Roger Corwin | WindowsTalk.org

Jan

An Overview of WMV Files

A WMV file (Windows Media Video) is a video encoded in a Microsoft proprietary file format. The WMV format was introduced by Microsoft in 1999.

General Information

The format is included with the other Windows formats like the High Definition Photo (HDP), Advanced Systems Format (ASF) and Windows Media Audio (WMA). The Windows Media Video file employs the Microsoft container format. It is Microsoft’s answer to MPEG-4.

The format’s main competitors are RealVideo and DivX. They are used mainly for distributing video on the Web. Numerous versions and updates of the codec have appeared.

Technical Information

The WMV file extension is used to describe ASF files that utilize Windows Media Video codecs. The audio codecs are usually Sipro ACELP.net audio codecs or Windows Media Audio. In some cases, the file extension is abbreviated to .wm.

Although they are usually in ASF formats, the Windows Media Video can be changed into AVI. This can be done with the WMV9 video compression manager codec.

Features of the Windows Media Video Format

The format can deliver over different network protocols. Other features include document and content management, support for multiple languages and stream prioritization as defined by the author. Other features include scalable media types, component download and extensible media types.

But the most important feature is its ability to contract large files without sacrificing the quality. This means videos and movies can be compressed and downloaded online more easily. You can watch the file with your computer. It can also be used with other media players that support the file.

How to Play Windows Media Video

You will need codecs to play the file format. The codec is an application that recognizes the file. Windows Media Player can play back the format. For Windows XP, Windows Media Player 10 is recommended.

For the best results you will need a 256 MB RAM video card, at least 512 MB of RAM and a 24 bit sound card. To play the Windows Media Video file, launch Windows Media Player. Click open to choose the file. Once chosen, it will start playing automatically.

There are other applications that can play Windows Media Video. Go online and do a search. Several free players will appear. Just make sure that your computer meets the system requirements.

You can also play Windows Media Video on other operating systems. Linux has a built in VLC player you can use. The Macintosh has no native support for the file, but you can download plugins so you can play them. The VLC player can be used on Macs too. As these facts about WMV files show, it is a very versatile format.

Categories Microsoft
Comments (16)

Jan

How to Upload to Youtube

by Roger Corwin

Dreaming of a life in the spotlight? Want to be the star of your own personal video watched by millions? YouTube is making this dream possible for the ordinary folks how upload videos to their site. Since its launch, millions of YouTube videos have been uploaded, watched, rated and commented on. If you want to join the ranks of the people who have become overnight YouTube sensations, or just want to share a video with friends, then you will need to know how to upload to YouTube.

Required Tools and Materials

Computer
Video to upload
Internet
YouTube account

Instruction

Create a YouTube account / log into YouTube
If you don’t have one already you will need to create a YouTube account. To do this go to youtube.com and click Create Account at the top right.
Fill out the form by choosing a user name and entering your date of birth and accepting their terms of agreement.
Once you’re finished, log into the YouTube account
To upload, click “Upload” located to the right of the search bar and click browse. A window will open allowing you to search through the files on the computer for the video you want to upload.
Select the video file to be uploaded. The file must be one of the following formats:
- AVI (Audio Video Interleaved)
- 3GP (cell phones)
- MOV (Mac)
- MP4 (iPod/PSP)
- MPEG or .MPG (Motion Picture Experts Group
- FLV (Adobe Flash)
- SWF (Shockwave Flash)
- M4V (h.264)
- WMV (Windows Media Video)
Click the button that says “Upload video”
Enter the information necessary to upload the video. This will include:
The title, description of the video, category the video should be added to and tags. Hit save
Wait for the video to upload, the length of time will differ depending on the length and quality of the video.

Tips and Warnings

Videos can be up to fifteen minutes in length and 2gb in size
Keep the title simple and relevant to the video this is the best way for the video to come up in searches and get as many views as possible.
Keep tags in line with the theme of the video but not exactly the same as the video so it comes up more often.
Make the description detailed, interesting and relative to the video.
Never upload copyrighted material to YouTube. It is against the rules laid out in their terms and conditions. Videos containing copyrighted material will be deleted from the site as soon as it is discovered. If you keep uploading copyrighted material (this can be original videos with copyrighted background music) your account could be suspended or deleted. Filmmakers and production studios especially are clamping down on their material being illegally distributed on the Internet. In addition to account suspension, you could face criminal charges.
Uploading lewd and pornographic material will also cause your account to be deleted
Read through YouTube’s terms and conditions if there are any questions about the types of videos that can be uploaded.

