Episode 40 - Free Anti-Virus. Moving files to a new PC. Blu-ray Burners. [Discussion]

[travislopes]

Veronica's DIY Audio Studio. Skitch. Get the best price when you buy tech toys and tools. Skinning your laptop, cell phone, Wii, PS3, Xbox or PC! Buying a used PC. Regular phone vs. VoIP vs. Digital Phone

Watch and download this episode of Tekzilla here. (http://revision3.com/tekzilla/livetaped/)

[computoman]

Excellant show notes!!

About getting used computers:
Some colleges and ohter institutions sell reasonably new systems dirt cheap at auctions. More than likely though the machines ahve been raided for parts.
I have acquired a few free machines from affluent clients by helping them to upgrade. Windows users are always upgrading. Divorced spouses are sometimes another source. They want to get rid of the past. I have acquired quite a few pieces of equipment this way from both ways. In some cases, I did have to do some repair and or parts replacement. Still, I have come out way ahead.
Sometimes local user groups have a stack of machines or equipment for redeployment. I picked up a dell gx110 last weekend for free. Recycle shops used to be an excellent source of free equipment. Now that everyone is into saving money, the pickings have been bare lately.
Sometimes people will throw away equipment. I have grabbed everything such as atx cases, monitors, and even an electric dryer. One good reason to learn as much about science and technology as you can. Turn trash into treasure.

[eminemdrdre00]

I love how everytime Patrick said "I like that thought" Veronica would repeat it and laugh...Patrick didnt even seem to notice or catch on to why she was doing it. lol.

[jdhore]

This is for Alan (if he reads the forums): You should set up a VNC server on your dad's system. Remember to put it on a non-standard port, set a pretty secure password (there are a lot of VNC hijackers out there) and port forward if necessary, that way, you don't have to email your dad a screenshot anytime you want to show him something, you can just call him up, VNC into his system and basically, show him on his system and do it for him. There are plenty of free VNC clients/servers for every OS (I'm only going to mention OS X and Windows cuz if you're using linux...you should be able to figure it out on your own :P)

Windows: TightVNC client & server...Pretty easy to setup, quite easy to use...I personally like it a lot.

OS X: Chicken of the VNC

Oh, and veronica gets knocked out by a falling light at the end.....


j/k

[chickpea]

No, No No! DO NOT FORMAT your harddrive before you give your old computer away. IT DOES NOT DELETE YOUR private info!!!!! It only deletes the partition table, not the files themselves.

You must WIPE your HDD before giving it away. The best way to do this is with a high quality wiping app, like DBAN (Derik's Boot and Nuke) which is free and open source.

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

It uses DOD level wiping procedures so you can be sure that 99% of the hackers out there will not be able to recover any of your private data. Only those who can do a microscopic analysis of the harddrive will be able to recover any data. (so really only NSA will be able to do anything close to that, and also the likelihood that it's worth their while to do something like that to get at your old vacation photos, means that your are safe).

[samureye]

What's the link to the m audio thing they were talking about? My search came up with something different. Is it just used for getting that mic sound into your PC? So is the Shure mic standard, that could be used with say an HV20 or some other camera?

[lindqvist]

emusic.com/tekzilla still says "Sorry, the page you requested was not found."...

Here I thought it was a pretty smart marketing move, I was a little curious, so I went to check it out... but that certainly didn't work out too well.


Good show though, watched the live taping too...

[veronicazilla]

Not sure why the Tekzilla emusic page isn't working, but I made a list anyway!

http://www.emusic.com/lists/showlist.html?lid=31088891&p=

[samureye]

That's what she said^^^

[lindqvist]

Not sure why the Tekzilla emusic page isn't working, but I made a list anyway!

http://www.emusic.com/lists/showlist.html?lid=31088891&p=

Cool...

[aaronsaund]

Veronica: "I like that thought too, I like that thought, I think so too, I like that thought."

lol

[veronicazilla]

Veronica: "I like that thought too, I like that thought, I think so too, I like that thought."

lol

I'm a terrible person.

[argopo]

Great show and timely. Was going to e-mail a microphone question, but you both answered it.

Although the ~$250 investment is more than I want to spend for a mic set-up. Yeah, I'm a cheap ass.

