LIVEdigitally

Funny how easy it can be to accidentally create need in our lives.  About a year ago this time I had a simple big-screen TV (used to do the projector thing, but the wife didn’t much care for it), a DVD player, surround sound, and an Xbox.  Then around Thanksgiving I see this great sale on a 32″ LCD set from Syntax Olevia, and I buy one.  A week or so later and I get a Comcast HD DVR, hook it up with component video cables, and am happy in HD-land. 

But then I discover HDMI and learn a few more things about HDTV.  And I get a Moviebeam and a Samsung upconverting DVD player. And everything became a problem, as I literally had to leave HDMI cables dangling behind my mess of a ‘rack’ and picked up a DVI-HDMI adapter from the ‘Shack.  Everything looked good on-screen, but was a major pain to manage.

Until I discovered Gefen.  Gefen sells a variety of products all designed to help clean up the variety of messes caused by, funny enough, upgrading to HDTV.  Simply put, most LCD and plasma displays only have one or two HDMI/DVI inputs.  I have 3 HDMI sources.  Compounding the matter my Syntax has a DVI input.  Boys and girls, we are in luck, because they make a video switch with four (yes 4) HDMI inputs and a DVI output.  They call it, simply enough, their 4×1 HDMI switch.

The unit comes in very simple packaging (somewhat like Sonos - I guess the more expensive the equipment, the less refinement that goes into the box), and includes a few cables which might come in handy depending on your particular configuration.  Also in the packaging is a simple setup/installation guide (plug A into socket A, etc) and a 4-button remote control.

The Gefen 4×1 switch is fairly small, about the size of a tissue box, and is finished in a metallic silver and light blue combination.  I personally think it has a bit of a ‘refined elegance’ to its appearance.  The back of the unit has power and the four HDMI inputs, while the front has a couple of LEDs, the DVI output, and a discrete remote control input.

Hooking up the Gefen was beyond simple, nobody (and I mean nobody) should have any problems with it.  I have a grand total of two complaints about the product, and here’s the first one:  the DVI output is on the front of the unit, which made placing the device a lot more complex than needed.  The problem for me is I need the ability to control the Gefen via infrared (using my handy-dandy Harmony 880 remote), so it needs to be ‘in view’ in my rack of devices (which is really just a shelf, but I can dream).  This creates a very awkward setup where the switch is underneath my LCD, and the DVI cable effectively snakes back around behind it, then up to the LCD.  In the grand scheme of things, its only a nuisance, and the company assures me the next version of the product has all the ports on the back.

The two LEDs on the unit show power (the red light - on or off), and input (the blue light - one through four).  The remote control has 4 buttons, which are labelled one through four, and switch inputs accordingly.  I guess that’s probably pretty obvious, but I like the simplicity so much I wanted to make sure that came through!  Complaint number two is the LEDs - I’d like an option to turn them off, or just lower the brightness significantly.  Definitely being nitpicky, but otherwise this would just be an overly glowing review, and we can’t have that, can we?

On to the technical side for a moment.  The Gefen switch properly passes through an HDCP signal, which is very important for copyrighted content.  Moviebeam, for example, only outputs HD content if it detects an HDCP-enabled output, and my Comcast HD DVR is also aware of HDCP (although I don’t believe it makes a difference at present).  Actually, I’ve discovered (and dutifully reported) a slight flaw with the Moviebeam device as a result of moving to HDMI.  It turns out if the Moviebeam unit is powered up without detecting HDCP it boots into standard-definition mode, and it also turns out the unit reboots itself every now and then with software updates.  What this adds up to is a problem whereby I have to physically remove the power from the back of Moviebeam, and then plug it back in and let it reboot if I want it back into HD mode.  Hopefully the Moviebeam guys will take my suggestion of adding a ‘redetect HD’ option somewhere in the advanced options menus.  Sorry for the long digression, back to Gefen!

Another feature for the technically sophisticated folks is the Gefen switch has an RJ-45 connector to allow for discrete IR control.  If those words don’t mean anything to you, well, you can probably scroll down a little bit.  For consumers who have built a home-control system, you can easily integrate the switch into your setup, and allow other devices and control systems to ‘talk’ to the Gefen unit.  As I stated above, I use a Harmony 880, which does include Gefen products in their amazing database, so didn’t try out this feature of the switch.

In summary, I really like the Gefen 4×1 HDMI switch.  If you have more than one digital HDTV source, you might need a switch.  If you currently use component cables because you don’t have another solution, you might need a switch.  If you have every episode of Hee-Haw on tape, you might be a redneck.

