What's The Difference Between A Power Surge And A Power Outage?
10 Tips for Satellite TV Systems
Apr 6th
Here are 10 tips about satellite tv systems. As always, reference your owner’s manual for all safety precautions.
1) Surge protection – Do not attempt to run your satellite tv system without a surge protector. Get a good one. We recommend a high end one from Radio Shack. Make sure the surge protector has inputs for the coax cable and telephone jack as well. Do not forget to protect any antenna inputs you might have coming in to your receiver. Do not think that you can get by without this. Sooner or later it will come back to haunt you and cost you money that will not be covered under warranty.
2) Sudden Shock!- With DVR receivers, think about where you put the unit. Make sure it is stable and will not get wet, hit, knocked off, etc. DVR systems have hard drives in them, which must be handled with extreme care.
3) Ventilation – Just like computers, the newer DVR receivers has fans and need to maintain certain temperatures. Be careful when placing them in cabinets. Receivers must have proper ventilation.
4) Moving a DVR – If you have to move a DVR, unplug it and wait for at least 30 seconds. This gives unit time for a proper shutdown.
5) Cleaning – Keep all electronics CLEAN! Get a can of air duster (made for electronics) to blow your receiver out periodically. Do this at least once a month. More if you live in a dusty area. Remember that dust is electronics worst enemy. Unplug the receiver before cleaning.
6) Pointing the dish – How the dish is pointed is one of the most critical elements of how your home dish satellite TV will work. Just 1/8 of an inch out of proper alignment can cause problems. YOU MUST USE A COMPASS if you are going to point the dish correctly. Do not even attempt if you do not have a compass or do not understand how to shoot an azimuth. Check and make sure nothing is obstructing the view of the sky (i.e. – power lines, tree limbs) before adjusting. It takes very little movement of the dish to make minor adjustments. Make very small adjustments (movements) while you or someone else is watching your signal strength screen. Do not try to make large adjustments. After making an adjustments, give the system a few seconds to respond on the signal strength. Refer to your owner’s manual for the specifics of your particular system and observe all safety precautions.
7) System doing weird things – Most issues can be resolved by simply resetting the system (screen freeze, channels not listed). Hold the power button on the receiver for a few seconds or unplug the unit from the wall (if unplugging from the wall, wait 30 seconds). Sounds too easy, but you will be surprised at how many times this will do the trick.
Cold dangers – Do not store your receiver in a cold environment (below 40° F). When it warms back up, moisture can form inside and damage the electronics inside (applies to most electronics) If it is cold to the touch, let it set at room temperature UNPLUGGED for at least 45 minutes. If there is apparent moisture buildup, let the system dry out at room temperature before plugging back in.
9) Coax Cables- Use only RG-6 cables! Do not use cable company TV cables (RG-59). Using RG-59 cables can cause signal loss. Always use a small wrench or pliers to tighten cable connections. Do so GENTLY! Just enough force so the cable connections cannot be loosened by hand. Overtightening connections can cause them to break or damage expensive equipment. Connections being too loose can cause loss of signal and / or moisture buildup inside of connections. All connections must be watertight!
10) Grounding – The outside components of your system must be grounded (i.e. – dish, cable splitters). The step is often neglected by installers. There should be some type of ground wire running from the outside components to a ground stake (a piece of metal driven into dirt or concrete). If you are about to purchase a system, make sure your installer does this very important step.
Jen Wilson maintains the website Wilsons Electronics Electronics information and tips. Online Electronics Dictionary Satellite TV and Internet Satellite Systems available
Electrically Outfitting Your Home
Apr 5th
These are prosperous times for Maryland consumers and the number of electronic amenities available today is indicative of the modern business world’s ability to cater directly to those consumer’s needs. From home entertainment systems, to video game stations, and in-house movie theaters, electronic luxuries are becoming both more extravagant and more affordable for the average Maryland citizen. While you may not yet be able to afford a home theater, and perhaps you can’t imagine needing multiple video game systems in your house, there are certainly a number of electronic amenities that you do want. But vital to any electronics use in the home, is a properly wired and fitted electronics area. Before you choose a new electronic device, or a new electrician, take stock of the different challenges posed by each different appliance.
