http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/ Engadget HD Comments for Engadget HD Podcast 079 - 04.02.2008 http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/why-some-ps3-games-need-installations/#comments). It all started with a post about the fact that since BD reads at a constant speed as opposed to the variable speed of a DVD, developers who (I guess) are just porting over a game don't want to make the adjustments for the read speeds and just have the game install that portion to the hdd instead.

There hasn't been much format war ranting going on lately, thought this might amuse some. ]]>Apr 2nd 2008 1:31PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/Apr 2nd 2008 3:17PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/
Don't worry, it'll work. It'll take all day, but it'll work.

FIOS' HD lineup *is* not great right now but at least we know that by fall we should be having large smiles on our faces and laughing at everyone else (Read: Comcast customers) because our HD won't be touched by Mr. Bandwidth-Saver with most every other carrier. But yeah, the billing department doesn't know left from right.

As far as your podcast volume is concerned have you guys tried using Soundforge? If you use the Wave Hammer or iZotope Multiband Compressor you should be able to get some good volume. It's much better than hitting "normalize."

My name is pronounced "E-Echo" by the way. Steve, you're asian I don't know how you got this one wrong. I would've totally given a pass to Ben though haha.]]>Apr 3rd 2008 11:25AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/
The 360 is too loud to watch movies or TV on, period. Also, the 360 has IR issues with repeaters which I use. So the extenders with their slower performance is a better option for me. As for games, I might play 10 hours a year, which isn't worth $400 to me. If I was going to get a console for games, I'd get a PS3, as my favorite game is Gran Tourismo and only available on the PS3.

Haha, thanks for the tips and the pronunciation of your name.]]>Apr 3rd 2008 11:29AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/
Anyway the only reason I have a 360 is because of Media Center. I already had a PS3 and never had any intention to buy any 360 games, so that's no excuse Mr. First World! But I suppose the jet engine fan is a decent reason not to get one.

Aren't you worried that all those additional ATSC tuners will get Media Center confused?]]>Apr 3rd 2008 11:38AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/
I thought you could set priorities on tuners for viewing and recording with VMC. My plan was to set the CC as the primary viewing tuner and the two ATSC as the recording. There are only a few very rare ocasions when I'll use all three, but I record two OTA shows just about every night.]]>Apr 3rd 2008 11:40AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/
there is no real tuner priority built in with media center but since your hdhomerun channels are 1000+ its a pretty simple process to tell it to do series recordings and have it use the 1000+ channel (which ensures hdhomerun)

couple of other addons id suggest.... webguide, lifextender (for those non cablecard recordings.... for now), tvlibrary or mytv (for those archived tv series) and eventually netflixMC (doesnt work with the extenders yet but it looks like its getting very close... just another way to get content in media center). ]]>Apr 3rd 2008 4:28PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/230583.aspx) but I don't know about prioritizing tuners. This tool may work (http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/244826.aspx) but I bet you'll need to go in and change the value in the registry. That shouldn't be too bad, I think I saw a value for such a thing when I was setting up my four DCT's.]]>Apr 3rd 2008 11:49AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/Apr 3rd 2008 11:58AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/
The 50% HD adotption number will be the big hurdle for Blu-Ray. You joke about, but a lot of people just want a big screen to watch their dvds on. Which was part of my point about Voodoo not really being a player. Selection will not matter as much as name recognition and market penetration.

]]>Apr 3rd 2008 12:05PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/

:)]]>Apr 3rd 2008 4:18PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/
As for blinding brightness, I love the PQ on my sony bravia, but I do turn the backlight down real low (who says that you HAVE to keep it overly bright?). It really helps the black level too.]]>Apr 4th 2008 8:59AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/
An oddly enough, Comcast has added The Weather Channel in HD on this past Wednesday. OK, the channel is blank and just a place holder for now. But my TiVo program guide thinks there's something there (it's just the echo of the SD listing).

Isn't TWCHD due, like, in June sometime? Seems odd to give a place holder such a long lead time. Maybe Comcast knows something.]]>Apr 4th 2008 9:17AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/

http://www.cnet.com/8301-13506_1-9909512-17.html

]]>Apr 4th 2008 3:01PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/
Its my experience that anytime someone still clinging to dvd and crt hears my speakers with uncompressed PCM 5.1, they always respond with "well... it sounds LOUDER... not necessarily better... "

In fact, whenever I say "clear" or "crisp", my home-theater-in-a-box friends have this running joke that i just mean loud. They even use finger air-quotes.

(They were listening to klipsch reference at the time, btw)

Ah, to be naive (they say ignorance is bliss)]]>Apr 4th 2008 10:11PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/
1. Ben, unless you want the HTPC up and running tomorrow, why on earth are you messing with Media Center? VMC doesn't do H.264 in it's current state (when will it?) and the Hauppauge HD-PVR will be out way before the DirecTV unit. Build your own HTPC *with the parts you want, in the form factor you want* and get SageTV. Add their extender and your golden. HDHR for clear QAM and the HD-PVR for everything else via component. H.264 ready out of the box.

2. LCD.s Plasma: To most consumers there is point on the quality scale called "Good Enough". Next to a Kuro the Sammy 81 series may not look as good, but that doesn't matter if you don't have a Kuro sitting next to it. I've got a Sharp 52" D64 that I love...I know there are a lot better sets out there, but for $2100 it was a great price/performance deal. My backlightis at -12 of 16...but it's nice to be able to go brightif I want.

3. FORMULA 1 NOT EXCITING!!!!!! Greatest sport on TV. Yes, passes are tough because of the parity but when they do, at least it's not a oval bore fest :)

Good show.

P]]>Apr 5th 2008 1:52PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/04/02/engadget-hd-podcast-079-04-02-2008/I hear you, but I'm still not sure about the idea of re-encoding all my HD. I'd much rather catch the encoded stream to disk rather than use the USB PVR which captures uncompressed HD and recompreses it. Sure it might not look worse, but it sure can't look better.

Sure many times it comes down to cost, but more often than not people are choosing LCDs over plasmas even when the LCD costs more. Most people think brighter is better and could care less about contrast and color accuracy.

I like F1 as well, main reason I don't watch it is because of the time zone difference and it isn't in HD. I was just kidding around.]]>Apr 5th 2008 1:55PM