The Nintendo Classic Mini has caught the world’s attention. This retro device from Nintendo allows buyers play 30 classic Nintendo games like Super Mario, Zelda, and Metroid.
If you have a need to show your kids these classic games, you don’t have to wait until retailers get them back in stock. With a little bit of time and elbow grease, you can build your own mini game system that does much more than the limited mini (even though that thing has great hardware).
What you need:
Raspberry Pi 3B: This little computer board will power the system ($35)
A Case for RPi: I like this one – you don’t even need a screw driver ($7)
USB Gaming Controllers: This project supports PS3 controllers which are my preference, but if you want a retro feel, check these out.
What you need to do:
Lifehacker.com put together spectacular instructions on how to do this project, I cannot improve upon it. They will tell you everything you need to know. But I will provide links to the software you need.
Download the Win32DiskImager program so you can install the software on the SD Card
I built a few of these devices over the last few months, and it has become so much easier to get them set up in the most recent 4.1 version. I should also warn you – you will need a USB keyboard to help with the first configuration.
You might be asking, where do I get the games? If you search the term “Nintendo Roms” you will find places to get them. Emulator ethics states that you should own the games in their original format before downloading a copy.
I cut the cord this week and said goodbye to Comcast television and phone.
I am going to tell you how I did it and the services I am using to replace what I eliminated. But first I am going to tell you why…
People like to scream about how terrible Comcast is as a company and from a customer service perspective, but I can honestly say whenever I had a problem in the 8 years they have been in the house, they fixed it pretty quickly.
So if the service wasn’t bad, why did I cancel a bunch of stuff? I was paying $222.21 per month.
I do not live in an area where I can get another internet provider. I would be stuck with DSL, which is just unacceptable speed. I can get dish TV or something like that, but Verizon Fios isn’t an option in my area.
I had TV/internet/phone with 3 cable boxes, a cable modem ($40 in equipment rental fees), and I subscribed to the DVR service after a promotion that “saved me money”. I started with a triple play package at $99 per month and over the years it inflated to well over $200.
I called Comcast two weeks ago to negotiate and reduce my bill. They took $20 off (which was not a victory in my book), but later in the day, I found out they cut service to one of the televisions in the house. When I got it fixed, the bill went back to the starting price.
I don’t really watch much television. I would rather be reading, writing, and making stuff. My son is an avid user of Netflix and Hulu. My wife was the biggest issue as she is a content grazer and channel flipper. I walked her through my plan and she eventually got on board.
The biggest selling point: I went from $222.21 to $87(ish) per month (not including the streaming services).
Products I am using:
I decided that one clear method to save is to stop renting equipment from Comcast, including the modem. For my home and the setup that I prefer, I needed a modem, a router, and a streaming device for every television. I was thinking about buying a Ooma for phone, but my friend tipped me off to another device that I will get to later.
This this is what I purchased:
Modem: Arris Surfboard SB6183 ($97) – Part of my $87 dollars with Comcast is a faster internet, I wanted to make sure I had a modem that supported faster speeds, so I opted for the SB6183 over the SB6141.
Router: ASUS RT-AC66U ($132) – I already have one of these routers in my home, I installed a 2nd router a while ago to ensure I have great coverage throughout the house. I thought about getting Google’s On Hub, but it was more expensive and I would have to get a small switch to network all of my back office devices together. Important to note that both the router and modem support gigabit networking.
Streaming Device: Roku 4 ($133) – If you have a preference go with it. I selected the Roku 4 because it supports 4K streaming and is provider agnostic (works with Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO, Google). I also like that it has an optical out to support older audio equipment that might only have HDMI pass-through.
Streaming Device: Amazon Fire TV ($85) – I could have purchased 3 Roku 4s, but I wanted to try out this device and it was on sale.
Phone Service: ObiHai 200 ($48) – My buddy Gorcka suggested this device after I expressed an interest in an Ooma. The cool thing with the ObiHai is that is connects to Google Voice/Hangouts. So instead of having to give out a new number, my house phones will ring with my Goolge number. There is a drawback to this service, you cannot dial emergency numbers. But it nice alternative to nothing and I am not even paying the $4-5 per month in taxes that you would with Ooma.
Additional Services:
As you can see in my chart above, I was already paying for Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu. Since it is April and Game of Thrones is coming back, I didn’t want to be without HBO, so I signed up for their HBO Now service for an additional $15 per month.
A service that surprised me was Sling TV. I thought it was a part of Sling Box, which lets you stream your existing TV service via equipment… Sling TV is not the same product. This is a service from Direct TV that gives you live streaming cable channels like CNN, AMC (Walking Dead) Food TV, HGTV, and Cartoon Network (20 in all).
I always joked that I would miss HGTV the most if I canceled and now I don’t have to. The service isn’t perfect, you can only watch on 1 television at a time and there is no recording service. I haven’t completely made up my mind about keeping Sling TV or HBO Now but it is nice to know I have the option.
Closing Thoughts:
The thing I want people to understand is that it costs money to get off of cable. It is a huge savings for me because I subscribed to many of the streaming services BEFORE I cancelled. That made it easier for me to make the decision (because I knew how much we were watching on normal vs. streaming).
I laid out $628 in equipment for me to feel comfortable getting off of Comcast. It is going to take 6 months for me to break even. With that said, I feel very good about my decision and it was fun setting everything up.
So far so good… I will write an update in 6 months.
It is clear is that the city of Philadelphia wanted to ensure the Pope’s safety. This is admirable. But the end result is that major roads are closed. Bridges are closed. Business are closed.
The people who live in the city have fled.
There is a reason Philadelphia was selected for this visit. I don’t know what the exact reason is, but it is safe to assume it was because the city was evaluated in a positive light. The people who work and live in Philadelphia define its character. They are the people leaving.
What is left is not a reflection of the city. Yes the buildings and the restaurants are open (I think), but what makes Philadelphia not New York and not Washington DC – they are elsewhere this weekend.
This isn’t a slam on the Pope (as far as Popes go, he seems like an alright guy). This isn’t a slam on the thousands of Catholics converging on the city. This isn’t even a slam on the officials who planned it.
This whole thing played out the way it should have (for logistical and security reasons), but it is a shame that the people who live in the area couldn’t actually appreciate what was happening.
