We recently acquired the web address (URL) www.soundracerobx.com and are in the process of moving the blog over to this address where we will use the Wordpress platform. Wordpress offers more flexibility but alas we do have to say good bye to AdSense :)
All past posts are still available at the new site, but new posts will only appear at www.soundracerobx.com. Please visit us at our new address!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Happy New Year from Sound Racer
We hope that all of you are had a Happy New Year. We are looking forward to another great year on the Outer Banks, and have begun preparations for the 2013 season. And we're especially thankful to see so many of our weeks rented by repeat guests. We're glad that you have once again included Sound Racer in your vacation plans. For several years before we built Sound Racer we rented homes in Corolla, and it was always especially pleasing to find that "one house" that fit our family perfectly. It was our hope to do the same for Sound Racer's guests and your repeat visits tell us we are on the right track.
Once again this year we made no changes to peak week rental rates, which we have not increased since Sound Racer's first season. We have continued to "tweak" some of the collar weeks based on rates for similar properties and our experience with expenses. For 2013 we have again signed up for membership in the Pine Island Beach Club which -- in our humble opinion -- is a fantastic amenity. We visit almost daily when we are at the beach.
We are currently preparing for the new season and will post updates on our progress here. In January, Sound Racer -- like all Village Realty homes -- will undergo a "deep clean". In February we will take 'inventory' and decide on any upgrades for the year.
One final note: as we write this, Village Realty has decided to curtail the use of individual owner websites for 2013. (The basic information page remains.) We used our owner site as a directory to spots on the web we created to feature Sound Racer in various ways, including YouTube, Twitter and this blog. To fill this void, we have created an about.me profile that we will be completing over the course of the Spring.
Thanks again for your interest in Sound Racer and please don't hesitate to contact us with questions or suggestions.
Once again this year we made no changes to peak week rental rates, which we have not increased since Sound Racer's first season. We have continued to "tweak" some of the collar weeks based on rates for similar properties and our experience with expenses. For 2013 we have again signed up for membership in the Pine Island Beach Club which -- in our humble opinion -- is a fantastic amenity. We visit almost daily when we are at the beach.
We are currently preparing for the new season and will post updates on our progress here. In January, Sound Racer -- like all Village Realty homes -- will undergo a "deep clean". In February we will take 'inventory' and decide on any upgrades for the year.
One final note: as we write this, Village Realty has decided to curtail the use of individual owner websites for 2013. (The basic information page remains.) We used our owner site as a directory to spots on the web we created to feature Sound Racer in various ways, including YouTube, Twitter and this blog. To fill this void, we have created an about.me profile that we will be completing over the course of the Spring.
Thanks again for your interest in Sound Racer and please don't hesitate to contact us with questions or suggestions.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
New Grill on The Top Level Deck
After three years, we decided to replace the original Weber "Spirit" Grill on the top level deck with a Cape Fear Classic stainless steel grill manufactured by Wilmington Grill in Wilmington, NC. This grill comes highly recommended by the "OBX Grill Doctor", Al Glatkowski of Kellogg's Supply in Duck.
We just tried the grill and it has a number of attractive features. First, ignition is very easy and does not require a battery. Heating is very even and there is a vent at the top to control temperature (which is indicated by a "professional grade" thermometer.) And at 28" by 18" the cooking surface is much larger than the Spirit's. Drippings accumulate in a small "pail" which is easily removed and emptied. And from an entirely personal standpoint, it felt good to patronize an American manufacturer.
We hope our guests enjoy the new grill!
We hope our guests enjoy the new grill!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Bonus Amenities in 2012: Netflix and Pandora
This year we added a new Internet-connected Samsung Blu-Ray DVD player in the Great Room. We've setup Netflix and Pandora accounts on this player and they are available to all guests (but only in the Great Room). This is a bit of an experiment to see if connected services like these are valued by guests. We're also interested to see if they present any additional maintenance issues (or are a hassle to use). Since connected players like these can be 'finicky' and we (obviously) won't be around to reset them if that's ever needed, we decided to offer these as an "unadvertised bonus".
With that disclaimer, know that we have attempted to configure these so they are simple and easy to use. We've created a single "Sound Racer" account for both services. This account can't be changed with the Harmony Remote, so in effect it is "hard coded" to the DVD player. On the plus side this means Netflix and Pandora should be available to everyone all summer -- but unfortunately the downside is that you won't be able to access your personal account.
The Sound Racer Netflix account is set up with a 'parental control' lock which allows only PG-13 / TV-14 and below. We've set up the Sound Racer Pandora account with about a dozen channels representing various popular (we hope) genres and bands. You can find the channels listed here, and you can even try them out! We are also happy to create a custom channel for your group -- just send us an email along with 3-5 artists to serve as the seeds for your channel.
How To Access Netflix and Pandora
1. On the Harmony Remote, Press "Watch A Movie"
2. On the Harmony Remote, Press "Menu"
3. The main Samsung Menu should appear (see picture below). Select "Internet" -- it's on the far right in the photo below
4. The next screen will be the "Apps" screen (see picture below). From here select either Pandora or Netflix. These are the only apps we've set up at this time.
5. Within the Netflix or Pandora app, navigate to your selection using the Harmony Remote.
Please let us know if you used either Pandora or Netflix, and whether or not you found it valuable.
With that disclaimer, know that we have attempted to configure these so they are simple and easy to use. We've created a single "Sound Racer" account for both services. This account can't be changed with the Harmony Remote, so in effect it is "hard coded" to the DVD player. On the plus side this means Netflix and Pandora should be available to everyone all summer -- but unfortunately the downside is that you won't be able to access your personal account.
