Product Review: Plastic Graduated Cylinder

 

I needed one for a Thermodynamics project. It is nothing fancy, just a plastic cylinder with measurement markings. It arrived quickly and in good condition. It is probably not something I will ever use again, getting it at a much better price than a glass equivalent was great. I am very satisfied with it.

App Review: Sling TV

 

I tried Sling TV back in 2018, then switched to YouTube TV (mainly to watch Cobra Kai), and have now switched back to Sling after YouTube TV increased its prices a couple of times without adding any additional content or features. To be clear, despite Sling's claims, it is not truly a-la-carte TV. You cannot select just the channels you want. You have to choose from packages, which, depending on the one you choose will have a pre-selected set of add-ons you can choose. For example, if you want cable news channels you have to choose the mid-level blue package, then pay an extra $5 per month for the "news add-on".  They have subsequently removed the news add-on, but you still have to subscribe to the blue package. Then there are different packages to get extra sports channels and the like. You cannot just pick from a list of all the channels, select the one(s) you want, and pay a flat fee based on that. Here are the pros and cons:

Pros:

1) The app is much more stable than DirecTV NOW (which is what I initially switched from to Sling). It buffers and/or freezes far less at peak internet use time than DirecTV Now does.

2) The optional DVR functionality which allows you to record shows (up to 50 hours worth) and fast forward through them is great, and something lacking on some of the other services. But, see below.

3) Easy to navigate

Cons:

1) Live local channel availability is very limited. In my area, there is no local CBS, NBC, ABC, CW, etc. It does get the local Fox station and the local Fox Sports channel so I can watch some of the local sports teams, but DirecTV NOW has a much better selection.

2) No commercial-free upgrade option when watching on-demand shows. Granted the DVR function eliminates the need for that somewhat, but it would be a nice option to have when you are watching on-demand shows.

3) The DVR reliability is spotty. It does not record everything I have set to record every time there is a new episode. I have it set to record some of the nightly talk shows and some nights it will record fine, and others it skips them all together, even though there is plenty of space available. Also, if you have older recordings on there that you have watched already it will sometimes, depending on what device you are on, throw an error code and not play it. It has also canceled some of the recordings I have set up so I have to go back in and tell it to record the series. And, sometimes when you tell it you only want to record new episodes, it will record re-runs anyway. 

4) While you can select your favorite channels when you go into the guide you will see all the channels, and you do not have the ability to block, lock, or even just hide any channels you do not want to watch.  So, the favorite channel function is basically useless.

Overall, it is the most cost-effective live TV streaming app, but it is definitely not perfect. It has, however, gotten better over time, and will hopefully continue to do so.

Product Review: Evelots 2 Pack CD Storage Bags

 

If you grew up in the era before streaming music, and/or just prefer the physical media (and chances are most of the people making up those two groups are the same) you most likely have a collection of CDs taking up space somewhere. Given that if you subscribe to Amazon or Apple's music service, or just search for a song on YouTube, you can find almost any song from any album in seconds. However, if you are like me, and spent a good chunk of money on CDs back before every song was online, you hate the thought of throwing away perfectly good discs. 

These are great for keeping your CDs protected and provide a way to store them in a much more efficient manner than sticking them on a shelf or in a bunch of boxes (which could end up weighing a ton). Each box comes with 2 bags, each of which can store about 45 single CDs. You would be able to get a few more in, except that inside each bag there are two plastic dividers that separate the inside into three sections. They are along the seams where the handles are connected to give them added support so it is not a good idea to cut them. That is really the one drawback (if you can even call it one). I definitely recommend these.

Product Review: Roku Premiere - HD and 4K UHD Streaming Media Player

 

I took the plunge and cut the cord from Satellite TV back in 2017. I got a couple of these for free from AT&T/DirecTV NOW's promotion where you could get a free Roku for prepaying for 2 months of DirecTV Now. It comes preloaded with a few apps mainly the ones that have the remote buttons as shortcuts (on mine it was Amazon, Netflix, DirecTV Now, and Pandora). Then you can download whatever other apps you want like such as Hulu, Sling, or channel-specific apps like Comedy Central, CW, etc. Some of the apps are free, and some require you to sign in with your TV provider information.

Roku has a pretty nice free app that rotates older movies and TV shows every couple of months. The only cons I have come across which knock it down a star for me is that at this point there is no internet browser app to allow you to open web pages, it does lose internet connection from time to time, and randomly becomes unresponsive requiring you to unplug it and plug it back in. Occasionally it will just reset itself. That can be a pain in the ass, but I would say, for the most part, it stays connected to the internet fairly well. It is usually not a big deal to get it connected back to the internet or working again if it freezes, but it is kind of a pain when it happens. Overall though I am satisfied with it, and would recommend it to anyone thinking of getting rid of cable or satellite.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 49

Day 49 was a rest day in 645, and in XB I did the 15-minute Restore routine.

It had been a while since I did Restore so I would not say that my mobility in the moves was all that great.  But, I would say I had a bit less discomfort in the stretches than I did the first time I did the routine.