As I said earlier, my needs were multiple HDMI inputs, single DVI output. You may need a different combination for your particular setup, and lucky for you, Gefen offers a few different switches to choose from!  The one I tried here retails for about $300.  Chalk down the next version of the switch (with all inputs/outputs on the back) as “LD Approved” and this one as “really really good, but needs one fix to be perfect”.

Now if only I can clean up my cable mess, I’d be one happy guy!

Today, you can go to almost any store and buy some kind of case, protector, or sleeve for almost any digital device. One such product, the InvisibleSHIELD, takes this to a completely new level. InvisibleSHIELD is a “skin” of sorts that protects your device (in my case, a black iPod Nano) from all sorts of scratches, bumps, and scrapes. It’s made of a sort of clear plastic film, and completely covers your device, protecting it from everyday wear and tear.

Installing the InvisibleSHIELD proved to be quite difficult though…

The problem is that the sticky side of the product is, in fact, incredibly sticky. After first getting it stuck to my finger, then my desk, then my finger again, then to a piece of paper (which, of course, created a mess), I finally got it applied to my iPod, after figuring out that I was able to rinse it all off, and still maintain the integrity of the adhesive (which was amazing).

After the 15 minute installation procedure, I was anxious to see how the product worked, but the instructions said I had to wait a full 24 hours before it was set, so, on to the next day…

I was, to say the least, expecting nothing from this product. How could a thin piece of plastic possibly offer enough protection fir my iPod to survive the worst of the worst: me? I was surprised. Not only did the InvisibleSHIELD protect my iPod from small scratches, it protected them from potentially dangerous ones. Always being one to thoroughly test any product I buy (or in this case, am asked to test), I quickly set about scratching it with my keys. After a few minutes, the primate in me became bored with this, and much to my happiness, my iPod (and the InvisibleSHIELD) appeared unscathed, a true testament to the protective abilities of the InvisibleSHIELD.

Overall, it’s a truly amazing product. Not only did it meet the expectations set forth by the packaging, it exceeded them. I’ve been using it for a little over a week now, and I have to admit, I’m still amazed. Before, I used to be really careful about where I put my iPod. I used to devote a special pocket in my messenger bag for it, but now, I just throw it in with everything else (keys, books, pens, pencils…) and don’t worry about it. I would whole-heartedly recommend this product to anyone looking for superior protection for their digital devices. It’s a small cost to protect a typically expensive type of product, without ruining or hiding the original design of it.

About a week ago I received the newly designed SeV Performance T-Shirt by Scottevest Incorporated. The shirt is part of their “Technology Enabled Clothing (TEC)” line. This t-shirt is for the avid technologist who is constantly on the go.

Fitting into the shirt and installing your portable devices is a bit tricky. Once I put the shirt on, it did not make it clear where exactly the wires and devices fit. It took more than a few minutes to “figure out” how exactly the devices fit.

When I first tried out the shirt, I could tell that it was light weight, but with an iPod and digital camera it made the shirt feel incredibly off-centered. When using the shirt on a hot day, the fabric did not “soak up” the sun; the shirt did not get that hot. After the first use, this shirt is not designed for the average iPodder.

The shirt is designed out of 100% Polyester 3M Quick Dry fabric – the same materials that athletic clothing is made out of. This type of Polyester is designed to repel moisture from your body, which in turn means the shirt dries faster and the user is not left with a “soaked” shirt after a good workout.

The shirt comes equipped with a patented Weight Management System; in essence, the shirt has extra fabric in the shoulders in which it evenly distributes the weight.  

The shirt comes equipped with the patented “Personal Area Network” in which wires are run in the lining of the jacket. All of the pockets have a little hole in the pocket, in which it allows you to connect all of your devices. For example, if you wanted to connect your phone to your Pocket PC you could do this without having any wires showing. The shirt also has a hidden compartment to store a pair of ipod sized earbuds.

After having used the shirt off and on for a little over a week, it has proven to be a great shirt for the outdoor businessman. Having tested the shirt with a Motorola RAZR, Video iPod, and Digital Camera, the shirt held up to all of its claims. The Personal Area Network was very difficult to set up, and was not that much of a help.

Pro’s

• Light weight
• Comfortable fit
• Cost efficient
• Attractive Design

Cons

• Difficult to install devices
• A bit heavy when installing more than an iPod and phone
• Lack of documentation or step by step set up guide.

