Outdoor TV Extra Features

In this article, I discuss a few extra features that you would want to consider when buying any TV, but particularly when buying an outdoor TV.

Anti-Glare & Wide Viewing Angles

Glare is that light that reflects off the shiny screen of your outdoor TV, into your eyes, ruining your viewing experience.

Seeing your brightly sunlit self, or your bright surroundings, reflected in the TV will ruin the movie you're trying to watch.

So, it's important to make sure that, when a TV is out in the sunlight, it is excellent at reducing reflection to minimize glare. (In addition to being bright enough to be visible outdoors in the bright sun.)

The anti-glare and anti-reflective features should be balanced out such that the outdoor TV still provides wide viewing angles. This is especially imporrtant if your outdoor viewing area larger and wider than the average living room.

The picture should be clear and visible no matter how far to the side of the TV you are sitting.

Size & Resolution

Size and Resolution is related to personal viewing preferences, and on how big an impression you want to make on your guests.

So much has been written about this subject, and it applies to ALL televisions, outdoor or indoor. So, I'm just going to provide a couple rules of thumb here:

1. Size: The farther you sit from the TV, the larger the screen.
2. Resolution: The closer you sit to the TV, the higher the resolution.

Size is measured in inches diagonally across the screen.

The higher the resolution of your outdoor TV, the sharper the picture.

Combine these two rules to get the right balance of TV size and resolution, and match it to the viewing distance for your personal viewing preference.

For example, if you have a huge screen, and you sit close to it, it should have high resolution so the image looks sharp.

On the other hand, if you sit farther from the TV, the less important the sharpness is, so you can get a cheaper, lower resolution, outdoor TV.

But, if you just want to impress people, get the biggest outdoor TV and the highest resolution.

Sound

Outdoor TVs include built-in speakers, but, they might not be loud enough for your outdoor space.

You can add a an outdoor soundbar to your outdoor TV. Many TV manufacturers make compatible soundbars to go with their TVs. They easily and wirelessly via Bluetooth.

You can also get mountable speakers and put them next to the TV. Or, get landscape outdoor speakers, and create a true surround sound experience.

These are optional—for most people, the outdoor TV's built-in speakers are loud enough.

Smart TV Features

Useful smart TV features include the ability to stream from a mobile device or the Internet. You can use Wi-Fi or connect to another device using Bluetooth. Smart TVs simplify your set up, while providing access to more sources of content.

Wireless features mean there will be no need to run cables out to the entertainment space. Everything can be transmitted wirelessly to your outdoor TV.

Looking for the "Best Outdoor TV"

The best is often subjective—based on personal preferences or a particular situation.

You can always search for the most expensive, feature-rich, top-of-the-line outdoor TV and expect it to handle any situation.

But, when trying to save money, and yet still have an ideal experience, the best outdoor TV will need to be catered to your particular budget, environment, and entertainment preferences.

Where To Buy Freezers Online

 

Who would have thought one of the huge challenges of 2020 would be figuring out where to buy freezers online?

Yes, searching Google gives you a list of retailers with freezers for sale.

But, it's not really a question of who sells freezers. What we really want to know is, "Who has freezers in stock?"

These initial results on the first page feature big, popular retailers who can afford to put their ads on that first page.

This is a problem for the same reason the shelves are empty at the big discount stores when we shop for toilet paper and disinfectant:

Because these stores are the most popular, they run out FIRST.

People run to the the big discount stores for two reasons:

1. They are popular—everyone knows them; and
2. They're expected to have a lot of everything in stock—because they often sell in bulk.

This results in a ton of customers in a panic looking for the easiest, most obvious place to shop for what they need.

This leaves, the lesser-known, and smaller, more local outlets out of this huge rush of demand. Mainly because they're not the “obvious” places to go.

They end up with closer-to-normal levels of stock, and can serve their usual clientele better.

Here is a list of some of those not-so-obvious shops with freezers for sale.

The current freezer shortage is not just because of exceeding demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was already an industry-wide conversion going on.

