Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ :Your HD Movies,DVDs, Netflix, Internet Streaming

Great variety of formats, ample inputs, 1080p, and easy set up will cause you to overlook the awful operating system of this sub $100 glitchy media player. It will play ripped DVDs and Blu Ray files and will...

What I Was Looking For:

I saw media boxes out there that streamed Netflix (Roku) and boxes
out there that could play my HD media files and ripped DVD files
(popcorn hour) but I was looking for a media box that could do both.
I saw a couple variations from Western Digital etc but decided on the
Seagate FreeAgent Theater+.
Whats in The Box:

The unboxing was unspectacular and I found myself asking "Is that it?"
Its basically a very slimline plastic box about an inch or two high and
roughly as big around as fat DVD package. It came with the following:

• a feather light (not always a good thing) remote control
• a composite cable (yellow, red, white old-school garbage)
• a component cable (red green blue - for up to 1080i play)
• an ethernet cable. (for streaming Netflix, Youtube, Mediafly, etc)
• a 1 year warranty.

Strangely, a big selling point of this box is the fact that it can play
1080p which is HUGE. However, Seagate went cheapie cheap and did
not include an HDMI cable. I guess when they considered all that
expensive plastic they poured into the box and remote, we had
already received enough value for our $99.

Hardware:
OK, so I've harped on the somewhat "flimsy"-feeling construction,
but lets look at what we can plug into the Seagate Theater+.

• Connection of this box is very simple and very straightforward and
requires very little technical expertise. However, operation of the
remote, as you will soon see, requires the patience of a thousand monks.

• No physical buttons on this thing save a small deeply recessed reset
button on the back panel. Get familiar with this button you will need
it. No buttons means TOTAL reliance on the remote. DON'T LOSE
THAT REMOTE. Just a subtle warning.

• This compact media box has a removable plastic cover on the front
right panel. When removed it reveals a niche with a dock that
fits/connects a USB Seagate FreeAgent drive "almost" nicely. I say
"almost" because the drive extends beyond the front of the player and
the removable plastic cover does not fit back over the niche with an
attached hard drive so you're left with a media player that constantly
looks like its in the middle of giving birth to an overpriced mini hard
drive at all times.

I don't know what Executive at Seagate signed off on this glorious
design but really, 2 more inches of plastic and it all looks wonderful.
Seagate wanted an almost invisible media player, so in a brilliant
effort to preserve aesthetics, some designer decided to sacrifice...
well...aesthetics. Weird, really weird.

• On the backside of this unit there are a number of ports to
accommodate a variety of audio and video input.
Going left to right:
     - a 1/4" mini "AV" input which is compatible with the standard
       definition composite to mini cable included in the box. This also
       acts as an audio input to compliment the component input.

     - Red, Green, Blue component input for those who still have only

       1080i capable TVs and/or devices. These inputs are picture only
       so if you are finnicky like me, and require audio with your video
       you will need to utilize the composite to mini cable and just plug
       in the red and white (audio) cables to your TV or device. This is a
       clunky weird set up for this box I know. Seagate could have just
       added an additional 2 RCA audio inputs and Bob would be our
       uncle, but they went ultra cheap on this media player to compete
       with Roku and get one up on Popcorn Hour,
       so this is what we get.

     - Optical Audio Input - this is pretty cool, if you have a TV or
       device that has an Optical Audio output. If you do, by all means,
       utilize this input for your component audio, its far better and
       clearer kluging RCA composite cables with Radio Shack
       extenders to get the AV cable working.

     - HDMI Input - For those of us who decided to party like its 2007.
       Basically all HDTVs now come with multiple HDMI outputs that
       enable you to view 1080p HD. This is an added feature to the
       Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ and the picture quality is not bad
       in my opinion. In fact, very good considering the sub $100 price.

     - LAN or "Ethernet" input - Run this to your broadband router or
       home network and you are well on your way to enjoying Netflix,
       Youtube, Mediafly, vtuner, picasa, Flickr, AND access to any
       movies you've made available on your home network.

