Amazon Echo Club

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Yes, I do lose some quality--for one thing, I can't use an HDMI connection with my cable box to record; it will only work with a composite or component connection. But the trade-off of quality for being able to keep something permanently is worth it to me.

Mostly I record old movies and old TV shows. For the TV shows especially, the quality wasn't great to start with, but it's good enough. A lot of this stuff isn't available commercially.

I have a DVD recorder and used to record old shows to it for my Mom and Dad, but alas, we don't have the means to any longer. It's fun to go back and watch some of those very old movies that never made the move to DVD.

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by OtinG

BTW, DVDs will eventually degrade enough to be unusable. They tend to have a shelf life of around a decade, or so I've read. I have only had a few bite the dust, but sooner or later my still large library of old DVDs and Blu-ray discs will deteriorate and no longer be usable. That is kind of sad to think about. My computer CDs were really bad about deteriorating and I lost a lot of stored data from the 1990s. I think almost all of those old CDs stopped being usable years ago.

The degradation typically only occurs with stuff YOU recorded, not the commercial DVDs (unless they are those compact ones with multiple movies on them). I've moved to getting all my favorites onto hard drives and backing up those hard drives. The real drive for that is that both my Mom and brother now have neurological problems with their hands and that they are afraid they will drop and break the disks. Now they play everything via Plex. Only the Disney movies (Beauty & the Beast, Lion King) are on DVD/BlueRay that I can't transfer to HD.

Family photos are probably the most important things to backup and keep putting on new media because they will be gone forever otherwise. Can't rely on clouds as they often have been discontinued without warning (or when you are in the middle of a family crisis and can't deal with it).

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by Tarana

The degradation typically only occurs with stuff YOU recorded, not the commercial DVDs (unless they are those compact ones with multiple movies on them). I've moved to getting all my favorites onto hard drives and backing up those hard drives. The real drive for that is that both my Mom and brother now have neurological problems with their hands and that they are afraid they will drop and break the disks. Now they play everything via Plex. Only the Disney movies (Beauty & the Beast, Lion King) are on DVD/BlueRay that I can't transfer to HD.

Family photos are probably the most important things to backup and keep putting on new media because they will be gone forever otherwise. Can't rely on clouds as they often have been discontinued without warning (or when you are in the middle of a family crisis and can't deal with it).

Yes indeed, and same can be said about the CDs that predated the DVDs. I remember having a lot of failed CD writes with Windows PCs. It was frustrating to create a CD then realize it was totally unreadable. Same for the DVDs later on. I don't think I have any commercial CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs that went bad, just the ones I tried to write to.But eventually even they will go bad too. I long since moved all my data to multiple HDD backups. But even they will eventually fail or become obsolete at some point as technology progresses along.

Back in the early 1990s when I worked for Computer Associates we would create CD discs of our software suites for beta testing purposes. The tech was still fairly new, and even our CD experts said they threw away more CDs than they shipped out to beta testers! That was still the DOS era though as we had not moved our suites over to Windows yet due to customer concerns. But at least the CDs were more stable than those 3.5" floppy disks which really were not floppy but harder plastic. Those had a shelf life of about -1 day! You always had to make multiple backups of those as they would go bad very quickly and very easily. We got them by the truck load, and a small percentage would be bad right out of the box. We have come a long way since then...

[cc_in_oh]

Originally Posted by ApK

All this talk about OTA DVRs....
...and here I recently bought and then returned a Tivo Roamio, because we realized there is so little OTA content that we really care about, it was just stupid to spend hundreds of dollars on a DVR just for that....
...and now here I've gone and ordered a Tablo Dual Lite (works similar to the Recast but has a Roku channel for viewing)....

I need to avoid threads like this for a while. I have kids to put though college....

I tried the 4-tuner Roamio when they had the $300 lifetime deal, but also had to give up on getting good enough reception and returned it. Too bad, because there are easy hacks to decrypt Tivo video files for editing and archiving...

Edit> I just saw that Tivo has announced a new $250 OTA model with a monthly fee of "only" $7. Seems like the Recast should have a decent shot at taking on Tivo and the other fee-based products, especially with people who already own a FTV...

[cc_in_oh]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Am I the only one who wants to be able to KEEP what I record on shiny discs? I use a Magnavox DVR with a 1TB hard drive. I can record to the hard drive or directly to discs; I can dub from the hard drive to discs. I have it set up so I can record cable programs or OTA.

...And of course your Mag can edit out ads with a bit of effort, especially useful if saving the content on DVDs, e.g. 3 episodes on a 2-hour DVD instead of 2. I got many years of use from Philips 3576, Mag 2160A and Mag 515 recorders. But since Spectrum encrypted everything last year, they're all gathering dust. Except I still have the 515 hooked up to record an occasional college football game - the video quality is poor since I have to use the composite input from the cable box but better than nothing. Everything else, I get better results using Playon on the PC with the Spectrum or Hulu sites, then VideoReDo to strip ads, recaps, previews and credits...

