26 februarie 2018

Yamaha RX-V473 PC RE

So I own this AV receiver (Yamaha RX-V473) for quite some time. Actually it is so old that is has been superseded by two more models from Yamaha.

So why this post? Well this post is about remote controls. Since I have this system for so long I think I can share my two cents on the subject.

Let's start and see what the options are, from the cheapest to the more expenive:

  1. Remote control supplied in the box: pretty much useless. Because very low tactile feedback, poor layout buttons, hard to reach just by feeling. Almost impossible to use in a dark room such as you'd want to enjoy a movie. On the plus side: it's free.
  2. Remote control app supplied by Yamaha for both Android and Apple platforms. Works well with my Android phone. The cons, still no touch feedback but at least you can use the app in the dark.
  3. Home Remote from Microsoft Store: same functionality as the Android app on the PC. Great if you are in front the PC, no need to reach out for some other device, just use the mouse and keyboard.
  4. Cheap Universal Remote: no pozitive experience with several tested.
  5. Harmony 650 Universal Remote Control the best universal remote I ever tested. True, a bit expensive but it does what is supposed to do.  Once you get over the initial, a bit cumbersome setup, you get a remote you can use jut by feel, in total darkness. The greatest feature of this remote is the "scene mode": you can control several devices grouped by function just by selecting the right scene.
    Let's say you watch a movie cast from your BluRay player through your AV Receiver on your 2k display.  You can program a scene where you have all the movie controls (REW, FF, Play, Stop), audio settings (volume, tone, enhancements), image settings (contrast, brightens, etc) in just one scene. Very logical and easy to use.
So what do I use most frequently? 
Well, the Harmony remote is number one. I use it most of the time.
If I am in front of the computer I use the Home Remote app.
Only if the Harmony Remote is out of reach I would use the phone app. I almost never use the Yamaha supplied remote. In fact I don't even keep batteries (AAA) for it on hand.

13 mai 2015

Salată de fasole verde

Fasole verde, apă. ceapă (verde dacă se poate), sare, ulei, oțet.
Se fierb toate și se aseezonează după gust. Se serveăește rece,

Ouă prăjite

Sau ouă ochiuri.

sau cum s-or numi ele nu trebuie înecate în grăsime sau ulei. Nu trebuie scăldate în ulei încins ca să se facă bine.
O felie sau două de suncă însăv nu stircă de fel



Cel mai simplu  (și mai sănătos) e să pui un capac peste ele,peste ouă adică și ies minunat:




09 august 2011

Saramură pentru peşte sau grătar

Saramura e un sos care merge foarte bine cu un grătar de peşte (crap, caras) sau de pui.

Ingrediente pentru două porţii:

Ceapă 100g o ceapă
Roşiic 100g o roşie medie
Ardei gras 100g o jumătate de ardei gras
Ulei 30g 2 linguri
Ardei iute 35g o jumătate de ardei
Sare 8g 1 lingurişă
apă 250 ml 1 cană
usturoi 35g 4-5 căţei
Piper 1g după gust
Opţional:
Dafin 1g o frunză
Oţet 15 ml o liguriţă

Se incinge uleiul bine şi se căleşte ceapa tăiată fin. Odată cu ceapa se adaugă sarea.
Când ceapa începe să devină translucidă se adaugă ardeiul gras, roşiile şi ardeiul iute, toate tăiate mărunt.
Se călesc împreună până se înmoaie ardeiul gras. Se daugă apa şi se lasă să dea două-trei clocote. După ce se stinge focul se adaugă usturoiul pisat. Se potriveşte de sare şi piper. Se adaugă oţetul dacă e necesar.
Dacă se foloseşte dafin acesta se pune odată cu apa.

08 august 2011

It's very easy to lose weight

I've lost 20 kilos in about two months. That's 44 lbs for my English speaking friends.

All I did was to eat less, eat the right stuff and EXERCISE.

I never eated junk food, nor processed for that mater so it has been fairly easy to adapt to the new diet.
The key points are 5 (five) small meals a day and don't combine carbs and protein in the same meal. At least two hours between meals and no eating two hours before going to sleep.

The real kicker was was the gym: three days a week, 45 minutes of cardio and weght lifting.

Yes, it is that simple.

22 aprilie 2011

Did the Nigerian scam move to Spain?

This is the second letter of this sort that I received through SNAIL MAIL. These guys actually paid postage, I assume.

14 martie 2011