Manufacturers were already closed for a number of months to redesign and retool their freezers in order to keep up with new regulations to convert to hydrocarbon refrigerants in their freezers.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an increase in demand at a time when the supply was already reduced.

Retailers are already beginning to get shipments with which to restock their shelves and warehouses more regularity.

Don't limit yourself to a Google search to find a list of shops with freezers for sale.

Consider different retailers. Check for shops outside of your local area.

And, when you know what you basically need as far as size and brand, be sure to look at different yet similar brands, and even slightly different sizes.

Being open to slightly larger or smaller sizes may expand your available options significantly.

I imagine that by the Spring of 2021, we won't be so worried about where to buy freezers online. Then again, we might not be so eager to buy them, either because hopefully, there will be an end to the pandemic in sight.

Good luck in your search!

A Couple Articles To Read Before You Buy Your Next Prefab Outdoor Kitchen Kit

If you're thinking of buying one of those prefab outdoor kitchen kits for your home, you might want to read the two articles linked below before you make that big investment.

Prefabricated BBQ island kits are so easy to assemble, that you might jump into the investment headfirst without making some important preparations.

In the first article, BEFORE You Buy a Prefab Outdoor Kitchen Kit, outlines major considerations such as the ideal location in your yard, logistics of the delivery (these kits are extremely heavy), the right materials based on your climate, and whether or not you'll need to install utilities such as water, gas, and electricity (and if you'll want to contact a contractor).

In the second article, The 3 Types of Prefab Outdoor Kitchen Kits, you'll see how the wide variety of kits can be narrowed down into three separate categories, based on your budget, what you'll need, and how creative you want to be. This can help avoid the overwhelm that comes with scouring the internet for all the different kinds of bbq islands.

I hope you'll find these articles helpful!

Full-Size Retro Refrigerators

Why are full size retro refrigerators so much more expensive than normal refrigerators of the same size?

Materials, modern features, non-traditional styling and design, and… MARKETING!

Yes, they may not actually be any better. They're just in a smaller supply than the demand—which is actually on the uprise.

Because of this increase in demand, more manufacturers are coming into the fray. And, bringing more affordable options in with them.

How are they affordable? By bringing similar features, in smaller designs.

These smaller refrigerators with fewer modern features can be significantly cheaper.

These smaller, narrower designs are also more more easily adaptable to the kinds of spaces in which we'd like to put a retro style refrigerator — usually cozier, more retro-styled, multi-purpose rooms.

So, maybe you're looking for a vintage style refrigerator that would fit in a smaller space—like an office, studio, or loft—but still deliver on all the modern-day features and storage options you'd expect from a full-sized fridge.

My point is, you probably might NOT want, nor need, a huge fridge after all. Maybe you can use something that is ALMOST full sized!

This article on Affordable full size retro refrigerators introduces you to some of these models.

What is "Full Size?"

In general, refrigerators tend to be classified by storage size in cubic feet (cu. ft.). And 14 cu. ft. or larger is considered full-size.

A full size retro refrigerator, however, tends to marketed as only 10 cu. ft. and larger. Weird, right?

Whatever the reason, most of these things are not full size — they are *almost* full size retro refrigerators.

Still, these smaller models boast modern functionality and amenities such as telescopic guides for drawers, fast-freeze cooling systems, wine bottle storage, dual digital thermostats…

The article lists seven items from the more basic and affordable, to the most luxurious, feature-packed, and expensive.

It also links to manuals and places to purchase, and a few review videos, so that you will be informed enough to decide on whether to buy, and where.

What's listed in the article?

Of the three big retro refrigerator brands that everyone knows about — Northstar (Elmira), Big Chill, and Smeg—only Smeg appears as an option.

But the options that appear are all below $2,000 price point. Most of the Big Three options are often 3 thousand dollars, 4 thousand dollars or more!.

