Keefer Madness

Bye Bye to Time Warner Cable (Again)

// February 3rd, 2012 // 2 Comments » // Personal Crap, TV Talk

So starting next week, we’ll be canceling Time Warner Cable again. They keep inching up their rates, their DVRs are complete and utter crap and overall I’m not a fan. I always liked being with DirecTV, and we’re going back there. They have a deal right now that discounts their packages for the first two years and you don’t have to buy equipment. The disadvantages of DirecTV — including the upfront costs aren’t there right now. So why not throw our monthly entertainment budget towards DirecTV, instead of to Time Warner?

I’ve never used a DirecTV DVR (other than those that ran the TiVo software), but they can’t be worse than the clunky crap that Time Warner’s running.

Sadly, we’ll still be giving Time Warner money for our Internet connection. For now, that’s our best option at home. At least we’re diverting our TV services away from DirecTV. I’m excited for the change, and definitely won’t shed a tear at turning in our TWC equipment in a little over a week.

Other Ways to Get Content Besides Cable

// June 2nd, 2010 // No Comments » // Computers, Software Reviews, TV Talk

Over the long weekend, I stumbled onto a useful little application that hit me at just the right time. Recently, we had a death in the Keefer electronics family — our living room TiVo HD is down and out. A replacement is crawling its way towards us via UPS Ground, but in the meantime, we’ve been reduced to watching live TV in standard definition in the living room. *shudder* Even before this high definition time-shifting tragedy, we’ve been exploring alternate ways to watch media on our TVs without cable TV. Ways we’ve come up with so far included:

1. Getting a Mini-Display Port to HDMI adapter for the wife’s MacBook (plus a mini jack to RCA for audio since until the newest MacBook, the DisplayPort was video only). This is the best way we’ve found to watch Hulu and other Web-based content on the big screen.
2. Setting up our PowerMac with 360Connect – a way to stream videos from the Mac to the
3. Netflix and its ability to stream to our TiVo HD (when it’s again functioning), Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii
4. Wii Transfer, which seems to function similarly to 360 Connect, though in my tests, the video quality was dropping frame rates, and you’re using the Wii’s Opera browser. I couldn’t figure out a way to hide the chrome either. This seems like a passable way to view photos and stream music, though I can’t recommend it for video (unless I’m doing something wrong)

I’d love other suggestions in the comments on ways to go. We don’t have a PC, so a lot of the Hulu stuff needs a MediaCenter type services to get it to appear on the 360 or Wii. Anyone have any FREE solutions to get hulu and other TV and movie content to the TiVo HD, Nintendo Wii and/or Xbox 360? Any suggestions and further discussion would be appreciated and welcome!

Explaining 12 Things TV Networks Do That Seem Crazy

// May 14th, 2010 // No Comments » // TV Talk

This is a great post Boing Boing did on network TV’s frustrating things they do with their programming, but more specifically, why they do it. Personally, “Don’t leave a show on long enough to build viewers,” Remake anything” and this one is for all of us TiVo fanboys — “Listen to the Nielsen numbers/Not listen to the great DVR numbers” are very frustrating, lame and downright annoying in my book.

Explaining 12 Things TV Networks Do That Seem Crazy

Fox's Show Glee Covers Van Halen. Eww!

// December 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // Music, TV Talk, Van Halen, Video

The Fox show, “Glee” (Never have seen the show, though I’ve heard it has a decent following. I hate musicals, TV series or otherwise) covered the Van Halen “1984″ album hit, “Jump.” This just makes me cringe, especially the background chants of stuff like, “Jump! Jump!” Man, this makes my skin crawl. Yuck! David Lee Roth must be rolling over in his grave. Wait, he’s still alive.

At least they left the guitar solo in (and a bit of synth behind the solo), though it’s not EVH caliber stuff. Man, am I getting to the age where my favorite music is going to be relegated to commercials and [bad] covers? Granted, to be fair, “Jump” was released when I was 6 years old.

Eddie Van Halen Television Cameo on 'Two and a Half Men'

// September 29th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Music, TV Talk, Van Halen, Video

Never have seen the show, but I meant to check it out when Eddie Van Halen made his cameo. But, I missed it… not really sure when the show’s on, nor did TiVo pick it up for me. Hmm, need to check to see if I still have an auto-record wishlist for Van Halen.

