If its a Samsung, you ask the company to mail you a cablecard with the update on it, stick it in the tv, power up and it automagically updates the firmware.
The answer to this one is simple. Many (most?) people do most of their watching using the TV sound. With the derth of HD programming available, its just not worth the extra time, cost (electricity) and hassle of turning on the full surround system to watch "Leave It To Beaver" re-runs on Nick.
At least that's the way I am. 90% of the time, I use TV audio. I only turn on the good sound if Im watching a movie (DVD), playing a game, watching sports (OTA-HD).
This is a chance for all of us to return our discs, working or not, to where we bought them and cause massive losses to Sony for all the crap they have done.
Maybe if we can get this to cost them a lot of money, they would drop the whole useless DRM thing?
Look, Government should be run like a business. Profit and loss. If you dont have enough income, you cant just steal more (raise taxes), you need to cut spending.
Whatever you feel about Bill, he IS a helluva business man. He might even be able to bring us a balanced budged, reduce the defecit, reduce the size (and scope) of government (fuck, wife interrupted and I lost my train of thought)....
you deserve the DRM laden, incompatible media you get from supporting an entity that treats its customers like thieves and purposfully damages their property.
I know boycotts dont work, but I dont want to hear any bitching when you cant move your media of choice to the viewing device (or OS) of your choice.
It doesn't seem to me that the problem with older gamers will be with the ability to control the games, the problem will be with the interest in available games.
I used to play a lot of games, prefering the arcade and adventure type. I enjoy games along the lines of pac-man, battlezone, asteroids, diablo (I-II), warcraft (I-II), starcraft and things like morrowwind. As games shifted more to the side-scrolling fighters and shooters, my money and interest went elsewhere.
Current generations will face the same problem when the next generation genre comes out. New style that just doesnt fit their interest and time to hunt the bargain bins for older titles.
Part of the problem with that is if you go against the groupthink. Just as here at Slashdot, if you express an opinion based on observed circumstances and it goes against the norm, it will be modded out regardless of its veracity.
See for example, most any complaint against a variant of Linux. They are modded offtopic, redundant or most commonly as trolls if they show the truth and not the ideal as decided by the mob.
So lets do away with all those video cards that run the latest games at 70 FPS because the human eye can only resolve about 35FPS. And tell all the printers to get rid of their 2400DPI DTP machines because the cheepo 300DPI machines are good enough. Why bother with a new format for audio when MP3 encodes for sounds above the range of human hearing.
The simple answer is, we live in an analog world and until our digital technologies become so good we cannot separate them from analog quality, we will need to get better, faster, larger, stronger, brighter.....
Besides, Sony is evil with all their DRM and rootkits. Anyone who actually BUYS a restriction encrusted BluRay DVD deserves it when they can no longer watch what they want, when they want to on equipment they already paid for.
Just remember at this tea party that one of the major forces you want to throw into the river is Sony.
DONT buy Sony TV DONT buy Sony Stereo DONT buy Sony PS3
I know it will be very difficult for most of the readers here, but I bet with one hand they give all that is the RIAA/DRM/BluRay the finger and with the other hand they give over wads of dough to one of the major forces behind all this evil.
Give sony a message. Let the pallets of PS3 rot in the warehouses. But being who the crowd at slashdot is, I suspect many of you will be outside BestBuy at 12AM on release day.
Hmm, who to reply to? An intersting that a comment answering a direct question with personal experince was moderated a Troll.... but anywho....
No, I didnt contact the developers, I just reformatted the HD and the CD-RW so I could try again at a later date. Ubuntu wasnt my first crack at (L)Unix.
I used a version of SystemV way back, then pulled something called "Slackware" around 1994. In 1998 I got pissed at M$ and switched everything over to Mandrake. That lasted for about a year and I tried Redhat, which lasted for another year. I got tired of fighting with a computer that couldnt remember its configuration and wiped it all around 2000, going to NT4 which worked fine until I got a laptop with XP at which point I switched everything over to XP.
I keep trying to go back to Linux, but every time it pisses me off. Secret codes, resetting preferences, no documentation, resetting preferences, hidden functions, resetting preferences. When I sit down to my computer, I want to DO work on my computer, not work on my computer. Ubuntu was supposed to be (from the reviews I could find) one of the best Linux out there. It wasnt. I tried it, Debian 3.5something (I think, maybe 3.15something) and something called SLAX which was actually pretty good. I keep a copy of the SLAX Live CD for when I need to do linux stuff on the computer. I would probably install SLAX but I've a bitter taste from the other stuff I've downloaded or bought.