[OtinG]

I guess when you get to my age of 60 you start to question spending and hour to modify a two hour recording. Yep, I used to do things like that as well as spend time modifying my eBooks to make them perfect. Then one day I realized that if I want to read all those books and watch all those recordings that perhaps I should stop tweaking and start watching and reading! Hardly a month goes by that I don't hear about a former classmate who has passed away--that puts things into a whole different perspective than when I was a young guy. So to go to all that effort just to get a half assed looking recording seems like a waste of the time I have left. Just saying...

When I was young I thought I was immortal. Now I'm just happy to wake up on the sunny side of the grass in the mornings.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by OtinG

When I was young I thought I was immortal. Now I'm just happy to wake up on the sunny side of the grass in the mornings.

Whenever I wake up on the sunny side of the grass, I get the munchies. So I gather up the remaining grass, put it back into the baggie, and head to the kitchen

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by cc_in_oh

...And of course your Mag can edit out ads with a bit of effort, especially useful if saving the content on DVDs, e.g. 3 episodes on a 2-hour DVD instead of 2. I got many years of use from Philips 3576, Mag 2160A and Mag 515 recorders. But since Spectrum encrypted everything last year, they're all gathering dust. Except I still have the 515 hooked up to record an occasional college football game - the video quality is poor since I have to use the composite input from the cable box but better than nothing. Everything else, I get better results using Playon on the PC with the Spectrum or Hulu sites, then VideoReDo to strip ads, recaps, previews and credits...

Almost all the movies I record are TCM, so no commercials; I just trim the beginning and the end on the DVR and dub to disc.

For TV shows, I don't bother with the cumbersome editing on the Magnavox; I dub to disc and then transfer to PC and edit (also with VideoReDo), and save the digital file. (Sometimes I burn the edited file to disc.)

I have Spectrum cable, and being able to record seems to depend on the specific cable box. Spectrum sent me an upgraded box at one point, and I couldn't record cable channels, but luckily I was able to revert to the older box.

If I were no longer able to record cable stations, I'd drop cable. The main thing I keep it for is TCM so I can stockpile old movies. The TV shows I record are generally old programs on the retro broadcast channels.

[tubemonkey]

Skype calling is coming to Alexa devices

We are excited to bring Skype calling to Alexa devices, so users can easily communicate with their friends and family from their Echo devices, simply using voice.

Users can make outgoing Skype voice and video calls, accept incoming Skype calls, and even make SkypeOut calls to most phone numbers around the world. For example, simply say, “Alexa, call Jimmy on Skype,” or if Jimmy is calling you on Skype, say, “Alexa, answer.”

Alexa users will soon be able to take advantage of the high-quality Skype network across the globe to easily connect with others from any device type such as PC, mobile phone, and Xbox.

This is the next step in the collaboration between Microsoft and Amazon to deliver delightful customer experiences through voice, which began with joining Cortana and Alexa. Since then, we’ve added Alexa integration on Xbox and are continuing to work together to bring the best of Skype and Alexa together to enable intelligent communications for our users.

We’re excited to continue bringing the best of Microsoft and Amazon together.

Skype calling on Alexa will begin rolling out later this year. Feel free to share your feedback and get the latest news and tips by following us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Also, please join us in the Skype Community.

[tubemonkey]

Manage Alexa Hunches

Hunches lets you know when something may be out of place with a connected smart home device.

Hunches is an optional Alexa feature that alerts you when one of your connected smart home devices isn't in its usual state. Alexa can offer a hunch after you say certain utterances, such as "Set alarm" or "Good night." You can also ask Alexa, "Do you have any hunches?"

If Alexa detects that a connected smart home device isn't in a state you prefer, Alexa lets you know and offers to fix it. For example, if you say "Good night" and you've forgotten to turn off a light, Alexa alerts you and offers to turn it off.

To accept a hunch, say, "Yes." To reject a hunch, say, "No." You can also ignore the hunch.

Alexa provides hunches for connected smart home devices such as, plugs, lights, locks, and switches.

Hunches is on by default. To turn off Hunches say, "Disable Hunches." To turn Hunches back on say, "Enable Hunches."

