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  #121  
Old December 3rd 17, 12:22 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
Nil[_5_]
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Posts: 1,731
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing speed)

On 02 Dec 2017, "J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote
in alt.windows7.general:

I would disagree: the media is designed such that, up to a certain
speed, it will work with an acceptable number of errors - i. e. if
you try to use it above that speed, you're on your own. But I
don't think that means it is _best_ at that speed, only that it
will probably _work_ at that speed (because people want high
speeds). I still think slower will make a better burn - sharper
edges between burn and no burn, deeper blacks (or whatever) in the
burns.


All I can say after burning many hundreds of CDRs and DVDrs over the
the years, I've never noticed any disavantage to burning at the highest
rated speed or advantage to burning at a lower speed. I get the same
percentage of good or bad burns either way.
Ads
  #122  
Old December 3rd 17, 01:27 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
pjp[_10_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,183
Default Dell computer with no input

In article ,
lid says...

On Sat, 2 Dec 2017 05:55:47 +0000, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
wrote:

In message , Char Jackson
writes:


some attributions removed
where-as with flashdrives and hard disks it tends to be an all
or nothing affair with limited number of attempts.

[]
I have a large-ish Ziploc bag of them, some going back to about 2002
that were handed out by people (vendors) who wanted my help to get their


Those (1G or 2G - or possibly even smaller) are probably quite reliable.
(See Paul's past posts [Ppp!] for why - bits per cell.)

stuff into the corporate network. Someday I should use or write a
program that just writes data in a loop until they die.


Why destroy them deliberately?


Because the past 15 years tells me that I have no use for them, (they're
way too small for anything practical by today's standards), and I think
it would be interesting to see the failure modes. Until then, they just
stay in the bag, serving no purpose. I do have 3 64GB flash drives and a
128GB that I use on a regular basis, but the others are too small to be
practical. There are a smattering of 128MB and 256MB, then it goes up
(slightly!) from there to 1GB and 2GB. I didn't buy any of the small
ones; they were all freebies from potential vendors. The only ones I
bought were the 4 bigger ones.

[]
My server here has 40TB of internal storage, about 38TB usable after
formatting, and I have it configured as a single volume. It would be
nice to bump that to at least 80TB so that I'd have some breathing room.
I have a stack of 10 2TB drives that I've pulled out of a second PC, but
what can a person do with such small drives these days? Not much, so
they stay stacked in a drawer for now.

You're either winding me up, or you have _very_ different requirements
than I! I've never had a drive as big as 2T. What _do_ you handle that
takes all that space (-:?


The biggest offender is video, as you'd imagine, but there's a lot of
work product, as well. There's only a few TB's still available, so
unless I grow the farm I'll have to let some stuff go.


And here I am asking friends etc. if they have any small flashdrives, 4
gb or less. Need one that's accepted by an Xbox so can softmod it.
Sandisk Cruzer 4Gb would be great. Anyone have one they want to part
with
  #123  
Old December 3rd 17, 02:13 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
Rene Lamontagne
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,549
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing speed)

On 12/02/2017 5:22 PM, Nil wrote:
On 02 Dec 2017, "J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote
in alt.windows7.general:

I would disagree: the media is designed such that, up to a certain
speed, it will work with an acceptable number of errors - i. e. if
you try to use it above that speed, you're on your own. But I
don't think that means it is _best_ at that speed, only that it
will probably _work_ at that speed (because people want high
speeds). I still think slower will make a better burn - sharper
edges between burn and no burn, deeper blacks (or whatever) in the
burns.


All I can say after burning many hundreds of CDRs and DVDrs over the
the years, I've never noticed any disavantage to burning at the highest
rated speed or advantage to burning at a lower speed. I get the same
percentage of good or bad burns either way.


I suppose that different brands of media could account for different
results.

Rene

  #124  
Old December 3rd 17, 02:26 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,679
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing)

In message , pjp
writes:
In article , says...

[]
Isn't Lightscribe on the other side of the disc?

