Must Have App – “Soundwave”

  
 Some time ago while doing my normal Google Plus socializing, I was asked by one of the devs of this app if I would be interested in beta testing. I asked “what is it?” and was told that it’s an app that lets you find music based on what people around you are listening to. Well, since I love music and I love apps, I said “sure!”
  I was pleasantly surprised from day 1! The UI is incredibly simple, but the app is packed with goodies for music lovers. You can follow people from all over the world who use the app and discover some really great music that you may not have heard otherwise. And the music you listen to is instantly shared – once installed and enabled, you don’t have to actually launch the app to share what you’re listening to. Just listen to your music as you normally do. When you launch the app and check out your own feed, you’ll see that whatever you have been listening to has been quietly shared in the background. Don’t want to always share what you’re listening to? The app of course allows you to turn sharing off – you can easily change your location and privacy settings.
 The app has a built in social aspect – it lets you follow profiles of people whose music you enjoy, and others follow you as well. Got a favorite song? Set it as your “Humdinger” to let the world know! Songs discovered can instantly be previewed, viewed on YouTube, streamed on SoundCloud and purchased directly from Google Play and 7Digital.
 I have discovered some GREAT music that I might not have ever heard thanks to Soundwave! If you love music as much as I do, it is a Must Have App!
  Download for free from Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.soundwave.soundwave

The Truth About Cutting The Cord – Part 3: Suggested Software

  So, you’ve got your broadband internet access, your new cable modem, your gigabit router, your HD antenna, a dedicated PC with extra storage, and your Roku(s). Your network is up and humming along.      You’ve gone through the Roku and have experienced its awesomeness – you’ve plowed through the Roku channel store and have added the ones that you like to your lineup.
  But it still seems like something’s missing, right? Although there’s Hulu Plus, Netflix and Crackle, you still can’t seem to find your favorite shows you’ve been watching. And when you do find them, it’s usually long after they’ve aired. Simply put, you don’t want to be almost an entire season behind while everyone else is talking about the latest episode of “Justified”.

 Or, what about your collection of movies you have gathered over time and have saved on your massive external hard drive? Sure – with the Netgear R6200 router I suggested, you could simply connect the drive to the router and access it via the My Media interface. But how about having your favorite NEW TV episodes and your movie collection in one place, accessible via one interface? Well, I’m glad you’ve asked! That brings me to the first (and perhaps most crucial) suggested piece of software – Plex
At first glance, one can’t help but note that Plex also offers its own channel store. There are many of the same channels that can be found in the Roku channel store. However, I have noted that over time as each of the official license owners of these channels launch their own official Rocku channels, the ones on Plex will stop working. Case in point – when PBS launched its official Rocku channels (PBS and PBS Kids), both of those stopped working in Plex. But alas – these channels aren’t the beauty of Plex, and not why I’ve suggested it. The 2 key sections of Plex are the My TV and My Movies “channels”.
 Plex is a media server that allows you to view your locally stored movies and TV shows via Roku. I won’t go into complete detail on its setup – simple step by step instructions are on the website: http://www.plexapp.com/. As the old saying goes, it really isn’t “rocket science”!
 Remember the dedicated PC I mentioned in Part 2? Now it comes into play! Download and install Plex onto that dedicated PC, and connect your external hard drive with your movie collection. On your external hard drive, create a folder called “TV” or “My TV” and if you don’t have one already, create a folder called “Movies”. If you’ve always simply downloaded movies onto that drive, move them all into the “Movies” folder. Following the simple directions on the Plex website, have it feed your movies for the My Movies channel, and your TV shows for the My TV channel. I suggest using a dedicated PC to get the most optimum experience. You can of course choose to install it on your main home-use PC. However, if you have other people at home actively using that PC you may experience some performance issues while viewing shows via Plex as that PC handles the streaming duties as well as whatever else the person using the PC is doing.
 As for your TV shows, there are a couple other pieces to the puzzle you will need. The first may be all-too-familiar: BitTorrent. 
 Once again – download and quick and easy setup can be found via their website: http://www.bittorrent.com/bittorrent-free
Download / install it onto your dedicated PC.
 But BitTorrent by itself won’t get you your TV shows. You will need to “feed” it. That is where the final, awesome piece to the puzzle comes into play: the website showRss: http://showrss.karmorra.info/?cs=feeds