If you are interested in outfitting your home for a new television, stereo, or home movie system, consider taking your first batch of questions straight to an electronics store. For your type of inquiry you may want to consider skipping the usual question and answer session with the general merchandising employees and instead go straight to one of the specialized employees with advanced knowledge of your particular electronics, be it a television or a stereo. Once you have confronted the appropriate employee, ask them specific questions about the type and quality of the different products they offer and what type of location and space those products require. Citizens living in Baltimore need not worry too much about disrupted radio or satellite signals, but the further away you get from a metropolitan area, the more you should be personally considered with the threat of a product not working due to environmental interference.
Once you have decided on a product and have been given the “ok” from the employee, walk away from the store. That’s right; don’t purchase your product just yet. Even if you are dying to take that new DVD player home with you, do the wise thing and drive home without purchasing it. Before you purchase any expensive electronic product you want to consult your electrician for advice about the possibility of having your house properly wired. Many consumers purchase an excellent product only to find that their house is not correctly fitted for their purchase. Save yourself this trouble by making sure that your house is up to date and ready for the product you wish to use. By giving your electrician the model and type number of the product you decided on at the store, they should be able to accurately tell you if your house needs to be upgraded, if it does, go ahead and get the upgrade.
With a new product and an upgraded home, you should feel on top of the world. The only task now is to sit back, relax and enjoy your new electrical amenity in your newly, electrically fitted home.
Mr. Oliver is a marketing agent of Arundel Cooling and Heating. The electrical contractor provides electrical services throughout Maryland. For more information on their Electrical Contractor please visit their website.
The Importance of Continuously Backing Up Your Work
Apr 4th
We’ve all been there, we are working on that big proposal for our finals, we are doing the finishing touches on that big project that’s sure to get you that promotion, you are making the final edits for that customer who’s going to literally hand you a burlap bag with a money symbol – when it happens. It could be a hard drive crash, a power surge, an earthquake or a direct slap from God, I don’t know – but all your work is gone and you didn’t back it up. If you have not begun to feel that wave of icy shock and terror, then you have got to prepare- because what will you do when it *does*? I can recollect years ago, I was finishing my final project for my 2-D advert class, merely a mad old timey disinformation war poster. It was raining very heavily and the thunder was getting louder, I saved my project under a few separate titles but I would have liked to have a backup-just in case. I put my USB memory card in and did another quick save – literally a second before we had a brown out / power surge.
That second of darkness felt like a cold, numb, terrifying century. When the light came back on and my PC commenced booting up all I could do was pray that my final was there and any damage was not. My last was on my PC, one of the saves anyway. The final was still intact on my USB, but half the other files were corrupted and that port was fried and hasn’t worked since. The drive itself went two weeks later on a week after I handed in my project. I got lucky, intensely lucky. Hopefully if it occurs again I will be as lucky. But always ‘hoping for the best’ is an especially dumb thing to do. That it’s like never wearing a helmet on a bike and hoping you may never get hurt if you hopefully don’t fall-one search on YouTube proves you’ll get hurt when you fall off a bike. Hilariously though, but still I’m sure smashing your face on a concrete path hurts.
Thankfully for people that do enjoy wearing wearing helmets while using our PCs ( or making your computers clumsily wear one ), there are lots of options to be certain our files will be safe and backed up when the time comes. Online backup is great to store your files, but it can be costs and you are restrained by the velocity of your Internet and the dimensions of your data. If you’re happy to spend the scratch, it straightforward and convenient and always a comfort realizing that what ever you want should be available to you at all times-as long as a Net source in close. Which naturally it always is, I like living in THE FUTURE.
Still, if you’ve got the art of crazy coincidence and karma decides to say Sup? when you’re backing up your information online-your doubly %$+. And probably awfully short of a hug to boot. To avoid that rare disaster you can go with the classic methodology of offline data storage, the external disk drive. Prices start for as little as under 20 dollars and you should purchase one virtually anywhere, it’s truthfully one of those invests you’ll be grateful for.
Any PC with USB or Firewire capability will see the external disk drive as a storage gadget and assign it a letter to designate it. Anytime you plug it in, you basically just treat it like any standard drive. You just drag and drop what you need, it’s super simple to transfer big files backwards and forwards from work to home, to a friend’s house, or between your desktop and laptop PC. It’s especially useful if you have a tendency to keep big quantities of photos, music, movie, or game files on your computer too. Just treat your external like your attic room, toss everything in there that you do not really use or need-but your hoarder instinct is too dynamic to just remove them. This way you get to fulfill your compulsion, your computer runs quicker, and you suddenly have more room to hoard more data! Or you can use if for critical stuff like I discussed earlier, so that in an emergency your info will remain safe and secure. But I understand if that doesn’t slake your need to having floor to ceiling hard drives for your LOLcat addiction.
