ABC.com does it right!

I've been having issues with my DVR box. The first one got struck by lightening, so BrightHouse brought me a new one. Well, then they did this whole "update" thingy, which fried the hard drive in the new box... soooo, they brought me yet another, although a different model. When the update came around for the newest box, it screwed up some of the series I had scheduled by setting it to record on the wrong channel.

Anyway, I ended up not recording two weeks' worth of Grey's Anatomy, so I did a Google search to see if there was anywhere I could view the episodes online. Lo and behold, right there on ABC's home page is a clearly identified link to their streaming HD video player. The video quality is fantastic, and you can even toggle to full screen mode.

Not only was I able to catch up on the missed episodes, but I am currently watching the entire series "Lost (OMG, it totally lives up to the hype!). Yep, they have all of the episodes beginning with the pilot, and they have the same for all their other primetime hits. This is awesome, because now I can become addicted to even more TV shows!!!

NBC also has full episodes available online, although their video player comes nowhere near the quality of the one ABC uses. As of now, CBS is sucking wind by comparison. When I finally plodded through their annoying site navigation and found the elusive "full episodes" link for Criminal Minds and Ghost Whisperer, it turns out they don't actually have any full episodes available for viewing. They need to get with the program.

Guitar Hero IV countdown...

Okay, I'm so freaking excited about the October release of Guitar Hero World Tour. Not only am I eagerly anticipating playing with the bad-ass drum kit, but the available songs are the best collection I've heard of on ANY band simulation game, and if you've played Rock Band, you know how frustrating and boring a lame song list can become.

To check out the song list click here. All of the songs are master tracks, so no cover bands to groan over. The playlist is huge and diverse. You'll find Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ozzy, Wings, Van Halen, Linkin Park, The Eagles, Billy Idol, Willie Nelson, and so much more. Oh, and for the first time, those of us who have a Wii system will be able to download new music.

The guitar controller also has some new features, including a touch sensitive fret bar. The drum kit has raised cymbals/high-hats, and we're promised that it will feel more realistic than the drums for rock band... more responsive and quieter.

You can also create your own songs for Guitar Hero in the music studio section of the game. These songs can be shared online with other GH players, so you essentially have an infinite playlist.

The characters and instruments are fully customizable, so you conceivably spend hours playing with the game without ever actually playing a note... at least that's what happened to me when I started creating my avatar for the Tiger Woods golf game on Wii.

Anyway, I will definitely post again once I've played the game. Only a couple more weeks to wait...