 I would suggest bookmarking this site in the browser of your dedicated PC. It does not automatically “feed” BitTorrent. Rather, you select the “Feed for a show” dropdown to obtain the RSS feed for the show of your liking to add to BitTorrent. You will want to add the feed link to each of your shows to BitTorrent and be sure to tell BitTorrent to save them in your “TV” or “My TV” folder on your hard drive. What I have found is that new episodes for shows are usually available on your Plex server for watching in about 15 – 30 minutes after airing. The great thing about Plex is that as all of your shows begin feeding into it, it will organize them into their own folders with show art, episode descriptions, AND theme music! No fumbling though cryptically named file types. Simply select My TV and find your shows!
One final server I will mention that you may want to download onto your dedicated PC to access via your Roku is called PlayOn. But, I only want to MENTION it and not necessarily SUGGEST it. http://www.playon.tv/playon
 The reason being is that as of date, I have not found PlayOn to be living up to the claims found on their website. Many of the “live” channels they claim to have simply don’t work, or are in fact NOT “live” at all. In fact, the only “live” channel I can get to work on it is HBO Comedy This in itself may be worth it to you (I paid the $24.99 per year fee – may drop it at the end of the term). But hey – that’s YOUR call!
  Now you should have all the pieces in place! I know I’ve glazed over some steps to get this all up and running, but I will address that in the 4th and final installment – Optimizing Your Experience. Of course, you may have gotten all you need to know in this installment. If so, HAPPY STREAMING and I hope I’ve helped with your decision to Cut The Cord!
Up Next – Part 4: Optimizing Your Experience

Must Have App – “YouTube Floating Player”

 Have you ever wanted to watch a YouTube video while you were doing something else on your Android phone or tablet? Well, there happens to be many apps in the Play Store that can do this.

I’ve tried out a few YouTube floating video apps, and like this one the best. The advantage this one has on others I’ve tried is that I can log into my YouTube account and access my playlists and videos. Maybe there’s another out there that does so as well (please let me know if you have found one) but I couldn’t find one.

What’s cool about all apps of this type is they give you a resizable floating video, allowing you to launch other apps all the while still enjoying your video!

                                   Click here to download YouTube Floating Player from Play

 It’s available for free in Play. It does have a few little quirks – it can be a little jumpy when re-sizing a video, and when switching to the floating window the large main page of the video does not close automatically. Also, whenever you move the popped-out video on your screen, there is a huge pause symbol that appears on top of the video along with the timeline slider at the bottom that stays there a few seconds too long. I’ve brought things to the dev’s attention and hopefully they will be addressed.

 The UI is pretty simple and straight-forward. Upon launch, it resembles much of the official YouTube app in terms of layout. Once you load your selected video, you simply tap the “pop out” icon in the upper right-hand corner –

 Once the video is popped out, you can do other things, and it floats on top. Here I’m checking out my Google Plus stream while viewing a video by “The Collective” –

 As mentioned, you can drag the video all over the screen and leave it where you like! Or, you can simply close it.

 Like I said, I tried out a few of these before landing on this one. All of them share the same basic pop out and drag capability but this was the only one I could find that actually allowed me to log into my YouTube account and access my videos / playlists. If you happen to know of another that does, please feel free to let me know and I’ll check it out!

The Truth About Cutting The Cord – Part 2: Equipment and Cost

In Part 1, I gave a brief rundown of the core reasons as to why I finally decided to Cut The Cord. Again, your reasons may be different or the same, or you may decide that sticking with cable (or satellite) is actually better for you. In either case, now I would like to explain some of the costs involved and detail the equipment I chose. Keep in mind that I’m not trying to say the hardware listed hereafter is the best or top of the line (in fact, I tried to keep equipment costs down as much as I could), but I feel it’s at least a good starting point for most. Also, though I will list some pricing here, the good thing about technology is that it’s always moving forward so the prices of already released equipment continues to drop as new things come out. Simply put – this is the stuff I bought, and it works great for me and my family and I think it will for you as well.

So, let’s get started!

  1. Digital Antenna

As many of you may remember, since June 13, 2009, all full-power U.S. Television stations have broadcast digital-only signals. Many mark this date as the dawn of the Cut The Cord revolution. I would also agree with some who say (I call them Cord Cutting Purists) that the only true Cord Cutting comes from getting rid of all ties to any cable or satellite provider. This would include losing internet access as well which, as you will see later on, will not work for the Cord Cutting I’m outlining.

If you want to get rid of the television service and still want to at least be able to view your local stations, you will want to purchase a digital antenna. I personally like to keep up with local news, so this was a no-drainer for me. The picture quality is amazing, as there is no signal compression from a service provider. And, as you will discover, I found there were channels floating around out there that I never even heard of that I now pick up!

There are many models out there – some indoor, some outdoor. I went with the RCA ANT1650R which I picked up 2 for about 25 bucks each on Amazon. I’ve seen the same model at Walmart priced at $30-$40.

  1. Internet Access

As I’ve mentioned, the Cord Cutting I’m outlining is going to require internet access. It should go without saying that you’re going to want broadband. When I first starting experimenting with this idea, I was paying my ISP for 20Mbps down, 2Mbps up. What I found over time was that this simply wasn’t cutting it – especially considering we’re running 2 Rokus (more on those shortly), a couple Android tablets, my phone and my wife’s phone and 2 PCs. Not that all of these devices are always connected simultaneously at all times, but there are periods when that’s the case. Also, with this speed, it seemed we would run into the dreaded Netflix “Loading” screen far too often while watching something.

