Mobile Air Mouse is an iPhone/Touch app with software that runs on your computer. The phone/touch then acts as a remote control/keyboard for your computer.
Very useful as a remote for your HTPC, and the app is only $1.99
Mobile Air Mouse is an iPhone/Touch app with software that runs on your computer. The phone/touch then acts as a remote control/keyboard for your computer.
Very useful as a remote for your HTPC, and the app is only $1.99
Windows 7 will be building this functionality in, but it is currently available for XP and Vista.
Microsoft has made available SteadyState. This program allows you to create a user, and control what they have access to. It also allows the user’s changes to be rolled back when they logoff.
Great for the kids, or guests that want to use your machine to check their email, but you don’t want them making any accidental changes to your system.
Updated Mar 19, 2009.
I’ve found a very good donateware program for converting video for the iPod. It’s called iPodMe, and it works very well. Select videos you want to convert, select a profile and screen size. Can add additional files to be converted while it is currently converting.
Well worth checking out
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I recommend DVDFab for ripping DVDs. Just download the installer, and when it starts, it will ask which version you want to run.
A 30 day trial to the full-blown version, which has built-in functionality for splitting and merging dvds in various ways. There is also an option that never expires that allows for copying of the dvd to your hard-drive. Either then entire DVD or just the main title.
Once it’s on your hard drive, you have to convert it.
If you have Nero, Nero Recode is very good for taking a dvd and converting it to iPod format. Also works for most data files.
I imagine Roxio has tools that are similar to this, but have no personal experience.
If you don’t have Nero, then Super is a very good free converter. It doesn’t handle dvd files ‘elegantly’, but works very well for everything else. The interface is a bit tough to work with initially, so expect a learning curve.
Super will convert DVD files, but a movie is broken into 1GB files on the DVD. So, you’ll end up with 4 or 5 files/movie, instead of one file.
I haven’t looked for other free options that will convert a DVD nicely, so don’t have any suggestions.
Also, if you do decide to purchase Nero, don’t buy it directly. Right now, the Nero site is showing $79.99 US for download, but you can buy it boxed at Future Shop/Best Buy for $69.99.
If you’re really comfortable with computers, then Super will work, and there are likely programs around that will convert a DVD nicely. If you’re willing to invest a little money to have an easier to use experience, I would suggest Nero or Roxio.
Also note that this conversion is very CPU intensive. If you have a relatively new dual-core computer, expect the conversion to take about 1/3 of the length of the movie. i.e. a 1 hour movie would take 20 minutes to convert. If you have a really fast machine, it will obviously be faster.
For television shows, I recommend uTorrent for downloading, and EZTV for finding show downloads. If you’re interested in this as well, I can provide more specific information.
A very interesting article over at Coding Horror about rechargeable batteries, and the games the manufacturers play (although they do it in all industries. Megapixels for cameras, GHz for computers, HP for cars…).
A good place to buy is Thomas Distributing. That’s where I ordered my charger, as I live in Canada, and Amazon.ca doesn’t carry electronics. I got mine on sale, so it was less expensive than Amazon anyway.
I’ve ordered the La Crosse Technology BC-900, so expect a followup post once I’m done. One nice thing is it contains adaptors for C and D batteries. You put AA batteries into the adaptors to power items that require the larger batteries. Very nice!
Monoprice provides an inexpensive source for cables. From audio to computer, so check them out.
If you ever have a corrupted memory card, check this software out. Download and run the demo. It will show you what it can recover. If it can’t find anything, you don’t buy it. If it finds your photos, buy it and have your photos back.
PhotoRescue Home Page – PhotoRescue Wizard, PhotoRescue Expert, PhotoRescue Advanced
A portable battery that can be used to plug-in most portable items. Has 2 USB ports and an AC outlet on the side. Built-in converter so can connect battery to ac outlet or to a power outlet in your car. Even if you don’t have the battery plugged in, it will provide additional power for your devices, or to recharge them.
XPower PowerSource Mobile 100 is the model name.
Looks like very good protection for your portable devices, and not unreasonable prices either. I may just have to order one for my Archos 504
Update: I’ve started using Dr. Divx instead. I’ll put up a new post soon with details. It has many more options, and will do MPG/VOB conversion without having to buy anything extra. It’s free, and available from Divx.
I will be getting an Archos video player of some sort. Deciding between 504 and 604. Same price, so have to decide if want 10GB extra or 5mm less (the 504 is a 40GB vs 604 30GB, but 604 is 5mm thinner).
