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Archive through April 05, 2005

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Mar. ~ 2005 May: All Things Technical: The Help Desk (ARCHIVES): The Brief Q&A Thread (ARCHIVES): Archive through April 05, 2005 users admin

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Seamonkey
Member

09-07-2000

Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 9:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Who, with the DVR devices used by my cable company (Time-Warner) (the devices are made by Scientific Atlanta), I have never ever had them come even close to storing 40 hours of recorded programming, not once and not for even one of the 7-8 I have had. The explanation I've been given is that. sort of like a hotel might reserve a block of credit on your card so that your available credit isn't quite as high as you might thing, the DVR saves some space for programs to be recorded. Not sure I entirely buy it but clearly something is at play beyond just what has been recorded and saved.

Mine also get quirky and often a simple reset (just pulling the plug) solves the problem.

Eventually each has gotten to a point where they start having hard drive errors and have to be replaced. I guess this is one plus to just renting them.. no worry about warranty or being without the device for a long period of time.. just drive over to the cable place and swap. Once you get one, you will quickly wonder how you lived without it.

I would HOPE that the ones you buy are somehow better.



Tishala
Member

08-01-2000

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 7:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Can anyone tell me how to save a QuickTime file, a video or an mp3, to my computer? I can do it with Windows Media and Real Media, but I haven't been able to figure out how to do it with QT and I found *six* hours of Sondheim mp3s I want to save.

Jimmer
Member

08-30-2000

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 8:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
We’ve had several DVRs and we find them to be great devices, cutting edge technology, wonderful to use and also incredibly flaky. Fortunately, like Seamonkey, we rent ours and just end up getting them replaced if something goes bad. Annoying, as you can lose some programming but more of a nuisance than anything. I would hope that the ones that you buy are better. If you can get it from somewhere that offers an exchange on warranty that would be a good idea. Also I suspect that some makes are better than others. Despite the problems they are wonderful technology.

Tishala, I’m not sure if you’re referring to saving off of the Internet, but if you are (and you’re running Windows) you could try right clicking on the link and selecting Save Target As which may allow you to save the file to your hard drive.

Tishala
Member

08-01-2000

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 8:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks Jimmer. I'll try that.

Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 10:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Is there any way to link certain things to the INITIAL start menu? Like, when you first click the start button, and the first menu comes up, you get the last number of programs you used, Control Panel, My Docs, etc. There is also IE Favourites, but I use Firefox. I'm wondering if there is any way to get things and folder I use the most, to be on my start menu.

For example, I use My SHARED area a lot, even though I log on in my own identity. I store all my music in the My Music folder in the "Shared" area. But the start menu links go to my "personal" My Music and My Pictures folders, which I don't want to go to.

Has anyone ever changed this?

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 10:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
You can drag and drop shortcuts on the start button and they will get added to the start menu. In the classic look, they get added to the top of the start menu, but I'm sure something similar happens if you use the newer start menu. If you drag with the right mouse button, then you get a menu where you can choose if you want to move, copy or create a short cut.

Not sure if this is what you are asking for, but if does add your most used programs to the first level of Start so you are just 2 clicks away from running them.

The quick launch area in your task bar lets you place short cuts on it and they launch with just one click. If you do not have the Quick Launch area, right click on the task bar and select properties. Then check "Show Quick Launch" and it will appear just to the right of your start menu.


Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Monday, March 28, 2005 - 11:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Draheid et. al:

I'm looking for a way to record MP3's or wav's from something playing on my computer. Meaning I want to play a TV show, or whatever, and have some program RECORDING the audio into a wav or MP3 file?

Can someone do that? Is there a program?

Draheid
Moderator

09-09-2001

Monday, March 28, 2005 - 12:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Eeyore: There are programs that will capture the soundcard output to a file for you, probably in .wav format since that's usually less processor intensive than compressed formats. My question though, is what type of source specifically are you looking to extract the audio from? I have a TV tuner attached to my USB port that does allow me to save the complete audio/video which I could then strip the audio from using a separate program. Are you looking to grab the audio from a streaming source on a website or some other device in your computer?

