Looking for alternative to paying that monsterous monthly cable bill? Does it seem like the fight of paying additional fees never ends? Well, maybe you could unsubscribe to some of those expensive add-on movie channels and pick up a streaming media box. A web-based television experience is the way of the future.
As some of my friends know, I became a big fan of TheCoolTV. This indy channel was a syndicated music video channel that decided to “take over where MTV left off.” They played a weird mix of everything music video, and took pride in an ONLY music video format. That means no reality tv and virtually no content without the spotlight on music. When my local TimeWarner stopped carrying this “.1” channel, I thought it was gone forever. But I was wrong. I soon learned that I could see the coolness once again perhaps through streaming media boxes like Roku and Apple TV.
OTT (Over The Top) or Set-Top boxes like Roku and AppleTV are devices that receive the “media broadcast” or content over the Internet by streaming. All you do is plug a little wallet-shaped box into your HD television and your wireless router does the rest. They range from $60-$120 or so and offer loads of content without a monthly fee.
These little streaming media boxes warriors have subscription-based services like Netflix, HuluPlus, and Amazon along with other web-based media “channels” that provide audio and video content from the internet. Plugging one of these into your television’s HDMI connection brings to your screen an alternative platform to your cable provider that is similar to “On Demand” channels. Some of these channels you pay for, and some you don’t. Some channels have either live streaming programs, or an archived show library, or a combination of both.
Notable up-and-coming Contenders – are out there, trying to climb the championship ladder. These contenders include Western Digital Media Center, Roku, Boxee, YouView, SonySMP-N200 and Google TV, as well as Smart TV upgraders from companies such as Samsung and LG. While there are a handful of other streaming boxes out there right now, the two champions that really seem to be cornering the market are Apple TV & Roku. Overall for my specific uses, I believe that Roku beats out Apple TV.
IN THIS CORNER… APPLE TV –My wife bought me an Apple TV for Christmas. I immediately found that this tiny $100 box did all kinds of big things. Apple TV mirrored my ipad/iphone stream to the television so I could watch YouTube on TV using “AirPlay.” It also let me AirPlay Facetime from my phone so I could see people on other iPhones as I talked to them on my TV. Apple TV also offered the Apple ecosystem, in that I could seamlessly access my photostream from my iTunes account. And it also offered Netflix and HuluPlus as a subscription-based service on its menu. I could also access all my music files by using iTunes Match for $25 a year.
However, I found that Apple TV didn’t totally do what I specifically wanted it to do. It didn’t offer very much content without some kind of subscriptions involved… In other words, you had to pay for a lot of the content, and quite often, you were paying for stuff that you can find on the internet for free.
When I tried to AirPlay HBO-Go from my phone to my television, I only got the audio. “Did I mess something up?” No. For whatever reason, HBO doesn’t want to allow this to work with Apple’s mirror system… or perhaps, Apple doesn’t want to allow this to happen either. That way, you have to buy more content from iTunes.
In my opinion, this device is a great choice for people who want their iPhones & iPads to talk to their television sets. However, it is not a great choice for people who want to bring loads of content to their flat screens without having to pay extra for it. For the same reason why Apple doesn’t have USB inputs on their mobile devices, they can control what streams to your television and what does not. This is also why, I believe, there are far less non-apple channels available for Apple TV than there are to its biggest competitor Roku. Less channels means you have to buy more stuff from iTunes.
APPLE TV TALE OF THE TAPE KEY APPLE TV CHANNELS NOT ON ROKU: iTunes, AirPlay, YouTube, Mobile Me (photos). WEIGHT: Unlike the Roku, Apple TV is very strong and dense, and feels heavy like a brick in your hand. Unboxing it feels fresh. REMOTE: The factory remote is small and pointy and not comfortable in your hand. It also does not take regular batteries. I hate it. PROS: The onscreen interface is streamline and scrumptious. Just like all other Apple products, it has the easy user interface you’d expect from the creators of the iPod, iPad, and iPhone. AirPlay compatibility lets you stream anything you can hear (and, in some cases, see) on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch. And any audio, video, or photos you have in your iTunes cloud will seamlessly stream to your TV. CONS: Apple TV costs $20 more than Roku and costs more to get the content overall. It offers far fewer content “channels” than Roku. Apple TV only works on HDTVs equipped with an HDMI input and deos not have a USB port to import content from a thumb drive. To get the best from Apple TV, you need to be committed to the entire Apple “ecosystem”: running iTunes, purchasing video via the iTunes Store, and using an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch as a remote control.
