July 31, 2011

Record Video games from Xbox 360, PS3, Wii to Computer with Roxio Game Capture to upload to YouTube



The Roxio Game Capture lets you easily capture video from your Component video while you are playing your Xbox 360, PS3, Wii in HD on your HD TV. The Roxio Game Capture captures video and audio from your Component video cables and Red and white audio RCA composite audio cables to record on your Laptop or Desktop computer which is running Windows XP, Vista or 7.

If you have component cables for your PS2, PC with component out, or other consoles you own, you can also use Roxio Game Capture to record component video or sound. You might also even be able to use it to record DVD video discs from your DVD player since a lot of DVD players also have component video out.

The Roxio Game Capture also comes with software for recording, editing, save, convert, and uploading your recorded game footage in HD Quality to YouTube, and other streaming media sites, or to playback on your computer in AVI, Divx, or WMV video file format. You can also add voice overs and webcam commentary to your game videos.

For under 70 dollars, the Roxio Game Capture is one of the cheapest options to record HD video of your game footage considering the Roxio Game Capture also comes with the Cables and software you need for capturing, recording, editing, and narrating your gameplay videos. The Roxio Game Capture is a lot cheaper and easier to use then a Digital Video Recorder/DVR which can cost hundreds of dollars, and is difficult to export video to a computer for editing, and uploading to Youtube.

The Roxio Game Capture is a inexpensive, simple, and high quality way to capture, edit, narrate, and upload your video for sharing on video sharing sites like YouTube.

How to plug in newer game consoles, dvd players, and video devices on TV without RCA Composite plugs





Do you still have a older TV or traveling to a place which has TV which still does not have RCA Composite inputs which are those Cables for Yellow for video, Red, and White for sound on the plugs which a lot of game consoles, DVD players, portable DVD player,Camcorder and other video devices uses. No matter which TV you use, you'll be able to play your favorite game console on a older TV without RCA composite plugs.

You need a RCA Composite to COAX Converter box like the RCA CRF907 Compact RF Modulator to be able to plug in your RCA cables to the TV. The RCA Converter box will convert your RCA signal to work with the coaxial cable which is the type of cable you use to plug-in your coax cable from the wall into the TV for watching cable. A RF modulator also lets you hook up more types of devices into your older coax based TV without spending a lot of money.

It is simple to use a RCA RF Modulator. You first need to plug in the RF modulator to your Wall's power plug then connect your Yellow, Red, and white cable from your Game Console, DVD Player, Camcorder, or VCR to the RF Modulator, and tune your TV to either CH 3 or 4 then turn on your game console, or DVD player. If you subscribe to cable, or watch antennae TV, plug your TV cable from the wall into the TV in coax plug then plug the TV out cable into the TV out of the RF modulator then Plug the cable into your TV.

You might experience better picture quality with this RF modulator instead of the ones made for Game consoles since most RF modulator adapters are non-powered.

July 30, 2011

Using Ubuntu Linux as my main operating system

I recently decided to use Ubuntu Linux 10.04 LTS Lucid Lynx as my main operating system on my computer rather then using a Windows or Mac based operating system for most of the day. Ubuntu Linux 10.04 LTS Lucid Lynx is a free Operating System which is based on the Debian Linux Distro operating system. However, Ubuntu is more easier to use then Debian, and Ubuntu is designed to make it easy for Linux newbies to use as their daily operating system.

So far, the experience have been great. I mainly use my computer for posting on forums, blogs, and websites. I also watch video and music on my PC when I am surfing the internet. When I use Ubuntu, I do not have to close system tray programs, start up programs, and other programs which are running in the background, so it runs faster like Windows. I can spend hours watching video, listening to music, and browsing the web without closing anything or noticing any slow downs.

Using Ubuntu Linux is also more quieter since there are no scheduled disk defrags, virus scans, caching apps, and maintenance programs which make my hard drive click, move back and forth and spin a lot like Windows.

