Want to Be a Media Packrat?
May 16th, 2007 | Author: Shop the Monkey | Category: Computers, Electronics, Featured Posts | |Have you ever seen a television show and thought, “How can I see another 36 hours of that?” If you’re as obsessed with media as I am, you probably view entertainment in seasons, not episodes.
When attempting to cook up your TV junkie fix, you may find that supporting your habit means blowing all of your money on DVD box sets and frivolous premium channel subscriptions. With reruns as your only methadone source, how do you handle an unhealthy media obsession?
Enter the fabulous World Wide Web. The “triple dubya” now offers you access to every program on the planet. From current episodes of 24 to classic replays of Eight is Enough, it all lies within reach of your greedy fingertips. A solid computer configuration, along with knowledge of questionable media-obtaining tactics, will fill your life with many hours of hygiene degrading entertainment.
To really take advantage of the wealth of media available online, you’ll need a stable computer with, for lack of a better term, balls. My weapon of choice is 15.4” MacBook Pro laptop. I’m a big fan of portable, and – with 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 2 GB RAM capacity, and 100GB of storage – this baby makes a compelling argument. While any laptop will work, I trust Apple’s stability. The last thing I need is my computer to crash and burn during a Mr. Show marathon!
In addition to being portable, I like my system to be as clean as possible. The fewer wires involved the better. For simplicity’s sake, I recommend getting a wireless USB hub, like Belkin’s Wireless USB 4-port Hub. Leave all your peripherals on your desk and take your laptop with you wherever you go. This makes it far easier to drop in the next media puzzle piece …
An Mvix MX-760HD! Wirelessly connect your computer media to your television. Get that I’m-actually-watching-TV feeling. Your Diff’rent Strokes downloads don’t have collect dust on your hard drive. The Mvix MX-760HD gives you the freedom to watch downloaded content the same way you watch broadcasts.
Once you’re truly entrenched in media hording, you’ll find that your laptop’s internal hard drive won’t cut it on the frontline anymore. It’s time to look for a little more storage fire power. Go external. External hard drives give you the added storage space you need to hold the entire Lost series and provide a little hardwired peace of mind.
Having multiple externals can hedge against a crippling drive failure. Losing your entire program catalog can be traumatizing, so backups are you’re friend. By storing duplicate data in an external location, you’re safe even if your lappy goes
My externals of choice are the Seagate FreeAgent Pro 750 GB External Hard Drive and the Western Digital My Book Premium 500 GB External Hard Drive. Get two FreeAgents; use one as a main data, one as backup data. Store the backup in a cool closet – disconnected from the rig – and you’re good to go.
Ready to start building that digital library? In the interest of not being sued by the MPAA, I’ll simply state that you can find most of what you’re looking for by reading up on a few emerging technologies (cough, cough… BitTorrent… cough, cough…). For the less adventurous, services such as iTunes offer quite a few lawsuit-free shows for download. With a little patience, your hard drives will overflow with reruns of Who’s the Boss?, Saved by the Bell, and Dora the Explorer (if you’re into that kind of thing).
You only need one more thing for the complete viewing experience. Whether on computer or television, your programs simply will not pop without some badass speakers. The Bose® Companion® 2 Multimedia Speaker System should do quite nicely.
With Bose, small speakers equal big sound, and these little beauties never fail to bring out the finer things. Ever notice James Gandolfini’s chronic wheezing on The Sopranos? With a pair of Bose speakers you will. And Companion 2s come with two RCA inputs and an RCA to 1/8” cable. Translated from geek, you can connect the speakers to your television and computer simultaneously.
If an unhealthy appetite for constant entertainment consumes you, my media setup can help quell your hunger pangs. I personally feel the proper video buffet needs a little spice. Go wireless, connect to your television, and blast sound out of sick speakers. If you’re going to be a degenerate media freak, you might as well go all out.
Media Rig:
MacBook Pro laptop
Belkin’s Wireless USB 4-port Hub
Mvix MX-760HD
Seagate FreeAgent Pro 750 GB External Hard Drive
Western Digital My Book Premium 500 GB External Hard Drive
Bose® Companion® 2 Multimedia Speaker System
Products Mentioned include:
24 – Season 3
Eight is Enough
Mr. Show: The Complete Collection
Diff’rent Strokes – The Complete First Season
Lost - The Complete Second Season
Who’s the Boss? Collector’s Edition
Saved by the Bell – Seasons 3 & 4
Dora the Explorer – Dora’s Ultimate Adventure Collection
The Sopranos – Season 6, Part 1
