Related article on my companion site GUOM

I've just posted a short review of the Kodak Zi6 over at GUOM. I’ve also included sample HD video. If Doc’s Tech Notes readers are interested, you can view it by clicking here. As a reminder, GUOM is my less techy site where I discuss gadgets, scifi, interesting news items and a hodge podge of other things. This post seemed as if it might have some appeal to Doc’s Tech Notes readers.

Google Quick Search Box Mac update (Manganese)

Doc’s Tech Notes readers know that I am VERY fond of Google Quick Search Box (QSB). So for those of you that agree and may have missed it, there's a new release; 2.0.0.1362.

This new version includes many bug fixes and the following new features:

• Enhanced the docs result tooltip to show the account
• Picasaweb album results show all images associated with that album in pivot results
• Added a Trash plugin. Search for "Trash" (include the quotes) to list the contents of the Trash for all mounted volumes, or use the "Move to Trash" to quickly move files and folders to the Trash
• Added a SMB/AFP Sharing plugin. Search for "Mount" (include the quotes) to get a list of nearby file shares, or type in the name of a specific share. Select the share and hit Return to mount the share
• Google Apps accounts (AKA 'hosted') are now supported
• Pivoting off the Dictionary application result now allows you to search for dictionary definitions

View all the changes here. Download the update here. If Google Updater is installed on your Mac, you should have already received the latest version.

Technorati Tags: google, qsb, quicksearchbox, mac, apple, osx, launcher, docstechnotes

Add a 30-second commercial skip to your TiVo remote

Out of the box, the TiVo remote doesn't include a 30 second commercial skip option. Why do you need this option? Because most commercials are either 30, 60 or 90 seconds long. Having a 30-second skip allows you to hit the skip button 4 or 5 time to quickly move through the commercials. Here's how to activate this option. Point the TiVo remote at the TiVo and hit the following buttons in sequence:

[Select]
[Play]
[Select]
[3]
[0]
[Select]

If you reset/restart/restore your TiVo, you will need to repeat this process. This note is from the oldie, but goody collection and a note I refer to often.

Technorati Tags: tivo, remote, 30second, dvr, docstechnotes

Create bootable USB drive (.img or .raw) using the OS X terminal

This is a TIP supported post. If you found this post useful consider leaving Doc a tip. The suggested Tip amount for this post is 25¢ to 75¢. Use the button below to tip Doc.

I frequently hack around with live images of other OSs and install them on my Acer Aspire One netbook (I still haven't located a distro that I like). Instead of burning CD images, I have found that bootable USB drives are faster and more reliable. The images I use most frequently come in either .raw or .img formats.

Using these image types, here's how to create a bootable USB drive using OS X and a couple of terminal commands (WARNING: Performing these steps will completely erase the contents of your USB drive). Remember, you need a USB drive large enough to hold the image contents. Let's burn an image using the following steps found in the tech note after the click below.

Hide the Blogger Navbar

All Blogger blogs include a Navbar at the top of the page. The Navbar can be useful, but I don't like the fact that it easily allows readers to navigate off the page to a "who knows what kind of site." I also wasn't fond of the way it appeared within some new designs I'm working on. So here's a way to hide the Navbar.

Insert the following code in your template. I choose to add it right after the variables and it worked perfectly.

/* Hide Navbar */
#navbar-iframe {
visibility: hidden;
}

Technorati Tags: blogger, navbar, design, blog, css, doctechnotes

Remove the 2.5” hard drive from a Western Digital Passport

Today I have a visual HOWTO. We're going to liberate the 2.5” hard drive from a Western Digital Passport portable hard drive. Why you might ask? First answer, just to see if it can be done. Second answer, you might want to use that drive for another application such as upgrading a smaller laptop drive or using the drive in another device or enclosure. Third answer, you can get these for song when they're on sale.

Here's how to free the hard drive from the WD Passport {WARNING: WARRANTY VOIDED and THE RISK IS ALL YOURS}.

