Audience Questions

Audience QuestionsHour 1

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

How can I stop my LED bulbs from interfering with my radio?

Watch JC from Sherman Oaks, CA Comments

JC upgraded all his lights in his home with LEDs and now he's having issues with radio reception on his AM transistor radio. Leo says not all LEDs emit RF interference, but some do. And in theory, all of them shouldn't because it's illegal. But that doesn't change the fact that it happens, mostly in cheaper varieties.

It may also be that since JC changed all of his bulbs to them, it could be a cumulative effect. The good news is that simply by changing his bulb to one made by a different manufacturer will solve it. Check out the website LEDBenchmark.com. It measures and rates the RF emissions of LED lightbulbs. Replacing the dimmer may solve it as well.

The other option is to start listening to internet radio, where RF interference isn't a factor.

Will the Mac Mini be able to run Windows?

Watch Paul from Columbus, OH Comments

Paul is looking to get an iMac or Mac Mini and run Windows on it. Leo says that it really is the best Windows computer out there, so that's a good idea. Paul is wondering when the new models be coming out and can a Mac Mini do it? Leo says that the new iMacs just came out and the Mac Minis were upgraded recently as well, right in the middle of the development schedule. So now's a good time to pull the trigger.

The one thing he'll miss on the Mac Mini is a loss in performance with the less powerful i5 processor. But that's still decent for most usage. For $699, it's not a bad deal at all. He can buy it and attach it to the back of the screen and he'll have a poor man's iMac.

Audience QuestionsHour 2

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

How can I restore my desktop settings after remote access?

Watch Ian from Lakeview Terrace, CA Comments

Ian installed Splashtop remote desktop to his PC so he could control it from his iPad. But now the icons are all spread out in a weird way. Leo says that's a resolution issue between his iPad and the desktop. It doesn't remember his layout, and it'll change it back and forth rather than present it as he set it up. Leo suggests going into the Windows Display settings and changing the resolution to a proper setting for both. But in Windows 10, there's actually two display menus, one for touch screen, the other for the laptop. So Ian should press Windows Key+P and that'll get him into the right menu. He can then go into the advanced settings and he'll be able to use the right settings. Putting it into tablet mode will also freak it out. But it's likely that Splashtop installed it's own video driver, which is not uncommon. He can uninstall the device driver and let Windows reinstall it. He can also update the display drivers. If he boots into safe mode, he can then remove the Splashtop driver.

The chatroom says that Splashtop has a removal tool, so it would be a good idea to download and run that to get rid of anything left behind.

Where could I find an inexpensive UPS?

Watch Glen from Winnetka, CA Comments

Glen is looking for a cheap UPS (uninterruptable power supply). Leo says that he'll get what he pays for and Leo recommends Tripp Lite. He'll want one that is compatible to his OS so that the computer can trigger the UPS to start up.

What format should I rip my CDs to?

Watch Charlie from Whitman, MA Comments

Charlie wants to rip his CDs to a memory stick. Should he partition it since it's 128GB? Leo says why not just get a smaller one? Or, better yet, rip the CDs into higher quality. If he's going to do it, do it once. Charlie should rip the CDs into FLAC, which is a lossless format, and preserves 100% of the CD quality. MP3 doesn't do that, neither does AAC. FLAC is identical to CD quality. Use that for archival storage and then he can convert down from there to a USB drive.

Can I use an old XP machine online?

Watch Wayne from Decatur, GA Comments

Wayne is being told his old Gateway PC isn't worth keeping since it's been in storage for a few years. Leo says it's probably running an old version of Windows -- likely XP. Hardware wise, there's probably nothing wrong with it. The reason people are saying Wayne shouldn't use it is because Microsoft isn't updating it, so security is an issue. He can run it safely by doing the following:

1. Stop using XP as an administrator. Use it as a limited user instead. Add an account as an administrator and then demote your existing account to limited user. This will stop over 90% of all the exploits out there.
2. Stop using Internet Explorer. Go with Google Chrome. It's free and far more secure.
3. Don't click on links in email.
4. Only get your software from original vendors.
5. Keep your anti virus software up to date.
6. Stop using Java
7. Use a password vault like LastPass
8. Turn on second factor authentication

The other issue may be RAM. He may not have a lot of RAM to run it for the modern world. Leo advises not putting any money into it. He's probably better off getting a budget computer like the HP Stream or even a Chromebook. He could also put Linux on it.

Why does my Mac Pro keep beach balling?

Watch Peter from Brooklyn, NY Comments

Peter bought an Apple Mac Pro and it keeps beach balling. Leo says he thinks that the Mac Pro is a lemon and even Apple isn't really pushing them anymore. Peter could try zapping the PRAM and refreshing the USB controller. He could even reinstall the OS. Leo did all that and he decided that the Mac Pro is just a bad design.

Audience QuestionsHour 3

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

Why is my clock inaccurate in Windows 10?

Watch The Old Geek from Brooklyn, NY Comments

'The Old Geek' got Windows 10 updated on his computer and now his clock is off by an hour. The settings are grayed out so he can't change it. How does he reset it? Leo says to click on the clock in the lower right hand side and select date and time settings. Then he should disable the "automatic time zone" option and select "adjust for daylight savings time." Then change the clock and it should fix it. It's annoying that Windows 10 settings are not only in different places, but there's two of them.

Should I sign up for Google Fi?

Watch Karen from Canyon City, CO Comments

Karen wants to get Google Fi. Leo says that Google Fi is a great because you pay as you go on the data, and you get pure Android phones. There have been reports on cracks and bending on the new Google Nexus 6 phones, but Leo says it's largely "clickbait." It's happened, but only in extreme situations. Google will replace it if it happens spontaneously. But it's not happening as often as the websites are saying it has. Leo says to just get a case.

How can I monitor my elderly mother?

Watch Ludlow from Montana Comments

Ludlow would like to get a 'nanny cam' of sorts for his elderly mother. Leo says that there's a great product to keep an eye on older parents without intruding, called Lively. It comes with a wrist watch that sends you messages about your parent's activity. It'll tell you if she's taken her meds, if she's getting active, and there's a life alert button. It's ideal for what Ludlow is looking for.

Google has the Nest Cam, which has Wi-Fi cameras. But that's very intrusive from a privacy perspective.

Why can't I listen to music in my old iPod nano?

Watch Gino from Croatia Comments

Gino has an old iPod Nano MP3 player, but he can't listen to anything with his headphones. Leo says that it's likely that the headphones are bad or the headphone jack has gone bad. Gino knows that the USB connector works for music, so that leads to the headphone jack being busted.

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