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Direct Link: Famicom Denshimail – Batteries (2009/03/23)

This week we talk about why the Famicom Disk System uses batteries, and whether or not it’s a viable solution for your gaming needs. Also — an “experiment”.

Show notes:
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'Grammatically-incorrect Slogan!'

Say what you will about companies like Nintendo beginning to distance themselves from their core audience — on Monday the Sci Fi Channel made its final split from the demographic that built their ever-increasingly-expensive glass house. Maybe this stone will finally, deservedly, bring it down.

This article in TVWeek (linked via Penny Arcade) sums up the situation very well, but to sum it up even more: Science Fiction can only ever appeal to unwashed introverted lonely men, and the President of the Sci Fi Channel fervently believes that association will forever keep the network from reaching its full potential.

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Direct Link: Season 2 Denshimail: Adapters

YouTube Version [HD]
Direct Link: Famicom Dojo: Denshimail – Adapters (2009/03/09)

Welcome to our first ever installment of Famicom Denshimail — the program where we answer your questions about Nintendo’s little system… and anything else that tickles our fancy!

For our first Denshimail installment, we answer your questions about power adapters and cross-system/voltage compatibility.

Show Notes
http://famicomdojo.tv/season2/denshimail/adapters

Send us a question by leaving a comment on our video, or shoot us an email to denshimail@famicomdojo.tv. If your question is just crazy or interesting enough, it might make it onto the show! At the very least, you will get a (hopefully) swift reply to your query.

Episode Links:

Watch the first Season of Famicom Dojo:

Famicom Dojo: Famicom and Disk System
Famicom Dojo: The Battery Backup
Famicom Dojo: Nintendo Has Moxie
Famicom Dojo: Cartridges and Pins
Famicom Dojo: Microphone Roundup
Famicom Dojo: Twin Famicoms

Need help with the Digital TV conversion this year? Powet.TV has the answers in this handy video!

(Show notes after the jump)

Show Notes:
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As expected, the US House voted on Wednesday to move the digital TV conversion date to June 12th, so we can all breathe a sigh of relief right?

Not exactly. In fact, many stations will still shut off their analog transmitters on February 17th as planned.

This is because the language of the legislation is such that broadcasters are not required to go Digital, but merely to vacate the analog frequencies by February 17th. Even though that date has been extended four months, many stations will still stop broadcasting in analog because of the cost issues.

The legislative decision is going to cause more confusion than it aimed to solve.

(Get an in-depth explanation after the jump!)

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See that image? The US Federal government has run out of funds for the program to hand out these $40 coupons for the Ditigal TV switchover, which is probably why on Monday the Senate unanimously voted to extend the “analog shutoff” deadline from February 17th to June 12th.

Several other reasons for the delay were cited. For one, there’s still not enough accurate information out there about who needs to switch and what someone affected by this change will have to purchase in order to use a digital signal. That’s a vast understatement, since the media at large has only just this month caught on that digital signals will require many TV owners making the switch to buy a new antenna as well — which the current (now-bankrupt) government program doesn’t take into account.

(Read more about how badly this could screw things up after the break)

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Yes, Virginia, there is (or will be) a Mass Effect 2!

Thanks to Gamezine (via Joystiq), we’ve learned that Bioware has let the sextuple-breasted alien cat-lady out of the bag. The company will lead a workshop entitled “The Iterative Level Design Process of Bioware’s MASS EFFECT 2” at this year’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Despite the wait until March, news may leak out slowly since this isn’t a press event. In the mean time… Have you played “Bring Down the Sky”?

In a story that’s been developing since the formal announcement in 2007 of Doctor Who’s fifth series, followed by the news that David Tennant will be relinquishing the role after 2009, we now know who the new “Who” will be: newcomer Matt Smith has been tapped to step in as the Time Lord’s 11th incarnation.

With this announcement, viewers of 2008 Christmas special “The Next Doctor” who were outside of the BBC’s broadcast authority last Christmas (and were unable to procure it through other means) will be completely robbed of the only dramatic tension the new episode has to offer — perhaps for the better.

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