1. Part 1: My initial excitement and thoughts for choosing the MVix Ultio
2. Part 2: Me trying it out, somewhat disappointed, but still optmistic about making it work
3. Part 3: Me deciding against giving it more chances and getting an Xtreamer instead

The main conclusions should you not want to read three posts above was that buying from ThinkGeek.com was online shopping bliss, the MVix Ultio wasn’t good enough/mature enough, didn’t have the advertised features and were missing features I thought were necessary. On top, the company had used nefarious business tactics by posting fradulant comments on blogs to make googlers mitakenely think the product was the bee’s knees. Fair should be fair though, the MVix Ultio wasn’t a bad product (though advertised features I needed such as being wifi capable were missing and didn’t work at the time), and all things considered I believed there were much better alternatives out there, with the Xtreamer being one of them, so I took the plunge. I chose the Xtreamer because it had DTS downmix, small size (as it uses a 2.5″ SATA drive) and had room for a built-in hard drive.

Common complaints I have encountered when reading about the Xtreamer:

1. Fan noise to loud
I don’t think this is warranted. Sure you can hear the fan if you listen for it, but it won’t disturb your viewing experience. I never notice it when a movie is running. I did some very unscientific testing with my iPhone. I bought a “decibel meter” app from the appstore and, well, you be the judge of whether the fan noise is disturbing (the graph below is half Xtreamer turned on, half turned off)…

While I don’t find it annoying, I do find it perculiar that the fan doesn’t have an “automatic” setting, but you have to set the speed at “low, medium, high”, with no guidance beyond that.

2. Not able to play high-def movies (e.g. BluRay rips)
I have encountered this once and I am not able to reproduce the “error”. For me all movies have played beautifully, but then again I haven’t tried that many very-high-def movies (think +30GB per file).

3. Internet services resolution too low (e.g. streaming movie trailers)
I can DEFINITELY confirm this, but before I go into what sucks, please note that the feature in itself works beautifully and reliably. You can stream youtube, news, stock tickers, music and, most importantly, movie trailers on the Xtreamer. I found the “movie trailers” function to be of great value actually because it just works and buffers the trailer quickly, but having a 37″ FullHD TV means that trailers look VERY grainy, because the Xtreamer doesn’t download a high-def versions of the videos – this is a big mistake on their part I think. Considering who might buy the Xtreamer, it’s aimed at people who watch high-def video (it’s even one of the selling points of the Xtreamer that it plays video upto 1080p resolution), and then all the internet video services are played in the the lowest possible resoution? it doesn’t add up. Hopefully they will fix it in one of their future firmware releases.

My experience of the Xtreamer
Overall the Xtreamer is well worth the money (it costs just €119 including shipping, without a hard drive which will set you back another €40-60 depending on the capacity you want), which I consider a steal. It’s the cheapest of it’s kind of player (when comparing to the likes of e.g. TViX, PopcornHour, MVix (both of them) or AC Ryan) and they all have just about the same features and same GUI (and are based on the almost exact same platforms). Great alternatives such as an AppleTV, XBox360 or Playstation 3 or full blown HTPCs are just so much more expensive than the Xtreamer, so you can’t compare them really – meaning if you’re considering an AppleTV or PS3, go for it, the Xtreamer and the likes won’t be comparable. The Xtreamer fills the need to easily watch video files that you download online in a small package, and that’s the purpose of it as I see it.

Now a lot of the other players I would compare the Xtreamer to (e.g. the MVix Ultio which i sold to buy the Xtreamer) have builtin bittorrent clients, but the implementation (all of them share the same implementation) are so(!!!) lousy it is of no use.  Some of the other players don’t have .N wireless capability (again the MVix Ultio doesn’t have working wireless at all at the time of writing this), which just doesn’t work for me (so please note: if wireless doesn’t matter to you, you may weigh some of the other options higher than I have – the same goes for DTS downmix). Luckily the wireless implementation on the Xtreamer works really well as does DTS downmix.

Summing up the Xtreamer is hard. One thing the Xtreamer passed which I was most doubtful about was the girlfriend test – i.e. can Julie operate it even when I am not at home to answer questions? A big fat yes was the answer. She could watch movies, turn on/off subtitles, use the internet services to watcher trailers, copy movies from her computer to the Xtreamer etc., so that’s good. Other than that, I would mention the following in bullet form format to keep this post short(..er than otherwise):

• first of, who the f… designs the GUI of these devices (this goes for all current generation Realtek and Sigma based players) – it’s awful – like TRULY awful, as in it must have been designed by an engineer with absolutely ZERO flair for design. I mean, c’mon people, “Apple TV – Take 2″ came out years ago..steal borrow a little here!!!
• It plays every file I’ve thrown at it
• The size of the box is “just right”.
• The fan noise people are complaining about online, you would have to be really anal about sound for it to disturb your viewing experience in my humble opinion (and I mean anal to the degree that ordinary breathing would disturb you)
• DTS downmix also works on all files I have thrown at it
• UPnP implementation works as it should, streaming wirelessly from both my computer and my NAS without a hitch
• The built-in FTP server works (but WHY is there a limit that the ftp server port has to be setup below port 6000?)
• Similarly, why does the UPnP port have to be below port 9999? *sigh*
• DDnS service works flawlessly (but see above on port usage)
• Integration with TVersity media server integration works like a charm
• Network shortcuts are not only possible, they make your viewing easier if you have a NAS unit on your network (and it even remembers your password)
• F….ing $119, shipped to my door. ’nuff said!