I work at Geek Choice, a nationwide computer service company. We can help you with: Laptop Computer Repair, Slow Computer, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, Computer startup problems, Printer not printing, Not connecting to the Internet, and much more.
Add-on Accessories To Enhance Your Car – Where To Get Them Online
Apr 3rd
Add-on accessories for your car will make your ride more enjoyable. A power cord from your cell phone to the cigarette lighter socket will keep your phone running without draining its battery. An iceless cooler will conveniently keep a drink cold. A heated mug will keep coffee hot as long as the car is running. Add-on accessories add enjoyment to your ride. Below is information and comments about five types of accessories. To locate the items online, use the link to Leisure ideas at the end of this article.
12-volt heated mug – A mug with a plug for getting power from the cigarette lighter socket. It keeps a liquid such as coffee hot for as long as the vehicle is running. Some models have a thermostat to set the temperature.
Example models:
- Wagan Tech Heated Travel Mug, removeable cord plugs into cigarette lighter socket, 16-ounce capacity, double wall vacuum insulation to keep drinks hot up to an hour after you unplug, mug fits cup holders, available for about $30.
- New VR3 Stainless Steel Heated Insulated Travel Mug Cup, plugs into cigarette lighter socket, 14-ounce capacity, base sized to fit cup holder, about $10 plus shipping.
- Bell & Howell Hot N’ Go Heated Car Mug, heats to 145 degrees F in 30 minutes, 16-ounce capacity, priced about $18.
- JLR Gear Smart Mug, set the temperature you want, has ready light, 16-ounces, plugs into lighter socket, available online for about $20 plus shipping.
Cooler/warmer – These give the choice of keeping food hot or cold. Can warm food and can cool. Some are sized to hold a can of soda or a mug of coffee, larger units might hold a six pack or more.
Example models:
- Coleman 12-Volt 9-Can Console Cooler/Warmer, cools to 40° F and warms to 120° F, 9-can capacity. Available online for about $60.
- Vector® Thermoelectric Portable Food Cooler/Warmer Chests, cool to 40° below outside temperature, warm to approximately 130° F, 9-foot cord plugs into lighter plug. Two available, 6- and 12-can capacity, priced $75 and $85.
- Koolatron 18-quart Food Cooler/Warmer, cools to 40° F below ambient temperature or warms to 125° F, detachable 10-ft. cord, 3-amp draw, holds 23 12-ounce cans. Available for about $110.
- ROADPRO 12-Volt Mini Cooler / Warmer, holds 9 12-ounce cans, about $50.
- 12-Volt 7-Liter Cooler/Warmer 12-Volt 7-Liter Cooler/Warmer, holds 9 12-ounce cans, about $60.
- Pyle – Automotive Travel Cooler/Warmer – PLCOOL6, holds two 12-ounce bottles, 9-foot detachable cord, 12 volt/120 volt/220-volt, about $40 online.
- Rubbermaid® Cooler/Warmer 289377 1.1-gallon capacity, holds 6 12-ounce cans, plugs into cigarette lighter socket, in warming mode, warms to 120-degrees F., tie-down strap and buckle strap for fastening to seat back. 7′ long 12v cord. Available online for $80 plus shipping.
Cell phone charger – Plugs into the cigarette lighter socket to power or charge your cell phone.
Example models:
- Virgin Mobile Silver Dolphin Car Charger, for Kyocera phones, plugs into car’s power outlet and charges phone in 2.5- to 3.5-hours, http://www.radioshack.com can locate the stores nearest you where you can get this charger, about $15.
- Phoenix Wireless Vehicle Power Adapter for Samsung M300/M510, has coiled cord that plugs into cigarette lighter socket, about $25.
- Quick Cell 3900 Car Charger Nokia, web site lists stores nearest you that stock this charger, about $15.
- Phoenix Vehicle Power Adapter for Samsung Phones, has coiled cord that plugs into cigarette lighter socket, 3.5-mm plug, for many Samsung phones, for about $25.
