Windows Vista
Download YouTube Videos
Feb 20th
Ever wanted to save a YouTube video as a WMV file or just wanted an MP3 of a song played on youtube (http://www NULL.youtube NULL.com)?
While there are a number of ways to do this, there is a free tool out there that is simple and easy to use.
The program is called FLVtoAVI. You can download the video into the formats listed in the screen shot below and save it to your computer!
Download from flvtoavi.com (http://www NULL.flvtoavi NULL.com)
From their website:
FLV to AVI – Freeware to converting Flash Video (.flv) to AVI
Do you need convert internet Flash video to popular AVI video format? Do you want to play your Flash video with your portable video player (MP4 players)? This small and powerful flash tool "FLV to AVI" can help you.
FLV to AVI is one free software to convert Adobe Flash video to AVI video, simple and easy to use, just input the file name of your Flash video file, and choice one output AVI video format, the software will convert your Flash file (.flv) to the AVI video (.avi) in minutes (the default output AVI video is MPEG4 video format).
FLV to AVI support several different AVI video codecs, include MPEG4, DivX, Xvid, QuickTime (MOV), WMV and 3GP. It can only convert audio data form Flash video file to MP3 audio (output MP3 audio is 128kbps 44kHz stereo, standard "CD quality" bit rate).
Simple and Easy to Use
This free Flash conversion tool is simple and easy to use very much, no complex settings, program is smart, the output video can have good quality, with this program, anyone (specially for newbie) can convert their flash videos by themselves, without any video codec knowledge about FLV and AVI.
In the main FLV to AVI interface, there have three zones: the "Source Flash¡±, "AVI Video Format" and "Process". The "Source Flash" is used to select the source Flash video, the "AVI Video Format" is used to change the output video format, and the "Process" is used to show the conversion process and status.
The source flash of FLV to AVI can be "Flash Video File" or "Youtube Web Page". For converting existed Flash video file on your PC, you can input the full path file name or click "Open" button to select one.
About Convert YouTube Video
FLV to AVI can be used as one handy youtube video downloader, it can download the high quality MP4 file from youtube video server, and you can save this video as one standalone AVI video file (MP4 format), or convert it to other video format as you like.
If you want to save the Flash video form Youtube directly, just input the YouTube web page address (URL) in the edit box as Flash video source, you can copy this address form the address bar of Internet Explorer & FireFox and paste it there.
A important feature about YouTube Video is that once the users ask to download and convert one Youtube video, the FLV to AVI will redirect and download the high quality video version directly from the YouTube video server, and not the low quality FLV video, so users can get one higher video quality than the normal youtube web page. Each YouTube video have two video quality versions, one is MPEG4 video, the other is Flash video, program will download the high quality MPEG4 video version.
How to Use
- Download the setup file of "FLV to AVI", and install it on your PC;
- Input one Flash video file or Youtube Web Page address;
- Default outout AVI codec is MPEG4, you can change with "AVI Video Format" options;
- Click "Convert" to start the Flash conversion process.
Output Video Support
- MPEG4
- DivX (Digital Video Express)
- Xvid (contrast with the DivX codec)
- WMV (Window Media Video)
- MOV (Apple Quicktime Player)
- Song PSP (MP4 format, video stream has the dimension of 368*272)
- 3GP (3G mobile, rescale video to 352*288)
- MP3 (no video, audio only)
Download
- Download FLV to AVI (http://www NULL.flvtoavi NULL.com/flvtoavi_setup NULL.zip)
- Current Version: 1.2
- File Size: 2.77MB
- System Platform: Microsoft Windows XP/98/2000/VISTA
(http://www NULL.softsea NULL.com/review/FLV-to-AVI NULL.html) - Program can work with VISTA 32bits and 64bits, can wotk with Windows 7
- Price: $0, Freeware
FLV to AVI is absolutely free software, free for any private use.