I would recommend this product to those who are constantly on the go and care about having people see your “cords” or “earbuds.” For $34.99 (Plus Tax and S&H), it is a nice luxury, but certainly not a shirt you could wear everyday.

For more information and to purchase the product directly from the manufacturer, please visit Scottevest Online Store. The shirt comes in sizes Medium thru XX Large and is available in both short or long sleeve designs.

 Courtesy // Scottevest

This is a diagram of the various components of the shirt.

 Courtesy // Scottevest

This is an “inside out” view of the shirt.

Courtesy // Scottevest

This is the shirt as it will first appear once you open the packaging.

For a video demonstration of the Personal Area Network feature see Personal Area Network (PAN)*

… and for the Weight Management System feature see Weight Management System Demo*

* Windows Media Player Required

I first saw the Logitech Harmony remote back when they were a small Canadian company, demonstrating it at a trade show a couple of years ago.  Their initial demos focused on giving EPG functionality to a LCD screen on the remote, but thankfully they made a switch into offering what I will have to call the best damn remote control on Earth.  Then Logitech bought them, and 2 years later they’ve managed to not screw it up!  Is the Harmony 880 perfect?  Nope, but it’s as close as I’ve seen.

In my mess of living room devices are the following:

• Sony AV receiver
• Syntax Olevia LCD TV
• Motorola HD DVR cable box (DCT-6412 Mark III)
• Moviebeam
• Samsung DVD player (with HD upscaling)
• 2 Slingboxes
• Xbox (no 360 yet)
• Sonos
• Gefen 4×1 HDMI switch

I have a lot of remotes - 6 of them to be precise.  I’ve connected the video for the Moviebeam, DVD player, and DVR to the Gefen switch, which is connected to the LCD.  All audio runs directly through the Sony receiver.  Changing inputs requires 2 remotes, and then I need the actual device remote.  As of about 2 hours ago, I only need one remote now, the Harmony 880.

The Harmony is shipped in Logitech’s signature green packaging (with a nice bubble exposure to show the actual unit), although I almost lost a finger trying to open the thing.  it comes with a docking station, a rechargable battery, a USB cable, a quick start guide, and the setup software.  After the initial charge was complete, I moved right into setup.

First step was to download and install the Harmony software (easy, but I’d rather not have had to register just to do it).  A few minutes later I followed the very intuitive step-by-step setup wizard, and within about 10 minutes everything other than the Gefen switch and Moviebeam were in my devices list.  You may be wondering why I was using my laptop to configure my remote control, but trust me when I say it’s worth it.  I’ve tried many many different programmable remotes over the years, and they are all awful (yes, especially including the horrific Pronto from Philips).  Whether its entering bizarre 4-digit codes or worse yet, pointing two remotes at each other and pushing buttons in odd sequences to ‘learn’ functions, the experience is always bad.  Enter Harmony and the PC.

In the PC setup wizard, you simply identify the devices you own by category: TV, DVD player, DVR, etc.  All you need to know is the make and model, they have it in their database (although I’ll explain later what happens if they don’t - but don’t worry, they do).  The software then uses USB to automatically program the appropriate infrared signals into the Harmony for you.  Done.  Game over!

And that’s when Harmony starts getting cool.  They also have the concept of ‘activities’.  An activity is “watch TV”.  When I push the “watch TV activity” on the screen of the remote, it automatically performs a macro (a series of commands) to turn on my TV (if its off), switch it to the right input, turn on my Sony receiver, switch it to the right input, and turn on my cable box.  Automatically.  Best part is this: at the end of the macro, the remote asks you if it worked properly, and if it doesn’t, it helps you get it working right!  The on-screen instructions take you question by question to identify the problem (which can happen if you don’t leave the remote pointed in the right direction long enough, something I did a few times while getting used to it).  The screens below reflect the key steps in an activity:

Also nice in the system is the ability to rename devices, create channel shortcuts, and have discrete volume control (when I push volume up or mute, it affects the Sony receiver, not the Comcast cable box).  Altogether a great experience.

With all of the glowing remarks above, I will say it’s not without it’s faults.  While I didn’t have the same problems as Steven did, I found the PC software has a lot of clunkiness to it.  When setting up the ‘activity’ to control Moviebeam, for example, I couldn’t get it to accept the concept that my Samsung DVD player doesn’t need to do anything for Moviebeam to work (I did eventually find a manual override, but it was buried deep within the user interface).  Also, integrating the Gefen 4×1 HDMI switch was much harder work than it should have been (not due to Gefen, but because Harmony doesn’t have the concept of separate audio and video switching).  Finally, the software requires a lot more confirmations and clicking ‘next’ a lot than I think is really needed - I would like to see an ‘advanced users’ version that gives you more direct control over the system (obviously this should be an optional mode, but it should be there somewhere).

