(no subject)

So, since getting the Wii U, I've been playing with the HDTV stuff on it. This is my first real HD gaming system and I'd been playing it on my old 1995 Curtis Mathis 20 inch CRT TV in 16:9 letterbox. Not really a huge problem there, it's totally playable. And the Wii games play fine on it as well.

Downstairs, though, is Liz's gigantic five foot LED HDTV. So I connected it there

Oh, my sweet giddy aunt....

Ever since I got the Wii and saw that it was 480P, I'd tried connecting the systems to my computer monitors for a clearer picture. The first attempt was using a video capture card, since I used my monitors for a Digital TV at the time. The Wii still wouldn't do 480P, but would do 480I on it. The TV card automatically upscaled and deinterlaced it, but the result wasn't much better than my regular TV, even after playing with sharpness and saturation. On my regular TV, the quality wasn't much worse, but the colors were more vivid, so I went back to using that.

After seeing the pic on Liz's Mammoth Theater TV, I decided to see if I could plug the Wii U into my monitors using an HDMI to DVI adapter to get a clearer picture. My actual 1680x1050 monitor, while not full HDTV, sounded like a great image...but it just refused to even say there was a signal there. This wasn't a good sign. I tried my smaller second monitor, and that worked! But only at 720P. That monitor, though, was 4:3 not 16:9...so everything was in LongTorsoVision. It was super clear, though...and super stretched. I decided I'd live with it...but then noticed something else: No sound.

Boogers.

I need an HDTV for that clear picture...but.. .I'm in a bit of a quandry. I don't like upgrading unless what I'm upgrading is broken or completely inadequate. I used Windows 98 until 2003. I'm still using XP. That 1995 Curtis Mathes TV is still a great TV and going strong. Good colors, strong picture...it doesn't feel right replacing it since it's not broken, and it's adequate for everything, and only a little underpowered for the Wii U.

But damn, that was a nice clear picture. on that monitor.

I'll probably get a replacement TV (as well as a converter that will not only convert composite video AND RF signal for the Atari 2600 and Bentley Pong systems). I've already got my eye on one. But will totally totally wait until I find a new place. That way there's no lugging even more stuff around and the financial Rube Goldberg machine that helped budget the Wii U will probably not happen again (there's a story there I need to tell).

Until then, I have LongTorsoVision...still clearer than that old TV. :)

(no subject)

So...how did I afford the wii U when things were looking so bleak?  A lot of people screwing up, and a few tight weeks without cash.

For months I'd saved up for the wii U so I could get it on Launch Day.  Planned and saved and scrimped and pushed.  When we got back from Texas, however, the car crash ate my savings up completely (on top of the huge amount Dad put in). 

I couldn't budget both rent and groceries and still have enough at the end of the day for that Wii U at launch.  I decided that I was going to need to hold off until at least the New Year, or possibly longer, to make it happen.

while I'm on break, I collect unemployment.  And my unemployment "year" also ended about that time, since they were counting this break as part of last years.  This meant, I had a week with no check.  Even LESS money, and now even groceries were going to be rough.  Which was okay...Lissa made a few big Meals, Crys made a few Big Meals, enough to cover a week. 

Once I got the next (and last) unemployment check there weren't nearly as many groceries to buy till my next paycheck.  So I bought only a few groceries and put the rest on my credit cards.  Next paycheck came in, and I did the same.  Bought groceries and left the rest in my bank account, to possibly be transferred to my credit cards.

And then, looking at a calendar, I realized I had one more paycheck before rent was due.  A quick check of everything showed everything had cleared, more than enough on credit for one week of groceries plus more...this could be done.  It'd leave my bank account with $100 for another week of groceries, and a full paycheck to devote to rent.

So I bought it.  Got the deluxe model, with the NintendoLand game included,  I couldn't afford any of the other games, so I left without them to get them later.

So, awesome.  I got the system, bought groceries and had money to spare!

Sorta.

Suddenly $70 got pulled that I wasn't expecting.  Some of the cash I'd put on the credit card went into the "pending" part of my bank account...then dissapeared...only to pop up in "cleared" three or four days later. @_@.  Still, I had $40 in funds left.  Still in the black.

I...uh...also forgot I owed Lissa utilities.  But she was okay with it, and that will be payed off next week.

So in the end, things will be tight for about two weeks, but not in the red.  Once we're over that hump, I can't spend a THING till February, but at least we'll be on our way to some serious savings soon.

(no subject)

Captain! CAAAAAAAVEMAaaAAaaaAAaaaAAAN!!!!!!!