Ask The Experts - All Entries
Why Won't Windows Media Player Play My DVDs?
Question from TechLore Member msalessi : I was hoping someone can help me out here. I recently bought a Toshiba laptop, model Satellite L305-S5919. My problem is when I put in a DVD to watch, it gave me an error and said something about a decoder. What does this mean and why won't the movie play? I can't find another application to play the movie on and I really don't want to buy more software for this computer. Am I crazy to assume the computer should've come with something that would allow me to play movies? Please help! Answer: You're not going crazy, and in fact, you're not alone. The Toshiba Satellite L305-S5919 ships with Windows Vista Home Basic, which does not include the necessary decoder for DVD playback. Before we get to solutions, the first question you probably want answered is, "Why doesn't Microsoft include a DVD decoder in... More »
Last Post: November 8, 2009 11:27 PM by tammie cummings
How Can I Hook Up My TV's Audio to My Home Theater?
Question: I have just bought a DURABRAND SA51AR home theatre system to go with my DURABRAND 2127N TV and DURABRAND CG5660-M Freeview set-top box. I have connected all my output leads (the speaker ones). I have only one red, yellow, and white jack on my TV and three sets of red and white jack leads with home theatre system. I can't get sound no matter how many times I've swapped the input leads... any ideas whats going wrong :( - submitted by CKENWORTHY1986 Answer: If I get you right, you have a home theater system, a TV, and a freeview set-top, but can't get any sound from the TV through your external audio system. If that's the gist, let's look at a few things. Based on your description, it doesn't sound like your TV has an OUTPUT... only an input (since there's only 1 set of jacks). If this is... More »
Last Post: October 10, 2009 3:09 PM by Ben B
The LG HT554TH Home Cinema and the Mystery of the Missing DTS Sound
Question from TechLore Member snypy : I bought a new LG HT554TH home cinema that plays Dolby Digital fine, but when I select DTS I get no sound at all, although the device display indicates that source as DTS. I asked LG technical support, but their answers were total wrong. In fact, they did not tell me anything at all, and then claimed that my home cinema does not support DTS sound at all despite their official specifications. So, I'd like to ask, is there any way to make DTS sound work or not? The setup menu does not offer many options (in fact not a single one about Dolby Digital or DTS setup - not even in the manual) or should I send it in for service? It is still under warranty - but I'd like to know if there is a solution or anything which may help me... More »
Last Post: October 2, 2009 2:58 AM by snypy
Uprading a Graphics Card... What Are the Limitations?
Question: I have an Acer Aspire T160 MB-70 PC with an Acer FC51GM motherboard. It has built in graphics ( Nvidia 6100 ). It has a 2.2 ghz CPU and a standard PSU. It can take a maximum of 4GB RAM. I would like to buy a new graphics card which can be placed in a PCI Express slot. It must be the best one that my motherboard will accept as money is not an object. In addition, I am willing to upgrade the PSU if necessary and also the CPU. I will be using the graphics card as an all rounder as I do gaming and watch alot of videos, dvds etc on the PC. It must preferably have a hdmi output on it and have HD capabilities. I would like this to be connected to the TV. I am having difficulty finding information regarding what graphic cards my... More »
Using a Projector to Display Your Laptop or Computer
Question: I am trying to connect my Dell Inspiron 6000 notebook to a Toshiba TDP-PX10 projector. When I turn on the projector, the projected image says there is no signal. I am trying to show a PowerPoint through the projector, but for some reason the computer is not connecting with the projector. Are they not compatible?? Any help would be greatly appreciated! -submitted by ksharp Answer: For the most part, plugging a computer or laptop into a PC compatible projector is pretty straightforward. Typically, the one area where people run in to complications has to do with enabling the laptop to output to two displays simultaneously. Let's first walk through the physical setup, then we'll talk about the software and configuration side of things. Physical Setup For ksharp, the Dell Inspiron 6000 offers two different kinds of video outputs. One is an analog output designed to plug into TVs, the... More »
Last Post: August 25, 2009 10:12 PM by Matt Whitlock
Ditch Your Landline and Save Some Cash With VoIP: Skype, Ooma, and MagicJack
Question: cptdano from the forums asks: "We have done away with land lines in our house. Do you have any ideas of another way we might accomplish something similar?" Answer: The country is in a recession, and your cellphone bills are high enough. The last thing you or anyone else needs is yet another outrageous telephone bill, but your local cable and telephone companies keep on pressuring you to sign up for their included landline service. Landline telephone service does have its advantages, including clarity of transmission and always-on service, but there are a number of solutions from various providers that offer voice telephone services over the Internet for a fraction of the price. Are you ready to cut the cord? Take a look at these three solutions. (Before we begin, all of these solutions require a high-speed Internet connection.) Skype: A Solid, Well-Known VoIP Provider If you're not familiar... More »
Last Post: August 9, 2009 11:19 AM by MichaelD
How Do I Make Any Song Into an iPhone Ringtone?
