean Penn win best actor. Yeah, it would have been cool for Mickey Rourke to make that kind of a come back, but just the fact that he was there was saying something (and I think enough). There's no denying Penn's performance as Harvey Milk. He was unbelievable... and then his speech. Speaking out in a poignant, articulate way (which is great, considering Penn's penchant for going overboard at times) to say (in regard to Prop. 8), "...it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes... we've got to have equal rights for everyone."

What's up, bigots? Mr. Penn is calling you out. You're embarrassing your grandchildren. What a great way to put it. It's time for equality; how can you deny it?

And last but not least... Slumdog Millionaire. Bollywood finally breaks down the doors of Hollywood like gangbusters! The movie was fantastic, and it was rewarded appropriately. And the energy and love among the cast, the feelings that kind of swept over the whole audience and made everybody smile, nay, beam... just glorious. And props to A. R. Rahman. Not one but TWO Oscars for music. That dude is a bad-ass.

So last night was just a truly enjoyable Oscar ceremony.

And don't forget, the indie dance musical is poised to take over Hollywood. Tell your rich uncle to invest in our movie!!!!

...

Grammy... nomination concert? WTF?

As if the Grammy's aren't bad enough, last night they televised a Grammy Nomination Concert. Are you freaking kidding me?

And while I appreciated the humor in the Foo Fighters singing Carly Simon's "Your So Vain" (I looked it up on You Tube) it still sucked. Can you say "lackluster?"

And on top of all this, they aired the damn show during the only program we watch fairly religiously (Criminal Minds... you just gotta love Reed!). We'd been making fun of the Grammy Nomination Concert ads all week, but then when we turned on the t.v. to watch our show and found out that's when Garbagio Fantastico was airing... it was enough to make me gouge my eyes out.

Luckily I have regenerative powers like a Cheerleader.

p.s. Live DBi3 show at The Laughing Goat tonight in Boulder (17th and Pearl, 8pm, no cover). Drew Brightbill will be joining me on stage. Be there or be square! ...or something.

FOX Gets Served by Nas for Being a Racist Network

Nas, Stephen Colbert, and 620,127 members of MoveOn.org called out FOX for being racist bastards. Here's how it went down (as quoted from an e-mail blast by MoveOn.org):

Dear MoveOn member,

Big news! Your petition signature telling FOX to stop their racist smears against the Obamas had a really exciting day on Wednesday. Here's what happened:

1:00 p.m. Your signature was printed off at a New York City Kinko's along with 620,126 others—filling 19 big boxes.

2:00 p.m. The signatures were piled in front of FOX's national headquarters at 6th Avenue and 48th Street.

3:15 p.m. Hip hop star Nas (whose new album had just risen to #1 on the Billboard charts hours earlier) joined over 100 activists and delivered the petitions to FOX on behalf of ColorOfChange, MoveOn, and Brave New Films.

3:30 p.m. FOX refused to accept the petitions. (Sometimes, the truth hurts.)

4:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m. News of FOX's racism and the star-studded petition delivery made its way around the world—with stories in Rolling Stone, Billboard, USA Today, Associated Press, Reuters, India Express, Huffington Post, MTV, OpenLeft, and over 200 other places.

11:30 p.m. Stephen Colbert welcomed Nas as his guest on the Colbert Report and dedicated over half of his show to FOX's racism. The boxes containing our signatures were stacked prominently on Colbert's set in place of his normal interview table and chairs—and he conducted the entire interview surrounded by petitions! Then, Nas performed his new song "Sly Fox," which is all about FOX's racism.

12:00 a.m. Several MoveOn staffers, jaws dropped open, got on the phone and engaged in several rounds of, "Wow!" :)

Since then, the news has kept spreading around the world. You sent a message to FOX, and that message was very much received!

And the fight's not over. Together, we've denied FOX the legitimacy that would come by hosting Democratic presidential debates, and we got a company to stop advertising on Bill O'Reilly. This week's delivery made an impact, and we'll continue to push back together against FOX's racism and their smears against Obama.

But for now, enjoy the video of Wednesday's petition delivery—led by our friends at ColorOfChange—and the video of Colbert. Both videos are at this link:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3980&id=13330-2926195-3n0xffx&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

–Adam G., Laura, Ilyse, Justin, and the rest of the team

Full episodes of Battlestar Galactica (the REAL one) online

what's playing: Battlestar Galactica, episode 102

I don't know how this slipped by me, but I just found out that the original Battlestar Galactica is streaming from NBC's website. Episodes 101-115.

Man, I forgot how much I loved this show. Actually, I always remembered really liking it, but now I remember why. It's awesome! The Cylons' voices rule (and is most likely why I like Daft Punk so much). Both styles of fighter ships rock. I remember how the Cylon fighters' wings would pop out a bit and then there were actual spring-loaded rockets that would really fire (and always got lost in about ten minutes).

Plus, Dirk Benedict is hot (but honestly, who actually names their kid Dirk?).

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