Website Design and Hosting. Expanding my business skills to keep busy in a slow economy
Date: Thursday February 5, 2009Posted in: Computer IT, Economics, Money making, Technology
I am getting ready to add some new posting to this Blog. I have been in hiding ever since the Election is over. I just want to wait and see if our economy improves. So what I have had to do is expand my skill set and this way I find more work, just in case one area of service is slow, another one may be busy.
With this new attidude for 2009, so far my economy has not been that bad. While some people are complaining that their business is so slow, I just keep myself busy doing a diversity of freelance business in several areas, but all at the same time. I have become a jack of all trades. As long as all my skills are technolgy related, I can master them all.
I do Computer Repairs and networking - This has been my main business for years, and it is also my career. But recently I have added some website creation and hosting to this business. And now I have expanded my business and skills into some other areas too.
My main 2 main websites, I have had for several years are: Movicomp Services and also this Blog - Blogsomebody. At the same time and when computer work is slow, I also manage a moving services and moving broker business. People are always moving and I have several guys that do the labor for me.
But now this new year, I also made 2 new websites. One of them is for a customer and the other one is for another new business that I have found and enjoy.
1) Anita Screen - http://www.anitascreen.com - They build and repair aluminum structures, screen patios, pool enclosures, hurricane shutters and anything else that has to do with screens, aluminum and outdoor living.
2) High Tech Installations: - http://www.htinstallations.com - I professionally install Flat Panel TV’s, Plasmas and lots of other High Tech equipment including home audio video and computers. I also do many other High Tech home repairs and installations for any homes or business in South Florida.
I recently got a whole bunch of new tools and I have already installed 8 TV’s in January alone, so I am on a roll in this new business.
Computer Based TV and Movie viewing and how legal is it?
Date: Thursday December 18, 2008Posted in: Computer IT, Money making, Technology, Windows XP, legal stuff
I recently lost cable TV service in my gated community and neighborhood due to a contract issue, which our association did not renew. So now I was only given the option to contract my own satellite TV service. Well after finding prices, I found a slightly better deal with DirectTV, but that was only my opinion because they only had me to sign up for 18 months in order to get the free installation and some sign up perks as opposed to the 24 month obligation that Dish Network offers.
The reason I am against contracts in because I feel that there may be an upcoming event where we can get TV legally from the internet. I know that there are some sites that claim that this exists today, but I am not sure if they are being totally honest. It seems what they do is they host a few servers and have their cable or satellite tv provider signal shared across the internet. Then they try to sell you some software that helps you to cache the steaming video and then play it on your computer.
Well I know I can watch TV on my compter via a few sites like Hulu.com or movies on watch-movies.net. also I can download free software like TVUplayer. But is any of this legal. I also found that I can install a free plug-in in Mozilla called Sothink SWF catcher and this lets me save the movies and TV shows to my Hardrive. Now I still wonder if this is legal, so I have not done this in any major form outside of a simple test. It works good, but I do not want to get a visit from some Fed agents if this illegal. I do not want to be considered a bootleg video producer either. I only want to watch TV in my own house.
So I guess my question is: Is it legal to save these TV shows and movies to my Hard drive just to be able to watch a movie or show without buffering? And then watch them in my own house as long as I don’t make copies on DVD or distribute them. And if I do this is this an alternative to Cable or Satellite?
The one problem with this besides legal concerns is this: Even if it turns out that Comcast, Directv or DishNetwork offer this service legally, like I think Netflix already does, how do we get the Image onto out larger 50 inch Plasma and LCD TV screens.
Yes you can use a long VGA cable, but how good is the Picture and you still will have to have your PC fairly close to your TV and most people do not keep their PC in their living room, or at least not close to the TV. So I hear you can buy a box called Hauppauge Media MVP which let you network your computer with this box that even has a remote control and it gets the media from your computers Harddrive and displays it on your TV. So now you can hide this box under or behind your TV and the only think you need to run is a network patch cable. Oh and now I hear that they make wireless version too. They also make wireless VGA transmitters and receivers too. But who makes an all in one box that is as small as a cable box but with the power of a laptop computer running windows media center? Will this technolgy become an alternative to Satellite and Cable TV in the next 18 months even if I have to pay, I think it will be cheaper.
Please let me know if anyone has had experience with these programs or technology.
How do Wireless Routers and cards burn out after a few months?
Date: Thursday April 17, 2008Posted in: Computer IT, Technology, computer virus removal
No matter which brand you choose, you may have experienced a sudden loss of reception from your wireless router. You may only get a signal when you are within 5 feet of the Router, or the Router may not even show up when you search for it.
I have had several Routers: Linksys, Netgear, Belkin and even a Novatech and this has happened to all of them. The router either shuts of power to the Radio transmiter or the Radio transmitter burns out completely.
When this happens, you may get lucky by just doing a Hard Reset and then reprogramming the Router. Also it may not be the router, it may be your wireless card too. But if you find out it is the router what can you do?
Well the answer is: reset it or replace it. You can also try doing a firmware update. But if none of this works, then this basically means that the radio transmiter or amplifier chip inside the router, or wireless card has burned out. This may have been caused by too much heat, or because of a power surge. If you still have a warranty then take it back and return it. If not buy a new one for about $50. This time buy it at a Store like BestBuy of Circuit City. Pay an extra $10 for the 3 year extended warranty. Also make sure to use a power strip.
Another thing: Always activate the WEP or other Wireless security features. It is possible that hackers can do things to your wireless router, pc’s and network that will cause the radio transmitter to burn out too. If you do not know how to setup security then you should unplug your router. Or you can call me and I will help walk you through this over the phone.
http://www.movicompservices.com
And lastly, if you ever go away for vacation, please unplug your router.
This applies to:
Linksys, Netgear, Belkin, 3com, Novatech etc.