Do you think I can get away with a USB mic or should I suck it up and get the shure/m-audio combo?

[fishtoprecords]

What's the link to the m audio thing they were talking about?
I think it was this. M-audio has a large line. This one supports one mic.
FastTrackUSB (http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackUSB-main.html) And for podcasts one is enough. If you want to records stereo, you need one with two mic imputs, and then you need two mics.

The Shure SM58 is a standard XLR, low impedence mic. It will work with any mixer or studio preamp. I don't know about the camera you mention, if it works with low impedence mics with XLR you are fine. But XLR connectors are big, so small things can't have many of them.

Don't forget to get a mic stand while you are at the music store.

[fishtoprecords]

I'm a terrible person.

Yes, that's one of the many reasons we love you. At least you didn't say "Basically, I like that thought"

[ryudo]

I'm a terrible person.
"Basically"








:pj/k

[marc57]

I wouldn't recommend AVG free anti-virus to anyone, It wont update because they have limited servers for the free version, It's bloated and slows your system down almost as much as Norton, And their support forums are crap.

A much better choice would be Avast.

Edit: Here's another reason NOT to use AVG 8

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1006623

[ryudo]

I wouldn't recommend AVG free anti-virus to anyone, It wont update because they have limited servers for the free version, It's bloated and slows your system down almost as much as Norton, And their support forums are crap.

A much better choice would be Avast.
I second this.

[davmoo]

I'll be odd man out then.

On my main machine that's behind a router, and as I've mentioned before, I don't run any virus protection. I use a decent router and common sense instead.

But on my traveling laptop (which just happens to be what I'm typing this on tonight while I rearrange some drives on my main desktop) I do run protection. And that protection has been AVG for years. I've never had any problems with automatic updating, nor do I have any problems with bloat or tying up resources. I've got an older near-doorstop laptop that serves as my "if everything else is broken, use this" backup. And it runs fine with AVG also.

I've also put AVG on, quite literally, dozens of computers for friends and clients. Never had a problem (or a virus) with any of them.

[veronicazilla]

Yes, that's one of the many reasons we love you. At least you didn't say "Basically, I like that thought"

No, but now I probably will. ;)

[aaronsaund]

I wouldn't recommend AVG free anti-virus to anyone, It wont update because they have limited servers for the free version, It's bloated and slows your system down almost as much as Norton, And their support forums are crap.

A much better choice would be Avast.

Edit: Here's another reason NOT to use AVG 8

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1006623

You can disable Link Scanner. I've not had a problem with AVG. Sorry to hear it sucks for you though. I tried Avast before and didn't like it. To each their own I guess.

[davmoo]

No, but now I probably will. ;)

If you're gonna do that, then you have to work something else in there...

"Basically, I absosmurfly like that thought."

[ojk007]

There's a bit of angst about lately (http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/07/03/1411254), regarding AVG Anti-Virus 8.0 apparently generating fake traffic (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/26/avg_disguises_fake_traffic_as_ie6/) to websites as it pre-scans Google results on people's PCs. It seems to pretend to be a normal browser (http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1006623) while doing this, which makes it difficult to block.

Put simply, AVG is acting as DDOS'r. I've never been an AVG fan, and this only makes me recommend Avast more.

[davmoo]

Put simply, AVG is acting as DDOS'r.

Okay, I'll agree that AVG setting that feature up as "opt out" instead of "opt in" was not a wise move on their part, and they should have publicized it a lot more before it was released. Even if I do like their product they deserve the black eye they are getting over this.

But comparing it to DDOS is approaching a FUD level worthy of Microsoft advertising.

Does it have the potential to skew web server logs and payments to advertisers and such? Yes. Does it have the potential to bring a server down, or even make it slower? Not on its best day.

[ojk007]

But comparing it to DDOS is approaching a FUD level worthy of Microsoft advertising.

I agree comparing it to a deliberate malicious DDOS'n is pushing it.

AVG have a statement
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1006623&p=51#r1009

[dash2]

Haha! I love it..

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/4154/capture752008120400amnt2.jpg

[dark_shroud]

Okay, I'll agree that AVG setting that feature up as "opt out" instead of "opt in" was not a wise move on their part, and they should have publicized it a lot more before it was released. Even if I do like their product they deserve the black eye they are getting over this.

