Audience Questions

Audience QuestionsHour 1

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

Should I update to Windows 8.1?

Watch Len from Comments

Len has a Windows 8 computer running Start8, and he wants to know if he needs to update to version 8.1. Leo says yes, he should always update to the latest version of the OS for security purposes. It shouldn't affect the Start8 utility all that much, but there may be a bit of a learning curve as there are some differences with how the search works. Len has tried but he can't find the update. Leo says that as long as he has updated his OS to the last version before 8.1, then he can go to the Windows Store and download the update. The link is on the front page.

How can I see all my Gmail messages?

Watch Alan from Comments

Alan is having issues with his Gmail account. He's getting no news feeds, some emails, but not others, no spam. He's worried he's missing his business email. He unchecked the automatic filtering, a few months ago, but suddenly a few days ago, he's starting to lose emails.


Leo says that Gmail has changed the way it organizes email and it could be that the mail is being routed to a folder that Len doesn't see. Leo also suggests logging into Gmail from another computer to see if the computer is the issue. Likely not, but you can then eliminate that is the culprit. Look into your settings to see if everything is up to snuf and that things like “vacation mail” aren't enabled. Also, there's a “more” setting on the folders and scroll down to ALL Mail. That will give you an unfiltered view of your email. If you see everything, then you know it's a filtering issue.

Should I switch from a desktop computer to a laptop?

Watch Neil from Comments

Neil built a gaming machine and he admittedly overbuilt it. So he's wondering if he should downscale to a laptop. Leo says that the ongoing trend is smaller and portable. And that's why even laptops are starting to plateau in sales as people look to tablets.

But if Neil wants to build a laptop, he can't because that just isn't available. But a good option is the Asus Transformer Laptop/Tablet. It converts to either with a detachable keyboard. And the latest version runs the Haswell chip for longer battery life. But it isn't cheap.

Audience QuestionsHour 2

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

How can I get my computer running faster?

Watch James from Comments

James has noticed his computer is running slower. Leo says that the first presumption is malware, but it could also be a hardware issue like hard drive problems. A hard drive gets flakey and can't read a sector readily, it can slow down your computer. Java can also cause the issue and you don't need it for most issues, so Leo suggests disabling it, especially in your browser. And Leo suggests turning on automatic updates.

Leo also says that something starting up at boot up could be causing the slow down. He recommends also running Microsoft's AutoRuns. And turn on archiving in Outlook. R/C on folder and select archive. That'll keep your email separate, instead of in a big ball and make it run faster.

But since James says that he's running XP, the computer is pretty old. It could just be time to get a new one.

How can I troubleshoot a sound card issue?

Watch Chuck from Comments

Chuck says that his Windows Media Center has lost all it's sound. Leo says it could be as easy as a bad or loose speaker wire, or most likely a corrupted sound driver. It could also be a poorly coded video which prevents the audio from being played. Leo recommends playing it with VideoLan's VLC Media Player. If you can hear the audio, then you know that Windows Media Center is causing the issue. If it doesn't, then Leo recommends playing back with headphones. If that works, then you know it has to be your sound cables. If it doesn't, then you have a larger hardware issue and you need to first try to update the sound drivers. If that doesn't work, it may require a new sound card. But if you can hear sound from other sources, then it's likely Windows Media Player.

Audience QuestionsHour 3

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

Do I need a phone line to get DSL?

Watch Travis from Comments

Travel has broadband through his cable provider and he's looking to try out DSL Extreme, but he can't get it unless he uses AT&T as his phone provider. Leo says that DSLExtreme runs over AT&T's phone lines, but you can get “dry loop” service, which offers service without paying for the phone service. That's required by law. So Leo suggests calling back and asking for dry loop DSL.

What's the best option for encrypting my data?

Watch Bernie from Comments

Bernie has a MacBook Air and iMac and he uses FileVault for encryption. But after hearing that it isn't very safe, he's looking to go to TrueCrypt to encrypt his data. Leo says that is a great idea, especially when traveling. And while both Apple and Microsoft offer solutions built into their OS, an open source is better because it's likely that the NSA and other law enforcement officials may have forced a back door into encryption, and there's no way of knowing if they have or not since the Patiot Act prevents them from saying.

So you should always use an open source encryption option. And TrueCrypt is the best one out there. It offers whole disc encryption and has many features that both OS X and Windows solutions lack.

What's the best tablet for games and reading?

Watch Susan from Comments

Susan is looking to get a tablet that will handle ebook reading, games for the kids, and working the internet. Leo says that while you can get a cheaper Android iPad, Leo says that Susan should get an iPad. It's got great apps, is well supported, and very easy to use. It's a little more expensive, but it's worth it. But wait until Tuesday, October 22, because it's likely Apple will announce new iPads and she could save money on the previous version. 3G or Wifi? Well you still have to pay for a monthly data plan with 3g, but if you have internet at home, why not get the WiFi only instead?

But since Susan has an Android phone, it may be a good idea to go Android, like the Google Nexus 7. How about the Kindle Fire HDX? Leo says that HDX is great, but it's smaller. And it's designed to encourage you to buy stuff from Amazon. Leo says that the software isn't all that polished. And because Amazon has locked it down pretty good, not all apps can run on the Fire.

Get the iPad. It's still the way to go.

Why can't I play games at a high resolution?

Watch Todd from Comments

Todd just got a new AlienWare laptop and he's looking now to build his own desktop. Leo says these days he doesn't see any advantage to building your own desktop because you have to support it. And they're not cheaper to build anymore.

Todd has a pair of 30” Apple displays and wants to know why he can't use the higher resolution settings? Leo says that it could be a frame rate issue that's causing the Alienware to choose it. And there's likely a hardware mismatch because the Apple Cinema Display uses Dual Link connectors. You'll need to get a Dual Link adapter to run at the higher resolutions.

How can I move my DVR programs from DISH to DirecTV?

Watch John from Comments

John had DISH and left due to multiple receiver failures. He's moving to DirecTV and wants to know if the external hard drive he used on Dish could be read by DirecTV. Leo says not likely since it's mostly due to encryption and copy protection. It may be possible to decrypt it, but it's a long shot. Leo recommends visiting AVSForum.com. That's where all the hackers hang out who like to play with encrypted video.