2008 Technology Roundup

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Expand view Topic review: 2008 Technology Roundup

by Worm » Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:34 pm

I don't see why anyone would have thought the elite was a high end piece of equipment, beside the price.

by AArdvark » Mon Dec 15, 2008 4:06 pm

That's because they were so busy trying to get the console on the shelves they couldn't look ahead at the far end of the market. Just get it out there and fix what they can later. When the Xbox um....720 comes out they'll have two out of four things that everyone else will want. like holo3D graphics and surround sound but no interactive controllers (like the Wii) and no solidRam drive.



THE
NEXTGEN
AARDVARK

by Lex » Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:34 am

With an Elite 360 (and newer white ones if they do HDMI) hooking up HDMI with the official cable doesn't allow 5.1 surround sound. No Optical Out.

Seriously. I am astonished that Microsoft didn't recognise that the key market they are aiming high-end HD compatibility at are also the people with DTS and 5.1 set ups.

by Flack » Tue Dec 02, 2008 3:41 pm

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:
Flack wrote: I don't know specifically which 360 cable you bought, but I see they have a 360 to VGA one for $7.50
Jesus Christ! While I was salivating and distracted by the Yumiko posts (moshi moshi!!!) -- Jesus Mary, Mother of God! When I went looking for a cable like that before, some damnable bastard that thought I a rube wanted thirty bucks for it over the Internet! Seven Fifty!!! Seven Fifty!!!

This is OUTSTANDING NEWS. This lets me delay getting a widescreen LCD monitor for a few months. This ALSO lets me actually have a prayer at finishing Dead Rising and Braid. Flack, I salute you.
Yeah, that place is awesome. I don't know how they do it but they have some cheap ass cables there. I saw a Digg article a while back where someone compared some of their cables to the high end stuff and the general consensus was as long as you weren't going any great length, they were fine. I think the cut off was around 10' or so -- anything longer than that and the cheapos started losing signal. I've got a couple of 6' ones and they look awesome to me. Then again, I never saw the problem with cassette tapes either so, I might not be a great judge. ;)

by Ice Cream Jonsey » Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:33 am

Worm wrote:haha, wow. I hope he left early!

EDIT: Keyboards and mice.
How dare you? I didn't read this at first, either.

I never understood the concept of a gaming mouse.
I really do like trackballs, but I finally understand why people like WASD and mice so much. I was Dukematching at Walrustitty's house over the weekend and -- and I realize this has nothing to do with "gaming" mice, I am just babbling about shit, so walk with me -- for the first time I tried WASD and a mouse in an on-line FPS. It was nice! It was all right. Normally Jeff crushes my scores, but I was able to hang with him until we had played for about an hour, after which I just wanted to grab the Jetpak in Duke and "rain death" upon people using the pipe bombs.


There's just no real reason to avoid a wireless mouse at this point. It's like being the guy who won't adopt infrared for whatever reason.
In my defense, I did not adapt to the infrared standard, I don't think? I mean, my body did - it's warm blooded - but that's it?

Basically it's a great keyboard and if you want a "new" model M you're dropping 100+ on it anyway(or just swallow your pride and hit the salvation army). There are tons of features up on Das' site. It's basically a buckling spring except not exactly as loud and the keys press way easier.
Yeah, you basically sold me on the DAS. I can't stand not being able to see the keys thanks to having to enter passwords everywhere on the net, but now that they have keycaps, I'm on board. Thanks for the review.

by Ice Cream Jonsey » Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:28 am

Worm wrote:
Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:
Worm wrote:haha, wow. I hope he left early!
What's this, now?
I didn't leave early enough and boy oh boy did I pay for it. Even though you're flying I have to believe leaving early could have fixed all your problems.
Flying is usually the most annoying thing I do out of my own free will.

I was offered an upgrade to first class on the flight from Chicago to Denver for $70. They saw I was stuck in the middle. Christ, that's the last time I am ever going to let myself be stuck in the middle.

I thought I was gonna be able to switch, because a guy and his wife were in rows 29 and 30 on the aisle. Surely they'd want to sit next to each other, right? So the wife would get my middle seat, and I'd get her aisle seat? But no! They never even asked! And I had my "friendly" face on! The one I get when I am relating tales of Cito Gaston.

I guess that is gonna be the litmus test for my eventual marriage, should it ever happen, as well as my life. "Will I want to sit next to my wife on a two hour flight?" If the answer is no, then let al-Qaeda do whatever the hell they want to the plane with me on it, I deserve whatever they do to us.

by Ice Cream Jonsey » Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:24 am

Flack wrote: I don't know specifically which 360 cable you bought, but I see they have a 360 to VGA one for $7.50
Jesus Christ! While I was salivating and distracted by the Yumiko posts (moshi moshi!!!) -- Jesus Mary, Mother of God! When I went looking for a cable like that before, some damnable bastard that thought I a rube wanted thirty bucks for it over the Internet! Seven Fifty!!! Seven Fifty!!!