Overall, keeping in mind what need the products tries to fulfill, I would give it a 7/10 rating (6/10 for features and 1 additional point for pricing it so low) in its current form. Sure the Xtreamer guys have announced upcoming firmware additions they intend to implement (see them here), which will make me love my Xtreamer even more and might increase the rating, but I’m reviewing it in its current  form. It’s not the end-all of media players, but certainly it is good, if not great, value for money as a discrete media player. If you need a product that plays all video files you can find online, all backups of your DVDs, then the Xtreamer is for you. Throw in the internet services and it’s clear why I whole-heartedly recommend the product. Keep in mind, though, it is NOT a HTPC replacement.

Fourtwenty2009 – a douche

No company is perfect, neither is Xtreamer. They have made a good, if not great, product, but it seems karma needs to dump a little on me anyways making me like the product a little less, and the turd that hit me’s forum name was Fourtwenty2009.

//rant-on
Apparently whomever owns Xtreamer has allowed someone’s 16 year old douché bag of a kid to become an admin on the Xtreamer forum. Why 16 you say? Well just check the name, fourtwenty => 420 => urbandictionary says it best. A douche bag? Yes, well because I posted a post on the Xtreamer eTrayZ forum asking whether the upcoming Xtreamer eTRAYz NAS device would be using 2.5″ or 3.5″ drives. Fourtwenty2009 had apparently been smoking up that day and felt the need feel important (I’m guessing because of general lack of self worth) and deleted my post and wrote me a personal message telling me I should search before I posted on the forum and that I would be banned if I posted again about the issue – crappy service right?

Whomever owns Xtreamer probably aren’t aware that people they enlist as Administrator’s on the forum are their ambassadors, and douché bags such as as the (likely – based on observed behavior) 16 year-old yet pre-puberty, power-hungry, overweight, acne-attacked, pot-smoking, coke-drinking, sun-light deprived person that goes under the Xtreamer forum name “Fourtwenty2009″ actually hurt their image as a professional company that cares about their customers’ experience with them.

So anyway, I was surprised of the response from an administrator who seemed to know the answer but would not provide it, but I could still thought that many the harsh tone was due to a “give a man a fish and he won’t go hungry for a day, teach a man to fish and he will never go hungry” mentality, so I searched the forum for all the terms I thought likely terms to provide the answer but came up empty. I wrote fourtwenty2009 again that there was no answer in the forum and whether he could provide me the answer or I should just post again. His answer? I’ll let his words speak for themselves:

“You can read the FAQ. Or you could try disobeying the warning I just issued and be banned instead.”

Well, the FAQ is here, and I invite you to go there yourself and tell me the answer (I’m won’t kid myself with my blog being of big enough influence for the Xtreamer team to include this information in their FAQ). Anyway, based on the claim that drives as big as 2TB can be used, I’m fairly certain it’s a 3.5″, but since I can’t write to ask in the forum without getting banned and no one will tell me, I’m left guessing…
//rant-off

The reason for the story you ask? Well one conclusion could be that if you build a product of great enough value, customer service and customer experience post-sale doesn’t matter and any company can just hire or allow kids with a lust for power to manage customer forums. I’m fairly certain fourtwenty2009 feels this way.
Naturally, that’s not the point. There’s an old saying in marketing (the area of my work), that goes like this “1 satisfied customer tells one person about about the product, 1 dissatisfied customer will tell 10 about the poor experience”. Well, guess what, with blogs, you can tell thousands of people, so it becomes more important.

edit: Turns out that someone has been granted to ask my question now…thanks Xtreamer team minus FourTwenty2009

The future of my (Xteamer-powered) media setup
Enough ranting – The Xtreamer is a great product and their next in line will change my current media setup at home. My current media setup currently looks like the following:

As I briefly mentioned above, the guys are making (to be released in November) a NAS device called Xtreamer eTRAYz which looks very promising and costs a mere €59 (introductory pricing) and will require host hard drives and be able to run in a RAID configuration for added security and lots of other features (see here for details).

