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Archive through January 27, 2007

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan. 2007 ~ Mar. 2007: All Things Technical: The Help Desk: The Brief Q & A Thread (ARCHIVES): Archive through January 27, 2007 users admin

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Luvmom
Member

10-17-2000

Wednesday, January 24, 2007 - 8:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Luvmom a private message Print Post    
Thanks Huk and Babyruth.

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 6:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
Dra? Bob? Somebody? I really want to use my new toy! Please help?

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 12:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
What kind of input source are you feeding into the ATI card? Cable? Antenna? Other?

What software are you using to tune the signal?
Do you get static or nothing?


Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 2:58 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
Cable
ATI software
program won't open up: we get an hour glass but the program never opens

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 3:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
You've probably already been here:

ATI Support

It sounds like you have things set up correctly, so maybe there is a newer version of the software available (besides the drivers).
There is a knowledge base for each specific AIW card. Maybe someone has had a similar problem.


Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 6:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
We just bought it! If there's a newer version the stores shouldn't carry the old one. Thanks for your help, Bob! I'll check out the link above. I don't know if hubby went there or not but I will now.

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 7:55 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
With most hardware, the software and drivers in the box are often out of date as soon as they are released. Usually they are enough to get installed and running, but it is always a good idea to check the manufacturer's site for updates.

If the card is new and you still don't have luck, exchange it for a new card. Maybe there is a hardware problem on the input, which is completely separate from the video output. Juju will confirm that she doesn't mess around with hardware problems on a new purchase.


Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 9:11 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
Hmmm I just rebooted and got a warning that the ATI Multimedia Center is not installed properly. Should I uninstall and reinstall or just reinstall?

Egbok
Member

07-13-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 9:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Egbok a private message Print Post    
I have a question about my laptop.

For the last two weeks I've been experiencing odd behavior from my laptop.

First, the fan or inside starts revving up like a jet engine ready to take off. It's loud. Sometimes it'll go on for 5 minutes and then suddenly drop down to the common low tone fan sound.

Within the last week, while I'm typing or doing some online research, all of a sudden my laptop turns itself off - blank screen as if a Shutdown occurred.

Any ideas as to what's going on here? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.


Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 9:50 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
Sounds like your laptop is over heating.

Some fans will kick to a higher speed when a certain temperature is reached in as attempt to lower the internal temperature. Most computers will shutdown once a certain temperature is reached in an attempt to protect the CPU and other components from damage due to over heating.

Are you using the laptop any differently than in the past?
On you lap? On the oven? In the sauna?

Most laptops don't cool well when actually use on a laptop.
Make sure that you are not blocking the fan output.
There are many different types of cooling pads that help with laptop overheating. I'm sure other people could recommend products that they have used, in case you need to go that route.


Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 10:03 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
My last laptop did that too Eggie. The cooling pad thing did wonders with it.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 1:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
What's the cooling pad thing War?

Scooterrific
Member

07-08-2005

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 1:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Scooterrific a private message Print Post    
You know one of those thingies that cools the laptop down. Works better than water :-)

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 3:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Jimmer, Google laptop cooling pad. It is a thingie with an external fan that you put under your laptop. Well, usually, it has a fan. Some of them don't.

Spongie is right, I do not believe in messing with hardware problems right out of the box. If it doesn't work right when it comes out of the box, it goes back. I am not going to waste my time trying to correct THEIR problem. It should work when it is new. Period.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 3:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
I was thinking it could just be that the card is bad.

Thanks Juju. I did google it and there seems to be an infinite number of different ones, none of which I can find locally in Canada. Of course, I am early in my search.

I'm also interested in personal experiences with them - how well they have worked.

One of the biggest contributing factors to laptop "death" is over-heating. Dust gets in the fan, it slows down and it is good bye.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 3:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
We got mine at Staples Jimmer: link

When I got my new laptop last year and Darren took the old one for work stuff, we picked up a second one because even when it's not doing the shut off thing like the old laptop did, they can still get pretty hot. I love them, especially for the older computer that was heating up so badly.

I'd had the laptop for a couple years before it started doing what Eggies is doing. Got the fan/pad thingie and it stopped doing that. Didn't help with the monitor going black or Darren popping the keys off the keyboard, lol, but it did stop overheating. The only thing it's used for now is his work stuff and it's still holding up pretty good for that.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 5:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
Thanks War. So it was the Targus Chill Mat?

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 6:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
And if you are buying a laptop, be sure to get one with one of the processors designed for laptops; they run much cooler. I had gone through various pentium chipped laptops, including P4 but I have one with a Centrino processor now.. MUCH better. And I'm aware that there are even newer versions to be had. My old laptop used to actually be a hazard.. in the summer, on a lap it could give you a burn. (I'll admit it was nice and toasty in the winter!)

Egbok
Member

07-13-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 9:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Egbok a private message Print Post    
Thank Spongie and Wargodie.

I think you're both onto something here. I'll go buy one of those cooling pad thingies tomorrow.

For now (and don't laugh!), I placed a cooling rack under my laptop and so far I haven't heard the jet trying to take off!


Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 9:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Eggie, from what I was reading about laptop coolers a while back, the cooling rack could work just as well.

Jimmer, are you taking notes? Ask your wife if she has a cooling rack. She does.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 9:47 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
I don't think that my laptop has a serious over-heating problem. Similar to Sea's, it is a Centrino. Also I always make sure that it is on a hard surface. It does tend to run the fan though occasionally when I'm running some very processor intensive stuff, so I thought that the laptop cooler might be a good idea for those situations.

The cooling rack sounds like a good temporary solution, but it would have to be stable.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 9:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
A cooling rack would be stable on a hard surface..

I also use a hard surface and have never had an overheating problem.

Egbok
Member

07-13-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 10:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Egbok a private message Print Post    
Jimmer, Juju & Sea, my cooling rack is very stable on the desk I'm placing my laptop. And it's so cool (no pun intended) NOT to hear the jet trying to take off! Amazing!!

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 11:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
Not sure if this is the thread... but I have a question: Can you still get telephone calls on your cellphone WHILE you are playing a game on it? I downloaded the Who Wants to be a Millionaire game, and I worry that it won't ring while I'm playing. Its mainly for while I'm in a car - I don't drive, but am a lousy passenger as I was a passenger in 2 different minor accidents 2 weeks apart a few years ago, so I am hyper-vigilant/nervous and I do better distracted, reading a book or magazine or chatting on the cellphone etc. Anyhow does a cellphone still function as a phone while playing games on it?

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Saturday, January 27, 2007 - 8:11 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Actually, the Centrino *is* a Pentium. Marketing baby. The Centrino is a bundled package that includes the Pentium M chip, plus some extra goodies (an Intel chipset and a wireless adapter).

If your laptop's fan suddenly becomes loud, it's probably because the fan is failing. It may prolong the life of your laptop to have the fan replaced. You can check with the manufacturer of the laptop, or a local computer service center. They are not that expensive.

Eggie, you don't mention how old your computer is, or what brand. But I'd check with the manufacturer's support folks (or site) first. It's possible there was a defective fan in your model, or some drivers or BIOS update that could improve the fan's performance. There are a lot of variables, unfortunately. However, if the computer isn't that old and is running fine for you, I'd definitely consider replacing the fan if all else fails! :-)