Making the IPTV Move - #5

I finally got my first bill in the mail on Saturday! Here is how it looks:

The previous bill was for two months and this is what it included:

1. Cox TV Basic Package
2. TV Expanded Service
3. Sports Package
4. DVR Fee
5. DVR Service
6. High Speed Internet

The total bill was $261.16 or $130.58 a month!

After using my current setup for the last month, my new Cox bill is $45.99!

That is a savings of almost $85 a month!!!

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Making the IPTV Move - #4

There has been some interest in how I watch live sports. My original plan was to use an HDTV Digital antenna and get the local channels. But no worky... Luckily just as the World Cup was starting, PlayOn updated their software to stream ESPN3! Check it out:



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Making the IPTV Move - #3

So here is my current IPTV Experiment setup works. I like it so far! Don't look at the two black cables coming out from behind the tv... I was trying out a few things when I made this video.




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Making the IPTV Move - #2

So I have had a few people ask me so far what/how I am set up to watch tv without cable. So in this installment I will illustrate my current setup. Below is an illustration of how I have the computer, PS3, and TV all working together:

I leave my computer on at all times and I am currently running the PlayOn Media Server and the Windows Media Server. The computer is wired by CAT5 (thank you pre-ran home network wiring!) to my Playstation 3 which is connected by HDMI to my TV. To make browsing tv easier on my PS3, I bought the Logitech Harmony PS3 Adaptor off eBay for $40 shipped. This allows me to use my Logitech Harmony One universal remote instead of the PS3 game controller.

So that is how the whole thing is set-up currently. Now onto the important thing, what can we watch!

Streaming from my computer to the PS3 via PlayOn (listed is not channels, but videos from listed websites):

1. HULU (tons of tv shows at your finger tips!)
2. Amazon Video-On-Demand
3. Comedy Central
4. CBS
5. ESPN (not ESPN360, or now called ESPN3...)
6. CNN
7. YouTube
8. MTV
9. TLC
10. Discovery
11. Syfy
12. DIY
13. HGTV
14. PGA Tour
15. NBC
16. MLB.tv (have to buy subscription)
17. NHL (have to buy subscription)
18. Pandora

Streaming to my computer via Windows Media Server:

1. My pictures
2. My own videos
3. My music
4. All ripped tv shows and movies

Streaming from the Internet to my PS3:

1. NetFlix Watch Instantly Movies
2. NetFlix Watch Instantly TV-Series

So far I like it a lot. It takes a little getting used to since you can't really channel surf... You have to pick a show you want to watch. But I think with better utilization of the Hulu and Netflix Queue, we should be able to get a routine down.

On a side note, I did try to use a digital antenna and get the local channels. This would work great since all tv station broadcast in digital, so you can get local channels in HD over the air. But since we live in a valley, and too far from SD and LA, we don't get a clear reception. This would make the tv channel surfing much easier, and our whole experience much better. Oh well...

In the next update, I will show a video of how well this actually works!

Nater

Making the IPTV Move - #1

So I am making the move from Cable TV to using only the internet. I feel that with normal cable tv, we just watched what we wanted to, but paid a ton of money for stuff we didn't want. I thought that there was an a' la cart law passed that required cable companies to only charged for what you wanted, but I just don't see that coming any time soon... Thus last night I drove 30 miles round trip to drop off my cable box at COX in Oceanside.

Here is the plan that I am looking to roll out and will document, since I know some people are also interested in this. I am going to be turning my current computer into a media server, which I will rip all of our DVD's to and stream media from. I will be using my PS3 as the portal to the internet on my TV. I will be trying out a few different pieces of software, mainly using PlayOn to stream Hulu, and hopefully GoogleTV in the Fall...

In my next post I will outline my current set-up and how its all working together currently.

Nater

Nifty Trick...

Phil @ the Master's

Sony a290 DSLR

Sony is realeasing a new entry level DSLR very soon called the a290. It will be replacing the current a230.

http://sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-first-sony-a290-rumors/

So if anyone is looking for an entry level DSLR the a200 should be going on clearence really soon! There is already rumors that certain Walmarts have dropped them down to $200!

Slick Nater

Couponing!

So I have now been couponing for about two months. I started to collect coupons from the mail. I get a Sunday paper every week now. Even brought home a notebook to organize them in... Well I think I am starting to get the hang of things! Here is the latest haul, which could be bigger if I go back tomorrow!