Anyhow, this is about using the Divx Converter to create avi files for playing on the Archos units. Divx Converter is part of Divx for Windows. It has a 15-day trial of all the components, and after the 15 days, only the basic codec and the Divx Player still work.
It isn’t too expensive, and in my experience, it works very well. It’s $19.99 USD for the Converter and Pro codec. If you want to convert MPG2 or VOB (i.e. DVDs), you need an additional plug-in for $9.99USD.
For burning files from the web (i.e. downloads via bittorrent), first try it on the Archos. If it’s a divx file with mp3 audio, it will most likely play without any conversion.
To burn files, copy them onto the Converter. I was using the portable profile for conversion. Select the view list option and then edit the entries. For 4:3 entries, make the height 272, and accept the width. For widescreen entries, set the width to 480 and do the conversion. You’ll notice that 2.35:1 movies end up being 496×208, and this is because that is closer to 2.35:1 then 480×208 is. The restriction is that MPG dimensions have to be a multiple of 16 pixels, so end up with ‘weird’ dimensions. It’s close enough to the Archos screen dimensions that you won’t notice.
For burning DVD’s, I recommend using DVD Converter (I’ve provided the file here as it isn’t easy to find on the web anymore). Rip the DVD in IFO mode. This means you’ll have to rip each ‘piece’ individually, but it makes it easier to convert in Divx as you don’t have to know the aspect ratio of the file in order to convert it. Also, Divx recommends installing AC3Filter as volume levels can be low otherwise. They have links on their site to it, or you can search the web. You can try doing a conversion without it and see what it’s like. I found the levels were on the low side on the Archos, so I installed AC3Filter.
Divx also provides a utility that sets the configuration in AC3Filter to be compatible with Divx. Basically, the settings boost the volume a little from default, and ensure that SPDIF out is disabled. For burning to the Archos, you have to ensure that it only burns stereo audio. Otherwise the Archos can’t play it.
Copy all the VOB files onto Converter (all files starting with VTS_xx_*.vob), and it will recognize that it’s one item, and it will join them. It will display the options dialog, so set the width to 480, and leave the aspect ratio locked! Don’t worry that it isn’t 1.85:1 or 2.35:1. Divx will do the right thing for the output file.
Unfortunately, Converter doesn’t provide an option for overriding the saved file name, so you’ll end up with the same name for output (something like VTS_01.divx), so you’ll have to remember what it was and rename it after the conversion is done.
Have fun with this, and feel free to leave a comment to ask questions. If I know the answer, I’ll update this post to reflect it.
Provides recommendations for tech products based on reviews.
Something to keep an eye on. If it really does work as reviewed, could be a good addition to any home with children, since so many toys are powered by batteries these days.
Cadillac is introducing a smart high beam turn off system. Basically, it watches for oncoming headlights, and slowly dims the high beams until they’re off, rather then the sudden switch from high to low beams.
I would love this on my current car, as the low beams don’t shine far enough down the road, but I don’t want to blind oncoming traffic with my HIDs, especially on rural divided highways.
Had a get together, and managed to get it working once. Will have to try some of these ideas out next time, and see if have better luck.
2 replies to a very long thread at GTPlanet in the forums. The main difference is one says the HOST must connect first, the other says the non-HOST must connect first. Both imply that ONLY ONE machine should be in the process of connecting at a time. So, hit connect on one machine and wait for it to set itself up. Then do another machine (if more then 2) and wait for it to finish.
Also, both of these configurations are using Auto Connection of NO. It worked for us using Auto Connection of Yes, and defining the number provided to a different one for each PS/2. Saves all the network configuration issues.
The big thing to remember. Define the settings, then do a SAVE, and then try it out. If you don’t, you’ll have to remember and re-enter everything you did, as the settings are not automatically saved!
Okay, the information given was still not complete here but helped us a lot when me and my friend set out to get a ps2 to ps2 game going using an X-Over cable. (cross over)
The above information is right, about changing DHCP to NO and setting the ips to something like 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2
Howoever, this still does not work without some tinkering.
One PS2 has to be set to host in the Lan Options in the options menu. Leave monitors at zero (unlike previous posts indicate) Also set the players to two.
Make sure that in your network options in the options menu that auto connect is not on.
