In the latest Xbox 360 dashboard update they added support for Xvid aka DivX aka MPEG-4 ASP at long last. I finally had the opportunity to try it out this week and so far I’m very impressed. For some reason it isn’t included as standard in the dashboard and requires a 2.5mb download of the “Optional Media Update” which you are prompted to fetch when it encounters a suitable file. Once you have this the 360 will read AVIs off DVDs, CDs, USB drives and over your network with very little trouble. All the files I tested worked as documented in the above link with no playback issues at all and while it doesn’t support AVIs with an AC3 track it will playback 720p Xvids no problem.
Good work MS it’s great to see this feature finally working, just keep the codec machine churning and eventually we will have a fully functional media center :-). Next on the agenda Matroska containers with x264 encoded video please!
I had always found it frustrating to get a good Skype setup going in Windows. Either the speakers were too loud and caused an echo, the cheap handset was falling apart or Windows had forgotten the audio device I was using. So getting a handset that just worked well with the Skype network was very refreshing but getting one that I could use anywhere was even better.
The 3 Skypephone is on the surface a standard handset with an average camera, ok screen and fairly decent build quality. But it comes into its own when using the unique Skype software on the device in conjunction with the 3 mobile network. Aside from video calling the mobile client is almost identical to its PC counterpart giving the ability to make and receive calls on the Skype network, manage contacts and even use the instant messaging function.
One of my concerns was how it would manage being logged in on the PC and the mobile simultaneously if at all. Luckily it works just fine with both the phone and PC ringing out when receiving calls and any messages received appearing on both.
Calls are clear to, from and between Skype/mobiles with no noticeable lag. The keypad is solid and the screen is big enough to make texting and IM pretty easy. The only catch I can see so far is that if you wanted to purchase a pay as you go handset just for Skype use it needs to be kept topped up. This is because any credit you purchase will eventually expire and having credit on the phone is a requirement of using the Skype features. Alternatively you can just go for a contract and you’re set.
It’s not replacing my SE k850i as a camera phone but it’s hardly fair to compare the two. As a solid second handset or¬† a dedicated Skype phone it’s almost perfect and for ¬£50 or ¬£90 for a pair it’s a rather attractive deal.
If like me you get home for Christmas and are suddenly bombarded by every family member asking you to fix/cleanup their PCs then Appupdater can make your life slightly easier. It basically brings the package management you see from Debian and RPM based Linux distros to Windows, allowing a quick and easy way to update a ton of apps all at once. Lifehacker posted an excellent quide which i recommend to anyone who wants to get their system cleanups done as quickly and easily as possible.
Seeing as the BBC do a horrible job promoting Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe, to the extent that regular viewers like me and BBC Four newsletter subscribers don’t know it’s on, I thought I’d do them a favour and plug the repeat on here. Watch it.
I have been playing far too much Peggle recently (as evidenced by my Steam account - can’t hide anything these days) and was a bit worried I wouldn’t be able to take my obsession on the road with me due to my recent Mac defection. Low and behold in a feat of amazing timing Popcap go and release Peggle for Mac OSX! Best of all the save files are fully compatible.
If you are like me and need to move your saves over just go into the Steam apps folder and locate the Peggle userdata directory. Its then just a matter of copying the contents over to /Users/Username/Library/Application Support/PopCap/Peggle/userdata and you are set to continue the grand master challenge.
Finally made it back to Solihull after the car decided to crap out on me just when I was ready to leave. Note to self - always keep jumper cables in the car. This festive period will give me some time to catch up on some blogging, watch some wacky Japanese MMA and get through a ton of films. Oh and there’s this whole thing involving eating and drinking too much which will no doubt be taking place simultaneously with the rest of my activities. Woo!
