Gadget Guru - February 2011
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Q: The adverts say that the
Sky Plus box will change the way we watch TV for ever - and that
could possibly be true if only I could work out how to use the
flipping thing! Pause? Rewind? Record and watch something different
at the same time? What?
A: OK, deep breath, calm down. Think of your Sky+ Box as if it were a video recorder, just one in where you don't have to keep changing tapes, writing out labels and losing them under the sofa. Your Sky+ handset controls both the channel you watch and recordings. If you want to record the program you're watching right now, just press the black button with the red-circled 'R' on it and it'll be recorded from that point onwards. You can also 'pause' whatever live recording you're watching at the moment too - just push the Pause button, it's in the middle of the remote control with the two vertical lines - II.
This is great if someone telephones or calls at the door, just push pause and go deal with them and your Sky+ box will start recording your program. When you want to resume watching, push the Play button right below Pause - the right-facing arrow > - and it'll re-start the program at the point where you stopped watching it. Next, you can plan to record a program in advance - in the on-screen TV Guide, use the up/down and left-right arrow keys to choose the program in question and then press the R button. You'll be asked if you want to record just this one program or the whole series (great for making sure you never miss another episode of Corrie!) Use the up/down arrow keys and then Select to make your choice. Finally, to watch a recorded program, the easiest way to see what you've saved is to press the Play button (>) and then use the Up and Down arrows to move through the list, then Select to watch it. On this list you can also use the yellow button to delete recordings you've already watched. The standard Sky+ box can hold up to 185 hours of standard-definition TV but only 60 hours of HDTV - if you want to record lots of HD programs look at Sky's new 1 Terabyte Sky+ box which will hold 240 hours of HD recordings.
Q: How can I get pictures
from my digital camera onto my computer?
A: Your camera should have come with a cable which you can plug into any USB socket on your computer. Make sure your camera battery is fully charged or, if you can, plug it into its charger before connecting it to your computer. When you turn on the camera now in Windows XP, Vista and 7 you should see a 'Wizard' pop up which will guide you through importing your digital pictures onto your PC. If you have an Apple Mac you should see iPhoto open - when you see the list of available pictures click 'Import All'. Follow the Windows wizard's or iPhoto's on-screen instructions (but read them all carefully!) and your photos should flow across from your camera to your PC. If you have lots this will deplete your battery, hence the advice to charge it up first. At the end of the import you'll be asked if you want to delete the photos from your camera - it's a good idea to do this regularly to free up its memory to take even more pictures.
Q: Our PC has really slowed
down over the past few days. A friend says we have a virus - how
can we check? Should we install anti-virus software?
A: Many latest-generation viruses will actually stop you installing AV software. First try visiting an online anti-virus scanner like the one at Eset, http://www.eset.co.uk/ThreatCenter/OnlineScanner/ - click to accept the Terms, then Start and download the small application, accept the terms again and then Start. This will tell you if you have any problems on your PC. You can install AV software too, current pick of the bunch is Microsoft's free Security Essentials software, http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
TOP TIPS:
* Car GPS giving you
problems? Make sure it has clear line of sight to the sky
- it needs to pick up signals from satellites which it may not be
able to do down by the gear stick. Also, if you have a windscreen
with the fine wires in it to defrost it on cold days, this can
prevent the signal getting through.
* If you find your laptop keyboard cramped when working at home you can always plug in a regular, full-sized one via a USB port - and if your laptop has Bluetooth you can use a wireless one too.
* Fed up with the cost of replacement inkjet printer cartridges? If most of your printing is in black and white, think about buying a cheap laser printer - with many available for under £100 now you can save enough on buying inkjet cartridges to recoup the purchase price of the laser immediately.
* If you find the print on web pages too small to read comfortably, hold down the Control (CTRL) key and hit +. CTRL - shrinks it back down again.
* Let your laptop battery (or telephone or any
other rechargeable battery for that matter) discharge fully before
recharging it - that way it will last much longer and hold its
charge for longer periods.
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