MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and
chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.
Answered there, but will copy answer here too for you and bunnies that don't visit the green:
If you're going Blu-Ray, I'd suggest a PS3. Firmware upgrades are easy-peasy, plus you get a game system. Netflix is now included as part of the Playstation Network and it's cheaper than having the same access on the 360 where you have to pay for both your Netflix membership AND have a Gold subscription to XBox Live. And if you've got a good pc and wifi you can throw TVersity into the mix and broadcast just about any video format you've got stored on your PC to your tv. And with MultiAVCHD and a 16 GB USB stick you can even play up to 1080p HD videos straight from one of the PS3 ports. The PS3 can also play most DivX/XviD file formats natively from the stick as well.
I bought a 46" S5100 series Sony last year. I can't notice that it isn't a 120Hz engine. Very good reviews, and an ergonomic remote. It $1000 a year ago probably below that now. Made in Mexico fwiw. Makes a wonderful computer monitor too.
Focal Sibs and Cubs make good speakers, affordable quality; and made in teh lovely land of France. Audiogon.com is the ebay of the audio world.
Is it true that some people go with the Apple TV along with the Mini Mac for their TV and for another computer in the house?
Say, just for the sake of my own education, I got the big apple screen and a mini mac. And I was not interested in cable or dish, but wanted to play movies. What else would I need other than a digital converter box?
You haz a Wii, Coldchef? Why aren't you on this list?
What in the world does that mean? Could I be playing games against people? Really? Are we living in the futures? Where do I find this magic number? How do I make it work?
Every Wii has a 16 digit number which uniquely identifies it. If you click on the little envelope icon in bottom right of main menu, then click on the little notepaper thingy in the bottom left, you can open the Wii Address book. The first page will tell you your Wii's number, which you can add to the Wiki!
You need to add in the numbers of your friends, and we also need to add you to both show up in each other's address books. Once the Wiis have verified us as contacts, we can then swap Miis, by going into the Mii Channel, clicking on the envelope with the smiley face & then grabbing a Mii using the Wiimote & pressing the A & B buttons, and then choosing who to send to. Once you've swapped Miis, they then start turning up in your games as bystanders, background characters, statues, posters, etc.
If you have a games that allow network play, you then have to swap a 12 digit number with your friends who have that game to be able to play over the internet. Some games are boring and say they are network enabled but will only compare scores, but some games are awesome & you can play proper network multiplayer, such as Mario Kart Wii.
Here are some snapshots from my Wii. There's a few "Familii Portraits" showing Mii's that I received, you should recognise some of them, and also a few showing when Chris Mear, ThePinkSuperHero & Terrapin have popped up in games like Wii Fit & Samba Di Amigo. Mario Kart is great for having Mii friends pop up, but it's much faster moving & harder to get photos!
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
photo by ethylene