- Generic Car Charger for Nokia N91, N90, N80, 770, 7370, 6282, 6265i, 6165i, 6155i, 6126, 6103, 6102i, 6102, 6101, 3155i. Available for about $5.
Power inverter – Plugs into the cigarette lighter socket, clips to battery, or wire it in. The vehicle’s 12-volts dc is changed to 120-volts ac to power things like laptop computers, coffee makers, cell phones, camcorder battery chargers and other small appliances. Don’t go bigger than 400 watts unless you want to go directly to the battery with heavy wire. Even then, high power devices will drain your battery quickly and could fry the alternator if the engine is running.
example models:
- Xantrex X Power Mobile Plug 75, only 75 watts, very light duty, for about $30 online.
- Whistler 400-watt Power Inverter with Circuit Pro, will run TV/DVD combos, laptops, cooling fans, $30 plus shipping.
- Xantrex Technologies XPower Plus 400-Watt Inverter #851-0400, 400 watts for 5-minutes, 600-watts surge for easy startups, and 300-watts continuous power, plugs into car cigarette lighter, automatic shutdown mechanism protects against overload, over-temperature and low battery conditions, two 3-prong grounded AC outlets, and a DC outlet. Available online for about $30.
mp3 player – Down load music or other audio content onto either the player’s memory or a separate flash drive. Hours of audio can be stored in a single memory device. Some content can be downloaded for free. Listen to the program any time you choose.
example models:
- VR3 MP3/WMA FM Modulator w/USB Port and Audio, VRFM8BLN, plug a flash drive into its USB port and use Play, Pause, Volume, Shuffle, and Track Selection controls to play MP3 and WMA files, has a mini jack to use a mp3 player or other audio source, has cigarette lighter plug, priced about $35.
- DLO TransCast FM Transmiter for MP3 Players, 0092007, use to play audio from an MP3 player through a car’s radio. Gets power from cigarette lighter jack or batteries, 3-foot cord for connecting an audio source, compatible with MP3 players, PSP, and iPod. Available from radioshack.com for about $40 plus shipping. Radio shack will ship free to the store nearest you.
- USB Car MP3/WMA FM Modulator Player W/Audio Input, will accept a standard USB drive to play MP3 files with car’s FM radio, plugs in cigarette lighter jack, input jack for audio from CD, DVD or MP3 player. Available online for about $25.
- Belkin TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter, will except audio from a MP3 player’s headphone jack and transmit it to a car’s radio to be played through the car’s existing speaker system, powered by batteries or through car’s cigarette lighter jack, available for about $24.
Other accessories that can be used to enhance your car include seat covers, floor mats, steering wheel covers, sun shades, head rest covers, litter bags, can and cup holders, inside/outside thermometer, gps/map device, extra loud or novelty sound horns.
Items to keep in your car for repair, emergency, safety and miscellaneous – Jack, lug wrench, trouble light, flares, jumper cables, maps, cell phone and phone numbers, coolant for radiator, drinking water, long storage food, empty container for gasoline, various hand tools, gloves, coat, hat, blanket, rain poncho, and a first aid kit.
This article can be published in print or electronically, free of charge as long as it is complete, unaltered and contains the following author info and links (text only or active):
Links to each product can be found at www.leisureideas.com
Have fun, pursue playfulness and a sense of wonder. Do a search for Detwiler at www.ebookmall.com/advanced-search
What is Real Happiness?
Apr 2nd
Yesterday I happened to spot “The Pursuit of Happyness” at the CD shop, and immediately rented it for home to watch over the weekend.
I had wanted to watch this movie, after being inspired by the Oprah Winfred Show sometime ago, which features the real person Chris Gardner (the self-made millionaire whom the story is based on) together with the actor Will Smith and his son who acted as Chris and his son.
The Pursuit of Happyness was an Academy Award-nominated drama film for 2006. It is based on the true story of self-made millionaire Chris Gardner. Chris Gardner was a struggling salesman while his wife toiled in double shifts to support the family including their young son, Christopher. In the face of this difficult life, Chris has a strong conviction to try for a stockbroker internship where one in twenty has a chance of a lucrative full time career. Even when his wife leaves him because of him making this choice, Chris clings to this dream with his son despite all the odds becoming more daunting by the day. Together, the father and son struggle through homelessness, jail time, tax seizure and despair in a quest that eventually make Gardner a respected millionaire.
