Hard drives - Hard drives are a little more complicated. First off, you have to know what you want to do with the hard drive. By this, I mean either you want it set to either SLAVE or MASTER. If you want to boot from the hard drive (load windows or whatever other OS off it) then you want it to be your master. If you already have a master, and you want to use this as extra space, set this hdd to slave. This setting change requires a jumper on the back of the hard drive to be moved. It may sound hard, but it’s easy. These jumper configurations can be found on the back of the hdd; most have a small label which states which way is which. After setting the jumper, take the IDE cable that runs to your primary hard drive. This is the long, usually grey cable that runs from a slot on your motherboard to your primary hard drive. If you are putting your new hdd in as a slave, this cable should have a second connector on it not being used. Connect this to the new slave hard drive, but don’t disconnect the cable from your other HDD.

If you’re putting a new drive in as master, then you need to take the cable running right to your old HDD, detach it, and connect it to the new master HDD. In both cases, you will need to connect a power cable to the HDD. This runs from your power supply, and you should have a few extra not being used. Connect one connector to the 4 pronged connector on the hard drive.

Once the hard drive is all connected, make sure it is fastened to the chasis on both sides of the case. This can be done by removing the case, then bolting the hard drive on one side and then the other. This is important - if you only bolt one side of the HDD, it can lead to corruption of files on the HDD.

I am a young, aspiring computer engineer into Internet Marketing, hardware, software, web design, SEO and just about anything related to computers. Please come check out my growing PC forum at http://www.markspcforum.com

One of the primary obstacles for video content distribution over the Internet is the cost of specialized software required to encode video. Video encoding consists of converting video content into compressed digital data that can be easily distributed electronically.

There are several software development companies that sell closed source software for video encoding and content distribution. The cost and available features of the different software packages vary. Some software companies require additional royalty payments for use of their encoding software.

Thanks to the efforts of several software developers, there is free software that does not require royalty payments. This software can be used for both commercial and non commercial projects.

NullSoft Video

Justin Frankel, the creator of the Winamp media software player, also developed NullSoft video. This format was specifically designed for distributing video media through the Internet and is based on the Shoutcast Internet protocol.

Both open source and closed source video codecs are supported by NullSoft video. Codecs are software programs that allow media to be digitally encoded or decoded using a specific compression architecture. These video codecs include the VP3 open source and the VP6.1 / VP6.2 closed source. The MP3 and AAC audio codecs are supported as well. The VP3 video and MP3 audio codecs are included with the NullSoft video tools download.

A free set of tools for encoding and streaming video through the Internet using NullSoft video was also created. You can download the NullSoft video tools package direct from the NullSoft web site. (http://www.nullsoft.com/nsv). You can download a updated version of the NullSoft video tools here : (http://www.scvi.net/software.htm). This update includes the latest Lame MP3 audio encoder, software improvements and access to a updated version of the VP3 video codec.

NullSoft video content can be streamed through the Internet with the following free media server software :

Shoutcast DNAS (http://www.shoutcast.com/download) Icecast (http://www.icecast.org) Steamcast (http://www.steamcast.com)

(http://www.scvi.net) is the unofficial information resource website for NullSoft video. You can find many tutorials, guides and third party software tools to download here.

There are several media software players that can view the NullSoft video format. These include :

Winamp : (http://www.winamp.com)
Video Lan Client : (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/)
Mplayer : (http://www.mplayerhq.hu)
Xine : (http://xinehq.de)
X box : (http://www.xboxmediacenter.com)
NullSoft video can also be deployed with ActiveX components for web site use. This will allow people to watch NullSoft video without the need for installing additional player software.

Theora Video

The Theora video project is being developed as a complete open source video solution. The group behind this project is (http://www.xiph.org.) This format uses the Theora video codec (http://www.theora.org) and the Ogg Vorbis audio codec (http://www.vorbis.com).

The Theora video project uses the Theora video codec which is based upon the VP3 video codec developed by ON2. The Theora video codec offers core architectural improvements to provide better video encoding and playback performance.

