The Dog Ate My Wii Control
November 30, 2006 by Joe Boyle · Leave a Comment
Just a quicky to let you know I have found a fault with the new [tag-tec]Wii[/tag-tec] from Nintendo …
Yes it’s fun , yes its small and yes it is certainly going to sell well when launched there is going to be 20 games available with more anticipated soon in the new year. It comes with the sports games straight out of the box which look to be pretty good fun.
You can operate this wireless control device with one hand which is another big plus , it makes rumbling noises and even has it’s own built in speakers.Since it’s wireless their is no risk of the kids catching the wires and pulling everything on top of them and no need to sit 3 feet from the screen to make it work.
You must be wondering what could be wrong with such a techically brilliant piece of modern technology?
Well as you might know the wii is motion sensitve so you can control the action of your sword or light stick or whatever just by waving it around. This leads to some pretty exciting game play.
Things were going so well I was swinging my virtual baseball bat and hitting it all over the ball park when disaster struck..
You see the thing about waving your arms all over the place apart from risking knocking your coffee across the room from the table is that the family pets are expecting you to throw something ..
I expect you can guess what happened next the dogs started barking and the was all hell let lose as they then tried to grab the wii control assuming it was sort of dog chew a stick.
Well I am afraid to say in all this excitement my hand was getting warmer and warmer and the next thing I know my slippery hand has just slung the wii remote across the room.
I bet that wasn’t in Nintendo’s testing program ?
Well there’s a mad rush across the living room and there is me and 2 Bishon Frise dogs in a chase to grab the wii remote.
Well in my book it was cheating they ganged up on me and the younger one put a neat block on which left me floundering and the next thing I hear is the crunch of dog on plastic and that was the sad end to my [tag-tec]wii remote[/tag-tec]..
I had owned this toy just a few hours and the dog had already eaten it..
It has to be said before my wii remote went to that home where all those sadly busted tv and video remotes seem to eventually end up, it was fantastic fun !
This from someone who’s last games console he actually paid for himself was a SNES so as you can see I keep up with the latest technology in the video gaming world.
Ok I confess the kids have got a PS2 and a zillion computer games and are crazy about MTG (magic the gathering… I know before you say it’s a card game) and occasionally I will challenge them at soccer, Formula 1 or even something else but I am certainly no expert.
If you want my opinion for what it’s worth at around $250 it is much cheaper than the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 but since I have yet to try those I can’t comment how it compares. May be I will get the kids one soon and see how that works out..
But before you part with your hard earned cash on the Nintendo wii make sure you banish the dogs, cats , kids (yes they will get a go eventually).
Tags: dogs, gamer, gaming, nintendo, remote, sports, video games
Wii is it on your Christmas gift list’s ?
November 30, 2006 by Joe Boyle · Leave a Comment
Nintendo the grand pappy of [tag-ice]videogaming[/tag-ice] is set to put the Microsoft X box , Sony PS3 and all the other game console and [tag-ice]video games[/tag-ice] producers in a tail spin with the launch of wii the 21st century [tag-tec]games console[/tag-tec] that’s not just for kids.
With this years must have gadget for gamers and non gamers alike even home theater fans are seeing the possibilites of something else to do with their awesome sound and video systems.
Previously home theater fans on the whole and gamers have been light years apart but the Nintendo wii system could just be all that is needed to get the them of their easy chairs and waving their virtual swords and light sabres about in the living room.
Wii is unlike all other games consoles not only is it micro sized with a capital “M” being only the size of 3 DVD’s and so simple to operate even the adults will be able to work out how to operate it.
Look out kids if your mom and dad have previously show no interest in video gaming and you thought you might put one of these on your Christmas list don’t expect to get a go until the day after Christmas as this truly is addictive.
If you have graduated from basic terrestrial tv (through an aerial) to a digi box you are going to find this console as easier to operate than the old VCR.
When you first fire up this baby you will find there is a visual menu on your TV screen very similar to those you find with satellite tv or cable.
If your keen to get hold of your wii for christmas I suggest you get your order in now as we do not want to see the blood shed of a few years ago when buzz lightyear dolls became as rare as dodo feathers.
If you have been one of those to get hold of a wii why not send us you comments on how this compares with other [tag-tec]games systems.[/tag-tec] in the meantime I am of to watch a boring old action packed episode of CSI on my plasma screen.
Until next time take care and shop around as bargains are likely to be available in the run up to the holidays ..
Tags: gadgets, gamers, games console, home theater, nintendo, video, wii
Buying A Home Theater Receiver Where to Start ?
November 30, 2006 by Joe Boyle · Leave a Comment
If you are setting up a new home theater or upgrading your old one for a holidays gift to yourself, then you need to know that the choice of new home theater [Tag-Tec]receiver[/Tag-Tec] is probably the most important home theater component of the entire system.
To use a shipping analogy if the Tv or monitor is the top deck then the receiver is the engine room and control room in
one. That’s right get the choice of home theater receiver wrong and your home theater system is doomed to sink from the very start.
Let me explain further…
The receiver as well as generating the power to your system (amplification) it also carries out several other crucial functions required in your home theater system and acts as sort of junction box or if you prefer and automated control system to all the other home theater components in the a/v setup.
