Westinghouse TX-47F430S 47"Flat Screen Review

I purchased this 47 inch flat screen a few years ago, and for the most part I like how it works. I did add a post for the TV but never wrote a review for it. Early this year I hocked up a BluRay player and I had a few issues with the TV auto detecting the signal. I ended up turning the TV off and back on until it found the signal, actually I had to unplug the set because just turning it off didn't help. Any way the TV always detects the BluRay now and I just figured it was me not reading the directions, However I did move the BluRay over to the HDMI 1 channel connector. I just found some reviews on the web and other people were having the same issue of not detecting the incoming signals [auto-source switching]. Seems to work fine now.

I like the set, the 1080p picture is great but I really just use the set in my office while I'm working on the web site.
So over the last few months the sound has gone out, or slowed down ~ like putting your finger on an LP to slow the sound down. Again I have to unplug the set to get it to reset. I canceled cable a few months ago so I use a Terk antenna to watch TV, or just use a DVD. I only just started over-the-air TV a few months ago and that's when the issue started. I have to assume that when the TV starts to lose the signal it gets a bit confused.

I purchased this HDTV in 2008 but it looks like they still sell it so the review is still valid. Maybe they have fixed these issues by now, but the TV has only done this stuff a few times.

Digital TV Reception

I finally got around to playing with Digital Television [DTV] this week. At first I didn't have a DTV antenna so I just hooked up an old FM dipole antenna I had. The FM antenna worked pretty well, as I was getting around 11 stations [Digital TV Channels]. However there was some interference, or bad reception because a few of the stations would come and go. Any why I went ahead and purchased a Digital Antenna.

I purchased a Omni-Directional Flat Digital Antenna from Best Buy. The digital antenna is a FDTV2 made by Trek. I only just purchased the antenna yesterday so I can't speak to how low it will last, but it comes with a one year warranty.

The antenna was about $55 and was in around the mid price range. There may have been a few both above and below this cost, but never having purchased a DTV antenna I just went with something in the middle price range. No I didn't read any product reviews, it's an antenna, but it is an active antenna. So I take it the only thing that can go wrong would be the internal amplifier, or maybe the attached cable. Anyway I would recommend this antenna because it seems to pick all the stations its supposed to; however I have not tried any other digital antenna.

I was wondering how long the cable from the antenna to the TV could be, but the attached 5 foot coaxial cable answered that question for me [standard BNC connector]. The antenna cable is permanently affixed to the antenna. Although a BNC Barrel [Female-Female] connector could be added to extend the maximum cable length, I wouldn't recommend doing it with out testing first. The antenna itself may be wall mounted, table mounted [comes with a base], or mounted flat on any surface

The attached table is a graphic of the available digital stations in my area from the FCC, showing signal strength, Network Callsign, Virtual TV Channel, and the Frequency band. For many of those stations listed, there are three different channels. That tells me that the stations are transmitting digital TV, but not high definition TV. [a few HD Acronyms].

The attached map is the relative location of the DTV transmitters and the DTV receiver. Although only three antennas are shown to the north many of the antennas are over lapped, with only one antenna being located south of the receiver.
Click either picture to see a larger view.

Related blog postings; HDTV Spectrum,
The TV used with the antenna is a Westinghouse TX-47F430S, 1080p HDTV [with internal digital converter].

BluRay BD Player

I did end up buying a BluRay disk player the other day. However I want to play with it for another day or so before I write a review or make any recommendations one way or the other.

First off the resolution of a Blu-Ray disk far exceeds a DVD, more than I would have figured possible. I did purchase one BD DVD which I'll review below, but I was not to happy with the price. I only purchased one because there was a limited amount on the shelf, for what ever reason.

Which leads me to my second point, why are Blu-ray disks over ten dollars more than a DVD. I think we all know that the cost of a BD or DVD should be about the same. So instead of being taken advantage of I think I'll continue purchasing DVDs unless a Blu-ray disk is required, as in a Sci-FI or other high-res type movie. I see no need for some comedy or second rate movie to be in Blu-ray. Same as I wouldn't care if a comedy was in 7.1 surround sound, in fact I may not even turn my receiver on for a comedy.

None of the units ship with an HDMI cable, so be sure to purchase one with the unit. I figured I had one at home, but of course was to find out I didn't. So I started watching with Component Video and the Audio from Composite Video, Opps. However I did end up going out the next day to purchase an HDMI cable and a longer Ethernet Cable [to connect to my router].

So I find I can down load movies off the internet right into my Blu-ray player, that seemed a bit cool. There's even a few free movies out on-line, although I wouldn't recommend them. I also started watching [as background noise while working on the PC] an advertiser supported movie on-line. But as it stopped several minutes into the movie, and the room went silent, to download the advertisement I shut it off. Can't they buffer up those commercials? I mean it only took a few seconds of down-load time, but it just seemed like they were wasting my time waiting for an ad to download that I didn't even want to see in the first place.

Anyway I purchased Pandorum in Blu-ray. I like SciFi, and to me this one seemed pretty good.
Yes it is a Zombie in Space move [trapped on a spaceship], but so what, I just kept turning up the volume to see what would happen next. As you would guess there's a lot of running and hiding from the "Zombies", other wise they eat you. Now they're not really Zombies, but it's the same difference. Oh and these guys run like the 'new' Zombies [Resident Evil, 28 Days Later], they don't stumble like zombies from the 60's or 70's .

To many of the screens were dark [poorly lit], and there could have been one less chase scene but I liked it [and it looked great in Blu-ray].