Categories General
Comments (17)

Jan

Get Your Free PDF Editors

by Roger Corwin

To upgrade, maintain, and stay at the top of things when it comes to your computers is truly essential. That’s why many online sites offer you free PDF editors that you can try for your own use.

While some of your friends may suggest that you use one of the ever reliable programs known as the Adobe Acrobat Reader, you may choose to explore your options and increase your chances of enjoying more features that may not be offered by this type of program. If you would notice, you actually do not have the feature of editing PDFs with the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

That’s why the best thing to do is to get your hands on the freebies offered online for PDF editors that offer you great features.

While there are many free PDF editors around on the Internet, most of the ones listed at reputable online sites are the ones considered to be among the cream of the crop. And since most online techie users already know the other offers of this online site, you may be rest assured that most of the pros and even beginners make a quick stop at these online sites, and avail of the tips or offers that can be found here.

To mention a few, here is a short list of what you may want to learn more about:

The Bluebeam PDF Editor

This type of editor is not only deemed to be the most powerful among the others of the same nature. It is also considered to be the strongest. One of its best features is that it does its work with a high level of accuracy. It can also do file conversions. Such files include .docs and .txts that are converted into .pdfs.

The Foxit PDF Editor

Here is another helpful type of editor that is offered with a free trial of the program. You can easily download this and try if it suits your preferences. This, by far, is actually the latest program available. It has various features that deal with picture implementation, editing of text, insertion of hyperlinks, formatting of texts, and other helpful features that you may be happy with.

The MicroAdobe PDF Editor

If you are hoping to have a touch of professionalism, perhaps, you would be more inclined to go for the MicroAdobe PDF editor program that is also highly available online for downloads. Most who tried using it may be happy to tell you that it is actually one of the easiest programs to use. Aside from being conveniently simple to use, you may also like the various features that it holds. Some of its features involve those for removing or adding pictures, editing of fonts, changing of background, and hyperlink insertion features.

The VeryPDF Program

Aside from those aforementioned, you can also try the VeryPDF version. With this program, you can easily do many things such as editing, printing, viewing, and even manipulating the PDF files, and have much fun with it. The possibilities are endless!

Free PDF editors, as mentioned, can be garnered from many reliable sites on the Internet.

Categories Software
Comments (16)

Dec

How to Make Labels

by Roger Corwin

Labels indicate to us what is in a container, what is inside a box, a recordable DVD, a bottle etcetera. A label may not only indicate to us what is inside or what the product is, but it can also warn us about what is inside. It is important that labels are clear and easily understood so that the products are used correctly and to ensure safety. Do not ignore the contents of a label because it will guide you.

Required Tools

Pen, markers, scissors, glue, computer, printer

Required Materials

Paper

Instructions

When you decide to make a label, first decide what it is you are going to label and then create in your mind’s eye what it is you are going to write: the name of whatever is inside, what it entails and any warnings or symbols to give further tips and warning
Choose the kind of paper you will be using to make your label. You can create your own labels from cartridge paper or you can visit websites that offer templates which you can use to write your labels. You can simply type the labels, download and print on suitable paper. When you use cartridge paper to make your labels, you will have to make your own designs, repeat writing several labels and finally cut out each label to be glued on a variety of things.
You can also use Microsoft word to create a variety of labels. First, you need to click on start, then find All programs, search for Microsoft Office, click on Microsoft Word, then Mailings and finally on Labels
When you click on Labels, choose Options, then Page Printers. You will also choose a Tray Number, Lable Vendor and maybe a Product Number
Afterward, press OK, and then click on a New Document. The Label Page will show up
Start writing your labels
After you are finish you can start printing on suitable paper

Tips and Warning

Remember to save your labels before printing. You may print without saving and the document may be gone when you close it. There may be need for editing and you the saved labels would be very helpful to you. You will not need to start writing your labels all over again. To save your labels, click on File, press Save As, write a Name for your file and click OK.
Ensure that your printer has sufficient paper to print your labels and the sheets must be face-up

When you write your labels, they should be legible – the words should be easily read. The sentences that you write, especially cautionary sentence, should be short, clear and to the point.

Cautionary labels should be explained to children – tell them exactly what the dangers are and help them to understand the warning signs. In addition to putting on these labels, you can put these products out of the reach of the children so that they do not have to contend with them in the first place.

Your labels should be informative: name, content, general facts, tips or warning. Labels are important for your safety and security and proper usage of the product.

Categories General
Comments (6)

Dec

What You Need to Know about Processor Speed

by Roger Corwin

Processor speed is one of the most important factors to consider if you are going to buy a computer. Various types of processors exist, some made for laptops and others for desktop computers. Using the overclocking method, a processor can be made to run faster than it was originally intended to.

