Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

I am in the midst of reading a "can't put this" book down.  The Housekeeper by Joy Fielding.  Categorized as a thriller.  Housekeeper ingratiates herself into the lives of an elderly couple she is caring for and the adult daughter who hired her starts to see things...amiss.  Getting ready to read more!

 

Laura is looking for some new thrillers to read. She likes series

[Ozark_Kid]

36 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

That's the beauty of RAID 1...should be easy to pop in a new drive and everything should be automatically mirrored after a while.  You probably already know this if you have a RAID 1 NAS, but don't bother making the new drive bigger or faster...the NAS performance will be limited to the smallest and slowest drive (at least for writes).

Thanks.

  I hope all I have to do is reboot after the replacement.  I am reading it is that easy with RAID 5.  We'll see. 

I'll replace it with another WD Red 3tb.  I am seeing one for $58. I don't remember how much it was 10 years ago but I believe it was much more than that. 

I was considering getting a newer Nas for reliability then realized if this one falls I can just pull the disk and will be good. 

One nice thing I like about a Nas is that I can access it away from home. 

[Tree_skier]

26 minutes ago, Luckynana said:

We took a ride down to Bonita Beach Rd which brought us through Bonita Beach to Ft. Myers Beach.  So much devastation from Hurricane Ian this past September.  It is so sad to see what is no longer there..remnants of homes and hotels, debris piled so high.  Just horrific.  It reminded me of Superstorm Sandy which hit us in NY and NJ back in 2012. 

Just watching the heavy rain and flooding in California...not to mention the roads and highways breaking apart.  I feel for you, our many CC friends, @sea2shiningsea, @Coralc, @Tree_skier, @NHProud@Taznremmy and anyone I may have missed.🙏🙏🙏

Forecast is looking good for us. Last bit of rain is supposed to pass overhead right now ending within the hour and then the long term forecast shows dry for the next 2 weeks. 🙂   

 

 

Not exactly warm but at least we can start drying out.  

[Ozark_Kid]

47 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

Sorry if I'm getting too geeky, but I had to share this demo video of Dolby Atmos.  It works best if you're wearing headphones or earbuds but also works well on a mobile phone with stereo speakers on either end (which most recent models have).  For best results, hold the phone in landscape mode and cup your hands so that the sound is reflected back towards you, like this.  Don't block the ends of the phone with your palm or you'll block the speakers.

 

This technique also works well to boost the volume of sound from your phone if you're in a noisy area since more sound is directed to you rather than spreading in all directions.  Here's the Dolby Atmos demo video.  Enjoy.

 

 

That was neat.  It sounds good played through my hearing aids. 

[Luckynana]

25 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Forecast is looking good for us. Last bit of rain is supposed to pass overhead right now ending within the hour and then the long term forecast shows dry for the next 2 weeks. 🙂   

 

 

Not exactly warm but at least we can start drying out.  

Great news, Dave.  Finally!🙏

[John&LaLa]

Ok, who's watching MILF Manor on TLC? 😱

 

Laura has it recorded🤣

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, bobmacliberty said:

Sorry if I'm getting too geeky, but I had to share this demo video of Dolby Atmos.  It works best if you're wearing headphones or earbuds but also works well on a mobile phone with stereo speakers on either end (which most recent models have).  For best results, hold the phone in landscape mode and cup your hands so that the sound is reflected back towards you, like this.  Don't block the ends of the phone with your palm or you'll block the speakers.

 

This technique also works well to boost the volume of sound from your phone if you're in a noisy area since more sound is directed to you rather than spreading in all directions.  Here's the Dolby Atmos demo video.  Enjoy.

 

 

Whoa, I can't believe what just came out of these S22 speakers. 

[lenquixote66]

3 hours ago, HBE4 said:

Combining 2 popular topics, cats & out-dated A/V equipment, here is Leonard playing with a ribbon. And for those eagle-eyed viewers, that is an actual future collectible,  a DVD/VCR combo player in the background. 

 

FWIW, there is no battery in the remote & it is not hooked up to the TV. it's basically a shiny dust collector. 😃

 

I have one of those too.”All Leonard’s think alike”.

[Ocean Boy]

12 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Ok, who's watching MILF Manor on TLC? 😱

 

Laura has it recorded🤣

It is Below Deck night. 

[John&LaLa]

8 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

It is Below Deck night. 

 

Meant more in general, not at this moment😉

[Ocean Boy]

Geeze, I can't stand Alissa. 

[mets07]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Laura is looking for some new thrillers to read. She likes series

@John&LaLa Someone on this thread mentioned author Allison Brennan. She writes "romantic thrillers" .... with central characters such as FBI agent Lucy Kincaid, reporter Max Revere, and more. I am making my way through them. 

[aussielozzie18]

Snow & zero degrees - Brrr - keep warm @grapau27 and @sgmn Graham & Sue.

Its’s 28C (84f) here today and 30C (86f) in Sydney tomorrow.

Photos from today from family members lucky enough to work in offices overlooking Sydney Harbour.

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by aussielozzie18

[h20skibum]

6 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Love this. Here is my speaker setup downstairs in the theater.  Paradigm Studio References that weigh over 90 pounds each and almost 5 feet high. Powered by a bi amped Anthem 300 watt amp. The sub has a 15" in it and has a 200 watt amp. It's 7.1 system and it can really rattle the place but I like lower clean volume levels. The AV receiver is a Yamaha 7.1 with 120 watts per channel. I need to go down there and listen to more music. I have not done that in a while.

That sounds like a really nice setup.  I have an Onkyo 7.1 surround system in my family room.

 

5 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

I built a home theater in my basement sometime around the year 2000.  I decided to spend some money and buy a system that I would keep "for the rest of my life".  I went with a B&K AV5000 amp and a B&K Reference 10 processor, and 5 B&W CDM SE speakers...2 CDM7 towers in front, 2 CDM1 book shelfs for the rears, a CDMC for the center...and a Velodyne Sub.  The sound was amazing and paired well with my at the time massive 65" Mistubishi rear projection HDTV.  I was in heaven.

 

Fast forward 20 years and things have changed.  Everything's gone digital and we don't have room for AV equipment and large speakers in our open concept floor plan.  My daughter and her fiancé have the two CDM7 tower speakers but the rest was sold for pennies on the dollar to a couple of AV enthusiasts who were very happy to get them, although the guy who bought the other speakers just wanted them for spare parts for his existing B&W speakers.  We now have a 75" TV with a Sonos soundbar and Sonos sub with rear speakers mounted in the ceiling.  They don't sound nearly as good, but they're all but invisible in the room design, which as we all know is more important 🙄.  Oh well, pick and choose your battles.  Happy wife, happy life.

I have heard the Sonos sound bars do a decent job.   I guess like everything else, the technology moves fast.

 

4 hours ago, mo&fran said:

My DW was not happy when I had a surround sound setup,  trying to run wires everywhere, all in plain sight.  Now we have large sony 4k tv. don't remember exact size any more, but with the Sony sound bar and subwoofer. Problem is , I don't watch that TV, and she doesn't care as long as she can hear.  An option was bluetooth rear speakers.

Running the wires, and keeping them hidden, was a real challenge for the eight speakers in our family room.  I did manage to do it though. 

 

4 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

LOL...in our living room there are holes at various places (concealed under furniture) where, at one time or another, I drilled through and ran wires down through the floor, across the basement drop ceiling, and back up to speakers that were in different locations over the years. They're no longer at any of the locations I once used, so now I look back on having gone through the trouble. Oh well, it served its purpose at the time. 

 

Too preoccupied with retro I suppose. Up until about 2 years ago, our living room tv was still a big Panasonic CRT. Those old tvs are so heavy. It went to our local electronics recycling center. Replaced it with a 28" LG. Love it. Can't go any bigger since it won't fit in the entertainment cabinet. Big wall (or floor) tv would surely be nice I suppose, but just not really into it all that much and no idea where I'd go with it.  Most of the time when the tv is on we're both reading and 'sort of' watching it, unless we put in a movie that we really want to watch with fairly undivided attention. 

I remember we had one of those big oak entertainment cabinets that held the big CRT.  Hated to give it up, but the big flatscreen won out.

 

Of course, now I look at how old my Sony flatscreen is, and I think it will soon be time to update it.  I imagine lifespan is getting shorter for the newer big screens, just like appliances. 

[h20skibum]

2 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Question for anyone that has used the full face snorkel masks.    

 

When you go fully underwater, how long do you stay underwater?

with the one I have, it has a ball that seals off the tube, so it isn’t letting water in.  So, in that case, you can stay under as long as you can hold your breath would be a good gauge. 

[Ozark_Kid]

3 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

Sorry if I'm getting too geeky, but I had to share this demo video of Dolby Atmos.  It works best if you're wearing headphones or earbuds but also works well on a mobile phone with stereo speakers on either end (which most recent models have).  For best results, hold the phone in landscape mode and cup your hands so that the sound is reflected back towards you, like this.  Don't block the ends of the phone with your palm or you'll block the speakers.

 

This technique also works well to boost the volume of sound from your phone if you're in a noisy area since more sound is directed to you rather than spreading in all directions.  Here's the Dolby Atmos demo video.  Enjoy.

 

 

I just mirrored this to my TV and it was great.  Our TV has Dolby Atmos.  Depending on what we are watching it gives a surround sound without extra speakers. Also when it talks about true black on this video you see it on the Oled. When there is true black the pixels turn off.  No backlight at all. 

[BonTexasNY]

5 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

You totally lost me! Not familiar with a single name that you mention with the exception of Mitsubishi, which I only identify with the automobile brand! 

We better not be tested on this stuff!

3 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Laura is looking for some new thrillers to read. She likes series

I basically read mysteries/thrillers as well.  Series are ok if I read out of turn, and they give a short synopsis of what previously went on.  I've read a few Joy Fielding books in the past and the one I'm reading now is a page turner.  I get most of my kindle books borrowed from the library.  I reserved a few that I hope I get in time for our upcoming cruises.

[taznremmy]

2 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

We better not be tested on this stuff!

I basically read mysteries/thrillers as well.  Series are ok if I read out of turn, and they give a short synopsis of what previously went on.  I've read a few Joy Fielding books in the past and the one I'm reading now is a page turner.  I get most of my kindle books borrowed from the library.  I reserved a few that I hope I get in time for our upcoming cruises.

For mysteries/thrillers, my go to author is Harlan Coben.

 

[sgmn]

4 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Snow & zero degrees - Brrr - keep warm @grapau27 and @sgmn Graham & Sue.

Its’s 28C (84f) here today and 30C (86f) in Sydney tomorrow.

Photos from today from family members lucky enough to work in offices overlooking Sydney Harbour.

 

 

 

Beautiful aussie.  Yeap pretty cold here. Up early to fetch our g/son for the day. So will have to scrape the car before we go.

Had non stop rain for last few weeks so some bright cold weather will be a change, -4c here at moment.

[brillohead]

8 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

We have been loading our pics from our phones to our NAS to make room on our phones before we cruise this weekend. 

Hey @Ozark_Kid, how do you want to meet up on board next week?  

And for our "live" thread, I thought I'd wait until I get my Consecutive Cruiser instruction letter later in the week to start the thread, and treat that like my "traveling to the port" part of the "live" -- I don't see the point in starting a "live" thread a week before the actual cruise.  I can post about the B2B experience, and you can post about traveling to the area and where you stay the night before and getting to the new terminal, etc.  With both of us posting from different perspectives, it will be a unique kind of thread. 

Sound good to you?

 

[aussielozzie18]

1 hour ago, sgmn said:

Beautiful aussie.  Yeap pretty cold here. Up early to fetch our g/son for the day. So will have to scrape the car before we go.

Had non stop rain for last few weeks so some bright cold weather will be a change, -4c here at moment.

Non-stop rain is no fun.  Glad it’s dry for you for now despite the freeze.  Hope your two little grandsons are well and you are feeling better.

[grapau27]

Good morning.

It is clear skies and a cold 24°F.

A new series of Below Deck Caribbean started last night on UK TV.

Captain Sean started because Captain Lee was delayed.

 

[Sunshine3601]

8 hours ago, h20skibum said:

with the one I have, it has a ball that seals off the tube, so it isn’t letting water in.  So, in that case, you can stay under as long as you can hold your breath would be a good gauge. 

Thank you.  You confirmed what I thought.   We have these masks and have used them several times.   I was trying to explain to someone at work yesterday who was arguing that you cannot go fully underwater with them.

[bobmacliberty]

9 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Photos from today from family members lucky enough to work in offices overlooking Sydney Harbour.

 

 

 

Lucky is right.  What a fantastic view.  I'd never get any work done.

[bobmacliberty]

4 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Thank you.  You confirmed what I thought.   We have these masks and have used them several times.   I was trying to explain to someone at work yesterday who was arguing that you cannot go fully underwater with them.

 

The negative that I've heard about full face masks is that CO2 will build up in the mask, since you exhale into it.  You shouldn't use them for extended periods of time, although I don't know if that means 10 minutes or 10 hours.