     - USB port - You can load your movies, music, pics on an external
       USB2 hard drive, run a USB cable discreetly to this USB 2.0 port
       on the back of the box and you've just expanded instant access
       to your media library. You can also connect digital cameras,
       camcorders, or flash drives to access movies, music, & pictures.

     - 12v DC power input - not sexy - just does what it does.

     - RESET button - DEFINITELY not sexy - wished it weren't necessary

• And now, we address another "con" of the Seagate FreeAgent Theater+:
The Remote.

Actually, I'm not really even sure if its the remote or the infared
receiver on the box, but nearly every command to this player from
the compulsory remote, requires 2 or 3 presses of the same button to
get the box to respond.

Sometimes, its just horrible lag and then suddenly it catches up and
bombards the interface with multiple "left" or "enter" or "back"
commands and you find yourself at the root folder of the player and
far far away from that glorious Meatballs III movie you had intended
to watch 5 minutes ago.

This remote, I believe, is responsible for more hair and eyes being
pulled out of humans than all mass murderers in history COMBINED.
Very frustrating interaction between the remote and the box.
Software Interface (OS):

Some of the problems I've listed above are actually not problems with
the remote but rather are issues with the OS of the media player.

The Interface is very basic and really feels like a 3rd rate Chinese rip
off of Popcorn Hour or Roku, which, I believe, are both 3rd rate
Chinese rip offs of something else.

Very basic selections to choose from: Movies, Pictures, Music, Internet, Devices - all as square thumbnails floating in a blue room.

• "Movies" opens up an archaic "DOS-like" screen which lists all movie
files you have on any connected hard drive.
• "Pictures" opens up a thumbnail list of available pics found on a
connected hard drive.
• "Music" same as pics and movies
• "Internet" connects you to Netflix, Youtube, Mediafly, some VIDEO
RSS feeds and hundreds (if not thousands) of internet radio stations
through vTuner. You can also access Picasa and Flickr photo sites.
Sadly, no Hulu connection here yet, a DEFINITE disadvantage over
other competitive media boxes for sure.

• "Devices" gives you access to media on whatever hard drive, or 3rd
party devices you have connected.

Software: Media Formats

This is definitely a strong point for the Seagate FreeAgent Theater+
Media Player, and definitely the reason for my decision to buy:
Video: MPEG–1, MPEG–2 (VOB/ISO) this was important for me
because I wanted to rip my collection of DVDs and make them
available on my home network for instant viewing (in my home only
of course, only legal usage) When you use the VOB/ISO file format, it
will play with menus like you have a DVD running.
More Video: MPEG–4 (Xvid), DivX Plus™ HD, Xvid HD, AVI,
MOV, MOV is a format that I've noticed gives the FreeAgent Theater+
some problems for some reason. The Mpeg1,2, and 4 formats work
fine but the larger .MOV files are not readily recognized when the
Theater+ scans my drive for movie files.
MKV - This is HUGE I tell you, HUGE! If you own Blu Ray and have
figured out how to legally rip your blu rays to MKVs for personal
in-home "backup" or some other legal reason, then you will delight in
the fact that the Seagate box plays those blu ray files. yahoo.
Even MORE Video:  RMVB Real Media, AVC HD, H.264, WMV9, VC–1,
M2TS, TS/TP/M2T

Video Resolutions: NTSC 480i/480p, PAL 576i/576p, 720p, 1080i,
1080p
Subtitles: SAMI (smi), SRT, SUB

Audio: AAC - it is important to note here that this box will definitely
play Apple's AAC format, but will not play the "protected/locked" AAC
files you've purchased from iTunes. That isn't really a knock on the
Theater+ though, even most APPLE devices won't play the locked
AACs unless you authorize them with big brother.
More Audio: MP3, Dolby® Digital, DTS, ASF, FLAC, WMA, LPCM,
ADPCM, WAV, OGG Playlist: M3U, PLS
Photo: JPEG files (up to 20 megapixels), BMP, GIF, PNG, TIFF

I have had a couple firmware upgrades which have made some of the
above file formats play a bit more smoothly but there are still a few
kinks to work out with this media player. I paid about $85 for my box
and then about $150 for a 1TB FreeAgent "Go" drive and overall I'm
not really disappointed, but not overly overjoyed with this media
player.