But comparing it to DDOS is approaching a FUD level worthy of Microsoft advertising.

Does it have the potential to skew web server logs and payments to advertisers and such? Yes. Does it have the potential to bring a server down, or even make it slower? Not on its best day.

It doesn't matter if it was intentional or not AVG still acts in this manner.

I don't like Avast! Free edition either as I got my first virus in 5 years under it's watch.

Here are several free antivirus programs from reputable companies.

ClamWin (http://www.clamwin.com/)
Comodo Antivirus (http://antivirus.comodo.com/)
Avira (http://www.avira.com/en/pages/index.php)
PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition (http://www.pctools.com/free-antivirus/)

[veronicazilla]

Haha! I love it..

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/4154/capture752008120400amnt2.jpg

I should learn to not wear things that clash with my skin tone like that! TA-CKY!

[discopants]

Great advice about the install disks. This is very important if you're going to keep the software and OS from the seller.

New windows machines start at rock bottom prices so you may be better off just watching the big box store circulars for those.

I was looking on craigslist for basic hardware to setup a standalone Linux box. I did the dual boot thing and that was super easy to set up, but I wanted a hobby computer that was running Linux solely. $70 hardware from craigslist works since I was going to wipe the hard drive and the OS.

I also got great advice for monitors, keyboards, and mice while I was on craigslist. Go to Goodwill or other thrift store. CRT monitors from $15-$30. I was able to get a USB keyboard and USB mouse (with scroll whell, 'cause I'm hooked) at Goodwill. I handed the clerk a $5 bill and she gave me change back. No problems with either. If there are problems. simple to replace.

[hoodedrobin]

AVG 8... are you freaking serious?

avg used to be good now it does stupid little pop ups telling you to upgrade to the pro version *which by the way isnt very good either*.

Here if you want a good program for antivirus thats free check out clamwin, or if youre okay with stealing stuff download nod32 and crack it. Just dont use avgs bloated crap.

[discopants]

It is too bad to hear that FreshAIRapps is having to move to refreshingapps.com (even though I can't get to that site yet) over trademark dispute with Adobe. This is a great resource and I'm really excited about the possibilities of this platform. (Now I'm afraid to use the term in case Adobe feels the need to sue me.)

[cacogen]

Great advice about the install disks. This is very important if you're going to keep the software and OS from the seller.

New windows machines start at rock bottom prices so you may be better off just watching the big box store circulars for those.



Typical CraigsList ad:

GAMING PC!

-LATEST AND GREATEST INTEL CELERON PROCESSOR!
-HUGE 17" CRT MONITOR!
-GIGANTIC 200 GB HARD DRIVE!
-SUPER FAST GeFORCE FX 5200 GRAPHICS!

$750 FIRM!

[silentspyder]

I should learn to not wear things that clash with my skin tone like that! TA-CKY!

One word. Purple.

[joeyrock]

Haha! I love it..

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/4154/capture752008120400amnt2.jpg

THAT is scary... time of the mo..... no I won't say it. :p Such comments have rarely gone well in the past.

[davmoo]

Haha! I love it..

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/4154/capture752008120400amnt2.jpg

"Don't make me angry...you won't like me when I'm angry!"

[davmoo]

Typical CraigsList ad:

GAMING PC!

-LATEST AND GREATEST INTEL CELERON PROCESSOR!
-HUGE 17" CRT MONITOR!
-GIGANTIC 200 GB HARD DRIVE!
-SUPER FAST GeFORCE FX 5200 GRAPHICS!

$750 FIRM!

Yup, that would be a typical ad around these parts (central Indiana) too. You can find some really good deals on Craig's List, but you can also find a lot of overpriced drek too. And the drek far outnumbers the good deals. The key is before you buy, DO YOUR RESEARCH! If you don't have at least a ballpark idea of what new equipment goes for, as well as the relative ages of processor families, etc, and you start buying things off Craig's List or eBay, you might as well also go on and buy you a jar of Vaseline and a pack of cigarettes because you're gonna get screwed...hard.

I find processors and hard drives on eBay to be especially over priced. I can get better deals at Fry's, even after I include the cost of my gasoline since the closest Fry's to me is 70 miles one way.