I want to use a modern OS. Vista wont be it. MacOS seems pretty good, but the last version of it I used was OS8. Once the Apple/Intel thing gets started I will probably buy one. But until Linux gets their act straight, offers some decent documentation, and is an OS that by-fucking-god remembers what resolution I set the screen to, it's out of the question.
Some examples of why Ubuntu got tossed back off the HD
1: It would not reset the screen resolution. Trying to use it with an older monitor that only did 800x600 and it kept resetting to 1024x768. Worse, if I managed to get logged in, it would re-sync AGAIN once the user space loaded.
2: I needed to reset my IP address so I could connect directly to my router (special subnet needed). Ubuntu, at first, wouldnt let me get into the network configuration because it didnt supply me with a root password. Once I found the work around that, it wouldnt change IP addresses until I did a reboot, and then had to deal with the screen resolution problem again.
3. After loading the OS, Ubuntu TRIED to download GIGS of updates to installed software without first checking the connection. As I live in a *VERY* rural area, my connect speed is usually around 21Kbps. When it told me it would take 3 weeks to load updates, the drive got wiped.
There are more problems, but linux is finally starting to be usable as an OS. At least now, the newer versions can recognize my network without a bunch of voodoo even if they still have a hard time sharing files properly (for me). I just hope linux is more useful by the time XP is dropped. My next computer will probably run MacOS *IF* I can find all the software I need to run.
Someone who doesnt have their head in a hole, how refreshing.
A few months back there was a map posted showing satellite data on who were the largest pollution producers on earth. The east coast of China was the most polluted site on the map. Consider how much junk in your house is stamped "made in China" or "made in Taiwan" then consider who to blame for pollution.
The U.S. is one of the leaders in environmental laws, emission controls and pollution controls. Witness the toxins released in uncontrolled countries like Mexico and India to see who really needs to clean up their acts.
I accept these same risks everyday when I walk out of my house. But I also know that if somebody stole money from me, I can expect the police to do nothing about it.
I fixed your post for you. You obviously have never been robbed/mugged/burglarized.
Actually, to be totally accurate, NC-17 was created to replace the X rating because the porn industry had created their own XXX rating. A rating, BTW, that is not official, just created by the porn industry for their own use.
'cause years of working around chemicals has done some permanent damage to both short and long term memory. Chances are good in a week I wont remember that site.
But if something annoys me enough, I add it as a 127 to hosts, then when I click the link it fails and thats usually enough to remind me that it was a site I didnt want to go to.
I do the same thing with "flash only" sites. First I send an email to the webmaster telling them its a bad idea to alienate their customer base that only has dialup, then I block it out.
Wow, what an incredibly annoying website. It loaded up some crap, distorted rap thing in the background with no (obvious) way to turn it off. I'll give it ten seconds then add it to hosts as a 127 url.
Because the simple fact is, many parents are clueless. The could not set up any kind of filtering software on their own computer, so rely on someone who IS competent to do it for them. Kinda like fixing a car, sure you could try on your own, but often the best results are obtained by taking the problem to a professional.
I am not a censorship supporter, but this law sounds like a good thing to me. Opt-in to get the benefits, do nothing and nothing will change. Also, there are still many people out there who try and hold morals higher than the gutter can support. Laws like this are a way to help them in their homes and with their families. Seems like another case of the ACLU trying to bring everyone else to the lowest common point.
MPEG4 is a pretty good signal. Check out some of the (already available) HD stuff at www.divx.com. Here is a link to the main page, and 2ndly to an HD trailer (not sure the resolution):
http://www.divx.com/movies/?src=toptab_movies_fr om _/index.php http://trailers.divx.com/WB/CorpseBri de.avi
I dont do HTML, so if someone wants to make those clicky, feel free.
BTW, I do contract installs for DTV and our office/warehouse/management is all clueless about what and when. I get more info from the internet than I do directly from DTV.
Slashdot Mirror
how do you update the firmware on your TV?)
If its a Samsung, you ask the company to mail you a cablecard with the update on it, stick it in the tv, power up and it automagically updates the firmware.
Kevin
The answer to this one is simple. Many (most?) people do most of their watching using the TV sound. With the derth of HD programming available, its just not worth the extra time, cost (electricity) and hassle of turning on the full surround system to watch "Leave It To Beaver" re-runs on Nick.
