home theater, cord cutting, video streaming, a/v tech, and more!

Postby **eddy** » Mon Jul 15, 2019 3:18 pm

Source of the post so here's the deal. i want to spend a stupid amount of money on a high end panel.

here you go. invite me over when you get it

https://www.sony.com/electronics/televi ... z9g-series

Postby **shmenguin** » Mon Jul 15, 2019 3:22 pm

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Mon Jul 15, 2019 3:33 pm

Hell, that 98" should be viewable from space.

Postby **Lemon Berry Lobster** » Mon Jul 15, 2019 7:56 pm

Just like the great Wall of China

Postby **dodint** » Tue Jul 16, 2019 1:55 pm

ELI5: SlingTV subscription

Postby **count2infinity** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 1:58 pm

ELI5: SlingTV subscription

You get to stream whatever channels are a part of your subscription. So rather than "Hey, I wanna watch ESPN... *click*" it's "Hey, I wanna watch ESPN *mouse click*"

The interface is very similar to Netflix, but it's TV channels, and the streams are live.

Postby **count2infinity** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 1:59 pm

Alright nerds... got my Echo Show 5 today. Tips, tricks, ideas for operation of Alexa? Cool skills that I should enable?

Postby **NTP66** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 2:01 pm

Alright nerds... got my Echo Show 5 today. Tips, tricks, ideas for operation of Alexa? Cool skills that I should enable?

Create your own skills for fun (or to mess with your wife/kids): https://blueprints.amazon.com. If you have smart devices, you'll need to start enabling the related Alexa skills in order to link them.

Postby **dodint** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 2:09 pm

ELI5: SlingTV subscription
You get to stream whatever channels are a part of your subscription. So rather than "Hey, I wanna watch ESPN... *click*" it's "Hey, I wanna watch ESPN *mouse click*"

The interface is very similar to Netflix, but it's TV channels, and the streams are live.

That's it? It's just another version of PS Vue or DirecTV Now?

Postby **count2infinity** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:05 pm

ELI5: SlingTV subscription
You get to stream whatever channels are a part of your subscription. So rather than "Hey, I wanna watch ESPN... *click*" it's "Hey, I wanna watch ESPN *mouse click*"

The interface is very similar to Netflix, but it's TV channels, and the streams are live.
That's it? It's just another version of PS Vue or DirecTV Now?

Yup.

Postby **count2infinity** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:10 pm

If you have smart devices, you'll need to start enabling the related Alexa skills in order to link them.

What is an Alexa skill?

Postby **NTP66** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:29 pm

If you have smart devices, you'll need to start enabling the related Alexa skills in order to link them.
What is an Alexa skill?

Think of it as the programming between your device and Alexa. For instance, Sony has an Alexa skill that connects my TV to Alexa so that I can use Alexa to turn on the TV, change inputs, etc. There are skills that let you connect to web services to get specific stock information via Alexa, etc.

Postby **tifosi77** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:32 pm

Alexa skills are sort of like when Neo learns Kung-fu and Trinity learns to fly a helicopter in The Matrix.

Postby **count2infinity** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:46 pm

Is there a difference between Alexa skills and apps?

Postby **dodint** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:49 pm

Skills are just routines, right?

Postby **NTP66** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:56 pm

They’re very similar. Most skills are for technology or integration, while apps are for other things. Like there’s an app that will ask you trivia questions, or tell you dad jokes.

Postby **nocera** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:58 pm

My fiance and I enjoy playing Jeopardy each night. I'm terrible at it.

Postby **NTP66** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:58 pm

Routines are different. You can crate routines to do things with your connected devices, play music, etc. You enter what phrase you want to say to Alexa and assign it the response. That’s a routine. Download the Alexa app and you’ll probably spend a bunch of time figuring things out.

Postby **count2infinity** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 4:00 pm

All I want this thing for is hands free music control and set timers. Maybe tell me the weather/weather forecast or do quick conversions. I doubt I'll need to do much to get it to do that.

Postby **NTP66** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 4:03 pm

It always starts out that way. Before you know it, you’ve installed an app that meows. For no reason whatsoever.

Postby **eddy** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 4:44 pm

It always starts out that way. Before you know it, you’ve installed an app that meows. For no reason whatsoever.

Guilty.

Postby **NTP66** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:33 am

My Citi PriceRewind request was approved, so I'll get $200 back on the Sony purchase.

Postby **dodint** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:51 am

My receivers front HDMI input that I have been using for my Firestick doesn't support 4k. My new FireTV 4k comes today and is replacing it. Looks like I'm finally going to get around to doing some receiver consolidation and cleanup that I've been meaning to do for a while. Will have to reprogram the Harmony One as well.

Postby **NTP66** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:56 am

Source of the post Will have to reprogram the Harmony One as well.

Are you still using the legacy Logitech Harmony Remote Software 7 or the newer MyHarmony app? The former works so much better for me.

Postby **dodint** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 10:02 am

I've upgraded to a new laptop since the last time I updated the remote so I'll probably have to pull down whatever they're offering now, though I do have the installation media. I know I've always been able to retrieve my remote profile from their server in the past.

I *think* the last time I used their legacy software they forced me to update to a newer platform. I do it so irregularly though that I can hardly remember. I had to have done it relatively recently because I've had my TV for less than a year.