So this is a prelude to a technical review of a Blu-ray player. I haven't started reviewing movies!

edison software program review

I down loaded and installed edison from Verdiem tonight based on an article I saw. What a waste of time that was, and now they have my e-mail address.

The program was to make my computer go green by giving me more control over how it operated when I wasn't using it, when it should go to sleep and so on. I was going to make a smaller carbon foot-print and help the environment ~ or not.

I clicked on the schedule tab to set my time when I use the computer, it indicates the 'non-work time' is already set for you ~ how the hell does the program know that? The 'work time' is adjustable but fixed for the days you select, so you can select 9 to 5 Monday through Friday. My computer usage is 5am to 7am M-F and 6pm to 8pm M-F, but you can't select two different time frames. Plus, Saturdays and Sundays are also different, but again the time frame is fixed regardless of the day.

How is this different than just having the OS put the computer in sleep mode? edison is a joke, plus I have yet one more program running in my task bar consuming my expensive memory.

I do not recommend using edison by Verdiem because I just don't see how it benifits a user. Yes it tells you your kWh usage or saving or what ever, but so what. The program is taking up $50 of my RAM to do the same thing that Windows Vista already does. Yes it "seems" to calculate a savings if I set it to turn my PC off while I'm still using it, but that's not why I purchased a $2000 computer.

I only opened it, noticed the lack of options and closed the program two minutes later. I did not detect any options that made it appear any different than the options with the MS OS, and I plan to remove it once I submit this posting. Any e-mails to my gmail account will be flagged as spam.

CoffeeCup HTML Editor Review

Hmm, I'm trying the free version of the CoffeeCup HTML editor and I'm not sure I like it. The CoffeeCup Editor seems to be really slow ~ I don't like slow.

I was using the free version of 1st page 2000, and yes the program came out in 2000. You go with what works, or in my case what does the job and gets the job done fast. Any how I've gotten the blue screen about 4 times with my new computer, and each time it seemed like it was because of the 1st page html editor. Note, I said it appeared as if the html editor caused it..

Yes a newer version of the html code editor came out in 2006, but when you visit the site and read the forum you quickly find that 1st page 2006 is full of bugs and the site provides no support [not my words].

I'm not buying a new html program editor with out trying it out first, so I found CoffeeCup. This program looks a lot like the other program I was using, so that's good. Free is good, but the company does offer a paid version. Before I say what the issues are, I need to say that this is only the second day using the new program.

The program issues, or what I do not like about Coffeecup;
1: I can not move the last modified date [column] next to the file name [column]
2: The 'Name' column defaults to the CoffeeCup folder and does not remember "my" folder
3: The 'Name' column re-cycles to the start of folder any time I save a file, changing position
4: Any time I save a file, I get the hour glass ~ we're done.

Just for the record I only use an HTML editor to view text. The program displays commands or text in different colors, and or high-lights certain types of text. Other wise I could just use a text editor, as I use no advanced commands. Many times I will select some text and hit the 'bold' button, or 'center' button to correct the text view ~ so what, I could code that myself.

Here is the link to the PC I'm using;
http://serial-phy-interfaces.blogspot.com/

WRT300 IEEE-802n Review

I went out again to see what people were saying about the new wireless-n spec devices

Now I see that some hardware chip manufaturers have issues with producing chip-sets to the draft standard, which really is very different then the 'just up-load new firmware' posts I've seen in the past.

Also that the IEEE.80211n specification is sensitive to environmental conditions which may explain the other negative posting I've have seen.

More over that the IEEE-80211n standard may interfere with IEEE-802.11g wireless networks ~ which I want to keep.

I only want to up-grade my wireless hub to IEEE-802.11n, keeping the rest of my system as IEEE-802g until I get a few dollars out of it 'g' devices.

So, again no wireless-n up-grade tonight. interfacebus: Linksys WRT300n Review

Linksys WRT300n Review

So I wanted to upgrade my wireless router, which is a Linksys Wireless-B BEFW11S4. The BEFW11S4 operates using 802.11b technology ~ 10Mbps.

Two of the three reviews for the WRT300n I saw were negitive. So I'll take a pass tonight.

All my other gear is 802.11g, execpt the router. So just by geting the 802.11n router and operating it as a Wireless-G device I would up-grade my transmission speed from 10Mbps to 54Mbps.

More: interfacebus: WRT300 IEEE-802n Review

Listing of Wireless Routers

m7470n Review

I'm still really happy with the HP m7470n computer [AMD X2 4200+]. It does seem to be faster than the Alienware PC I was using [AMD 3800]. There are a few minor issues I do have with it.

First; the 300 watt power supply is pointless, it's not large enough to fully load the extra expansion slots on the PC ~ like adding a high end video card. Second; the documentation seems inaccurate. The HP site shows a m7470n populated with expansion cards which did not come on my computer. The store site indicates the PC has a video card, which it does not. Finally much of the front of the PC is dedicated to a large removable hard drive bay. I don't have an HP removable drive and don't really need one.

I like the fact it does not have a front door ~ I hated the door on the Alienware PC

I have yet to add the 10,000 rpm Raptor to the system yet. I have also not done anything with the TV card or any thing to do with multi-media ~ I just run a web site.

There are a few additional posts on the m7470n
interfacebus: New Video Card

interfacebus: On-Board Video

interfacebus: New Computer

My only other comment concerns Open Office which I use on this PC. Seems really slow, but I am not using the quick start option. Open Office did not come with the HP PC, I loaded that software.

Be careful with card additions; I think I'm allowed 10 watts per slot. The video card I added uses around 70 watts. It was the lowest grade video card at the store with two video inputs ~ still a good card.

Listing of Computer Manufacturers