Your receiver handles the processing of the audio/video signals from the DVD player or other source such as an HD or TIVO and then feeds these out via the audio and video outputs to cables to the other components as required from the information encoded on the DVD or source material.
For example:- Tthe audio signal from the DVD is converted to sound by the home theater speakers and the video
(picture signal) is displayed on the tv or monitor or by the home theater projector if you have one.
Whilst this might be an oversimplification for some tech heads?. This basically is how we get a little silver disc (DVD) to
create an action movie in our living room.
Some new and more advanced receivers such as the Sony STR DG 800 features Digital Cinema Sound , Dolby Digital,Dolby Pro Logic II,dts 96/24,dts NEO:6,Dolby Digital EX,Dolby Pro Logic IIX,Dolby Pro Logic and dts-ES so at under $400 this [tag-ice]Sony[/tag-ice] is pretty much as highend as you are likely to want with a comprehensive choice of [Tag-Tec]decoders[/Tag-Tec] .
On a more modest budget you will find receivers like the Yamaha HTR5940BK at $299 which still offers a very good specification which offers Dolby Digital-ES,Dolby Prologic II and[tag-tec] DTS[/tag-tec] 96/24 Compatibility so you won’t need to break the bank with recievers like the[tag-ice]Yamaha[/tag-ice]
With these higher end new spec receivers the digital ouput will be transferred from the receiver via a component video cable or HDMI cable to the various components of your home theater system.
As you can see some receivers will have a whole bundle of features some so advanced you will probably never even work out what they do or even care. My view is if it’s that obsure chances are you don’t need it but you never know ?
Many people are taken in by the massive list of features when buying a receiver they don’t carry out the most important test of all which is the listen and watch test.
If that sound technical don’t panic what I am saying is you don’t buy a receiver for it’s specification you buy it for how it
makes Lord of The Rings look and sound or maybe your more into To Fast to Furious ? Do not buy a receiver because the specification says it has 95 different presets or what ever ….
In case you are wondering both the Yamaha and Sony models you see won’t leave you feeling like you have been sold down the river. Click on those images to get the full details.
I am of the view that DVD and movie producers have spent many millions of dollars creating superb soundtracks so why would you want to try and ‘enhance these’ using digital sound processing (DSP) and a bunch of other gymicks?
I never turn mine on..
But What Should You be Looking For In Your Home Theater Receiver ?
When choosing to buy a home theater receiver or upgrading you will find with just a few exceptions there are 4 options. OK there are probably a few more including lucas THX but in the mainstream it’s four. Who’s splitting hairs ?
These are basic stereo, home theater 5.1 , 6.1 and 7.1 which relates to the number of audio channels your receiver outputs too.
Stereo
This is just a basic left and right and is still best for hifi audio in my book if I am honest I think using your home theater system for audio is normally a bad idea. If you can afford it run your hifi system for listening to music through a different system. My reasoning is what is required for home theater is not what is required for audio.
I sat through a number of my favorite CD’s through my home theater system and quite frankly hated them this was such audio classics as Mary Black , Alison Krauss and Radiohead what these tracks need is precison not hard earth shattering base which is the norm for home cinema. In the end I relented and brought a seperate amplifier and speakers for audio.
I am interested on your views on this one and will write about this some day soon maybe even take a vote on it ?
Receivers for Home Theater 5.1 0- 7.1
As a basic starting point for home theater you should be looking for at very least Dolby Prologic II (which is pretty much the miniumum ) or ideally Dolby Digital and more often than not DTS surround sound will also be included.
Some home cinema people claim that DTS offers a sharper sound but I find it is pretty much six of one and half a dozen of the other how about you ?
Home Theater 5.1 Sound Proccesing
Both Dolby Digital and DTs use 5 discrete audio channels consisting of two front and center channel and two rear channels. Plus they use a extra channel which creates the bass (low frequency) effects. Hence this is known as 5.1.
This channel is often known as the bass channel and can sometimes be boosted by the use of a subwoofer which can either be either an active subwoofer or powered subwoofer which has it’s own built in amplification circuitry or unpowered or passive subwoofer (uses the amplification output of the receiver).
I personally recommend an active subwoofer and look for a fast acting one or instead of crash , boom , bang you will get a mixed kind of thump.
Home Theater Receivers With 6.1 and 7.1
The more advanced or powerful step-up receivers may additionally include Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES processors which creates further background effects or fill in effects to the main sound track.
A receiver is know as a 6.1 or even now 7.1 it has the same basic system and proccesing abilities of the standard 5.1 processor with dolby digital or DTS. But then is equipped with additional channels (1 in the case of 6.1 and 2 in the case of 7.1) to play back the additional background surround channels (fill in) when watching DVD’s which are encoded with Dolby Digital EX or DTS- ES information.
These additional channels further enhance the viewer experience and bring authenticicity to a sound which is produced in the
state of the art home theater of today to that of a top notch movie theater at a fraction of the cost.
With the gradual but ever accelerating growth of HD DVD and Blu Ray there is increasing justification if buying today to purchase 7.1 receiver as for a couple of hundred extra dollars this will eventually become the new minimum standard.
Tags: amplification, Blu Ray, Dolby Digital EX, dts ES, HD DVD, holidays gift, hometheater, receiver