Here are the brands you'll find:

• Smeg 12 cu ft
• Smeg 9 cu ft
• Chambers 12 cu ft
• Chambers 10 cu ft
• Unique 9 cu ft
• Equator 11 cu ft
• Galanz 12 cu ft

Check out the reviews on these (almost!) full size retro refrigerators. You're sure to either find one to fit your space, or get some new ideas on how to find one.

Affordable new refrigerators that look vintage

Spend some time on-line searching for new refrigerators that look vintage, and the first thing you'll notice is the expense. $2,000 or even $3,000 and more doesn't fit every retro-enthusiast's budget.

Brands such as Smeg, Northstar (Elmira), and Big Chill are drool-worthy, but pocket emptying. AND, you may have to find a physical store that offers them, because they're not always available online.

This retro fridge freezer article introduces a few different cheaper choices for retro refrigerators: Chambers, Galanz, and Unique.

Each of the options presented for these brands costs below $1,000 and are available at major retailers on-line, so you can have them delivered to your home.

The article talks about sacrificing size and options for the lower price. The storage capacity of retro fridge models reviewed top out at about 12 cu. ft —just under what one might consider a "full size" refrigerator— and bottom out at 7 cu. ft.

These new refrigerators that look vintage might not be good for a kitchen that serves a family of 5, but they'd be great for a smaller family or a smaller space, such as a bar, seasonal cottage, or basement entertainment space.

Survey: Trouble Projecting Your Voice? Despite "Yelling"?

"My director keeps asking me to be louder, but I already feel like I'm yelling!"

Do you feel like this? Are you getting requests to be louder, but not getting the right tips to help?

Surprisingly, you're not alone.

Lately, more and more of my students are saying things like this, and asking what they're doing wrong.

And, it got me wondering:

• How many other working actors or actors in training are struggling with projecting their voices?
• What's been missing in actor education and experiences?
• What hasn't worked? What helps?
• How do we fill that gap?
• How do you think it's affecting your career?

I'm looking for insight into how I can help my students (and others) better, and I'd appreciate your feedback!

Click here for the survey.

Fill in your email at the end of the survey, and I'll send you a helpful guide about projecting your voice and being heard.

Picking a Good Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System for Home Use

When you’re picking out the best reverse osmosis water filter system for your home, there’s a lot to consider. But it doesn’t need to be complicated.

In this excellent and extensive article, everything you need to know is broken down. Here’s a brief summary:

1. Determine what’s in your water that you want to filter out.
   Contact local water authority, or test your well water. and make sure the system you choose is calibrated to removed those contaminants.
2. Decide whether you want to remove minerals from your water, or keep them in.If you want to keep them in, you should either NOT use reverse osmosis, or get a system with an additional stage that adds minerals back in.
3. Budget and Schedule the Maintenance
   Each of the filtering stages in your reverse osmosis water filter system will have to be replaced on a regular basis. Check the manual to determine how easy it is to swap these out, and how frequently each filter needs to be replaced. Also check prices for replacements online, so you can set your maintenance schedule and budget.
4. Estimate how much clean water you’ll need in a day.Most people will only use their filtered water for drinking and cooking. Others may want to use it for plants, or brushing their teeth, or more. This is also affected by the size of your household. Popular reverse osmosis systems for home use are rated in gallons per day (GPD). Usually they produce more than enough for an average household, but if you want to know more, check out the sidebar about Reverse Osmosis GPD, below.
5. Installation Considerations:
1. Do you have enough room to store the filtration system under the sink or on the counter? In a separate cabinet? Will it crowd your garbage disposal or other things in your cabinets? The storage tank can take up a lot of space!
2. Will you need access to electricity? Additional stages like an ultraviolet lamp or a permeate pump will need an electrical source nearby to plug into.
3. Will you need professional Plumbing and Construction Work? Determine whether or not you can do the work yourself, or if you should pay someone like a professional or your savvy uncle.
6. Will you need/want any Reverse Osmosis Accessories?What will enhance your experience? A hot and cold filtered waterdispenser for hot water on demand, for for example. Water testing kits for drinking water and pH balance testers for mineralized water are other popular accessories.

To get all the details and ins and outs, read more at this link.