This is OUTSTANDING NEWS. This lets me delay getting a widescreen LCD monitor for a few months. This ALSO lets me actually have a prayer at finishing Dead Rising and Braid. Flack, I salute you.

by Worm » Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:25 pm

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:
Worm wrote:haha, wow. I hope he left early!
What's this, now?
I didn't leave early enough and boy oh boy did I pay for it. Even though you're flying I have to believe leaving early could have fixed all your problems.

by Ice Cream Jonsey » Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:15 pm

Worm wrote:haha, wow. I hope he left early!
What's this, now?

by Worm » Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:33 pm

haha, wow. I hope he left early!

EDIT: Keyboards and mice.

I never understood the concept of a gaming mouse. My hand is at best a 100 DPI device which makes the premise of a 1600 DPI mouse laughable. What I'm using now is a wireless rocketfish, the best thing about this mouse is that it has a 800 to 1600 DPI button, since I'm nowhere as accurate as the gamers out there who are targeting the elite crew's nose hair in CS, this serves as a speed up/slow down switch which is pretty useful for me. There's just no real reason to avoid a wireless mouse at this point. It's like being the guy who won't adopt infrared for whatever reason.

I sprung for a 80 dollar Das keyboard a few days ago and really liked it. Then I spilled a soda on it, it still worked! But while I was trying to clean it I broke off a switch. The nice people at Das sent me the 130 upgraded model (which I'd never drop 130 bucks on) since I was just in warranty and I'm so charming and shit. I gotta say it's much more sweet than the original.

The biggest improvement is that the f and j keys are marked normally rather than the annoying "scoop" design the original had. The original Das seemed to have more tender keys, just leaving your fingers to rest on a key could cause it to switch which was pretty annoying.

Basically it's a great keyboard and if you want a "new" model M you're dropping 100+ on it anyway(or just swallow your pride and hit the salvation army). There are tons of features up on Das' site. It's basically a buckling spring except not exactly as loud and the keys press way easier.

Having it be blank is just to make it look cool. I'm sure it makes me a better typist or whatever but what the real advantage is that you won't have to look at your keys fade, and won't have to watch your keyboard get more and more filthy. Definitely a keyboard for smokers.

by ICJ » Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:10 pm

I'll be back late tomorrow to make this place readable again.

by Yumiko » Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:10 am

Thanks, Robb. The terms of conclusions drawn from the moment I put the thread on. Ahh, HDTV! I fully tapping into that.

Pinback is not give a damn? Not really? Oh yeah.

by Flack » Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:28 am

hygraed wrote:I decided the other day that I would man the fuck up and buy an Xbox 360. Of course, I don't own a TV or an external monitor (I just do everything on a laptop) so I would have to buy something capable of running an Xbox 360 in HD. Also, there are no Ethernet jacks in this part of the house, so I would have to buy the 360 wireless adapter. Also, connecting the 360 to a monitor or TV via HDMI requires a special cable from Microsoft.

So, cost of the actual game system: $300
Cost of method of seeing what said system does: $260 + $50 for cable
Cost of device for connecting said system to the internet: $100

Total initial cost of Xbox 360: $710 plus applicable fees and taxes

I hope I get pawnable shit for Christmas.
A while back a fellow geek turned me on to Monoprice and my God, I'll never buy another cable for anything anywhere else ever again. Seriously. Here's a 3' HDMI Cable for $4. I don't know specifically which 360 cable you bought, but I see they have a 360 to VGA one for $7.50 and a 4-in-1 Component Cable for $8.41. Even with shipping they are crazy cheap. A couple of years ago I had to buy a couple of 50' s-video and component cables for running to my projector and Monoprice was the cheapest place by far.

As for your initial investment, I feel ya. I remember buying a PS2 at launch for $300 ... and then two games for $50 each and a $50 controller and maybe a memory card or something. That shit adds up quick, yo. That's nothing though compared to the PS3. I bought a launch PS3 for $599, and then added three games at $60 and a second controller and I think some Tums for all the heartburn by then. Stupid credit cards ...

Re: 2008 Technology Roundup

by Worm » Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:36 am

CO wrote:I'm loving my "new" sony 34" wega trinitron HDTV which works almost new and I got for only $200 off craigslist. I'm pissed though because yesterday I saw the same one in the free section being given away by an estate.
You also could have gotten a vizio on ebay for like 377 (or in a store) but ebay is doing a 25% cash back through microsoft, and has 10% coupons. So you probably would have ended up paying 200 for that. I got a Bravia flat screen and ended up paying 400 bucks for it (400 bucks of paypal credit, SCORE).

