Thursday, November 15, 2012

Screenshotting Video - Getting Black / Blank Screen

http://www.snagitguide.com/67/snagit-black-screen/

Have you ever tried to capture video but instead of getting the video you end up with a black or grey screen? The problem is usually due to graphics hardware acceleration being used to display the image/video.
Newer media players normally use graphics hardware acceleration on your system.
Read on to see how to solve this…

Graphics hardware performs a “hardware overlay” of video on the screen, which bypasses the normal Windows display memory that Snagit captures.
Most video capture programs which capture video from a video camera use “hardware overlay” by default for their video preview. This problem affects all screen capture programs, and even the image put in the clipboard by the Print Screen key.
The solution is to disable any hardware acceleration in the application that is playing the video or disable hardware acceleration system wide. Because this affects all applications on the system, it may cause performance problems for some applications and some applications may not run at all.
How to disable graphics hardware acceleration globally for all applications
Snagit Black Screen Problems


http://pixelmetrics.com/Tips/VidBlank/MediaPlayer.php
Windows Media Player

Fix blank captures from Windows Media Player by turning off hardware acceleration while recording.

First, identify the Media Player version installed on your machine by appearance, then follow the appropriate instructions.
Media Player 11 for Windows Vista

1 Open Media Player 11. 2 Click Now Playing, then More Options....

3 Click the Performance tab. 4 Uncheck Turn on DirectX Acceleration.
5 Click OK, then close and restart the player.



Media Player 11 for Windows XP

1 Open Media Player 11. 2 Click Now Playing, then More Options....

3 Click the Performance tab. 4 Center the Video acceleration knob.
5 Click OK, then close and restart the player.



Media Player 10

1 Open Media Player 10. 2 Click the Access application menus
   button in the top-right corner.

3 Click Tools / Options.

4 Click the Performance tab. 5 Center the Video acceleration
   knob. If the knob is disabled,
   click Restore Defaults.
6 Close and restart the player.

Access NAS from iPad

Do you sometimes wish you could access files and drives from your home or work computer to view on your iPad or iPhone? The excellent “FileBrowser” app enables you to browse through all the folders and files in your Mac or PC remotely. You can open compatible file types in the app itself or save them and send them to other compatible apps like “Dropbox” all that is required to complete the task is to install the relevant VPN software.   
FileBrowser” is a universal app for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. The good thing about this app is you won’t have to install any additional software on your computer. You will only have to enable the appropriate network settings in your computer (e.g. File Sharing on the Mac), and then enter your username and password to login to your computer.
Aside from Mac and Windows, FileBrowser can also give you access to Linux systems and NAS drives. The app is pretty easy to setup for systems on your local network. To gain entry into your computer over the internet you’ll have to do so through using a VPN.
With File Browser, you can view PDF files and photo slideshows from your computer, open text documents, email attachments, and stream compatible movies and music over Wi-Fi. Should FileBrowser be unable to handle certain file types, you can use the “Open in” function to use the files in another compatible app. FileBrowser will then download the file into your device.
FileBrowser” does everything it says and works well and also offers security features, such as a password lock.
This is an app that will come in very handy for anyone who works with a computer which is, quite likely, almost everyone who owns an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad. The app isn’t free but will certainly be of use when on the go.

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/filebrowser-access-files-on/id364738545?mt=8

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Streaming to iDevice

Movie conversion >> handbrake


https://itunes.apple.com/AU/app/id417695144?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4



stream to ipad

OplayerHD

I found an app called "File Browser" or "FB"
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/filebrowser-access-files-on/id364738545?mt=8 (Make sure the link is for the iPad version)
AcePlayer
AirAV

Finally, I found one streamer that actually streams the above rates well - EC Player
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ec-pl...442154538?mt=8 

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1947888

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Beyond antivirus software: Eclectic PC security tools for system-wide audits




 Welcome to a harsh reality: Relying on an ostensibly comprehensive antivirus suite just doesn't cut it in 2012.
Antivirus software is crucial for combating viruses, malware, and hackers, but simply installing an antivirus program is rarely enough. You should also use strong passwords; keep your system, applications, and browser plug-ins up-to-date; and make sure your firewall is doing its job by blocking all intrusions. Following these extra safeguards can reduce the chances of your PC becoming a Petri dish full of digital contagions.
Luckily, a number of tools and services can simplify all the extra security precautions that modern PCs require. They go above and beyond what's offered in antivirus suites, performing security audits of vulnerabilities that the big-name software packages miss. Here are five to check out.

