Sunday, April 19, 2009
Furnace Filter
A new furnace filter was placed, 4/16. The date was written on the label. Extra filters are in the coat closet. Please replace the filter every 2 months and write the date placed on the cardboard frame.
Folding Chairs and Where Did the Noise Go?
To take full advantage of the expandability of the dining table (leaves in the coat closet), we purchased six cushioned folding chairs (also in the coat closet). Although we love the sound of the wooden chairs scraping across the tile surface, we decided to replace that gentle hum with felt leg covers. You'll miss the sound as well, but in today's economy and my retirement investments 100% in felt producers, you'll understand the motivations for this purchase.
Water Softener
On Monday, April 20th, a water softener will be installed by Culligan water. Say good-bye to soap scum and that hard water feeling. The house was originally plumbed with a water softener loop located adjacent to the water heater. All of the water in the house is softened except for the cold water at the kitchen faucet and the fridge water. The water softener will require salt (use pellet salt, Costco may be one of the cheapest places to buy it). Please check the salt level and add salt as needed. We'll all enjoy having the softened water.
Landscaping?
How do you like the new landscaping?
Overgrowth was the definite theme of the prior landscaping. After extracting, trimming, and breaking hundreds of pounds of foliage, the new landscaping is really a work in progress. What we really need is a master plan.
Many may favor a plan requiring minimal upkeep that makes the yard more functional, too. One vision would be trimming the lawn with rock, hopefully avoiding the sogginess of irrigation accumulation and allowing the backyard to be more functional.
New HDTV, HD DVR, and DVD Player!
We're excited to announce the following electronics upgrades in the family room attached to the kitchen:
1) Vizio 47" LCD HDTV
2) Toshiba DVD Player
3) Motorola HD Dual Tuner DVR
1&2 were purchased at Costco on 4/16, 90 day return policy. Please notify immediately of any issue.
3 is rented month to month from Baja Broadband. Any issues should be reported to Baja Broadband.
A few introductory instructions:
How do I turn on the TV?
Kind of fundamental. A couple options:
1) Using the Vizio remote. Press the red power button on the upper right corner. The VIZIO label at the bottom of the TV screen will turn from orange to white.
2) Using the universal remote (the one with a lot of buttons and a curved bulge along the top one-third. Press the TV button at the top. Then press the red power button. This concept applies throughout. Choose which device you want to control with this remote by pressing it at the top (TV controls Vizio TV, CBL controls Motorola DVR, DVD controls DVD Player).
How do I turn the DVR on?
First of all. Don't turn it off. There's no need to. If it is off, it will display STANDBY in small letters on the bottom left corner of the LCD display. To turn it on, pick up the universal remote (The one with a ton of buttons and the curved bulges near the top). Press the CBL button on the remote. This tells the remote that you want it to control the DVR. Then press the red power button. Now an icon will appear on the upper right corner of the screen. It should say 1080i. That's the resolution of the image being displayed on the TV. It's the highest resolution offered by cable. You need Blu-Ray to get 1080p.
How do I turn the DVD player on?
Two options. Pick up the universal remote (the one with the curved bulges). Press the DVD button at the top. Then press the red power button. Or, pick up the Toshiba remote and press the red power button.
How do I watch TV now that I've got it turned on?
Think of the TV screen as purely a monitor. While it has a built-in tuner, we don't use it at all with this set-up, so you always have to select an image input. The two available inputs are 1) the Motorola HD Tuner/ DVR (to watch live TV and recorded DVR programs), and 2) the Toshiba DVD player.
Both the DVR and DVD player are connected to the TV screen through HDMI cables, which offer the highest digital quality and combine audio and video into one cable. To watch either, you have to select that input on the TV. To do this, turn the TV on using either option above. Make sure the DVR is turned on as above as well.
Pick up the Vizio remote and press the HDMI button on the upper left corner. Press repeatedly until HDMI 1 is displayed. Then wait a few seconds until the TV image appears.
How do I watch a DVD now that I've got it turned on?
To watch a DVD, choose HDMI 2. More detail, load your DVD by either pressing the open/close button on the Toshiba remote and loading your disk, or pressing the open/close button on the DVD player itself. Once the DVD is inserted then you have to tell the TV that you want it to display the DVD player. Use the VIZIO remote to press the HDMI button as many times as needed to display HDMI 2 then wait a few seconds for the image to appear. You can now control the DVD player by either using the Toshiba remote or by using the universal remote and pressing DVD at the top to tell the remote you want it to control the DVD player.
How do I control volume?
Use the volume controls on the VIZIO remote control or use the universal remote by pressing TV at the top and then using the volume controls.
Can I change the channel using the VIZIO remote?
No, that changes the VIZIO tuner. We don't use it's tuner. It's function is encompassed within the universal remote. If you press the channel change button on the VIZIO remote then you'll have to press the HDMI button on the VIZIO remote until you have selcted HDMI 1 (for the DVR) or HDMI 2 (for the DVD player).
