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Sunday, April 24, 2005

Show #138

 toc | toc 

We record another ROTSS (Return of the Green Saviors or something like that) this afternoon. It will be available for download by 7p tonight. Or use your podcast software and subscribe to the TLR podcast (http://leoville.tv/podcasts/tlr) to receive it automatically.

Today’s news items

11a-Noon

Jeff in LaVerne - streaming a radio station

There’s lots of software to do this: Windows Media Server, Real’s Media Server, Apple’s Quicktime Server, and Shoutcast and IceCast, but the real issue is bandwidth. If you serve a lo-fi 20kbps stream (ok for voice, not so good for music) you’ll saturate a T1 with just 68 listeners. A 128kbps hi-fi stream could only support 11 real time listeners.

Star Wars: Revelations is a fan film with amazing special effects.

Phi in Garden Grove - web server

I generally don’t recommend running a public web server out of your house. It’s fine for learning or development. Read our article on Running A Web Server
RHNet says:
If you are going to be running a gaming server think of the upload you will need. I know Battlefield 1942 uses 80kb per player. You will also need a fast cpu and lots of ram. You may want to try fedora.

Noon-1p

Joe in West Covina - contact management software

I recommend Act! or Maximizer

For bus-powered Firewire external hard drives I like LaCie.

Mark in Cambridge, Maryland - Tiger upgrade

He’s worried about the lines on Friday. I would go at 7p (an hour later and avoid the lines). Apple Stores will have plenty of copies.

Mac bittorrent clients I like: Azureus (there’s a Windows version, too) and Tomato Torrent.

Steven Gifford:
Remember, Mac Users are fanatical. Depending on how populated your area is you will want to get there sooner.

pixel:
Just go to the Apple Store and preorder your copy of Tiger. It’s free shipping - save some gas!

Mike in Brooklyn - remote assistance doesn’t work

He can get in but his clients can’t give him control. First make sure you’ve check the “Allow others to take control” box in the System Properties→Remote control panel. Click the Advanced tab under Remote Assistance to get to the check box. You’ll also want to make sure you’ve opened all the proper ports - the helper computer uses a random port number above 1024 and that can cause a problem. Read the Microsoft FAQ. I would also look at solutions like GoToMyPC.com and www.logmein.com - they go right around routers.

Tom from Houston adds:
After over two years of trying to get remote assistance to work from behind a firewall I finally found the secret: make sure that Universal Plug and Play (UPNP) is enabled on both firewalls and use MSN or Windows messenger to establish the connection between the systems. UPNP is a feature that is included in most home firewalls but many times is not enabled by default. You’ll have to read the owner’s manual that came with your firewall to learn how to log into your firewall’s web page to change the setting. The setting is usually on one of the advanced setup pages.

Enabling UPNP allows MSN or Windows messenger to:

1. Determine that it is behind a firewall
2. Ask the firewall for its internet address
3. Open and close ports on the firewall (above 1024) to allow the remote assistance programs on each end to connect to each other directly

You might be concerned about enabling UPNP due to security issues. There was a Windows security issue several years ago that involved a buffer overflow in the UPNP service in Windows XP. Currently, Microsoft has UPNP turned off in Windows. To make remote assistance work you don’t need to enable UPNP in Windows just on the firewalls.

After enabling UPNP on both ends, contact each other using MSN or Windows messenger. The person who needs help presses the “Ask for Remote Assistance” button.

Messenger will use UPNP to open a random TCP/IP port for the duration of the remote assistance and it will close it when you’re finished with remote assistance.

Patrick in Montrose, MI - Office update requires the install disc

Microsoft has started doing this - I’m convinced it’s an anti-piracy technique and I know of no way to bypass it. You’ll need the install disc to update.
- - try Looking for the Full Network Install, the download should’nt require the disc

Update: I have found a way to request the discs. If you can get you product key (Using Belarc Advisor or in your original paperwork) you can go to Microsoft’s support page and request replacement CDs. I have recieved a Windows XP Pro replacement disc and will be filing a request for an Office XP CD as soon as I figure out where I’m mistyping my registration key.

