Archive for April, 2010
Ubuntu 10.04 LTS – Quick Review
2So this evening I got round to installing Ubuntu 10.04 on my trusty Pentium 4 test machine. I must say that so far, overall, I am impressed with the changes that have been made both in terms of the revamped user interface and with the extra features evident right from the get go. This isn’t a full review, just some first impressions and bullet points on changes that I feel are important. I’m not going to go to the lengths of adding screen shots because I have the feeling that the Blogosphere is going to be buzzing with them by the end of the weekend, what’s important here is how this release differs from previous Ubuntu releases and whether or not Linux is finally ready for a place within the home.
The Installation Process
Not alot to say here, the Ubuntu installation process has remained largely unchanged since version 8.04. What’s evident to any Linux faithful immediately is the new default theme, which has an all round more welcoming look and feels right straight away. There are selection screens for location, language, partition editing and user accounts, and then we’re off!
First Impressions
Right off the bat I can confirm that the developers claims that Ubuntu loads faster than all previous versions is true. I estimate the total boot time from turning on the machine to reaching the desktop to be around 20 seconds. On a machine that’s 5 years old that is impressive. All hardware was detected on bootup and within seconds I was connected to my wireless network and surfing with the included Firefox browser.
The first thing I wanted to check out was the integrated social networking features built into the taskbar, however I couldn’t because within a few seconds the OS had recognised the Nvidia 6200 graphics card and asked me if I wanted to install the proprietary Nvidia drivers. This is actually a welcome interruption; this is the first Ubuntu release that featured built-in support for Nvidia GPU’s. previously the user had to manually download the drivers and install them. Two or three clicks later and the machine is rebooting with the new Nvidia drivers installed. Back to the social networking…
The new “Me Menu” is a drop down list located at the top right of the screen, clicking it brings up a rather baron looking pane with options to manage chat accounts and broadcast accounts, the former being IM accounts like Windows Live Messenger and GoogleTalk, the latter being social networking sites like Flickr, Myspace, Twitter and Facebook. Provide your account details for any of the available networks and the program springs into life, bringing up any incoming messages or broadcasts and allowing you to view them right from the desktop. This is a feature that I have a lot of time for, not least because I’m a member of a fair few IM networks and social networking sites, and this brings them all together in once place, eliminating the need to have two or three tabs open in my web browser.
The next major improvement in this release is the newly designed software centre. This is a feature that has come on leaps and bounds in the last few releases and 10.04 continues this trend. Software is now categorised better and navigation has been improved greatly from the old system. I was able to quickly find and install a few choice favourites with no issues whatsoever. This will be welcome to both Linux converts and the party faithful, being able to find the software that suits your needs quickly and easily is something that will go down well across the board.
Another new feature that Ubuntu is pushing with this release is the Ubuntu One cloud computing system. Basically you get 2GB of free online storage, which can be navigated to right from the desktop of file manager, great for important documents that you want to backup, or large files that you want to share with other users. While I was using it the web interface timed out a few times but I’m comfortable in putting that down to the feature being tried out by just about every Linux user on the planet about now. This is effectively an Open Source version of Apple’s MobileMe concept within OSx and is a welcome addition to the overall package.
Last of all is the Ubuntu One Music Store, which is the first real integrated media store within Linux. To date the catalogue is not great, in no way can it compete with some of the larger stores such as iTunes, but it’s a good start and I can see it developing into something worth using. It has the added advantage that all the downloads are DRM free, so will work on pretty much any MP3 player out there.
Conclusions.
All in all this is an excellent progression for the Ubuntu project, it’s taken stock of some of the emerging markets such as social networking and cloud computing and flawlessly integrated them into what was already becoming a decent and usable product. I would not be surprised to see more and more netbooks and “second machines” in the home switching over to Ubuntu as a result of this release. Whilst it’s true that many users will need to stick close to Windows to meet all of their requirements, Ubuntu has taken huge steps forward in terms of usability and reached a point where it’s doing a better job than Windows in some aspects. At the end of the day, this is a full featured operating system, with features that people want, for the grand price of…….Nothing! At that price, it might be time to consider making the switch.
Converting DVD’s to Video Files on a Mac
2Following on from my walkthrough on creating a home media PC using XBMC, I thought I’d focus on how exactly to build up your home media library in order to use the system. Similar walkthroughs will be appearing in both the Windows and Linux sections of the site but seeing as I am just getting into doing this on a Mac myself, I thought it’d be a good place to start.