At least that's the way I am. 90% of the time, I use TV audio. I only turn on the good sound if Im watching a movie (DVD), playing a game, watching sports (OTA-HD).
Kevin
This is a chance for all of us to return our discs, working or not, to where we bought them and cause massive losses to Sony for all the crap they have done.
Maybe if we can get this to cost them a lot of money, they would drop the whole useless DRM thing?
Kevin
What, did someone lose count or was she just into her work?
Dirk! Is that you?
Look, Government should be run like a business. Profit and loss. If you dont have enough income, you cant just steal more (raise taxes), you need to cut spending.
Whatever you feel about Bill, he IS a helluva business man. He might even be able to bring us a balanced budged, reduce the defecit, reduce the size (and scope) of government (fuck, wife interrupted and I lost my train of thought)....
Kevin
you deserve the DRM laden, incompatible media you get from supporting an entity that treats its customers like thieves and purposfully damages their property.
I know boycotts dont work, but I dont want to hear any bitching when you cant move your media of choice to the viewing device (or OS) of your choice.
Kevin
It doesn't seem to me that the problem with older gamers will be with the ability to control the games, the problem will be with the interest in available games.
I used to play a lot of games, prefering the arcade and adventure type. I enjoy games along the lines of pac-man, battlezone, asteroids, diablo (I-II), warcraft (I-II), starcraft and things like morrowwind. As games shifted more to the side-scrolling fighters and shooters, my money and interest went elsewhere.
Current generations will face the same problem when the next generation genre comes out. New style that just doesnt fit their interest and time to hunt the bargain bins for older titles.
Kevin
Part of the problem with that is if you go against the groupthink. Just as here at Slashdot, if you express an opinion based on observed circumstances and it goes against the norm, it will be modded out regardless of its veracity.
See for example, most any complaint against a variant of Linux. They are modded offtopic, redundant or most commonly as trolls if they show the truth and not the ideal as decided by the mob.
Kevin
Ah, but its a good idea to aim at the older gamers, I mean, which is more likely to pay for their game?
Kevin
...and nobody will ever need more than 640k.....
So lets do away with all those video cards that run the latest games at 70 FPS because the human eye can only resolve about 35FPS. And tell all the printers to get rid of their 2400DPI DTP machines because the cheepo 300DPI machines are good enough. Why bother with a new format for audio when MP3 encodes for sounds above the range of human hearing.
The simple answer is, we live in an analog world and until our digital technologies become so good we cannot separate them from analog quality, we will need to get better, faster, larger, stronger, brighter.....
Besides, Sony is evil with all their DRM and rootkits. Anyone who actually BUYS a restriction encrusted BluRay DVD deserves it when they can no longer watch what they want, when they want to on equipment they already paid for.
Kevin
Just remember at this tea party that one of the major forces you want to throw into the river is Sony.
DONT buy Sony TV
DONT buy Sony Stereo
DONT buy Sony PS3
I know it will be very difficult for most of the readers here, but I bet with one hand they give all that is the RIAA/DRM/BluRay the finger and with the other hand they give over wads of dough to one of the major forces behind all this evil.
Give sony a message. Let the pallets of PS3 rot in the warehouses. But being who the crowd at slashdot is, I suspect many of you will be outside BestBuy at 12AM on release day.
Kevin
Hmm, who to reply to? An intersting that a comment answering a direct question with personal experince was moderated a Troll.... but anywho....
No, I didnt contact the developers, I just reformatted the HD and the CD-RW so I could try again at a later date. Ubuntu wasnt my first crack at (L)Unix.
I used a version of SystemV way back, then pulled something called "Slackware" around 1994. In 1998 I got pissed at M$ and switched everything over to Mandrake. That lasted for about a year and I tried Redhat, which lasted for another year. I got tired of fighting with a computer that couldnt remember its configuration and wiped it all around 2000, going to NT4 which worked fine until I got a laptop with XP at which point I switched everything over to XP.
I keep trying to go back to Linux, but every time it pisses me off. Secret codes, resetting preferences, no documentation, resetting preferences, hidden functions, resetting preferences. When I sit down to my computer, I want to DO work on my computer, not work on my computer. Ubuntu was supposed to be (from the reviews I could find) one of the best Linux out there. It wasnt. I tried it, Debian 3.5something (I think, maybe 3.15something) and something called SLAX which was actually pretty good. I keep a copy of the SLAX Live CD for when I need to do linux stuff on the computer. I would probably install SLAX but I've a bitter taste from the other stuff I've downloaded or bought.