Qualys Browser Check

An outdated browser or plug-in can serve as a security hole for hackers and malware authors to exploit, so you’ll want to keep your web software up-to-date. Qualys Browser Check is a free service that scans your Web browser to determine if you’re running outdated or insecure versions of some popular plug-ins or add-ons, including Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash, Java, and Windows Media Player.
You can run a quick scan from your browser in Windows, Mac, or Linux. You don't even have to download any software—Qualys runs completely within your browser. Supported browsers include Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, and Camino. Once Qualys Browser Check completes its scan, it lists which plug-ins it scanned, and indicates whether you’re running insecure versions of any of your plug-ins, and if any updates are available. The scan also provides links to where you can download the newest plug-in version, so you don’t have to hunt around for it.
Sample results from a quick Qualys scan. Look at that: The Java plugin needs an update.
Alternatively, you can run a full scan after downloading and installing the Qualys BrowserCheck plug-in, which supports IE, Firefox, and Chrome on Windows—there's no Mac or Linux support for the full scan. This full scan can check all supported browsers you have installed, not just the browser you used to run the scan. And the full scan can also detect other system vulnerabilities as well, such as no automatic Windows Updates or Windows Firewall running, or out-of-date or disabled antivirus software.
Sample results from a full scan in Chrome after downloading the plug-in.
Once Qualys Browser Check finishes doing its thing, you’ll see a list of scanned plug-ins for your current browser, and icons to view the results for each of your other browsers. And if you choose to do system checks, you'll see a tab showing its results as well.

Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI)

Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) is a free program that scans your PC for security vulnerabilities, like missing updates that hackers and malware authors can exploit to infect or hack into your PC. If PSI finds a vulnerability, it will try to automatically download and install any relevant updates. Otherwise, it helps you manually fix the issue.
After you download and install Secunia PSI, it will scan your system and notify you via its system tray icon if other programs require a manual update. You can open the program to find your Secunia System Score, a list of any programs that need to be updated, and a list of any software that it found to be up-to-date.
If your Secunia System Score is below 100 percent, you’ll find icons for the vulnerable programs, which you can click on to resolve the issue.

Password Security Scanner

Password Security Scanner is a free utility that scans for passwords stored by Windows applications and Web browsers, and tells you how strong they are. This gives you a chance to identify weak passwords, and change them to something more secure. Although you can’t see the actual passwords, you can see the username and which site or service they belong to.
The Password Security Scanner runs on Windows, and it will scan passwords stored by Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Outlook, Windows Live Mail, and MSN/Windows Messenger, as well as your dial-up and VPN passwords.
Sample list of passwords and details about their strength.
After you download and install the utility, it will automatically scan and display additional details about your passwords, including their length, the types of characters used, and overall password strength. If you need help building better passwords, have a look at Alex Wawro’s primer on the topic.

ShieldsUp

ShieldsUp is a free, Web-based port scanner that tests your Internet connection for possible security holes, such as incorrect firewall settings. Although the testing regimen and reporting  might be a bit over the head of average computer users, the ShieldsUP site provides a wealth of background information about firewalls and port scanning.
ShieldsUp lets you scan a few different port ranges, including File Sharing ports (to make sure you’re not offering direct access to your files) and Common Ports (to check the most commonly used ones). It also lets you check all ports via the All Service Ports scan option. In addition, you can tell it to scan a specific port or range of ports. Additionally, you can evaluate your web browser headers for privacy and tracking issues, and test to see if your PC is susceptible to spam via the Windows Messenger Service, a messaging system built into Windows.
The results for the File Sharing tests are presented via a text description.
The results for the All Services tests are presented in graphical form.
If results show open ports, you can investigate the firewall settings of your router or PC and try to close or secure them.

Belarc Advisor

Belarc Advisor is free for personal use, and scans your PC’s hardware, network connections, software, antivirus status, Windows Updates, and Windows security policies for insecure settings and other security vulnerabilities. It generates a report in HTML that you can view in your browser. This report provides details on the scanned items and any detected issues, along with links on how to fix them, but it doesn’t automatically fix them for you. Also, the information it reveals is geared more for techies and IT professionals than average home users.
Sample of the HTML report created by Belarc Advisor.
In the beginning of the report, the service shows your overall security status via three scores: Security Benchmark Score, Virus Protection, and Microsoft Security Updates. Click on any of these to see more details.
By scrolling through the report, you’ll discover details on your hardware specs, user accounts, peripherals, and networking. You’ll also find a list of installed software versions, licenses, usage, and a report on missing or insecure Windows Hotfixes.

11/13/2012 10:06 AM PST
Thanks for this article. I will definitely be checking out some of these programs.
I would like to add some other security programs that I Believe every computer should have. They are all free and have different purposes.
1. Avast Antivirus - It's free and not only has a high rate of detecting and removing malware on a computer, but blocks a lot of it from getting on through the real time scans. ( I highly recommend running a full system scan nightly or weekly)
2. Malwarebytes Antimalware -It's free and should be installed on a PC in case something gets on your computer, you can scan right away and get it taken care of. It finds lot's of different malware that isn't found using other programs. (I recommend updating and running monthly)
3. SuperAntiSpyware - It's free and the same reason as above. It sometimes finds things that Malwarebytes misses.
4. CCleaner - It's free and gets rid of temp files that take up disk space, has a registry cleaner, as well as a uninstall and startup lists and system restore. It can also erase files, folders or disk space securely through the 35 pass deletion. ( I recommend scanning weekly or monthly)
5. Comodo Firewall - It's free. I recently came across this and it seems pretty good.