Both live and pre recorded video can be distributed via the Internet using Theora video.

Theora video content can be streamed through the Internet with the following free media server software :

Icecast (http://www.icecast.org)
JRoar (http://www.jcraft.com/jroar)
Flumotion (http://www.flumotion.com/download)
Steamcast (http://www.steamcast.com)

There are several media software applications that can play the Theora video format. These include :

Video Lan Client : (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/)
Mplayer : (http://www.mplayerhq.hu)
Xine : (http://www.xinehq.de)
Xbox Media Center : (http://www.xboxmediacenter.com)
Real (Player) Alternative : (http://www.free-codecs-com/download/Real_alternative.htm)

Theora video can also be deployed with Java components for web site use. This will allow people to watch Theora video without the need for installing additional player software.

Tim Gnatek of the New York Times wrote a article entitled “Internet TV: Don’t Touch That Mouse!”.
(http://www.friends.ca/News/Friends_News/archives/articles07010402.asp)

This article highlights some of the problems associated with content delivery via the Internet. These problems include how independent broadcasters will be able to “keep up with viewer demand, given the cost of the servers and Internet connections required” in addition to “How do you get it (video content) from your garage to the Web?”

These barriers on the information superhighway are being removed by Internet video stations using alternative media distribution methods.

Some of these alternative methods include :

P2P video streaming

P2P video streaming does not require a centralized server architecture for content distribution. Each client that views the video content automatically relays it to the next person requesting access to the video. This greatly reduces the need for large amounts of bandwidth for content delivery.

Unlike P2P file trading, P2P video streaming can be used to broadcast live video content using several encoding formats and is supported on various computer operating systems.

Video podcasting

Video podcasting allows people to publish video content via a web host with no specialized server software. A specialized data client using Really Simple Syndication provides users access to the most current video content. The video content can be downloaded on a computer or hand held media device for viewing at a later time.

You can use both NullSoft video and Theora video for video podcasting.

Dave Childers is a freelance Internet broadcast consultant, writer and the webmaster of http://www.scvi.net, the Winamp TV / NullSoft video information website.

This is the first step to servicing, upgrading or removing PC hardware from your PC. Refer to my other articles on adding, upgading or removing just about any piece of hardware.

First things first, get that case off your PC. This is usually done by removing the screws on the back. Don’t remove the ones near your power supply! This will cause your power supply to fall out. Simply remove the screws along the side that seem to be holding the case to the frame. Usually, this is about 6-9 screws. This will remove both sides. If you are aiming on only removing one side (sometimes this is best, as you only need to service one side) then remove the three screws holding the one side on. (For clone PCs. For IBM/Compaqs, refer below). After you’ve got the screws off either the one side, or both sides, simply slide the sides off towards the front side (the side where the power button is).

If you’ve got an IBM or Compaq, you will need to remove all the screws holding the case onto the back, and then employ one or both methods. Some IBM PCs require you to “yank” the case off. Don’t be rough - just remove the screws, then hold the PC in both hands and pull the case towards you, in the direction facing the front. Some of these can be quite annoying to get loose. The other method is using push tabs - some PC cases have these, so if you are having trouble, look for these puppies.

I am a young, aspiring computer engineer into Internet Marketing, hardware, software, web design, SEO and just about anything related to computers. Please come check out my growing PC forum at http://www.markspcforum.com

1. What’s the difference between analog and digital phones?

Analog phones operate on an older and less effective technology. This technology doesn’t scale well and is more costly. Analog service is not compatible with numerous new features. Digital phones are lighter and more compact and have a longer battery life. When you are inside of a calling area the quality is better than analog. Digital phones support new features like caller ID, text messaging or wireless internet services.

2. What is a Dual Band Phone?

A Dual band phone is a phone that can operate on an analog and digital service.

3. What type of battery has the longest life?

Lithium-Ion or Li-Ion batteries have the longest life. They also happen to be the lightest in weight. The two pluses means there is minus attached, which is price. A li-ion battery will always be the most expensive type of battery available.

