I'm a big girl. Just tell me.

Inara ,'Objects In Space'


Buffistechnology 3: "Press Some Buttons, See What Happens."

Got a question about technology? Ask it here. Discussion of hardware, software, TiVos, multi-region DVDs, Windows, Macs, LINUX, hand-helds, iPods, anything tech related. Better than any helpdesk!


omnis_audis - Sep 14, 2014 5:26:52 pm PDT #24099 of 25496
omnis, pursue. That's an order from a shy woman who can use M-16. - Shir

Does anyone have any opinions on the Chromecast vs. the Roku streaming stick?

I just purchased the Amazon FireTV. On the whole, I like it better than my AppleTV. Much faster, no hiccups. The Netflix app interface isn't as good as AppleTV, but it streams a lot better. And with the help of a third party app, I can stream videos from my networked hard drive (Lacie MyCould).

The remote is bluetooth, so probably will not work with a universal remote. But it does show up on my Samsung Anynet+, which allows you to use your TV remote to control the FireTV. No clue how well that works, since I do not use my TV remote.

Amazon FireTV does not have HBOgo yet, but it's been announced "soon" or "before years end" or some such. It's definitely geared towards Amazon Prime. The controls for Amazon stuff is great.

No clue how it compares to Chromecast or Roku, as I do not have either of those. But figured I'd mention the FireTV as an option.


omnis_audis - Sep 14, 2014 5:31:10 pm PDT #24100 of 25496
omnis, pursue. That's an order from a shy woman who can use M-16. - Shir

I have an old iMac, first generation Intel. From like 2006. The screen is dying (tons of lines across it), and it won't run anything close to latest OS. I had a hard drive failure a few years back, and replaced it. So I want to reclaim that puppy before disposing of it. Also wondering if the DVD-R drive is something I could slap into an external enclosure? I figure, if I buy a newer mac, they don't come with optical drives. So why not use that one, right? Just wondering if anyone has any experience opening one of these up?


megan walker - Sep 14, 2014 6:09:24 pm PDT #24101 of 25496
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

I come across enough shows on Hulu Plus that have the "oh so sad we can only stream this on a computer not a device" flag

They do that less and less now. I even watch SYTYCD on my TV now.

Hmm. I should check the shows I would be watching (Arrow, SHIELD, the Flash, possibly Gotham, possibly Constantine

Tep, ARROW and SHIELD are definitely available via TV, though they only keep new episodes up for so long. See also, SLEEPY HOLLOW.


Steph L. - Sep 14, 2014 6:10:32 pm PDT #24102 of 25496
I look more rad than Lutheranism

though they only keep new episodes up for so long.

Due to my compulsive nature, that will not be a problem.


Sean K - Sep 15, 2014 10:07:27 am PDT #24103 of 25496
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty

So.... Adventures in stud finding.

I picked up a rare earth magnet stud finder and hung it on a string, per Gris' suggestion. This *seemed* to work! I ran it along the wall, and it seemed to find a nail or something, and there seemed to be a consistent line up and down. So I drilled.

Into empty wall.

So I tried it again, and again seemed to find a stud about a foot away, so I figured this was the actual stud this time. So I drilled.

Into empty wall.

At that point, I just pulled out a wire hanger, opened the hook slightly, stuck it into both holes, and discovered the stud was precisely in between my two bad holes.

So, now I have my TV mounted to the wall. And several holes in my wall. That are mostly covered up by the TV. Mostly.


-t - Sep 15, 2014 10:13:52 am PDT #24104 of 25496
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

Tricksy wall. Glad you got the TV hung, anyway. When I had walls like that I just gave up.


Gris - Sep 15, 2014 10:44:34 am PDT #24105 of 25496
Hey. New board.

Ha! Sorry, Sean. Maybe there were some finishing naiks or something? Plaster is bad.


Ginger - Sep 15, 2014 10:48:45 am PDT #24106 of 25496
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda

The facilities people at the last place I worked were seriously incompetent picture hangers. Every picture on the wall had four or five holes behind it.


Maria - Sep 15, 2014 10:55:13 am PDT #24107 of 25496
Not so nice is that I'm about to ruin a Friday morning for a bunch of people because of a series of unfortunate events and an upset foreign government. - shrift

You don't want to see my walls. There's lots of spackle and sanding in my future.

Someone please tell me I don't need a Macbook Air. I have two laptops and an iPad Air. But it's really pretty and shiny, and an open box deal.


NoiseDesign - Sep 15, 2014 12:01:33 pm PDT #24108 of 25496
Our wings are not tired

I love my MacBook Air, so I'll be an enabler and say go get it!