Friday, November 2, 2012

8 gotta-know tips for Windows 8 newbies

Made the leap to the drastically revamped Windows 8? Feeling a little lost? You’re not the only one.
Read on for eight tips that’ll help you find your bearings, from how to make sense of the new “Start” screen to where you’ll find the old-school Windows desktop.
Note: Most of these tips are intended for mouse-and-keyboard Windows 8 PC users, as opposed to Windows 8 on a tablet.

1. Meet the Lock screen and the Start screen

One of the first things you’ll see after firing up Windows 8 is the new “Lock” screen: a big, bold swath of wallpaper with a digital clock and a few other icons in bottom-right corner.
OK, so … now what?
Just click (or tap, if you have a touchscreen PC) anywhere on your display, and the wallpaper will slide up to reveal the new login screen. (Yep, get ready for a lot of new stuff.)
Enter your password, just like you did before in earlier versions of Windows, press the Enter key …
Windows 8 Start screen 300x205 8 gotta know tips for Windows 8 newbies
Meet the Windows Start screen, the nerve center for all your apps.
…and, whoosh! Welcome to the Start screen, an eye-popping and potentially bewildering array of multicolored tiles, some festooned with sliding panels of pictures, headlines and trivia.
These tiles are actually all apps—specifically, touch-friendly Windows 8 apps, although you may also see some tiles representing your old, “legacy” Windows programs.
Go ahead and click one of the new apps. When you do, it’ll twirl around and fill the screen with, say, a gorgeously formatted series of news headlines, or a summary of the weather courtesy of Bing (Microsoft’s search engine).
All in all, quite slick.
But, um … how do you get back to the Start screen? Isn’t there a “back” arrow or something?
Well, as it turns out …

2. The corners of the screen are your new best friends

Here’s the thing when it comes to finding your way around Windows 8: when in doubt, scroll your mouse over to a corner of the screen.
Windows 8 right side screen icons 300x272 8 gotta know tips for Windows 8 newbies
Want to search, tweak your settings, or get back to the Start menu? Just mouse over to the top- or bottom-right corner of the screen.
Head for top- or bottom-right corners, and a long, narrow panel will slide out from the side of the screen. complete with icons for:
  • Search, for searching your programs, files, or PC settings;
  • Share, for sharing links or other content with your contacts;
  • Start, which takes you back to the Start screen;
  • Devices, which manages additional monitors, input devices, or other hardware plugged into your PC;
  • and Settings, for managing the settings of a given app, checking your network or sound settings, or shutting off, putting to sleep, or otherwise powering down your system.
Scroll your mouse to the top-left corner of the screen, and a thumbnail of the previous app you had open will pop up; click it, and you’ll jump back to that app. You can also scroll down a little more to reveal a column of all your currently running apps.
Last but not least, move your mouse to the bottom-left corner of the screen, and a Start thumbnail will open. Click, and you’ll find yourself back at the Start screen.
Phew.

3. You can move your Start tiles and resize them

So, we’re back at the Start screen with all those crazy tiles. Want to rearrange them? Just click and hold, then drag.
Windows 8 resize Start tiles 300x210 8 gotta know tips for Windows 8 newbies
Right-click an app to resize it, “unpin” it from the Start screen, and more. (The options vary depending on the app you select.)
You can also right-click a tile to make it bigger or smaller (in the case of made-for-Windows-8 apps), “pin” (add) or “unpin” (remove) a tile to the Start screen, or uninstall it altogether.
Last but not least, you can “pin” your favorite old Windows apps (like Chrome, Firefox, Paint, or even Windows—er, File Explorer) to the Start screen, too. (How, you ask? See tip #5 below.)

