I don’t have a lot of time to game. I want to make what time I do have as “productive” as possible. Part of that is using an interface that works for me.

Quality of Service (QoS) is a mechanism used to reserve bandwidth giving selected packets priority in a network, therefore ensuring a minimum level of performance for selected data flows. QoS can be very complex and difficult to implement in large networks. For the average consumer home network though, it’s rather simple. It’s simple because you can only realistically control outgoing QoS, or your side of the router. You can exert your will over packets leaving your network, but it’s up to your ISP as to how packets arrive. That begs the question. Do you really even need QoS? That depends.

Note: This will also work for the Ooma Telo.

I’m a big fan of the ooma VOIP device. It’s a feature packed phone system that allows you to ditch your land line, and it’s 100% free after the initial outlay. That means no more phone bills. For $99 a year you can get their premier service which has even more features.

The install guide that comes with ooma instructs you to place the Hub (when I say Hub, I mean the ooma Hub) between your modem and router (or computer if you don’t have a router). This configuration is perfect for 90% of installs, and allows the quality of service (QoS) built into the Hub to reserve the bandwidth needed to ensure the great call quality ooma is known for. For some situations though, this isn’t ideal.

When I bought my PlayStation 3 I knew I would be playing online, and would need a headset.  I started looking around for one, and found out very quickly the only real headsets available (there weren’t many) were $80.00 and up.  I also tried to find a Bluetooth headset, but due to the limitations of Bluetooth I couldn’t find one that did what I wanted. The current generation of Bluetooth headsets are limited to two channels so you can either have stereo with no microphone, or mono sound with a mic.  Of course, neither of these was acceptable.  Like many veteran gamers I have a wife and kid, and don’t have much time to play.  What time I do have is usually at night during the weekend after everyone’s in bed.  That’s why I prefer a stereo headset.  I can communicate with the mic, as well as immerse myself in the game by turning it up as loud as I want.