Audience Questions

Audience QuestionsHour 1

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

What's a Good Phone for Chromecast?

Watch Ken from Merced, CA Comments

Ken has Android and he's having issues with Chromecast. Leo says that Ken's smartphone is fairly old, running Android 4.3 (too old for Chromecast compatibility). So he'll need to get a newer device under his budget of $300. Leo says that his current favourite budget smartphone is the Motorola Moto G6. He can get them unlocked directly from Motorola for under $200. Google Fi is selling the G6 for $99.

Why can't I Use a Home Email Server to Send Email?

Watch Neal from Phoenix, AZ Comments

Neal has a Helm home email server, but he's having issues sending his email. Leo says that ISPs are blocking email that doesn't come from an approved IP address. They will test from big companies, but little companies and personal mail servers don't get enough attention. The idea is to avoid spam. Neal can precondition a mail server by sending as many emails as he can. So create some emails on Gmail or Yahoo, and send a bunch of email to them from the home server. But Neal says his bank won't accept .EMAIL as a domain. Leo says that's because .EMAIL is a new domain, and chances are it just hasn't been updated yet. Neal can contact them directly and let them know so they can fix it.

Audience QuestionsHour 2

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

Can I Use a Unity Server to Write Games?

Watch John from LA, California Comments

John is a coder and he wants to know if a Unity server will work to create the game he's writing. If he has DirectX 10, he should be OK. He can turn down the settings for lower quality to get the frame rate up, just to see how it works.

How can I get Municipal Wifi in my Area?

Watch Micah from Portland, MN Comments

Micah's town is considering putting municipal wifi in the city. What are the pros and cons? Leo says that it's a path that is well-trodden and there are groups that can support him and give all the data he needs to make the transition. Google "municipal wifi" and you'll find dozens of groups who are out there to support him as he looks into it. Check out Chatanooga's public wifi project.
From the Chatroom:
https://muninetworks.org/content/broadband-affordable-infrastructure-fac...

Can I Watch YouTube with an Ad Blocker Turned On?

Watch Ron from California Comments

Ron is having issues with YouTube when he's using uBlock Origin ad blocker. Leo says that uBlock is the best AdBlocker out there, but it's possible that it may be set to block youtube. Look in the settings, it's highly configurable, so if you don't want to blanket unlock the entire site.

How Can I Make my Old Mac Faster?

Watch LeAnn from Lake Elsinore, California Comments

LeAnn has an older Mac laptop that she wants to upgrade. Leo says the best thing to make your old Mac faster is to get an SSD drive. Adding more RAM will boost it as well. Should she downgrade to OS X Sierra? Leo says that High Sierra is actually faster, so there's no need to downgrade. But make sure to back up the existing hard drive before changing out.

Audience QuestionsHour 3

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3

Can I Convert my CDs and not Lose Quality?

Watch Mark from Grand Rapids, MI Comments

Mark wants to know how he can convert his CDs and have them sound as good. Leo says that digital music records differently by using sampling. 44100 is CD-quality sound. 16-bit resolution is CD quality. But he can buy higher resolution samples like 24 bit. However, the files get large as a result, which is why compression has come into play. MP3, AAC, etc. Lossless is also possible with FLAC and Apple Lossless. Google Pixel XL can play back those lossless files with the right application.

How can I capture miniDV video tapes?

Watch Jay from Lakewood, California Comments

Jay has a stack of miniDV tapes and wants to digitize them to make DVDs. Leo says if he still has the camera, he can do it easily by plugging it into the computer. He wants a USB 3 or Thunderbolt connection if possible. Firewire to USB converter could also do it, but it may be easier just to have a service do it.

Do I Need an Antivirus for my Smartphone?

Watch Robert from LA, CA Comments

Robert is wondering if he needs to get an Antivirus for his smartphone. Leo says it would be unnecessary since the phones' Operating Systems are already quite secure thanks to Apple and Google's efforts. An Android device, for example, will scan apps downloaded from the Play Store (which is the best a 3rd-party app can do anyway).

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