There are also a few snags in the physical design of the 880.  For example, the playback controls are not distinct in shape, size, or layout, so until you learn that ‘play’ is the upper right button, you’ll never go there instinctively (but the backlight ‘glow’ effect of the remote almost makes up for this).  Also the volume and channel change buttons are a little tricky to get comfortable with.  Finally, there’s no ‘cancel’ button to exit out of the help or other interactive screens.

But these complaints are really just minor nuisances.  If you own 3 or more living room gadgets, grab a Harmony.  Think I’m the only one who likes it?  Check out Bombippy, Keith, and DigitalGrabber for some other reviews (nope, don’t know any of em).  Without any further hesitation, I’m declaring the Logitech Harmony 880 absolutely LD Approved!

To call the iPod the “market leader” is an understatement.  Ars Technica recently reported the iPod is so popular that beer sales on college campuses are decreasing as a result!  Personally, I’ve never owned one (although I had a free one which I never used and eventually dumped on Craigslist), and I remain surprised that nobody can best them still.  In fact, I must say I tend to jump at the opportunity to try other MP3 players when I get the chance.  When the Super Talent “MP3_4-2GBK” arrived, I hoped from the start it would be impressive.  And impressive it is, but it is unfortunately no David to Apple’s Goliath.

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So I’ve been hooked on laptops since 1996, when I got my first Toshiba Tecra.  It weighed about 15 pounds and was a total desktop replacement (meaning it had about all the power of a desktop PC, and virtually all the weight as well), which was perfect for my needs.  I went through two more Tecras over the years, then somehow managed to migrate through an HP, a Gateway (it wasn’t bad, really!), and settled on a Dell Latitude for a few years until it died (a bit young in my opinion).  I set out to replace it, and settled on the Sony Vaio VGN-SZ160P.  It’s been a few months, and I like it quite a bit.  Cutting to the chase: if you can afford it, it’s probably one of the best laptops on the market at present.  Read on if you want to know the details of why I think so.

I am very happy with the performance.  It’s a zippy dual-core Centrino laptop, and easily outperforms my last one, which sported a Pentium-M chip (The good kind that came out 2 years ago, not the crappy one from 3-4 years back.  Thanks for the clever naming there, Intel).  I am a constant multi-tasker, and at present have 4 IE browser windows open, Windows explorer, Outlook 2003, Outlook Express, AIM, Flickr, MSN Messenger, Word 2003, and Photoshop CS.  I can swap between them with ease (unless of course Outlook is synchronizing, in which case it absolutely brings this, and all other, PC to its knees), and rarely notice any delay in launching applications.

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Slappa is a company who provides cases promising to protect your CDs, DVDs, laptops, and (of course) iPods.  One of their lines of laptop cases is called the Velocity Pro, a well-lined backpack designed to carry laptops, small and large (up to 17″ screens).  I’ve tried it out on my recent 5-week trip to NYC, Toronto, London, Tokyo, and Beaverton, Oregon (one of these things just doesn’t belong), and, to save you the rest of the read, it’s a pretty good laptop case.  If you’re interested in the why, read on… (more…)

-Courtesy TechLore.com

One of the key problems facing consumers is that portable electronic devices are getting more power hungry with each new generation, but those single-use alkaline batteries that power them haven’t really improved much over the last decade. Perhaps 10 or 20 years from now, it will seem silly that we had to tote around two or three spare sets just to make sure that we could always use our portable device whenever we wanted to. Or, has that time come already in the form of Oxyride?

In this review, I pit Panasonic’s new Oxyride batteries against Energizer Max and their own alkaline battery. Does Oxyride provide the increase in battery life you need to keep that digital camera and MP3 player running when you need it most?

Read the rest of this entry >> (external link)

As a 6′3″ guy who weighs no more than a buck-65 (wet out of the shower), I have a lot of respect for anything skinny (editor’s note: are you calling me fat?). So it’s been my pleasure to test the Kensington SX-2000 speakers for iPod. Like several other systems that turn your iPod into a mini-home stereo, it’s a speaker with a built-in docking station.

Unlike others, its slim and sleek design (skinny people prefer the words slim and sleek) make it stand out from the rest.

There are so many docking stations for the iPod that I thought Kensington’s entrant to the market wouldn’t impress me. In fact, Apple’s own addition tanked and is probably the worst product they’ve put out in years. Think Mack Truck in your living room. With all of these docking stations, I was ready to write the “also-ran” review.  Not so. This product is fantastic and brings your entire music collection into places that you may never have considered.

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There’s a whole lotta convergence goin on these days.  A big push (one I used to spearhead while working for Mediabolic) is getting digital media from a PC to a TV set.  I for one have a few thousand digital pictures, about 100GB of ripped music (did it myself for about 700 CDs!), and some digital videos.  Products like the MV-5000U are designed to let me playback this digital media at the TV set with a handy remote control, rather than at the PC with a keyboard.  I could go on for some length about the “10-foot” experience compared to the “2-foot” experience, or “lean-forward” versus “lean-back” activities, but I think we’ve all heard enough already.  Personally, I love my Sonos for the music around the home, but it would be nice to be able to do photo slideshows on the LCD TV.

Anyhow, the Chief Gizmateer over at Gizmos for Geeks (oh that’s what he meant by GfG) had some hands-on time with the MV-5000U.  A short excerpt of his review:

What’s Groovy: The Mvix MV-5000U has a decently high grooviness factor and as my wife mentioned several times… this is “pretty cool!”

What’s Sucky: The only part of the gizmo that was frustrating was the remote control. The navigation arrow keys were small and close together and I kept hitting the down arrow key by accident while trying to hit OK. Also, the manual was quite basic, but who uses manuals anyway?

For the rest (and it’s thorough!), read more here.

As I wrote about last week, Moviebeam is a consumer electronics device that gives you a whole movie rental store in your living room.  For details on how the system and service work, please take a moment to re-read my original review.  Late last week I received the Moviebeam HD Cable Kit, which has opened up a whole new experience with the product.

One important note: while many of you may use component video cables to connect your DVD player or digital cable/satellite box to your HDTV set, it’s important to know that you are only getting part of the HD picture!  Component video, while better than composite and s-video, is still analog, and does not carry a perfect digital signal all the way to your set.  Furthermore, component video does not include any digital copy protection technologies, so if a manufacturer or content provider wants to offer protected-only content, they must use a secure technology, which IS provided through digital cable connections such as HDMI and DVI.  Most important for you: if you HAVE the option to switch from component to either HDMI or DVI cabling, go to the store and get the right cables immediately!  To quote a true genius, “you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!”

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I must start by being perfectly honest about something: I don’t understand how the ringtone/wallpaper/theme industry is a multi-billion dollar industry.  I’ve tried out a few ringtones, but I think they are for the most part silly.  I’m one of the fifty million (or so) Sprint Ambassadors who received a free phone to try out, and it’s cool, but if I had to pay for a background image, it would be fedexed out of my possession a few minutes later.  But for some reason I have yet to discover, I really think there is something cool about custom skins for devices.

Maybe it’s because owning a RAZR was cool for about 3 days, and having a black one for about 2 more days than that.  Everything is a commodity today.  So when I found out about skinit, I decided I needed to have a Habs phone.

Getting your device skinned is terrifically easy.  Go to their Web site, select your category of device, then pick the brand and model.  Then pick a skin.  Or start by selecting your skin.  They have TONS of em (art, sports, models, colleges, movies, etc).

Pricing ranges from $14.95 to $29.95.  At face value, this seems a wee bit high to me, but then I gave it some thought - if I personally put value on personalization, this isn’t all that pricey.  Don’t get me wrong, if you are reading this, and your dull grey Compaq laptop is looking suh-weet in your opinion, you are probably shaking your head wondering how I could even possibly consider spending that money.  No worries, my friend, you are under no obligation to purchase, and may safely go on your merrily surfing ways.  But if you want your own Star Wars Vaio, keep reading!

I selected my skin (Montreal Canadiens hockey logo) and my phone (LG VX6100), and today received it.  A little bit of prying and applying, and a few minutes later, the Habsphone was born!

In today’s world of endless Starbucks, Targets, Walmarts, Mickey D’s, Home Depots, and every other chain that is strategically placed 1.7 miles apart, it’s fun to find a little individuality.  Granted, buying a sticker (easily removable, by the way, with no residue left over) isn’t going to solve world hunger, but at least I can make the bet that I’m the only guy in San Francisco with a cell phone that looks like the Montreal Canadiens hockey team logo.  I have to go now, I need to get a new pair of khakis at the Gap.