So here is what is in this awesome photo (and by the way we love cereal...):

Frosted Mini Wheats (5)
Fruit Loops (1)
Rice Krispies (2)
Apple
Jacks (5)
Corn Pops (2)
Frosted Flakes (2)
Corn Flakes (2)
Honey
Comb (1)

Reese's Cups (2)
Schick Hydro 5 (2)
Right Guard Total
Defense (4)
Mouthwash

Lets just say the cereal on average costs about $2.50 per box normally. The normal total for the above picture would be $86.50.

Ready for this.....

I paid $9.60

That's Right!

$9.60 a 89% savings.

Slick Nater

So here is the story of my Birthday M:

The year was 2002 and I had just got back from a lifetime best trip to Australia with my girl and some great friends. I wasn't financially prepared for the trip to Australia, since I decided to join them last minute like, and when we got home I was quite a bit in debt. I also had an awesome turbo'd Subaru Impreza RS that I was making payments on.

A few weeks after getting home, and not having a job, I was making some plans for the future and I made a deal with myself. I was going to work my ass off, pay off all my travelling debts, and finish my education at Portland State University.

Going to PSU was going to be good for me, but I really wanted to get out of school with as little debt as possible. So there was a deeper level to my deal with myself... The deep level of the deal was that I would sell my Impreza, and go without a car while in school. I would use public transportation to get to and from school and work. And if I was smart with my vehicle purchases after school, on my 30th birthday I would get the car of my child hood dreams. A BMW M3!

For 3 years I commuted to school by bus and train, 1.5 hours each way. I rode my bike to work, which was ~4 miles from my house. Now think about this one... It was Portland, so it rains a lot. I got my use out of my rain gear. After school I went another year without a car. I used Flexcar/Zipcar to do my job. And when I did buy a car, I bought a reasonable car that would work out best for both Karen and I.

About 6 months ago, knowing my 30th was coming, I started to look for M3's. I was looking for my ideal M3. A dark grey, 2006 competition package, 6 speed manual, with black alcantara leather interior, navigation and moonroof. And in those 6 months, I never seemed to find everything I wanted. Thus as my birthday passed, I made another deal with myself.

I would find an M3 that was reasonably priced and close to what I wanted. Then I would use the money that I saved to build the M3 of my dreams. Thus here is where I am starting:


And I have a little ways to go...

I will need the competition rims and brakes, upgraded suspension, navigation system, engine enhancements, and various other small things. But I am very happy with what I am starting with!

Nater

Slick Nater Is Now a Couponer!

So I have always been a fairly cheap guy. I like to look out for deals, and I usually find good ones. I have never been much into couponing, since I new it takes quite a bit of time and effort. But the other day I figured that since we were going to be taking on more monthly expenses with my new car, that I would try to cut our food budget even more.

I started a couple weeks ago and saw some good trips where I would save 50%-60%. But tonight I think I finally hit the big time! Here is my haul from 2 different Albertson's and a Target on my way to pick up Karen at school:

(10) Sobe Life Water Drinks

(1) Dove Shampoo

(3) Minute Instant Rice

(20) Weight Watchers Smart One Lunch Entrees

(10) Michelina's Lean Gourmet Lunch Entrees

(2) Trident Gums

Retail Price = $100.62

Price Out-of-Pocket = $20.75 + $5 Target Gift Card

Total Percent Saved = 84.4%

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St Pattys Day DisappointM3nt...

So I looked at an awesome M3 Competition last Saturday. It only had 14,500 miles, was in AMAZING condition, had obviously never been driven in the rain, and it only needed new rear tires.

Took it for a spin and was like WOW! Gotta have this! But there was a catch...

The guy who owned it was unable to make a payment on the vehicle for the last 3 months and the bank was going to repo it soon unless it was sold! Payoff was a little bit high ($34,200), and I made him an offer for $32,000. He had a meeting Wednesday morning with the bank with the intention to make a deal and see if the bank would settle. Much better than the bank selling the car at a wholesale auction...

Well the bank didn't budge, and I wasn't going to go any higher on my offer since the car was missing the Navi and had no moonroof. So therefore no M3 this weekend for me...

:(

Nater

I Morph Into Raoul Bova!

I went to MyHeritage.com and did the celebrity match, and Raoul Bova came up as a 70% match! Looks fairly close...



Just happy to see that it was someone who is sexy! He is an Italian Actor who is fairly popular with the ladies...

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0100556/

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