AND IN THIS CORNER…. ROKU XD or XS – I will admit, I marked out to the Apple TV idea at first, as did a buddy of mine. But then we shot a tweet to our favorite techno-God Michael Manna, (aka former WWE & ECW wrestler Stevie Richards.) Manna said that he heard Roku was perhaps cheaper, and better. So I picked up one to try it out.
I immediately found that Roku at $80 ($20 cheaper than Apple TV) is far more content-rich and still VERY simple to use. The Roku Store has a lot of channels and is getting more, and the directory changes every day. Right now, Roku has in the area of 700 channels or so, with additional sub-channel content. This is far more offerings than that of Apple TV.
Independent private channels like Mummy TV & Nowhere TV can be added to your Roku menu for free. By doing this, you open up hundreds of web-based network & cable streams from around the world. On top of being able to subscribe to Netflix and HuluPlus and also HBO-Go (not available on Apple TV), you also have access to free movie channels like Crackle, PopcornFlix and MovieBlast, and even crazy specific “On Demand Platforms” like The Kung Fu Channel and The UFO’s & Alien Abduction PodCast Archive Library. It has great B movies, horror films, and yes, it even has porno. And that’s not all…
For geeks like me, you can get JustinTV, Comicbook Vine, NWA Wrestling Channel & ProWrestling Channel, and a even a live stream of exactly what Shamu The Whale is up to at any given moment in his tank at Sea World on the Shamu Cam. The only real channel missing from Roku but present on Apple TV oddly enough is Youtube. While you cannot YouTube search on the television screen, there is a work around available via mobile device mirroring that will enable you to still view everything from that community.
Roku Mirroring is not as good as Apple TV AirPlay, but two mirroring apps are available. A new app called “Plex” allows you to stream media files from your phone to your TV. You can also “beam’ Youtube content from any mobile device through a channel called “Twonky Beam.”
ROKU TALE OF THE TAPE KEY ROKU CHANNELS NOT ON APPLE TV: Amazon, Hulu Plus, Crackle, MLS MatchDay Live, UFC, Al Jazeera English, FoxNews.com, Pandora, Rdio, Tune In Radio, Shoutcast, MOG, Break.com, Blip.tv, MediaFly, Facebook photos, Angry Birds, MummyTV, Nowehere TV and dozens of others. WEIGHT: Unlike the Apple TV box, the Roku feels like a happy meal toy in your hand. The ironic thing is that while Apple TV feels more dense to the touch, it has less free content inside it. REMOTE: Is easy to use and feels good in your hand. It takes traditional AAA batteries, and not the lame CR2032 or BR2032 coin looking batteries that the Apple TV remote requires. The XS model also has motion control which allows you to play Wii like games. PROS: Roku offers far more diverse programming options than you’ll find on Apple TV and far more free content. And, unlike Apple TV, Roku will work with non-HD TVs. CONS: Roku’s interface is not as polished and as sexy as Apple TV. And, although there are a variety of mirror apps for Android and iOS, Roku is not as good as Apple for Mobile Mirroring or easy way to stream audio or video files from your networked PC or Mac to the Roku.
Overall Decision – Ring the bell. The judges have declared the winner… ROKU!
The average television viewer is a person who watches TV so they can see either television shows, the news, or movies. Roku seems to provide the best selection of these three things, plus adding THROAT LOADS of unfiltered internet content with every interest in mind. Roku has far more “channels” than the Apple TV, and far more free content options. And with the speed of updates and channel additions, it also seems that some pretty dedicated people both within and outside the Roku company are in it for the long haul for developing even more.
REVERSED DECISION? So why even buy a Apple TV? For only the avid Apple product user, I would reverse the decision and declare Apple TV the winner, but only for those Applemaniacs looking for an Apple Ecosystem-based television-viewing experience. Apple TV is a great platform for mobile device interaction. It has the ability to stream content from iTunes up to your television with ease. Apple TV really “speaks the language” of iPads, iPods, and iPhones and creates a seamless roadway from them to your television set.
If you plan on using your OTT Streaming Media Box as an alternative additional to cable (as I do), I would totally recommend the Roku. But if it is apple juice you seek, you know the way.
The Apple TV Remote Control is Just Begging to Get Lost in Your Cushions!
