Social Feed

M
Last reply · posted in Blockbuster At Home Support
Hi all. Yesterday I downloaded the HD version of Star Trek HD using Blockbuster Movie Pass menu on my Dish Network 722k HD DVR. To day I tried to play it. Wow, the picture stutters ever half second with is totally distracting on any space scene. The images are all HD and clear but explosions and anything on screen with a moderate motion are not smooth playing. Ships that should be smoothly gliding across the screen jerk along like they have a catch in their clutch. It's like every half second there are dropped frames. So I noticed today that channel EPIX1 was also running Star Trek HD and I decided to switch to the satellite channel and compare it. No stuttering at all. Ships and explotions move smoothly. After noticing this I called Dish Network. They gave me the runaround and told me to hang up and call Blockbuster. By the way, this first Dish support peson was a little hard to understand. I didn't really recognize their accent, but they were very polite. However they were also wrong in directing me to Blockbuster which I told that that sounded wrong, but they didn't believe me. So I called Blockbuster and explained the situation and they told me that downloadable content support through the DVR is handled by Dish, like I though. The Blockbuster support person was very professional and even forwarded my call back to Dish so I didn't have to redial a phone number. Cudos to Blockbuster for that. Anyway, after getting back to Dish support (again an accent I didn't recognize), I explained the situation again and this time was transferred to someone else who tried to tell me that the playback performance was due to buffering issues. Dumb, since it completely downloaded yesterday. I told the tech that it could not have anything to do with my current internet speed because it had already downloaded. I even unplugged my ethernet from the back of the unit (I don' use wifi) and played the movie to prove that my current internet proformance has nothing to do with already downloaded content I wante to know whether this is a defective unit (just installed 3 weeks ago), or if shoddy jerky playback is the norm for Blockbuster movie pass downloads. They filed a trouble ticket and told me soneone would call me back within 2 days. TWO DAYS! In the mean time, I got out my Sony TVR digital camcorder and recorded a clip of the movie at the point just after Kirk is in the shuttle about to board the Enterprise for the first tie. I captured the clips both from the satellite broadcast and the downloaded content. It's clear as day to anyone who's looking. I hope this is just a defective unit that can be swapped out. Otherwise, Blockbuster downloaded content is of no uses for me at all. It is too distracting for me to want to watch, and after only 5 minutes it was giving my wife a headache.
6 Replies · 2606 views
J
I'm debating whether I should cancel Netflix and go with the Blockbuster Movie Pass. Stories like this are keeping me from committing. Are there any users who are having a positive streaming experience? How does it compare to Netflix streaming?
Y
I'm debating whether I should cancel Netflix and go with the Blockbuster Movie Pass. Stories like this are keeping me from committing. Are there any users who are having a positive streaming experience? How does it compare to Netflix streaming?
It doesn't compare to Netflix streaming because BBMP streams only Epix, Retro, and the other Platinum channel movies. Blockbuster has absolutely nothing to do with the streaming available in BBMP, despite its name implying otherwise.

Do not drop Netflix for BBMP if you want to be able to stream a lot of video content. BBMP is only comparable to Netflix as far as DVD mailings go. And while not as fast as Netflix, they do offer Blu-ray and video games, where Netflix charges more for Blu-Ray and they don't have video games at all.
Coach Knight
I have had outstanding performance from BBMP streaming yet I can still say that you should most definitely not drop Netflix for it. It is a great enhancement...but that is all. The discs by mail, however, did replace Netflix for me, and with the in-store exchange it is much better than Netflix (again, for me...not everyone shares that opinion).

Besides if the only streaming you had was on the BBMP interface that looks like it belongs several decades back...you'd not be a happy camper. :p

BBMP is very nice as a total package...but still a work in progress that needs a lot of refinement. Do NOT drop your Netflix streaming.
J
Thanks. My other option is to drop Netflix streaming and use free Amazon Prime video streaming. Unfortunately, the interface for that is horrible.
ronfelder
Thanks. My other option is to drop Netflix streaming and use free Amazon Prime video streaming. Unfortunately, the interface for that is horrible.

What device do you use to do Amazon Prime on? I have a Roku and the new ui is pretty nice imo. Better than the original one when amzon first came online on the Roku.
"MysteryMan"
Pub Member / Supporter Cutting Edge
Last reply · posted in Computers and Gadgets
I created this thread on the original Edgecutter Cutting Edge Forums site. It's simply a place for those to review the latest software available for those using Windows 10 and Windows 11. To date it has received 112,559 views. I have been asked by staff to continue this thread here.
523 Replies · 47939 views
EarDemon
If it wasn't for what I want, I wouldn't need any of this.

Do I need a collection of handheld radios, scanners and speed enforcement countermeasures? Nope, but I want them. Very little, if any of the software used to interface with these devices is available on Linux.
WhiteBeard
If it wasn't for what I want, I wouldn't need any of this.

Do I need a collection of handheld radios, scanners and speed enforcement countermeasures? Nope, but I want them. Very little, if any of the software used to interface with these devices is available on Linux.
To each there own but I've found that Windows can't do much more than Linux can. Can't have everything. ☹️
  • Haha
Reactions: meStevo
EarDemon
To each there own but I've found that Windows can't do much more than Linux can. Can't have everything. ☹️
For niche use cases, yes I agree. Kali for ethical hacking and security testing, and running a Cacti server for network monitoring are the two things I have experience in. Plus thousands and thousands of other things, but for every day use I just can't see it. The owner of the GMRS repeater that I pay to access is changing the Tx DPL tones tomorrow, while Chirp is available on Linux, the software to program my MXT500 is not.