I've not seen lightscribe discs for sale for years - are they still
made? And, although I made sure to get a lightscribe-capable drive last
time I bought one (the external one for this machine), I've never loaded
any special softwa presumably you need to do so to design (and burn?)
the labels. (You say they get darker the more times you burn them: does
that mean that that side of the discs have an absolute start point the
burner can detect, so you _can_ burn them a second and subsequent time,
and they line up? And if that's true - and sounds as if it should be -
then presumably _that_ part of the burn _would_ be more effective if
done at a slower speed.)


I used Lightscribe a fair amount for a more or less personal music cd of
myself playing guitar. Was nice could give frinds etc. a copy of the
disk that looked professional, e.g. in a case with cover etc. and a disk
looked store bought.

VERY HARD to find any Lightscribe disks anymore. I liked them and still
have a couple drives with burn them. Note you had to turn them over to
burn the image side and Yes it took awhile, like 20 Min.


Did you need special software to both design and burn the "label"?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"I am entitled to my own opinion."
"Yes, but it's your constant assumption that everyone else is also that's so
annoying." - Vila & Avon
  #125  
Old December 3rd 17, 02:46 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
Nil[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,731
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing)

On 02 Dec 2017, "J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote
in alt.windows7.general:

Did you need special software to both design and burn the "label"?


Yes. You need special software to burn a Lightscribe label on a disk.

  #126  
Old December 3rd 17, 02:50 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,679
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing)

In message , Nil
writes:
On 02 Dec 2017, "J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote
in alt.windows7.general:

Did you need special software to both design and burn the "label"?


Yes. You need special software to burn a Lightscribe label on a disk.

Did it come with the Lightscribe-capable drive? (I don't think any came
with mine.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

I still say a church steeple with a lightning rod on top shows a lack of
confidence. D McLeod
  #127  
Old December 3rd 17, 02:56 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
Nil[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,731
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing speed)

On 02 Dec 2017, Rene Lamontagne wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

I suppose that different brands of media could account for
different results.


I don't think that has much to do with it. I've used many different
brands of CDR/DVDRs, from the cheapest crap to some supposedly
"premium" brands. Crummy disks seems to burn equally badly whether
burned slow or fast. Good disks burn well whether burned fast or slow.
I suppose "good" disks have a longer life, but so far most of even my
cheapo disks from long ago are still readable.

Of course, some disks are garbage no matter what. But I know that
immediately when they fail verification. I think the most important
factor is a good writer drive. And they have a limited lifespan. They
always, after maybe 3 years or so of heavy use, start being more picky
about the media, and are more quick to fail verifications and
complaining about burning errors. They often start to have difficulty
recognizing certain types of media. That's when I replace them. The new
one inevitably starts working fine again. Optical burners are
consumables, just like the disks themselves.

  #128  
Old December 3rd 17, 02:58 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
pyotr filipivich
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 752
Default Dell computer with no input

"Mayayana" on Fri, 1 Dec 2017 19:27:40 -0500
typed in alt.windows7.general the following:
"Char Jackson" wrote

| Mayayana mentioned grooves in plastic within the context of backing up
| data to DVD. Obviously, there are no grooves... ;-)
|

My understanding is that the writer cuts grooves
at various depths underneath the surface as a way
to record data. Is that wrong? In any case, it cuts
some kind of marks in plastic. It's not just magnetic
storage.


Close, sort of. The laser burns a "pit" which on read gets
interpreted as "zero" - everything else is a one.

"Magnetic media" (floppies, tapes, wire if you go back far enough)
are all subject to fluctuating magnetic fields, not to mention "decay"
in the magnetic signal.
CD/DVDs lack that property - but have others (delaminating discs
being the big one).



--
pyotr filipivich
Next month's Panel: Graft - Boon or blessing?
  #129  
Old December 3rd 17, 03:05 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
Nil[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,731
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing)

On 02 Dec 2017, "J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote
in alt.windows7.general:

Did it come with the Lightscribe-capable drive? (I don't think any
came with mine.)