I want to use a modern OS. Vista wont be it. MacOS seems pretty good, but the last version of it I used was OS8. Once the Apple/Intel thing gets started I will probably buy one. But until Linux gets their act straight, offers some decent documentation, and is an OS that by-fucking-god remembers what resolution I set the screen to, it's out of the question.
Kevin
Some examples of why Ubuntu got tossed back off the HD
1: It would not reset the screen resolution. Trying to use it with an older monitor that only did 800x600 and it kept resetting to 1024x768. Worse, if I managed to get logged in, it would re-sync AGAIN once the user space loaded.
2: I needed to reset my IP address so I could connect directly to my router (special subnet needed). Ubuntu, at first, wouldnt let me get into the network configuration because it didnt supply me with a root password. Once I found the work around that, it wouldnt change IP addresses until I did a reboot, and then had to deal with the screen resolution problem again.
3. After loading the OS, Ubuntu TRIED to download GIGS of updates to installed software without first checking the connection. As I live in a *VERY* rural area, my connect speed is usually around 21Kbps. When it told me it would take 3 weeks to load updates, the drive got wiped.
There are more problems, but linux is finally starting to be usable as an OS. At least now, the newer versions can recognize my network without a bunch of voodoo even if they still have a hard time sharing files properly (for me). I just hope linux is more useful by the time XP is dropped. My next computer will probably run MacOS *IF* I can find all the software I need to run.
Kevin
Why is it in these days of political correctness and sensitivity we still use outdated phrases like "the man" when it could really be "the woman"?
Kevin
Someone who doesnt have their head in a hole, how refreshing.
A few months back there was a map posted showing satellite data on who were the largest pollution producers on earth. The east coast of China was the most polluted site on the map. Consider how much junk in your house is stamped "made in China" or "made in Taiwan" then consider who to blame for pollution.
The U.S. is one of the leaders in environmental laws, emission controls and pollution controls. Witness the toxins released in uncontrolled countries like Mexico and India to see who really needs to clean up their acts.
Kevin
I still have that episode on video tape somewhere :)
Kevin
I accept these same risks everyday when I walk out of my house. But I also know that if somebody stole money from me, I can expect the police to do nothing about it.
I fixed your post for you. You obviously have never been robbed/mugged/burglarized.
Kevin
Actually, to be totally accurate, NC-17 was created to replace the X rating because the porn industry had created their own XXX rating. A rating, BTW, that is not official, just created by the porn industry for their own use.
Kevin
'cause years of working around chemicals has done some permanent damage to both short and long term memory. Chances are good in a week I wont remember that site.
But if something annoys me enough, I add it as a 127 to hosts, then when I click the link it fails and thats usually enough to remind me that it was a site I didnt want to go to.
I do the same thing with "flash only" sites. First I send an email to the webmaster telling them its a bad idea to alienate their customer base that only has dialup, then I block it out.
Kevin
Wow, what an incredibly annoying website. It loaded up some crap, distorted rap thing in the background with no (obvious) way to turn it off. I'll give it ten seconds then add it to hosts as a 127 url.
Kevin
Because the simple fact is, many parents are clueless. The could not set up any kind of filtering software on their own computer, so rely on someone who IS competent to do it for them. Kinda like fixing a car, sure you could try on your own, but often the best results are obtained by taking the problem to a professional.
I am not a censorship supporter, but this law sounds like a good thing to me. Opt-in to get the benefits, do nothing and nothing will change. Also, there are still many people out there who try and hold morals higher than the gutter can support. Laws like this are a way to help them in their homes and with their families. Seems like another case of the ACLU trying to bring everyone else to the lowest common point.
Kevin
So which side were they trying to show? Burnt out bulbs for the Dark, or flaming ones for the Light?
Another un-obfuscated URL :)
a tman_begins-tlr4a_m480.mov
http://movies.apple.com/movies/wb/batman_begins/b
Someone make that clicky for the D/L
Kevin
MPEG4 is a pretty good signal. Check out some of the (already available) HD stuff at www.divx.com. Here is a link to the main page, and 2ndly to an HD trailer (not sure the resolution):
r om _/index.phpi de.avi
http://www.divx.com/movies/?src=toptab_movies_f
http://trailers.divx.com/WB/CorpseBr
I dont do HTML, so if someone wants to make those clicky, feel free.
BTW, I do contract installs for DTV and our office/warehouse/management is all clueless about what and when. I get more info from the internet than I do directly from DTV.
Kevin