I’m going to buy this device (despite the poor customer service as exhibited by Fourtwenty2009 – I’ll hope that his admin rights are revoked due to him being too incompetent handle the “job” as an admin), which will streamline my media setup, and probably most importantly, move the internal 2.5″ hard drive from the Xtreamer to my laptop, shut off the fan, hide the Xtreamer eTRAYz  in a closet with a direct connection to the router and since the eTRAYz also support direct bittorrent and (is road mapped to support) usenet-NBZ-file downloading (which, from the description given by the Xtreamer guys, works like it is supposed to). This I will describe in more detail in a later post. In the mean time, see the chart of my expected setup below. while It’s closely related my current setup, the notable addition of the Xtreamer eTRAYz makes me move the hard drive out of the  Xtreamer, disable the fan and put all my music and videos on the eTRAYz and put it in a closet. Noise free and with centralized media storage (in a a RAID configuration for added data integrity)…nerdgasm bliss

PART 2 (coming soon): Buying the Xtreamer eTrayZ and chanigng my media setup (see link below if I have posted it)

You might also be interested in reading:

1. MVix Ultio part 2 – It’s great, but not quite as advertised… (English)
2. Mvix Ultio: My new “Special Retirement payout (SP)” funded media center (English)
3. Mvix Ultio – part 3: I think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence

The movie kinda moved me in several ways. Firstly, some of the things the movie zings him for, I do sometimes, namely when people use or conjugates words incorrectly. Ugh, makes you think!? Any, the other thing that moved me was the way he hurt his family and how he got it back (in the end of the movie) – for some reason I couldn’t help shedding a tear. So all in all, the movie has to get 4/5 stars.

The Hangover (2009)

Yesteday I wrote about what looks to become a great movie (as most Vince Vaughn movies are – Again I can’t stress enough how much you need to rent Swingers now!!!.  Anyway, at the movie yesterday they showed a trailer to a movie I will have to go see on a guys night out (anyone fresh for that?). It’s called “”The Hangover” and is apparently based on a true story. Let me say it again – a TRUE story. Please keep that in mind, check out the trailer below…

Also, the movie has done so well in the US that  sequel has already been planned. Looking forward to that one as well.

You might also be interested in reading:

1. Couples Retreat – a movie I will definitely go see! (English)
2. Movie: Into the Wild (2007)
3. Movie trilogy overview

You might also be interested in reading:

1. Movie: Sorte Kugler (2009) review & “The Hangover” (2009) preview (English)
2. forgotten movie gems of the ’80s
3. A movie about the f***ing obvious!!! (The Secret)

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But today, it’s all about Wedding Crashers, and which has one of the greatest scenes he has made. It’s the one about the meat-loaf. There are so many classics in this scene. Please notice the two “what an idiot” jokes followed by a (little to loud) laugh..it’s macabre for sure, but funny none the less

You might also be interested in reading:

1. Love Me Sexy!!! (Semi-Pro movie)

Next, watch one of the official trailers (and also a hilarious Bud Light commercial)

And finally, and I stress to also do this, we end with a bear-fight (scene from the movie)

You might also be interested in reading:

1. Hey mom, where is the meatloaf…THE MEATLOAF!!!
2. Movie: Into the Wild (2007)
3. forgotten movie gems of the ’80s

Apparently, the secret we saw, was about the biggest secret of the universe, that all the greats through history, from Archimedes to Newton to Bush Gore know this secret… Are you excited yet about what the secret it yet? don’t be!! I

t’s called The Law of Attraction, and when you analyze it just a little bit (meaning turning your head towards the TV and think “Oh my God, this has got to be a joke, I can’t believe someone it trying to pull such a fast one of the American public because they’re not gonna buy that one, and yet I’m surprised. Apparently it’s been the hot new thing on Oprah, and she only touches stuff that can bring in the viewers (which in turn means bring in the sponsor ads, which in turn means bring home the bacon…).

The law of attraction is defined as:

Like attracts like. The principle explains that we create our own circumstances by the choices we make in life. And the choices we make are fueled by our thoughts-which means our thoughts are the most powerful things we have here on earth.

The movie even claims that if you’re positive you can cure cancer, imagine the health consequences if people just let the universe figure everything for you… (read: what a douche!) The “experts” that tell you the story in the movie are “renowned” and “respected” visionaries, philosophers, meta-physicists etc…

A movie that can be summarized in one (short) sentence, is just not good enough, and The Secret can…It’s basically “your life is better if you are optimistic” (if you carve out the fluff that’s too stupid to even quote). I can’t believe I have walked around on the God’s green earth for so long without without knowing and utilizing this, unbelievable that all I had to do is say to myself that I want it. Stop!! I call BS!! C’mon people, shape up, get with the grip and stop taking in the f***ing obvious as the new truth that will change your life and it has “magic” powers and deeper meaning (…but in case you do believe that stuff, I have this pyramid scheme I can get you in on and it will completely transform your life). Please, review the following CNN interview with the author of the DVD and join me afterwards shaking your head in disbelief of what he’s saying

I don’t think I have to mention the video was exclusively released on DVD and that we, here at barelyadraft didn’t finish the movie….

