fireplace

You know those video yule log's you can watch every Christmas on WPIX or On Demand? Well, Conan O'Brien has one this year too, available at ConanYuleLog.com (or just watch it below).

It's ho-ho-horrifying (and not particularly funny after about 20 seconds).

It's approaching midnight, it's in the single digits outside, and I really don't feel like watching regular TV right now. I feel like having something on while I get under the covers and read. Time for the Yule Log!

This season (Jay reviewed one a couple of years ago), Comcast, Cox, Time-Warner, and Bright House all have the Yule Log on their On Demand service (via iN Demand). It's that scene of a crackling fireplace to get you in the Christmas mood. It's especially good if you don't have a fireplace of your own (duh), and it's in HD! I have Comcast digital, and to access it, go to your On Demand menu, then scroll down to HD On Demand, then go to TV Entertainment. You'll see a "Yule Log & More" category (not sure how to get to the section on other cable systems - maybe it's the same?).

But wait, there's more...

As much as I'd like to have a separate TV room and a living room, the truth of the matter is I live in a small apartment. So the TV tends to dominate the living room and cut down on conversation time. Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to put the TV away when you're not using it?

Well, sure you could buy one of those TV cabinets and keep the doors closed, but that always feels to me like you've got an armoire in the living room. Well, Picture House has got an umm... innovative solution. Hide your TV in a fireplace. Why didn't I think of that?

Picture House offers fireplace enclosures for your LCD or plasma TV. Press a button on your remote control and the TV pops up, press it again and it slides down into the fireplace. The same remote turns the heat on and off, adjusts the heat, and dims the brightness of the fire. The fire generates up to 2kW of heat, and does not harm the TV - assuming it's properly installed. I wouldn't try detaching the TV and throwing it in the fire.

[via Shiny Shiny]