Episode 127: Stop USB Attacks On Your PC! VHS to Digital Video, Refurbished Products, Cheetos! [Discussion]

[jackierulesall]

Windows Pagefile: Performance Tweak, or Hands Off? Powerful Free Video Converter. PuppyLinux: Patrick's New Favorite Distro, Where's Your Favorite Anti-Spyware Pick? Ubulu: Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon Made Easy, Stop Physical Attacks On Your PC!

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[musiqueman1]

Hey,
I was just asked last week by my mom if there was something to convert VHS to DVD, so I loved the show. But she said that one of the VHS's, a really important one, was unplayable due to it not being cleaned before it was written over and has static or something (this is why it is unplayable). What can I do to fix this, or is the tape doomed forever?

Matt

[nav13eh]

"That's what she said"

[chrispycritter]

Originally Posted by musiqueman1

Hey,
I was just asked last week by my mom if there was something to convert VHS to DVD, so I loved the show. But she said that one of the VHS's, a really important one, was unplayable due to it not being cleaned before it was written over and has static or something (this is why it is unplayable). What can I do to fix this, or is the tape doomed forever?

Matt

1st make sure the tape is wound tightly..also make sure the tape is rewound..there is a hole in the center bottom of the tape that locks in the tape you can depress that with a pen and wind the tape..just be sure that your are tightening it..you probably will have to hold one of the winders and rotate another when holding the pen depressing the lock..wind the winder that has the tape on it not the empty window side..don't way over tighten the tape just wind it until it gives light resistance then release the lock while holding the winders and put it in the VCR..it might be easier to do this with 2 people but I can do this by myself no problem..if the tape is completely rewound you really only have to wind the one side just be careful not to rip the tape out of the holder on the empty side but if your don't apply too much pressure when winding you won't have that problem.

You could try adjusting the tracking if the VCR has that option..make sure to turn off any auto tracking 1st then use the manual button on the remote..adjust it both ways until you find the spot where the sound and picture are best..a person who works on them might be able to recover the tape better for you if it's still unplayable and is important...

[musiqueman1]

Thanks crispycritter I'll give that a shot!

How good is active detection in PC Tools protection, you don't know and me too?

Microsoft Security Essentials is about the same detection quality as Avast both are average.

AVG Free is look like the best free out there with detection about 99% and i recommend monthly scan with F-secure on-line scanner it will scan&remove if found any junk. Yes both are from Europe but it works better than your software from US, security is not optional so why pay for something that is not 100% at the end you will end up with 3x Antivirus and drain system down for who for what, why not do an ad for MAC Anti-spyware if there is one.

http://www.f-secure.com/en_EMEA/secu...nline-scanner/

[chrispycritter]

Originally Posted by musiqueman1

Thanks crispycritter I'll give that a shot!

No problem anytime..also I would suggest capturing it with a computer a few times if it plays at all and if it's really important..you could track it to play audio and video the best it can and capture both with the VCR then edit the 2 together on a computer..can't hurt to capture it a lot of times before the tape is totally unplayable if it isn't already as you can piece the best parts together at a later time..also you can clean the video and sound up a lot with a computer..good luck

Refurbished products (caveat emptor). Your preaching to the choir. I also like to look at things that stores sell cheap because they think they are worthless. Bought a couple of analog to digital phone converters for a few bucks each. The store thought they could not be reused. We redid the firmware on them and they work great with asterisk and our old analog phones. Turned the old ar430w routers into asterisk servers. etc.... I also like to traverse Goodwill resale stores. Even if you get burned once in a while, it is for a good cause. about to buy a ten dollar color tv to hook up to dtv converter.

My brother teaches using the Ubuntu live cd to show his students how to rescue their foobarred Microsoft Windows boxes. I used Knoppix live cd many years as a tech to rescue precious files for users where I worked. They definitely do not think it was evil. It is a shame that Pat did not demo the Trinity Rescue Kit (aka TRK). that is a wonderful tool for cleaning up Microsoft boxes from viruses and other malware. You can put most any linux distro on a thumb drive, not just puppy. A reset jumper will get rid of bios passwords real quick. Someone needs a new roommate.

The more you know.

[unsungzeros]

The Netflix ad doesn't exactly speak very well of the service...



Granted, those are new releases in high demand, but come on!




BTW, Veronica has got some awesome Cheetos catching skills!

[chrispycritter]

Just got around to watching this episode..I'm just past the VHS part and have a couple of inexpensive ideas for people that don't want to spend much capturing there VHS to computer..you can get a capture card for around $20 that will capture VHS just fine if that's all you want to do..also once spring comes along you could look for a VCR at a garage sale I'm sure there out there for $5-10..I have a few laying around one that works well another that's a decent Sony stereo VCR but the ejector doesn't work but I can play tapes on it still if I had to..I also have one that seems to work well that I looked at for a friend they said it was eating tapes and I had no problem with it they never came to pick it up..I cleaned it and it works fine..anyways I'm not selling them just saying ask around I'm sure friends and family probably have a few VCR's laying around that are not being used..offer then $10 or something for a working one..I'm sure a lot of people would just give you one if you asked around or would let you borrow it.

Below is a link to an inexpensive capture card one that I own that I used to capture videos of my PS2 gaming..the card isn't the most user friendly but it works..I'm sure there are a lot of other cards for around $20 or less out there too..one thing make sure your computer meets the cards specs..I ram mine on a P3 1ghz but it only allowed me to capture in a low quality state but probably high enough to capture VHS just fine..I believe you need a minimum 2ghz P4 to use the highest video setting..anyways check it out and if any of you buy that card and have setup questions just PM me on here and I will try to help...

It the Sabrent SBT-TVFM PCI Capture Card but I was surprised when I got mine is said Phillips on it..the tuner never worked that great but I only purchased it to capture my games of Socom on PS2 it was an inexpensive capture device that I thought worked well for me for the price..it works with my 64x Vista computer but the remote doesn't seem to work with my Vista computer but it did with XP just fine and it changes my display settings when I load it but it seems to still capture really well at the highest setting on this computer.I will probably get a new card at some point but it was just laying around anymore so I popped it in my newer computer..who knows maybe there is a update to it somewhere online or another card for around that price that is setup for Vista/Win 7 but it will work with Vista X64 for sure...

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...731&CatId=4547

Edit: Found the Vista driver/software here for the above card but the new driver should come with it now I purchased my card before Vista came out ~>http://www.sabrent.com/#itemName=&it...ection=Drivers seems to work really well now and my remote works..the software seems a lot better than what I got with my card too..Windows doesn't change screen resolution with the new software too..also reading the reviews at TigerDirect someone posted this card works with Win7 and is recognized by Windows Media Center. in Windows 7 although my Vista WMC doesn't..It doesn't matter to me as I never use WMC..maybe this is an x64 issue as to why WMC doesn't see it...

Then there is this one it says Vista ready for around $25 and it's an external capture device.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...041&CatId=4546

Note: These cards do not have digital tuners in them and don't do HD but for transferring VHS to computer they should work very well...