The processor speed or clock speed determines how fast the computer will perform operations and computations. Speed is measured in hertz. It is frequently referred to as the CPU (central processing unit) speed.

Clock Speed Measurements

Computers run at very high frequencies, so megahertz and gigahertz are used to express their speed. A single megahertz is equal to one million cycles per second. The gigahertz is equal to one billion cycles every second.

If a computer is advertised as running at 2.4GHz, it means the processor can perform 2,400,000,000 cycles per second. A computer that runs at 800MHz can do 800,000,000 cycles every second.

Multiple Cores

Majority of today’s computers have dual core processors. What this means is that separate processors can function in parallel. Dual core processors are common but there are also triple and quad processors available.

Types

There are several types of processors. Some are designed for desktop computers, while others are made for laptops, mobile devices and notebooks. Manufacturers will make different processors. For example, Intel makes the Celeron, Pentium and Core processors. Each one is a processor family with many variants.

AMD produces their own processors: the Sempron, Athlon and Phenom. AMD uses the Radneon processors for notebooks. Intel uses the Celeron and Core processors for laptops.

There are many other types of processors available. A processor is made for a specific computer (i.e., upgrade, built from scratch or pre-assembled).

What is the Socket?

The socket contains the processor. Both the socket and processor are on the motherboard. There is no standard socket design; it usually changes when the processor is modified. Some socket designs can be used with other processors.

Others cannot; once you change the processor, the socket has to be changed too. In some cases, you have to replace the motherboard too when upgrading the processor.

Overclocking and Processor Speed

Overclocking is a method used to increase the speed of the processor. This is attained by increasing the speed of the motherboard bus. The voltage of the power to the CPU is also increased. This will make the computer run faster. However it produces more heat. Overclocking may damage some components.

Overclocking first came into being during the early 1990s. It was a complex process. One had to open the computer casing and switch jumpers on the motherboard. The jumper positions determined the bus speed. By changing them, the computer would be forced to operate at a higher speed.

Today it is much simpler. You just have to reboot the computer and go to the BIOS settings. There you’ll be able to change the bus settings.

While processor speed is important, so is the Random Access Memory (RAM). If you are going to buy a computer, you need to look at the hard disk, video card and other components too.

Categories Hardware, Technology
Comments (29)

Dec

How to Clean My Computer

by Roger Corwin

If you’ve noticed that your computer has been acting a little slow and you’ve run every antivirus and antispyware program you own but can’t find anything wrong, you may want to take a quick look to see if there’s dust visible anywhere in your PC case or laptop. Dust you can see is an indication that there is dust that you can’t see, which is very likely clogging fans and vents and causing your computer to heat up and may very well be the cause of your computer woes. Keyboards with keys that “stick” or are difficult to press are also an indicator that you need to clean your computer. Following these steps will have your computer clean in no time.

Required Tools and Materials:

Soft bristled paintbrush
Lens cleaning cloth
Air duster (can be found at any computer accessory store)
Anti-static cloth
Phillips screwdriver
Small rod

Step One:

Unplug the computer and disconnect all peripherals (speakers, mouse, keyboard, printers, etc.)

Step Two:

Starting with the monitor, wipe all peripherals of the computer thoroughly with the anti-static cloth. Set each piece aside or move through them in order so that you donâ€™t double up on dusting as there is more to come.

Step Three:

Using the screwdriver, remove one side of the CPU housing by locating and removing the 2-8 screws that secure it to the frame.

Step Four:

Use a soft bristle brush to dust the visible dirt inside the case. Be careful not to unplug any wires as you go along.

Step Five:

Locate the fans inside the CPU – there may be 2 or more depending on the model. Use a small rod to prevent the blades from moving; use the soft brush to dislodge any large dust bunnies. Then holding the air duster upright, blow a steady stream of air onto the blades to displace dust.

Step Six:

Wipe the inside of the CPU once more with the anti-static cloth to remove any dust that has now been dislodged. When you’re finished, close the case by putting the screws back in place.

Step Seven:

Use the brush to “sweep” the keyboard a few times. Turn the keyboard over and gently tap to remove any dust stuck beneath keys.

Step Eight:

Holding the keyboard at an angle, use the air duster between each of the keys.

Step Nine:

Wipe down all the parts one final time to remove dust that may have settled during cleaning. Reattach all peripherals and plug in the computer to the power outlet.

Step Ten:

Finally, use the lens cleaning cloth to gently clean the monitor, being careful not to press into the screen as you wipe.

