Comments on: Help me make a personal tech decision http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:29:58 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: deb http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-15661 deb Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:03:18 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/?p=4798#comment-15661 you can buy an awesome HD Antenna (ours was $35) and get all the network channels. We have been testing that out over here and it works great. We put the antenna in the attic and ran a cable down to our main network hub so any tv in the house can get it. then we have an HD tivo and we are able to download many vblogs and other fun programming via tivo as well as watch netflix on demand. You can also connect your laptop (we use a $300 one from Dell that is like 3 years old and works fine) and watch Hulu on your nice new tv) you can buy an awesome HD Antenna (ours was $35) and get all the network channels. We have been testing that out over here and it works great. We put the antenna in the attic and ran a cable down to our main network hub so any tv in the house can get it.

then we have an HD tivo and we are able to download many vblogs and other fun programming via tivo as well as watch netflix on demand. You can also connect your laptop (we use a $300 one from Dell that is like 3 years old and works fine) and watch Hulu on your nice new tv)

]]> By: Jonathan http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-15532 Jonathan Thu, 31 Dec 2009 22:02:37 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/?p=4798#comment-15532 I think I love my U-verse! .-= Jonathan´s last blog ..<a href="http://feed.jonathancliff.com/~r/jonathancliff/~3/t9VuFYbxytI/" rel="nofollow">Top 2009 Blog Posts</a> =-. I think I love my U-verse!
.-= Jonathan´s last blog ..Top 2009 Blog Posts =-.

]]> By: Lynn http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-15518 Lynn Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:02:21 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/?p=4798#comment-15518 mac mini with the new beta version of boxee.tv which will come out on jan 7th. It does an amazing job of aggregating all available online content and your own personal library. Grab a copy of remote buddy and you'll rarely need a keyboard and mouse. .-= Lynn´s last blog ..<a href="http://jennieandlynn.com/2009/07/21/daddy-doesnt-know/" rel="nofollow">Shhh…. Daddy Doesn’t know</a> =-. mac mini with the new beta version of boxee.tv which will come out on jan 7th. It does an amazing job of aggregating all available online content and your own personal library. Grab a copy of remote buddy and you’ll rarely need a keyboard and mouse.
.-= Lynn´s last blog ..Shhh…. Daddy Doesn’t know =-.

]]> By: Sam http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-15514 Sam Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:07:48 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/?p=4798#comment-15514 My DVR and DVD players both failed since then I have been reseaching media units. Mac mini wins hands down not even close. I does everything but play blueray. Get the 50$ blueray and the mac mini and you won't regret it. You get those other devices and you won't be future proofed. Face it TV is headed to the Internet the sooner we adapt the better off we'll be. My vote cheap blueray (if you want to view blueray) and you must get the mac mini. My DVR and DVD players both failed since then I have been reseaching media units. Mac mini wins hands down not even close. I does everything but play blueray. Get the 50$ blueray and the mac mini and you won’t regret it. You get those other devices and you won’t be future proofed. Face it TV is headed to the Internet the sooner we adapt the better off we’ll be. My vote cheap blueray (if you want to view blueray) and you must get the mac mini.

]]> By: Andrew Swenson http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-15505 Andrew Swenson Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:30:58 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/?p=4798#comment-15505 Kenny, I'm right with you on the decision to drop a provider. My wife and I are currently using our iTV...I mean iMac...as our television. We've talked about buying a real TV at some point (mostly because we want to get a Wii to go with it), but the biggest hang up on what to get is HD. BluRay + an HDTV offers a HUGE quality difference that I didn't think would bother me until I watched a movie with BluRay. Wow. That said though, although the Mac Mini doesn't really offer BluRay/HD, it does give you the greatest amount of flexibility for online video—that way you aren't waiting for a developer to create firmware. Another big plus with the Mac Mini is that you can use Skype or iChat with your whole family at once. Having the computer in a central location at our place has really helped us to stay in contact with our families who live 10-12 hours away. So, with new services like UStream (http://ustream.com) popping up every day, it seems like the Mac would give you the greatest access to content, just at the expense of quality. Hope some of this is helpful. Peace, Andrew Kenny,

I’m right with you on the decision to drop a provider. My wife and I are currently using our iTV…I mean iMac…as our television.

We’ve talked about buying a real TV at some point (mostly because we want to get a Wii to go with it), but the biggest hang up on what to get is HD.

BluRay + an HDTV offers a HUGE quality difference that I didn’t think would bother me until I watched a movie with BluRay. Wow.

That said though, although the Mac Mini doesn’t really offer BluRay/HD, it does give you the greatest amount of flexibility for online video—that way you aren’t waiting for a developer to create firmware.

Another big plus with the Mac Mini is that you can use Skype or iChat with your whole family at once. Having the computer in a central location at our place has really helped us to stay in contact with our families who live 10-12 hours away.

So, with new services like UStream (http://ustream.com) popping up every day, it seems like the Mac would give you the greatest access to content, just at the expense of quality.

Hope some of this is helpful.