I mean buying anything right now is a losing game, since everything is bottoming out. So there will always be better deals tomorrow, but you don't want to be the rube who waited for the economy to get better to buy an HDTV.
hygraed wrote:Also, connecting the 360 to a monitor or TV via HDMI requires a special cable from Microsoft.
No you don't need a special HDMI cable, any old one will do. Right now I'm using an HDMI to DVI cable. Take it back and just google HDMI cable and buy one for like 5 bucks. Also you can find wireless adapters reasonably cheap if you buy them refurbished. Furthermore if you take an old wireless router you can put custom firmware on it and convert it into a wireless bridge (which is kind of a pain in the ass) but COME ON MAN JESUS CHRIST!

I have plenty to say about keyboards and mice, but LATER!

by hygraed » Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:17 am

I decided the other day that I would man the fuck up and buy an Xbox 360. Of course, I don't own a TV or an external monitor (I just do everything on a laptop) so I would have to buy something capable of running an Xbox 360 in HD. Also, there are no Ethernet jacks in this part of the house, so I would have to buy the 360 wireless adapter. Also, connecting the 360 to a monitor or TV via HDMI requires a special cable from Microsoft.

So, cost of the actual game system: $300
Cost of method of seeing what said system does: $260 + $50 for cable
Cost of device for connecting said system to the internet: $100

Total initial cost of Xbox 360: $710 plus applicable fees and taxes

I hope I get pawnable shit for Christmas.

Re: 2008 Technology Roundup

by CO » Mon Nov 24, 2008 5:08 pm

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:HDTV: Jesus Christ, how could I be happy with my normal tv? I fucking KNEW this would happen when I finally watched something in high definition. And tonight I'll be watching Saints-Packers in HD. And - and! - my brother said he spent less on his HDTV than I did on my dull-as-dirt flatscreen CRT tv a few years ago. Infuriating! RATING: A+
I'm loving my "new" sony 34" wega trinitron HDTV which works almost new and I got for only $200 off craigslist. I'm pissed though because yesterday I saw the same one in the free section being given away by an estate.
Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:Wireless Keyboard and Mouse: Eh, actually, I am not all about these. My father calls me a keyboard snob.
I don't see the point of having to use batteries in a keyboard but I'm loving my wireless mouse. I can't tell you how much I hate trying to mouse down the screen and the stupid cord catches on something.

by Flack » Mon Nov 24, 2008 1:33 pm

I bought my first HD television this year, too. I'm running the 360 and the PS3 both in 1080p now and man, they look sharp. Definitely addictive. I have not yet sprung for digital cable only because I know when I do I will have to replace every television in our house with an HD-capable set.

I'm torn on the widescreen monitors. I enjoy them, but half of my computers are old enough that they do not support the widescreen resolutions. And even on the ones that do, full screen (a'la MAME) still look funky.

I'm with you on wireless keyboards and mice. I've never understood the appeal -- I just don't type that far from my monitor, I guess. I've been using free Dell keyboards and mice for so long, I wouldn't know what to do with one that cost more than $10. A treat for me isn't a wireless one; it's finding an old IBM one that weighs 10lbs and clicks loud enough to keep the whole family awake at night.

2008 Technology Roundup

by Ice Cream Jonsey » Mon Nov 24, 2008 10:27 am

Here are my opinions on several "new" pieces of technology I have been introduced to lately.

HDTV: Jesus Christ, how could I be happy with my normal tv? I fucking KNEW this would happen when I finally watched something in high definition. And tonight I'll be watching Saints-Packers in HD. And - and! - my brother said he spent less on his HDTV than I did on my dull-as-dirt flatscreen CRT tv a few years ago. Infuriating! RATING: A+

Widescreen Computer Monitors: My dad picked up one of these. How could I ever have been happy on a regular CRT? A 19" computer monitor and that is it? It is to laugh! Text games, for instance, are so much better. Plus, they are amazing to program upon. Argh! Infuriating! I gotta get one of these. RATING: A+

Surround Sound: I am currently listening to some Acceptance songs, and music is arriving BEHIND me. The whole room is an acoustic mindstorm! This beats two computer speakers and/or headphones. RATING: A+

Wireless Keyboard and Mouse: Eh, actually, I am not all about these. My father calls me a keyboard snob. It's not that I am a keyboard snob, I just saw the keyboard "complete" and finished with the IBM Model M back in the 80s. Buckling springs for life! RATING: N/A

... I guess that is all the technology I have encountered. Well, Da King's giant-ass HDTV with the Playstation 3 was cool. Little Big Planet, the game, is an excellent party game, though I wasn't sure what I had to do a lot of the time. But still a lot of fun. RATING: A-

I guess there is something to be said in not spending all your free entertainment dollars on arcade games from 1980. Techology marches ever onwards.

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