2016 Technology Thread

Gianstoppable · Post #101 » by **Gianstoppable** » Mon Aug 29, 2016 3:37 pm

So we have 2 boxes from DirecTV, we have a TV in the living room and one in our bedroom. I am planning on putting another TV in the kitchen and another upstairs and maybe one in the garage. I am in need of an HDMI splitter. I keep both of the boxes downstairs since I have RF remotes and I am not a fan of seeing the boxes upstairs. After looking online at different HDMI splitters it looks like theres a few different options. I see that some of them you can only watch one of the TVs at a time, which for me would not be as feasible. Especially when it comes to running a line out the the garage to watch the game I would like to have no issues if my wife or someone else is also watching the game inside off the same box. Hopefully thats not too confusing.

One more question, my garage is roughly 75 feet from one of the boxes and I would like to get TV out there so I dont have to fuss with a digital antenna and spotty signal. Would it be best for me to run a HDMI cable all the way out there or what? I want the best quality available. Thanks in advance!

Post #102 » by **ReasonablySober** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:20 pm

Some cool tech news.

1 - Beginning in 2017, Alexa devices will be able to control Sonos speakers
2 - Spotify will soon natively let you control Sonos speakers. No more jumping into Sonos's garbage app.

Turk Nowitzki · Post #103 » by **Turk Nowitzki** » Wed Aug 31, 2016 3:36 pm

Soooo, my laptop just died. It was a Macbook Pro that was at least 5-6 years old, can't remember when I bought it.

Any recommendations on what I should be looking at? I don't use it for anything fancy but it is my primary computer, I don't have a desktop or anything else.

Post #104 » by **ReasonablySober** » Wed Aug 31, 2016 3:43 pm

Turk Nowitzki wrote:Soooo, my laptop just died. It was a Macbook Pro that was at least 5-6 years old, can't remember when I bought it.

Any recommendations on what I should be looking at? I don't use it for anything fancy but it is my primary computer, I don't have a desktop or anything else.

Craigslist.

It's amazing how often college students sell their Macbooks the second they don't need 'em for absurdly low prices. I've bought four in the past three years for comically little. Just yesterday my girlfriend's sister was looking for help buying a Macbook. I found her an early 2015 i5 2.7 Retina Macbook for $800. According to Everymac.com it's current USED value is $1500.

Post #105 » by **humanrefutation** » Wed Aug 31, 2016 6:33 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:Some cool tech news.

1 - Beginning in 2017, Alexa devices will be able to control Sonos speakers
2 - Spotify will soon natively let you control Sonos speakers. No more jumping into Sonos's garbage app.

Now all I'll have to do is drop $2000 on a Sonos speakers system!

crkone · Post #106 » by **crkone** » Wed Aug 31, 2016 6:47 pm

humanrefutation wrote:
ReasonablySober wrote:Some cool tech news.

1 - Beginning in 2017, Alexa devices will be able to control Sonos speakers
2 - Spotify will soon natively let you control Sonos speakers. No more jumping into Sonos's garbage app.

Now all I'll have to do is drop $2000 on a Sonos speakers system!

1- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146LFVSE/?tag=hotoge-20
2- Any speaker lying around
3- https://www.google.com/chromecast/speakers/

=$14+$0+$35=$49

They'll occasionally have 2 for $50 chromecast deals.

Post #107 » by **ReasonablySober** » Wed Aug 31, 2016 6:49 pm

crkone wrote:
humanrefutation wrote:
ReasonablySober wrote:Some cool tech news.

1 - Beginning in 2017, Alexa devices will be able to control Sonos speakers
2 - Spotify will soon natively let you control Sonos speakers. No more jumping into Sonos's garbage app.

Now all I'll have to do is drop $2000 on a Sonos speakers system!

1- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146LFVSE/?tag=hotoge-20
2- Any speaker lying around
3- https://www.google.com/chromecast/speakers/

=$14+$0+$35=$49

They'll occasionally have 2 for $50 chromecast deals.

Whoa hey, that's cool as hell.

Post #108 » by **humanrefutation** » Wed Aug 31, 2016 6:52 pm

crkone wrote:
humanrefutation wrote:
ReasonablySober wrote:Some cool tech news.

1 - Beginning in 2017, Alexa devices will be able to control Sonos speakers
2 - Spotify will soon natively let you control Sonos speakers. No more jumping into Sonos's garbage app.

