So it begins – the coffee wars…

Bouncing around websites when im tired sometimes i just get the What the hell reaction to looking at something…

every now and than i check news sites for anything going on with coffee (hey i am the coffeecommander so gotta check these things), so i see this.

Coffee wars heat up, with McDonalds taking a surprise lead

I had to reread that one.. Just a complete What the hell? so Interested I took the bait and clicked ..

Continue reading “So it begins – the coffee wars…”

Console gaming and movie watching… When you dont have a TV.. Wait what?

When I got my Wii, it was a thought to exactly how i’d play the console since i don’t have a TV so to speak. Eventually I just ended up going to most efficient route for myself. I connect the Wii to my PC via an analog TV Card, it works fine for me. but there are little things you do notice between having the Wii connected to a TV vs connected to a PC through a TV card.

Personally i use my PC as my center for media, Watching movies, playing games(PC), and playing the Wii. I don’t need a super huge screen, having one would be nice but eh… what can you do. I don’t watch enough TV to validate the idea of getting cable or anything, the way channels are these days its just all rehash of programs anyways… what are we on now “survivor 923 – Night with the power out” edition? About the only thing I tend to watch is mythbusters.

The only thing about having the wii through an analog tv card though is that the screen looks a bit fuzzy and lagged a bit. I’ve tried out many digital Tuner cards with no luck whatsoever, Either I have some sort of weird problem or perhaps my pc is getting a bit aged.

I have tried –

  • WinTV-HVR-1600 – This card is ok, If you have an Via Chipset/Nvidia Video card you will run into an overlay problem, easily fixed but …. the Crashes are not, generally HD channels look spectacular but on occasion the software would crash on channels with a low signal or format difference. Using it to play a console through was worthless, Trying to play the wii on this was like trying to play the Wii underwater , You would move the cursor, and the screen would always be half a second behind becoming extremely annoying fast.
  • Pinnacle PCTV HD Card – out of the box the card was purely annoying… the install software DEMANDED to have WinXP Service pack 2 installed, Nothing would progress unless you did that. as far as channels it did not have the problems that the HVR1600 had, but there was a noticeable unsynchronized Audio, For having the Wii hooked up , Again Display lag issues made this card useless.
  • Visiontek TV wonder 600 – based off the ATI TV wonder 600, installation was painless, Installation of software was relatively painless, Operation was terrible. Trying to pull in any sort of digital channels was totally out of the question no matter the position of the antenna NO channels were received. I even Put the antenna outside the window in hopes of seeing some sort of life from the tuner itself, For the Input part of the card for the Wii, This card got the Worst of the ratings – Display lag was far greater than the other cards, Up to 1.5 seconds of display lag which made any sort of console gaming Completely out of the question.

These card were all tried through about a years time, and Likely in the future possibly there will be a Digital HD TV card that will serve my purposes for both a TV Card and a Console hookup. but I have discovered theres a 4th option that would remove the PC completely from the math , which hopefully will remove all my percieved points that i dont like about running my Wii to Tv Card to PC output. while its the cheapest of the options I’ve only heard and seen very limited reviews on this I’ve ordered the VD-W2 Wii VGA cable . This will skip having the PC as an intermediary and plug directly into my monitor , which thankfully has 2 VGA inputs and 1 DVI input.

My hope is this will solve all my complaints about having the setup i do and having a more direct setup which eliminates a device which the console Passes through

My Wii has ED … wait.. what?

Around Feb 2’nd my Wii started acting Strangely with vertical bars up the screen with green pixels, So my wii had ED (electronic dysfunction) .

Wii ED
I sent it off to nintendo that week and amazingly the repair took next to no time at all, It was back at my house as of Feb 15th. after i had sent it out around the 8th or so . it amazes me how fast the system was returned to me, they replaced the entire system with a new system and new serial number. As far as getting everything re-setup all i had to do was redownload my Virtual console games and resync the controllers.

Wii would like to play..

I posted a really short comment. In October about me ending up getting a Wii, Now, i had been Debating on a console system for months and was fairly decided but money was an issues and finding one was also an issue. Around the holidays which are here now. Finding a Wii is about as likely finding bigfoot.

I managed to get extremely lucky when i had got mine last month at the begining of october. I had been in best buy for another reason and just for the hell of it i asked the blue shirt with the expected answer of "we don’t have one". I figured I’d go up the road to Target and when i was walking down the isle i noticed 3 boxes and i thought they may of been displays. I Had to ask twice, And they were indeed real, Knowing that how hard it is to acquire I ended up borrowing some money to get it. Since then I’ve not seen one for sale since.

