It's the first edition of the Hump-day Update, a weekly supplement to the Sarcastic Gamer podcast. A quick 10-minute rundown of a few of the topics making the biggest waves in the sea of video game news. This week, we covered:

Halo 3 gets dethroned by Call Of Duty 4 on Xbox Live
Gametrailers update (Comparison Videos (http://sarcasticgamer.com/wp/index.php/2008/01/uncharted-drakes-fortune-hdmi-v-component.html))
The Xbox "Insider" spills the beans (http://www.8bitjoystick.com/archives/jake_inside_source_reveal_the_truth_about_xbox_360 _red_ring_of_death_failures.php)
"System Killers" are real for 360's
RRoD caused by MANY things
Better vertical than horizontal
SG Gamer Night is on Friday (Undertow)
Humpday PredictionsIf you liked this episode, please consider giving us the honor of your subscription in iTunes (http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=260079519) or RSS (http://feeds.feedburner.com/SarcasticGamerPodcast). If you insist, you can always just download the mp3. (http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?http://media.libsyn.com/media/sarcasticgamer/SG_Hump_Day_Up_Date_1.23.08.mp3) If you are currently using a computer with iTunes on it, would you mind heading over there and leaving us some feedback? (http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=260079519) Much obliged. Oh, by the way... HEY! What's wrong? Why haven't you taken our QUICK podcast survey (http://www.podtrac.com/audience/start-survey.aspx?ver=1&pid=pKGDw9NEEq8$) yet? Thanks for the Diggs!

cool i'm listening now.... CoD4 owned halo :D

Oh yes! I love this idea.

I think its cool becuase now when somthing worthwhile happens mid-podcast recording schedule, you dont have to sit on your hands for the rest of the week.

Also I like the 'Predictions' feature at the end there, just a fun little thing to see if they're right or not during the week. Defineately want to see more of them.

So yeah nice job - I know from how consistent you guys are with the articles that this will genuinely be a regular thing, to which all I can say is 'HELL YEAH'.

This is a great idea!

having a little mini podcast is a great thing to bide my time till the next one.

Keep it up guys!

Its great there is a 2nd a week podcast. I thought my launch console was more realible than the newer ones..I had a launch xbox up until the Elite was released, and I only got rid of it because I was about to get a elite for £50 more + my premium. :D:D

Great show, :D

Your upping my dosage of Sarcastic to two times a week, fantastic. Now I just need something to take the edge off the other days of the week so the withdrawal symptoms don't kick in. Hopefully it won't be too long till you go daily! Don't worry though we won't expect you to be on air all day just 10-12 hours or so.

So you guys are gonna play that scuba arcade game you got for free? Good luck with that, I guess you all could use a 5-10 minute break from CoD4.

Great show... again.

I swapped halo for COD because I just couldn't go back to Halo3 after playing COD4. Halo just stopped being fun for me.

Why do you want us to fill out that darn survey? I wouldn't mind but I'am one those "paranoid"types and Iam not putting in how many children I have and my income level and stuff like that.

I wouldn't mind but I'am one those "paranoid"types

Look, just fill out the survey, it wont cost you anything - EXCEPT YOUR SOUL.

Please take the time to do the survey guys. We really look at those because it gives us a really good snapshot of our audience. It's totally anonymous. Your name, web address, or SG information is not recorded with your responses. In fact, the survey is done by a totally independant company, so there's nothing to worry about.

Look, just fill out the survey, it wont cost you anything - EXCEPT YOUR SOUL.

lol

Look, just fill out the survey, it wont cost you anything - EXCEPT YOUR SOUL.

I see another Jasonsoft ban coming...

Please take the time to do the survey guys. We really look at those because it gives us a really good snapshot of our audience. It's totally anonymous. Your name, web address, or SG information is not recorded with your responses. In fact, the survey is done by a totally independant company, so there's nothing to worry about.

I don't mind filling it out for you guys but the 4th page (when it's says 3 pages left.)and the last page is asking alot of personal and unnessasrey questions that I simply don't feel comfortable to answear. I don't even like BSing my way through them.

I must hand it to you guys because you all do a great podcast. I enjoy listening to the episodes a lot. I am a Safety Director and I have to travel a lot. I usually load up your podcasts and listen while I'm on the road and it helps to pass the time. So hats off guys, you all are going to be big one day, even much bigger than you are now!

I just wanted to add something to the RROD saga. I don't know if I have detailed my 360 experiences yet, but bare with me a moment and I'll tell you a little.