Local live auctions work the same way. I recently picked up a decent 64-bit AMD system with a 17" LCD monitor for $25. But at the same auction a few weeks earlier, I saw people bid an ancient PIII system with a 15" CRT up to $275, and then listened to the winner brag about what a deal he got.

Finally, if you are looking for a good used CRT monitor, besides checking Goodwill and the like, ask your local friends that are in to computers. I've got at least 6 working 17" CRT monitors that I'd be happy to give away.

[c2s]

I also think AVG has went down hill. I've used it for years and lately it gives more and more false positives and v8 forget about it. I uninstalled it with a couple days of installing it and went back to 7.5. Hope they get 8 fix by the end of the year.

[ojk007]

It is too bad to hear that FreshAIRapps is having to move to refreshingapps.com (even though I can't get to that site yet) over trademark dispute with Adobe. This is a great resource and I'm really excited about the possibilities of this platform. (Now I'm afraid to use the term in case Adobe feels the need to sue me.)

its big business tatics like this taht shit me. i know they need to protect their trademark.. but a site thats doing so much for their trademark like that, perhaps a free license for the trademark or something.

dunno, just shits me when companies get pissed of by free advertising.

[optionshiftk]

Does anyone know why tekzilla is being moved to be released on Saturdays instead of the traditional Friday? Is it a technical issue or is rev 3 trying to space out their shows?

[ryudo]

Haha! I love it..

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/4154/capture752008120400amnt2.jpg

I know the aim was for hulk but I keep thinking more her head will spin and shoot projectile pea soup.

[samureye]

I think it was this. M-audio has a large line. This one supports one mic.
FastTrackUSB (http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackUSB-main.html) And for podcasts one is enough. If you want to records stereo, you need one with two mic imputs, and then you need two mics.

The Shure SM58 is a standard XLR, low impedence mic. It will work with any mixer or studio preamp. I don't know about the camera you mention, if it works with low impedence mics with XLR you are fine. But XLR connectors are big, so small things can't have many of them.

Don't forget to get a mic stand while you are at the music store.
Thank you kindly. I will have to read up since I am not sure still what it's applications are. I am looking into getting stuff for a mini-media studio, where I can record VO, even songs, etc.

[davmoo]

its big business tatics like this taht shit me. i know they need to protect their trademark.. but a site thats doing so much for their trademark like that, perhaps a free license for the trademark or something.

dunno, just shits me when companies get pissed of by free advertising.

Unfortunately or no, the way US trademark law is written you either defend it or lose it. And if they gave the offending company a license, even free, after the fact, that would open the door for other groups using the same tactic...put up a site for several months and *then* ask for a free license. You can't protect your trademark that way. It has nothing to do with getting pissed off about free advertising.

"Aspirin" would be a perfect example of what happens when you don't defend your name. For those who don't know, in the US "Aspirin" is a generic term for any acetylsalicylic acid based drug. But almost anywhere else in the world, "Aspirin" is a very specific line of products from Bayer. Back in the day, Bayer did not adequately defend its brand name in the US, and lost it. The same thing almost happened to "Kleenex" and "Xerox". So now companies here are VERY careful about what they allow and what they don't allow.

[davmoo]

For what its worth to mention here, AVG has apparently released (yesterday) an update that turns off the link scanning, and the package available for download at their site has been rebuilt to have it turned off.

Since I'm not on my laptop at the moment, I can't tell you if it just turns the feature off, and thus it can be turned back on, or if it has been completely removed.

[huggies]

can anyone sight what size Pat & Veronicas MBP are 15" or 17" ?

Cheers

[veronicazilla]

can anyone sight what size Pat & Veronicas MBP are 15" or 17" ?

Cheers

Mine is a 15", Pat has a MacBook I believe.

[maxhdrm]

actually compared to retail and commercial versions the free version of AVG isn't that bloated at all but I have noticed it to be a resource hog on my memory. Waaayyy too high. I haven't had one pop up since I installed AVG 8 free but I can't stand that fact that you can't turn it off from their navigation window in case XP security updates have issues. You have to disable it in config.exe

Avir antivirus is actually rated 1st or 2nd (depending on the review site) next to AVG with Avast coming in dead last in every review.