Tips and warnings:

If you’ve never cleaned your computer before, there may be a lot more dust that you would think possible present inside. If you can, move the computer to an open space or even to a garage or outdoors for cleaning.
Do not use wet or damp cloths on your PC or laptop as water make get onto the delicate circuitry and could cause shorting out, loss of data and in some instances fires.
Do not use astringents (alcohol, acetone, etc.) to clean LCD or LED display screens as they may cause damage over time.
Touch the frame of the computer with both hands to dissipate any static electricity your body may have stored.

Categories Hardware, The Desktop Experience
Comments (28)

Dec

How to Upgrade a Video Card

by Roger Corwin

With graphics that are more realistic than ever, PC/ computer games have become more and more popular in recent years. To keep up with ever increasing graphics of these games, it is a good idea to know how to update a video card. An out of date card will simply not allow some games to run or may cause lag and distort images during game play. If you are experiencing any of these problems, the likelihood is that new video card would be the remedy. Game performance would improve as well as image quality. Many existing games will automatically lower their settings to accommodate older cards, but many of the upcoming releases simply require powerful cards or they won’t run no matter how much tweaking is done to the settings.

Do some research

Before going to the store and purchasing the newest video card, you have to be certain that your current system is able to support the card. Minimum video card requirements have increased and it may work out to be more cost effective to buy an entirely new computer than to upgrade an older system to where it would be compatible with a new video card.

Using a screwdriver, open your computer and check to see whether the card is an AGP or PCI Express card slot. Systems over two years old may still have AGP and upgrading the system might be best.

If the computer has a PCI Express slot, then you are one step closer to upgrading the video card.
You will also need to determine whether the computer has enough space surrounding the video card slot to accommodate a new card. Many include now cooling fans that double the height of the card. Check the measurements to ensure the card you will purchase will fit. The dimensions of the card will be online or on the box.

Check the power capabilities of the system

Increased graphics means a lot of power consumption. The power supply for your computer may not be able to handle the increase in wattage caused by a new video card. If this happen, the computer may randomly turn off during game play or may even overheat. The power supply will usually have the maximum wattage capability printed on the back.

Turn the computer around and have a look. Ensure that the card selected can be supported by the PC power supply. At the very least, you will need 350W but 450W and upwards are recommended for serious gamers.

Select a video card and install.

One steps one and two are complete, it is easy to shop for a video card. Online retailers list in detail the capabilities and compatibility of the cards so it will be easy to narrow down what it is you need.

Installing the video card

One the card has been purchased, this is the easiest part.
Shut down and unplug the computer
Open the computer case, and remove the old card. A Phillips screwdriver is only tool normally needed for this.
Plug in the new card and replace the screw that secures it
Close the computer case and plug in.
Turn the computer on and the new video card is ready to be used

Tips and warnings

Use an anti-static wrist strap when opening the case and handling the video card

Categories Hardware
Comments (23)

Nov

How to Clean a Computer Screen

by Roger Corwin

If you are having trouble seeing the information on your computer screen or it appears excessively blurry, it may be because your computer screen needs to be cleaned. Here are some tips on how to clean your computer screen.

Required Materials:

A piece of soft cloth
A cleaner (this can be a monitor cleaning fluid, eyeglass cleaner or electrical appliance cleaner)

Instructions

Collect the items that you will use to clean your computer monitor. Normally, you will need a soft cloth and a cleaning dluid
Ensure that your screen is turned off (disconnecting it from any power source is also recommended).
If you are using a fluid product, spray a small amount directly onto the rag. For aerosol products, refer to the directions written on the can.
Avoid spraying fluids in close proximity to the screen’s ventilation holes.
Firmly wipe down the entire screen, and then use a dry rag (or a dry portion of your current rag) to thoroughly dry the screen.
If your screen still appears dirty, repeat Steps Three to Five until your screen is clean.
If the plastic around your screen is also dirty, you can use a plastic cleaner to thoroughly wipe it off.

Avoid traditional cleaning products made for glass and paper towels. Traditional glass cleaning products can leave streaks, while paper towels can leave dust.

If you are a cleaning a laptop screen, be sure to follow the instructions provided in your owner’s manual. Laptop screens are not made of glass, and if improperly cleaned, can be damaged to point of requiring a replacement.

Categories Hardware, The Desktop Experience
Comments (30)

Nov

How to Show Hidden Folders

by Roger Corwin

Normally folders and files are hidden because they are important to the operating system such as the Windows XP on your desktop or laptop. It is hidden because the less you are exposed to it; it is less likely that you will damage or discard the files “accidentally.” However, there will come a time when you will need to access these files for various reasons; typically persons access these files when there are viruses on the system and it needs to be cleaned. Sometimes you may need to access these files for debugging purposes or it may be a case that the system needs to recover from a spyware attack. Here are instructions on how to show hidden folders.