I still use Windows for printing documents, and photos, video editing, and scanning stuff. I also use Windows to record shows on my hard drive with my USB TV Tuner since I find it more convenient to do these tasks in Windows.

It is great that Ubuntu makes it easy for a computer user to have the choice of running Ubuntu and Windows on the same computer drive, but on different partitions by using the GRUB bootloader to start your computer into Windows or Ubuntu by using the Arrow keys. It is also nice that it is extremely easy to use the Windows Ubuntu Installer to install Ubuntu on a Windows drive without the need for partitioning a hard drive and starting a computer from the Ubuntu LiveCD to install Ubuntu.

But, for the most part, Ubuntu Linux 10.04 have been great for what I usually do which is watching videos on YouTube, watching videos, listening to songs, playing flash games, blogging, foruming, making websites, photo editing with Gimp, and playing a few games.

I love the fast start up, application start time and shut down times for Ubuntu Linux 10.04 on my computer with a 1.8GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, and a 320GB sata II hard drive Ubuntu Linux 10.04 LTS is great to be used as a multimedia computer listening to music and watching videos since it is fast and cost nothing to install and use unlike Windows or Mac.

 Using Ubuntu Linux is great because I can be using my web browser like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Opera, and not have it crash. Plus, Ubuntu Linux 10.04 does not require disk defrags, virus scans, and other backgrounds apps which slow down most operating systems.

I also don't have to use any System Monitor or Task Monitor Programs to End Tasks and Processes to stop a slow program or service which is slowing down my computer like Windows. This means I can be more productive by not constantly closing and opening programs like disk defrags, scan disks and other programs to speed up my computer. I now have more time to spend on checking e-mails, blogging on Blogger, surfing the internet, watching videos, listening to music, and doing other important tasks rather then running a disk defrag, scan disk, disk clean up, and virus scan like in Windows...

There is also no real need to stop start up applications in Ubuntu Linux since there are very few start up programs which slow down the computer during start up.

Ubuntu 10.04 also comes with the ability for me to automatically backup my important files by making a Ubuntu One account, so I do not need to use DropBox or other online storage accounts to back up my files to online storage accounts.

It is also to install new programs with the Ubuntu Software Center, and keep my programs and Ubuntu Linux up to date with the Ubuntu Update program. The Updates are also fast to install, and don't constantly nag you to restart your computer.

Software I recommend for Ubuntu Linux which you can search for and install on Ubuntu Software Center under the applications menu on the top toolbar are
  • Adobe Flash Player for playing back YouTube videos
  • Gimp for image editing
  • Chromium for Web browsing
  • Kompozer for making websites
  • FileZilla FTP client for uploading your website
  • SM player for playing videos and audio
  • VLC player for playing your video and audio files
  • Kdenlive for advance video editing
  • Openshot for basic video editing
  • Audacity for recording and editing sound files
  • Cheese for recording and taking pictures with a webcam.

It is also very easy to change the animations, windows' appearances, fonts, and desktop background within Ubuntu Linux.

Ubuntu Linux 10.04 LTS Lucid Lynx have been a fast, stable, simple and very customizable free operating system which is great for older and newer computers.

Ubuntu Linux also saved me a few times when Windows failed to boot or login to the Windows 7 desktop, I could use Ubuntu Linux to copy my files on my broken Windows partition to my working Ubuntu Linux partition because Ubuntu can read and write Windows NTFS and FAT formatted drives and partitions.

July 29, 2011

Make your Tablet act like a PC or Laptop by buying a keyboard for it to type on!



A Tablet is great for using to read e-books, watching videos, playing games, and other activities, but it is not very good because it lacks a physical keyboard, and the onscreen touch screen keyboard can be hard to use, and slippery.

There are companies like Logitech Tablet Keyboard for Android 3.0+ (Keyboard-and-Stand Combo) which make USB or Bluetooth based keyboards for you to input text on your tablet with a keyboard similar to your laptop's or PC's  keyboard with all the letter, numbers, directional and other keys.