If you can tell me the source and details of what you want to do, I think I can help with that. There was a couple of suggested programs in the technical thread of Big Brother last year that I recall - I'll have to research and let you know what they are because I don't remember exactly at the moment.

Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Monday, March 28, 2005 - 3:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Well, I just want to play a DVD in my computer, and save it to a sound file, so I can convert it and store it on my iPod and listen to it. For example, comedy shows, or movies that are funny without even seeing the screen. I have the TV tuner in my computer, but it is not via USB, it's right in my Media Centre, maybe via my ATI Radeon card? Would that matter?

Any video tape I have I can now record to DVD via my new DVD HD recorder, and then I can just bring the DVD to my computer, play it, and then attempt to record that audio to a wav format.

I have a program that does the "converting" of wav <---> MP3, it's just a matter of getting the sound file made in the first place.

I guess the shorter version is that, no, it's not from a streaming source. LOL.

Thanks so much!!

Draheid
Moderator

09-09-2001

Monday, March 28, 2005 - 9:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Eeyore: Well, I went looking around to see if I could find what you're looking for. There are many choices on the net, unfortunately most are shareware options or very technical command line utilities to convert .vob (the format for DVDs) to .mp3 format (or any other format for that matter). To see what there is, go to google.com and type in DVD to MP3 or DVD to WAV and look at some of the results.

I did find one free tool that worked on a DVD file which was not copy protected called VirtualDUB with MPEG-2 Plugin installed. You can find information about this program HERE . I downloaded the file "VirtualDub-MPEG2.zip" and extracted it into the folder where I already had VirtualDub 1.5.10 installed, overwriting some files already there. Once installed, I was able to open the .vob file into the program, then save the .wav file extracted from that video. If you do not have the main program, there is a link on the same page as the main download page for the plugin file also.

Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck.

Hope this helps.

Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 1:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Dra, if my DVD is a home made DVD on my DVD recorder, will it still have a .vob file?

Draheid
Moderator

09-09-2001

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 6:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Eeyore: Yes, it should. If you place the disc in your DVD drive on your computer, cancel or close any player that starts up, then browse the disc in Windows Explorer. You should see a directory called Video_TS where there will be .vob files in that folder (as well as other files with extensions like .bup & .ifo).

My first attempt in converting a vob file to wav failed because I was using a copy-protected DVD. My second attempt was on a DVD I made myself and it worked fine.

Hope this helps.

March
Member

10-02-2003

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 11:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I need to renew/replace my anti-virus program soon. My husband installed a 2005 version on his computer a few months ago.
Now I know that these programs are only supposed to be installed on one computer BUT my question is what happens if I try to install it on mine?
Will it just not install or will it cancel his registration?


Max
Member

08-12-2000

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 11:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Depends on the program. If you have Norton AntiVirus, you should be able to install it on both computers without a problem. I've done that with my desktop and laptop. :-)

Jimmer
Member

08-30-2000

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 1:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yep. You're really not supposed to do it but it will work if it's NAV.

(Some company's agreements let you install on a PC and a notebook).

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 3:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Or you can go here and download an excellent FREE anti-virus program. I prefer it to Norton.

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

Lots of folks here use it and are very happy with it.

March
Member

10-02-2003

Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 10:22 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
It is a Norton program. I think it has anti-virus and internet security on it.
His is a laptop and so is mine.
Will I still be able to register(without interfering with hubbys) it so I can receive all the updates?

Thanks for all the info so far.


Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 2:50 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I have two quick questions....

1. If I want to extend the length of the cable coming in to the house (cause I want to put the TV somewhere else in the room), is there a simple extending cable I can buy? I looked at coax cables, and they all have (what I would assume is) "male" connectors on both ends of the cable. I would assume I'd want a length of cable with a male connector on one end, and a female connector on the other end. Or maybe I'm wrong?