[tubemonkey]

Introducing Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and the All-New Alexa Voice Remote with Device Control

Fire TV Stick 4K is the most powerful streaming media stick available and the first to support Dolby Vision and HDR10+—only $49.99

All-new Alexa Voice Remote now features dedicated power, volume, and mute buttons so you can easily control your TV, soundbar, and other AV equipment with a single remote

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 3, 2018-- (NASDAQ: AMZN)—Today, Amazon announced the Fire TV Stick 4K, the most powerful streaming media stick available, plus an all-new Alexa Voice Remote, available together for $49.99. The all-new Alexa Voice Remote is also available with the recently launched Fire TV Cube for $119.99 and can be purchased as a single remote for $29.99.

“We’ve listened to our customers and pushed to deliver the complete 4K solution they are looking for, all within a compact stick form factor,” said Marc Whitten, Vice President, Amazon Fire TV. “The team invented an entirely new antenna technology and combined that with a powerful 802.11ac Wi-Fi chip that optimizes for the best possible 4K UHD streaming experience, even in congested network environments. Our new quad-core processor delivers a fast and fluid experience and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ provides an amazing picture. Plus, the all-new Alexa Voice Remote lets you control your complete entertainment experience and use your voice to quickly find the content you want. Just say, ‘Find 4K movies.’”

Most powerful 4K stick, under $50

Over 80 percent more powerful than the best-selling Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K features a new quad core, 1.7GHz processor, delivering a fast streaming experience, quicker load times, and brilliant picture quality. Plus, Fire TV Stick 4K gives you access to the vast catalog of content currently available on Fire TV including thousands of 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ titles.

Availability

Fire TV Stick 4K (amazon.com/firetvstick4k) is available for pre-order now on Amazon for $49.99 and will start shipping on October 31 in the United States and Canada. It will ship in the United Kingdom, Germany, and India on November 14. Fire TV Stick 4K is also available for pre-order in Japan and will ship before the end of this year.

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Whenever I wake up on the sunny side of the grass, I get the munchies. So I gather up the remaining grass, put it back into the baggie, and head to the kitchen

LMAO!!! I betcha could make some special oatmeal cookies out of that grass for brunch snacks.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by cc_in_oh

I tried the 4-tuner Roamio when they had the $300 lifetime deal, but also had to give up on getting good enough reception and returned it. Too bad, because there are easy hacks to decrypt Tivo video files for editing and archiving...

Edit> I just saw that Tivo has announced a new $250 OTA model with a monthly fee of "only" $7. Seems like the Recast should have a decent shot at taking on Tivo and the other fee-based products, especially with people who already own a FTV...

The Tablo doesn't need any hacks, as it's fairly open, and very easy to extract mp4 files off of...several apps and scripts are available for it.
It doesn't have nearly as much polish as the TiVo, or even the better cable/sat DVRs. I'm still debating whether to keep it and pay the lifetime service fee, or return it and wait to see how the Recast is, or what kind of competition it spawns.

[OtinG]

Hopefully in the future there will be enough cord cutting options available that can actually provide all the channels I want at for less money than I'm paying Big Cable. But that doesn't look like it will happen any time soon. The only streaming service that has all my channels is DirecTV Now with their Go Big package. A few months ago it was $60, now AT&T has already raised it to $65, and they are already hinting at another price hack! The ugly truth about streaming services is yes there is no contract but no they won't guarantee the price for a year or two. Without a contract they can hike the price up every month if they want to. And I have no doubt that AT&T wants to and will implement frequent price hikes. The other streaming providers will likely follow suit. By the time you pay for high speed internet and then add a streaming service or two or three, you are paying close to what you were with Big Cable. And as unreliable as Big Cable usually is, the streaming services are even more unreliable and they have a nasty habit of blocking sporting events and dropping channels from their lineup.

Getting all your preferred channels is always a PITA whether with Big Cable or streaming services. The local channels can be watched over an antenna, but try getting TCM. They tend to lump channels like TCM into premier packages that cost more. The same goes for Science and Discovery channels and Velocity, and so forth. Plus you always wind up with a lot of garbage channels you never watch, but there is no option to drop those and save money. For people like me who don't care for sports any more, used to love watching football but no longer do, I hate having to pay for a bunch of sports channels that I never watch, and sports channel are expensive. Again there is no way to drop them and save money. Currently there are huge gaps in channels from the various streaming services. I made a list of all the channels I want and no streaming service other than DirecTV Now had all of them. I would have to combine two or more of the other services to get all of them.

[ApK]

The flip side of the no contract thing is that you can drop in and out as you need, so you might subscribe to one service and drop it after you watch the current season of your shows, and pick it up again next year.
None of these options are ideal, but I prefer these options over having fewer options.
And of course the main issue with the garbage channels is that distributors are REQUIRED to distribute them as part of the deal to get the owner's better channels. The whole model needs to change. But sadly, it'll probably change to the will of Disney, not consumers.

P.s. I don't think it's fair to include the cost of Internet service, unless you'd really not have it if not for streaming. I mean, have you tried to access MR via dial-up recently...?