4. What’s the difference between the Stand-by time and Talk time?

Your phone is in standby mode when your phone is on but you aren’t talking. The power consumption is minimal and the phone can stay in this mode for a longer period of time. When you are using the phone you are using talk time. This consumes battery power at a much quicker rate. Your battery life will be somewhere between talk time and standby time

5. What is a roaming charge?

A roaming charge is when you make a call from outside of your calling area. Your calling area is defined by plan local, regional or national.

6. What are peak and off peak hours?

Peak hours are during the day when the cellular networks are very busy. These minutes are at premium and your plan will typically include the smallest amount of these. If you use more than your allotted peak minutes they will be billed at a much higher rate than off peak minutes. Off peak is the exact opposite of peak time. Each cellular provider has their own definition of off peak.

7. What are anytime minutes?

Anytime minutes are simply put minutes you can use anytime, peak or off peak. On most plans you will use anytime minutes first.

8. Do I pay for the call when someone calls me?

Usually yes. You are billed for the airtime when you receive a call. However some service providers are offering unlimited in network calls.

9. Should I buy a cell phone or look for a free cellular phone?

Free phones generally speaking don’t have the latest features, they are anywhere from 6 to 12 months behind. Also, free cell phones generally come with longer contracts. But, it is still possible to get a great deal on a free cell phone.

10. What to do if you want to upgrade/downgrade or cancel your service plan?

You can usually upgrade to higher plan without any cost. Some may force you to extend your contract for 1 to 2 years from that point. Downgrading your plan is often times not an option and when it is there is usually a penalty or fine.

If you are planning to buy cellular phone visit Wireless Cell Phone Center for the latest news and information.

I would like to tell you about a magic home. You or your children have bought a home and fixed it up very nicely. The parquet floors shine brightly, beautiful crystal chandeliers create a special atmosphere inside while fancy landscaping, decorative fountains and waterfalls create an atmosphere outside. Garage door opens to let you out to work in the morning. There is nobody home. Everybody is gone for the day. The house is empty. But you forgot to turn off the light or close the garage door. Turning around and coming back home is not an option…

As you can probably guess, I have never been at Bill Gates’ home. And probably I will never be there either… But all of us, you and I, have read something or heard something about his house. It is of course a large and beautiful house. And of course it is fully programmed and computerized. Most likely we will never be able to afford such a home. But you too could have a computerized home. For some it may simply mean the ability to turn off the forgotten lights or stove from great distance. For others it may be the audio-visual system they always wanted, surround sound, equipment hidden in the walls, larger than life plasma screens attached straight to the walls, sound dimming out automatically when a phone rings and other such incredible entertainment possibilities. For some it means utilizing state of the art motion detectors and independent power supply hidden cameras that start rolling and call your cell phone number with a coded message if anything larger than a cat starts moving in the house to create security at home for their property, for themselves, for their family and their children. For others, it means the ability to gather all these possibilities together and create a truly smart home, and a fully secure home, responsive to their slightest wish.

All these things are fully within the current technological capabilities, they are not difficult to accomplish, they are not even expensive. They are only limited by your imagination. Whatever home automation you can imagine is possible to bring to life at your home.

Forgot to turn off the lights? Your son or doughter forgot their home keys and are locked out of the house? No problem. Just dial up a command on your computer or cell phone and your beloved but ever so forgetful child gains an entrance to the house. Do you think your ever so forgetful child remembered to lock the door? Don’t even worry about it. You will lock it yourself without missing a beat at work, all under the affectionate gaze of your favorite boss.

Hawaii! The beach, sun, no worries! Is that so? Are you not concerned about the safety of your home while you are away? Is the frig still working? Are the sprinklers sprinkling on time? Is your cat’s autofeeder still operational or is your cat now starving? Needless to say, all of this could be in your hands. You just call a code from your cell phone and the smart house will do the rest.