Peace,
Andrew

]]> By: Johnny E! http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-15504 Johnny E! Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:24:44 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/?p=4798#comment-15504 We have a Roku and love it with the Pandora, MLBchannel, amazon on demand, Netflix, and other channels! It is a wondrous device. Now that we have a HDMI LCD TV, it is better! We have a separate Blu ray, but it is not a networked one, so it may be the way to go. If you go with the Mac Mini, I suggest getting Hulu Desktop, it is free and it accesses Hulu and your Hulu Que straight from your desktop, not having to go into a browser to get it. Hope that helps. We have a Roku and love it with the Pandora, MLBchannel, amazon on demand, Netflix, and other channels! It is a wondrous device. Now that we have a HDMI LCD TV, it is better! We have a separate Blu ray, but it is not a networked one, so it may be the way to go. If you go with the Mac Mini, I suggest getting Hulu Desktop, it is free and it accesses Hulu and your Hulu Que straight from your desktop, not having to go into a browser to get it. Hope that helps.

]]> By: Dave http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-15482 Dave Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:59:16 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/?p=4798#comment-15482 Go with the mac mini and use something like xbmc on it (http://xbmc.org/) and you're good to go. Go with the mac mini and use something like xbmc on it (http://xbmc.org/) and you’re good to go.

]]> By: Nick http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-15479 Nick Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:38:22 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/?p=4798#comment-15479 I'd go with the Mac mini. Just turn your TV into another computer. That way you get the best of both worlds. You can always buy an external BluRay drive/player to hookup to the Mac later via firewire or USB. If you went with the Netflix box, you'd be stuck with that. Also, with the BluRay player, are you really going to trust that fireware updates will be delivered in as timely a manner as Apple's updates? Surely not. It's more, but you can stream Netflix (what the Roku does), listen to Pandora (what the Samsung does) as well as have the option of getting a stand alone BluRay player later when prices drop. Plus is you're into bittorrent you can use that to stream your movies via utorrent. The Mac mini is more up front but better long term. The others are just filler for the time being. Get the mac mini and watch your DVDs. I’d go with the Mac mini. Just turn your TV into another computer. That way you get the best of both worlds. You can always buy an external BluRay drive/player to hookup to the Mac later via firewire or USB. If you went with the Netflix box, you’d be stuck with that. Also, with the BluRay player, are you really going to trust that fireware updates will be delivered in as timely a manner as Apple’s updates? Surely not. It’s more, but you can stream Netflix (what the Roku does), listen to Pandora (what the Samsung does) as well as have the option of getting a stand alone BluRay player later when prices drop. Plus is you’re into bittorrent you can use that to stream your movies via utorrent. The Mac mini is more up front but better long term. The others are just filler for the time being. Get the mac mini and watch your DVDs.

]]> By: Rob http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-15473 Rob Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:50:27 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/?p=4798#comment-15473 I have a Mac Mini hooked up to my plasma and love it. Online content is great, also use it as our DVD player. BIG upside for me is all family photos and home videos are there as well easily accessible. Also all our iTunes music is hooked up to the stereo. (might want to play around with the mini with your iPhone remote control app before sinking money in the mouse and keyboard. I use my iPhone 95% of the time) only downside is no BluRay from the mini. I have a ps3 and use it primarily as a BluRay player. Watch about 2-3 movies a month and play a game far less than that... If I could only pick one I'd pick my mac mini. I have a Mac Mini hooked up to my plasma and love it. Online content is great, also use it as our DVD player. BIG upside for me is all family photos and home videos are there as well easily accessible. Also all our iTunes music is hooked up to the stereo. (might want to play around with the mini with your iPhone remote control app before sinking money in the mouse and keyboard. I use my iPhone 95% of the time)

only downside is no BluRay from the mini. I have a ps3 and use it primarily as a BluRay player. Watch about 2-3 movies a month and play a game far less than that…

If I could only pick one I’d pick my mac mini.

]]> By: Kenny http://childrensministryonline.com/personal/help-me-make-a-personal-tech-decision/comment-page-1/#comment-15468 Kenny Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:45:19 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/?p=4798#comment-15468 Sorry, there is no $50 BluRay. Otherwise I would have shared the love. It's complicated. I'm getting a free Panisonic BluRay because I spent an ungodly amount of money on a new video camera. I'm going to sell the Panisonic for as much of $100 as possible and buy a Samsung BluRay for $140ish. The Samsung has the Netflix, Pandora and wireless features. So the $50 is about what I expect I might have to spend of my own money on the Samsung BluRay. Make sense? Sorry, there is no $50 BluRay. Otherwise I would have shared the love. It’s complicated. I’m getting a free Panisonic BluRay because I spent an ungodly amount of money on a new video camera. I’m going to sell the Panisonic for as much of $100 as possible and buy a Samsung BluRay for $140ish. The Samsung has the Netflix, Pandora and wireless features. So the $50 is about what I expect I might have to spend of my own money on the Samsung BluRay.

Make sense?

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