Category: usb

During the Tech Tuesday segment on KOLD News 13 Live This Morning, Andy showed: a personalized coffee mug from RocketLife.Com, a World of Warcraft Battle Chest, Pinnacle Studio 12 for Video Editing and Creation, and an Encore Electronics USB DTV Tuner…

The Encore Electronics ENUTV-DAT USB ATSC Digital TV Tuner is powered by the USB port. An infrared remote control, and antenna, is included.

The HDTV resolution goes to 1920 x 1080i. You can schedule for a program to be recorded. And time-shifting allows for the recording, and playback, of live television broadcasts…at the same time! Files are recorded in iPOD, PSP MPEG-4, and Windows CE-WMV formats. Images can be captured in JPEG and BMP formats…

———————————————–

Encore sent the unit to us months ago, and I tried it, but decided to withhold posting a review because of all of the changes in the final date for digital conversion.

A CD is included that has the software needed for the unit. When I inserted the CD into my computer, the Drivers & Utilities Installation menu appeared. The first item on the menu is Setup Utility…the second item is Setup Driver. The handbook states to install the driver, then the utility…

After doing so, I connected the device and an error message appeared: “The device cannot be detected or is not supported.” After restarting the computer, and connecting the device, it was recongized.

When I tested it I was in the northwest area of Tucson (Marana), inside of a coffee shop. The signals from the stations could not be expected to be very strong. One of the reasons I was trying to wait as long as possible about posting this review is because some will be increasing their power, but I don’t know when that will be and if there are stations in my area that will be.

I was able to get KVOA (Channel 4), and KHRR (Channel 40)…and our local PBS affliate, KUAT. KUAT impressed me the most:

KUAT6/HD
http://tv.azpm.org/kuat/
“271” (channel 27.1)

KUAT 6-Kids-HD.
http://tv.azpm.org/kids/
“272” (channel 27.2)

PBS-World
http://tv.azpm.org/world/
“273” (channel 27.3)

If you look at their website, there appear to be at least two more channels available.

Andy and I have tried other digital television receivers, and feel that…based on our experiences…outdoor amplified antennae should seriously be considered when at all possible.

We received an e-mail message asking about connecting a monitor to a USB port…

I found three monitors that connect via a USB port:
the LG L206WU-WF 20″ Widescreen LCD Monitor…
the 19″ Samsung UbiSync 940UX…
and the 4.3″ Century LCD-4300U.

You will find adapters available from various sources…EVGA Corporation has a couple of USB-to-monitor adapters:

UV Plus+ | Model: UV16
Part Number: 100-U2-UV16-A1
Max Resolution (Analog and Digital) 1680×1050

UV Plus+ | Model: UV12
Part Number: 100-U2-UV12-A1
Max Resolution (Analog and Digital) 1440×900

“Medic ID bracelets or medical alert emblems have only a word or phone number on them. MedicTag is designed to let you carry all your emergency information with you at all times…”

MedicTag is a USB digital memory chip drive that contains your emergency information. Any emergency service, ambulance, police or rescue squad with a laptop computer can have instant access to all your emergency information: emergency contacts, existing conditions, allergies, medications…

It could be useful to: joggers, cyclists, hikers , hunters, those with alzheimer’s, those who live in areas where natural disasters could happen (hurricanes/fires/floods/earthquakes/tornados)…

The CARE Memory Band is a USB drive-integrated wristband.

For pets, there’s the PetSafe Micro I.D. Rescue Collar (available in 3 sizes PETCO retail stores nationwide and online).

TrueCrypt is encryption software: it can keep your files from being accessed unless the correct password/keyfile(s), or encryption keys, are used.

TrueCrypt will hide operating systems, also!

BEFORE USING THE SOFTWARE, I strongly recommend you at least browse through the TrueCrypt User’s Guide. It is included in the download, and available to you after you execute the file you downloaded. It is best that, before you use TrueCrypt, you become familiar with: some of the terms, what the software will do and how it will perform, and where you can refer to if you have a question. The Beginner’s Tutorial chapter can be viewed at http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/tutorial.php

[One of those terms you will need to be familiar with: a TrueCrypt volume is also known as a “container”, a file that contains the encrypted files.]

After you download the setup file (from http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads.php), and execute it, you are offered to: “install” it, or to “extract” it. If you choose “extract”, you can save the files to a folder…and carry and use it on an external drive. This is a version of “traveler” mode (which can also be used if TrueCrypt is installed to an operating system).

The User’s Guide states that there are two ways to run TrueCrypt in ‘traveler’ mode:
1) After you unpack the binary distribution archive (what you downloaded), you can directly run TrueCrypt.exe.
2) You can use the Traveler Disk Setup facility to prepare a special “traveler” disk, and launch TrueCrypt from there.

You will need to create a TrueCrypt file container on the USB flash drive (see the Beginner’s Tutorial), so…

Before you use TrueCrypt on a USB flash drive, know that:
1) If you encrypt the entire USB flash drive, you will not be able run TrueCrypt from the USB flash drive.
2) Before you choose the size for the TrueCrypt container on a USB drive, if you leave enough space on the USB flash drive for TrueCrypt (not IN the “container” file – along WITH the “container” file), you will be able to run TrueCrypt from the USB flash drive (see the Traveler Mode chapter in the User’s Guide).

It is not difficult to use…do not fear trying it to see if it will work for your security needs.

We’ve had conversations about using USB devices…

Someone in our (Ustream.tv) chat room suggested we review “USB Hub Design and Windows”.

Per the USB Implementers Forum, the specification for cable lengths is 3 meters to 5 meters.

I have used longer cables, but only for devices that do not need to be powered by the USB port. And, I have USB devices that cannot be powered by certain computer ports because the ports do not provide enough power for the device: because of bad experiences I do not trust USB devices that use Y-cables.

When considering using powered hubs, keep in mind that what is considered to be a “compliant bus powered hub” has only four ports.