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oiranSo, there's this newish thing our cable provider (comcast) is benevolently providing for us: On Demand, which is basically faux-TiVo with pathetically limited options. We do not have real TiVo because Mr. Glove harbors a deep desire to make his own. I am suspicious of this, not because I don't think he can do it (I'm sure he can), but that if it ever happens, it will not be for a very long time because he is even more overextended than I am.
One day, I turned on the TV and there was the new option onscreen. It was duly noted, but I wasn't really interested, as I am kind of used to watching the very few things I watch within their actual broadcast schedule. However, we were visiting Kicky and her husband and they turned on the TV to entertain their very small daughter with Blue's Clues via On Demand and proceeded to tell us how great it was to watch whatever whenever, etc., etc.
So, about a week ago, I click the On Demand button. And I get an error message. I click again, and I have a "connection failure." Random tries, random days, never anything remotely resembling an actual hope of using this stupid new feature. I have called customer service twice and they have "reset the box" with only the faint progress of crashing menus and annoying theme music. I once got through enough menus to find what I wanted (and I didn't even want it very much) only to have it crash when I made my choice.
Hateful, half-assed technology.
This faux-TiVo wasn't even something I particularly wanted, but now that I cannot have it, I am frantic with rageful entitlement. I want my fucking On Demand!! Because it's not enough to have ~100 channels that I don't watch, apparently.
for people who know about video formats: What program(s) does a person use to change a file from, say, .avi format to something smaller? I'm fiddling around with a DVD-maker program that came with my burner (which, for all I know, converts formats) hoping to make my to Cowboy Bebop files into disks I can watch on the nice, big TV instead of the laptop, but they're .avi files and I can only fit two-and-a-half eps on a disk. I'd like that to be otherwise.
comix & manga: Reading The Losers, Y - The Last Man, and various permutations of Sin City. Downloading Hellblazer in huge quantity. I have no commentary yet, but I'm enjoying myself. Wondering if anyone has seen the first volume of YnM, AKA Descendants of Darkness on sale. I feel I have been very patient (purported release date 08/18/04), and I want a copy NOW. The only CLAMP title I am interested in Gohou Drug is supposed to be released soonish, too, I think.
One day, I turned on the TV and there was the new option onscreen. It was duly noted, but I wasn't really interested, as I am kind of used to watching the very few things I watch within their actual broadcast schedule. However, we were visiting Kicky and her husband and they turned on the TV to entertain their very small daughter with Blue's Clues via On Demand and proceeded to tell us how great it was to watch whatever whenever, etc., etc.
So, about a week ago, I click the On Demand button. And I get an error message. I click again, and I have a "connection failure." Random tries, random days, never anything remotely resembling an actual hope of using this stupid new feature. I have called customer service twice and they have "reset the box" with only the faint progress of crashing menus and annoying theme music. I once got through enough menus to find what I wanted (and I didn't even want it very much) only to have it crash when I made my choice.
Hateful, half-assed technology.
This faux-TiVo wasn't even something I particularly wanted, but now that I cannot have it, I am frantic with rageful entitlement. I want my fucking On Demand!! Because it's not enough to have ~100 channels that I don't watch, apparently.
for people who know about video formats: What program(s) does a person use to change a file from, say, .avi format to something smaller? I'm fiddling around with a DVD-maker program that came with my burner (which, for all I know, converts formats) hoping to make my to Cowboy Bebop files into disks I can watch on the nice, big TV instead of the laptop, but they're .avi files and I can only fit two-and-a-half eps on a disk. I'd like that to be otherwise.
comix & manga: Reading The Losers, Y - The Last Man, and various permutations of Sin City. Downloading Hellblazer in huge quantity. I have no commentary yet, but I'm enjoying myself. Wondering if anyone has seen the first volume of YnM, AKA Descendants of Darkness on sale. I feel I have been very patient (purported release date 08/18/04), and I want a copy NOW. The only CLAMP title I am interested in Gohou Drug is supposed to be released soonish, too, I think.