I usually buy bare drives, so no software from there. I had something
that did it, though - maybe it was part of the Nero bundle I used to
have. I don't remember, it was a while ago. I still have some blank
Lightscribe disks, but I don't think my current burner is Lightscribe
capable, and I don't think I still have the software, either.
  #130  
Old December 3rd 17, 03:53 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
Rene Lamontagne
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,549
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing speed)

On 12/02/2017 7:56 PM, Nil wrote:
On 02 Dec 2017, Rene Lamontagne wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

I suppose that different brands of media could account for
different results.


I don't think that has much to do with it. I've used many different
brands of CDR/DVDRs, from the cheapest crap to some supposedly
"premium" brands. Crummy disks seems to burn equally badly whether
burned slow or fast. Good disks burn well whether burned fast or slow.
I suppose "good" disks have a longer life, but so far most of even my
cheapo disks from long ago are still readable.

Of course, some disks are garbage no matter what. But I know that
immediately when they fail verification. I think the most important
factor is a good writer drive. And they have a limited lifespan. They
always, after maybe 3 years or so of heavy use, start being more picky
about the media, and are more quick to fail verifications and
complaining about burning errors. They often start to have difficulty
recognizing certain types of media. That's when I replace them. The new
one inevitably starts working fine again. Optical burners are
consumables, just like the disks themselves.


Yes, some are not great, my last batch of 50 where good except for 2
which delaminated before I even tried to burn them.
My last burner only lasted about 2 years but I replaced it for about 22
dollars, so no big deal.

Rene

  #131  
Old December 3rd 17, 05:27 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
pjp[_10_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,183
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing)

In article , says...

In message , pjp
writes:
In article ,
says...
[]
Isn't Lightscribe on the other side of the disc?

I've not seen lightscribe discs for sale for years - are they still
made? And, although I made sure to get a lightscribe-capable drive last
time I bought one (the external one for this machine), I've never loaded
any special softwa presumably you need to do so to design (and burn?)
the labels. (You say they get darker the more times you burn them: does
that mean that that side of the discs have an absolute start point the
burner can detect, so you _can_ burn them a second and subsequent time,
and they line up? And if that's true - and sounds as if it should be -
then presumably _that_ part of the burn _would_ be more effective if
done at a slower speed.)


I used Lightscribe a fair amount for a more or less personal music cd of
myself playing guitar. Was nice could give frinds etc. a copy of the
disk that looked professional, e.g. in a case with cover etc. and a disk
looked store bought.

VERY HARD to find any Lightscribe disks anymore. I liked them and still
have a couple drives with burn them. Note you had to turn them over to
burn the image side and Yes it took awhile, like 20 Min.


Did you need special software to both design and burn the "label"?


Yes you did. You could download a very simple program from the
Lightscribe place would do a basic design or use something like
SureThing CD Labeler which offered a lot more versatility though I did
find some things confusing using it.
  #132  
Old December 3rd 17, 08:28 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
Paul[_32_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 11,873
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing)

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , Nil
writes:
On 02 Dec 2017, "J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote
in alt.windows7.general:

Did you need special software to both design and burn the "label"?


Yes. You need special software to burn a Lightscribe label on a disk.

Did it come with the Lightscribe-capable drive? (I don't think any came
with mine.)


My first LightScribe drive, had a separate software package
on the installer CD.

At one time, "Retail" drive packages included mounting screws
and as many as two software CDs. Packages like a lite version
of Nero was on one disc, as well as some sort of DVD movie
player. It was easy for them to include the separate
LightScribe package, on one of those CDs.

For that particular optical drive, you could *only* determine
what software was on the CDs, by driving to the store and
reading the side of the box. The CD software content was
*not* documented on the web. That helps ensure a
"bricks and mortar" purchase :-)

But since that era, I've bought a few more drives as
the OEM "brown bag" versions, which just gives a drive,
no mounting screws, and no software discs. If I needed
a lightScribe driver for that case, I'd have to hunt on
the web site for it.

