Bits & Bytes

This one’s for the kiddies!

http://pbskids.org

PBSkids.org is a great site for your children or grandchildren.  There are online games featuring PBS characters like Clifford, Arthur, and the Berenstain Bears that they can play online.  There are also coloring pages you can print out and there are pictures you can color online also.

Introducing young children to websites such as these gets them used to using a computer and is a great way to get them started using technology that I’m sure will be in even greater use as they get older.

We are talking about entertainment on your PC,  How about some free CD/DVD creating software?

Infrarecorder

http://infrarecorder.sourceforge.net/

InfraRecorder is a free CD/DVD burning solution for Microsoft Windows. It offers a wide range of powerful features; all through an easy to use application interface and Windows Explorer integration.

Today we are going to start a series on entertainment.  Today’s show is going to focus on Home Theater PC’s or HTPC for short.

Computers are more and more becoming an integral part of a home entertainment system. This week we are going to share some of the ways you can use what’s out there today in your home theater setup, as well as what’s coming down the road.

In simple terms, an HTPC is like a TiVo on Steriods.  You can use it as a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) but it also does much, much more!

The hardware required for a typical HTPC is about the same for a normal midrange system with a few exceptions.  First, if you are going to use the DVR functions, you will need some sort of TV tuners.  We will get into that in more detail in a minute.  You also need LOTS of storage space.  The more storage space, the more recording time, and the more things you can have ready to go on your system, like downloaded or ripped movies.  You also need a decent video card, preferably one that is HDCP compliant.

What is HDCP?

HDCP is a standard developed by Intel for protecting content as it goes from device to device.  (HDCP stands for High-Definition Content Protection)  HDCP uses a “key” that is passed between devices that allows high-def content to be passed between them.  For example, Blu-Ray requires HDCP.  If you have a Blu-Ray drive and your computer has an HDCP compliant video card and it is connected to an HDCP monitor, the content will be relayed to these devices and everything will be peachy.  However, if even one of these devices is not HDCP compliant, the device will not pass on the content.  This is to prevent the content from being copied.

HTPC Software Options

There are quite a few options availabe for DVR software.  We will talk about a few of them here.  First the free ones:

MythTV

MythTV is an open source DVR platform that runs on Linux.  MythTV has many modules you can download to enhance the HTPC experience.  It has a couple of downfalls, however.  The only HD TV support is over the air, so if you live where you can’t get HD signals over the air (and here in Anderson there are a couple of stations we can’t get with a regular anntenna) you will miss out on HD.  Also no premium channels or cable channels are available in HD that way.  Find out more at http://www.mythtv.com.

MediaPortal

MediaPortal is another open source system, but this one runs on Windows.  It is not as popular as MythTV, but it does have some add-ons that have been built for it.  It has the same limitations as mentioned above for MythTV.  Check it out at http://www.team-mediaportal.com.

SageTV

SageTV is a commercial application.  It cost about $80.  They have Windows and Linux versions.  The good thing about SageTV is that it has extenders available.  These are boxes that can be connect via a network and display content from the computer running SageTV.  Not a bad system, however the same HD limitations apply.  http://www.sagetv.com is their site.

Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center is the most popular of the software DVRs.  MC comes with Windows XP Media Center Edition, and a newer version ships with Vista Home Premium or Ultimate versions.  Media Center is the only one of the DVR programs out now that can utilize cable cards (more on this below) so you can have HD content from your cable provider.  There is also a card for DirecTV that is currently being developed by Microsoft and DirecTV.

TV Tuners

There are several types of TV Tuners out right now:

• Analog TV Tuners
  • Record TV over standard cable (cable with no cable box)
  • Record TV shows individually or by series
  • Record by keyword
• Digital OTA Tuners
  • Record HDTV from an antenna
• Digital Cable TV Tuners
  • Record TV that would usually require a cable box
  • Can record digital cable HD channels!!
  • Has to be a CableLabs certified computer (only a few companies make these as of today)
• DirecTV!!!
  • Coming sometime soon - who knows when?
  • Will act as a satellite receiver for your computer!