And what about the home security while you are away? Don’t we all ask our neighbors to collect the mail out of our mailbox and pick up the newspapers laying in front of the house? Don’t we all have lights on timers to create an illusion that we are home? Nowadays it is done with a laptop or a cell phone. Anybody watching the house would see the curtains closing at night, lights and music coming on and off in various parts of the house. The house lives its usual evening life. And when most of the respectable citizens retire for the night, the house would quiet down.

Are you interested? Do you have any other problems you would want solved? Come see us at www.hatca.com, we will help you. Together we will think through every scenario that may happen in your life. And we will present you with the ability to run your house no matter where you are and what happens.

You deserve it so we will give you your new smart home as a present. Well, almost. Our prices would surprise you. Call us at (415) 575-9888 and we will give you your new home practically as a present and it will be a better home, a smarter home.

This article was written by Paul Reznik, an Electronics Engineer and CEO of HATCA (Home Automated Technologies Inc), a leader in the field of home automation. He can be reached at 415-760-6080.

Defining broadband can get complicated

There are many different takes on how to actually define the word: broadband. The first and most obvious way to define it is a transmission medium that allows for multiple pathways and types of data, far exceeding simple voice communication devices. Simply, put it is the ability to access a variety of data through one connection at a reasonable speed.

Where a phone line severely limits the amount of information it can transmit, a broadband line, which has bandwidth greater than 2 mbps, unlike a standard dial-up connection which will only have 56kbps, can allow for a variety of different frequencies and channels to travel down its wide pathway. This makes it optimal for those who play video games on the Internet or are involved in heavy graphics work that they need to import, send and receive along the information superhighway.

The minimum width of a broadband line has become a matter of debate. While initially, the broadband definition was a line that was greater than 2 mbps in width, other experts began asserting that it should be at least 3 mbps wide. Still others complain that at least 20 would be appropriate. But now, broadband services start as low as 1 mbps, for those who are trying out broadband for the first time. So who really knows what the minimum level of bandwidth is needed in order for it to be called broadband? One thing is certain though. DSL service which an range from 256 kbps capacity on the downstream and upstream side up to 1.5mbps, or even higher, is considered a broadband service as well. So are cable television modems, which have similar speeds. So, in reality anything with greater capacity than a narrow line, like a telephone line, which can only hold up to 64 kbps, is technically considered a broadband service.

Broadband services have become all the craze in the past few years. When the Internet started to become more mainstream in the 1990s people were content with simple dial-up Internet services, which used only narrow lines. But as the need for speed became important, especially as files and Web pages became more elaborate, requiring more computer storage space and memory, the need for larger bulks of information being able to be sent and received at a quicker pace became essential. Hence, we have the broadband revolution. Today, hardly anyone uses narrow band service, or dial-up. Broadband Internet access is the name of the game. And if you work in an office it is absolutely essential, as larger chunks of information are frequently sent to and from businesses on a regular basis. Simply put, if you don’t have broadband today, you are probably a person who does not need the Internet for a living. With the number of telecommuting jobs available today, the need for broadband services is only likely to expand greatly.

About The Author:

Neil Shevlin is the owner of UK Cheap Broadband which is a great place to find broadband links, resources and articles.

For more information go to: UK Cheap Broadband

http://www.ukcheapbroadband © Copyright 2005

Please feel free to copy and paste this article and it’s resource information.

What to do once your PC is infected with spyware, ad-ware or viruses

So you’ve been running a virus program. Or you haven’t. (Check my previous article on keeping your computer at top speed by using Avast). Either way, your PC is now infected by spyware/ad-ware, or even worse, a virus. What DO you do?

The easiest method, is, of course, to format. Should you turn on your PC and the infestation is so bad (and some of them are) you need to format, simply slide a windows xp cd you’ve either bought or burned into your rom drive, re-boot, and go through windows installation. Don’t forget to enter your BIOS/CMOS and change your boot sequence so your cd-rom drive boots before your hard drive.