As far as fun the system kicks ass, and my major complaint about gaming in the last couple of years is that, the focus on gaming has been on making a pretty picture with basicly no controls. all graphics No fun. I’ve seen the other systems and the expense to me just doesnt make sense when i have a PC. my Main complaints for consoles are

1. most are insanely expensive

PS3 = 400$ (no games inc. accessories you have to pay even more for. Lack of games.

Xbox360 = 300$ to 400$ +35$ for online play (Not to sure how it works out with other stuff, but most games are eventaully ported over to the PC from this system so pointless to buy into)

Wii = $249 the Cheapest and most fun i’ve had with console gaming in a very long time.

2. Games

Ps3 = lack of games, Lack Of interesting games + Used to Have backwards compatibility but removed.

Xbox360 = since most games come to the PC – no real need to have since 90% of the games come over to the PC , and really Halo Does not appeal to me since its just a slowed down version of Unreal tournament (Halo doesnt even come close to the fun of unreal tournament)

Wii = ALot of games whole game cube library + Wii games availible , nintendo normally has different games than the above two systems so its a more unique experence.

 

*All systems = Fuck Guitar hero with a baseball bat. its retarded, ITs a guitar simulator simulator , wow You simulate someone whos simulating a guitar… Pick up a real instrument you sissy. if you want something more interesting and to actaully learn music rather than playing dance dance revolution for your fingers try "Jam Sessions" for the nintendo DS.

3. Controls

Ps3 = Tried and true controller setup, only exception was when nintendo announced the wii controls and they delayed there controller to attempt a motion control setup themselves. SUXAXIS was put on after the fact removing the Dual shock- which was quoted from sony that both could not be on the controller or some silly shit.

Xbox = appears like the older gravis control pads. I’ve not personally tried to out the xbox controls but im sure its works.

Wii = Completely Unique system of control, brings very interesting gameplay and adaptions to gameplay.. gesture based system does make some really fun games. I could go on and on how actaully interacting with the game rather than Inputing actions into the game and reacting makes a huge difference.

 

4. Graphics

PS3 – some really nice visuals at times but really most of the time games are not much better than the 360

Xbox360 – same as above but reverse the comment. both systems are pretty much equals to each other.

Wii – I’ve not seen many games I could compare to the other systems but It gets down to my Final comment. Graphically it has lesser than the above two systems but in the same comment the games are more involving . Less eye candy more dimension.

5. Fun

Im not going to compare each system down. Reasoning is it would just be a flogging of epic proportions, theres only so far that PS3/xboxs dated controls can go , and there basically running on running on a control set thats 20 years old. To me graphics do not mean Everything. Sure you can make it look "pretty" but 90% of the time you know when something looks "good" as far as a game you know it controls like ass. there are notable exceptions to that.

Gamewise you get more involved , You dont get bored off your ass watching someone else play. Even thinking sporting games golf is like golf on the wii , bowling is like bowling. First person shooters even have a strangely appealing system of use on the wii. by Far the system thats the most interactive and Fun in the same sentence I’d say is the Wii .

I’ve picked up only a few games so far but I forsee myself picking up other games as well as they come out. I’ve Really liked how the system works as you can see above and the future will see more responce out of me.

 

buwahahaha .. Dunkin Donuts recall.

Last year Honey dew had a promotion with glow sticks. dunkin donuts decided to copy honey dew and fucked up in the process.

Dunkin’ Donuts Announces Withdrawal of Glow Sticks

CANTON, Mass. (October 5, 2007)
– Dunkin’ Donuts LLC is voluntarily withdrawing approximately 1,000,000
pink and orange Glow Sticks. Dunkin’ Donuts has determined that the
glow sticks distributed were not labeled properly to warn customers
that the cap and lanyard, when dislodged from the glow stick, poses a
choking hazard for children under the age of three (3) years old. The
company has not received any complaints or reports of personal injury.

Dunkin’ Donuts distributed the glow sticks free with every purchase
of a dozen donuts or 25- or 50-count box of Munchkins donut hole treats
beginning the week of September 24, 2007 at participating restaurants
nationwide.

Consumers who have received a glow stick should take them away from
children and discard them immediately. For more information, call
Dunkin’ Donuts Consumer Care at (800) 859-5339. Consumers also can
visit the firm’s Web site at www.DunkinDonuts.com.

###

Contact:
Andrew Mastrangelo
Dunkin’ Brands, Inc.
781-737-3729
andrew.mastrangelo@dunkinbrands.com

wow What a promotion .. honey dew gives out the stick for FREE