This will make typing long e-mails, documents, and doing office work on your Tablet a lot easier then using your fingers and the on screen keyboard since a keyboard is easiest to use to input text into your tablet PC because you can use both hands to type on the keyboard rather then peking each individual key on the onscreen keyboard on a tablet. Using both hands to type on a keyboard will increase your productivity since you can now type text twice as fast on your tablet with a keyboard.

Using a keyboard to type text on a tablet also reduces the number of fingerprints or scratches on the screen since you touch the screen less since you are no longer using the screen to type, so it reduces the chance of you scratching, and smudging the screen with your fingers. Your touch screen will last longer because you are using it less to type, so there is less wear and tear from regular use from typing on the on screen keyboard.

Plus, you can also move your tablet PC farther away if you prefer your tablet to be farther from you when you type. Having a keyboard also frees up your hands for typing and viewing videos since most tablet pc keyboards also come with a stand or a case for you to hold your tablet on to hold it while you watch a video.


July 26, 2011

Solid State Memory Drives Advantages



The benefits of Solid state memory drives like the Kingston SSDNow V100 64GB SATA II 3GB/s 2.5 Inch Solid State Drive are they uses less power, run faster in some cases, run cooler, can be more reliable, are quieter, and are smaller then mechanical drives. Solid State Drives uses technology which is similar to your USB Flash drive, SD memory card, and other flash based memory. However, SSD drives are a lot faster and more reliable since they uses the SATA II drive interface to connect to your computer.

Solid State drives are faster like 250MB/sec read and 145MB/sec write speeds for the Kingston SSD drive and will stay faster over time since you do not have to worry about data fragmentation when using a SSD drive. Plus, the hard drive does not have to spin up to access data like mechanical drives. Your computer start up time and program start up time will also be a lot faster compared to a mechanical hard drive.

The main reason solid state memory drives uses less power is that there are no moving parts like mechanical hard drive which have a motor to run the data discs and read and write head inside a drive.

Not having mechanical parts inside a solid state drive also have the benefits of using less power and making no noise while the solid state drive is on unlike a mechanical hard drive which has clicking and spinning sounds when the drive is on.

Some higer end and faster drive may require additional fans to cool mechanical hard drives. The cooling fans will also add additional noise to your PC.

While a solid state drive does not require extra cooling since they usually run pretty cool since there is not a lot of heat generated because it does not have mechanical parts. Solid State drive are also great for laptops, tablets, and low power usage computers since they use less power which means you do not have to charge your laptop as much, and you will use less power when your computer is on. This has the benefit of paying less for your computers electricity usage.

Solid State Drives are also smaller, so you do not have to worry as much as not having enough space inside your new computer to mount the drive to.

SSD drives are also lighter then 3.5" mechanical hard drives and 2.5" laptop mechanical hard drives since they
have fewer parts in them and uses chips rather then disc platters and mechanical motors to store, read and write date. Solid State Drive are more environmentally friendly because they can last longer, uses less material to make, can be reused in your future desktops, and laptops you buy, and use less electricity which is good for the environment.

Since solid state drive don't have any mechanical parts, so  it is better suited for places with a lot of vibrations, or if you are more likely to bump or drop your laptop. With a hard drive, if you drop it, you risk losing all your data if your hard drive read and write head crashes in to the data platters in your drive. With a Solid State Drive, there is no read or write head to crash, or motor to fail. You also do not have to worry about the Solid State Drive failing because of cracks or dents on the case like a metal mechanical hard drive which will break if even a particle of dust some hows enter inside the hard drive case.