How do I control the DVR?
Use the universal remote. Press CBL at the top to control the DVR. Use the guide button to access the on-screen menu. Use of the other buttons is relatively self-explanatory.
How do I control the DVR Parental Settings?
Use the universal remote. Select CBL to control the DVR. Press SETTINGS once, then press it again. This will display the Preferences menu. Choose Parental Control. I have set the PIN number to 2693 (the same as the garage remote keypad of B-O-Y-D). I have set the Parental Controls to not display Adult channels and to "Lock" programs rated TV-MA, R, NC-17, and NR (Adult). If you choose one of these programs you'll have to enter the PIN number to "override" these settings.
There are a number of other questions and answers. This blog will provide a chance to both ask questions and add to the community knowledge.
1) Vizio 47" LCD HDTV
2) Toshiba DVD Player
3) Motorola HD Dual Tuner DVR
1&2 were purchased at Costco on 4/16, 90 day return policy. Please notify immediately of any issue.
3 is rented month to month from Baja Broadband. Any issues should be reported to Baja Broadband.
A few introductory instructions:
How do I turn on the TV?
Kind of fundamental. A couple options:
1) Using the Vizio remote. Press the red power button on the upper right corner. The VIZIO label at the bottom of the TV screen will turn from orange to white.
2) Using the universal remote (the one with a lot of buttons and a curved bulge along the top one-third. Press the TV button at the top. Then press the red power button. This concept applies throughout. Choose which device you want to control with this remote by pressing it at the top (TV controls Vizio TV, CBL controls Motorola DVR, DVD controls DVD Player).
How do I turn the DVR on?
First of all. Don't turn it off. There's no need to. If it is off, it will display STANDBY in small letters on the bottom left corner of the LCD display. To turn it on, pick up the universal remote (The one with a ton of buttons and the curved bulges near the top). Press the CBL button on the remote. This tells the remote that you want it to control the DVR. Then press the red power button. Now an icon will appear on the upper right corner of the screen. It should say 1080i. That's the resolution of the image being displayed on the TV. It's the highest resolution offered by cable. You need Blu-Ray to get 1080p.
How do I turn the DVD player on?
Two options. Pick up the universal remote (the one with the curved bulges). Press the DVD button at the top. Then press the red power button. Or, pick up the Toshiba remote and press the red power button.
How do I watch TV now that I've got it turned on?
Think of the TV screen as purely a monitor. While it has a built-in tuner, we don't use it at all with this set-up, so you always have to select an image input. The two available inputs are 1) the Motorola HD Tuner/ DVR (to watch live TV and recorded DVR programs), and 2) the Toshiba DVD player.
Both the DVR and DVD player are connected to the TV screen through HDMI cables, which offer the highest digital quality and combine audio and video into one cable. To watch either, you have to select that input on the TV. To do this, turn the TV on using either option above. Make sure the DVR is turned on as above as well.
Pick up the Vizio remote and press the HDMI button on the upper left corner. Press repeatedly until HDMI 1 is displayed. Then wait a few seconds until the TV image appears.
How do I watch a DVD now that I've got it turned on?
To watch a DVD, choose HDMI 2. More detail, load your DVD by either pressing the open/close button on the Toshiba remote and loading your disk, or pressing the open/close button on the DVD player itself. Once the DVD is inserted then you have to tell the TV that you want it to display the DVD player. Use the VIZIO remote to press the HDMI button as many times as needed to display HDMI 2 then wait a few seconds for the image to appear. You can now control the DVD player by either using the Toshiba remote or by using the universal remote and pressing DVD at the top to tell the remote you want it to control the DVD player.
How do I control volume?
Use the volume controls on the VIZIO remote control or use the universal remote by pressing TV at the top and then using the volume controls.
Can I change the channel using the VIZIO remote?
No, that changes the VIZIO tuner. We don't use it's tuner. It's function is encompassed within the universal remote. If you press the channel change button on the VIZIO remote then you'll have to press the HDMI button on the VIZIO remote until you have selcted HDMI 1 (for the DVR) or HDMI 2 (for the DVD player).
How do I control the DVR?
Use the universal remote. Press CBL at the top to control the DVR. Use the guide button to access the on-screen menu. Use of the other buttons is relatively self-explanatory.
How do I control the DVR Parental Settings?
Use the universal remote. Select CBL to control the DVR. Press SETTINGS once, then press it again. This will display the Preferences menu. Choose Parental Control. I have set the PIN number to 2693 (the same as the garage remote keypad of B-O-Y-D). I have set the Parental Controls to not display Adult channels and to "Lock" programs rated TV-MA, R, NC-17, and NR (Adult). If you choose one of these programs you'll have to enter the PIN number to "override" these settings.
There are a number of other questions and answers. This blog will provide a chance to both ask questions and add to the community knowledge.
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