Never heard of clamwin nor have I seen it even rated in the top 10 free antivirus reviews

[master811]

It doesn't matter if it was intentional or not AVG still acts in this manner.

I don't like Avast! Free edition either as I got my first virus in 5 years under it's watch.

Here are several free antivirus programs from reputable companies.

Comodo Antivirus (http://antivirus.comodo.com/)


Don't use Comodo AV, at least not v2.0 as at the moment, the current version they have is very old and pretty much useless, now their Firewall is very good (which I happen to use), but their AV software (at least the new v3.0) is still in testing and there's no idea how good it will be yet. That said I'm sure they'll do a good job on it like their Firewall, but I wouldn't use their new AV just yet until its out of testing or you know what you are doing.

[leapsandbounds]

i miss the live feed and for this you punish me w/ no outtakes? i did enjoy the stills but i kept telling myself the funny will start any second now.....no fun.

[maxhdrm]

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH Veronica what where you thinking!! laser etch the outside of your Macbook Pro??!! No WAY and on top of that those skins are just plain ugly.

Skins are great for gaming consoles but for a notebook designed to be esthetically pleasing already (Macbook white is actually a pearl white) why would you want graffitti on it? I call it plain if you want but I chose to keep mine as a serious business tool not dress it up like a highschoolers text book cover. If I wanted something wild I would go with airbrushing or an alienware laptop for flashy outer shells.

Ahhh the perks of wads of money and/or business loaners.

[aaroncampbell]

I thought they said there would be a list of utilities in the show notes to check what hardware and software is on a system (I think they said one by belkin?), but I don't see any.

[davmoo]

I may be wrong, since it has happened one or two times before :)

But he was probably meaning to refer to Belarc Advisor (http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html). It can tell you everything except what you ate for breakfast this morning.

[veronicazilla]

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH Veronica what where you thinking!! laser etch the outside of your Macbook Pro??!! No WAY and on top of that those skins are just plain ugly.

Skins are great for gaming consoles but for a notebook designed to be esthetically pleasing already (Macbook white is actually a pearl white) why would you want graffitti on it? I call it plain if you want but I chose to keep mine as a serious business tool not dress it up like a highschoolers text book cover. If I wanted something wild I would go with airbrushing or an alienware laptop for flashy outer shells.

Ahhh the perks of wads of money and/or business loaners.

what the heck is wrong with laser etching?

[darknessgp]

what the heck is wrong with laser etching?

That's what I was wondering too when I read his post. I mean does he want every Mac owner to get confused if they leave their laptop next to another mac one? maybe he just didn't like your design... since he claimed it to be like a high schooler putting stickers on their text books. Though he mentioned the Mac as a "serious business tool", though I'd claim that he never saw Kevin's etching with the digg logo, which IMO looked very professional.

[serafina]

laser etch the outside of your Macbook Pro??!! [...] not dress it up like a highschoolers text book cover.

Since when do highschoolers laser etch their textbooks? Geez, I certainly went to the wrong HS...

[darknessgp]

Since when do highschoolers laser etch their textbooks? Geez, I certainly went to the wrong HS...

Everyone knows that they laser etch their arms - link (http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-Tattoo/)

[ryudo]

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH Veronica what where you thinking!! laser etch the outside of your Macbook Pro??!! No WAY and on top of that those skins are just plain ugly.

Skins are great for gaming consoles but for a notebook designed to be esthetically pleasing already (Macbook white is actually a pearl white) why would you want graffitti on it? I call it plain if you want but I chose to keep mine as a serious business tool not dress it up like a highschoolers text book cover. If I wanted something wild I would go with airbrushing or an alienware laptop for flashy outer shells.

Ahhh the perks of wads of money and/or business loaners.

God forbid someone making the stuff THEY OWN making it personal for them and not what YOU want..oh no that would be terrible.

[veronicazilla]

Everyone knows that they laser etch their arms - link (http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-Tattoo/)

That video makes me wince. At least those aren't permanent.

[huggies]

Mine is a 15", Pat has a MacBook I believe.
Thank you Veronica,
its great to see the host's getting involved in the forum discussion's
keep up the great shows

Cheers
Huggies