2. Is it possible these days to convert old negatives to digital photos? I'm wondering if I could take these in to Kinkos or something. What I was doing was sending my film in and getting it on disk too (it went through Fujifilm), but I seem to recall the requirement was to have 35mm film. When I get a chance, I plan to contact Fujifilm and Kinkos to see if they can do it. But in the meantime, I figured I'd see if anyone here knows something. I'd love to know if I can do it myself, since not all the photos on each negative strip are ones I really care if I save or not. But, I'm guessing I'd probably have to buy a scanner or something, and I can't really budget that in right now.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 2:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Who-a scanner is your best bet for converting negatives into pictures.

Babyruth
Member

07-19-2001

Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 2:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Who,
Answer to question 1: yep, you can buy those at Home Depot or Radio Shack or any Best Buy type place.

2: Try checking out the do it yourself digital photo printer machines at Walgreen, Rite Aid, Sam's Club, whatever drug store places you have out there (Osco?) (I would call and ask the photo dept. person if their machine does that). Some of the machines in stores here do those. I avoid Kinko's as they can be pretty high priced.

Crossfire
Member

08-07-2001

Saturday, April 02, 2005 - 12:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Whoami: Ok, this is old, but I'm hopelessly behind at the moment. The common way to do what you want, is not with a special cable, but with a coupler to join two normal cables together. They are dirt cheap, here is what you are looking for from Radio Shack so you know what one looks like: Link

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Saturday, April 02, 2005 - 5:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks Julie, BR and Crossfire!

I'm pretty behind the times too. Been working in my room trying to get it organized so I can move everything around. Cable guy is coming Tuesday to install DVR, and digital cable. Whoo Hoo!

Your post isn't late at all Crossfire! I won't go shopping till Monday. Thanks so much. It helps wonderfully to know exactly what I'm looking for! I assume that, after I get the coupler, I then just get one of those cables I saw at Wal-mart, with the "male" part on both ends?

Wendo
Member

08-07-2000

Saturday, April 02, 2005 - 9:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Whoami, a cable coupler looks like this:

coupler

With this, you can connect an additional cable to an existing cable. (The coupler is female on both sides.)

Gigglesalot
Member

08-14-2003

Tuesday, April 05, 2005 - 7:01 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    

1.Is it possible to record a program from the DVR to the VCR?
2.How should the set-up from the TV to the VCR be?

Specifics:
- Older TV with 1 output, but I do have a RF modulator
- DVD/VCR combo
- DVR Satellite service

I spent several hours last night working on this project and couldn’t get a recording of LOST from the DVR to the VCR for a friend. I’m lost myself. What am I missing? I could get the VCR to play a tape, but not record live TV nor from the DVR. The DVD/VCR combo is in the room with the second TV, so there isn’t direct satellite receiver in the room, just the cable. My TV has to be set to channel 60 to be able to view from the satellite as well.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!



Draheid
Moderator

09-09-2001

Tuesday, April 05, 2005 - 7:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Gigglesalot: I'm a little confused how your system is setup. You say the DVR Satellite service is in a separate room from the DVD/VCR but you have to set the TV where the VCR is located to channel 60 to view satellite? When you do view satellite on channel 60, is it possible to move the same connection of the TV into the input of the DVD/VCR instead of directly into the TV and then tune the VCR to channel 60 to view/record from the DVR/satellite that way? It isn't the ideal way for quality recoring, but should work. ALternatively, you would need to move the DVD/VCR into the same location as the DVR/satellite in order to connect directly for recording from the DVR.

I don't know if the output of the TV makes any difference unless it's audio and video which you could feed into the VCR but that would make it difficult to record because you wouldn't be able to monitor the recording since the TV would have to stay tuned to the satellite system for this to work.

Bottom line, the easiest way I can think of is to place the DVD/VCR between the DVR/satellite receiver and a television. Tune the DVD/VCR to the input where the DVR/Satellite is connected, then tune the TV to the DVD/VCR. Start recording, then start playing the DVR program to be recorded.

Hope this helps. If not, please let me know a few more details and I'll be happy to try to help.