Create a dual-band WiFi network with an AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express

I have a single band AirPort Extreme (802.11n) serving as the router for our home network. Our MacBooks and AppleTV include the faster 802.11n capability, but we have several devices that still use the slower 802.11g (TiVo, Wii, PS3, laptop, iPhone, iPOD Touch, etc).

While the AirPort Extreme includes a compatibly mode, adding 802.11g devices to the network slows down overall performance of the 802.11n network. Compatiblity mode uses the 2.4 Ghz frequency instead of the 5 Ghz frequency. This decreases the distance of the 802.11n network and makes it prone to interference from other WiFi networks and cordless phones.

Luckily for me, I have two AirPort Expresses. An older 802.11g and a newer 802.11n. I use the 802.11n when I travel and the older 802.11g has been sitting in a drawer. Let's put that puppy to use by creating a nifty new dual-band network to seperate my 802.11g devices from my 802.n devices while still allowing them to share files and connect remotely. Here's how:

Setup the AirPort Extreme
I'm going to assume you already have the AirPort Extreme up and running. If that's the case, there's no setup necessary on the AirPort Extreme. We're half way there!

Setup the AirPort Express
:: Plug an Ethernet cable into AirPort Express - there's only one port available
:: Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into one of the AirPort Extreme’s available Ethernet ports
:: Plug the AirPort Express into an outlet - wait for it start
:: Load the AirPort Utility software
:: Select the AirPort Express from the left-hand side of the menu as shown in the image below
:: Select the Manual Setup option
:: Select the Internet tab as shown in the image below - If you’ve used the AirPort Express previously, your current default settings should be fine - if not, you'll need to configure the AirPort Express as a wireless router (link to my settings) and be sure to enable security and implement a password

Click image for a larger view

:: Configure the AirPort Express settings as shown in the image above with the Connection Sharing option to Off (Bridge Mode) - the magic that makes this work
:: Click the Update button - the AirPort Express restarts and both networks will now be operational
:: OPTIONAL: Consider using SSIDs that identify the type of network - I used MacExtreme-N & MacExtreme-G

Configure Devices
The last step is to attach your devices to the proper SSID. Remember to keep the 802.11g devices seperated from your 802.11n devices. That's it...all done. Enjoy your new dual-band network and wonder at the speed that is 802.11n.

NOTE: If you have another brand of 802.11g router laying around, you can probably use it. Look in the owner’s manual for creating a bridged network.

Technorati Tags: airport, airportextreme, airportexpress, wifi, apple, mac, 802.11, 802.11g, 802.11n, dual-band, router, docstechnotes

Doc’s on Twitter

You can follow me by clicking the link below.

Follow Doc on Twitter

I'll try and keep my Tweets pertinent to Doc’s Tech Notes and share short notes of interest or info about upcoming tech notes. I may also use it to get feedback from Doc’s Tech Notes readers when I run into problems or have questions - of course I’ll need some followers first!

I'll also take tech note requests. If a request fits into the the theme of Doc’s Tech Notes (it’s a broad category), you might see your request in a future note.

You can view my current Tweets on the Doc’s Tech Notes home page. Simply scroll down a bit and look for the blue bird on the left-hand side of the page. Send me a Tweet (@stevencombs) if you become a follower. See ya in the Twittosphere!

Technorati Tags: twitter, tweets, docstechnotes

Install the QuickTime video Swiss Army Knife

You’ve downloaded a video file with a format that is not compatible with QuickTime. Maybe an AVI, DIVX, FLV or MKV. You could use VLC to view these files, but on a Mac you just want that Apple QuickTime experience along with additional functionality such as importing these file formats into iMovie. Never fear, Perian is here. Below are the steps necessary to begin viewing these and other file formats in QuickTime.