I run Fedora and Ubuntu in VMWare, honestly I don't care much for the UI of either of them and I don't feel like spending days/weeks to customize the UI to make it look Windows-like when I could just use Windows. The cartoonish dock at the bottom of the screen reminds me of Apple products.
harshness
I don't care much for the UI of either of them and I don't feel like spending days/weeks to customize the UI to make it look Windows-like when I could just use Windows.
What is so fantabulous about the Windows UI? By many accounts, it has been going downhill since Windows 7.

There are Linux desktops that offer Windows or Mac UIs, yet you don't hear much chatter about them outside of questions about when the creators might get sued.
  • Like
Reactions: HipKat
EarDemon
What is so fantabulous about the Windows UI?
Because it's what I prefer. I know I've said this a few times, I use Open Shell to give me the cascading start menu a la WIN 95 and NT4.0. The only reason I went from Windows Vista to 7 back in the day was because of Classic Shell. I cannot stand anything other than the OG start menu from 30+ years ago. I'm using ExplorerPatcher to give me Windows 10 UI elements of the taskbar and right click context menus.

If you could take a look at how I set up Windows 95, you'd find many similarities to how I use 11.
  • Like
Reactions: cp2k
EarDemon
I could probably use that as a starting point, but I don't like the full size icons. If you have to click on each folder that's also a no-go for me, it has to be cascading.

I used to have Peppermint Linux in a VM, that was about as close as I could get to recreating a Windows NT4.0 style of menu structure, but I could never get it to scale properly in VMWare on a 4K display and eventually gave up.

Whatever the boot up time it's fine with me. The longest part of my bootup is the HP SureStart BIOS integrity check. Once that is done, it's only a few more seconds. I haven't done this reg tweak yet since the reformat, but I switched the bootup animation to the Windows 10 style spinning circle of dots, and it's two and a half rotations. I can live with that.
harshness
Because it's what I prefer.
I hope you don't believe that makes it wonderful (especially when you're using workarounds for Microsoft's malfeasance).

I use LibreOffice as opposed to Microsoft office (even in Windows) because it's UI is like the Office of old, so I'm putting my money where my mouth is (in a manner of speaking). The ribbon was one of the worst ideas to come out Redmond.
HipKat
I could probably use that as a starting point, but I don't like the full size icons. If you have to click on each folder that's also a no-go for me, it has to be cascading.

I used to have Peppermint Linux in a VM, that was about as close as I could get to recreating a Windows NT4.0 style of menu structure, but I could never get it to scale properly in VMWare on a 4K display and eventually gave up.

Whatever the boot up time it's fine with me. The longest part of my bootup is the HP SureStart BIOS integrity check. Once that is done, it's only a few more seconds. I haven't done this reg tweak yet since the reformat, but I switched the bootup animation to the Windows 10 style spinning circle of dots, and it's two and a half rotations. I can live with that.
I used to pin the C: drive to the Win Taskbar and it would open in cascading style
"MysteryMan"
2026-10 Preview Update Builds: 26300.9818 and 26200.9818 (KB5127936) has been released. Moderate time needed for those choosing to perform a manual download/install/restart. Quality improvements only. No new operating system features.
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
· posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network
0 Replies · 3 views
Scott Greczkowski
Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!

So let the game continue!

The last song was added by Bobby who posted...

One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters

CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!

Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game

Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.

Example:

Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow

Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio

Another example:

Ride the Lightning -- Metallica

Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne


Get it?


An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68645 Replies · 2679578 views
  • Like
Reactions: c-spand
harshness
Show and Tell - Al Wilson
sdfntx
On with the Show - The Rolling Stones
gms49ers
The Show Must Go On - Pink Floyd
  • Love
Reactions: dishstaller
Bobby
If Love Must Go - Dobie Gray
FTA4PA
Drift Away - Dobie Gray
Van
Van
Last reply · posted in What's Cooking?
Who says dinner or lunch has to be the only good meals of the day?

Honey butter grits with scrambled eggs and grilled boneless pork ribs on flakey biscuits washed down with cranberry juice.
6633 Replies · 380102 views
dfergie
Dos cackleberrys over easy on top of 2 corned beef hash patties fried in skillet... Chocolate milk.
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: TRG and Bobby
TRG
TRG
Cold morning today, only 32 degrees. Fired up the oven and made cinnamon rolls (from a tube) and a pot of coffee.
  • Like
Reactions: dfergie
TRG
TRG
2 egg burrito with bacon and a side of hashbrowns. Coffee.

1645.webp
TRG
TRG
Breakfast Quesadillas. Grilled flour tortilla filled with scrambled eggs, hash browns, chopped green chile, cheddar & Jack cheese and bacon. Coffee.

q.webp
Bobby
Taco omelette. 3 eggs, taco meat from yesterday, diced green chilis, cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, avocado, black olives, chopped tomato, La Victoria Salsa Brava.

This one was really, really good!