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  • Justin N.
  • Member Since May 23rd, 2007
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Joystiq14 Comments
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)1 Comment
Engadget17 Comments
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Joystiq Playstation2 Comments
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Joystiq Xbox2 Comments
Engadget Mobile13 Comments

Recent Comments:

No HDMI doesn't mean you can't have superb sound from your PS3. Use an Optical TOSLINK cable to hook up your PS3 to your receiver, and make sure you check output for Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 sound format support. The PS3 will decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA into LPCM, then recode it into DTS 5.1 on the fly (or extract the DTS core from DTS-HD audio tracks). The beautiful part about this is that the DTS stream is full bandwidth at 1.5Mbps, more than double that of a Dolby Digital 640Kbps stream and slightly higher than an audio CD (a little less than 1.2Mbps). It's still lossy sound compared to the original soundtracks, but unless you're pumping out the audio to some very nice speakers, you probably won't notice the difference if you upgrade (though the difference between DTS and DD can be heard on even consumer HTiB speakers, depending on the person; some people still can't hear the difference, but that's neither here nor there).

TL;DR verison: Use TOSLINK Optical to connect the PS3 to your A/V Receiver. Select Dolby Digital and DTS output in the audio section (or auto-config if you're unsure). Make SURE you use BITSTREAM OUTPUT in video playback, or else you'll get 2.0 Stereo Sound (LPCM, or Lossless output should ONLY be selected when sending audio over HDMI to a properly equipped receiver when using a fat PS3).

I used those same settings for years with my B&W 684s, and they sounded nothing less than divine with a full-bandwidth DTS Soundtrack. You'll still be in for a real treat when everything is configured properly.
Nerf away, I say! Anything to help even the balance between Paladins and Shaman in PvP.

Nerf nerf nerf away!
Heh. Not only were the Shaman and Paladin uncoupled with the release of BC, they became Polar Opposites with regards to PvP and, depending on the patch, DPS output; Shaman were nerfed into the dirt, and...well, the comics speak for themselves, though this one comes to mind as of late: http://cad-comic.com/comic.php?d=20090916
Small world! Yes, I meant Diane. She didn't even have the balls to fire me in person, she waited for me to come in on a Saturday Morning, and told my manager to call her after I opened the store. I chose to call her first, and she fired me -over the freaking phone-. I flipped my shit, much to the celebration of my boss and coworkers there.

Lucky for her, I left without incident. The others, however? Heh, yeah, not so much.

The icing on the cake would be her getting fired and blackballed from the company like she did to me.
I feel your pain, brother. My DM fired me before store closing because I refused to sell pre-orders and told customers to use up their credits. I loved my job there, and would do it again in a heartbeat if I got paid properly for it.
Please excuse my laughter as the stores in WI and IL tend to be in my old DMs region. Sweet, sweet justice for that frigid, wretched bitch.

What? Bitch got what was coming to her. Though knowing her, I bet she -still- hasn't told the employees their store is closing. Poor guys, I do hope they find work again soon.
Who said the discounts were illegal? It's more deciding to honor a coupon or mention a special than altering prices in the system. I'm not flubbing prices, I was staying well within the policies of the company.

Still, nice to see the trolls are still bored enough to pick on someone trying to help the other readers out. /sarcasm
URM0MLIK3SME: No, online prices are independent of the stores themselves. That goes for pretty much any brick-and-mortar store, like Target or Best Buy.

ArchiGamer: No. My store closed in February of 2008, and because of the dismissal by my DM, I've been blackballed from the company. A shame, really; if they paid me $50k and benefits, I'd run the store for the rest of my life. I loved my job.
Just to clarify, I am currently gainfully employed with Medical, Dental, and a decent paycheck, so thanks for the offers, but give them to one of your local closing Game Crazy guys.

@aang1818 You've obviously never worked retail, and are the kind of customer who we never, ever, cut deals for. Just because we may work or even enjoy working retail, does not mean we're uneducated dolts. I may not be a Physics Professor or Scientist, but he could do my job about as well as I could do his. Retail is more than "cashiering".
Speaking as a former Game Crazy Employee myself, who went through a less-than-scrupulous store closure, here's a few tips for those of you clamoring for some deals:

1) Use any and all credit on your account, INCLUDING PRE-ORDERS. "Policy" is to send you a gift card for any credit left on the account after store closure, except 90% of these were lost in the mail and customers never received them. Use every last cent on your accounts.
2) DO NOT PRE-ORDER. When my store closed, we were under strict instructions to lie through our teeth, and keep selling MvP Cards and Pre-Orders under the guise they'd transfer to a "nearby" Game Crazy or Hollywood Video. They don't, and Movie Gallery wound up just keeping the cash. This is the reason I got fired (I told customers to cash out their balances and refused pre-orders, which got me shit-canned; DM trumped it up as opening material to get me out of there).
3) Don't count on systems being available. The employees usually put the sweet stuff in the back first for themselves, then wait until the last few days to buy it for dirt-cheap. This includes systems, Collectors Items, and Accessories (Especially Rock Band/Guitar Hero).
4) If you buy something used, ask the employee nicely for a disc cleaning (exception being BD/HD Movies and PS3 Games; the cleaner WILL ruin them). While we hate using that goopy, nasty disc cleaner, most of us will give you one on the house as the store closes since we know you can't return it. We're not all assholes.
5) If you happen to be in a position of power at another store/business, for the love of christ, OFFER US JOBS. Even giving us your business card helps. We work our asses off for $8.25/hr with no benefits, usually full-time with a healthy dose of overtime, especially with commission gone. Be a pal, and help point us to other jobs or careers, preferably with medical and dental.
6) Don't expect super service. We're pissed that we were stabbed in the back on short notice, so don't expect us to always go the extra mile. More than likely, we're spending our remaining hours ripping the rental library to a modded Xbox or laptop, or erasing Security Tapes. Not saying -I- did those things (Fired for honesty, remember?), but I know some coworkers at other stores who did.
7) The demo stations are not for sale, so don't ask. Seriously, I know the Xbox 360 TV looks sweet and all, but it's not for sale. We have to give it back to Samsung/Microsoft.

That's really about it. More than anything, be nice; we busted our ass for very little pay, enjoyed what we did for the most part, and more than likely didn't find out about our store closing until Joystiq broke the news to us (DM's aren't known for being open with information, or honest for that matter). We're cynical, bitter, and probably hung over in the morning from a pity drinking party, so please be nice to us. If you are, we may even help cut you some deals or put things aside until the final few days of discounts.

And again, offering us real work is always a plus.
Let the hive mind of Engadget get that for you.
"I'm looking for a pair of quality headphones that aren't seemingly made of glass. I'm an avid BMXer which causes me to frequently bash on any type of technology that joins me for my daily riding. I've been through the higher quality headsets in the Skullcandy line as these are supposed to be built for "abuse," which is laughable. I cant wear earbuds or canal buds, as my large ears seem to have a repelling property upon anything that sits in them. Wired or Bluetooth doesn't really matter, but I need something that can hold up to taking a few hits every now and again. I'm trying to keep 'em under $150. Thanks!"

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