I have had my “home cinema” setup for a few months now but totally forgot to blog about it until I was reminded recently. Right now I have an Optoma HD70 projector sitting atop some cheap IKEA shelves that boost it over the height of the sofa with anyone sitting on it. It’s far enough away from the wall that I can get about an 80″ to 100″ picture depending on how I feel. Luckily the wall in my apartment is very plain and clean and you don’t even notice the texture of the wall. 720p stuff looks amazing while standard def content doesn’t look too shabby either, especially when compared to and LCD TV. The projector has HDMI, component and VGA inputs so I connect my PC via HDMI and the Xbox 360 via component.
I knew I would have to get some new speakers to go with this when I got it so I went for the cheapest THX DTS set around. This turned out to be the Logitech Z-5400 which produces a ton of bass and has coax and optical inputs to connect to the PC and 360 respectively. The remote is a little flaky but nothing a few smacks can’t cure.
Alien is an awesome demonstration of the system. I have a 1080p version with DTS sound and it just comes alive with the creepy score and crisp visuals. Having this system makes me want to go back and watch the classics all over again and I have definitely found myself watching more movies because of this. Next on the list is Blade Runner Final Cut and Back to the Future (if I can get a decent HD version).
The 360 works nicely too but I did find myself getting slightly motion sick in Halo 3 from the first few hours of play. This is probably due to the sheer size of the screen alone but you do get used to and it only affects FPS games. Oh and playing games like Lumines, Tetris and Bomberman on the thing feels like total overkill!
So my recommendation if you are looking for a nice big screen is to seriously consider a projector. Obviously you need the throw distance, a dark room and a large enough wall but the price per inch of screen size cannot be beaten. Gizmodo put handy list of tips together recently which are worth checking out.
The second season of Heroes came to end rather quickly and disappointingly after the huge success of last year. While it certainly turned a corner by the 8th episode it all seemed too little too late. This was incidentally the episode that told the events right after the end of season one and finally ditched Hiro’s wacky adventures in medieval Japan. Why on Earth they couldn’t just do this in the first place is beyond me - it makes far more sense and actually explained what happened to the characters after the big finale. Dumb.
The other thing that has been nagging at me are the logic holes. A man who can manipulate time itself would have no problem handling every situation and saving anybody. Hiro has become too powerful and breaks the show because of this. The guy really needs to be restricted to just pausing time.
Also in the last two episodes it’s established that Peter and Adam can be killed by a bullet through the head. Yet before this Noah is shot in the head, killed and then promptly resurrected via a transfusion of Claire’s blood. The same Claire whose powers Peter absorbed and as such you would assume the same rules apply to her as to any blood transfusion.
I haven’t even started on my outright hatred for Maya and Niki - so pointless. Hopefully the writer’s strike will give them time to reflect on the issues this season has had so they come back with swinging next year. Hopefully.
Didn’t see any of the other MMA blogs pick this up. On the most recent episode of the PC Gamer podcast they had Jens Pulver on to talk Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and more. He goes into a ton of detail about the games he plays, his old clan and shows a deep appreciation for gaming that you don’t hear often from athletes. Turns out he even has a deal with Activision to sponsor him for his debut fight in WEC next week against Cub Swanson.
Gillen has a long and all encompassing defence of Bioshock up at Eurogamer. Definitely worth checking out if you have finished the game. The backlash to the defence against the backlash is here and here too. Confusing to say the least.
Everyone is struggling to come up with their game of the year for 2007 and it’s clearly showing. I can’t argue with those that believe it’s because there have been so many top notch releases this year but I actually think it’s because we have a lot of flawed gems to choose from. Great experiences that are slightly tainted by one thing or another. I know my top 5 will contain the same stuff as many other people but the order will vary wildly.
![Futurama - Bender's Big Score (with Limited Edition Lenticular Sleeve) [2008]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61THJCbOxwL._SL75_.jpg "Futurama - Bender's Big Score (with Limited Edition Lenticular Sleeve) [2008]")
![Futurama - The Beast with a Billion Backs [2008]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511PW90lDhL._SL75_.jpg "Futurama - The Beast with a Billion Backs [2008]")
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