*******

In the BD era, you'd again be advised to carefully
review the software situation, as a BD drive can be
a "big boat anchor" if you don't have the right materials
in hand. If you offered me a BD drive in a brown bag,
I'd have to decline your kind offer, as it probably
wouldn't do anything without nifty software.

*******

There are lots of hardware purchases, where
you dare not buy them without the right software
to go with them.

When I got my TV Tuner a couple months ago, I couldn't
even test that the card worked at first, because of the
lack of materials on the CD. All the CD had, was a
basic driver, and no way to view a picture on the
computer screen right away. The first solution I
got running properly, was Linux based, and I could
at least see that the tuner could scan channels
properly. And that's when I discovered the new tuner
was more sensitive on receive, than my digital STB
(both fed off the same signal via a 2:1 75 ohm splitter).

I purchased additional software from the tuner card
maker, and it took ten days for physical delivery of
a disc. Apparently they've never heard of just sending
a license key via email :-/ The software was
already on their web site, ready to just plug
in the license key to make it work. But we're
made to wait for the CD. Like it was 1970 again.

I eventually got Media Center running. It takes
a registry key edit, and it took me a while to
track down what needed to be edited, to make my
new purchase work. Initially it was telling me
there were "no channels to look at". Geez.
By default, all it would do is an NTSC scan,
and we don't have any analog OTA channels here.
The registry edit made the ATSC scan work
in Media Center, and finally I had a digital TV
list to look at.

Paul
  #134  
Old December 3rd 17, 09:24 AM posted to alt.windows7.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,679
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing, and TV for the blind!)

In message , Paul
writes:
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , Nil
writes:
On 02 Dec 2017, "J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote
in alt.windows7.general:

Did you need special software to both design and burn the "label"?

Yes. You need special software to burn a Lightscribe label on a disk.

Did it come with the Lightscribe-capable drive? (I don't think any
came with mine.)


My first LightScribe drive, had a separate software package
on the installer CD.

At one time, "Retail" drive packages included mounting screws
and as many as two software CDs. Packages like a lite version
of Nero was on one disc, as well as some sort of DVD movie


I remember those days - tended to be either Nero or Easy CD Creator,
with Nero slightly in the lead on numbers I think. Usually a locked
version that would only work with that drive.

player. It was easy for them to include the separate
LightScribe package, on one of those CDs.


As I've just asked pjp, is the Lightscribe software drive-specific?
(And/or are there two parts, a designer and a burner, only the latter of
which is drive-specific?)
[]
When I got my TV Tuner a couple months ago, I couldn't
even test that the card worked at first, because of the
lack of materials on the CD. All the CD had, was a
basic driver, and no way to view a picture on the


I'm currently trying to find one where the controlling software is
usable by the blind (basically that means, can be operated without a
mouse, and anything highlighted is text, not a symbol or a _picture_ of
some text). I also want it to play the AD (audio description) channel
when available, along with the normal sound. But finding out whether it
is accessible is virtually impossible. What I'm currently going for is
probably the 292e, as I've been assured that that works with VLC and
that VLC can be keyboard-operated, but other suggestions are welcome -
preferably DVB-T2, as I suspect the UK will switch to T2-only before too
long. (If anyone's wondering why a blind person would want a TV tuner -
they can and do listen to TV prog.s, especially the ones with AD.)

computer screen right away. The first solution I
got running properly, was Linux based, and I could
at least see that the tuner could scan channels
properly. And that's when I discovered the new tuner
was more sensitive on receive, than my digital STB
(both fed off the same signal via a 2:1 75 ohm splitter).


(Did you try both ways round in case the splitter wasn't as symmetrical
as it should be?)

I purchased additional software from the tuner card
maker, and it took ten days for physical delivery of
a disc. Apparently they've never heard of just sending
a license key via email :-/ The software was
already on their web site, ready to just plug
in the license key to make it work. But we're
made to wait for the CD. Like it was 1970 again.


But they accepted the order online?