I bought my 360 two weeks after release of the system and immediately fell in love with the format, graphics, and games. I was hooked, line, sinker and all. It only took me about 4 months to go through that system and I had to return it. As of this date I am on my FOURTH Xbox 360 system. I had two RROD on me. The first one I bought RR'd after 4 months, and my replacement for that system RR'd after three weeks. The third system I got kept throwing the "Disc is unreadable" error for no apparent reason. I have had this current system for approximately 2 and a half months now and I have to say that the RROD problem for Microsoft is still bad. I don't know anyone who hasn't had problems with their 360s and that is a lot of folks.

I speculate that the only reason the 360 is still successful is the game content and of course Xbox Live. If there were no blockbuster games or a good online community Microsoft would be in trouble. With all the trouble that Xbox Live has been having, that worries me a lot.

Anyway, to beat a dying horse I have to say that Microsoft isn't going to get many more chances from gamers so I hope they are hard at work on the next greatest console that will be as dependable as a kitchen table or at least for their sakes, they better.

Anyway, keep up with the great podcasts fellas. I toss you feedback on iTunes often to help that rating!

I don't mind filling it out for you guys but the 4th page (when it's says 3 pages left.)and the last page is asking alot of personal and unnessasrey questions that I simply don't feel comfortable to answear. I don't even like BSing my way through them.


Artemis, I understand and share your concerns regarding giving that kind of information on the internet. let me reassure you that no matter what you wrote there, true or false, no one will ever know or associate that information with your sg forum name, real name or whatever .

The survey doesn't ask for names, or any type of identifying information. All they want to know is what kind of person you are. We use that information to make decisions with regard to the content of our site and possible adveritsers (as if anyone would want to advertise with us. Dont be fooled by those ads on the site, they are not sponsors, just ads that pay us only if someone clicks on them and uses their stuff, sponsors pay up front.).

The more information we get, the better we can detail the content of our site to the needs and tastes of our readers. If you still don't want to fill it out, that's totally up to you. I just wanted to address some of your issues with it.

Hope that helps.

Oh yeah, hope you liked the hump-day update too! :D

I lost my soul a long time ago...

So I took the survey...

By the way... GREAT SHOW.

This totally gets me to Monday on a better note. I do think you should have Chewy read the Gamercast Network news just once. haha...

that would be awesome.

To find out the source of the 360's hardware problems are more or less directly related to them wanting to get to the market first ... not a huge surprise.

Hey Lono, btw, you got it backwards. A person is more apt to notice graphical differences in a HDTV less than 50 inchs - anything above and beyond that with the human eye is a moot point.

To find out the source of the 360's hardware problems are more or less directly related to them wanting to get to the market first ... not a huge surprise.

Hey Lono, btw, you got it backwards. A person is more apt to notice graphical differences in a HDTV less than 50 inchs - anything above and beyond that with the human eye is a moot point.

I disagree, I've read a ton of stuff on this and most HD experts seem to agree that anything less than than a 42 inch TV, you're not going to really notice the difference between 720p and 1080p.

What makes more sense? If you have a 60 inch tv and you sit really close, you're going to see the pixels much better than on a 26 inch TV from the same distance.

I think its the same when you're talking about increasing the color output like with the super RGB, which is only supported by a choice few TV's on the market right now, anyway.

I think its the same when you're talking about increasing the color output like with the super RGB, which is only supported by a choice few TV's on the market right now, anyway.

It's Full RGB and HDMI 1.3 support is all that's needed... it's not some uber-rare feature like you're making it out to be. The PS3 launched with HDMI 1.3 support back in '06. While it's true not all HDMI-capable sets have HDMI 1.3, you could make the same claim that 1080p is only supported on "a few choice TV's on the market right now."

All the major TV brands have models that support HDMI 1.3.

It's Full RGB and HDMI 1.3 support is all that's needed... it's not some uber-rare feature like you're making it out to be. The PS3 launched with HDMI 1.3 support back in '06. While it's true not all HDMI-capable sets have HDMI 1.3, you could make the same claim that 1080p is only supported on "a few choice TV's on the market right now."

All the major TV brands have models that support HDMI 1.3.

I never said that 1080p was supported on a few sets. I said full RGB mode was only available on a few choice sets.

I never said that 1080p was supported on a few sets. I said full RGB mode was only available on a few choice sets.

You're just cruising into "argue with Rothbart mode". I didn't say you said it. I'm saying you're making the feature out to be super rare by saying it's only in a "few choice sets" when it's actually MUCH more common than that. I made the comment that you might as well say 1080p is only supported "on a few choice sets".

If a TV supports HDMI 1.3 then it's one of your "few choice sets" and that technology has been on the market since 2006. That's the point I was making. All the major brands have sets that support HDMI 1.3.

