TV - Internet - and a ROKU Remote

One of the best things to come along since chocolate is the ROKU box. It has made it possible for me to use "the box" to think "outside the box". My Roku plugs into the electricity, then into my TV set. I can plug it into my internet router or use it wireless to stream entertainment from the internet on my schedule when I want it.

No, I do not get network programming when it airs (at least not yet.)Yes I do get quality entertainment. Most of the official Roku channels (more than 100) are subscription free. And most of the Private channels are also subscription free.(more than 50+ and there are channels within channels)(Yes, Roku will allow you to write your own channel for free according to their standards.)

Private channels include movie channels, news, local weather, children's channels, educational channels, religious channels, world wide radio stations and much more. Private channels are added to your channel list with a code.When you leave behind unconventional thinking regarding entertainment, it is possible to purchase a Roku box ($59, $79, or $99)(one time cost) and begin to watch subscription free TV from the internet to your TV set.

Click here to learn more about and maybe purchase a Roku.

After you purchase a Roku, Go to http://owner.roku.com and link your box to your account

On the "My Account" page, click the link labled "Add Private Channel"

You will be propmted to enter a code. The code to install the YouTube channel is B8VVK

Other private channels include:

American Movie Classics: “ 71B0Y “

Archive Classic Movies: “ WSW1P “
Archive.org: “ NMJS5 “
Chaneru 0.4: “ EXPEL “


Google Voice: “ NXFBW “
Hubblecast HD: “ 9OFQX “
Last.FM: “ X0MCZ “

NASA TV (Private): “ HIBMX “
Picasa Web: “ NEJXJ “

Pod TV: “ H9DWC “
Pub-D-Hub: “ ZFJB5 “
Re/Max: “ G8VAR “
Roksbox: “ P1KWQ “

Simple Weather: “ IFUIN “

Traffic Cam (Demo): “ 9MQBZ “
USB Media Browser: “ KGULU “
Ustream: “ IN4DN “
Woot: “ BPPIM “
Youtube: “ B8VVK “

More channels are available at: http://almostaccurate.com/roku/

In the last few months our grandkids have enjoyed watching Flipper (the series), Pit Pony (the series and the movie), and Liberty's Kids. We choose the programs and we choose the time of viewing. Is it unconventional? Yes. Is it cost effective? Yes. Is it the future of TV? I think so. You decide. Visit Roku and take a look.

Home Entertainment Deal

A new year has begun. Here is an opportunity to realize a dramatic savings on home entertainment.

Get $20 off a Roku Player!

My Review of Roku HD Player

Originally submitted at Roku

The new HD, with built-in wireless, delivers top value in high-definition streaming.

Roku HD Player

Roku is the best!

By Poeman from Kalamazoo, MI on 12/31/2010

 

5out of 5

Pros: Reliability, Compact, High quality picture, Great value, Built in Wi-Fi, Easy to use, Video selection, Easy to set up

Best Uses: Take on vacation, Primary TV

Describe Yourself: Roku Party Member, Netflix fan, Home entertainment enthusiast

We use Roku for entertainment 99.9% of the time. That may soon become 100%. As a gift from one of our sons, it is one of the best gifts ever. We select our daily programming (not the Network or the Cable provider). We entertain ourselves, and our grandchildren.We enjoy entertainment in audio and video and are able to provide audio and video to the grandchildren for education and entertainment. Future plans: incorporate Roku programming into homeschool, and develop a private channel to broadcast audio podcast from church.

(legalese)

Putting Sugar On A Stick

Time flies during summer. July is half over. And I realized I haven't blogged since June. I read an article about Sugar. Sugar was originally developed for the One Laptop Per Child XO-1 Netbook. Sugar is free, open-source software and runs on most computers. Its purpose is to provide every child an equal opportunity for a quality education. Sugar can be run completely from a CD or a flash drive (hence "Sugar on a Stick"). Instructions are given for preparing a flash drive for Windows, Mac, or Linux. Sugar on a stick will work in computers that have no hard drive. It can be used with older computers that we think are no longer useful. It looks like more icing on the cake of educating children.

