July 6, 2012
Building a stereo sub-system on the cheap!
Oh happy day! Friday is payday in more ways than one. Today, I share a new video.
Starting in this video is me and two-must have items from Amazon: The Lepai LP-2020A+ Stereo Class-T Digital Audio Ampilfier and the Logitech Wireless Speaker Adapter for Bluetooth Devices.
This video explains how it all fits together.
In the near future, I plan to expand my project to include a Roku Streaming Player. Let's face it, Netflix and Last.FM are the new CableTV and radio station. YOU control the content. YOU decide what to play. You don't sit through these sly little 10 minute commercial gaps for some micro-infomercial. (Case in point, any NBC/Comcast network!) No commericals, and if there are commerical, you can skip through them (except on services like Hulu). Interactive TV doesn't have to be expensive, as I will soon point out.
All you need is the right components to make things happen. Often these components have to be ordered online because for one reason or another, your local retail store will not have it or have something in your budget.
To end today's post, I have some very strong thoughts about the state of the media. As much as I'd prefere to keep this blog as objective as possible, the fact that I've actually committed to these couple of projects demands a good reason.
In its current state, television caters to advertisers, corporations, and people with money. Which is quite sad as even public access channels have served less public access and more paid programming. With video now an integral part of the Internet, everyone gets a chance to express themselves rather than just a few corporate sponsors. Today's video is an example of that and why it is so important for everyone to express their ideas rather than just a few talking heads.
Radio is just as bad. Instead of discovering new music, listeners are limited to a short playlist. There is always that set of three or four songs that gets played over and over. Making matters worse is all the radio stations that are on the FM side that are switching to Conservative Talk Radio (unless you live in Minnesota, it's almost always Right-leaning Politics), Sports Talk (which is the only other thing that happens on Conservative Talk Radio), or Christian Music with Hard Right Talk Shows. The last one is a real kill joy due to the fact that prior to switching to that format, the radio station played all classical music. It should also be noted, that in the St. Louis market, the owners of "Joy Radio" simulcast on THREE frequencies. This has inspired me to turn to Internet broadcasts for entertainment and information.
On election years, it is generally the politicians that have the most money who have accepted donations from some very wealthy backers who pay for their advertising. As if the general public won't know any better and won't google who they really are and what they have done in the past that contradict there campaign of being a "job creator" or "manufacturer of jobs". I spent five good years of my life in a terrible position because these folks spent more time lobbying in Congress than they did calling up people for job interviews. It is an issue that I just couldn't bear to censor from my generally objective blog and it is far too important to ignore given the limited choices we have for representation in this country.
I'm happy to state that I have a job again. It's not the job I want. It doesn't offer the hours I need. But at least I'm getting paid to do something and as one of my friends said as I was riding home from work on my bike "It is a step forward."
I hope to make a lot more steps forward in the coming months. It hurts to go back or be stuck in the doldrums. We only have have a short time to live in this world and such vast potential we can offer under the right set of conditions.
There is no going back. Only forward at this point. We can keep beating a dead horse or we can move forward and make a difference.