Question: I'm searching in vain through my iTunes to find a way to make my favorite songs into ringtones for my iPhone. I can't seem to find it. How do I do this? Answer: Well, unfortunately for hundreds of thousands of iPhone owners who want custom ringtones, Apple doesn't make this easy for you. Of course, you could always buy ringtones from the iTunes Music Store, but what if they don't have your favorite song available? What if you want to use something completely different, like a video game sound effect or a recording of your kid playing the drums or something? There are a few ways to do this - a sneaky (and lengthy) "manual" way, or you can use a third party program to make it easy. The Manual Way 1. Go to your Preferences Menu in iTunes and select the "General" tab. See the "Import Settings" button... More »
Vista's Reputation Precedes It...
Question: I got a laptop that runs Windows Vista, and I've heard many rumors about vista... not good ones. Here are the main specs: XPS M1530 Intel Core 2 duo processor T8300 (2.4GHz/800Mhz FSB, 3MB Cache) 3GB Shared Duel Channel DDR2 SDRAM at667 MHz (2 dimms) Hopefully this is all you need to figure out if i may or may not have problems. -submitted by codify Answer: Things haven't been good for the folks at Redmond since Vista debuted. With any major OS revision, in this case the move from XP to Vista, there are always going to be problems. The Internet boards haven't exactly been kind to Microsoft's latest; spouting off problems, issues, and complaints at every major corner. Some of these can be substantiated, others are just dribble posted by the Apple fanboys of the world or those who fear change (you know... the folks who like things... More »
Last Post: July 5, 2009 11:05 PM by Rye
Help Choosing an MP3 Player: Anything but iPod... but What Does That Leave?
Question: I recently decided to finally buy an MP3 player, but I've found researching it to be quite overwhelming. This is what I want from an mp3 player: Lightweight and fairly compact - so that it doesn't weigh me down or become uncomfortable after walking/riding/etc. a while Fairly durable - I don't plan on dropping it often, but I don't want it to break the first time I do. Storage space - I think 4GB will be enough room for me to have enough songs with some extra room left over to make me feel good about not being close to full Battery life - I would like to be able to use it for a few hours without having to recharge it. Music selection - I need to be able to select specific songs. It would be nice to be able to make playlists too. Sound quality - It... More »
Last Post: May 26, 2009 8:19 PM by falseusername
How To Play Your iPod In Your Car
User amanda69 submitted an awesome question about using her iPod MP3 player. She's wondering how she can connect her iPod to her car stereo. A little background, first - Amanda has a Hyundai coupe, and I do as well. I also listen to my MP3 player through my car stereo, so this question really hits home for me. I'm guessing that many of you out there haven't even used a CD in months or maybe even years - personally, I can't remember the last time I played a CD in the car. Amanda, you'll be happy to know that there are a number of different ways that you can listen to your iPod in your car. #1: Connect your iPod to an FM Transmitter Considered the least desirable method by many, the FM transmitter also happens to be the easiest method to go about playing your iPod in your car.... More »
Last Post: April 4, 2009 2:46 AM by freude09
Which Cellphone (Or Smartphone) Should I Buy?