Summer Vacation Has Begun

Most schools finished up last week.Summer is here and retirement started at 4 p.m. last Friday.The last six weeks have been a mad rush. Now that the rush is over, I can get back to blogging a little more frequently.

We keep hearing that when summer comes our children loose out academically. None of us want that to happen. We also do not need 12 month schools in order to continue summer learning. Let's give the kids a nudge in the right direction. Don't let them spend all of their time in front of the video game or TV set.
My wife and I are babysitting our grandsons this summer. We have decided that their schedule will include an hour of reading daily, outdoor play when it is not raining and computer time with educational games. They are already using Audacity to make up and record their own stories.

Simon Hensby has written over 200 software titles. A lifetime membership allows access to software for your child to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, keyboarding and many more. For less than $20, you can have download privileges for these and any new programs in the future.

Let's have fun this summer while our children continue to expand their horizans.

Nomenclature of the Web

Nomenclature is defined as: a system or set of terms or symbols especially in a particular science, discipline, or art. In the realm of Geekdom, many terms are used on a daily basis that are not understood by many people. Someone might have misconceptions regarding the nature of the internet. Is it really a bunch of pipes that connect to each other and get overloaded and clogged? If it gets clogged, is there an Internet Draino?

In a quest to simplify Geekdom, lets define "a few terms" we might hear but not totally understand. Internet is the connection of computers and networks so they can (with permission) communicate with one another. The World Wide Web is a system of hyper text documents that have been linked together. These linked documents can be accessed by using the Internet. Pages on the World Wide Web are written in Hyper Text Markup Language (html). Browsers are software that is used to view web pages. Web 2.0 is the second generation of things web. It appears to me that most of this development has been geared toward socialization. There is even a social web browser named Flock.

Let's define a few of the terms used to describe software written for sharing, and collaboration.
A blog is a noun or a verb. When used as a noun, it refers to a special type of website. In a blog, the writer posts articles or thoughts on a regular basis. This article is written in a blog. The act of writing it is refered to as blogging. Blog is also used as a verb. (i.e. I will blog later.) A wiki is a group of websites that are used for a community or group of people to colloborate on a project or subject of interest. Authorized participants can change, edit, delete, update, etc. A Podcast is created by a podcaster. The podcast is usually in audio and is made available to podcatchers by web syndication. A regular podcast is much like a radio broadcast. The I-pod or computer replaces the radio. Flickr is an example of a photo sharing site.

Some Web 2.0 sites you might want to try out are:

WIX - Wix is a flash website builder. Basic use is free.

RockYou - Takes photo sharing to a new level with the creation of flash slideshows. (free)

Wetpaint - Create your own wiki free. Invite friends and family to participate (colloborate).

Photobucket - A free site to share and store images and videos.

Flickr - A free site to share and store your photos. (free)

Twitter - A free social messaging utility.

We learn by doing. We improve by practice. Do not be afraid to set up an account at one or more of these sites and try them out. You may find something new that you enjoy. Don't let fear hold you back.

My Desktop Customized

If it is your desktop, why not make yourself at home. Start by taking a photo of a pet, friend, child, or your family. Save the photo to the C drive with a name you will remember. Right click on the desktop.

When the box opens select Properties. When the next box opens, select the Desktop tab.

Select a position for your photo. I have selected center. Then browse for your photo. You named it and saved it on the C drive. Select the photo. Click OK and your picture will appear on the desktop. Your desktop has been customized.

Maybe you need a couple of new desktop shortcuts. If you crunch a lot of numbers, maybe you need a calculator. Right click on the desktop like you did before.

This time select New. When the box expands, choose shortcut.

Type in calc in the box. Then select next. Then in the spot for name type calculator. Then click finish. A shortcut that looks like a calculator will appear on the desktop.

You can create a desktop shortcut for anything that you know the location to on a computer, a network, or the internet. Once you supply the location, give it a name and you are finished.