What annoys you? (2 Viewers)

[TJPC]

I used to be irritated by the "child on board" sticker until I read that in a catastrophic accident, it tells rescuers that the car has one more passenger to be saved.

 

[Stan]

My annoyance today.

Fighting my A/V system. Not sure which item is the source of my frustration at this point, could be my new Harmony Hub, my new TV and all it's settings (ARC etc), my Harmony software, my IFTTT settings, my Pioneer receiver, not sure at this point.

In a nutshell, I used to be able to hit the "Watch TV " on the Harmony Smart remote and everything switched fine (note that this only happens when I first power up the system for the day). Now when I hit it, everything switches correctly, but then all the sudden for no reason, the Pioneer receiver switches itself from "TV" input to the "BD" dvd/blu input, even though I went so far as to unplug the Blu player HDMI cables.

I checked my new Harmony settings and the Activities look spot on. So there is a stray signal, or setting that keeps wanting to trigger the Pioneer to go to the "BD" input. I have to hit the Harmony remotes "Watch TV" one more time to get things fixed.

Weird thing is, once I correct things, I can hit the "Watch TV" activity all day long after using another Activity and it switches perfectly, doesn't switch to "BD" like it does when I first power up the system.

Driving me nutso!

This is the kind of stuff that really annoys me, sets me back to "retro" mode. Everything is so complicated now, all the cabling, gizmos, four different remotes, is this sound system compatible, BD/DVD?

I've started to give up. Have a nice HDTV, not even a "smart" one, use the built-in speakers, tired of the hassle of HDMI1 and HDMI2 trying to get the BD to work, cheapo 5-speaker sound system, PITA to set up, it gathers dust now. Might upgrade to a simple plug-in sound-bar, but that's about the limit I want to go with for now.

Used to be the techie nerd type, but really getting burned out with it. Not interested in keeping up with the Jones', I'm fine the way I am

 

[Alf S]

If I can find the lil gremlin causing my issue and fix it, I'll be a happy camper knowing I can be lazy and just have Google Home switch things on etc. I haven't given up on tech just yet.

 

[TJPC]

If I can find the lil gremlin causing my issue and fix it, I'll be a happy camper knowing I can be lazy and just have Google Home switch things on etc. I haven't given up on tech just yet.

Don't you find the upgrades are not worth it really now? I saw a big difference from VHS to DVD, but although I buy only the Blu ray of anything if it is available, it really is not that big of an improvement on my 65" Sony.

Sure, I can now see clearly the make up line on Buster Keaton's chin and the wires that help Gort carry Patricia Neal, but do I care? I think most of the improvement I see is due mostly to restoration rather than the delivery system. I am very glad they can deliver excellent 3D now however, but that's about it.

It reminds me of the old Flanders and Swan routine: "I love my new eye level grill! Now without even bending over, hot fat can squirt directly into my eye!"

 

[Stan]

"the wires that help Gort carry Patricia Neal"

Oh, spoiler alert, you've ruined that for me now

 

[Malcolm R]

Same with these monstrosities covering 3/4 of cars back windows.

I like that, because I'm annoyed by those stick-figure families on car windows.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I'm still trying to figure out who ever decided that they would want to show the comics character Calvin (of Calvin and Hobbes) peeing on anything?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

This is in no way a shot at anyone here, but just browsing through the HTF threads today, I saw a new thread that reminded me of an old annoyance.

More than once, someone new to HT in general and HTF specifically, joins and posts a question about their system. It's basically a variation of "When I watch broadcast TV or DVDs, everything sounds great, but the Blu-ray is defective because the explosions are loud but the talking is quiet." In the past, I've patiently explained that Blu-rays have a much wider dynamic range than those other formats, and that it was done by design to better replicate what movie theater sound systems are like. It's not a defect, and you can use your player's dynamic range limiting to reduce the disparity between louder and quieter sounds if you like.

Nearly every time I've offered this, I end up getting attacked by the newbie. I'm an idiot, I don't understand what he's talking about, the Blu-ray must be defective, blah blah blah. At least one then-new member was banned for blowing up like that. So when I saw someone asking a similar version of that same question recently, I just shook my head and kept on walking...

 

[Stan]

This is in no way a shot at anyone here, but just browsing through the HTF threads today, I saw a new thread that reminded me of an old annoyance.

More than once, someone new to HT in general and HTF specifically, joins and posts a question about their system. It's basically a variation of "When I watch broadcast TV or DVDs, everything sounds great, but the Blu-ray is defective because the explosions are loud but the talking is quiet." In the past, I've patiently explained that Blu-rays have a much wider dynamic range than those other formats, and that it was done by design to better replicate what movie theater sound systems are like. It's not a defect, and you can use your player's dynamic range limiting to reduce the disparity between louder and quieter sounds if you like.

Nearly every time I've offered this, I end up getting attached by the newbie. I'm an idiot, I don't understand what he's talking about, the Blu-ray must be defective, blah blah blah. At least one then-new member was banned for blowing up like that. So when I saw someone asking a similar version of that same question recently, I just shook my head and kept on walking...

Please don't let it be me, I'm an old timer here

I hope you meant "attacked" by a newbie, it would be awful to have one "attached"

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Please don't let it be me, I'm an old timer here

I hope you meant "attacked" by a newbie, it would be awful to have one "attached"

Definitely a typo, thanks

Nope, wasn't you... wasn't anyone still here. These aren't people who care to participate in the community or who have even read are rules. These are likely people who did little or no research before deciding to buy equipment, don't really understand how it's supposed to work, but would rather have an excuse to be angry at someone about it than taking a few minutes to understand how things are supposed to work.