The downside of a solid state drive is it cost more for the same amount of storage space compared to a mechanical hard drive, but solid state drive are less likely to fail because you drop your laptop or computer  on the ground, so you save money on data recovery since you won't need it since your SSD survived a drop on the ground. Data Recovery can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars if your drive head or motor has failed on a mechanical hard drive where you can't turn on or use your mechanical hard drive anymore. However, if you have a USB external hard drive, a secondary internal hared drive with lots of storage space like 500GB or more, or don't have a lot of files, the space limitations of a SSD would not be very noticeable for someone who mainly use their computer for web browsing, playing a few games, listening to music, and watching a few HD movies on a SSD.

A Solid State Drive could extend the life of your computer since it produce less heat, have no moving parts, and uses less power, so your power supply does not have to work as hard to power your SSD drive, and SSD have no moving parts, so your data should be safe even after a fall from a few feet unlike a hard drive which can fail if it falls from a few feet off the ground.

Solid State Drive offer the speed, reliability, quietness, and power savings for saving your data.

July 16, 2011

Warning signs and prevention- How to avoid getting stuck with a computer crash (Guest Post)

If you’re one of those lucky souls who’s personally experienced a computer crash, and had one of those “counseling sessions” with your computer repairs people, you’ll understand how important it is to recognize a computer with problems. You’ll also know that there were a lot of things you wish you’d known long before the crash, so you could have been better prepared.


July 12, 2011

Tablet PC, The perfect Companion this summer.



A Tablet PC can be a great companion computer for you to use this summer since it is inexpensive, small, and cute unlike a bulky heavy laptops which are big, expensive, and less attractive.
For example, the ViewSonic gTablet with 10" Multi-Touch LCD Screen, Android OS 2.2 can be a great book sized computer for you to use to watch videos on long car/bus rides, or at a restaurant with Wifi. You can also install and put Apps, E-books, music, video, and other files on it when you do not have internet access by WiFi which is a lot cheaper or free to access the internet at most libraries, and coffee shops then using your Smartphone mobile phone service which sometimes just give you 1000MB of data transfer for month for 20 dollars or more a month.

The good thing about a tablet is it won't overheat as easily since you mostly be holding it on your hand unlike a laptop which can overheat if you rest it on a bed, your lap, or any other soft surface.

Tablet computers can also be good for people with chubby fingers, or poor eyesight which makes it hard for them to read the songs on an iPod or smaller MP3 player, but with an Tablet PC the Text is bigger, and the on screen keyboards buttons, are easy to push with your finger tips because of the bigger screen. Tablet PCs also look a lot nicer then portable DVD players, and TVs, and can playback more types of video, audio, document, games, and other files. You can also use Tablet computers to video chat with people via skype and record video, and take pictures if the tablet computer also have a webcam/digital camera. If you like, you can buy a wireless Bluetooth keyboard and mouse for your tablet to be used as a laptop/netbook when you need to type a lot of text.

Most Tablet computers also have built-in speakers for you to play back sound, so there is no need to buy external speakers, or headphones to listen to sound or music. You can also use headphones or plug in external portable speakers to plug into the built-in headphone jack on tablet computers if you prefer using headphones, or louder music by plugging your tablet into louder speakers then the built-in speaker.

Tablets also start up faster like Cell phones and smart phones which usually start up in seconds rather then minutes like Laptops and Desktop computers. The reason for tablets being able to start up in seconds is because the operating system, and hard ware are optimize to start up quickly and there are no or very few startup processes which slow down the boot time like Windows. Your tablet also won't slow down due to overheating or being messed up after time like Windows computer when it is heavily infected by virus, spyware, and malware. You also do not have to worry as much about getting a virus from browsing the internet when using a Android based tablet.Plus, you do not have to carry around a mouse to use a tablet since the screen is the mouse/touch pad and keyboard, so you do not have to worry about forgetting your mouse if you are not use to using the touch pad on a laptop. Tablets also use solid state flash memory like a USB Flash drive or a SD Card which is less likely to fail then a laptops hard drive which is mechanical. SSD Solid state memory is also faster then regular mechanical hard drives when it comes to opening files and copying files. Some Tablets let you use SD Cards, and MicroSD cards to expand the amount of storage space your tablet have which is a lot easier then replacing a laptops hard drive with a bigger hard drive by opening up the laptop and replacing the old laptop drive with a higher capacity laptop hard drive. Tablet computers are cheaper and easier to maintain since they have no fans or cooling systems to maintain, don't require system utility software like disk defrag software, antivirus subscriptions, as many operating system and software updates as a desktop or laptop computer. Unless you are using a Windows 7 Tablet which requires an Anti-virus, and all those other system utility software for Windows. The Blackberry Playbook, Google Android, Linux, and non-Windows based tablet computers are the way to go if you want a tablet which is fast, and does not require an anti-virus, system utility software, etc while in use.