You're just cruising into "argue with Rothbart mode". I didn't say you said it. I'm saying you're making the feature out to be super rare by saying it's only in a "few choice sets" when it's actually MUCH more common than that. I made the comment that you might as well say 1080p is only supported "on a few choice sets".

If a TV supports HDMI 1.3 then it's one of your "few choice sets" and that technology has been on the market since 2006. That's the point I was making. All the major brands have sets that support HDMI 1.3.

Ok, now who's arguing with whom? Get back to the Drake's Fortune thread and get back to the issues!!! :cool:

Ok, now who's arguing with whom? Get back to the Drake's Fortune thread and get back to the issues!!! :cool:

I'm only concerned about facts and not spreading FUD. Sorry to disrupt your agenda...

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m95/rothbart_photos/interweb_memes/ahole.jpg

I'm only concerned about facts and not spreading FUD. Sorry to disrupt your agenda...




I love it when you go the picture route... Means I've left you speechless and without comment. lol

Haha, that was entertaining. I miss the days of you two going at it constantly.

I hate to say it, but rothbart is right. Almost every name brand TV on the market right now comes equipped with HDMI 1.3 so as long as you don't buy a crappy Vizio from Walmart then any new HDTV somebody purchases should support the Full RGB mode. I know because I've been doing a lot of research because I'm thinking of upgrading from my 4 year old 720p/1080i HDTV that has what seems like ancient HDMI 1.0 I think.

I heard Lono... But his voice was just hidden under my voice. I'm sure the person you really heard was me.

My week just became a whole lot better :D

It wasn't the best of the podcast... but the fact that I know now when I get my XBox360 not to put it in a certain postion is quite helpful :P

I disagree, I've read a ton of stuff on this and most HD experts seem to agree that anything less than than a 42 inch TV, you're not going to really notice the difference between 720p and 1080p.

Before this gets really confusing, let me say I wasn't talking about HDTVs in the high 30 inch range and downward. Those are, as you said, too small. I should have been more specific the first time around, Lono. It's my opinion that you'll notice differences in sets between 40-50 inches before you'd notice them at 50+ as far as gaming goes.

The majority of titles for the PS3 and the 360 (if not all) to the best of my knowledge are outputting 720p and then it gets upscaled to 1080p if you have it. It's not true 1080p resolution. There's even those games we know aren't even pulling their 720p weight. So when you get above 50 inches - only material being input at true 1080p HD resolution will have a noticeable difference. For instance, HD DVD or Blu-ray you could see the difference. Gaming not so much so.

Before this gets really confusing, let me say I wasn't talking about HDTVs in the high 30 inch range and downward. Those are, as you said, too small. I should have been more specific the first time around, Lono. It's my opinion that you'll notice differences in sets between 40-50 inches before you'd notice them at 50+ as far as gaming goes.

The majority of titles for the PS3 and the 360 (if not all) to the best of my knowledge are outputting 720p and then it gets upscaled to 1080p if you have it. It's not true 1080p resolution. There's even those games we know aren't even pulling their 720p weight. So when you get above 50 inches - only material being input at true 1080p HD resolution will have a noticeable difference. For instance, HD DVD or Blu-ray you could see the difference. Gaming not so much so.

Alright, Lono already did a good job of proving you wrong and explaining this but apparently it wasn't good enough so let me try.

I'll try to explain this as basically as possible. 720p and 1080p are both set resolutions, which means they have a set number of pixels. The smaller the screen, the smaller the pixels can be which makes the image look sharper. The larger the screen, the larger the pixels have to be which makes the image look less sharp. So if you're sitting 6 inches away from a TV screen, you will be able to notice the individual pixels on a 60+ inch screen sooner than you would on a 40-50" screen.

There is no arguing this, it is scientific fact.

Yay more sarcastic gamer.com for my nonspending dollar. I was so happy I actually completed that survey, DAMN that thing is thorough.

I was so happy I actually completed that survey, DAMN that thing is thorough.

BTW, the results came back from the survey guys' lab. Those polyps were benign. Your colon is apparently just fine. :D

Hey that rhyms!

I liked it, its the kind of thing that you guys can use if there was an update to one of your stories or a new one, then you could talk about it in the humpday update.
:]

BTW, the results came back from the survey guys' lab. Those polyps were benign. Your colon is apparently just fine. I smell a linked title coming...

I'm actually looking into getting an HD-TV for my room eventually. I'm currently eying the Oleva(Sp?) 32" wide screen, since it's a pretty nice price and the store model looks pretty sharp. Is there anything that you guys could tell me to persuade/dissuade me from getting the bargain(?)?

Really liked this. It was fun and I felt it really did work.

Only negative:

It's not a matter of if it fails but when

got my day off to a bad start :p

Good show.