I confess to some minor geeky tendencies. For example, I need to know how things work. I want to know about the latest whatsits. I consider myself a discerning individual in that I know what I like, and my likes derive from differences, often subtle, that I believe I can perceive. I need to get the best bang for my buck. My ego demands that my stuff be at a certain defining level to make a statement about me. Put more simply (honestly), I'm vain, curious, needy, cheap, and have perception issues that unfortunately work at cross purpose to my cheap side, meaning that I am also conflicted. I'm sure those who know me could not recognize me from this description, but really, I am a little bit like this. And this is not a bad thing, considering the daunting task in front of us, setting up a media center in a new abode.
My tale begins at the beginning, the plan. The rules set forth in our marriage contract entitle me to one common space wall on which I can plant all the techy stuff that I can cram there. The only restriction is that my stuff cannot extend more than 18" into the common space, and except for the TV screen, cannot rise to more than waist high. Thus every abode in which I am invited to live will have one Great Wall of Stuff. Everything that won't fit on the GWoS has to go into my man cave, a room typically hidden at the far end of the house, which polite company never gets to see.
Of what kind of stuff is the GWoS built? Let's set our media stage. The speakers and the TV are stage-center, providing destinations for audio/video (A/V) signals that originate in the wings from the set top box (STB, for cable TV), the DVD player, the streaming video player (for NetFlix movies streamed via the Internet), the streaming audio player (to play back iTunes tracks stored on my computer's hard drive), and perhaps a game console and Blu-Ray player. And front and center is the gadget for connecting all the sources and destinations, a ginormous black box called an audio/video receiver (AVR). It is just a schmancy switch, puffed up almost beyond comprehension, with a remote control to match. Then there are some other props: a couple of large amplifiers, a network switch, and a jungle of cords that demand artful hiding behind the scenery. Our media center stage now set, my tale continues with the negotiating phase.
To demonstrate my love (others less couth would say in deference to SWMBO), I sold my five legacy (pre-contract) big panel speakers before our move. They commanded the room better than I ever have, but they were on the do-not-move list. (I caved on this so that the Lotus would have a chance of getting off the do-not-move-list. Accompanied by some truly spectacular sulking, the yellow hulk was spared.)
One consideration in my parting with my old ugly speakers was a spousal promise that I could buy a new small pair of bookshelf-size speakers with an anything-goes budget. I did my research, found a local dealer, and one rainy Sunday afternoon we showed up for our audition appointment. The dealer was hurting and sold the floor pair to us at big discount. I then ordered online a couple of TV stands that would enable me to raise the speakers a little and place other components under them on the stuff shelf.
Which public wall was to be mine? I accepted Debby's suggestion that the TV wall would be the same wall the prior owner had used, in the family room. Debby also provided the brilliant suggestion that we take one of our long Lack bookcases and stand it on end along the wall (Ikea throw-away quality, but we moved them anyway). Ostensibly the purpose is to frame the TV viewing area, but I sense also to somewhat hide the stuff wall from the first glance of visitors entering from the entry hall. We also decided that the top of a Lack bookcase, placed horizontally on the floor under the TV, would be the main stuff shelf, so no AV furniture expenditure was necessary.
Parameters now well defined, I got out Debby's stud finder from her toolbox (why would a woman have one of these, I wondered; perhaps she uses it when I'm not around?) and marked the positions of the four bolts with which to mount the on-wall TV bracket. Drilling into the wall is always nervous-making, but no water pipes or electrical conduit were harmed during the procedure, and the bracket was mounted true. Having not yet met any neighbors we could tap, late that evening we called Richard to come help me lift the TV onto the mount. He arrived in his PJs after putting the kids to bed, and a few minutes later, the big TV was glaring a blank stare at us from the wall. Thanks, Richard.
