NCTCUG, Inc.
Recent Meeting Information

(Logos link to companies)

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008
Digital TV Converter Box demonstration, Paul Howard
Stations Received with Converter Box, PDF file
Helpful sites for the Digital TV transition:
Digtal Converter Box Coupons (US Dept. of Commerce) https://www.dtv2009.gov/
DVT Answers (National Assoc. of Broadcasters) http://dtvanswers.com/
DTV Transition (DTV Transition Coalition) http://www.dtvtransition.org
Digital Tips (Consumer Electronics Association) http://digitaltips.org/
Antenna Web (CEA & NAB) http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Welcome.aspx
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008
FiOS Installation Presented by Paul Howard
How It Works - Verizon Briefing of FCC: PDF file
Installation Pictures - coming soon!

Wednesday, March 5th, 2008

HP MediaSmart Home Server
Presented by Lorrin Garson
7 Mb PDF file - Slides from this program

Increasingly, families possess multiple computers in their homes. Many residences now have two or three desktop and/or laptop computers and a significant number have more, especially families with school-age children. Linking these computers in some meaningful way, sharing information among devices and users, and maintaining multiple computers presents a significant challenge and a market for devices and technology to meet this need.

Networks and servers have long meet this essential demand in the workplace. However, these technologies have until now been too expensive and complex for home use. Hewlett-Packard has released a product called HP MediaSmart Server that is easy to implement and maintain in a home environment and provides a rich set of functions.

Such functions include the following:

1. Automatic backup of home computers running Microsoft Windows OS.
2. Restoration of backed up files as well as restoration of entire computer systems.
3. Sharing digital files across the home network, including word-processing files, photos, movies, music, etc.
4. Worldwide access to home computers and files via the Internet.
5. Centralized storage of the family's electronic information with appropriate privacy.

This presentation will include a discussion of this specific device, its administration and functions.

June 6, 2007 CyberDefender Presentation

Joint NCTCUG / WACUG meeting

Bring a blank CD and we'll burn you a copy of the CD Alan Wallace passed out at the meeting!
Includes CyberDefender Free & SafeSearch Toolbar (IE only) software

Fact Sheets (PDFs) CyberDefender Free 2.0 Early Detection Center 2.0

Visit their web site: http://cyberdefender.com/

May 23, 2007 Downloading Files - and how to find them!
Note: File updated 10/01/07
Presented by Paul Howard; also, See PC World writer Steve Bass' full column on this topic.
March 28, 2007 Exploring the Radio Spectrum - the Other Ether
Bill Walsh provided a fascinating demonstration with visual displays of the radio frequency spectrum. Click: here
November 22nd, 2006 Browser Wars: Firefox, IE7, Opera
Members reviewed the features of newly-released browsers, and wrestled with plugin installation of music / sound players. Bring a blank CD-R, or thumb drive to meetings to obtain a copy of one or more installation programs, if you don't have high speed internet for downloading.

October 4th, 2006 Open Office Productivity Suite

Jim Rhodes demonstrated the Open Office Productivity Suite, an open source software product that includes word processing, presentation, spreadsheet, drawing, mathematic function creator for documents, and database modules. Available free for download, this suite imports and exports common file formats from programs comprising the Microsoft Office suite, and other similar products. (Check with Jim or Paul at a meeting, if you don't have high speed internet access, and wish a copy of this program.)

September 6th, 2006 Sony ICD-SX25 Digital Audio Recorder

Bill Walsh demonstrated a Sony ICD-SX25 digital voice recorder, along with another Sony model with more recording capacity. These units are very slim and light weight - a comparable current model listed on Sony's web site is 2.2 ounces with batteries. Bill said his devices cost in the range of $40 and $80, and the units have a wide array of features. These recorders include PC software for additional features and manipulations of the audio files. It was noted that this version of the software would not output MP3 files, but does export .wav files, which can be converted to MP3. Third party software is available to convert the native Sony digital audio file format directly to MP3. Sony's web site shows 15 products in its digital voice recorder line, ranging from $40 TO $400.

March 1st, 2006 Cybercorder 2000

Bill Walsh demonstrated a program by Skyhawk Technologies that allows use of your computer as an audio recorder, either directly off the internet, or via the audio input jacks, to make recordings at specific times, such as you would program a VCR or DVR to do. Skyhawk Technologies web site. Skyhawk has set up a 20% coupon. To use it, just order from the following link:
https://www.regnow.com/softsell/nph-softsell.cgi?item=3293-1&ss_coupon=SKYH-70W3
It can also be done by ordering through the order form, using snail mail. Just include a check for $19.96 and reference coupon SKYH-70W3. The order form link is at http://skyhawktech.com/orderform.html

February 22, 2006 InfoShare Session

We've all gotten hooked on the Internet as a source of information, but sometimes it's tough to beat the old standby - the printed page ! These graphics link to sources of information.
November 2 & 23, 2005 Build Your Own Computer
Bring thumb drive or CD-R to meeting for copies of slides, script, and Intel handouts
October 26, 2005 Useful Software Utilities
Bill Walsh, NCTCUG director, introduced the group to several programs he's found that enhance the use of PC systems. Route 1 Pro is a "button bar" replacing or enhancing the standard Windows interface, providing access to applications, documents, and information at the single touch of a button. The program provides quick, easy access to your programs and files, and includes a powerful scripting language, complete with full documentation, allowing you to consolidate tedious operations into a single click. http://www.creativelement.com/route1pro/
Bill also discussed Application Mover, a tool that relocates installed programs from one path to another on your hard disk. Application Mover takes files found in the path specified in the 'Current Path' field and moves them to the 'New Path' path. Application Mover scans the windows registry for references to files located in the 'Current' field and changes those references to the 'New' path. Application Mover also scans all windows shortcuts in the Start Menu and adjusts path references to the new program location. http://www.funduc.com/app_mover.htm
Need a magnifier for parts of your display? Bill recommended Lens 2.03 by Ned Konz, The program is "Lens for Windows," works fine on XP and the URL is: http://bike-nomad.com/oldpages
For the TClock taskbar/clock/NTP-updater program from "Kazubon" (aka Kazuto Sato) the URL is: http://homepage1.nifty.com/kazubon/tclock/ Bill said, "Although the author mentions a "TClock Light" version for XP, there were a lot of unprintable characters my browser could not handle. I'm not sure what would be better with "TClock Light" unless Kazubon stripped the taskbar functionality out of the original program and made it a clock-program only. My "old version" of v2.2.8 works fine on XP and should be the one listed on the URL page as TC98228E.zip."
A quick review of the graphics file viewer and manipulation program Irfan View finished the meeting. http://www.irfanview.com/
10/05/05 - Bill Walsh: Street Atlas 2005; GPS Integration
07/06/05 - Gabe Goldberg: Wireless Instant Messaging
AARP Web Site's Computer Area
03/02/05 - Paul Howard, Ron Schmidt: X10 Home Automation Systems
X10 Company Web Site Highly graphic - takes time to load with dial-up
Home-Automation.org Web Site See Resources for magazines
Electronic House magazine

11/03/04 - Bill Walsh: Centrino Mobil Technology
06/02/04 - Paul Howard: Wireless Networking
05/26/04 - Dean Mires: Wireless Networking
- Wireless Networking (PDF file) - Handout from WACUG's Geof Goodrum's August, 2003 presentation.
- Beating the Wireless Blues from PC World
- Wireless Networking from "How Stuff Works"
- Wireless Networking Q&A from Vicomsoft.
- Wireless Networking Overview from homenethelp.com
- Wireless Networks That Do More from PC World.