It has been a workhorse in my home and my 5 year old quickly
figured out how operate it, AND, dare I say, trouble shoot it when it
freezes up: that's right, he clicks the recessed "reset" button on the
back which starts the box all over, or he just unplugs the DC cable
and fires it back up.

I would recommend this box to a friend or family member at the
current price point of about $50-$75. Its definitely worth that much.
Versatility of file format playback
Versatility of inputs
Price
Picture
CONS: Navigation interface and software is circa 1994
Remote Control operation is horrendous
Plastic Construction
The Bottom Line: Great variety of formats, ample inputs, 1080p, and easy set up will
cause you to overlook the awful operating system of this sub $100
glitchy media player.

PROS:

Recommended:
Yes

Otterbox Defender for IPhone4: All-In-One Bulky Protective Case But Worth The Price.

The Background:

My wife and I recently picked up a matching set of iPhone 4's and because I was a veteran "screen breaker" of my old iPhone 3G, I figured I would either buy insurance at $8-10 per month, or pay a bit extra for a top quality case that could protect my phone. I chose the latter and 2 months later, I am not looking back.

 


Types of iPhone Cases:

First of all, with regards to iPhones in particular, there are 4 basic types of cases:

• Bumpers - the cheap rubber ring that surrounds the outer edge

     of the iphone while leaving the front and back open to all the
     disasters that are magnetically attracted to all iPhones.
     This is the type that Apple temporarily offered for "free" to quell
     an angry mob that was suffering from the antenna design flaw
     built into the iPhone 4. If you didn't get the freebie, then you have
     to cough up about $4 on ebay (plus shipping...usually $44.95 or
     some ridiculous amount that ebay Nazis charge)

• Silicone Case - this is generally an inexpensive "wrapper" that  

     surrounds your iphone around the back and edges but leaves the
     front open to any disasters that might befall your over priced
     iPhone. you can use a thin annoying film-plastic sticker over
     your screen if you are a glutton for punishment and crud on your
     screen. I have tried these "film screen protectors" and the only
     thing they protected my iPhone from was actual use by its owner.
     dust, cold, heat, breath, will cause this film to become a barrier
     between your touch and the touch screen. Nevertheless, some
     people use this film crud and swear by it. This Silicone style can
     be picked up for about $8.

• Hard Shell Case - this is definitely the "next step" of cases and

     offers slender hard shell protection around the back and edges
     and is raised a bit above the front rim of the iPhone which allows
     minimal protection against dropping the iPhone. This is the type I
     had for my old 3g before buying the Otterbox Defender for the 4.
     This can be used with a thin annoying plastic film to give a "thin
     annoying" level of protection to your screen but I still don't
     recommend this type. A hard shell case usually runs about $15 or
     so, I got mine at cellphoneshop.com or something like that.
     shipping was free, price was fair, legit dealer, no problems there.

• All-In-One Case - This is the best of all worlds. Generally is a 3

     or 4 part case that involves in internal plastic case that securely
     wraps the phone and has a plastic "window" that protects the
     iPhone glass and allows for touch operation directly through the
     plastic and this snap on case is covered by a grippable "silicone"
     wrapper/bumper that allows for holding the Phone and offering
     water resistance and an additional layer for phone and case
     longevity.
     These cases are like plastic tanks that protect your iPhone: Big,  
     Bulky, and Pricey, and if you've broken your iphone screen a
     couple times like I have, those things stop mattering as much.   
     This style of case will generally run from $30-50 depending on
     what kind of shopper hound you may be.There are only about 3
     makers of "All-In-One" cases:
     Ballistic, Logitech, and the one I am reviewing - Otterbox.