Before we begin, I must point out the following:- Technically, it is still against the law to make a copy of a DVD that you own, be it by creating a digital backup, a copy of the disk, or even a transfer to a video cassette. This is the same piece of out of date legislation that decrees that it is illegal to copy a CD onto a blank tape, or even convert a CD for MP3′s. To my knowledge, no one has ever been prosecuted for any of these offences, and my personal opinion is that no one ever well (providing the copies you make are strictly for personal use!). However, I must point out that I take no responsibility for any legal action that occurs as a result of using the methods detailed in this walkthrough.
Back to the task at hand.
Up until recently I have always used Windows based programs to encode the video files on DVDs into video files that I can store on my computer (or PS3, iPod, smartphone, wherever). However, around 2 years ago I made the switch to Mac and ever since then I’ve been meaning to look into a suitable solution that would allow me to convert DVD’s on my Mac. A little bit of searching around on the internet revealed a product called Wondershare Video Converter Pro, and it is this software that we will be using to convert our DVD’s in this video.
I’ll start by mentioning that Video Converter Pro (lets call it VCP from now on) is not free. You can download a copy for free from the developers website here but any videos you make will have a watermark over them making them un-watchable. However, doing so will allow you to try the software, and if you like it you can then decide whether it’s worth spending money on.
The download is a .dmg file, just dropping the application into your applications folder is enough to install it. Once you’ve installed it and started it up you’ll be presented with this screen:
Once you’re at this screen, insert your DVD movie (and close DVD player if it opens). With your DVD inserted, select “File” and then “Load DVD” (or hit cmd-D). A navigation window should appear as below:
Select your DVD drive in the left hand pane and then click “Load”. You should see the following screen indicating that the software is loading the DVD:
Once this as passed we will be back to the main Wondershare window but now the video files on the DVD are displayed in the browser. Normally there will be a few seperate files on the DVD (depending on whether there are any “special features” etc.). To capture the feature presentation we will be looking for the file that is the length of the movie, in this instance the video that is 01:32:45 long:
We can confirm if this video is the feature presentation by selecting it and then clicking the “play” button on the right hand pane. In doing this you can also check any subtitle tracks or audio tracks (most DVDs will have multiple audio tracks, some with directors commentary, etc.). Once you are happy that you have the correct video file, deselect any other video files in the left hand pane, as shown below:
Now we are almost ready to convert our DVD to a video file, but first we need to decide what video format to save the file as. The software includes presets for many different devices and screen sizes; clicking on the drop down box on the “Format” selection at the bottom of the screen will provide this menu:
In this example we’re going to use the Xvid AVI file format, which is a widely supported file format for near DVD quality reproductions. As you can see there are also presets on the left hand pane for a variety of different devices, in order to get the best image and file size for your intended purpose.
One final step before converting the DVD is to make any fine adjustments to the aspect ratio (screen size) of the output video, to do this, click the “Edit” button at the top of the window:
You may need to make some adjustments in this wonder in order to ensure that the output video is to the correct screen format for the device you intend to play it on. Most DVD film releases are now recorded in widescreen format (16:9) but older movies or TV show DVD releases may be in traditional format (4:3), in this window you can choose to change the original to meet your requirements. Once you are happy with the adjustments, close the “Edit” pane to go back to the main window.
We are now ready to convert our video. Click on the “Convert” button at the top of the window to begin.
Note:- If you are using the trial version of the software you will be presented with a message informing you that your video will have a watermark (logo) across it. There is nothing you can do to prevent this other than purchasing the software. The watermarked file will at least demonstrate the software in action and from there you can make a decision to purchase the software or not.
Above you can see the DVD file being converted to an AVI file on the hard drive. Once this has completed the pane will close and you’ll be back to the main window within the software. The converted video file will be in the “Movies” folder within your home folder. And that’s it!
Happy Ubuntu Day!
2With the new Ubuntu release looming, I’ll be investigating some of the new features and evaluating their performance, stay tuned for a review of Ubuntu’s new features including:- The all new bundled Nvidia drivers, integrated social networking, new boot experience and improved file sharing!
Check back from time to time for reviews and guides of the new features in Ubuntu 10.04.
How To Create A NAS Drive From An Old PC.