I had previously called Verizon to order FIOS, their cable TV and broadband service. A landline is provided as part of the deal. Our other choice was Comcast, but I prefer telco bandits to cable bandits, Verizon TV options seemed more complete, the packages more easily understandable, and the Internet speeds faster, over 25 Mbps downlink under any conditions. Both options cost the same (way too much). Also, Verizon stock is in our portfolio (always buy the best bandit's stock - it's better to join them than to bitch and moan).
The first Verizon crew showed up unexpectedly early in the morning. They dug a trench from the equipment well at the sidewalk up to our garage wall and layed their cable to the house. Then the above-ground installer spent all day hooking us up. In the end she had two helpers, one her older sister. We have an ONT box outside connecting to our in-house coax wiring, and a battery backup inside the garage. The Westell 9100EM wireless router is located at Debby's desk in the family room. The Motorola QIP7100 STB (set top box) is located on my stuff wall across the room, under the TV. Fortunately, we had cable connections in the wall in both places. I had not ordered a DVR (digital video recorder), because these days I find no TV content worth recording, and also because going with an STB saved a tenspot a month (did I mention cheap?). They had to replace some cable wall plates to make the router/TV work well. The Verizon installation team was top-notch. I have heard such negatives about Verizon customer service that it was gratifying to find competence associated with our investment. Also, the router and STB are quality bits, and equipment and installation were gratis.
Before leaving, the installer gave us a quick lesson in what FIOS is and how it works. Wow, I don't know how the average non-techy person could grasp any of it. Yet another remote, bristling with glow-in-the-dark buttons, yet more passwords, IP addresses, WEP keys, firewalls, HD, SD, VOD, menus navigable only by masters. TV is now yet another Internet appliance, and thus is a component of the great computer that runs the world. I know I am only a little bit geeky because I don't eat all this stuff up. Sometimes, I think it is over the top. But the results are a wonderment.
This installment of our tale ends here, with 5 wireless phones connected to our land line, broadband wired to Debby's computer, and HD digital cable routed to our TV. The quality is spectacularly better than our old cheapo analog cable, but 3x more pricey as a package. We're moving on and up (but only because cheapo cable is not an option here). Our Great Wall of Stuff is under construction and the foundation is in.
Refer to the Media Center pages of my other blog, where I'll explain some technical bits about audio and video (the Great Wall of Stuff's reason for being) before getting into details of the stuff.
Added Dec 19th: Snap of GWoS, apparently lurking behind yule tree.
My tale begins at the beginning, the plan. The rules set forth in our marriage contract entitle me to one common space wall on which I can plant all the techy stuff that I can cram there. The only restriction is that my stuff cannot extend more than 18" into the common space, and except for the TV screen, cannot rise to more than waist high. Thus every abode in which I am invited to live will have one Great Wall of Stuff. Everything that won't fit on the GWoS has to go into my man cave, a room typically hidden at the far end of the house, which polite company never gets to see.
Of what kind of stuff is the GWoS built? Let's set our media stage. The speakers and the TV are stage-center, providing destinations for audio/video (A/V) signals that originate in the wings from the set top box (STB, for cable TV), the DVD player, the streaming video player (for NetFlix movies streamed via the Internet), the streaming audio player (to play back iTunes tracks stored on my computer's hard drive), and perhaps a game console and Blu-Ray player. And front and center is the gadget for connecting all the sources and destinations, a ginormous black box called an audio/video receiver (AVR). It is just a schmancy switch, puffed up almost beyond comprehension, with a remote control to match. Then there are some other props: a couple of large amplifiers, a network switch, and a jungle of cords that demand artful hiding behind the scenery. Our media center stage now set, my tale continues with the negotiating phase.
To demonstrate my love (others less couth would say in deference to SWMBO), I sold my five legacy (pre-contract) big panel speakers before our move. They commanded the room better than I ever have, but they were on the do-not-move list. (I caved on this so that the Lotus would have a chance of getting off the do-not-move-list. Accompanied by some truly spectacular sulking, the yellow hulk was spared.)