The Look and Feel:

The Otterbox Defender Case for iPhone 4 is definitely the skinniest pig in the litter of fatso cases. The new Defender case has been slimmed down to better match the contour of the squarish iPhone4 yet the outer silicone is textured to allow for a good grip. I like that the Otterbox has a coating on the outside of the touch screen protective window that protects it from static, oil slicks (eww), and bubbles while still permitting full functionality of the touch screen.

Access:

The Otterbox Defender allows for easy, protected access to all major ports: headphone on top, sync/charge cable on bottom, and the silence switch on left side. Otterbox has improved the Defender line by removing that annoying plastic film (all plastic film is annoying by the way) that used to cover the camera holes on the old 3g versions of the Otterbox. They now just have a beveled/recessed hole for the lens and for the flash which now gives us clear wonderful pictures without weird light aberrations. Good job Otterbox.

Installation:

Here is where the negative mark comes in. Yes I want protection, yes I'm glad it completely covers the phone. No, I do not want to take more time to open the phone case than it takes to prepare a Doctoral Thesis on the mating habits of the amoeba! MAN! They make this totally un-user friendly when it comes to popping this thing apart, putting in your phone, and plopping it all back together.

Basically, it requires peeling the tight silicone off the snap ridges on the top and sides and then popping the interior plastic case apart and then lining your iPhone in the front half just right and then aligning that front half with the phone into the snap slots of the back part and then the silicone goes back around the outside. God help you if you need to take your phone out of the case in a hurry. Its not going to happen at first.

Be prepared to watch a couple Youtube vids like I did to figure it out. Apparently its hard for those weirdos too because every video cuts away right at the point that you have to pry the plastic case apart to insert your phone. Anyhow, this is the only negative I found besides the price. In defense of the Otterbox, once you've mastered the install it becomes easier to take the iPhone in and out each time.

Protection:

The outside silicone absorbs shock from drops, the interior plastic case further absorbs shock and keeps the phone secure, because of the plastic operating window, broken or scratched screens are a thing of the past.

There is a soft felt lining on the interior that serves to gently protect your over priced iPhone from the inside against case scratchings etc.

However, please note, this case does not protect the iPhone 4 from owner stupidity. It does not protect from theft and: The Otterbox Defender for iPhone 4 is NOT, repeat 'not' waterproof, but rather, is water resistant. So dropping the iphone in the toilet while in the Otterbox case will not save the iPhone. However,  if you have to speak on your phone while holding it in the rain or if you are using your phone in the sweltering Sun of Las Vegas and your palm is sweating profusely (again, ew), the Otterbox will keep your iphone relatively dry and safe. The majority of risk with an iPhone is damage by droppage or squashage etc and the Otterbox is awesome to protect your there.

Whats in the box?

You will get a fully secured Otterbox case fully built in one piece that you will have to learn how to take apart like a rubix cube. You will now get a holster which can be used to attach your iPhone 4 to your belt like you were some kind of techie Clint Eastwood. AND, this holster doubles as a stand for "hands free" viewing of movies, etc OR, as a decent stand to use your overpriced iPhone as an overpriced
"web cam" on your desk.

Price and Availability:

The Otterbox Defender for iPhone 4 lists for $34.95 on the Otterbox site but I've seen it at Amazon for around $25. We got ours from a place called "recellular" where it was basically an open box or store demo and we got it for about $15. I do consider the $34.95 a bit pricey for this case, however, the alternative is paying for a new $125 screen replacement or $8-10 per month for insurance. I'll pay the $30 and zip it. Its a value for what this case provides
Pros: Protection, Access, Usability, Look and Feel
Cons: Complicated installation and Price
The Bottom Line:
Of the "all-in-one" plastic bulky tank cases, the Otterbox leads the pack. Great protection, horribly difficult to install, but worth the price.

Overall Product Rating:
  Above Average

Recommended:
Yes

Is There Life After Death? Or Is There Nothing After Death?

Very interesting comparison of what some of the major world religions have to say about "what happens when you die" and even addresses the atheist "after death nothing" position. Its a good read from a good site in my Stumblr opinion! Enjoy!