Required Tools

Computer

Required Materials

An operating system (For example, Windows XP)

Instructions

The following instructions are for Windows XP and Explorer

To access hidden folders, you first need to open any folder in Explorer.
After opening the folder, choose Tools which is located on top of your screen in the toolbar.
After you choose tools, then click on Folder Options.
A multi-tabbed dialog box will be shown; you must choose the “View” tab.
Click on “Show Hidden Files and Folders.”
Finally click on OK to close the dialog box.

The following instructions are for Windows 2003

Close every document, folder or file so that only the desktop is seen.
Find the My Computer icon and double-click on it.
Find the Tools menu and choose Folder Options.
Click View tab.
Afterwards, click on Display the contents of system folders.
Look under the Hidden Files and Folder section and select Show Hidden Files and Folders.
Undo the check mark from the box labeled Hide file extensions for known file types.
Undo the check mark from the box labeled Hide protected operating system files.
Select the Apply button and then OK and Shutdown my computer.
The computer will configure to show all hidden files and folders.

The following instructions are for Windows Vista

Show desktop
Click on the Start button
Select the Control Panel menu option
Once the panel is open, you may be in Classic View or Control Panel Home view
If you are in the Classic View, double click on the Folder options icon, select View tab and then under Hidden Files and Folders, select Show Hidden Files and Folders. If you are in the Control Panel Home View, select Appearance and Personalization icon, then click on Show Hidden Files and Folders. You will continue with steps six through to eight.
Un-check the box labeled Hide extensions for known file types.
Un-check the box labeled Hide protected operating system files
Select the Apply button and then OK so that Windows will be configured to show you hidden files and folders.

Tips and Warning

When you learn to view hidden files and folders, you will be aware of harmful programs such as viruses, spyware and you will be able to discover hijackers being a nuisance to you and others.
If you no longer want to see your hidden files and folders, you can check back boxes that states “hide files” (etc).

Categories Microsoft, The Desktop Experience
Comments (17)

Nov

How to Clean Your Hard Drive

by Roger Corwin

Depending on the type of person you are, you may want to “clean” your hard disk drive. Cleaning a hard disk drive can simply mean removing unnecessary data, or formatting the disk completely, making it a fresh device for re-installation or storage. We will first explore the deleting and removal of unnecessary data and harmful files.

Required tools and Materials

CD/DVD Burner
Disc Burning Software
USB Thumb/Jump Drive
Operating System Install Disc
Operating System CD/Product Key

Step One:

Identify all files you would like to keep and burn them to a disc or copy them to a thumb drive or an external hard disk drive.

Step Two:

Place your Operating System disc in your disc drive and restart the computer.

Step Three:

Upon restarting the computer, a message should appear instructing you to “Press any key to boot from CD”. Follow the instruction and press any key on the keyboard. This will initiate the Operating System’s setup sequence.

Step Four:

At this point, the setup sequence should display instructions to help you along with your requests. Some Operating Systems ask if you want to do a recovery on the disk drive or install the Operating System. Choose the latter.

Step Five:

After selecting you wish to install the Operating System, you will be asked if you wish to format the hard disk drive, usually indicated by the drive letter “C:”. Delete the “C:” partition.

Step Six:

After deleting the partition, you will have to recreate it. This process is easy, and will usually be automatic.

Step Seven:

After recreating the partition “C:” in the Operating System setup, select the “C:” partition to install the Operating System. You will be asked whether you want to perform a Quick Format or a Format. A quick format allows for a much faster formatting procedure which does not get rid of all the data in a permanent manner. Selecting “Format” will yield a much more thorough hard disk cleaning procedure which will erase all traces of data.

Step Eight:

Follow through with the instructions on the screen as per your Operating System.

Tips, warnings and recommendations:

Always be sure to backup your files to one reliable medium or several other external storage media to prevent any loss of data after cleaning the hard disk drive.
Never unplug or turn off the computer while formatting the drive, as a power outage may render the hard disk drive useless due to corruption.
Be sure to follow the on-screen instructions carefully to select the correct procedure for Operating System installation.
Never attempt to:
- open the disc drive during Operating System installation,
- unplug or disconnect power to the computer during Operating System installation
All Operating Systems come with a CD or Product Key which will verify that the Operating System is a genuine copy. Have this information nearby for entering it and store them in a safe place after use.
Data can still be recovered after using a “Quick Format” procedure using sophisticated hard disk drive data recovery software. It is much more difficult to recover data after a full hard disk drive format.