Mark in West Hills - what happened to my backup

He’s using Windows Backup but he can’t find the backed up files. That’s one reason I don’t recommend backup programs. Just use your CD burner to make copies of your files. Make a new backup every week - CD-R blanks are cheap.

He recommends the Belarc Advisor

Mary in Pomona - PC won’t boot

It’s three years old - I’d try replacing the silver quarter-sized battery on the motherboard.

BenListening adds :
A couple of good motherboard battery tutorials :
http://www.pcmech.com/show/motherboards/80/
http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tutorials/tutorial.php/id/58
and, GlobalVillage.net

1–2p

Gary in Arcadia - router and dial-up

You don’t really need a router for dial-up. There are some that have built-in modems but they’re pricey. I do recommend a router when you go to broadband. Setting it up will be easier than you think. Also make sure to update your antivirus. We have a list of recommended security software in our tips section.

Dave in Woodbury, MN adds:

SMC makes an affordable router that works with a modem, model SMC7008ABR. There may also be other SMC models that will connect to the serial connection on an external modem. SMC’s web site is: http://www.smc.com/index.cfm?event=viewProduct&localeCode=EN_USA&cid=1&scid=&pid=969
The SMC router also has a built-in print server.
I disagree that routers are only needed with broadband. I believe that routers need to be used with modems as well. Many modem users have been hacked, probably because they have little or no protection.

Carol in Huntington Beach - computer won’t start up

Sounds like time to bring it in. Your video card is dying.

Lance in Orange - what’s a REP file

Sounds like a report file - at least that’s what www.filext.com says.

Larry in YL adds: Lance mentioned that he is using BusinessObjects software. The .rep file format is the native format for BusinessObjects reports. These .rep files require the BusinessObjects client software in order to open them. Lance was attempting to save the report as an Excel file, so it would seem that he has missed a step. In BusinessObjects, there is no way to simply save the report in Excel format. You must copy and paste the contents of the report from the full client view into an empty Excel workbook.

Here are some basic instructions for saving a BusinessObjects report as an Excel file. (I’m using BusinessObjects full client software version 6.5.1.)

• Open the REP file in the BusinessObjects software.
• From the BusinessObjects menus, select Edit, Copy All.
• Open a new worksheet in Excel.
• From the Excel menus, select Edit, Paste.
• Save the Excel file.

Interestingly, BusinessObjects provides this roundabout way of saving information to Excel, yet provides support from its file menu for saving a report directly in PDF or HTML format!

Matt in Lake Elsinor - how do you configure a Westel router?

Keith in Covina adds: To access a Westell dsl router, Open your browser and type 192.168.1.1 or http://dslrouter in the address bar. Use “admin” as your user name and “password” for your password. Then you will be able to configure it as necessary. First of all, check the firewall setting as I found that mine was turned off by default. Also, you may change the user name and password to those of your own choice before exiting. A user manual is available in pdf format at www.westell.com.

from Rocket: Westell modem/router - there should be a guide on the setup CD. the configuration address is 192.168.1.1

from SteveDA: Communication problem between Westel modem and Lynksys router might be solved by using a crossover ethernet cable instead of a straight patch cable between them.

TsN - Team Sportscast Network

Website: http://www.tsncentral.com
Schedule: http://www.tsncentral.com/schedule/
Overview: http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/gamertv/windows/2004/03/11/0000581725.wvx
Tune in with Winamp or Windows Media Player when there is a broadcast online! Feel free to ask questions on our forums.

Ed in Chatsworth - Video editing software and media

Adobe Premiere Elements
Try a variety of + and - discs to see which work best

From Chuck - Adobe Premiere is far better than either Pinnacle or Sony Vegas Studio. Takes a little getting used to, but having the extra video and audio tracks (up to 99 of each, compared with 2) lets you do some really cool creative things. I got it at Leo’s recommendation and love it.

Chat Logs and Show Audio