HERE IS A LIST OF WEDDING VOWS USED ALL AROUND THE WORLD
Planning a wedding ceremony near Albany or Saratoga Springs maybe? No matter what part of the world you are from, here is a list of different denominational wedding vows from various different belief systems & cultures, everywhere.
If you are interested in finding a “Denominational Wedding Vow” that means something to you for your special day, below is a list of different denominational wedding vows from various different belief systems & cultures.
Also, if you are interested also in booking a wedding DJ in or around Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Hudson, Saratoga, Lake George and the general Upstate area, call 518-506-3305. Thanks!
Baptist Vows – I, (Name), take thee, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), and before God and these witnesses I promise to be a faithful and true (husband/wife).
Episcopal Vows 1 – I, (Name), take thee, (Name), to be my wedded (husband/wife), to have an to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, ’til death do us part, according to God’s ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my troth.
Episcopal Vows 2- (Name), I vow to be your faithful (husband/wife), understanding that marriage is a lifelong union, and not to be entered into lightly, for the purpose of mutual fellowship, encouragement and understanding; for the procreation of children and their physical and spiritual nurture. I hereby give myself to you in this cause, with my sacred vow before God.
Episcopal Vows 3 – In the Name of God, I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.
Hindu Wedding Vows (7) –
Lutheran Vows 1 – I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), and pledge thee my troth, so long as ye both shall live.
Lutheran Vows 2 – I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), and these things I promise you: I will be faithful to you and honest with you; I will respect, trust, help and care for you; I will share my life with you; I will forgive you as we have been forgiven; and I will try with you better to understand ourselves, the world, and God; through the best and the worst of what is to come as long as we live.
Lutheran Vows 3 – I, (Name), our miracle lies in the path we have chosen together. I enter into this marriage with you knowing that the true magic of love is not to avoid changes, but to navigate them successfully. Let us commit until death parts us.
Methodist Vows 1 – I, (Name), take thee, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, and thereto I pledge thee my faith.
Methodist Vows 2 – I, (Name), take thee, (Name), to be my wedded (husband/wife), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith.
Methodist Vows 3 – I, (Name), ask you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), as my friend and my love. On this day I affirm the relationship we have enjoyed, looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. Together we will dream, will stumble but restore each other, we will share all things, serving each other and our fellow humanity. I will cherish and respect you, comfort and encourage you, be open with you, and stay with you as long as we both shall live, both freed and bound by our love.
Presbyterian Vows – I, (Name), take thee, (Name), to be my wedded (husband/wife), and I do promise and covenant, before God and these witnesses, to be thy loving and faithful (husband/wife); in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live.
Quaker Vows 1 – In the presence of God and these our Friends, I, (Name), take thee to be my (husband/wife), promising with Divine assistance to be unto thee a loving and faithful (husband/wife) as long as we both shall live.
Quaker Vows 2 – On this the Day, Month, in the year of our Lord, Year XXXX A.D., (Name) and (Name), appeared together, and (Husband Name) taking (Wife Name) by the hand, did, on this solemn and joyous occasion, declare that he took (Wife Name) to be his wife, promising with Divine assistance to be unto her a loving and faithful husband; and then, in the same assembly, (Wife Name), did in like manner declare that she took (Husband Name) to be her husband, promising with Divine assistance, to be unto him a loving and faithful wife. And moreover they, (Husband Name) and (Wife Name), did, as further confirmation thereof, then and there, to this certificate set their hands. (Husband Name; Wife Name) And we, having been present at the marriage, have as witnesses hereunto set our hands
Quaker Vows 3 – Whereas (Husband Name) of (Home City and State), son of (Father Name) and (Mother Name), and (Wife Name) of (Home City and State), daughter of (Father Name) and (Mother Name), having declared their intentions of marriage with each other to the (Meeting House Name) monthly meeting of the Religious Society of Friends held at (Town and State of Meetinghouse), their proposed marriage was allowed by that Meeting.
Roman Catholic Wedding Vows 1 – I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife). I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. Bride: I pledge, in honesty and sincerity, to be for you an obedient and faithful wife. Groom: I pledge, in honesty and sincerity, to be for you an obedient and faithful husband.
Roman Catholic Wedding Vows 2 – I, (Name), take you, (Name), for my (husband/wife), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.
Zion Vows – I, (Name), take thee, (Name), to be my wedded (husband/wife). To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part. According to God’s holy ordinance, and thereto I pledge thee my faith.