The Sound Racer Netflix account is set up with a 'parental control' lock which allows only PG-13 / TV-14 and below. We've set up the Sound Racer Pandora account with about a dozen channels representing various popular (we hope) genres and bands. You can find the channels listed here, and you can even try them out! We are also happy to create a custom channel for your group -- just send us an email along with 3-5 artists to serve as the seeds for your channel.
How To Access Netflix and Pandora
1. On the Harmony Remote, Press "Watch A Movie"
2. On the Harmony Remote, Press "Menu"
3. The main Samsung Menu should appear (see picture below). Select "Internet" -- it's on the far right in the photo below
4. The next screen will be the "Apps" screen (see picture below). From here select either Pandora or Netflix. These are the only apps we've set up at this time.
5. Within the Netflix or Pandora app, navigate to your selection using the Harmony Remote.
Please let us know if you used either Pandora or Netflix, and whether or not you found it valuable.
Friday, December 30, 2011
New in 2012: A/V Upgrades
Working with our friends at Custom Audio, we've enhanced the A/V Setup at Sound Racer based on guest suggestions and our own experience. Here are the highlights:
1. Blu-Ray in the Great Room
We've added a Samsung "connected" Blu-Ray player to the upper level Great Room. The Blu-ray can also play standard DVDs. This replaced a combo DVD / VHS player -- but we figure the days of VHS are long past (although there is still a VHS player in the Rec Room).
We'll be exploring the "connected" features of the new player over the next few months.
2. Upgraded Receiver in the Great Room
The new receiver is an Onkyo Model TX-NR609. The most significant change is that this receiver passes HDMI audio and video -- in other words, true surround sound for TV and Movies. And it sounds great! This also simplifies the setup in that the TV input is now always set on HDMI-1. The receiver also has a digital USB input for your iPod / iPad, which improves sound quality.
3. Improved Remote Control in the Great Room
We're fans of the Harmony Universal Remote controls that are used with all three of the common area A/V systems at Sound Racer. But using the control in the great room required aiming it at a very specifc spot between the TV and the Receiver. To make the experience easier, we added an IR "blaster" network that connects all devices. We moved the "aim point" to the top of the TV, making it much easier to hit from just about anywhere in the room.
4. Larger TV in the Den
Last but definitely not least, we increased the size of the TV in the mid-level Den. The new Samsung 51" 1080p plasma TV has a wonderful picture and we think it is perfectly sized for movie viewing in the den.
_______________
In addition, we replaced the receiver in the downstairs Rec Room which had some audio problems at the end of the 2011 season. And finally, the folks at Custom Audio reccomended that we tilt the Great Room monitor slightly downward to improve viewing angle and reduce glare. A small change, but we think it's a big improvement.
1. Blu-Ray in the Great Room
We've added a Samsung "connected" Blu-Ray player to the upper level Great Room. The Blu-ray can also play standard DVDs. This replaced a combo DVD / VHS player -- but we figure the days of VHS are long past (although there is still a VHS player in the Rec Room).
We'll be exploring the "connected" features of the new player over the next few months.
2. Upgraded Receiver in the Great Room
The new receiver is an Onkyo Model TX-NR609. The most significant change is that this receiver passes HDMI audio and video -- in other words, true surround sound for TV and Movies. And it sounds great! This also simplifies the setup in that the TV input is now always set on HDMI-1. The receiver also has a digital USB input for your iPod / iPad, which improves sound quality.
3. Improved Remote Control in the Great Room
We're fans of the Harmony Universal Remote controls that are used with all three of the common area A/V systems at Sound Racer. But using the control in the great room required aiming it at a very specifc spot between the TV and the Receiver. To make the experience easier, we added an IR "blaster" network that connects all devices. We moved the "aim point" to the top of the TV, making it much easier to hit from just about anywhere in the room.
4. Larger TV in the Den
Last but definitely not least, we increased the size of the TV in the mid-level Den. The new Samsung 51" 1080p plasma TV has a wonderful picture and we think it is perfectly sized for movie viewing in the den.
_______________
In addition, we replaced the receiver in the downstairs Rec Room which had some audio problems at the end of the 2011 season. And finally, the folks at Custom Audio reccomended that we tilt the Great Room monitor slightly downward to improve viewing angle and reduce glare. A small change, but we think it's a big improvement.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Happpy Holidays from Sound Racer!
We'd like to wish all of our guests a very happy holiday season. We are especially pleased that so many of you have already signed on for the 2012 season at Sound Racer. One of our goals from the beginning has been to create a home where families would return year-after-year to build vacation memories. This is the experience we had when we rented on the OBX, and we are glad to be creating a similar experience for so many of you!
Please check back in early 2012 for an update on some new enhancements we have planned. First up will be some additions to the A/V setup...
Happy New Year!
Please check back in early 2012 for an update on some new enhancements we have planned. First up will be some additions to the A/V setup...
Happy New Year!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Found: One Laptop Charging Cable
We returned to Sound Racer this weekend for the annual meeting of Currituck Club property owners. As we went through the house, we found a laptop charging cable and power brick in one of the desk drawers in the Office Nook.
If the cable is yours, please send us an email at soundracerobx@gmail.com. To insure the cable goes to its proper home, please include the manufacturer, the week you were at the beach and the name on the reservation. Also include your address and we will mail the cable to you.
If the cable is yours, please send us an email at soundracerobx@gmail.com. To insure the cable goes to its proper home, please include the manufacturer, the week you were at the beach and the name on the reservation. Also include your address and we will mail the cable to you.
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