Computers

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by pony_trekker
I have cable modem, 3 TVs w digital cable, HBO, no other premiums and I am paying $120 a month. I have the cable modem hooked up to an Airport so it's basically unlimited internet all over the house.

Fuck, who's your provider? I'm paying Comcast more than $150 for cable modem and 2 TVs with digital cable & HBO, with 1 DVR box.

[Sparklehorse]

Originally posted by mmm3587
What do you do about security with the cable modem? I hear horror stories about people hacking through cable modems; I like being able to manage security and firewall through my wireless router and not have to worry much beyond that.

I just learned how to double-post. Sorry!

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
Fuck, who's your provider? I'm paying Comcast more than $150 for cable modem and 2 TVs with digital cable & HBO, with 1 DVR box.

Call and bitch and threaten to switch to DSL and DirectTV. My household with cable has the same set up as you with the same monthly costs as Pony. On Comcast.

[Sparklehorse]

Originally posted by Sparklehorse
I just bought a new computer and upgraded my Internet connection. I went from dial-up to cable, via Earthlink.

First, the speed difference is tremendous but obviously part of it depends on your computer's capacity for processing. I think it's definitely worth it but then I went from the Dark Ages (1999 era P2 chip with 128 mb RAM) to the modern world.

I was already an Earthlink customer when I did the upgrade. I got a (pseudo) deal of $20/month for the first 3 months and then it goes up to $50. Around here, Earthlink subcontracts (or somthing like that) to Comcast. A Comcast technician did the installation and I now get billed by Comcast but everything else is still Earthlink.

I've seen deals advertised for Comcast directly that are $20 for the first 6 months.

As for security, I am using the Norton Security Suite which includes a firewall. I am also paranoid about the hacking. Norton has a user-friendly interface that will tell you when an attack has been blocked.

I can't comment on any of the TV stuff because I only have what the rabbit ears pick up.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by baltassoc
Call and bitch and threaten to switch to DSL and DirectTV. My household with cable has the same set up as you with the same monthly costs as Pony. On Comcast.

I really should. Apparently Verizon is moving into the area with cable internet and will be seriously undercutting Comcast on price.

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by mmm3587
I would never go back to cable for tv, I don't think. DirecTV is so much better than that, and I've spent good money on the equipment. Given that, cable modem doesn't really seem cost effective.

What do you do about security with the cable modem? I hear horror stories about people hacking through cable modems; I like being able to manage security and firewall through my wireless router and not have to worry much beyond that.

Security between Cable and DSL is not significantly different. It's the always on connection that's the problem. Hardware firewall/router plus personal firewall on each computer should get you where you want to be.

[pony_trekker]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
Fuck, who's your provider? I'm paying Comcast more than $150 for cable modem and 2 TVs with digital cable & HBO, with 1 DVR box.

I use Cablevision, which charges only a few dollars for additional TVs. I use Norton's firewall AND the internal MS one on the PC and Panther's built-in firewall on my mac.

[pony_trekker]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
I really should. Apparently Verizon is moving into the area with cable internet and will be seriously undercutting Comcast on price.

Hopefully, in a few years, at least part of this discussion is moot.

Spree: more and more municipalities offering free wifi as partof the public infrastructure.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by mmm3587
I'm trying to re-evaluate my communications choices and expenses, and I was curious what everyone here does.

TV: DirecTV (basic + HD + Tivo, abt. $60/mo)
Cell: ATT/Cingular (2 lines, few minutes, abt. $50/mo.).
Phone: PacBell (abt. $40/mo) + Working Assets (abt. $20/mo)
Internet: Comcast (abt. $60/mo)

I'd love to lose PacBell/Working Assets and get a cell plan with lots of LD minutes, but two things stop me: Pony's point about 99.999% uptime for POTS, and the fact that DirecTV uses a landline to verify PPV purchases.

I would consider cable only if Comcast offered a dual-tuner DVR with Tivo, which apparently they will do in late 2006. At that point I would consider punting DirecTV and the landline.