Download Perian
:: Visit the Perian download page
:: Select the Perian dmg download link from the center of the page
:: Double-click the Perian.prefPane icon in the dmg file to install the Perian Preference Pane in System Preferences
:: Authorize the installation by entering the user password
:: Click Authorize - the Perian Preference Pane will be displayed as shown below

:: Use the default settings unless you have a specific need
:: Close the System Preferences window
:: Eject the dmg

Perian usage
:: Load QuickTime
:: Select File | Open File...
:: Use Finder to locate the file
:: Click the file
:: Click the Open button
:: Press the Play button - doesn't get any easier
:: OPTIONAL: Convert these odd file formats to a native QuickTime format by choosing File | Export...

Formats supported (from the Perian site)

• File formats: AVI, DIVX, FLV, MKV, GVI, VP6, and VFW
• Video types: MS-MPEG4 v1 & v2, DivX, 3ivx, H.264, Sorenson H.263, FLV/Sorenson Spark, FSV1, VP6, H263i, VP3, HuffYUV, FFVHuff, MPEG1 & MPEG2 Video, Fraps, Snow, NuppelVideo, Techsmith Screen Capture, DosBox Captur
• Audio types: Windows Media Audio v1 & v2, Flash ADPCM, Xiph Vorbis (in Matroska), and MPEG Layer I & II Audio, True Audio, DTS Coherent Acoustics, Nellymoser ASAO
• AVI support for: AAC, AC3 Audio, H.264, MPEG4, and VBR MP3
• Subtitle support for SSA/ASS and SRT

That should cover about any file format you find online. Have other use for Perian that I missed? Leave a comment and add to Doc’s Tech Notes.

Technorati Tags: perian, codec, video, quicktime, osx, mac, docstechnotes

Download TiVo recordings to a Mac using iTiVo

No need to shell out your hard earned cash on commercial software to download TiVo recordings. Not when the free iTiVo is available. Here's how to download recordings and place them on your iPhone, AppleTV, Mac or any other video device.

Locate Media Access Key (MAK)
Each TiVo has its own unique MAK which is obtained by:
:: Visit the TiVo account online page
:: Select My Account Overview
:: Login
:: Select View media access key
:: Copy to the clipboard or write down the MAK - you will need it a bit later

Download iTivo
:: Visit http://code.google.com/p/itivo/
:: Select the iTiVo dmg download link from the right-hand area of the page
:: Install to the Applications folder
:: Eject the dmg

Configure iTiVo - the basics
:: Fire up iTiVo (are you using Google Quick Search Box for this yet?)
:: Select the Prefs button as shown in the image above - the Preferences window will appear as shown below

:: Enter your Media Access Key in the text edit box highlighted in the image above
:: Select a Download Location using the button highlighted in the image above
:: Choose a Format for the video from the drop-down menu highlighted in the image above
:: Click to OK button - the Preferences window will close

Connect iTiVo to a TiVo
:: On the iTiVo main window, click the Connect button - after a few seconds, a listing of recorded programs will appear as shown in the first image above
:: Optional: Filter and sort tools are available to tame the listing

Download video from TiVo
:: Click on a show
:: Click the Download button at the top of the main window - the show will begin downloading to the specified location and be converted to the specified file format
:: Optional: Highlight a selection of shows and click the Queue button to select and download multiple shows
:: Optional: Highlight a show and click the Subscribe button to automatically download and convert a shown when a new episode is recorded on the TiVo
:: Wait - it can take some time

View the video
:: Use Quick Look, Quicktime or VLC to view
or
:: Upload to a video device such as an iPhone, iPod or AppleTV

Need more information on iTiVo? Visit my Give Us One Minute iTiVo article. Includes a quick HOWTO: video as well as information on automatic commercial removal.

Technorati Tags: tivo, itivo, mac, video, osx, transfer, docstechnotes

Doc’s Tech Notes now available on the Kindle

Here’s a bit of shameless self-promotion. Doc’s Tech Notes is now available on the Kindle. To have the notes sent to your Kindle automatically, click here. This is a new service from Amazon, so if you have a Kindle and want to support Doc’s Tech Notes, give it a shot. Let me know what you think by leaving your comments here.