Thankfully, YouTube, is perfect for this type of thing in this day and age. Instead of having to suffer through the half-hour show or fast forward through it on the ol’ DVR, you can just check out the clip below. Not too funny, but at least EVH looks healthy, and we get a little lick from Ed on his new Fender Frankenstrat.

10 Tips for Watching the Super Bowl

// January 26th, 2009 // No Comments » // HDTV Bits, Sports Stuff, Tech, TV Talk

This is a great list of tips for watching the Super Bowl. I feel like I could have totally written this list. The only contention I have with the list below is them going from #1 warning about spending too much for a TV and then the third in the list talking about whole house video, though I guess Slingbox isn’t that expensive.

I’m definitely of the same opinion though that sports need to be watched real time. Everything else in our household is TiVo’ed and played back at a later time. I’m also a HD snob. Television, in this day and age is made for high definition. Sports especially should be watched in HD, whenever it’s humanly possible. I wouldn’t go as far as to say use the radio if you have to watch it in standard definition, but I am abit of a HDTV snob.

10 Tips for Watching the Super Bowl

Jack Bauer to Get His Final 24 Hours as Hit Show Bows Out After One More Series

// January 19th, 2009 // No Comments » // TV Talk

Just saw this about one of my favorite television series. This was inevitable, and I think it’s probably about time, if not past due to put the show to rest. It’s unfortunate, but not unexpected that the show is ended, and won’t be ending on a high note. That’s kind of expected for the “24″ series anyway isn’t it?

Jack Bauer to Get His Final 24 Hours as Hit Show Bows Out After One More Series

Shifting the Way We Watch TV

// December 2nd, 2008 // No Comments » // TiVo Bytes, TV Talk

Time shifting television started with the VCR. But these days, there are so many more options to time shift TV and now there are so many ways to watch TV not on your TV – iPods, iPhones, web sites (like Hulu and the network’s own web sites)

I’m finding more and more, I’m utilizing these alternate sources to squeeze in shows, especially the ones the wife isn’t interested in watching.

Also, I’m no stranger to the DVR, with our three TiVos in the household (yes, for two people). A recent call to TiVo gave me the realization that I’ve been a subscriber with them for just under 8 years.

Just like the music industry, broadcast television as we know it, is changing. But unlike the music industry, the networks seem to be rolling with the punches and accepting the changes. I’m thankful fit legal channels to watch shows like Hulu.com and iTunes. Bravo to the TV industry for embracing new technologies and coming into the twenty-first century.

About Done With American Idol

// February 21st, 2008 // No Comments » // Kelly Clarkson, Music, Reviews, TV Reviews, TV Talk

So we’re sitting here watching last night’s American Idol and for the second show in a row, I’m bored to tears. I’m just not engaged this year one iota. None of the contestants are standing out to me. There’s not a single contestant I’d waste my time and effort to call in and vote for! The bickering between the three judges is tired. Randy is lame. Paula is incomprehensible, and… well I usually agree with still. Plus, I’m so tired of Fox dragging the show out night after night *and* Fox’s shameless self-promotion and product placement.

So anyway, I’m bored with the show and I think Amanda’s getting there too. I’m this close to cancelling TiVo’s season pass. The show’s run its course. They ignited the careers of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry. Now it’s time to close the curtain on the show.

Added Comments (Amanda): Yeah, I am totally done with American Idol. I was so frustrated and utterly bored last night with the performances, lack of talent, the bickering between the judges, the goofy youthfulness of the contestants… the whole thing was annoying and old. They’ve worn out their welcome for sure. Long gone are the days of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry.

Weathering The Writers Strike, Take Six

// January 28th, 2008 // No Comments » // Personal Crap, TV Talk

You definitely can see tumbleweeds floating across our TiVos, majorly due to the writers’ strike. Typically, we’d be knee-deep in new primetime shows to watch in the evenings – “Prison Break”, “24,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” “Smallville,” etc. to name a few. Instead, we’re scrounging for things to watch most nights.

We have started watching “Holmes on Homes” (no it’s not a porn!) and “It Takes a Thief”, but they get old, and it looks like “It Takes a Thief” is defunct now too. I don’t mind more Xbox 360 time, but Amanda does.

Weathering The Writers Strike, Take Six