There are a few newbie questions that they could easily find answers for if they just searched before asking. But I don't even mind that they didn't, sometimes you're having a problem troubleshooting and you just want to talk to a human, not search through old messages. I only get really annoyed when they start shooing the messenger. It's not *my* fault that you bought a system that doesn't work for your needs. And then they disappear from HTF, because it's not that they wanted to join a community and share a hobby, they just wanted to save themselves the trouble of looking it up, didn't want to pay a professional to set it up, so we just did the work for them. I don't mind being helpful to people who are friendly. Don't really enjoy getting yelled at when trying to help people as per their own request for help.

Don't even get me started on the people who occasionally ask for help with their content-theft devices. This forum has a strict no bootlegging policy; it's not our job to tell you how to use your hacked Kodi or Firestick. You're actively engaged in stealing; we're not the problem, you're the problem. And if you had read the HTF Rules page, you'd know that.

 

[Stan]

There are a few newbie questions that they could easily find answers for if they just searched before asking. But I don't even mind that they didn't, sometimes you're having a problem troubleshooting and you just want to talk to a human, not search through old messages

I've bent that rule a bit, but I don't abuse it. Why spend three hours researching something when a member can answer your question in 30 seconds. I only do it for really tough, techie questions, not some basic, inane thing.

Plus myself and many others have been here a long time. We don't just drop by, get some advice and disappear, never to contribute or be heard from again.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I've bent that rule a bit, but I don't abuse it. Why spend three hours researching something when a member can answer your question in 30 seconds. I only do it for really tough, techie questions, not some basic, inane thing.

Plus myself and many others have been here a long time. We don't just drop by, get some advice and disappear, never to contribute or be heard from again.

It's all about how you do it, of course -- politely asking a question and then disappearing just as politely, that's fine -- it's the people who take out their frustration on their equipment on other people. I'm talking about people who respond like, "What do you mean, my 5.1 speakers aren't the same thing as Dolby Atmos? You're a loser and have no idea what you're talking about, the man at the store said they're the same and they would know best."

 

[Stan]

It's all about how you do it, of course -- politely asking a question and then disappearing just as politely, that's fine -- it's the people who take out their frustration on their equipment on other people. I'm talking about people who respond like, "What do you mean, my 5.1 speakers aren't the same thing as Dolby Atmos? You're a loser and have no idea what you're talking about, the man at the store said they're the same and they would know best."

That's why I love our moderators. It's like living in "Elysium", sheltered from all the bad people in the universe

Until one day of course when everything implodes

 

[Stan]

Watching an old episode of "Chopped", a show I normally enjoy.

This one has "bizarre" ingredients. First thing up is "pork bung", the polite term for pig rectum. Trust me, I'll pass on that ingredient. Do these shows have to go out of their way to shock us?

Watching the "bizarre ingredients" shows with Zimmerman and others, you know what to expect. You'll get bugs, eyeballs, fish lips, etc. Now they're invading the more mainstream, standard cooking shows?

Disgusting.

 

[Mike Frezon]

That's why I love our moderators. It's like living in "Elysium", sheltered from all the bad people in the universe

Until one day of course when everything implodes

 

[TJPC]

I just picked up a package from Amazon containing "Those Red Heads From Seattle" and the CDs from the Broadway musicals "A Bronx Tale" and "Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812".
I thought I'd play "The Great Comet" music while I was waiting in the car.

I have collected 1000s of CDs since the format began and I have a room with floor to ceiling shelves with my collection. I am saying this not to prove I am a hoarder but to say how unusual what happened next is.

I reached into the case to get the CD, and instead of it coming out easily, as every other disc I have owned has, it literally broke in half in my hands! Shades of when I collected 78s!

Fortunately Amazon was contacted by e-mail and is sending out the replacement. Also fortunately it was an "auto rip" selection, so I am able to hear the music without the disc.

Have other people had this happen?

 

[Stan]

Fortunately Amazon was contacted by e-mail and is sending out the replacement. Also fortunately it was an "auto rip" selection, so I am able to hear the music without the disc.

Have other people had this happen?

Well, in my continued decline as I fall out of the techie world, what does "auto rip" mean? I've got loads of CDs, may favorite format but apparently out of style

No smartphone, no fancy "player", I refuse to get involved. I will be breaking down and getting a cheap prepaid TracPhone, but that's it, maybe 100 minutes a month at the most.

See that anti-technology grouchy guy in the airport who has never been to a Starbuck's his entire life, that's me

The Starbuck's thing just happened by accident, but after a while it became a moral imperative, couldn't cave in

 

[David Norman]

Well, in my continued decline as I fall out of the techie world, what does "auto rip" mean? I've got loads of CDs, may favorite format but apparently out of style

Basically Amazon automatically adds a Digital Audio copy to your Amazon Music folder (I think 320mbps).

I would say it's like Walmart Instawatch, but that might run into the same issue -- automatically adds a UV/VUDU digital copy of your movie purchase to your account for movies you buy at Walmart after you add your receipt so you don't have to manually type the code later. Many people will sell the Digital Copy slip after the fact for a few dollars or just buy the movie and sell it new since all they want is the digital copy anyway. FWIW if your return the movie to Walmart with your receipt, the Instawatch copy also is removed -- some even more unscrupulous folks use this as a free rental buying the movie, watching the Digital Copy once or twice, then returning the movie unopened.

 

[TJPC]

You download the Amazon music program to your computer, and each time you buy certain CDs from them and they are at least on their way so you can't cancel, they load a digital copy to the Amazon program. With a touch of your mouse you can transfer it to iTunes and thus to your iPad/Pod/Phone.
I still like the physical copy with its booklet etc. to add to my collection of Broadway shows OCRs.

 

[Steve_Pannell]

I like that, because I'm annoyed by those stick-figure families on car windows.

I thought this one was pretty good: