Info and forum posts by 'Hamid'

RE: Ipods...

You don`t need to buy a USB to 1.8" hard drive enclosure - your iPod is one!
You just need to charge the battery, connect the USB cable and press a couple of buttons to put it into Disk mode. See http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1363
Once in Disk mode, you can connect it to your PC and it will be like a USB to 1.8" adaptor. You can run any PC utilities to format or correct errors on the hard drive (e.g. ScanDisk). Remember you`ll need to restore your ipod using iTunes if you format the hard drive or delete the system files from it. If that happens, the ipod shows a folder with an exclamation mark, usually.
In answer to your other question, yes it is possible to use a CF card in a PC instead of a hard drive, with one limitation. Flash memory has a limited number of re-write cycles. This is not a problem in most applications but some operating systems like Windows use Virtual Memory. This means that Windows will constantly write to your flash card, eventually wearing it out. You can turn off virtual memory in Windows. That will help, but performance will suffer, particularly if you don`t have much RAM. Another option is to use a distribution of Linux that installs to an image file on your flash drive and doesn`t write to it. I successfully installed Slax onto a small flash card <512Mb. The advantage is that the Linux image file cannot be altered easily, thus preventing viruses. Unfortunately it means that making changes or updates is more difficult.
Read more about installing Linux to flash drives at http://www.pendrivelinux.com

RE: Ipods...

You can convert many of the older Ipods to use CompactFlash cards instead of hard drives. They are more reliable, being solid-state, and now very cheap (16Gb CF card for about £20)
Youll need a compact flash to 1.8" adaptor - I bought one on dealextreme for a few dollars. Simply open your ipod, unplug the failed hard drive and replace it with the CF card and adaptor. When you plug your ipod back into your computer, use iTunes to restore it to factory settings and you`re done!
If you own an ipod mini, you don`t even need an adaptor - a compactflash card will plug straight in.
I`ve converted an Ipod mini myself and tried a CF card in an old 3rd generation ipod (white) just to see if it worked. For less than £25 you can upgrade your old ipod to 16Gb solid state flash memory. The equivalent 16Gb ipod nano or touch new would cost more than £140 so there is a huge cost saving to be made, and it`s environmentally friendly to repair rather than throw away.

RE: The wonder that was Wollies

I managed to pick up a 1m DVI to HDMI cable for a mere 60p the other day, as well as a novelty flame lamp at 60% off. But the Woolworths store looked grim with many shelves stripped bare. It looked like a flock of vultures had picked most of the juicy bits of meat off the corpse. :(
I shall miss Woolworths for the novelty lamps - that`s about all I`ve bought from them over the last couple of years. In the past, Woolworths has been good for records / CD`s, sweets and even kitchen utensils. But gradually other stores have emerged, such as Wilkinsons for the hardware items and Tesco / Asda for pretty much anything these days. I suppose these other stores have eroded Woolworths` market share, eventually pushing them into bankruptcy.
It`s the staff I feel particularly sorry for. When I was at school, I remember the teacher warning me that "If you fail your exams, you`ll end up working at Woolworths!". Before places like McDonald`s became widespread, it was perceived to be the job you could get if you didn`t have any qualifications. I don`t know how true this was. I always found their shop assistants helpful and couteous. But if it was true, there will be a lot of people who will find it tough to get another job. Their new year looks as bleak as the empty shelves. :(

RE: monitor to TV -conversion is it do-able?

I disagree - you can buy a converter box for less than £30 which will let you use your old LCD monitor as a TV. Example here : Gadmei VGA TV box
I doubt if you could buy any LCD TV for that cheap.
If you sold your old monitor, you wouldn`t get enough to buy even a secondhand LCD TV so you`ll have to add some more money from your own pocket. You`ll have to decide if that will amount to more than the cost of the VGA converter. I think it will.

RE: Liteon 5025

It does sound like your DVD drive is failing. To test this, it can be replaced by a PC DVD drive. You don`t have to completely remove the old drive, just unplug the power and IDE cables from it and plug them into another drive to test it. Just rest the new drive on top of the old one while testing. You can try a PC DVD writer drive or a DVD-ROM drive - the latter will not record, but it should play. Then you can load your problem discs into the PC drive. If they play OK, then the problem is in the Liteon recorder`s internal drive.
Having confirmed this, you then have the problem of making a PC drive fit inside the Liteon. You could cut the case or something like that. In my case, I had a Liteon LVW-5045 with a faulty DVD drive and a working replacement PC DVD writer, also made by Liteon. The chassis of the Liteon PC drive was similar to the 5045 drive, so I stripped both drives and swapped the circuit boards and laser unit. I also swapped the tray loading gear and belt, since the 5045 drive tray failed to open sometimes. After the swap, I had a DVD recorder working like brand new, no sign of any modification from the outside. It all took about 1 hour.
You can upgrade the hard drive by using some special hacked firmware, found here:
http://www.twowheels.force9.co.uk/liteon.htm
Download the appropriate file for your recorder and unzip it, then burn the unzipped file to a CD. Load the CD in your Liteon (if yours is currently faulty and can`t read CD`s you`ll need to fix it first, as above). After updating the firmware, unplug the power and swap your existing hard drive for the new, bigger one. When you switch on again, you`ll probably get an error, like "Action Failed." appearing on the TV screen. Don`t worry, just select Erase HDD from the Tools menu. When it`s finished formatting, you will now have much more recording space, depending on the size of hard drive you fitted (roughly 2 gigabytes = 1 hour of standard quality recording).
If you want to transfer all the recordings from your old hard drive to the new one, put both drives in a PC and copy all files from the old drive to the new one. Be careful to find out which drive is which. When installed in a Windows PC both drives will have the same volume name, but obviously one will have more files and less free space - this is the one you copy the files from. Paste all the files onto the new drive, overwriting (yes to all) if prompted. This can take several hours if you have a lot of recordings. When finished, put the new hard drive back in the recorder. You`ll have all your old recordings plus some more free space.This worked for me with a Lite-On LVW-5045 ... Good Luck!

Sony PC Webcam with built-in microphone - 99p !

I passed by the local Gamestation shop at the weekend, and noticed several used Sony Playstation 2 EyeToy USB cameras on sale for only 99p each. Since they are USB, I wondered if they could work on a PC instead of a Playstation 2. A quick Google search `Using eyetoy on PC` came up with the info and drivers! There are two different types of EyeToy, one made by Logitech and the other by Namtai. Both can work. In the Gamestation shop they had 2 types, a small silver one and a larger black one. They were shrink wrapped so I couldn`t see the maker`s name, but since they were only 99p each I bought one of each, a total of £1.98 :)
I just tried the small silver Namtai one in Windows XP. It worked in Windows movie maker, and even recorded sound from its built-in microphone. This was more than I expected. As they were made for Sony, they should be better than most cheap webcams that cost at least 5 times the price, and re-using old electronic items is good for the environment!

RE: New DVD recorder

Sue`s advice is spot on.
Forget about DVD-RAM if you want to play your recordings back on an ordinary DVD player. You can`t - and there`s no such thing as "finalizing" a DVD-RAM disc.
If you only want to record TV programmes for watching later, a Freeview box with a hard drive (they are called Freeview Playback) is great. The equivalent is Sky+ for Sky Digital satellite subscribers or V+ for Virgin Media cable subscribers. These are good value for Pay-TV subscribers because you can watch one pay-tv channel while recording another pay channel, thus doubling the value of your subscription.
The above boxes are not ideal if you want to build up a large library of films and TV shows etc. because the hard drive will eventually become full. You also can`t record your old video tapes or camcorder tapes onto them, nor share recordings with family or friends.
A DVD recorder with a hard drive is ideal in these situations. You can record to the hard drive - no need to hunt around for a blank disc at the critical moment when your show is about to start. You can edit out commercial breaks with ease, and copy to a DVD much faster than in real time. For example I can record a 2-hour movie to DVD in about 25 minutes, saving me more than an hour and a half. I use DVD-R discs for keeping things permanently, they cost less than 20p each which is less than a video tape.
The best of both worlds is a DVD recorder with hard drive and Freeview. (Unfortunately there are no satellite or cable boxes with DVD recorders in the UK.) You can record from freeview to hard drive, edit and record from hard drive to DVD *fast* if you want to make a copy, for example to play on a portable DVD player on a long journey. The prices are coming down now. Last month I saw a Daewoo DVD recorder with 80Gb hard drive on sale in Asda for £59.95. I don`t think this had Freeview built in but could certainly record from an external box. At this price, it`s not really worth considering a DVD recorder without a hard drive unless you already have another box with one (e.g. Sky+)
Finally, before you buy, it`s worth searching the internet for reviews. How easy is it to use, and how reliable is the brand? If you run into a problem, what`s the customer service like? You might be able to download the instruction manual and see how complicated it is. Panasonic generally gets good reviews but there are cheaper alternatives. 3 years ago I bought a Liteon DVD recorder with hard drive. It`s very easy to use and since then, I`ve never used videotape again. Reviews are mixed as far as reliability goes, but I`ve had no problems. Sadly Liteon are no longer selling new DVD recorders but you could probably get a used one for next to nothing on eBay. Then again, £59.95 for the above mentioned Daewoo with presumably 1 year`s warranty is tough to beat. It`s almost disposable - certainly a lot cheaper than subscribing to Sky+ for a year. Food for thought ...

RE: Does anyone know anything about this website and what it is offering?

The website is offering the hire of a special remote control which will unlock the region code on your Panasonic DVD system.
You can`t hack your Panasonic DVD using only the remote control that came with it. Only a service remote can send the right code. These special hacking remotes have been a well-kept secret until recently. Most companies who supplied them have made them single-use only, so you can`t copy them by using a learning remote or re-sell them. They make you buy a new one every time. Very unfair.
Fortunately there is a free solution - read here:
http://www.dcevolution.net/panasonic/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=54

See the instructions about Generic Region Free Code and how to send it using a laptop or pocket computer, mobile phone, PSP or other device - for free!!!
Good luck and happy hacking!

RE: Nokia N95 denied

You`ve been scammed.
Most likely, the person whom you bought the phone from has reported it lost or stolen, and has claimed a free replacement phone from their Orange insurance. Your phone has now been blacklisted and won`t let you make calls. The scammer has pocketed the money you paid for the phone, and got a free phone to replace it. Meanwhile, you`ve got a doorstop.
This type of scam is depressingly common on eBay, and I`d avoid buying latest phones from such places.
All you can do is report it as a crime, you could also contact PayPal or your credit card company in the hope of getting some of your money back. Good luck, I think you`ll need it...

RE: Lobster 700TV (phone/TV/Dab radio) £50 or less

Many thanks to the original poster. I`ve been looking for a decent pocket DAB radio for a reasonable price. The Lobster 700TV turned out to be just that, and a whole lot more!
Ordered one on Tuesday night with discount from the moneysavingexpert link - cost just under £41 including postage. It arrived on Thursday so I`ve had 1 day to play with it...
First of all, to pick up any TV or radio services, you must plug in the supplied headphones (they act as an aerial) and be in an area with good enough DAB coverage. The phone started without a SIM card and I was able to listen to the DAB radio on it without one, but no TV channels - not even BBC1 - would decode until I inserted a Virgin Mobile SIM card and let it acquire a licence. Apparently you need to renew the licence every 30 days to continue watching TV, and this can be done only by using a Virgin Mobile SIM card. That means even if you unlock the phone, you`ll still need to insert a Virgin SIM once a month, and it`ll cost you £5 after the initial 90 free days if you`re a pay-as-you-go customer. Fortunately I have a Virgin Mobile contract. Watching TV is free for the duration of your contract, so I used my contract SIM to activate the TV subscription - it worked with no problems.
However, there are only 5 TV channels available, and quite a few of the programmes are not available due to rights issues (Why? Surely it`s no different to broadcast terrestrial / Freeview TV?) Obviously the quality is nowhere near that of your living room TV, but it`s watchable as long as you get a good enough signal - if you don`t, the picture freezes or skips. All in all, I consider the mobile TV a bit of a novelty. I could live without it, but it`s probably alright to watch if you`re bored for a while.
I bought it for the DAB radio feature, and this has impressed me so far. Reception is very sensitive, even in bad signal areas where I`ve tried other DAB radios and they`ve disappointed. The `scrolling text` feature of DAB has been implemented better in this phone. Taking full advantage of the larger screen, the text telling you about the programme you`re listening to is displayed all at once on the screen, instead of having to wait for it to slowly scroll past. Even the station logos are displayed in the programme guide, along with a red button option that presumably takes you to the station`s website (I haven`t tried this yet).
Oh, and yes, to answer an earlier question, there is a built-in speaker, and you can play the radio or TV sound through it, but you still need the headphones plugged in to receive a signal.
I haven`t tried installing any other applications on it. There is talk on the xda-developers.com forum about getting TomTom Navigator 5.2 running on it. You will need to buy a bluetooth GPS receiver and a memory card (the phone doesn`t come with one) and there`s no touch screen, so it will be fiddly to use. I don`t think I`ll bother.
However, for what you get for the money, I`m very impressed so far. I showed it to my friend who straightaway ordered two!

RE: Getting Freeview on a Sky box?

I think they are now called Freesat cards. You can order one from http://www.freesatfromsky.com/
There is a charge of £20 per card.
NOTE: The freesat card *only* gives you Channel 4 and Five in addition to the free-to-air channels, such as BBC and ITV which you can get without a card. There are extra channels on Freeview (terrestrial digital TV) like UKTV History, ABC1, The Hits, TMF etc. but these are NOT free on Freesat. You will need a Sky subscription for those. Yes, it sucks, particularly for people like me who live in an area with no Freeview coverage. The only other options are to move house or wait until maybe 2012 when the analogue signal is turned off and everything is converted to Freeview.
NOTE 2: If you currently subscribe to sky and decide to cancel, your existing viewing card will work as a Freesat card. You don`t need to buy another card.

RE: Sky or Freeview Abroad???? Help Needed?

As mentioned previously, Freeview is terrestrial (UK only). If you take a Freeview receiver to Spain, you certainly won`t get BBC1 on it.
Sky is possible if you have a large enough dish - a Sky minidish will not work. The cheapest method is to buy a secondhand Sky digibox from the UK and take it with you. 2nd hand Sky boxes are dirt cheap now that many people have upgraded to Sky+
You will only need a viewing card if you want Channel 4 and 5 - all the other non-subscription channels (BBC, ITV etc) don`t need a card. You can buy a card from Sky for a one-off payment of £20 but be warned - it is a breach of contract to use the card outside the UK. Only order it to a UK address and activate it before you go. Never tell them that you are using it in Spain or they`ll cut you off. If you want Sky`s pay channels, it`s a bit harder. You will need a UK bank account and have to ask for a contract that doesn`t involve connecting your box to a phone line (which you must never do in Spain, or they`ll know where you are!)
If you are already a Sky subscriber and are past your initial 12 month contract there is no obligation to connect your box to a phone line. You can take your existing box and card overseas - just don`t tell them you`ve moved. Make sure the bills will not go unpaid while you`re away (e.g. direct debit). Avoid phoning Sky from abroad - it`s possible they can identify people calling from foreign phone lines.
Alternatively, if you can live without Ch4 and 5 you can use a European digital satellite receiver instead of a Sky box, with potentially lots more free channels ;)

This item was edited on Monday, 17th July 2006, 18:21

RE: LiteOn DVD writer only £17.99 +p&p

I received the drive from SVP the next day (great service from them as usual). Then I tried to upgrade it to DVD-RAM without success :(
Taking the anonymous SVP reviewer`s comments literally, it should have been easy. The DRW-6S160P is supposed to be identical to the SHW-160P6S and the SHM-165P6S which supports DVD-RAM, just different firmware.
The official LiteOn firmware upgrades do not allow you to upgrade a drive to a different model. But I soon came across a program called FlashFix and the CodeGuys website which contains crossflash patches, enabling one drive model to be flashed with another drive`s firmware.
I downloaded the flashfixed SHM-165P6S firmware and upgraded my drive. The upgrade appeared to complete successfully, and afterwards Windows detected it as a DVD-RAM drive instead of a DVD-RW . However, the drive busy light was flashing constantly, even with no disc in the drive, and when I inserted any disc, the drive said it was empty. Completely useless. >:(
I successfully flashed the drive back to a SHW-160P6S and it started working again, but without DVD-RAM support, of course. I even tried downloading firmware from the official LiteOn site which was more up-to-date, then patching it myself - same result. It appears to be no-go.
I`m annoyed at myself - I really wanted DVD-RAM to work. I have a few DVD-RAM camcorder discs to copy across. I should have bought the Pioneer drive instead. I`ve wasted more time than it`s worth (there`s only a few pounds price difference.) Unless anyone else can show how to make it work, I advise against trying to convert this drive.

LiteOn DVD writer only £17.99 +p&p

at SVP
How cheap can these things get?
According to the review, it can be flash upgraded to write DVD-RAM as well. Have ordered one (arriving tomorrow) and will try it out.

RE: R.I.P. Alas,, Poor Panny DMR-E30. I knew him well

Don`t know too much about that model, but I think some of the older Panasonic recorders were based on their PC DVD writer drives (the LF-D311 comes to mind). If this is the case, you might be able to replace the failing DVD drive with a new PC one - cost about £30.
Since it still records to DVD-R, you could use it with a Freeview PVR or Sky+ box, just for making copies of things you want to keep permanently.
If you replace it with a new recorder, I suggest getting one with a built-in hard drive. You`ll never need DVD-RAM again.
I know how you feel though. My first DVD recorder was a Philips DVDR880 which died after only 8 months and had recorded less than 40 discs. I felt gutted although luckily it was still under warranty and I lost nothing. I think you`ve had your money`s worth out of your recorder.

RE: Pure - The Bug Stereo DAB £79.99 inc Postage

You can alter the display brightness in the menu (1.2 firmware). You can choose different settings for when the radio is on or in standby. Just press Menu then Display Options. You can even switch the backlight off altogether if it bothers you. However, if you do this, you won`t be able to see the display or the time when it`s dark at night. Personally I just use the low brightness setting in standby and medium or high when on. Because the neck is flexible, the display can be pointed away from you if the light gets in your eyes at night.
As for the other question, the radio saves recordings in MP2 format (as used in DAB transmissions.) Unfortunately the Bug cannot save in MP3 nor convert MP2 to MP3. You can convert easily by using a PC and software such as Easy CD-DA Extractor. It takes a little time - about 10 minutes to convert a 40 minute recording on my computer (AMD Athlon 2000 XP 1.667GHz). The Bug can play MP3 files downloaded from PC to SD card. It only shows the first 8 characters of the filename, but supports ID3 tags, so you can see the full details of the song if the MP3 file contains ID3 info. The one feature missing, which I would have liked, is the ability to set the alarm to play a recorded MP2 / MP3 instead of live radio.
I also bought the 1GB Viking SD card from ebuyer.com when it was slightly more expensive - it`s amazing how much these have come down in price. Unfortunately I have found it`s quite slow when saving a recording. It takes up to 20 seconds to start and stop. This delay was much shorter (about 1 or 2 seconds) with an unbranded 256MB card that I tried. I get round it by rewinding 15-20 seconds further back to allow for the delay in starting a recording. I wonder if it`s worth paying a bit more for a high speed SD card?

This item was edited on Thursday, 4th May 2006, 00:09

RE: Pure - The Bug Stereo DAB £79.99 inc Postage

I`d say this is a bargain. I bought one earlier this year when they were on sale for £99 in Dixons (I think they were £149 when they first came out.)
Sure, there are now lots of cheaper DAB radios on the market (from £30 - £50 ) but there`s no comparison with The Bug. I have 3 other DAB receivers: Roberts Gemini RD-3 , Acoustic Solutions Portal 2 (both of these were given to me - faulty - by the guy who works at the local household waste dump. I took them home and fixed them) and a Sony XDR-M1 .
I live in a bad reception area. I can only pick up a few DAB channels on the other models - The Bug gets twice as many, including stations that are officially out of range in my area, although not all of them have clear sound. I mainly use it at work, where analogue FM reception is nonexistent. The Bug keeps me entertained all day with more stable reception than the other DABs. The unusual Alien Creature design, complete with glowing eyes, has been a talking point amongst colleagues who walk past and see it.
Another feature - the pause and rewind - is useful in case you missed something. If a song comes on that you really like, you can rewind to the start of it and record it to memory card. Buy this radio now - I`m sure this feature will be banned once the music industry finds out about it! You can also set timers to record your favourite programmes, or use it like an alarm clock. You can even get a 7-day programme guide, allowing you to see details and automatically record, for example every episode of a talking book. However I wasn`t impressed by this feature. First, a software upgrade has to be uploaded to the radio. This was fiddly and kept failing, and afterwards the rewind and record feature was broken. Then it took nearly an hour to download the programme data to the memory card. I didn`t find the EPG sufficiently useful, so I reverted to the old non-EPG software.
On the whole I would recommend this radio if you are looking for a DAB receiver. Remember it`s DAB only - no AM or FM. If you`re out of DAB coverage, it`s a rather expensive MP3 player. Other minor niggles - the built-in speakers are quite small. They are adequate, but better sound quality is possible by connecting it to a hi-fi. The radio`s USB port is very slow for transferring recordings to PC - use an external SD card reader. A card is not included but they are very cheap now - see other Bargain Buckets threads.
Hope this review has been useful.

RE: Please help me choose a DVD recorder

Remember that the Panasonic DVD-RAM discs will not play on ordinary DVD players, and DVD-RW will only work if it has been recorded in Video Mode. DVD-R and +R discs will play in ordinary DVD players after finalizing, but they are not editable or re-recordable.
Out of the first 3 models mentioned, I think I`d go for the Liteon.

RE: CASH FOR YOUR OLD MOBILE

Another site that offers cash for old mobile phones:
http://www.mopay.co.uk
They seem to accept some older models which envirofone doesn`t.
I haven`t tried any of these companies. Would appreciate any feedback.
I guess some phones will be worth more on e-bay or even at your local car boot sale (I`ve sold some there). At any rate, it`s got to be better than throwing them in landfill!

RE: Wharfedale M5 not playing DVD-R

I have two of these excellent machines. One of them I found on the local household waste dump earlier this month, took it home and fixed it. (There was a sound fault - the sound was weak and crackly. Diode D300 on the microprocessor board had gone high resistance.)
There are 3 versions of the Wharfedale M5 - the first version (serial number 122xxx) is fitted with an Afreey metal-cased DVD-ROM drive; the later versions (s/n 127xxx / 128xxx) have a Sampo DVD reader made of plastic. I have one of each drive. The Afreey drive is marginal at reading DVD-R discs - only some brands of disc work, and not all the time. The Sampo drive does a bit better and will read most DVD-R, but neither drive will read DVD+-RW. The way forward is to replace the DVD drive with one that can read recordable DVDs better.
DVD drive swapping is described in great depth at the excellent Area450 website http://www.area450.com
I used a Hitachi GD-2000 2x DVD-ROM drive that I pulled out of a scrap computer at the dump. Cost = FREE! It can read both DVD-R and RW discs, giving the Wharfedale M5 a new lease of life in the recordable DVD age. You could buy a new DVD-ROM drive, or you could get a cheap or free secondhand one from someone who has upgraded their PC recently. See Area450 for a list of suggested DVD drives to use.
Note - I replaced the DVD drive in the Wharfedale M5 with the Afreey loader. It`s the same shape as a normal DVD-ROM drive so the operation is relatively easy. If yours has the plastic Sampo loader, it`s a bit more tricky but still possible.
Repairing the player was well worth it. It has on-board Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, which the new cheap players don`t have. I use mine with a 5.1 speaker system originally designed for a PC, but it plugs in to the M5 and sounds great.
If you`re feeling adventurous, you can even upgrade the M5 with One Firmware For All . This allows you to add a hard drive, turning your old DVD player into a multimedia jukebox, with gigabytes of MP3 JPEG and MPEG files available at the touch of a button.
So I would advise you to to fix your player rather than buy a new one. But if you really can`t be bothered, don`t throw it away, offer it to someone on here first.

RE: Copying from Sky+ on to DVD but want to delete the ad breaks

You don`t need to buy a DVD recorder with a hard drive.
Simply playback the recording from the Sky+ hard drive and record it on the DVD recorder. When the adverts start, pause the DVD recorder. You can then use the Sky+ remote to fast forward through the adverts, or simply leave it playing. When the adverts finish, un-pause the DVD recorder. The recorded disc will have no adverts and no wasted space. The only problem is you have to sit and watch the programme and remember to pause and unpause at the right time.
It is not possible to edit out the adverts automatically or unattended. Sky make millions of pounds from advertising. If they made a Skip / Edit Advert facility in their Sky+ box, the advertisers would revolt and Sky would lose money, so it`s never going to happen. The only way is to edit the adverts manually.
If you have a DVD recorder with a hard drive, you can edit the ads from the DVD recorder`s hard drive, then copy the edited programme to a blank disc with no wasted space. But this will not save you any time - in fact it will take you longer, because in order to get the programme from the Sky+ hard drive to the DVD recorder`s hard drive, you have to play it in real-time.
If you record to a DVD+RW disc, you can mark chapters where the adverts begin and end, then hide the chapter. This will skip the adverts but the disc space they take up will be wasted.
So the quickest most efficient method is the first one - edit while you watch.

RE: Question: In-Car dvd player from USA to use in UK

Most if not all the cheap `no-name` DVD players support PAL and NTSC playback, so that`s less likely to be a problem.
You really need to make sure that there is a multi-region hack available for your chosen player. If not, you will be limited to playing imported Region 1 (US) DVDs or home-made copy DVDs, which don`t have a region code.
Strictly speaking, if you (or someone else) will be bringing in goods worth more than £145 you are supposed to declare them to HM Customs on arrival (go through the red channel) and pay duty on them. This will obviously wipe out any savings. Although if you just go through the green channel you wil probably -ahem- get away with it, I can`t encourage you to break the law. If you are randomly searched and get caught, you`ll have to face the consequences (probably they confiscate the item and give you a fine - I don`t know.)
More info here
Finally, remember you will effectively have no warranty. If your item is faulty, you won`t be able to return it to the store unless you buy another plane ticket back (clearly not worth it.) Always get your item tested before bringing it. Defects are usually apparent straightaway.

RE: DVD player that actually does what it`s told to.

In reply to the original question, YES there were DVD players that do *everything* you asked for. I have two of them, Afreey LD2060 and Apex AD-500W running One Firmware For All (OFFA for short).
Basically a DVD player contains a small computer chip containing instructions on how to play DVDs. This combination of hardware (a chip) and software (program instructions) is called Firmware. Some clever hackers re-wrote the instructions to do things like letting you skip copyright warnings, remove macrovision and region codes etc. They released this update under the name OFFA - One Firmware For All.
OFFA is completely unofficial and no DVD players were sold with it. You can add OFFA to certain DVD players, either by recording a special CD and loading it into the player, or in the worst case of my Apex model, unplugging and replacing a chip inside.
Unfortunately OFFA can only be used with a range of 4-5 year old DVD players. You can`t buy them new anymore, but they were made in large numbers and are not too difficult to obtain secondhand. For a full list of supported models and everything OFFA-related, check out the Yahoo Group
(free registration required)
You can also see a beginner`s guide at Clayts ` excellent Area450.com website - this is what got me started. Sadly the site is no longer updated.
OFFA goes far beyond simple region hacking and macro removal. It`s enabled me to link a hard drive to my DVD player, turning it into a multimedia jukebox, with gigabytes of MP3 and video files at my fingertips.
OFFA is a hacker`s dream, but to be honest, if you just want to copy DVD to DVD, you`re better off using a PC with DVD writer. You can buy PC DVD writer drives for as little as £30 new these days, and with some free software from the internet you can copy a movie faster than real-time (e.g. copy a 2 hour movie in less than 1 hour). But for transferring to videotape or converting PAL <-> NTSC it`s hard to beat an OFFA DVD player for simplicity.

RE: Multi-region hacks requested for LG GSA-4163B

Have a look here:

http://tdb.rpc1.org/#GSA4163B

Two types of region free firmware are available, RPC1 and Auto-Reset.

RPC1 will make the drive region-code free, but when you do this, be aware that software DVD player programs such as PowerDVD and WinDVD may have their own region locks that come into play. To bypass these fully, get a free software patch called DVD Genie.
Auto Reset will make software DVD players think that your drive is still region-locked (it is.)
You will be given usually 5 chances to change the DVD drive`s region code. After that, the drive will appear permanently locked, but don`t worry, when you turn off or reset your PC, all 5 changes are restored. Extra patches like DVD Genie should not be needed.
Use whichever version you like. I`ve personally tried the A104 RPC1 with DVD Genie and it works for me. But be warned, your warranty could be voided by flashing your drive, maybe a problem if something goes wrong and your drive is damaged. Use at your own risk.

RE: can anyone help with de-regionalising?

I agree that the Sony DVD player is not worth hacking if it requires a chip (unless you actually enjoy taking electronic things apart and soldering wires inside, then it might be worth doing just for fun.)
However, the Philips DVDR880 recorder is quite easy to hack, with virtually no risk involved. When I had one, I applied the multi-region hack and upgraded the firmware with no problems at all. In fact, when the recorder broke down (the usual NO DISC / DISC ERROR messages that many others have complained about) I returned it to the dealer (Argos in the UK) who then forwarded it to Philips for repair. The unit was repaired (laser replaced) and returned to me with no questions asked, even though I had disabled the region code. The service centre had also upgraded the firmware. When they returned it, it was still multi-region! So it seems that Philips don`t care about customers modifying their machines.
The only problem is that the original remote control supplied with the DVDR880 isn`t enough to make it multi region, although you can change the region code a limited number of times. To make it permanently region free, you need either a special universal remote control or a computer with an infra-red port to send the unlock code. You don`t have to buy these items, you only need to borrow them for a couple of minutes. It should be easy to get hold of a laptop computer with an infrared port for that small amount of time. Then you need some free software to send the remote command. It was available somewhere on the net but just ask me if you need it. After that, just press a few buttons on your original remote control and your Philips will be region free ! The full instructions are elsewhere on this site. Again, just ask for help if you are stuck. Good Luck!

RE: Macrovision Disable

I don`t know of any brand new DVD player models that can be Macrovision hacked. Perhaps someone else can answer that. However, there were quite a number of older DVD players which had a hidden menu to disable Macrovision. Most of them were made before 2002. Since then, it seems the movie studios or maybe Macrovision themselves have clamped down on manufacturers of such players, as the hidden menu has disappeared from modern units.
Here are all the ones I`ve personally tested, by connecting to a VCR or DVD recorder and being able to record from a Macrovision encoded disc:
Dansai DVD852 - remote hack (all remote hacks are listed here on dvd.reviewer.)
Dansai DVD 1010 - remote hack, may require firmware update which I have, ask me if you need it.
Alba DVD104/A - region and MV free out of the box
Afreey LD2060 - remote hack or update firmware to OFFA
Electrohome EH-8191 - serial number 3xxxxxx - MV free out of the box - units with serial number 2xxxxxx can be firmware upgraded by CD
Momitsu V575 - remote hack, same steps as Mustek V520
Wharfedale M5 - firmware update needed - see www.area450.com or install OFFA
NOTE: I have mentioned Firmware Update and OFFA a few times. In case you are wondering, Firmware is like a computer program that runs inside your DVD player every time you turn it on. This program controls your DVD player and determines what it can do. It is stored on a (semi)permanent memory chip, and is thus called Firmware - a combination of hardware and software.
The firmware in some DVD players can be changed by burning a file containing the new version to a CD-R or CD-RW, then inserting it in the DVD player for a minute or two. Hackers discovered that they could change the firmware to remove Macrovision altogether or reinstate the hidden menu that manufacturers had removed. The most notorious firmware is OFFA : One Firmware For All. This file is an experimenter`s dream, as well as allowing Macrovision to be turned off, it can play back many different formats and even enables a hard drive to be hooked up to the DVD player, turning it into a media jukebox.
You can download OFFA for free, and see a list of compatible DVD players at the Yahoo! OFFA Group.
Sadly, all the compatible players are out of production. You can only buy them secondhand, but because new DVD players are ridiculously cheap now, these old ones are available for next to nothing. If you can get one really cheap it might be worth experimenting. You may even be lucky enough to already own a hackable DVD player. Otherwise the Macrovision removing SCART leads are not that expensive and offer a simple plug-in solution for lazy people. They can also be used when recording protected movies from VHS VCRs and Pay TV decoders.

RE: Recording formats

Home DVD recorders don`t add any region codes to their own recordings, so that`s not an issue. The thing to worry about is: Can my relatives` DVD player play DVD+R or DVD-R discs, and can it play PAL ?
You should ask your relatives to tell you what make and model of DVD player they have. Then look up on www.videohelp.com
You can search the list of DVD players to find out whether theirs can play +R / -R discs, or convert PAL to NTSC.
In general, the big name brand US DVD players like Sony, Toshiba etc. cannot play PAL discs. The cheap no-name Walmart Made In China ones usually play anything. In the worst case they might have to buy one for $29 just to watch your discs.
If playing DVD on a computer, there is no problem about PAL / NTSC. Only problem is older DVD-ROM drives are sometimes fussy about playing recordable DVDs.
Try to find out if your relatives have ever tried playing DVDRs and which types worked, if any. Then you should have a clear idea.

This item was edited on Thursday, 26th May 2005, 02:22

RE: Universal Remote Control - getting it to perform all the functions

The cheap universal remotes only seem to offer basic functions. If your device has a Menu it may be possible to get into the setup menu of your device and access some of the more advanced functions. Unfortunately in your case, your universal remote does not seem to emulate the OK key so you are unable to use the menu. You could maybe try another setup code (see the remote control`s instructions). You might find one that can send the OK command, especially if there is an OK or ENTER button marked on your universal remote.
The only range of universal remotesI know of that support all the original functions are the ONE FOR ALL URC models. I have a One For All Digital URC-7562 which is excellent. I`m using it as a replacement remote for a Philips DVDR70 DVD recorder. The URC-7562 can perform absolutely ALL the functions of the original remote, such as EDIT, TIMER and SYSTEM MENU. It even has functions that the original remote didn`t have, such as a command to alter the brightness of the fluorescent display, and a command to make the DVD multi-region - this is why I bought it ;)
There are a few things to note about all this. Obviously the universal remote doesn`t have buttons labelled EDIT, TIMER or SYSTEM MENU, for example. To get these functions, you press MAGIC followed by a 3-digit code. The Magic codes are not printed in the manual, you have to ask the helpline for them but it`s a free phone number. Entering these codes every time can get a bit tedious, but thankfully One For All have thought about that. Eight blank buttons are provided which you can program with a Magic code. You can even learn functions from an original remote if you still have or can borrow one. And finally it supports downloading new codes over the phone or via the internet, so it should not go out of date if you get a new piece of AV equipment in the future. There is actually a PC interface inside the battery compartment. The One For All company does not support this but some clever hackers on the internet have released software enabling you to upload and download codes, customise key layouts and create macro commands .
The only downside for you is the price. This remote costs £24.99 in Argos ( cat. no. 535/6209 ) That`s probably not much less than a brand new cheap Bush VHS with original remote. You could try contacting Bush and asking the price for a replacement original remote for your unit.

RE: aerial help freeview and DAB!!!!

I can understand your frustration, I can`t get Freeview either - at least not until they convert our local transmitter. Yet some people in my town are able to get a signal, even just round the corner from my house. I`m right behind a hill that cuts off the signal. Someone on top of the hill can receive it using an old Nokia OnDigital box and an indoor set-top aerial, despite the Freeview website post code checker saying it`s impossible!
If some people in your town can receive Freeview then that`s encouraging, but unfortunately there`s no guarantee that you can as well. It will depend on your location and if there are any obstructions like hills or tall buildings in between your house and the transmitter. To give yourself the best possible chance of success, get a really good aerial and cable, and install it outside on the roof, not in the loft - the signal strength will be higher outside. If it still doesn`t work you could call in the services of a professional aerial installer. Unfortunately this can be expensive - I know someone round here who paid over £200 - but they did get perfect Freeview in 3 rooms in their house. You could consider a free-to-air satellite TV system, but again that can be quite expensive, not just for installation, but even worse, some of the Freeview channels are not free on satellite and require monthly subscription payments! Finally you could just wait a few years until they convert your local analogue terrestrial transmitter to digital. This has already happened somewhere in Wales.
As for DAB digital radio, in the UK it is transmitted on VHF band III, while TV is transmitted on UHF bands IV and V. The aerials for DAB and TV are different in design since they are optimised for different frequencies. You will get poor results if you try to use a UHF TV aerial for DAB or vice versa. Also DAB aerials are meant to be omnidirectional, not pointing at one transmitter, since the signals from the different stations come from more than one source. If it`s any consolation, even though I can`t get Freeview, I can get some (but not all) DAB reception here, that`s just with the built-in aerial in the set. Good Luck!

RE: Phillips DVD player rejecting R1 for no reason, help!!!

A number of Region 1 discs have extra protection on them called RCE. This is designed to stop them playing on "hacked" DVD players like your friend`s Philips. Sometimes a map of the world appears when you try to play the disc, along with a message that your player may have been modified. If this is the case, you can usually get around the RCE protection by changing your DVD player`s region setting from 0 (or All) to 1. With most Philips players, there is a way to do this, but there is another problem. If you change your machine`s region code from 0 to 1, you will only be able to play Region 1 discs until you change it back again. While this isn`t that much of a problem (it only takes a few presses of the remote control) some of the Philips models only allow a limited number of changes before they become locked for good. Obviously you don`t want that to happen!
There is another way, if you or a friend has a PC with a DVD writer. There is some DVD backup software that can make a copy of your original disc with all the region protection removed. The copy can then be played on any DVD player, even a region-locked one, as long as it can read writable DVDs. (Philips player should be able to.) Since it`s just one disc you`re having problems with, this might be an easier solution.