Tablets also use power more efficiently then laptops since Tablets do not have any mechanical parts like cooling fans, CD-ROM drives, mechanical hard drives which uses more power then flash/solid state storage drives like SD cards. More of the Tablet's battery power will be used for powering the screen, speakers, and other parts require for tablets to display video and playback sound. You also do not have to run disk defrags, virus scans, and system utility software like a desktop or laptop base computer which need to use them. System Utility software, and scanner software will use up more power when in use. By using a Tablet, you'll use less electricity to fully charge a laptop, and more of the tablet battery's power will be used for running applications, the screen, speakers, and internal parts rather being wasted on running the cooling fans, mechanical drives, and system utility software. This mean you'll save money on electricity charging your tablet then charging a laptop computer which requires a lot more power to run while a tablet requires less power to run, so you'll save a lot more money on electricity if you mainly use your tablet for going online and watching videos instead of using a power hungry PC and laptop.

Tablet PC's are also light, so your back won't hurt from carrying it around town unlike some heavy desktop replacement laptops. You also do not have to carry around CDs, USB flash drives, or any other external drives to access your data since Tablet computers also have a fair amount of built-in storage to carry your files on. A Tablet can also access data which you have stored in your e-mail, online storage, and social network accounts when connected to a Wi-Fi Wireless internet hotspot which are found in a lot of places like the library, schools, restaurants, and coffee shop.

The problem with using a laptop or desktop in some cases, is that I have to hunch over, adjust my computer chair or position my body weirdly to be able to view the screen comfortably with my eyes. However, using a tablet does not have this problem because I can hold it with my hand or buy a adjustable stand for it to view it comfortably rather then slouching or hunching over to use a laptop which can lead to shoulder or back pains in my experience. Holding a tablet is like a book, you can hold it farther or closer to your face without slouching, or you can just set the font bigger to read it easier like a E-book reader.

You can also use a Tablet PC while standing or walking on a treadmill which is hard to do with a laptop because of the size, weight and keyboard. Standing or walking on a treadmill have the benefits of being better for your health then sitting on a chair because you are more active.

The thing I dislike most about laptops and desktops is they tend to require a cooling pad with a fan or installing a more powerful fan for cooling it or it overheats which can lead to increase noise.

A Tablet Computer can be used all year round like in the winter when the power goes out because of a storm, or in the fall when you need a E-book reader, calculator app, e-mail app, etc for school or work. They make a great gift for people who needs the functionality of a computer, but don't have a lot of space. They can also be used to display a map, or be used as a GPS system if your tablet has a GPS. Some Tablets also let you easily connect your HD Television to it with a HDMI cable.

Tablets are great when you need to view your videos, websites, docs, and games and other media in seconds vs waiting minutes like a computers or laptop.

A Tablet PC offer most of the features and convenience of a smartphone, or even more features, but a tablet has a bigger screen, more powerful CPU, more RAM, better battery life, cooler apps and greater storage space. It almost can be a replacement for your laptop computer for doing simple tasks like web browsing, typing out short documents (unless you also buy a keyboard for your tablet then you can use it like a laptop except a tablet is lighter and starts up faster then a laptop), taking pictures and video, and playing casual games when you are on the go, but don't want to carry around a heavier and more expensive laptop.