So there’s HTPC’s in a nutshell.  Email us at bits@pc-er.com if you want more information over the coming weeks and we will answer your questions on the air!

Our website of the week this week is from a news story we read on the air about One Red Paper Clip.  Here’s the link to the site:

http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/

Our download of the week this week is CutePDF!

You don’t need expensive software to make PDF files.  CutePDF installs as a printer driver and lets you create a PDF file from any file you can print.  Check it out at www.cutepdf.com!

Last week we talked about how to buy a new computer, this week we are going to help you keep that computer up and running

Just like you have to perform maintenance on a new car, you also have to maintain your computer to keep it running in tip-top shape!

Backup!

• This is the number one important thing for you to do.  If you have good backups, you can recover from ANYTHING!!
• How do you backup?
  • Full System Backup
  • • Tape backup
      • Expensive
      • Usually reserved for businesses
  • • Backup to DVD (or CD)
      • Takes too many to make it easy
  • • Online
      • Mozy.com
      • Idrive.com
      • Google “Online Backup” for more options
      • Most of the services install software that will automatically backup your data as long as you are connected to the Internet.
  • Only backup data, not programs
    • This isn’t the best approach, but it’s better than nothing.  If you don’t have the option of using one of the above methods, at least backup your important data so if you have to reload your system you will still have it.
• You HAVE to backup your system!!!
• Do it as often as you wouldn’t want to have to manually update what you lose.

Clean and protect your system from malware

• “Malware” is a word that includes viruses and spyware/adware
  • Viruses, self replicate and usually cause damage
  • “Spyware” or “Adware” are programs that install themselves without you knowing it (or sometimes you do know it but you don’t realize it) and they “phone home” with information about you and your computing habits or they serve up ads to your computer
    • These slow down your computer CONSIDERABLY!
• Use only 1 program, preferably one that has antivirus, antispyware, and firewall protection.
  • I recommend Trend Micro Internet Security Pro
• You can supplement with Spybot (www.safer-networking.org) or Adaware (www.lavasoft.com)
• DO NOT DOWNLOAD A PROGRAM FOR SPYWARE FROM A MESSAGE SAYING YOU HAVE SPYWARE!!!!
• You should scan for spyware every 2-3 weeks with heavy downloads, less often may be ok if you are careful with downloading stuff and use a non-IE browser
  • DON’T JUST DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE WILLY-NILLY FROM THE INTERNET!
• Use a verified source like download.com

Have updates set to automatic in Windows

• Vista Steps:
  • Click on the Start thingy, then Control Panel
  • Click on “Security”
  • Click on “Turn Automatic Updating On or Off”
  • Choose “Install Updates Automatically”
  • Click OK
  • Close Control Panel
• XP Steps:
  • Click “Start”, then Control Panel
  • Click “Security Center”
  • Make Sure “Automatic Updates” is set to “On”, if it isn’t, it will provide an option there to turn it on.
  • Close Security Center and the Control Panel
• If Windows asks you to install updates, you should say yes!

Defrag your drive

After quite a bit of use, your hard drive becomes “fragmented”.  What that means is that some of your files are scattered all over the drive in pieces.  That makes your computer run less efficiently that it would normally.  “Defragmenting” puts them all back together.  In Vista, this is automatic out of the box and unless you’ve changed it, you don’t need to worry about it.  To defrag in XP go to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Defrag.

Physically clean your system

Your computer gets dusty and the dust can hamper your computer’s efforts to cool itself.  So get either a can of compressed air or an air compressor with a tool similar to what you would use to detail your car, take your system outside, and then blow all that dust out!  Make sure to get all the fans and openings of the case.  Get inside the case around the drives, etc.  If you have pets who shed quite a bit or a very dusty atmosphere, you will want to do this fairly often.

Check back with us next week for more computer talk on WHBU 1240am!  Send us an email at bits@pc-er.com!