random check-in

Greetings!

I still feel bad abandoning the original SKW for SKVW my new project for e-cigarette reviews and news. Originally I thought I could mantain both this site and the other, especially as a boneheaded co-worker comes into my office going on about buying a more expensive Android tablet over an iPad because it has a faster CPU listed in the specs.

No, the real reason is that the e-cigarette review site has really taken off.  Between that and real-world obligations, I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to pick this site back up again.  I plan on keeping this here for the occasional time I have to rant about said boneheaded co-worker, or when it's time to put out an update on a new project but for now, you can find me at Steve K's Vaping World.

Here's some popular articles if you want to pay me a visit.

Finding the best e-cigarette
Advanced "mod" e-cigarette reviews
Reviews of standard starter kits
e-Cigarette News Roundups

It sure is quiet in here

My apologies for not updating the blog recently.  I hope to get back to it some day when things calm down.  For now, I'm onto my next blog project: Steve K's Vaping World which is my site for reviews, news and information on all things E Cigaratte.  So if you're an electronic cigarette vaper, stop on by and check it out.  Otherwise, enjoy the fine article archive here, until I make my triumphant return.

All the best,

Steve K

Control Apple TV 2 with TiVo Peanut Remote

One remote to rule them all!  Ok, that was cheesy, but couldn't resist.  Here's a little tidbit I stumbled onto that has made living with a blended TiVo and Apple TV family a little happier. This may seem like a silly tip, but if you've had a TiVo forever, you know that your brain is programmed to control the peanut remote on an instinctual level.  I find the control layout is a fantastic match to the functions of the Apple TV.

 In addition to the cool, space-age aluminum remote bundled with the ATV, the ok iPhone Remote app, and the awesome iPad remote app, there is another option.  In the remote control settings page of the Apple TV lies a feature that allows the device to learn the codes from pretty much any other remote you might have laying around.  It's sort of like a reverse learning remote control.

Now here's the trick, the remote control for my TiVo has the little 1-2 slider switch that is designed to control two separate TiVo boxes in the same location (hey, some people LOVE them some TiVo).  By default, this little switch doesn't do anything, it controls the DVR in either position until it is trained to do otherwise.  I simply programmed my TiVo to be DVR #1 and programmed the remote accordingly.  That left position 2 on the clicker doing nothing at all.  Once that was done, I just followed the prompts to program the basic and advanced remote features of the TiVo peanut into the Apple TV and everything worked great (as long as I remembered to put the switch in the right position).

The links below will walk you through the steps necessary to set up each device.

TiVo support article for controlling multiple devices with one remote.  
important note: when performing step 5, DO NOT point the remote at your TiVo (go to another room or keep the remote covered) otherwise you will simply change your TiVo to use the DVR 2 IR codes.

Apple support article for "learn remote" feature of Apple TV 2

Final note, if you lack the 1-2 switch on your remote, in addition to the sponsored links above, you can purchase replacement remotes (and pretty much everything else TiVo related) from weaKnees.  I am also not totally sure if the older style remotes that have this switch can can control a Premier unit or not.  They work fine for everything from the Series 1 to the HD units I've had.