I eventually got Media Center running. It takes
a registry key edit, and it took me a while to
track down what needed to be edited, to make my
new purchase work. Initially it was telling me
there were "no channels to look at". Geez.
By default, all it would do is an NTSC scan,
and we don't have any analog OTA channels here.


Here neither - all DTV only. (I don't know if any EU countries are still
doing analogue [PAL or SECAM].)

The registry edit made the ATSC scan work
in Media Center, and finally I had a digital TV
list to look at.

Paul


(My blind friend has: XP, 10, iPhone, and an Android-based machine that
does have USB3, but designed for the blind - it has speech and Braille
output, and Braille input. That would be the best for the TV stick, but
I know little of Android even with a keyboard and screen, so will
probably go for a Windows one [though I only have XP and 7], unless
anyone _knows_ of one that is child's play to set up on a HIMS Polaris.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

once described by Eccentrica Golumbits as the best bang since the big one ...
(first series, fit the second)
  #135  
Old December 3rd 17, 02:28 PM posted to alt.windows7.general
Paul[_32_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 11,873
Default Dell computer with no input (now CD writing, and TV for the blind!)

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:


As I've just asked pjp, is the Lightscribe software drive-specific?
(And/or are there two parts, a designer and a burner, only the latter of
which is drive-specific?)


Since I never did buy any media that was LightScribe enabled,
I never had a chance to find out. I think I did install
the driver, but I don't think there was a designer, and I
don't know what step(s) were required to run the one I had.

I'm currently trying to find one where the controlling software is
usable by the blind (basically that means, can be operated without a
mouse, and anything highlighted is text, not a symbol or a _picture_ of
some text). I also want it to play the AD (audio description) channel
when available, along with the normal sound. But finding out whether it
is accessible is virtually impossible. What I'm currently going for is
probably the 292e, as I've been assured that that works with VLC and
that VLC can be keyboard-operated, but other suggestions are welcome -
preferably DVB-T2, as I suspect the UK will switch to T2-only before too
long. (If anyone's wondering why a blind person would want a TV tuner -
they can and do listen to TV prog.s, especially the ones with AD.)


Some kits come with a remote control, with a channel change, and
volume up-down. For my current tuner, I would have to go back to
the company web site, as there are two kits for retrofitting
various remotes. My SKU was missing the remote control bits
(the full retail package is required for that).

computer screen right away. The first solution I
got running properly, was Linux based, and I could
at least see that the tuner could scan channels
properly. And that's when I discovered the new tuner
was more sensitive on receive, than my digital STB
(both fed off the same signal via a 2:1 75 ohm splitter).


(Did you try both ways round in case the splitter wasn't as symmetrical
as it should be?)


I don't think it's the splitter. I've used the splitter before
on other RF experiments and not noticed any deficiencies.


I purchased additional software from the tuner card
maker, and it took ten days for physical delivery of
a disc. Apparently they've never heard of just sending
a license key via email :-/ The software was
already on their web site, ready to just plug
in the license key to make it work. But we're
made to wait for the CD. Like it was 1970 again.


But they accepted the order online?


Yes.

The back end of their setup, used a fulfillment provider,
like they didn't want their own staff running it.

(My blind friend has: XP, 10, iPhone, and an Android-based machine that
does have USB3, but designed for the blind - it has speech and Braille
output, and Braille input. That would be the best for the TV stick, but
I know little of Android even with a keyboard and screen, so will
probably go for a Windows one [though I only have XP and 7], unless
anyone _knows_ of one that is child's play to set up on a HIMS Polaris.)


Nothing about tuners is "easy"... unfortunately.

Think of your wish as being as much a "development project"
as it is a "simple gift purchase". Remember that I
barely got mine running, and suffered hair loss
(I checked the shower drain).

And the fact that the tuner industry is ailing, means that
you don't have as wide a selection of things to choose from.

Even if I spotted something on the web, I'd have to check
whether anybody had stock. For example, the tuner I bought,
is now no longer available. There's something to take its
place, but doesn't have the same feature set.

Paul
 




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