Secular & Spiritual Same Sex Wedding Vows - Gay Wedding Vows
Below are some Secular & Spirual vows written specifically to be used as Same Sex Wedding Vows /Gay Wedding Vows. You may want to use these vows for your special day.
If interested in a Same Sex friendly wedding DJ in the Albany, NY area with experience, drop us a line at 518-506-3305. Thanks!
Secular Vows For Gay Couples
I, (Groom’s name/Bride’s name), take you, (Bride’s name/Groom’s name), to be my (wedded wife/wedded husband). I promise to strive always to consider your needs in addition to my own; to be a source of strength for you; to accept your strength for myself; to share freely my thoughts and feelings; to listen when you share yours with me. I make these solemn promises, to keep in times of plenty and in want; in joy and in sorrow; in sickness and in health; from this day forward.
________, will you have ________ to be your (wife/husband), to live together as friend and mate? Will you live (her/him) as a person, respect (her/him) as an equal, sharing joy as well as sorrow, triumph as well as defeat. And keep (her/him) beside you as long as you both shall live?
________, is it your will to have this (woman/man) to be your spouse, to live together in the state of marriage? Is it your will to love (her/him), in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others to be faithful to (her/him) as long as you both shall live?
________, are you ready to take ________ as your (wife/husband), to live together with (her/him) in a growing marriage relationship? Will you vow with (her/him) to be partners in life in such a way that together you will meet every situation of life; the peaceful and the chaotic, the routine and the exciting, the sorrowful and the joyful, the threatening and the inviting. Will you love (her/him), affirm (her/him), and commit yourself to (her/him) in marriage relationship as long as you both shall live?
I, (Name), take you, (Name), for my (husband/wife), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.
I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.
(Name), our miracle lies in the path we have chosen together. I enter into this marriage with you knowing that the true magic of love is not to avoid changes, but to navigate them successfully. I make this commitment until death parts us.
I, (Name), take thee, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, and thereto I pledge thee my faith.
I, (Name), ask you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), as my friend and my love. On this day I affirm the relationship we have enjoyed, looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. Together we will dream, will stumble but restore each other, we will share all things, serving each other and our fellow humanity. I will cherish and respect you, comfort and encourage you, be open with you, and stay with you as long as we both shall live, both freed and bound by our love.
I , (Name), promise you, (Name), that I will be your loving and loyal (husband/wife) from now on. I will share with you all of life’s joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, until death parts us.
Religious Vows For Gay Couples
Religious / Spiritual Vows For Gay Couples
________ and ________, having heard these words of instruction and admonition concerning love and marriage, do you now consent to be faithful to the obligations of this sacred relationship as long as you both shall live?
________, wilt thou have this (woman/man) to be thy (wife/husband), and wilt thou pledge thy troth (or trust) to (her/him), in all love and honor, in all duty and service, in all faith and tenderness, to live with (her/him) and cherish (her/him) according to the ordinances of God in the holy bond of marriage?
________, do you take ________ to be joined in wedlock, and in the presence of these witnesses do you vow that you will do everything in your power to make your love for (her/him) a growing part of your life? Will you continue to strengthen it from day to day and week to week with your best resources? Will you stand by (name) in sickness or in health, in poverty of in wealth, and will you shun all others and keep yourself to (her/him) alone as long as you both shall live?
________, will you have ________ to be your wedded (wife/husband), to live together in the covenant of faith, hope, and love according to the intention of God for your lives together in Jesus Christ? Will you listen to (her/him) inmost thoughts, be considerate and tender in your care of (her/him), and stand by her/him) faithfully in sickness and in health, and, preferring (her/him) above all others, accept full responsibility for (her/him) every necessity for as long as you both shall live?
________, will you have ________ to be your wedded (wife/husband), to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and keep (her/him) in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, forsaking all others, keeping yourself only for (her/him) as long as you both shall live?
In the Name of God, I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife or spouse), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.
I, (Name), take you, (Name), for my (husband/wife), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. So help me God.
I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. Amen.
(Name), you stand before God and this congregation to declare your intent. Will you have this (man/woman) to be your (husband/wife), to live together in a holy marriage? Will you love (him/her), comfort (him/her), honor (him/her), and keep (him/her) in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to (him/her) as long as you both shall live?
Thanks for reading and congratulations on your special day planning. Again. if you are interested in booking a same sex friendly wedding DJ in the Albany, NY area with plenty of experience, give us a call at 518-506-3305.
