Code and Coffee

Starting to revamp the BlueCrestStudios website for the launch of soemthing cool. I came across MAMP, which is along the same lines of LAMP or WAMP. Makes setting up a local web development environment a very easy task. Kudos!

It’s funny the hardest part of this ordeal was actually cancelling cable. In the sens ethat Time Warner makes it as hard as possible to actually cancel cable.

The Mac Mini is setup, cranking out a great resolution and looks great on my 56″ television. I think I will be getting a HD antenna so I can watch some local sport events on my television, but other than that I am loving the new system.

I ended up getting a Apple Wireless Keyboard, just because I did not like how my PC keyboards mapped to the mac OS. Well that, and it is a slick little bluetooth keyboard.

I am still fiddling with Boxee and getting it to work correctly, but mostly I am using Hulu, Netflix, and some downloads. I setup a Google Doc spreadsheet to keep track of the shows I have yet to see.

Nothing beats having a full fledged computer hooked up to the television. It is great to be able to pop open a browser and check some email, or chat with someone, etc.

I successfully got Time Machine backing up to my Windows Home Server. I think I am going to keep my Windows Home Server around, because I will have at least one Windows machine in the house and the Windows Home Server actually does a good job being diverse.

I am extremely happy with the decision, the best part will be saving $150 a month.

In Part I I talked about my beginning process with ditching cable, and today the hardware was ordered.

I ordered a Mac Mini to hook up to my television and receiver in the family room. I know there have been rumors that the Mac Mini will be getting updates, but I can not put off my purchasing decisions based on rumors alone. Beside if they do come out with something new and awesome, the Mac Mini I ordered will become a desktop. I already have a spare wireless mouse and keyboard, so I am good to go there.

I also picked up a DVI to HDMI converter and a converter to allow the Mac Mini to do digital audio out. The order should come in on Thursday.

I also signed up for a beta account of Boxee and started playing with the software, it rocks.

I am going to continue to use my Windows Home Server as my file server for media, backups, subversion repository, etc. I will never be completely Mac or PC, so I need a server that can backup both and have the disk space.

I put my Series 3 Tivo up for sale today as well, will be listing it on eBay soon enough as well.

More to come as progress continues.

I am a NetFlix subscriber, have a Blu Ray player, I am a PC user converting to Mac, I have an XBox, and am paying over $100 a month for cable that I hardly watch. I have the shows that I want to see on a regular basis, and hardly watch live TV anymore. I have noticed recently that I have more than one way to get my media to my television, and am still paying $100 a month for cable. So I am selling my Tivo, and going completely to downloaded media.

I am thinking about getting a Mac Mini and hooking it up to my home theatre so I can acquire my shows through services like Hulu, Boxee, or other means. I do not like the limited capabilities of the Apple TV, so I figure a Mac Mini will be great because I can use it for computer functions like checking EMail, and surfing the web. 

The only time I am picky about the quality of picture and sound is when I am watching a DVD or Blu Ray, because everything streamed is not going to be excellent quality no matter how it is delivered. 

I guess I am just tired of the over pricing, tiered channels, lack of good content, and never really being home to enjoy the service. Media is on demand, and the cable companies just refuse to acknowledge that.

I will let you know how the project progresses as it goes in motion.

The MPAA suffered from an “unknown” amount of layoffs today, and of course not a single news article can write up this story without connecting it to pirating and file swappers.

So when are we going to get over this? When are we going to start looking at the success of companies like Netflix, iTunes, Hulu, and realize that at the end of the day most people are honest. Why doesn’t the MPAA contribute the layoffs to the fact that the economy sucks wind right now, and no one is spending money because they are not making money. And those that are making money are saving that money or spending it on necessities, and MPAA I hate to break it to you but you are not a necessity you are a luxury. Even further, I know you have done a wonderful job at convincing our government that you, like the car industry, deserve to stay in business with an outdated business model because you refuse to change with the times… HOWEVER that is not the case. Times are changing, people are getting their entertainment through other avenues, or SHOCKER other venues besides the bloated over priced way you go about making your movies which you continue to do so you can continue to pad the books, stagger releases, do fuzzy accounting, and make sure the rich get richer.

So I am sorry to hear that people are losing their jobs in your organization, but take a look around it is happening everywhere, with every company; and no one is blaming the pirates but you. Wake up!

E*Trade takes it again in my book, those baby commercials are absolutely unbelievably funny! On their website, they even have outtakes. Check them out below: