I've been curious for a while now about hooking up my MacBook to my 47" Vizio HDTV and I finally indulged my inner geek by purchasing a couple components (mini-DVI to DVI adapter and a DVI to HDMI cable) to help me do so.

Here are the results:

I was very pleased and think I know where I'll be when no one else is home and I'm browing the web.

Well, I finished my custom binder for my Battlestar Galactica Blu-ray and soundtrack discs … almost.

I say almost because I wanna do one more thing, but overall it’s complete and I’m ecstatic. Beyond ecstatic!

Take a look:

(click the image to see the slideshow)

The Corners Conundrum

To resolve the corners conundrum, I paid a visit to a nearby Home Depot and scoured the hardware section for tools for cutting. A reader of the blog had commented that he used a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the corners on his — thanks for the tip! — but alas my scissors were of the wimpy variety and surely would have popped a rivet in the attempt. So, to the hardware aisle I went.

I came away with a plastic cutter (which looked like a plastic-handled hobby knife with a bizarre “hooked” blade) for like $3, and what looked like a pair of heavy-duty shears/scissors (Wiss MultiMaster) for $15. I ended up using the shears as they were easy to operate and made a pretty straight and even cut; just go slow and cut as precisely as possible.

Here’s where the almost comes in: I plan to use a bit of sandpaper or a file to run along the edges, just to “polish” them up the tiniest bit. Some might not even bother, but I’m something of a perfectionist.

Cutting Corners … in a good (BSG) way

Tools used:

• Wiss MultiMaster cutters
• a metal ruler 18″ long and approximately 1.25″ wide
• a Sharpee marker

I started by cutting the corners of the front and back covers of the binder:

1. I made the first cut in top right corner of the front cover, cutting along the inside edge of the embossed middle band using the Wiss MultiMaster cutters.
2. I then used the corner I’d cut away as a guide to mark where to cut on the other three corners, which do not have the bands, by aligning it with the corner then using the marker to draw a line, on the inside of the covers.
3. Next, I used the Wiss MultiMaster cutters to cut those corners.

I also decided I wanted to trim the width of the binder as well, since the half pages didn’t completely fill the inside and I wanted it more compact, so here’s what I did next:

1. I aligned the ruler with the edge of the binder, then used the marker to draw a cut guide along the inside of the cover on each side.
2. I then used the Wiss MultiMaster cutters to trim along that line. It went slowly and carefully so I wouldn’t end up with a jagged or crooked cut.

The next and final step will be for me to get some sandpaper or a file to “polish off” the edges. Then I’m really gonna be a super-happy geek!

Oh, one other thing…

I’m looking for a laminate pocket (think a single baseball card holder) with an adhesive back to put on the front cover to hold the front label. Will keep you posted on what I find, or whatever solution I end up with to put the label on securely.

> Check out other posts related to the BSG Binder

I have been shopping for a large HDTV for the past three years and finally found one.

Initially, I had planned to purchase a 50″ plasma display for a couple reasons: one, they tend to be considerably cheaper than their LCD or LED counterparts and I had a cap (tax refunds rock) on how much I was willing to spend; and two, they have a much faster refresh rate — 600hz vs 60hz, 120hz or 240hz — which does better justice to sports or movies with high action and effects, and we watch a lot of the latter.

Those two factors kind of go hand-in-hand as my research showed I could get a bigger plasma display, with its faster refresh rate, for less money than I could a comparably sized LCD or LED with a refresh rate of 120hz or better. And I refused to buy a LCD/LED slower than a 120hz because I knew I wouldn’t be happy.

That said, I changed my mind literally on the eve of buying when I ran across a Vizio 47″ 1080p LCD display with a 120hz refresh rate, boosted to 240 SPS (scenes per second) using Smooth Motion.

Reviews were excellent amongst buyers, Vizio has quickly become one of the major players in the flat-screen market, and the price ($1049 at Walmart.com), though a bit more than what I had intended to spend, was too good to pass up, especially when the manufacturer’s warranty included onsite service.

I’m glad I changed my mind.

It looks fantastic, is a great counterpart to my Blu-ray player, which also features upconversion for DVDs and Netflix streaming, and I was able to purchase a 3-year extended service plan (that continues the onsite service) for just a bit more to protect my investment.

Truly, I couldn’t be happier.