So, I knew I had to beef that up a bit. Unfortunately, the ISP I had at the time could not offer more than that for my area, so I switched to Time Warner (whom I actually had before). I moved up to 30Mbps down and 5Mbps up, which has proven to be the perfect minimum speed. Time Warner offers higher speeds, but this level of connectivity works smoothly.

That being said, now would be the perfect time to explain what I mentioned in Part 1 –

“Surprisingly, even to me, cost actually wasn’t a factor as one might expect and as many people will blog or post about when they talk about cutting the cord. “

The fact is, the cable and satellite service providers want you to buy ALL of their services, not just one. As such, you will have to take into consideration when deciding whether or not this is right for you the fact that the connection speeds I’ve mentioned are going to run you somewhere around $70 – $75 dollars per month, or maybe even more depending on what market you’re in. And, that’s the catch.

Consider this –

The speeds I’ve described are what Time Warner refers to as Extreme internet. If you were to bundle and go with their Basic TV and Extreme package, you could get –

  • Over 20 Channels
  • Extreme Speed
  • HBO® with HBO GO®
  • Cinemax® FREE for 3 Months
  • Home WiFi, TWC WiFi Hotspots
  • Switch and get up to $50 Visa® Reward Card
$7999per Month for 12 Months

But remember, the devil is always in the details. Note the “Free for 3 months” and “$79.99 per month for 12 months”. And, not to mention as I explained in Part 1, you get what channels and content they tell you to get – you don’t get to choose.

  1. High Speed Cable Modem
If you’re still reading this, that means I didn’t scare you off with the ISP cost situation. Or, you’re just curious. Either way, if you’re still considering Cutting The Cable, and have decided to go with Time Warner’s Extreme Internet or something equivalent, you’re going to need a modem to handle the extra bandwidth bulk. You have a couple of choices here – buy your own or pay the ISP at least $4.99 per month to rent one from them. Well since we’re trying to Cut The Cord the only logical decision would be to buy your own ISP-compatible modem. Be sure to check with your ISP about compatible models (they should list them somewhere on their website) and purchase accordingly.

I’m not going to go too deep into tech mumbo-jumbo here, but simply state that I decided on the Motorola SUFboard eXtreme SB6141 (DOCSIS 3.0). I had originally purchased a Netgear equivalent to this model, the CMD31T, but it kept periodically dropping the connection. Upon exchange, it was only logical to me to go with a Motorola model – all of the years I’ve been paying for internet and renting modems from the service providers, I would always have a Motorola modem and had almost no issues.

The SB6141 will run you about $100 at Best Buy.
  1. Dual Band Gigabit Router
Just as you’ll need a modem to handle the connection speeds coming in from your ISP of choice, you’re going to need a router that can handle providing all the devices attached to your home network said speed. And frankly, that Wireless N router the kid next door told you to buy simply won’t do. Even if you’re not in the market to Cut The Cord, a Dual Band Gigabit Router should still be on your radar for a multitude of reasons, including: stability, network scalability, and speed.

Once again, I’m not going to go into too many technical details here (my fellow Cisco Academy friends can appreciate how lengthy detailing routers can be), but only mention that I personally chose the Netgear R6200 WiFi Router (802.11ac Dual Band Gigabit). True – it’s not Netgear’s ultimate offering, but it certainly gets the job done efficiently and smoothly at about $150 from the likes of Amazon or Best Buy.
  1. Video Streaming Device (or, “How in the heck do I watch TV?”)

Finally, we come to the device that brings it all together. There are of course many devices out there. If you are an IOS faithful then you may already be familiar with the likes of Apple TV. As for me, I went with and recommend Roku.

Roku is that hockey puck sized powerhouse that can be found literally at any major retail chain worldwide, and works with pretty much every TV. When I first started looking into Cord Cutting, I began with a first generation Roku. Once I grasped the potential and learned some of the tricks of online content streaming (yes – this is my clever segway into Part 3: Suggested Software), I quickly moved up to the Roku 2 XS and Roku 3.

The Roku 2 XS resides in our bedroom because we still have an “ancient” TV there – no HDMI ports. The Roku 2 XS offers the option of both HDMI and A/V output, with included cable for A/V, so it works perfectly.

The Roku 3 comes with HDMI only, so it lives in the family room of our home. Each comes with the option to connect to the internet either via wireless or ethernet connection. I suggest, if at all possible, that you connect via ethernet. Although it rarely presents a problem, even with beefed-up speeds from your ISP, and a top of the line gigabit router, a direct connection will tend to be more reliable than a wireless one.

