Engadget HD Podcast 160 - 10.20.2009
By Trent Wolbe 
posted Oct 20th 2009 1:59PM
posted Oct 20th 2009 1:59PM
Opening the podcast this week is the biggest question on our minds: n that the U.S. mobile DTV standard is officially official, how much bandwidth can we expect it to steal from HD stations? From bitrate counting broadcasts we move on to uncompressed HD streaming and whether it means anything for viewers, the impending online and FiOS launch of Epix HD and whether an SSD upgrade makes sense for HTPC owners. Cheaper and much more easily justified is ATI's Radeon 5750 with bitstreaming audio support, and this week's question for the readers, where do you buy your Blu-ray discs? Closing things out is discussion of the new Transformers flick available today, and you know we had to squeeze in some 3D to close things out.Get the podcast
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Richard Lawler
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Program
01:00 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 159
01:45 - US Mobile DTV standard finally approved
08:00 - Level 3 delivering end to end uncompressed video from Broncos home games
13:20 - Epix HD queues up Iron Man, Madonna and Eddie Izzard for online & FiOS launch October 30
17:20 - Ask Engadget HD: Would an SSD upgrade help my HTPC performance?
25:28 - ATI Radeon HD 5750 brings HDMI bliss to HTPCs for $110
29:03 - Poll: where do you buy your Blu-ray discs now, if you buy them at all?
35:07 - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Blu-ray debuts October 20, check out one of the special features now (Video)
43:25 - 3D cable TV to be demoed at Cable-Tec Expo next week
45:45 - Samsung showing off 55 inches of 240Hz 3D LCD glory
48:00 - Hitachi exhibits 10-inch glasses-free 3D display
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Can I join Richard's boycott? (Just wanted you guys to have a comment)
You guys need a third person. Adding Richard was great so far but the additional perspective adds to the conversation.
I resell all my old electronics too (other than phones and hard drives). Long gone are the days when you would occasionally sell something for more than you bought it for.
I have a closet where the top shelves are full of nothing but boxes that I kept for when I sell or give away my old gadgets.
What good would a 10" 3D TV be? Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope...
Amazon and the post office...
Thats strange that Amazon won't let you pre-purchase postage as Goozex.com (game trading site) allows this feature. I suppose the difference is the game site knows the dimensions and weight of all items in advance where as the same cannot be said for the amazon items.
Have you heard that the new John Woo movie, Red Cliff, is going to be released in VOD and on XBox a full month before the theatrical release.
And, I swear, the podcast is much easier to listen to in double-speed! While Richard is sometimes hard to follow, Ben's voice sounds perfectly normal.
Richard, your ps3 - Only thing that'll change when you get your PS3 will be the extra device collecting dust.... Mine might get dusted off for uncharted 2 but i'll probably wait to snag that one used still. nothing gets the comments flowing like some quality console fanboy trolling! haha
UK uses 110/120volts AC at 50Hz and 220/240volts AC at 50Hz. US uses 110/120volts AC at 60Hz and 220/240volts AC at 60Hz. I say 110/120 volt because the standard was 110volts and how most of the time you will find voltage is 110-120volts. If you are ever someplace that has a 3 or 4 prong 220/240volt AC you can make 2 separate 120volt AC out of it. 220/240volts AC has 2 hots and 1 neutral and hopefully a ground. The voltage across the hots is 220/240volts while the voltage across the 1 hot to neutral(or ground) is 110/120volts AC. 220/240volts AC is more efficient because at 110/120volts you may need 15amps to run a piece of equipment while at 220/240volts you will only need 7 amps to run the same equipment(assuming it is setup to run on either voltage). This is nice because it requires smaller wire for installation and allows for smaller(cheaper) fuses/beakers. Just thought you guys would like that cleared up.
Cory
I have a question related to the SSD discussion. For better performance for a Media Center PC would you recommend installing the OS on a single large drive, like a 1.5 to 2 terabyte drive, and using that same drive to store all your recorded TV, or would it be better to install the OS on a smaller drive, like 320 GB, and have a separate large drive for recorded TV? I worry that if I use one large drive that when it fills to capacity that the performance of the OS will be hampered. I have also heard rumors that large capacity drives are more likely to fail and if I had a smaller drive with the OS, I could at least play back the TV backed up to my home server, and not be totally out of the game like I would be with one large drive if it fails.
Disclaimer: Yes, I am an AT&T employee.
Ok, I am finally getting around to challenging your view that the FIOS DVR is the best TV Provider solution. Uverse already has the whole home DVR with the unified Guide/recording and it looks reasonable (smiliar to WMC). However, it doesn't support live buffers off the extenders.
Just to be clear, I do use 7MC to view my content in the main areas. Why? I want my content (commercial free) when and where I want it. In addition, I want unified HD and SD channels on the same number. If only we had the new extenders, I would have my content everywhere in the house.