Andrew's Sprocket

So this was probably my own fault because I had Mac Updates set to automatically download. This wasn’t a problem before I was counting megabytes. This is now the case using Verizon’s monthly broadband access, which comes with a 5GB cap and $0.25/MB over that. I have been doing a lot of development lately and this update, automatically downloaded, pushed me over the cap, which wasn’t difficult at 442MB for the 10.5.7 update. Maybe they could disable this auto update if your on an EVDO connection.

As for the update it can be found here. But looking through the KB it didn’t seem there were many worthy fixes, certainly not $110 worth.

The bigger problem is with this cap that Verizon and Sprint are now putting on their EVDO broadband access. At first it was all you can eat, kind of like text messages when they first came out. Then they started charging per message and then bundle monthly subscriptions. See this slashdot article on the subject and how the 160 byte service transmission was easily turned into a cash cow. Anyway, yea caps suck. But wait you can pay to raise your cap. 5GB is $60/month but as a Verizon rep told me I could go up to 10GB for only $200. Now that just didn’t make a hell of a lot a sense to me. I mean I am from the south but I know when my beans are cooked and when to pull them off the fire. I told her I would consider $120 for 10GB, although that is ridiculous since it wasn’t long ago that they offered unlimited service. I guess I could just get another card, which means another account and another bill and another number. Well that is cheaper than 5GB at $0.25/MB which is $1280. Where is the FCC on this? This should be criminal. Changing plans quietly, vauge language around “unlimited”. Unlimited to anyone means one thing but not to these companies who think they can call it unlimited and put restrictions on them. AT&T charges by the Kb at $0.00048 per Kb. Pricing it this way may look cheap but it actually is just to confuse the user who should know that it is actually $0.50/MB, twice Verizon. Here is another frustrated users response.

Guess I will be a coffee shop coder until my usage gets reset. Mmmmm, iced latte, with soy milk and four shots….or an iced soy quad latte.

Oh, a few side notes on getting into your VZAccess Manager with more options.

option-D
Pass: diagvzw
Also Pass: 000000 seems to be a default.

So a few months ago I wrote on the transition to all digital television. I thought it was a closed case. But Mr. Pres Elect brought it up and wants to push the termination date back a six months and pump more money into this ridiculous scandalous money laundry scheme. Yes, that’s what it is. If these converter boxes didn’t have a government subsidy they would cost $20. Which is what you end up paying after the $40 subsidy. So they jack the price of this box up to $60 and take government money (which of course comes out of our pockets in taxes somewhere). Did the government issue rabbit ears when analog TV first came out? So why do they think they need to subsidize this upgrade? Unless it’s just to make some money. Which someone is doing…cough cough Madoff? I’m kidding but somehow wouldn’t surprise me.

The budge already $1.34 Billion and now Barack is asking for more. But why? I mean other than the fact that the system was setup to fail when the these $40 coupons were prepaid for but had expiration dates. I mean is it really because people will be without TV? Are you serious? Ask the people. I’m sure not going to glance at the fat bar maid any differently. I have been without TV for 6 months and plan on going 6 years. Yes, it’s part of the bigger plan to keep the American people absorbed with entertainment while other things get budgeted for in the background.

(screen shot from the Evidence of Revision Part 5. I was sick all weekend, employee C, and got a chance to watch all five parts.)

This catering to every pebble is what stunts innovation and progress in a technical world. JUST DO THE DAMN THING. CUT IT OFF. LET US USE THOSE AIRWAVES FOR THE BIGGEST WI-FI PROJECT KNOW TO MAN.

So please Mr. Pres Elect, spend our time on something else.

Well, who was the marketing genius on this campaign? I’m guessing since it’s a government subsidy that we will pay for it in the end.

Go ahead apply for your two $40 credits towards a digital converter box. Hurry up as the government has already sold the analog TV frequencies for a Wireless internet spectrum that will then be leased to you for a nominal fee and 2 year service agreement.
https://www.dtv2009.gov/

There are two models, Zenith and Nhens Digital from Canada. Both priced at $59, when ends up to be about $22 after tax and credit. I can’t image that these things cost more than $5 to make. The market demand would have probably set the price at around $22 anyway so whoever marketed this, spun it pretty well. I’d be interested to know where that $40 credit goes.

Anyway, I didn’t like the look of the Zenith one as it was more boxy and had that clunky American electronic look. Zenith was a US company but now seems they outsourced or sold out as “Zenith-brand products are sold and serviced by LG Electronics USA”. I never thought of their stuff as high quality anyway, and am surprised they are still around.

I opted for the Canadian one and it works pretty well. Finding 16 HD channels on 67% signal strength from a roof top antenna. It has a nice analog passthrough button on the remote so you can jump right back to the analog. However the remote doesn’t work volume or channels once you do that. There seems to be a volume control in the converter box itself instead of using the one in the TV so this is a pain since it has to be adjusted with both remotes when switched. There is a zoom feature which will set between letter box and a 16:9 aspect ratio. All in all a pretty good little box and I don’t think I’ll miss the analog.

So long my friend… (ie. 011100110110111100100000011011000110111101
101110011001110010000001101101011110010010000001100110011100100
1101001011001010110111001100100)