The story is a celebration of hope and determination. Chris Gardner, as portrayed by Will Smith, displayed the courage of a big man under circumstances of poverty and humiliation. It is an inspiring story for anyone who needs some awakening and motivation in the rut of a seemingly comfortable life.
Beyond the rag-to-rich story of a self-made millionaire, the story prompted a deeper question: What is happiness?
In The Pursuit of Happyness, the story focused on the difficult times that Chris Gardner has gone through to achieve his dream. Nothing was featured about the lifestyle he enjoys after becoming rich. The real meaning of happiness isn’t about riches. It is about the pursuit, the journey, the sense of direction and conviction of one’s dream, and the courage and determination to make the dream come true.
So, what brings happiness?
If you read the newspaper or watch television programs, you will see that the good life is in a new car, a luxury house, a high-flying corporate career, holidays around the world, and a bulging bank account.
But if you look inside at what actually gives you joy, the good life may be less of the material wealth and in fact much closer to you than you thought.
In fact, the question about pursuing happiness was explored in great details in a book The Pursuit of Happiness written by David G Myers. According to the book, researches has found conclusive evidences on the following facts:
- People who are happy perceive the world as safer, make decisions more easily, rate job applicants more favorably, are more cooperative, and live healthier and more energized and satisfied lives. Relationships, self-image, and hopes for the future also seem more promising. Positive emotions fuel upward spirals.
- When people feel happy they are more willing to help others, such as to give money, pick up someone’s dropped papers, volunteer time, and so forth.
- Within most affluent countries, people with lots of money are somewhat happier than those with just enough to afford life’s necessities.
- Those who have experienced a recent windfall from a lottery, an inheritance, or a surging economy often feel some elation.
- In the long run, increased affluence hardly affects happiness. Even in Calcutta slums, people “are more satisfied than one might expect”
- Wealth is like health: Its utter absence can breed misery, yet having it is no guarantee of happiness.
- Most people agree that money can’t buy happiness, but they do believe that a little more money would make them a little more happy, secure, and comfortable.
- Individuals who strive most for wealth tend to live with lower well-being. This is especially so for those seeking money to prove themselves, gain power, or show off rather than support their families.
- Those who instead strive for “intimacy, personal growth, and contribution to the community” experience a higher quality of life.
- Those with “Yuppie values”-preferring a high income and occupational success and prestige to having very close friends and a close marriage-were twice as likely as their former classmates to describe themselves as “fairly” or “very” unhappy.
- Among 7167 college students surveyed in 41 countries, those who value love more than money report much higher satisfaction with life than do their money-hungry peers.
- The satisfaction of self-esteem and relatedness/belonging needs were the top contributors to the peak moment. The satisfaction of money-luxury needs contributed least.
- Very happy university students are not distinguished by their money but by their “rich and satisfying close relationships”
- More money buys no more than a temporary surge of happiness.
- Happiness is relative.
- Satisfaction and dissatisfaction, success and failure-all are relative to our recent experience. If you have achieved some successes, the next success will have to be greater than the previous one to excite you. If you don’t possess a car, winning a car in lucky draw will give you much greater happiness than someone who already has s few cars at home.
- Despite the realities of triumph and tragedy, million-dollar lottery winners and people who are paralyzed report roughly similar levels of happiness.
- Material wants can be insatiable – as can be seen why many a child “needs” just one more Nintendo game. And why Imelda Marcos, surrounded by poverty while living in splendor as wife of the Philippines’ president, bought 1060 pairs of shoes.
- Seeking happiness through material achievement requires an ever-increasing abundance of things. At the end of his Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis depicts heaven as a place where good things do continually increase, where life is a never-ending story “in which every chapter is better than the one before.” However, here on Earth most people experience the perpetual cycle of ups and downs in real life.
- Happiness is relative not only to our past experience but also to our comparisons with others. We are always comparing ourselves with others. And whether we feel good or bad depends on who those others are. We are slow-witted or clumsy only when others are smart or agile.
- Once people reach a moderate income level, further increases do little to increase their happiness.
- As people climb the ladder of success they mostly compare themselves with peers who are at or above their current level.
So, how do we pursuit happiness?
Read up on my next post: The Secrets of Happiness
Jordan Cheng is the author of [http://www.jordancheng.net] – a resource site dedicated to development of Mind, Body & Soul for Wealth, Success & Happiness. His is contactable at jordan.cheng181@yahoo.com.sg
Hunma