Triumphal trumpeting...

[fajrdrako]

I finished the story I was working on all week. About ten thousand words, needs a few more drafts, but I'm happy with it. Tomorrow I'll start on the story where yesterday was the deadline. I got an extension.

Two weeks ago I got a small raise at work - enough to make me feel wild and crazy, and it was close to my birthday, so I went out and bought at DVD recorder. A beautiful machine, and I bought it discounted, a display model without a box, and hooked it up when I got home. It worked beautifully, taped like a dream, gorgeous clear picture, large hard drive, plays DivX files, a great machine. Small and powerful.

But I couldn't program it. Couldn't access any of the programming features. Couldn't even set the clock. What's the point of a recorder if you can't set the timer? After I (and several of my tech-savvy friends) wasted hours trying to figure out what was wrong and what to do about it, it became only too clear that I had one model of machine and had been given the remote (and the manual) for another.

So today I went back to the store, and got the right remote. Tested it right there with my machine in the store, just to make sure it was all astheyand didn't even glance at my receipt, just took my useless old remote and let me take the new one. I scouted out a few of the new DVD recorders they'd put on the shelves in the past couple of weeks, and was all the more thrilled with mine: machines with half the features were selling for twice the price. It was worth the hassle over the remote to have this beauty.

And now? The whole system works like a dream.

Comments

[countrycousin.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the club!

I got a TiVo a few years ago. Love it. DW watches more than I do, but we both watch what we want, when we want.

I got an upgrade to it (from a small independent). Story sort of like yours - there are two models, two types of remotes, and I had been sent the wrong version.

The upgrade people were fantastic - I wrote in about my problem on a Sunday and had an extensive email exchange that day; the right version was sent out the next day and is still chugging along. There are decent folk out there.

So - I hope you derive as much satisfaction, captured memories, and scheduling flexibility as we did.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't think TiVo is available in Canada, yet. It sounds to me like a good idea. The people at the store I was using never even answered my email, but they were fairly helpful in person - though too busy to spend much time on it. That's okay, I got the good remote!

I'm looking forward to using it.

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

I'm so pleased for you...and so envious! :-) Enjoy your lovely new toy (and its new functionality)!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, and thank you - keep your fingers crossed, but it looks as if it works just fine.

[msilverstar]

Happy birthday! I'm awful at remembering, so let me just wish you a lovely year.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Thing is, I want to spend more time writing, less time watching TV. But now... when I do watch, I'll be able (in theory) to watch what I want when I want to.

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

[grumpy old woman rant]it used to be that you could programm a VHS without a remote, but nowadays it is all so complicated that there seems no possibillity of that [/grumpy old woman rant]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oh good heavens yes. There are buttons on the recorder, but only a few, and the programming is so complex you practically have to take a course in how to do it and what the weird acronyms mean. Without the right remote you can't do a thing.

Someday someone will invent one of these things that will do the fancy high-tech stuff and set-up will be easy and understanding the controls will be even simpler. And they'll make a fortune.

Thank goodness I have tech-savvy friends willing to help me.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Recorders are good. I backed up most of my old tapes. There's rarely anything worth recording on TV these days, though.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I haven't backed up my video-tapes - but there are some I'd like to, mostly in the interests of keeping them longer.

There's rarely anything worth recording on TV these days, though.


No? I find I'm watching more than ever, though keeping less. There are several shows I love - primarily Doctor Who, but I'm also thoroughly enjoying Vanished and Heroes and Veronica Mars. Four shows in a season, and maybe Lost too - that's unprecedented! Since I have trouble keeping up with one or two shows in a week, this means that a lot of stuff will be taped for later viewing, or will simply fall by the wayside.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I only watch the news, and Doctor Who when it's on (before it was revived, Buffy was my Who substitute), and the occasional documentary or film (although I have most of the movies I want on disc). I don't generally like non-literary serials - can't be bothered following them week after week. I only have the 4 main terrestrial channels: would need a new aerial and a digital set-top box to get the Freeview channels (and C5 without snowstorms).

I'm online far more than I watch TV. I usually just watch 1-2 hrs of news (BBC 1 and C4) a day, then the TV goes off, and I escape back to my 12C boys.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'm online more than I'm in front of the television, too. And with some exceptions, I usually watch TV as a social activity - inviting people over, or visiting them, to watch a favourite show. I used to have weekly Smallville video-parties, for example! (That was fun.)

It remains to be seen whether my TV habits will change, now I can record DVDs.

[lilithlotr.livejournal.com]

yay! My next one will definitely have a hard drive rather than a VCR. and I love being able to play DivX files without conversion!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I haven't actually tried playing DivX files yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

[lilithlotr.livejournal.com]

I'll have to send you all the Totally Doctor Who's, now that I don't have to convert them

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Hooray!

How do you convert? Do you have a program for it?

[lilithlotr.livejournal.com]

I user Nero 6, which comes with VCD conversion. DVD conversion didn't come standard until version 7, and it doesn't like to run on my computer

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Cool!

[filkferengi]

Congratulations! Now you can easily make fun prezzies for all your friends. [Thus speaketh the practical, hobbit side.]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Good thought! How Hobbitlike you are.

[filkferengi]

Thanks! I outed myself a while ago as a ferengi-hobbit cross. Someone on the list said, "What? Exploitation begins in the shire?"

My reply was, "No, it means presents for everybody, 'cause I know how to get them cheap."

Of course, I only have a cd burner; compared to you, I'm a rank amateur. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Having the machine is a simple first step. Learning to use it is a different kettle of mushroom stew entirely.