tugrik

Today we got our HD-capable receiver back. We gave it (and the wonderful pictures and images) up some time ago in favor of going the PVR route. We'd rather time-shift and actually see the few TV programs we watch than catch the occasional HD image if we happened to be there at the right time. We keep waiting for an HD-PVR to come out -- but thanks to DRM and other insanity the one we want (known as the Dish Network PVR921) keeps being delayed.

An interim solution is now in place.

revar and I ran three coax lines to the room, doing the Home Improvement thing for a few hours. Revar took a properly perverse satisfaction in staplegunning cables to death while I bored holes in the house using a masonry bit and a hammerdrill. Tooooooools. When it was all done it looks pretty darn professional and is far cheaper than paying the local satellite-jocks to come do it for us.

We've still got the 2-tuner PVR and it's happily recording our shows so we don't miss them... but now the HD receiver is alit in the same rack, letting us swap to it when we wish. Why do this? Two quick reasons:

1. TV is pretty again. Perfect example: Discovery HD Theater. If you like nature shows, outdoor exploration or other Discovery programming, seeing it in HD is just stunning. One show about the critters living in japanese rice farming land was awash with long, beautiful shots of rain over the fields and simple huts. The show about religious architecture in Tibet had colors that you normally can't see on TV. This sure beats the heck out of 'reality TV' as the networks define it.

2. Having

dustykat and other sport-liking friends over for fun TV-watching parties again. HDNet just added 65 NHL games to their lineup this season. The other HD channels we get have soccer and a few other sports that are much more fun to watch hi-def. Even Revar, the anti-sportswatching among us, enjoys a few sports when things are this pretty.

So, Dusty... the new codec for the sport channel ships in next week (yes, our hardware needed an upgrade). Ready to come over and have hockey nights? :)

(hey, if I abuse my acronym quota, the least I can do is define it behind a cut tag, no?)

PVR: Personal Video Recorder. It records shows to a hard drive, allowing you to more easily 'time-shift': record something when it's on so you can watch it later. PVR is the generic for "TiVo".

HD (or HDTV or HiDef): High Definition television broadcasts, also known as "ATSC". I love HD stuff. Been playing with it on and off since it was first proposed back during my college years. I even have some leftover tuners and other gear if folks local want to try such stuff out.

DRM: Digital Rights Management. This is a set of laws, technologies and corporate bullying all put together to make sure that nobody can illegally copy material. It's usually installed in the most brutish, consumer-annoying way possible while still being weak or poorly implemented enough that it only takes a few days for your basic hacker type to disable anyways. DRM requirements have stalled, disabled, dumbed-down or outright killed a huge number of upcoming technology products. You can thank the MPAA, RIAA and all the other 'let's make money with lawyers instead of adapting to a changing world" groups out there for this one.