DSL in my neighborhood sux. I would not go back to that.

As for your question about satellite Internet, the only people I know who are doing that have no alternative. I think that says something.

[Mister_Ruysbroeck]

Originally posted by mmm3587
What do you do about security with the cable modem? I hear horror stories about people hacking through cable modems; I like being able to manage security and firewall through my wireless router and not have to worry much beyond that.

That's all a bunch of propaganda by Norton and McAfee. They want you to buy their firewalls.

I've had a cable modem for about 6 years and never had one problem. Run an AV and a free firewall and you'll be fine, especially if you're also using a router.

[Alex_de_Large]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
TV: DirecTV (basic + HD + Tivo, abt. $60/mo)
Cell: ATT/Cingular (2 lines, few minutes, abt. $50/mo.).
Phone: PacBell (abt. $40/mo) + Working Assets (abt. $20/mo)
Internet: Comcast (abt. $60/mo)

TV: HD Comcast cable + dual tuner HD-capable DVR ~$80/month

cell: Cingular (2 lines, w/BB service on one of them, many, many minutes) ~$160/month

phone: Verizon copper landline (need this for my alarm system) ~$15/month

internet: Comcast cable 4mbps, ~$45/month

[NotFromHere]

The most searched term of the last 10 years according to Lycos Inc., which offered one of the Web's earliest search engines, we've put this vast, powerful, revolutionary new communications medium to work in service of information about ... Pamela Anderson.

The rest of the top 10 has a few more wholesome subjects. Dragonball was No. 2, followed by Pokemon, Britney Spears, World Wrestling Entertainment, tattoos, Las Vegas, the NFL, the Sept. 11 attacks and Christmas.

OK, but what other things do Lycos users want to watch? Well, the most searched-for TV show is "The Simpsons." The most looked-up movie: "Star Wars."

Proving that earlier adopters were geeks.

And Pammy is going to have to start investing in the botox. She's starting to weather badly.

[Gattigap]

So I've put together a mix on iTunes (Windows edition) and am trying to burn a couple of copies.

First disc burned fine. Second one aborts a couple of minutes into the burn and gives me an error message - "iTunes has encountered an unidentifiable error (4450)." I've swapped out discs, assuming it was a media problem. No dice.

Have I run into an iTunes restriction on multiple burns of a track? Something else I'm not thinking of? WTF?

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by NotFromHere
The most searched term of the last 10 years according to Lycos Inc., which offered one of the Web's earliest search engines, we've put this vast, powerful, revolutionary new communications medium to work in service of information about ... Pamela Anderson.

The rest of the top 10 has a few more wholesome subjects. Dragonball was No. 2, followed by Pokemon, Britney Spears, World Wrestling Entertainment, tattoos, Las Vegas, the NFL, the Sept. 11 attacks and Christmas.

OK, but what other things do Lycos users want to watch? Well, the most searched-for TV show is "The Simpsons." The most looked-up movie: "Star Wars."

Proving that earlier adopters were geeks.

And Pammy is going to have to start investing in the botox. She's starting to weather badly.

What is Dragonball? How is it that I have never heard of the number 2 most searched thing ever? No, I won't search it. I don't want to inflate its numbers.

NFH, are you sure it wasn't Dodgeball?

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by Gattigap
So I've put together a mix on iTunes (Windows edition) and am trying to burn a couple of copies.

First disc burned fine. Second one aborts a couple of minutes into the burn and gives me an error message - "iTunes has encountered an unidentifiable error (4450)." I've swapped out discs, assuming it was a media problem. No dice.

Have I run into an iTunes restriction on multiple burns of a track? Something else I'm not thinking of? WTF?

Apple placed a limit on the number of times a particular playlist can be burned to CD, but I think the magic number is 9. Besides, it's not Apple's style to tell you you've reached the limit by giving you an "unidentifiable error." No offense, but that sounds like a Windows error.

I suggest reassembling the same songs in a new playlist and trying again.