Domestic Geek

So Marcus and I spent a good part of this weekend ripping some of our DVD collection to our iTunes Server (with a handy little program called Handbrake so we can view them on our AppleTV. What sucks about the iTunes information palette is it is geared towards songs/music. What to do if you want to add metadata to the movie files so that you can see the rating, synopsis, director, actors, etc? You go download a cool little app called MetaX that I found through the Handbrake forums. It can grab the data from Amazon for you and then embed it into the movie file or you can enter in all that info yourself, if you're so inclined. It's pretty darned cool!

Have you, dear readers, been noticing the changes occurring in the way we can get our televised entertainment? With so many networks offering their programs up for viewing online and the reasonable prices to buy programs on iTunes, not to mention that you can get movies online, through the mail or at rental kiosks, I strongly suspect that cable and satellite services as we now know them will soon be a thing of the past.

A few months ago, I wrote how Marcus and I downgraded our Dish Network package. The other day we went down to only the most basic package available. For one thing, we rarely watch live television anymore. The programs we do watch are all on local stations except for just a couple (like Mythbusters or the stuff on USA-Monk, The 4400, etc). I've been watching most of my programming online since the networks keep moving stuff around. I watch 24 on DVD from Netflix. We watch The Office through iTunes. Why would one continue to pay a satellite company for multiple useless channels of crap? I don't need a dozen shopping channels and I shouldn't have to have Spanish-language stations that I can't watch. Even stations I used to watch religiously like HGTV or SciFi run the same old tired programs. MTV and VH1 can't even really be considered music television anymore.

Then there are scenarios where the companies shoot themselves in the foot. Take for instance what happened to my father. In an effort to get him to upgrade to a more expensive digital package, they took away his on-screen program guide. Seriously, is this any way to keep your customers happy?

If they're smart, they'll change their practices and offer a more a la cart service. Otherwise, they'll get left in the dust.

I love this commercial.

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As I mentioned in the last post, we have an Apple TV (tv if you're an Apple Geek) in our household. We've decided that we're going to dump our Dish Network service (unless they have a very cheap basic plan available) and just rely on iTunes and the Internet for our entertainment. I already watch old television and movies through Netflix and most of the shows I watch have episodes on the networks' sites. We could get season passes for our most favorite shows (such as The Office) and still save money by ditching the dish for now. The only problem I foresee is stuff on USA (Psych, The 4400, etc) and a few other shows.

Honestly, though, I'll probably survive just fine not seeing any of them. I'm looking for part time work in the evenings and won't have much free time anymore anyway because getting out of this mobile home is becoming an obsession. We stopped in at PetSmart to get Timothy hay for the bunnies and my heart ached seeing all the dogs and their owners. I want to be a dog owner again so bad. This is the first time in my life that nobody in my family has had a dog and I feel lost.

Is last night's episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip the last one I'll ever see? I can't seem to find a good answer.

Next week The Black Donnellys will premiere a week earlier than expected in the slot that held Studio 60. I'm kind of bummed, but apparently I'm one of the few that actually likes the show. Maybe it is the crush I have on Matthew Perry clouding my judgment. I do hope they find a new home in the schedule (preferably one that doesn't conflict with something else I watch or maybe earlier in the evening), but I definitely know it will not be back next season.

Leave it to NBC to put a decent show in a totally wrong time slot to doom it to failure. Studio 60 is definitely not the best choice to follow up Heroes. They have two totally different audiences and it sits opposite CSI: Miami. If NBC didn't have episodes available to watch online, I'd have never seen Studio 60 at all since it's on past my bedtime and CSI gets the precious recording slot on my PVR.

On a related note, since I'm now watching Gilmore Girls, I read some rumors about GG possibly continuing. Man, I hope that's not true. If they pull a 7th Heaven on this series, I'm going to be upset. It's really time to end this one.

EDIT: I don't know if these things have any impact on networks at all, but there is a petition you can sign to save Studio 60.