In the early 90s we were still struggling with the “no rewind, no return” policy with some rental shops. We watch the full length film in those bulky video cassettes. We’ve got to admit. Our idea of a good movie was to proceed to the rental shop, browse through titles, wait in line and perpetually remind ourselves of the due date. For whatever reason at all, the date always seemed to escapes us. We just remember to return them a day after while the frowning attendant of video rentals warns us all over again.
But that was more than 15 years ago. But we still have to go through the same rental flow except that it’s a DVD. There’s “no rewind, no return” policy but you still have to fight it out with the attendants when you forgot to return some of the most favorite titles.
Now that’s all changing since as of this writing there are more than enough “boxes” in the market that you can purchase for your utmost TV pleasure. Let me run you through three different types of boxes and see what’s in store for you.
Apple TV – If you think Apple is all about iPhones and iPods, you’re definitely wrong. Apple TV has been around for some time. Even though the popularity of the iPods and other portable media players have been unprecedented, Apple TV may not have fared well in the market. One reason was that when it was first introduced; it was only giving 40G of hard disk space. Anyone who has an iPod video will immediately squirm to the lack of hard disk space. With the price that ranges from $200 – $300, anyone will just opt for an iPod video and enjoy the mobility that Apple TV could offer. If you add $100 more, you could have the newer 160G edition. That’s better, plus YouTube videos are also available through the Apple TV alone.
VuDu TV – This one’s not in the market yet, but it has received good reviews as compared to Apple. For one, it will be offered 250G of hard disk space. At the same time it will be offering more than 5,000 titles in its initial opening. With the sheer number, you can even catch the not so very popular movies that you love. Even though it’s bulkier than Apple TV, it really doesn’t matter as you just place there in one area in your house. The price for this gadget? $399 – just like the 160G version of Apple TV.
Xbox Live Video HDTV – We’re saving the best for last. Any avid gamer would agree that all day gaming is ok for a gaming console but what if it could even offer movies? That’s even better! The Xbox 360 doesn’t only offer Halo experience but it also offers video on demand downloads and rentals. With the existing hard disk space of Xbox 360, you can compromise with some movies and TV shows you really love.
So take your pick. Your movie nights will never be the same again.
Almost 20 years ago the only reception that we used to have was aerial antenna. There were even those that really didn’t care what went out in their TV and all they had were “bunny ears” – the V shaped antenna placed on top of their TV. We remember the fights that we had as to who would like to go out of the house and check the line to make sure the reception gets even better.
While there are those that still use the aerial antenna and the bunny ears, most of us right now are either using the satellite (also referred to as dish) or just the cable that we have been using for quite some time now. We have to admit that satellite is getting more popular everyday. Online advertising, telemarketing and just its popularity has made people think twice if cable is really worth the loyalty after years and years of service.
Let’s compare these two modes of receiving the transmission. There are ups and downs in each of these and from there, consider which one you will take if you don’t have either of them.
Cable has been around for years now. It’s almost a must in every home to have a cable just to be updated in sports, movies, news and general information. The great thing about cable is that it’s ever adopting and has created ways to make it more appealing to the potential customers and current subscribers. For starters, cable has now HD or High Definition, adapting to the popular influx of HD TVs. But the best thing about it is the bundle it has created. Not only you’ll have cable but you’ll have internet and phone line as well. A known bad side of cable, however, is in the fact that the signal is only analog and if you don’t have HD in your TV, the reception could not be that good. With analog signals, you won’t have any digital information about the current program you are watching. You’ll see its importance when we compare cable with satellite receivers. Another bad side is that since it has dominated the television, it can practically dictate the price and you’ll have no choice but to comply to it.
On the other hand you’ll have satellite. As of this writing there are two major companies that offer this service: DirectTV and DishTV. The best thing about satellite receivers is that the reception is digital. Because it’s digital, there are so many things you can do. For one, you really don’t need to have a cable guide to know what show is on and what will be next. Not only the signal is transmitted but the information about the movie can also be extracted and will be flashed in your screen. The bad thing about satellite is that sometimes, it doesn’t really perform well when there’s a bad weather. This is because the transmission from the satellite to dish is hampered by weather.
These are the simple things that you should remember before you sign up for their service. Each has its pros and cons, but ultimately each one works well in giving you the entertainment you need.
You go to your friend’s house and you notice something interesting. Right in front of the TV you see something that looks like a Blackberry or even an iPhone. It has small buttons below the screen and the interface is something really regular. You don’t even know how it will work until your friend shows you what it is. Alas! It’s a remote control. There’s a cool interface that lets you control almost anything in the room: TV, DVD, VCD, Satellite Cable…almost everything. Welcome to the new world of digital control. Your remote control is now your new best friend next to your iPhone. Here are some of the best controls that you should consider for your home system.
Philips RC9800I Interface Remote Control – If you have the dough, why don’t you go ahead for one of the best remote controls out there. Phillips has creative this user friendly and aesthetically attractive remote control. This square shaped control was launched July 2005 and until today, it can still rake a price up to $350.00. This will certainly complement your HDTV experience.
Logitech Harmony 1000 Advanced Universal Learning Remote – No, the number 1000 does not refer to the number of appliances it can control. But the versatility of this control is highly impressive. At first you’ll feel like you’re a computer programmer out there to create the world’s greatest software but once you get the hang of it (usually a week or two), this could be even be better that Philips RC 9800I. A regular remote control only works through infrared. Sometimes, it could complicate things since with one touch, not only the TV will follow, but the DVD players as well. This could create confusion and frustration as you try to manipulate something. But this one’s different. Aside from infrared, it also works as a radio frequency remote. Although it can’t be used on the TVs since all of them are infrared, it can technically control r/c cars! All you need to do is go to the Harmony Website and take control everything in your house with this simple device. You’ll feel like Dr. Evil with the things that you can control. Though it can rake as much as $500.00, the beauty of this remote control doesn’t seem to end.
Universal Remote Control MX-3000 – The most expensive that I’ve seen so far. With this price, you can practically purchase two more standard televisions and a cable TV subscription. This remote control is built in being the strongest among the remote controls in terms of speed. This remote control comes with a USB port and you can easily control the programming in your computer using the same software that also comes with the remote control. A little bit pricey for a remote, but its windows based software can somehow answer for that. The price as of this writing is almost $1000.00.
If you want to have the best in the remote control world, check out these things. For a couch potato, a $500.00 remote control is a small price to pay compared to standing up and gets things done. If this remote control could make coffee, it will take over the world in no time.
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