If you’ve just got a small problem; your computer still runs fine, then you can just clean up your hard drive with any number of programs. There are many out there, but the ones I suggest would be Spybot: Search and Destroy, Lavasoft ad-aware, and Avast Anti-Virus.

All of these programs are free and can be downloaded off download.com . Likely the most user-friendly program would be Avast or Ad-aware. Spybot is a little more of an advanced program. It is still one of the best, but if you have trouble understanding PC problems, you might have troubles understanding how Spybot works. (You could always read the readmes or their forums, however). Microsoft has also released a new program too, which can be downloaded from download.com as well, or whatever your favorite download portal is.

Anyways, once you have one of these programs, start a scan and attempt to remove the infestation. Most of these programs can also schedule a boot time scan. This means your computer will reboot and scan before you load windows. This can help remove most infestations because most spyware/ad-ware/viruses can manifest themselves in windows so well that they cannot be deleted unless you delete them before windows loads or from safe mode.

A boot-time scan is recommended as the first course of action to remove your infestation. Should you continue to experience slower PC speeds, you could try using a virus scanner to not only scan your hard drive, but prevent your PC from getting more spyware. Usually with spyware, once you have even a few files infected, they spread like a virus and attempt to propogate themselves. It’s important you have a virus scanner to not only delete old spyware, but prevent new spyware from popping up. Avast is great for this.

Anyways, good luck and good hunting. Use a format as your last course of action. Besides, it’s good for your PC at least once a year to format. This re-aligns your partition tables and eliminates corruption as well as fragmentation.

I am a young, aspiring computer engineer into Internet Marketing, hardware, software, web design, SEO and just about anything related to computers. Please come check out my growing PC forum at http://www.markspcforum.com

Your next cell phone can be a stripped down model or contain features virtually unheard of one year ago. Chances are you will select something in between; in any case we are featuring four dazzling midrange flip top cell phones for your examination. Shop, compare, and save!

1. Motorola v810 ? If "light" is what you like than at 2.8 oz the Motorola v810 is your champion. Key features include: a 640 x 480 camera phone; built-in speaker phone; color display; text messaging; voice notes; analog roaming; and custom ring tones. If you are looking for Bluetooth capabilities, you will need to look at Motorola’s E815 model instead.

2. Kyocera SE47 ? Key features of the SE47 include: a speaker phone; color display; slide-out keypad; custom ring tones; alarm clock; text messaging; and voice notes. The SE47 does not support Bluetooth technology nor does it have an infrared port. It does not come with a camera phone. The SE47 weighs in at 3.3 oz.

3. LG LX5550 ? LG’s offering weighs 3.89 oz and is a popular seller for the Chinese company. Chief features of this model include: a speaker phone; voice notes; and text messaging as well as a color display; analog roaming; and custom ring tones. No camera is offered nor does it have Bluetooth capabilities. The LX5550 does not have an infrared port. If Bluetooth technology is important to you then select LG’s PM-325 model instead.

4. Nokia 6019i ? Another lightweight contender weighing in at 3.87 oz this Nokia model features a speaker phone; a strong battery; color display; text messaging; voice notes; and custom ring tones. No Bluetooth capabilities; no infrared port. This model does not have a camera phone; purchase a Nokia 6670 or 7280 if you want the camera included.

In all, these four models are proven top sellers in their respective categories. Now all you have to do is find the right cell phone carrier to give you the model and plan that works best for you.

Matthew Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on just about any and every issue imaginable. You can preview samples from his high performing site at http://www.thearticlewriter.com

Tip #1. Do a Google search. Don’t be to general in your search, type in exactly what your looking for. Try putting the words you type in quotes to narrow the search.

Tip #2. Go shopping at the office supplies and discount clubs. You may find some discount clubs like Costco & Sams have a 6 month return policy, check your location. California stores have a 6 month no questions asked policy, and yes, this means Computers and Software too, even if the package is open and you have used it. Just make sure you can put it back in the box and you have the receipt.

