Blu-Ray Players & Non-HD TV's?

Hey Gang! So, I just got a really good question that came into the old GeekGirl email inbox (geek.girl@earthlink.net for those of you who are new here!), and I thought I'd share it with y'all because it might be a common question: "...quick question for you - do Blu-Ray players work on regular tvs or do you need an HD TV ? there are some great deals on players and I want to pick one up, but my tv isnt HD."

Here was my response:

Blu-Ray players are meant for HD tv’s just because the picture is so stunning and has such great resolution, and thus they come with HDMI cables that eliminate the need for the old RCA (the yellow/red/black/white cables that you currently use for your DVD –to-TV connection. However, I’m pretty sure that you CAN still use the old RCA cables to connect to a regular TV, and then if/when you eventually upgrade to an HDTV, you can just swap the cables.

Just make sure when you buy your Blu-Ray player to check that it has the regular Audio/Video OUTPUTS on the back (most packaging will show you a diagram of the inputs/outputs on the back of the player, and if not just ask someone at the store) and you should be good to go. You should see something like this:



The outputs on the image at the very top left that are green, blue and red are HD outputs, as is the HDMI output at the bottom. But right above that HDMI output is the “LINE OUT” box, which still has either the S-Video option (which works with normal TV’s if you have an S-Video input) or just the standard yellow, red and white video inputs. This means that you can use it with your non-HD Tv!

Hope that helps!
Happy holidays!

Cheers,
GeekGirl

PS-Make sure to follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows

GeekGirlLive Holiday Gadgets Video Blogcast: Recap & Replay!

Hey Gang!

Thank you to ALL of you who joined in on the LIVE video blog-cast today featuring GeekGirl's Top 10 Holiday Gadgets! Just in case you missed it, here's the replay! (It's almost an hour long, so feel free to fast forward if you like. I don't mind. LOL):



YOUR interaction made this 1st official LIVE GeekGirl blog-cast a HUGE success, and we had a LOT of viewers and peeps in chat giving me feedback! Thank you all for joining and I can't wait to do the next one!

As promised, I'm also working on the written list of the 10 items (and bonuses!) that we discussed. I will have that posted here by EOD as well!

Ok guys, Happy Holidays-keep checking back here at the blog and also on Twitter at twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows for more great savvy tech tips from a not-so-ordinary GeekGirl. :)

Cheers,
GeekGirl

We are live NOW!

COME JOIN THE FUN!

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/geekgirllive

SEE YOU THERE!

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! GeekGirl Holiday Gadgets LIVE Video Blog!

Hey Gang!

Got some last minute shopping to do? Still owe someone your own holiday wishlist? Protesting the last minute holiday shoppers on the last weekend before Christmas by staying home in your comfy pants and/or Snuggie? Well, have no fear, it's FINALLY here! Tomorrow (Sunday 12/20/09) @ 11:30 a.m. PST I am going to be broadcasting LIVE on my USTREAM CHANNEL about my fave picks for holiday gadgets!


So, what do YOU need to do to participate?

Go to my USTREAM channel at 11:30 a.m. PST on 12/20 by clicking HERE. You can join in all the LIVE fun by Tweeting your questions/comments at me or we might even open up the chat on USTREAM if we feel like it! You can also post comments here on the blog entry that I will post on www.GeekGirlKnows.com as soon as we go live tomorrow, and I will make sure to check in on them throughout the broadcast as well.

Oh, and don't worry if you can't make it. I will post the video (USTREAM lets you record your live feed and then embed it-how cool is that?) RIGHT HERE on the blog as soon as it's over and you can watch it as many times as you like.

So, if you have any suggestions or things that you want me to mention as great techy or tech-inspired or anti-tech holiday items, Tweet at me here: twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows OR post a comment below and I'll check them before we go live.

I'm excited to "see" you all tomorrow and share my picks for favorite holiday gadgets! Let's hope I work the USTREAM thingy out right and we all have a ball. :)

Cheers,
GeekGirl

GeekGirlKnows on Inside Dish with Ross Mathews-The Video!

Hey Gang!

First of all, to those of you who are new, WELCOME! This is a place where technology meets creativity and I try to help you free yourself from the fear and stereotypes of what it means to be a Geek! Join the fun by scrolling down through the blog posts and checking out my videos (you can click on the archives on the right hand side of this page, OR go to my YOUTUBE CHANNEL to just cut to the chase and see all the videos! For my regular peeps, here's me on Inside Dish yesterday:



Another Link to my YouTube Channel in case you missed the one above :)



Stay tuned-info about our LIVE USTREAM BROADCAST where we will talk all gadgets holiday is coming up in the next few days just in time for those last minute shoppers!