One consideration in my parting with my old ugly speakers was a spousal promise that I could buy a new small pair of bookshelf-size speakers with an anything-goes budget. I did my research, found a local dealer, and one rainy Sunday afternoon we showed up for our audition appointment. The dealer was hurting and sold the floor pair to us at big discount. I then ordered online a couple of TV stands that would enable me to raise the speakers a little and place other components under them on the stuff shelf.
Which public wall was to be mine? I accepted Debby's suggestion that the TV wall would be the same wall the prior owner had used, in the family room. Debby also provided the brilliant suggestion that we take one of our long Lack bookcases and stand it on end along the wall (Ikea throw-away quality, but we moved them anyway). Ostensibly the purpose is to frame the TV viewing area, but I sense also to somewhat hide the stuff wall from the first glance of visitors entering from the entry hall. We also decided that the top of a Lack bookcase, placed horizontally on the floor under the TV, would be the main stuff shelf, so no AV furniture expenditure was necessary.
Parameters now well defined, I got out Debby's stud finder from her toolbox (why would a woman have one of these, I wondered; perhaps she uses it when I'm not around?) and marked the positions of the four bolts with which to mount the on-wall TV bracket. Drilling into the wall is always nervous-making, but no water pipes or electrical conduit were harmed during the procedure, and the bracket was mounted true. Having not yet met any neighbors we could tap, late that evening we called Richard to come help me lift the TV onto the mount. He arrived in his PJs after putting the kids to bed, and a few minutes later, the big TV was glaring a blank stare at us from the wall. Thanks, Richard.
I had previously called Verizon to order FIOS, their cable TV and broadband service. A landline is provided as part of the deal. Our other choice was Comcast, but I prefer telco bandits to cable bandits, Verizon TV options seemed more complete, the packages more easily understandable, and the Internet speeds faster, over 25 Mbps downlink under any conditions. Both options cost the same (way too much). Also, Verizon stock is in our portfolio (always buy the best bandit's stock - it's better to join them than to bitch and moan).
The first Verizon crew showed up unexpectedly early in the morning. They dug a trench from the equipment well at the sidewalk up to our garage wall and layed their cable to the house. Then the above-ground installer spent all day hooking us up. In the end she had two helpers, one her older sister. We have an ONT box outside connecting to our in-house coax wiring, and a battery backup inside the garage. The Westell 9100EM wireless router is located at Debby's desk in the family room. The Motorola QIP7100 STB (set top box) is located on my stuff wall across the room, under the TV. Fortunately, we had cable connections in the wall in both places. I had not ordered a DVR (digital video recorder), because these days I find no TV content worth recording, and also because going with an STB saved a tenspot a month (did I mention cheap?). They had to replace some cable wall plates to make the router/TV work well. The Verizon installation team was top-notch. I have heard such negatives about Verizon customer service that it was gratifying to find competence associated with our investment. Also, the router and STB are quality bits, and equipment and installation were gratis.
Before leaving, the installer gave us a quick lesson in what FIOS is and how it works. Wow, I don't know how the average non-techy person could grasp any of it. Yet another remote, bristling with glow-in-the-dark buttons, yet more passwords, IP addresses, WEP keys, firewalls, HD, SD, VOD, menus navigable only by masters. TV is now yet another Internet appliance, and thus is a component of the great computer that runs the world. I know I am only a little bit geeky because I don't eat all this stuff up. Sometimes, I think it is over the top. But the results are a wonderment.
This installment of our tale ends here, with 5 wireless phones connected to our land line, broadband wired to Debby's computer, and HD digital cable routed to our TV. The quality is spectacularly better than our old cheapo analog cable, but 3x more pricey as a package. We're moving on and up (but only because cheapo cable is not an option here). Our Great Wall of Stuff is under construction and the foundation is in.
Refer to the Media Center pages of my other blog, where I'll explain some technical bits about audio and video (the Great Wall of Stuff's reason for being) before getting into details of the stuff.
Added Dec 19th: Snap of GWoS, apparently lurking behind yule tree.
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