0This walkthrough is actually a referral to a walkthrough by Mike Glover at www.mikeglover.co.uk
His walkthrough can be found here
At some point I will be following Mikes guide to create a NAS, and then I’ll document how to set up the partitions etc. so that it’s usable. Hopefully exploring some of FreeNAS’s many configuration options and features.
Changing the Location of “My Documents” in Windows XP
0Why?
The main reason for doing this is to move your My Documents folder to a seperate hard disk so that if you experience any problems with Windows your documents are still safe and sound on their own disk.
There are some issues with 3rd party applications that save things in your “My Documents” folder; poorly written software will not take into account that users may move their My Documents folder, so assumes you are always using the default. This can result in data loss if you ever do have to wipe Windows. (more…)
Social Networking Integration
0Hi Everyone,
Hope you’re enjoying the site so far, or at least finding is useful.
I’m playing around with integrating the site with some social networking sites at the moment, you may notice the buttons on the right side of the screen. They may be a bit flaky over the next couple of days but hopefully they’ll be working properly shortly.
Remember, let me know if you want me to do a walkthrough for anything in particular and I’ll see if I can fit it in.
Cheers!
Matt.
Is Windows Mobile Dead In The Water?
0So Microsoft recently revealed that they will be releasing their new Windows Mobile platform in the latter part of this year, and were quick to emphasise that this product differs from their previous offering (Windows Mobile 6.5) in just about every conceivable way.
On first inspection this product looks reasonable, Microsoft seem to have realised that Windows Mobile 6.5 just didn’t appeal to the “domestic” mobile phone user in the same way that Android and the iPhone do. The big question is; is this too little too late?
To take stock of the smartphone market today, we need to really look back at the release of the iPhone in 2007. No matter what peoples opinions of the first iPhone, there’s no denying that it changed the marketplace for smartphones almost overnight. Prior to it’s release, the touch screen phone market was almost a monopoly for Microsoft, but these were mostly business users who needed access to Microsoft Office documents and corperate Email at all times. With the increase in use of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, people have become more dependant on their mobile phones for not only voice communication but for mobile internet access as well. Microsoft has shoe horned these features into Windows Mobile 6.5 through the Marketplace application, but the platform itself is still clunky and unstable, even with third party tools installed which hope to improve the user interface.
Unfortunately, the iPhone (now on it’s third generation, with a 4th rumored for release this summer), and Google Android phones from manufacturers such as HTC have raised the bar to a level that Microsoft can only dream of. There is the valid argument that the iPhone platform is too closed off and too tightly controlled by Apple, but Google’s platform does not have these flaws and will likely move into a prominent position over the next couple of years unless Apple can find a way to tempt more people to the iPhone. Microsoft, by comparison, have alot of work to do in order to catch up with Google and Apple. They have to find a way to make people forget previous Windows Mobile releases and focus on their new shiny product.
One of Microsofts biggest struggles in this respect, will be the support of phone manufacturers. Apple will obviously continue to manufacturer their own devices, but many of the other handset manufacturers will likely be reluctant to produce phones for Microsofts OS, given the established community of users and developers for the Android platform. Another issue Microsoft will face is the support of developers who will be responsible for creating any third party content for their platform. If you look at the current “application stores” for each of the major three platforms, Microsoft offer a miniscule range of third party apps compared to Apple and Google, will this trend change with Windows Mobile 7? Only time will tell.
Creating A Media Center From An Old PC
5Why?
These days more and more people are moving away from using physical disks (CD’s, DVD’s, etc.) for playing back media, in favour of centralising their media collections on their PC’s. This in itself is fine, but playing back media from your PC can be clunky and difficult, even when connected to a large screen TV. Microsoft have gone part way there with the “Media Centre” software bundled into the more recent Windows editions, but there are better Open Source solutions available, such as the XBMC project.
XBMC
XBMC stands for Xbox Media Centre, this open source project was initially developed for “chipped” Xbox consoles, but it has since been re-written for all the major PC platforms. XBMC is streets ahead of the competition in terms of usability, presentation and expandability, whats more; it’s entirely free, so a great basis for a home media centre. There are currently versions of XBMC available for Windows, Linux, Mac OSx, Xbox games consoles and AppleTV. There is also a “live CD” edition of XBMC that people can use to try out the software on their PC without making any changes to it. In this walkthrough, we will be using the live CD to create a bespoke media centre PC. (more…)