If you have any questions you want to ask me, email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net OR post a comment below. Oh, and of course you can always Tweet at me here: twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows

Cheers,

GeekGirl

PS-Because I mentioned it in the Inside Dish video, Here's a great free e-Book, free-standing App that you can download RIGHT NOW for your iPhone or iPod Touch (it's a great book too, I have read it a few times!) Admit One: My Life in Film Here are a few screen-shots of the application itself, it's pretty awesome:


Also, you can pre-order the actual book here, for those of you who are like me who love real books and still buy them. LOL: Admit One: My Life in Film

On set with Ross Mathews

On the Inside Dish set!

The historic CBS Radford lot

I'm here! Stay tuned!

Sent from my iPhone

GeekGirl on Inside Dish with Ross Mathews!

Hey GeekGirlGang!

Guess what guess what? RIGHT this very moment I'm getting all dolled up to go shoot an episode of Inside Dish with Ross Mathews, one of my nearest and dearest friends and an old co-worker on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. I'm super excited, and we are going to give a sneak-peek of my holiday gadgets episode and might even ustream a bit while I'm there! I'm taking the laptop just in case.

Click on the logos for HelloRoss.com, Ross' personal website, and the Inside Dish logo for the official show page:




Keep checking the blog here for updates throughout the day on my journey into the Inside Dish studio! I will be taking pics with my iPhone and emailing them into my blog here and they will publish LIVE from my emails! Cool, right?? Gotta love technology. :) (BTW-if you want to know how to do that with your blogger blog, email me or comment below and I can teach you how to set it up-it's super cool and easy!)

Ok gang, keep checking in. I'll let you know after we are done shooting when we the episode will air this week on the Inside Dish website!


Cheers,
GeekGirl

GeekGirl, uStream Test and an artichoke.

Yes, that's right, an artichoke.

Have no idea what I'm talking about? Watch the video below of my very first LIVE broadcast on my brand-spankin'-new ustream channel. Very cool! I wasn't expecting anyone to show up but you guys definitely delivered by coming by to say hi and even chatting with me. About my artichoke. LOL. Just watch the video:




Now that I know it works, we are setting up a LIVE video Q&A in the next 2 weeks where you guys can ask me all your questions! I think I'm going to do my holiday gadgets episode LIVE with you guys! Fun, right?

Here's the permalink to my ustream channel: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/geekgirllive. I'm still working out the kinks but so far, so good! Got any tips for me now that I'm a Broadcaster? Hey, I like the ring of that! Broadcaster! GeekGirl Live has just opened up a whole new world for us, GeekGirlGang, and we're going to take it by storm!

Cheers,

GeekGirl

Back in the Blog-s-sphere & Twitterverse!

Hey GeekGirl Gang:

There's good reason for my long absence from the blog/Twittersphere, and hopefully something will be inked and final in the next 2 weeks and if so, I'll be able to share it with y'all! In the meantime, lots of changes are going on in my world, and ALL roads point to MORE GEEK GIRL VIDEOS for the holidays AND for the New Year!

Here's what I've got in production right now:

-eBay horror story and tips quickie
-Holiday Gadgets
-2010-the future is here!

Any tips, suggestions or requests, GeekGirlGang, on topics you'd like to see discussed? I'm also considering doing a live, streaming chat a la my dear friend Ross Mathews (click HERE for his blog, and see below this paragraph for our live chat re-broadcast below from his Jay Leno Show dressing room backstage last Friday). What do you think of the u-stream software? Should I use the same software? Does anyone have any suggestions for great live streaming software with chat tools/features, etc.? I want to know!



I've missed you, GeekGirlGang, and can't WAIT to get all of this new stuff (and hopefully the good news I hope to share!) out there to YOU guys, the people who inspired this blog in the first place!

Post your comments in the COMMENTS section below, OR email me at geek.girl@earthlink.net!

Cheers,
GeekGirl

PS-Make sure to follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/GeekGirlKnows

Very Cool-Comic Book Artists Illustrate Sci-Fi Legends!

Just wanted to share this link!

WIRED-Sci-Fi Legends.

Cheers,

GeekGirl