Stream All Your Media – Free!

Turn Your PC Into An Internet Media Server

I came across an program that you can download and install on your PC which allows you to “serve” (aka “stream”) your stored media (recorded shows and movies, music, jpegs, etc.) over the Internet. Thus, when you are out-and-about (“mobile”) you can ‘log in’ to your “server” (your PC) and access your stuff; and/or you can share it with others.

It is called Orb, and it is feature packed and very simple to use.

“Orb MyCasting is a free service from Orb Networks that makes it easy for consumers to remotely view and share their live and recorded home and Internet TV, music, videos, photos, podcasts, and other digital media stored on their PC, from any Internet-connected device, be it a mobile phone, PDA or laptop.  MyCasting is the opposite of broadcasting, allowing you to stream your digital media when (time), where (place), and how (device) you want it.

Orb Networks is the first company to offer a single solution for enjoying virtually all of your digital media remotely, using the devices you already own.  There is no need to choose which technology path to go down to access your media remotely; other options are cumbersome and require an additional investment in yet another “cool” technology.  Orb is free and begins with one easy download: there is no hardware or software required, and no additional time needed to catalog and categorize your digital media.  You get instant access to the digital media that’s already on your PC.  Just download Orb and start MyCasting.”

I can see lots of uses for this technology whether or not you are a “road warrior” and often away from your PC. And it’s free. The folks there at Orb Networks get a big tip of my geek hat, and I encourage you to click here and visit their website. There is a short animation which demonstrates how it works, and screenshots of the many features.
(Also, you can view their Orb FAQ.)

All you need is a XP or Vista computer (to be the “server”) and a broadband Internet connection.

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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How to retrieve old copies of files- Ultimate style

From time to time Vista creates ‘snapshot’ copies of your files with a service called “Shadow Copy”.  This allows you to retrieve older versions from files you accidentally delete or alter.

To go back to a prior version of your file/document, you simply right-click on the file and select “Restore previous versions”.

Using the Shadow Copy service is a far easier way to recover your files than opening a backup you’ve made, and can get you out of some nasty jams. (For more on recovering deleted files, click here.)

Shadow Copy is enabled on all versions  of Vista, but Microsoft grants user access to these copies only in Ultimate, Business, and Enterprise editions. (Clearly as a method to try to sell more copies of the pricier Ultimate Edition. Shame on you Microsoft; backup and recovery should be free.)

Tip of the day: Users of the “Home” editions of Vista can use Shadow Copy too.
The odds are pretty durned good that if you bought a new computer, and it came with Vista, it came with Vista Home Premium. I say that because if you walk into a store selling computers, I dare you to find the one that has Ultimate Edition on it. It seems to me that they all come with Home Premium!

Remember how I said Shadow Copy was “enabled” on all versions? Yes? Well, for owners of Vista Home Premium and Vista Home Basic, the service is running, but you need a way to “interface” with it (sometimes called a “front end”). To do that, download and install ShadowExplorer, and gain some of Ultimate Edition’s functionality. This cool piece of software is free, but donations are accepted.

Today’s free link: People who are using Windows 2000 or XP can get an almost identical file functionality with FileHamster from Mogware. This program is designed for people whose talents lie in the Creative Arts, so you don’t ave to be a geek to use it. There’s helpful user forums, too.

Please note: This ability is by no means a substitute for regular system backups. This is for small “oopsies”, not recovery/restoration.

Copyright 2007-8 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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XP and Dell

Folks, yesterday I pointed out that June 30th (that’s tomorrow) marks the end of Microsoft’s shipping of copies of XP to retail stores and PC manufacturers, (Install CD’s will be limited to stock-on-hand) and suggested to those folks for whom XP is it, (aka “Vista bashers”) that they should get whatever copies of XP they might need now. XP has reached EOL (end-of-life).

Mike McGinley, who writes My Tech Talk, posted this (helpful) comment, “Dell did announce that customers may buy new PCs with XP until 2009. There is still hope for the (XP) die hards.”

It is true that Dell will continue to ship computers with XP installed past tomorrow’s deadline, but there’s a couple details that — if you’re considering this– you should know:
1) The version of XP is XP Pro– and only XP Pro.
2) You also are buying either Vista Business Edition or Vista Ultimate Edition (Install DVD’s).
3) 2009 is not so very far away. Install CD’s don’t expire.

This is so you can “transition on your schedule” to Vista.
Today’s free link: Dell explains all this, and answers FAQ’s, here. If you’re thinking about this, please read these pages. Also, there’s an interesting comparison chart of the OS’s posted there.

Frankly, since you’re paying for Ultimate Edition w/SP1, and it’s a new machine, I cannot understand why you would want to downgrade it to XP. It makes no sense to me. Vista’s bad rep came from early adopters who tried installing it on older, underpowered machines.. and griped because there was no device drivers for their legacy (that’s a polite word for “obsolete”) hardware yet.
(My deluxe “gaming rig” runs Vista Ultimate Edition w/SP1. Would I do that if “Vista is slow”??? I think not.)

However, if XP is it — or you think you’re going too want XP Home or XP Media Center Edition — for you in the future, I suggest you go get whatever copies (Install Cd’s) you think you’re going to need.

Copyright 2007-8 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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