Is There Life After Death? Or Is There Nothing After Death?

Democrat Spenders Fail

So, let me get this straight: The first stimulus went to Democrat pet projects and non-existent public works, it resulted in less private sector jobs AND (wait for it...wait for it) it put YOU and ME on the hook to pay for it. FAIL. I'm sure Obamulus really believes that the failure of this stimulus was somehow George Bush's fault.

It gets better. Now, Harry Reid and the Obamacrats backdoor us for another 26 Billion "stimulus" while our Reps in Congress were in recess. For what will this second FAIL stimulus be used? To pay for failing Democrat incumbent campaigns?

The following article is hilarious:

Republicans Suggest Names for 'Second Stimulus' Bill...
Click to view story:
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/70813


Happy Reading!

A Salute To The Famous Ladies of Politics

In the fun of this political season, I wanted to take some time out to give "much luv and respeks" to all the wonderful ladies that grace the famous political scene here in America.

While some are loved only by MSNBC, CBS, and CNN. and others only loved by FOX, nearly all of them are not without controversy of some kind: whether it is defending the sanctity of marriage years after making a controversial video, slaughtering an entire compound of innocent women and children, defrauding millions in a Whitewater investment, or vowing to vote for Hillary Clinton if John McCain garners the Republican nomination, these women are all worthy of note when it comes to today's political landscape in the U.S.

Most of these ladies are conscientious observers and contributors of ideas that fuel discussion and debate regarding the policies that shape our future, and for that, I say "thank you".

Perhaps my next post will be honoring the controversial dudes of American politics. I'm open to suggestions for that list.

How Gullible Are We?

This was found on the newsgroup: rec.humor.funny

Dangerous Chemical!
A student at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical "dihydrogen monoxide."

And for plenty of good reasons, since:

1. it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting
2. it is a major component in acid rain
3. it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
4. accidental inhalation can kill you
5. it contributes to erosion
6. it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes
7. it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients

He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.

* Forty-three (43) said yes,
* six (6) were undecided,
* and only one (1) knew that the chemical was water.

The title of his prize winning project was, "How Gullible Are We?"

He feels the conclusion is obvious.

Al Gore would be SO proud.

You asked for it! The big-spender scorecard

How did the congressional representative in your state vote on key "fail" issues?
Bank Bailout? It was supposed to "keep the loans for business and homes flowing". It did not. The banks took our money, and now refuse to give business and home loans.

Auto Bailout? It was supposed to "keep the auto manufacturers stable and profitable" It did not. In fact, GM - Government Motors is doing worse and Ford Motor Co., who refused the bailout, is more profitable than the manufacturers that took our money.

Cap and Trade? It is being pushed as legislation to stop evil industrial monsters from dumping poison into the atmosphere, lakes, and rivers. When in reality, that is not happening. It is legislation to tax you and me for using hot water, air conditioning, heating, gas, etc that is in "excess" of what Big Brother says it should be.

Health Care? It was supposed to usher in a utopia of shining happy people all secure in their government provided health care. It hasn't even gone into effect and already, the insurance companies are revealing that they will not cover certain "high risk" health patients. Already our insurance premiums are going up and coverage is going down to compensate for the future claims of deadbeats that show up at the door of the hospital and jump in on some gub'ment health care.

So how did your Congressmen and women vote. Here is a scorecard. Bookmark the site and make sure you bounce these clowns in November. There is no reason to allow them to continue to take our money and use it for extremist liberal left uses.

A new, simple guide about how lawmakers voted on controversial measures such as the TARP bill, auto bailout, cap and trade, food regulations and health-care reform bill. A new congressional scorecard details votes by House members on key measures , evidence of growing federal government control and excessive spending. A man named Dave Kittley created the scorecard using data from Govtrack.us . He included a red label next to each member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus , or CPC, the largest caucus within the Democratic caucus in Congress. CPC was set up in 1991 by then-Rep. Bernie Sanders, in conjunction with Democratic Socialists of America and the far left Institute

You asked for it! The big-spender scorecard