Hardware: Getting the Iomega USB floppy drive to work with Windows Vista and Windows 7
Dec 11th
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/computer_cartoon1 NULL.jpg) Even with it being 2009 (almost 2010) and the fact that most new pc’s do not have floppy drives anymore, as a tech, I still find times where bring out an old reliable floppy is my best way to resolve a problem. Many people still have some “classic” tools that are on floppy, or documents or pictures saved on floppy (Before CDRW/DVDRW drives became the norm, floppy disks were the way to store and transfer files).
The problem is that many of the Floppy drives do not have drivers or “official” support for Windows Vista or Windows 7. This post covers just such an issue. I use an Iomega USB drive, and whenever I plug it into my Windows 7 pc’s, I get a message that Windows cant find a driver for my device.
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image16 NULL.png) Here are some simple steps to get your drive to work with Vista or W7.
1) When you install the drive you will get the message that your drive needs to find drivers. Just hit Cancel
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image17 NULL.png)
2) Go to start –> Control Panel –> System –> Device Manager
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image18 NULL.png) (Example from Windows 7, Vista may look a little different)
3) When the Device Manager opens you will see a listing for X1DE-USB with a Yellow triangle next to it under Other Devices. On that line item right mouse click (NOTE IM SAYING RIGHT MOUSE) and then select Update Driver software and left mouse click (NOTE THATS LEFT NOW)
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image19 NULL.png)
4) Now select Browse my computer for driver software
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image20 NULL.png)
5) Now select Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer and click on Next
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image21 NULL.png)
6) Now you will get a box to select your device type from list, click on “Show All Devices” and click on Next
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image22 NULL.png)
7) In the following window, for the box on the left select NEC Systems, and then on the right select NEC USB Floppy then click on Next
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image23 NULL.png)
8 ) You will be told by Windows that “Installing this device driver is not recommended…..” its ok just click on Yes to continue.
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image24 NULL.png)
9) Lastly you will be told that Windows has successfully updated your driver software.
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image25 NULL.png)
Now if you look at the Device Manager you will see the listing for Floppy disk drive – Citizen X1DE.
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image26 NULL.png)
Finally if you look in the My Computer icon, you will see the A: drive listed for your floppy drive
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/image27 NULL.png)
With that you now have a working Floppy USB drive.
Software: Showing hidden files, folders and extensions in Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Oct 24th
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/microsoft4 NULL.jpg) My preference has always been to set up Windows to show the hidden files, hidden folders and the extensions to files and programs. I prefer to have control and see exactly what I have on the PC. Microsoft hides these on the basis that these are normally Windows operating system files and folders or that the extensions are just not needed to be seen.
I can see the point if you have a pc that is used by many people (like small kids) or a complete new pc user who wouldn’t know any better, since you cant see the file or folder then you cant delete it. The problem with that is, the many of the Virus and Malware writers use that same feature to hide the files that infect your pc.
Additionally, I guess it assumed that hiding the .exe or .jpg (etc) from files would be for the benefit of users who don’t know any better and would get confused by it. However because the extensions are hidden by default in Windows, the setting allows virus writers to distribute executable files (files that can be installed on your pc causing you to get infected) disguised as something non-executable (like a picture or . For example, an .EXE file might appear to be an innocuous text file.
So as a recommendation here is how to unhide files, folders, and extensions in Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Close all programs so that you are at your desktop.
- Click on the Start button.
- Click on the Control Panel menu option.
- When the control panel opens you will be either in Category View or Large (or Small) Icon view:
*In either case change the setting to Large Icon View to make the following steps easier (See examples below – Where arrow Points)
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cpcategoryview NULL.jpg)Category View
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cplriconview NULL.jpg) Large Icon View
4. Click on Folder Options in the Window
5. Click on the View tab.
6. Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files and folders
7. Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide extensions for known file types.
8. Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files.
(After you have done the steps your window should look like the example below)
**With that you will now see all files on your pc and see the extension for all files and programs. Note that most of the hidden files are Windows files and are required for your computer to operate correctly, so as always NO DONT DELETE ANYTHING UNLESS YOUR ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS AND THAT YOU DONT NEED IT.
(http://www