This is a very common question that I get nowadays, being a huge mobile gadget geek and all. Question: Which cellphone should I buy? Seems like a pretty simple question - buy what you like, right? However, this is all too common of a mistake. Once you purchase your shiny new communicator, you feel pretty good toting it about like a proud new parent... only to discover months later that it's missing a crucial feature or has some extremely annoying habits that you can't stand. As such, the question of which mobile to purchase is more complicated than it seems... especially with all the new (and sometimes wacky) choices out there. Answer: It depends. How do you use your cellphone? Start first with how you think you will use the cellphone, then go from there. I've come up with some common scenarios and phones that best fit your usage profile.... More »
Tips and Tricks To Fix A Bad Battery In Your Apple iPod
We definitely live in the days of rechargable technology. I'm not really that old, and I remember when most gadgets took AAA or AA batteries... and getting rechargables included with the device was always an (expensive) upgrade. Nowadays, though, pretty much every gadget or portable electronic device has rechargable batteries included... MP3 players, PDA's, phones, laptops, even toys. With the convenience of rechargable batteries does come some problems, however. Many devices use the Lithium Ion standard type battery, which has many advantages... but in some cases, a limited lifespan as well The iPod series of gadgets is particularly noteworthy for losing battery life quickly and having "bad" batteries... sometimes after just a year of use, or even less I'm not sure if this is because iPods are so frequently used, or if they use poor quality batteries - but nonetheless, it's a common issue. It's even happening to my 30GB... More »
Last Post: March 7, 2009 2:31 AM by Nwilson
Getting TV in a Room Without a Wall Jack
Community member Goatyeah shot a message over to the TechLore Experts with a common, but frustrating problem that many apartment dwellers face. They asked: Question: I recently moved into a great apartment, and in one bedroom they don't have a cable jack installed in the wall. The managers have told me I can't drill in the wall, but i need to have TV in that room. What can I do or buy to solve this problem? I dont mind spending a few $100 to get this solved. Answer: Don't worry Goatyeah... there are solutions for getting around this problem. And the good news, some aren't even that expensive. What you'll need to do depends on a few factors, like what kind of source devices you have available, and whether or not you're looking to pump HDTV into this room. You didn't indicate what kind of TV source you have. I'm... More »
4 Ways to Deal With Mini CDs or DVDs That Won't Fit In Your Drive
TechLore member dear82 recently wrote in with a question that doesn't come up very often, but sure could put even the tecnically minded person in a pickle. The question: "The software installation disk that came with my new MP3 player is to small for my computer! What can I do?" In other words, dear82 has been bitten by the "Mini-CD" problem. You see, CDs and DVDs typically come in the standard 12cm size, the size that looks like just about every CD, DVD, HD-DVD, and Blu-Ray disc you've seen the past 25 years. What you may or may not have seen is the less common 8cm size CD or DVD, which is known as the Mini-CD. These optical discs are the same as the full size, only they are physically smaller and hold less data or audio. For the most part, these discs should also be compatible with the majority... More »
How Should I Back Up My Media And Data Files?