4. Go back to your old Windows desktop

Missing the familiar Windows desktop? Just click the Desktop tile from the Start screen, and presto: there it is, complete with all your old program icons, the taskbar, the Recycle bin, and even the notification tray in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
But wait … where’s the Start menu?
Nope, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. Among the many, many big changes in Windows 8, the familiar Start menu is gone for good.
So, how do you get a big list of all your programs now, or open the old Windows Control Panel? Well, it’s time to …

5. Meet the “All apps” button

Go back to the Start screen (scroll to the bottom-left corner of the screen and click the Start thumbnail), right-click on the Start wallpaper, then click the “All apps” button that appears in the bottom corner of the screen.
Windows 8 All Apps 300x187 8 gotta know tips for Windows 8 newbies
Right-click the Start screen and click All Apps to get a list of all your Windows programs, just like you could on the old Start menu.
You should now see a big list of all your programs, just like you used to get in the (gone, but not forgotten) Start menu.
Scroll all the way to the right, and you’ll see a heading marked “Windows System”; here, you’ll find an icon for the Control Panel, along with File Explorer (the new name for Windows Explorer) and the Task Manager.
If you’re using the old Windows desktop, a quicker way to get to the “All apps” list is to scroll to the top- or bottom-right corner of the screen and click the Search icon. Not only will you get the Apps list, you’ll also be able to search for any app, setting, or file on your PC.
Bonus tip: Want to “pin” an old Windows app you found in the All Apps screen to the Start screen? Right-click it, then click the “Pin to Start” button at the bottom of the screen.

6. Sync your email, contacts, calendars and more

Want your latest email messages, events, Facebook and Twitter pals to appear in the “live” tiles on the Start screen?
All you have to do is add some accounts to the Mail, Calendar, and People apps that were built specifically for Windows 8.
Windows 8 add account to People app 300x290 8 gotta know tips for Windows 8 newbies
You can add accounts to the various core Windows 8 apps by mousing to the top- or bottom-right corner of the screen, then clicking the Settings icon when it appears.
The process is more or less the same for each app, so I’ll just give you the rundown on adding a new account to the People app:
  • First, click the People tile from the Start screen.
  • Scroll to the top- or bottom-right corner of the screen, then click the Settings icon once it slides into view.
  • Click “Accounts” under the main Settings heading.
  • Choose an account to add; in the case of the People app, your choices include Hotmail, Outlook, Linkedin, Google, Facebook, and Twitter. Pick once, then enter your login information.
That’s it! Within a second or two, you should see your contacts and pals flowing into the People app.

7. Sign in to your system with your Microsoft account

Now, you may notice in the course of adding accounts to your various WIndows 8 apps that you’re asked—repeatedly—to enter the password for your Microsoft account.
What’s a Microsoft account? It’s the umbrella account that lets you sign in to such Microsoft services as Xbox Live, Hotmail, Outlook.com, and SkyDrive. (If you don’t already have a Microsoft account, you can sign up for one here.)
Anyway, if you’re getting sick of Windows 8 asking for your Microsoft password over and over again, you can make it stop by linking your Windows 8 user account with your Microsoft account.
Once you sign in to your Windows 8 system with your Microsoft ID, you won’t be asked for your Microsoft password again, and you’ll also be able to sync your wallpaper, Start background, desktop themes, and other settings whenever you sign in to another Windows 8 PC.
Here’s how to do it:
  • Scroll to the top- or bottom-right corner of the screen, then click the Settings icon.
  • Click “Change PC Settings” near the bottom of the screen. (You’ll need to click that link whenever you want to tweak a system-wide Windows 8 setting, by the way.)
  • In the left column of the “PC settings” page that appears, click Users.
  • Near the top of the screen, under the Your Account heading, click the “Switch to a Microsoft account” button, then enter your Microsoft username and password.
Windows 8 store 300x187 8 gotta know tips for Windows 8 newbies
Want more apps? Just head to the Microsoft app store.

8. Get more apps

Apple has its App Store, Google has its Play store for Android phones and tablets, and now Microsoft has its own app store for Windows 8 apps.
You can shop for new apps by clicking the Store tile from the Start screen. About 10,000 apps are available, from ABC News and Angry Birds Space to Netflix, Skype, and Urbanspoon. (Still missing in action: Facebook and Twitter.)
See an app you want? Click its tile, click the Install button, and Windows 8 will handle the rest.
Having second thoughts about an app you installed? Find it in the Start screen, right-click its tile, then click the Uninstall button.

http://heresthethingblog.com/2012/11/02/8-gotta-tips-windows-8-newbies/

Switch Windows users with a simple keyboard shortcut

  Nov 2, 2012 10:31 AM  Rick Broida, PCWorld
Earlier this year I wrote about a handy freeware utility called Fast User Switch.  True to its name, the tool immediately takes you to the user-selection screen, thus saving you from the standard user-switching process of clicking Start, then the arrow next to Shut Down, and then Switch user.
At the time I bemoaned the lack of a keyboard shortcut for this option, but it turns out there is one—sort of.
As reader Noah and a few others pointed out, you can accomplish much the same thing by pressing Windows-L (i.e. hold down the Windows key and tap L). That actually takes you to the Lock screen, where you can then click Switch Users. (This works in Windows 8 as well.)
So it's not quite as straightforward as Fast User Switch, but it does get you to the same place—and save you a click or two along the way.
Alternately, you can press Ctrl-Alt-Del, then click Switch User. Can't believe I forgot that one.