You might also be interested in reading:

1. Movie: Into the Wild (2007)
2. Movie: Sorte Kugler (2009) review & “The Hangover” (2009) preview (English)
3. forgotten movie gems of the ’80s

So with almost a full year left before she receives new paid vacation days, we thought we would spend 62.5% of her total vacation days now! no regrets! And what better place to spend it than Mallorca!! The 80s are back, we went to Kattens killer 80s party this year, and we remembered Danish classic high quality films of the era, with e.g. the fantastically written title song from Walter & Carlo -. Op på Fars Hat. Let’s all sing-a-long when we play it, because I am sure we all still know it word by word :S

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Julie and I spent almost a full Sunday in bed, which was fantastic, and it is surprising what you can do in a bed if you absolutely, positively, have decided to stay in bed at all(most all) cost! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, (even brinner) can easily be handled in bed! We saw a movie we had been recommended named Into The Wild.

The Movie

The movie is based (fairly accurately if I am not mistaken) on a true story, about a boy/man who decides to leave the capitalistic society in a quest for…well, the viewer doesn’t really know… but he burns his money, ditches his car, gives all his money to charity and experiences life a tramp, traveling USA, living in deserts and other deserted places mostly. In the movie you follow how he finds himself and what is important to him. It kinda hard to explain, but the story is sort of like The Beach only without the Hollywood fluff, stars and glamor. I could go on, but instead I’ll stop here and invite you to go see the movie, it is really worth it!

“Happiness is only real if it is shared”

The above quote is from the movie and I think it makes a ton of sense. What is any feeling really worth if you cannot share it with someone else? what is my love to Julie “worth” to me and her if we were not able to share the feelings with each other? Maybe I am a little sentimental now (so to all the real men with pure testosterone running in their veins where blood should be: I’m sorry!), but happiness needs to be shared! Did I mention I love my life?

You might also be interested in reading:

1. A movie about the f***ing obvious!!! (The Secret)
2. Movie: Sorte Kugler (2009) review & “The Hangover” (2009) preview (English)
3. forgotten movie gems of the ’80s

Police Squad In Color (TV Series, 1982)

I first saw Police Squad In Color with my half brother back in 1992 I think and I still remember it, which has to be a seal of quality (seeing as I have completely forgotten what Crossroads from 2002 was all about). Police Squad is a comedy series that unfortunately only ran for 6 episodes. (No!, this does not mean the series was not good, or great even. )

I am sure you are familiar with some of the movie classics that this series inspired (itself was probably inspired by Airplane series of movies), such as The Naked Gun series and of movies, and more notably (humor wise) Top Secret mentioned below, also made by Zucker and Abrahams.

Some of the memorable and clearly crafted skits (if you can call them that) are e.g. when an episode is over, and the credits are rolling, the camera does not freeze-frame the picture, people just stand completely still. And of course the uncanny use of wordplay’s, such as Frank Drebin handing a cigarette box to a bank teller asking if she wants one with the phrase “cigarette?” and she replies “yes it is…”.

UHF (Movie, 1989)

UHF may be more stupid that funny, but you have to admire the ingenuity that has gone into the jokes and skits in the movie. It features a young Weird Al Yankovic in the lead.

The story is that he inherits a local television station and then to boost ratings he initiates a series of new shows with questionable hosts (typical underdog characters making it when someone believes in them). Especially memorable moments from the movie are shows such as “Wheel of Fish” , “Gandhi 2 – no more Mr. Nice Guy” and “Conan the Librarian” to name a few.

The movie must have been made with an extremely low budget and crappy equipment, but you still can’t take away from the originality of the content of the movie. It’s rough, cheesy and fantastic, but you don’t want to watch it again right after you watched it the first time.

Top Secret (Movie, 1984)

Top secret is my all time favorite movie. As mentioned above, it made by the Zucker brothers and contain so many surprising play of words, word puns and interesting illusions with camera angles. For example, a whole scene is filmed backwards.

This is really the mater piece of the 80′s. When you see 20 people from the East German Olympic Team goes to stage to be celebrated and they all look like male bodybuilders and start singing the “East German” national anthem, which goes something in the lines of “we will shot you if you try to escape over the Berlin wall, and spy on you always” it really challenges your stomach muscles due to the excessive laughing that will occur.

Now all that’s left is head on down to your favorite torrent site Blockbuster and get your movie viewing on!

You might also be interested in reading:

1. A movie about the f***ing obvious!!! (The Secret)
2. Movie trilogy overview
3. Movie: Into the Wild (2007)