Question: You may know the feeling. That sinking feeling you get deep in your gut that tells you something just went horribly, horribly wrong with your computer. It's usually confirmed when you navigate to your photos, music, or documents folder and find... that... it's... EMPTY. Or maybe you try to access the file and get some strange error, or your computer locks up, never to be resurrected again. Because of this type of devastating occurrence, one of the most common questions I get is: "How should I back up files on my computer?" You'd think it would be easy, but the truth is that there are a lot of ways to safeguard your digital loot - and I'd like to help make a little more sense of them. Answer: There's lots of ways, and some are better than others depending on your unique purpose. Read on to discover the variety... More »
How To Get Rid Of Virus and Spyware Infections on Windows XP PC's
Recently, Revelations2212 posted a question to the experts: "I have some nasty spyware or adware on my PC. I have ran Ad-Aware, Spybot and Anti-Malware and I can't get it removed. I have done everything I can think of, can someone give me some suggestions on what to do? What is the best spyware / adware remover out there? I need it badly, as this has been going on for more than a week now." I've decided to tackle this question since it seems to be the root of the vast majority of people's computer related issues, and in many instances, can be easily resolved. I'd like to share some of my personal insights and experiences, gleaned over the years from helping dozens of people with this type of issue. Please note that this advice covers those with Windows XP PC's, not Vista users or users of other OS's. This... More »
Last Post: December 11, 2008 5:03 PM by blanca
Getting DTS Audio to Play
Question: Why is it that when I play DVDs in auto mode on a Denon AVR-1907 I get sound from the speakers, but when I try and play a DVD which has DTS I get no sound from the speakers when I select the DTS mode on the reciever? -submitted by johnt Answer: Popcorn...check. Remote control... check. DTS surround sound... check . Wait? Where the heck is the sound?! There's no doubt DTS offers up some rather tasty audio, but getting it to work isn't quite as simple as popping in the disc and hitting play. In fact, there's three big things you need to do before DTS will work, and one important step every time you play a DTS DVD. Now, here's a little background on why selecting DTS on your receiver doesn't work. DVD players don't send out more than one audio track at a time, so it's... More »
Last Post: December 1, 2008 5:17 PM by Jon1965
Why Are Songs Disappearing From My iPod When I Sync?
Question: As the resident "Mac guy," I feel a special bond with user Sherry D, who is having some problems with her iPod Nano and iTunes: "I am following instructions to transfer my CD's to my iPod Nano, but my player is not picking up the songs. I put the CD into the iTunes window, the songs show up on the computer, and I press "import." The songs show they are downloading to the computer. I transfer them to a playlist, and press "sync." The songs then disappear. I try it both with auto syncing and manual syncing. Sometimes all of my songs on the iPod are removed when I try to sync. Help!" Answer: Fortunately, I've been a devout iPod user for years, and have cleaned out my iPod on accident many times! To be honest, importing CD's and syncing your iPod can be tricky sometimes. Here's some tips:... More »
Managing Your Bookmarks
Question: Is it possible to export/import/transfer Favorite bookmarks from Internet Explorer to Firefox? -submitted by Pappy Answer: In may almost seem like an afterthought, but after years of web surfing, the bookmarks we accumulate become invaluable. In my browser, I have at least 50 different bookmarks that I seriously doubt I could find again should they ever be lost. Moreover, as browser preferences change (or if you're commonly surfing from several different browsers), it's often handy to have all your bookmarks move around with you. Thankfully, managing your bookmarks and favorites isn't all that difficult if you know where to go in each respected browser. If you're jumping ship from Internet Explorer to Firefox 3 (common these days), the folks at Mozilla have made it super easy to bring your bookmarks with you. There's a long way to do it (which I'll show you in a second), but if you're... More »
Last Post: October 28, 2008 2:39 PM by Peter Redmer
How Can I Make My XBOX 360 Not Play Any Games?
Question: I have an XBOX 360, and would only like to use it to play HD-DVD on my TV. I would like to diable the game controllers completely and not be able to play any games. Any ideas? -submitted by Martyb Answer: To answer your question in one sentence, shy of hiding the XBOX 360 controllers entirely, there is no way to render the 360 incapable of playing games. That really is what the 360 was designed to do, afterall. I thought about opening up the XBOX 360 and disconnecting the internal DVD drive from the main board. However, getting the 360 open is not an easy task, but it could be done. The problem though, is that this will void your warranty, and there's a chance the 360 will not boot if the drive is disconnected. That doesn't mean there isn't hope though. You can severely cripple the XBOX... More »
Last Post: August 28, 2008 2:29 PM by WTF¿
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