Spurred, in part, by a dying Tivo Series 2 and in part by the obsolescence* of a small 2-inch TV Jena had been using as part of her morning rituals, we at the Edwards' household are in the midst of a Media Center creation, or rather coalescence project.
While I didn't quite plan it this way, the first part of the media center is now in place, a 37-inch Samsung LCD. Samsung is a great choice for LCD's as they have great reviews and are generally innovators in their TV production. I briefly flirted with the idea of the LED but the smallest was 40-inches and for this particular room and space we needed it to be no larger than 37-inch. As it turns out, I was able to talk myself out of the more expensive 37-inch model primarily because I really do not like the Auto Motion Plus 120Hz™ feature that is supposed to smooth transitions between frames but ends up making everything look like it is shot on a hand-held HD video camera. Also the higher-end model achieved at least part of its 100,000:1 contrast ratio by shining up the screen surface, which in our house, like in the store, resulted in significantly more glare being produced. In this case, going to the store to see the products in action** also saved me money as I got this TV for just under $800 rather than the $1200 I was ready to spend.
NEXT UP: HD Antenna Selection
* The little LCD TV served us well for over 10 years, but the idea of getting a digital signal converter for it made me throw up in my mouth a little. So I installed a 22-inch LCD upstairs for her and connected the set to a hidden HD antenna with Scott's help.
** I also brought my MacBook Pro and and a Mini Display Port to HDMI Adapter.
After I go down to hear Horst Rechelbacher speak at the Social Capital Collective meeting tonight, I will be headed out to the Vita.mn One Year Anniversary "Concert Event" at the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown (Minneapolis). I saw Cloud Cult there months ago and it was a great show so I am excited that they are back. I am also interested to see Doomtree, First Communion After Party and DJ Espada as well. It should be a fun, busy night.
Taking the unfinished manuscripts of The Children of Hurin has been completed by J.R.R's son, Christopher Tolkien, who claims he did not editorialize during the process.
Seeing a billion dollars out there ripe for the picking, movie studios are showing interest in adapting the book to the big screen, however the family claims to be in no hurry to do so.
Here is more on the book, a brief version of which appear in The Silmarillion can be found courtesy of wikipedia.
I was ready to get behind and support the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Album list, after all the top 10 are hard to argue with. But then I go through the top 20 and 50 and even 100 and I saw no Radiohead! I have to get to 110 to find The Bends and then all the way to 162 to find OK Computer a full 10 spots AFTER the f'ing B-52's, that's right, the B-52's
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