Now all I'll have to do is drop $2000 on a Sonos speakers system!

1- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146LFVSE/?tag=hotoge-20
2- Any speaker lying around
3- https://www.google.com/chromecast/speakers/

=$14+$0+$35=$49

They'll occasionally have 2 for $50 chromecast deals.

That's really cool.

crkone · Post #109 » by **crkone** » Wed Aug 31, 2016 7:18 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:
crkone wrote:
humanrefutation wrote:
Now all I'll have to do is drop $2000 on a Sonos speakers system!

1- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146LFVSE/?tag=hotoge-20
2- Any speaker lying around
3- https://www.google.com/chromecast/speakers/

=$14+$0+$35=$49

They'll occasionally have 2 for $50 chromecast deals.

Whoa hey, that's cool as hell.

humanrefutation wrote:
crkone wrote:
humanrefutation wrote:
Now all I'll have to do is drop $2000 on a Sonos speakers system!

1- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146LFVSE/?tag=hotoge-20
2- Any speaker lying around
3- https://www.google.com/chromecast/speakers/

=$14+$0+$35=$49

They'll occasionally have 2 for $50 chromecast deals.

That's really cool.

It's a little iffy with these cheap amps though. They can produce static if you don't insulate the wires and blow out if you don't have at least a 5A power supply.

Post #110 » by **humanrefutation** » Tue Sep 6, 2016 9:03 pm

I found an Echo on sale and bought it. It's nice for what it does, but man, I wish it made/received calls/texts.

I might still end up buying Google Home when it comes out, especially if that functionality is present.

Post #111 » by **ReasonablySober** » Tue Sep 6, 2016 9:20 pm

So given that we're likely seeing iPhone 7s with no headphone jack, does anyone here have experience with receivers that turn wired headphones into wireless bluetooth devices? I have no plans on getting a new iPhone anytime soon, but I guess I'd like to make my nice ATH-M50x's wireless if the sound quality isn't sacrificed to a noticeable level.

Post #112 » by **MickeyDavis** » Tue Sep 6, 2016 9:23 pm

I don't plan to get the new iPhone (I'm happy with my 6+) but I hate the idea of no headphone jack. How much thinner do they need to make phones? Most people I know have some kind of case on their phone anyway.

Post #113 » by **ReasonablySober** » Tue Sep 6, 2016 9:34 pm

MickeyDavis wrote:I don't plan to get the new iPhone (I'm happy with my 6+) but I hate the idea of no headphone jack. How much thinner do they need to make phones? Most people I know have some kind of case on their phone anyway.

If they come out with some excuse other than "It's now thinner", I'll listen. I can't imagine what the justification could be, but it can't just be that they're making a thin device a 16th of an inch thinner or something. The one big one that I could get on board with is if they've fully invested in Bluetooth AND quality headphones/buds. Give me some really amazing performing headwear (better than what's out there now and at a not-outrageous price), and it would be enough of a reason to go wireless.

skones · Post #114 » by **skones** » Tue Sep 6, 2016 9:37 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:
MickeyDavis wrote:I don't plan to get the new iPhone (I'm happy with my 6+) but I hate the idea of no headphone jack. How much thinner do they need to make phones? Most people I know have some kind of case on their phone anyway.

If they come out with some excuse other than "It's now thinner", I'll listen. I can't imagine what the justification could be, but it can't just be that they're making a thin device a 16th of an inch thinner or something. The one big one that I could get on board with is if they've fully invested in Bluetooth AND quality headphones/buds. Give me some really amazing performing headwear (better than what's out there now and at a not-outrageous price), and it would be enough of a reason to go wireless.

Seems counter-intuitive coming from an Apple fanboy.

Post #115 » by **MickeyDavis** » Tue Sep 6, 2016 9:39 pm

I already have good Senheiser buds that I really like. I don't want to have to buy something new. But that's the Apple way. Those that want/like bluetooth can already use it.

MikeIsGood · Post #116 » by **MikeIsGood** » Wed Sep 7, 2016 1:32 am

Newest rumor says that it won't even ship with wireless buds. You have to buy them - and they'll be expensive.

I'll probably "upgrade" to the 6S and wait to see what happens in the next year or two.

Post #117 » by **ReasonablySober** » Wed Sep 7, 2016 2:10 am

MikeIsGood wrote:Newest rumor says that it won't even ship with wireless buds. You have to buy them - and they'll be expensive.