I could go on and on singing my praises of Roku. Personally I believe streaming content is the future television entertainment, and I have for some time. But instead I will just encourage you to check out Roku’s website for yourself –

The Roku 3 currently retails for $99.99, while the 2 XS will run you about $74.99 – $79.99
  1. Miscellaneous Hardware

Lastly, there were a few other things I had to pick up to bring this all together. You may need to do so as well so I think they are worth mentioning.

First off – remember the TV in our bedroom I mentioned that had no HDMI port? Well, that also means it’s not an HD TV. So, in order to use the digital antenna for local channels, I had to also purchase a Digital TV Converter box. Retailing for about $40, I went with the RCA DTA 800BT. It has a pretty cool UI – looks much like a DVR box display, and comes with a fully programmable remote.

Secondly – as I also mentioned, I feel direct ethernet connections work better than wifi connections for your streaming device (Roku in my case). As such, I wanted to also connect the bedroom Roku directly via ethernet. Unfortunately, it’s on the second floor of our house, facing the outside wall. I considered climbing in the attic and fighting with dropping a CAT5 cable, but decided instead to go with Powerline Adapters. These little gems allow you to plug them into your power outlets and use your home’s electrical wiring as network lines from one point to another. Please keep in mind however that these work best in newer homes, as wiring standards have changed throughout the years, so they don’t tend to work so well in homes built in the early ’80s and older. I have run speed tests on the one connected in our bedroom and average speeds of about 19.5Mbps down, 3.5Mbps up through it.

Lastly – a PC to run dedicated servers. Specifically, Plex and PlayOn servers, and a bit torrent client. But, more on those in Part 3: Suggested Software.

 

Whew!! Trust me – all of that was the hard part! Once you get it all together (as overwhelming as it may sound), it will all be worth it and you’ll never want to go back to cable again!

Up next – Part 3: Suggested Software

The Truth About Cutting The Cord – Part 1: Why Should I?

 For many years, my wife would suggest (sometimes STRONGLY suggest) that we simply “get rid of cable”. Truth be told, I agreed with her for the most part. Even some of the best deals offered by Cable Operators (Time Warner and Cincinnati Bell in our case) can get costly in the long run for the simple pleasure of watching television. But for the longest time I simply couldn’t bring myself to do it. At first, I was always hesitant to get rid of the Premium Channels such as HBO or Showtime. Sure at one time I had 6 HBO channels – each showing pretty much the same things only at different times. And for the most part, most of the movies that were being shown on these channels were already available for rent at video stores (hey – remember those!?). Fact is, the only thing that kept me from getting rid of these channels was the exclusive programming they would produce – from The Sopranos to Weeds, we just HAD to see these shows. But even those shows were made available by other means, even if that meant seeing the latest episodes later on.
 Finally, I decided that the Premium channels simply had to go. I could no longer validate paying extra simply to see made for HBO or Showtime series. But, I still HAD to hold on to my good-old basic cable service with my DVR boxes. There were shows I just HAD to see, right?
 One other thing to mention is viewing habits. You see, I’ve always been the type of person who simply has to have background noise – whether it’s the TV being on or music playing. To me, a completely silent house is somewhat creepy, although we now have 2 sons, so that’s not an issue any more! And oddly enough, I’ve never been able to concentrate in the full silence. While in school, I had to have SOMETHING on while studying or else I couldn’t concentrate. My wife on the other hand loves to have things completely quiet. She would always ask “why is the TV on if you’re not even watching it?”.
 But back to the matter at hand – why should I cut the cord? Everyone will have different answers to the question of course, but for me it simply boiled down to 2 things –
         1.   Choice 
         2.    Quality of programming
 Surprisingly, even to me, cost actually wasn’t a factor as one might expect and as many people will blog or post about when they talk about cutting the cord. I’ll talk about that more in Part 2: Equipment and Cost.
As for choice – in all honesty, my number one complaint about all cable services is the actual lack of choice. Cable operators offer bundles of channels and usually we are forced to choose the bundle that ALMOST matches what we really want. I’ve always wanted to be able to pick and choose each channel I want and pay accordingly. But, such a-la-carte service simply isn’t feasible in the real world of cable.
While researching and experimenting with cutting the cable, someone mentioned to me a fact that I hadn’t actually considered before – the quality of programming I actually watch. This person mentioned to me that what he had noticed is that not only had the quantity of television he was watching fall, but the quality of the television he was actually watching rose as there is less garbage to come in contact with in the streaming world. This has been especially important to me with regards to my afore mentioned children. Not to mention, as more and more networks continue to center a large majority of their programming around affordable “reality” television which I don’t particularly care for, I began to find it harder and harder to justify paying for even basic cable service for such programming.
So, though your reasons may more than likely be completely different from mine or possibly the same, I have found that these 2 factors alone are justification enough to Cut The Cord.  

Up next – Part 2: Equipment and Cost.