Tip #3. Don’t forget to check eBay.

Tip #4. Try other stores like Fry’s, Best Buy, Circuit City, Dell, Gateway, CompUSA.

Tip #5. If your looking for used try craigslist.org, eBay.com, http://auctions.yahoo.com

Tip #6. Compare prices at pricescan.com, pricewatch.com, pricegrabber.com, price.com, epinions.com, shopper.cnet.com, streetprices.com & bizrate.com

Tip #7. Check the Sunday newspaper.

Tip #8. Staples, Office Max and Office Depot have price matching. So If one of them has a sales you can take the sale ad to any one of them and they will honor it. Helpful if the store having the sale is not to close to you.

Hope this helps, good luck and thanks for reading.

About the Author:

Michael Mulleda is a successful business man providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Computer Accessories & Supplies. If you have time drop by his site http://gomarketnet.com for some free tips, information and great deals. gomarket@gomarketnet.com

This article is the property of the author and may only be reproduced in its original form along with the “About The Author”. I also ask that you activate any html links found in the article and in the byline. Under those conditions, please feel free to use this article anywhere you wish.

A long-standing question for potential VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) consumers is "How much bandwidth does a VoIP phone require to make quality telephone calls?"

First of all, Bandwidth is defined as the ability to transfer data (such as a VoIP telephone call) from one point to another in a fixed amount of time. The higher the bandwidth speed you have, the more data you can send over your Broadband Internet connection.

There are two types of bandwidth at your location: upload bandwidth and download bandwidth. The Upload Bandwidth is the amount of data you can send to the Internet and download bandwidth is the amount of data you can receive from the Internet. The more Internet bandwidth you have from your ISP (Internet Service Provider) the better.

In most cases, the normal VoIP telephone call will use up 90 Kbps (kilobits per second). If you have a Broadband Internet service provider that doesn’t offer much bandwidth then most VoIP providers give you the option to lower the VoIP voice quality by lowering the bandwidth used for VoIP calls to 60 Kbps or, to really conserve your bandwidth, 30 Kbps. Most people can’t tell the difference between the three settings. We suggest you use the high sound quality setting (90 Kpbs in most cases), if bandwidth is not an issue. High VoIP voice quality is generally the default setting but if you are running into a situation where your bandwidth is limited then you can adjust your VoIP bandwidth to one of the lower settings. Some consumers with 128 Kbps upload connections can receive less VoIP service quality due to a poor quality ISP (Internet Service Provider). By selecting a lower quality VoIP bandwidth setting, this problem can be avoided.

If you plan on using a VoIP service provider, should you get a DSL or a Cable Internet access provider? In general, DSL upload bandwidth starts at 128k where as Cable Internet upload bandwidth starts at around 600k. Cable Internet is a little bit more expensive, but it is also about 4-5 times faster than residential DSL and a bit friendlier to a VoIP telephone call. Having said that, both DSL and cable modem high-speed services provide sufficient broadband Internet access bandwidth to support any of the top VoIP service providers. If you are experiencing low Broadband Internet Service provider bandwidth, we suggest you try Packet8 VoIP. Packet8 VoIP boasts an advanced compression technology in which each active voice line uses approximately only 23Kbps of total data throughput, upstream and downstream.

The amount of bandwidth that a VoIP provider requires to make a quality telephone call is only one thing to consider when choosing a VoIP service provider. In fact, there are many things to consider when choosing a VoIP provider. An educated consumer generally results in a satisfied consumer.

Please see VoIP things to consider article (http://www.voipchoices.com/voip-considerations.html) to find a list of more things to consider when choosing a VoIP provider. You can also compare VoIP providers side-by-side by price and features at www.VoIPChoices.com

Chris Landry is the foremost authority on residential and small business VoIP providers. Chris is the founder of http://www.VoIPChoices.com. Chris has prequalified several high-quality VoIP providers and compares them by price and features at http://www.VoIPChoices.com

Chris can be reach via email at Chris@VoIPChoices.com.