I'll probably "upgrade" to the 6S and wait to see what happens in the next year or two.

Some interesting stuff here.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-chi Kuo dropped a ton of iPhone 7 information over the weekend, and he's back with a new nugget on the eve of Apple's big event. It's well established by now that the iPhone 7 won't feature a headphone jack, and while Kuo believes the new phone will be packaged with EarPods that use a Lightning connector, he says Apple is also working on its own wireless technology that will be used for a higher-end set of headphones.

"We believe Apple will position Beats in the midrange market once it launches Apple's own-brand Bluetooth headphones, in order to maximize profit with a dual-brand strategy," Kuo says in a note reported on by MacRumors, 9to5Mac, and AppleInsider. "We also believe Apple will have its own-designed Bluetooth-like communication chip, given its higher requirements for power-saving, communication specs, and potential rapid growth of Bluetooth headphone shipments."

Apple's wireless headphones may be called AirPods, if trademark filings are to be believed. Kuo says Apple may also want to apply its wireless chip to smart home and automobile products.

bigkurty · Post #118 » by **bigkurty** » Wed Sep 7, 2016 3:40 am

ReasonablySober wrote:Some cool tech news.

1 - Beginning in 2017, Alexa devices will be able to control Sonos speakers
2 - Spotify will soon natively let you control Sonos speakers. No more jumping into Sonos's garbage app.

That is cool. My wife and I are building a new home and I have been pricing out a whole home control4 automation system and its like 100-200k depending on how crazy we get. I went and visited a friend with a large custom home and he said he got the same basic quote. He then went out and bought 6k worth of sonos speakers and said that with Nest, and new smart TV's basically accomplished 90% of the same thing. Home automation seems like it is going to get so cheap in the very near future with all these technologies, Alexa's, chrome casts, wifi extenders, etc.

skones · Post #119 » by **skones** » Wed Sep 7, 2016 4:49 am

bigkurty wrote:
ReasonablySober wrote:Some cool tech news.

1 - Beginning in 2017, Alexa devices will be able to control Sonos speakers
2 - Spotify will soon natively let you control Sonos speakers. No more jumping into Sonos's garbage app.

That is cool. My wife and I are building a new home and I have been pricing out a whole home control4 automation system and its like 100-200k depending on how crazy we get. I went and visited a friend with a large custom home and he said he got the same basic quote. He then went out and bought 6k worth of sonos speakers and said that with Nest, and new smart TV's basically accomplished 90% of the same thing. Home automation seems like it is going to get so cheap in the very near future with all these technologies, Alexa's, chrome casts, wifi extenders, etc.

Home automation is in its infancy. Anything you'd put in will become antiquated quickly. I don't know what kind of system you're necessarily looking to put in, but long term third party device support would scare the **** out of me if you're predominantly using your smartphone. That's what makes companies like google and apple entering the game so huge.

jschligs · Post #120 » by **jschligs** » Wed Sep 7, 2016 1:45 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:
MikeIsGood wrote:Newest rumor says that it won't even ship with wireless buds. You have to buy them - and they'll be expensive.

I'll probably "upgrade" to the 6S and wait to see what happens in the next year or two.

Some interesting stuff here.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-chi Kuo dropped a ton of iPhone 7 information over the weekend, and he's back with a new nugget on the eve of Apple's big event. It's well established by now that the iPhone 7 won't feature a headphone jack, and while Kuo believes the new phone will be packaged with EarPods that use a Lightning connector, he says Apple is also working on its own wireless technology that will be used for a higher-end set of headphones.

"We believe Apple will position Beats in the midrange market once it launches Apple's own-brand Bluetooth headphones, in order to maximize profit with a dual-brand strategy," Kuo says in a note reported on by MacRumors, 9to5Mac, and AppleInsider. "We also believe Apple will have its own-designed Bluetooth-like communication chip, given its higher requirements for power-saving, communication specs, and potential rapid growth of Bluetooth headphone shipments."

Apple's wireless headphones may be called AirPods, if trademark filings are to be believed. Kuo says Apple may also want to apply its wireless chip to smart home and automobile products.

But what if you want to charge your phone while listening to earbuds? Which I happen to do a lot of with my portable charge.

I think I'll actually sit out this round of iPhones unless, like you said, something revolutionary comes out.