For it to work, the person JOINING the game, not hosting, must hit connect on the connection screen before the host does, by about two seconds. If you don’t do this right, and you don’t have freshly booted PS2’s, it probably wont work. If you have any problems connecting at all, you need to reboot them again and start over.
Also make sure that your lan configs are getting saved, as their is no autosave outside of Gran Turismo mode. You can do this by going to the main menu and hitting save game.
We had some problems still, we would get all the way to loading up the race itself and it would freeze, but started over and everything was fine, and played about 20 times consecutively with no problems. You do not need to recreate a lan session after every race, just to clarify that.
Any cars that you use in lan mode must be “added to your favorites” in arcade mode. There are no garage cars available, and no replay saves available. A few select cars will not work even if you have them added to favorites for whatever reason. For instance, trying to use the Prowler in Lan mode gives the error “Cannot be used in 2p battle mode”
Its pretty dry, and not real feature rich, but you can still have some good races. We experienced no stuttering and no fps drops, everything was silky smooth, of course after spending the 3 hours on trying to figure out the sequence to get it to work.
Hope this helps some of you that are still having problems.
EDIT: your track registrys do not need to be identical, if the host selects a track that is not in your registry, the other ps2 will automaticly switch to it. Also, replays are viewable on both tv’s imediately after the race, and everything is synced, so if one person exits the replay, you both exit. Same thing with pause during race. I will add whatever else I can think of.
EDIT #2: To answer the above post, the number of players are configured in the lan options menu, but I as well, cannot find a place to change the number of laps, after searching for a while. Please post if you have any solution to this
It’s very simple. If you are running through a router you don’t need to do this, but otherwise you need to set up your network settings thus:
Change DHCP to NO and set the IPs to something like 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2, etc., in order from the first machine to the last (any machine can be in any order).
Set your subnet masks to 255 255 255 0 (the same on every machine).
Let the host connect first, and then connect one player at a time. Wait till each player after the host is on the final connection screen (with two dots rather than three, although the host will have one dot) before adding another to the network.
Back in the main options one player, and only one player, must be set up as host. He also selects the number of players, the number of laps, penalties and so-on. The two-player options affect LAN mode as well as the LAN and Network options.
If someone is watching using the Live option rather than playing, he is counted in the number of players.
Make sure you all reboot before connecting to be sure.
Before you do all this you need the right equipment: ethernet cables plugged into slimline PS2s or original PS2s with ethernet adaptors and then into a switch or router or a crossover cable connected directly from one machine to a second machine for two-player LANning.
You also need to fill your Favourites folder with cars to use in LAN mode and to select all the available tracks between your group of players in the Track Registry in the options menu.
Some VBR mp3s will cause problems on some MP3 players because of invalid or incomplete headers.
This program will help fix them up so they should work correctly on all players.
Google has introduced a mapping site (Similar to MapQuest).
It is very fast, as it leverages their search technology. To get directions, click on directions and then enter your to and from. All that is required is something like toronto for the from (I gues there aren’t too many Toronto’s). I was able to do a too by putting Thunder Bay Ontario as my to address.
Quite impressive. The only thing I’ve read that is different, is a double-click is required to centre on an address. Otherwise, use a click-and-drag to move the map.
Ever wanted to take video from the sky. Check out this coptor with optional video camera.
How long before the first car is stolen using these techniques?
The New York Times > National > Graduate Cryptographers Unlock Code of ‘Thiefproof’ Car Key
A new search engine that is in Beta. Some interesting features, and keeps track of stats of previous users to determine rankings. Can sort entries based on click counts and other stats.
Allows for dynamic filtering of search results, so can search for additional keywords within existing search without having to do a new search.
Worth keeping an eye on.
If you’re thinking of buying a portable MP3 player, you may want to wait a month or so. It appears the $25 levy has been legally challenged, so you could see a price drop.
Want to make backups of your DVDs or CDs, but not sure how to do it? Here’s some software that will help.
I rarely take original CD’s into the car, although thus far, I haven’t had one that was copy protected, so I’ve been able to copy it.
I haven’t made copies of any of my DVDs yet, but the more I read about longevity, the more I think it’s a good idea. Perhaps when/if I buy a dual-layer burner and the media is available and inexpensive, it will be time to consider backing up my DVDs to.
Note: I don’t have any connections to this company, and I haven’t tested it. They have a 21 day trial, so give it a try first.
SlySoft Inc. Multimedia Solutions | dvd copy, burning dvd, dvd ripper, dvd copying software