Technorati Tags: amazon, kindle, subscribe, docstechnotes

Use SSH to share files between a Mac and a GNOME-based Linux distro

Secure Shell, or SSH, allows data to be transferred between devices using a secure channel. On your home network, with mixed Mac and GNOME-based Linux distros, you can use this feature to easily share files. It takes just a bit of configuration, but after that, it's dead simple. Let's get started after the click.

Install GNOME Do...the Linux Google QSB alternative

If you want some of the functionality of Google Quick Search Box and run a GNOME-based Linux distro, I have a solution for you - GNOME Do. Funny name, lots of functionality.

If you've used QSB or Quicksilver on the Mac, you’ll feel right at home with GNOME Do.  After the click you’ll learn how to add GNOME Do to your Fedora 10 install.

Hibernate a MacBook or MacBook Pro using Google Quick Search Box

MacBook and MacBook Pros include a feature known as hibernation mode or suspend-to-disk. OS X only implements this feature when the laptop battery is drained. By default, there’s no way to activate hibernation on demand. Here’s how you can use Google Quick Search Box to hibernate a Mac.

Install Hibernation:
:: Download the Hibernation AppleScript located on the Kaputtenddorf blog
:: Install the script to the Applications folder
:: Eject the Disk Image

Use Google Quick Search to activate Hibernation:
:: Activate Google Quick Search Box
:: Type hib - the Hibernate AppleScript appears
:: Hit Return - a confirmation dialog box is displayed
:: Hit Return to accept the default OK selection - hibernation will begin (be patient)
:: Wait for the white case LED to stop illuminating
:: Close the lid

Restore Mac:
:: Open lid
:: Press the Power Button - restore will begin and is signified as a ghosted last screen image with a status indicator

Reasons to use hibernation include:

1. Resume is faster than rebooting.
2. Saves the current state of the computer.
3. No battery drainage so it’s great when the lid is closed for more than a day or two.

Bonus: This Google Quick Search tip works for any AppleScript you use regularly...of course.

Technorati Tags: mac, osx, hibernation, sleep, suspend, googlequicksearchbox, qsb, applescript, macbook, macbookpro, docstechnotes

Mac startup modes

Mac's have several boot-up options used for troubleshooting and maintenance. Here are the boot-up options every Mac user should know. Press and hold the following keyboard combos and press the power button:

CMD+c | Optical disk boot | boot from a CD or DVD
CMD+n | Network book      | boot from a network location
CMD+s | Single user mode  | NO GUI, UNIX commands only
CMD+t | Target disk mode  | Use internal drive as Firewire drive
CMD+v | Verbose mode      | displays all start-up messages
SHIFT | Safe boot         | troubleshooting with minimal options
OPT   | Open Firmware     | boots to Open Firmware prompt

CMD+OPT+SHIFT+DEL | bypass internal hard drive
CMD+OPT+p+r       | reset PRAM and NVRAM
Mouse Button      | eject CD/DVD while booting 

Did I miss one? Leave a comment and let me know or send me an e-mail.

Technorati Tags: boot, apple, mac, osx, troubleshooting, performance, docstechnotes

Search Google Docs on your Mac desktop with Google Quick Seach Box

Google Quick Search Box (gQSB) for Mac provides a quick way to launch applications, perform calculations, search local files, view weather info, send tweets to twitter and more. gQSB even searches and launches Google Docs files. Here's how to install gQSB and some usage tips.

Let's get started:
:: Visit http://code.google.com/p/qsb-mac/
:: Download gQSB - select the most recent version as they are generally more stable and include more features (2.0.0.1210 as of this writing)
:: Install and launch gQSB - gQSB appears in the Finder menu bar
:: Click the gQSB menu item and select the Preferences... option
:: Select the Accounts tab
:: Click the Add an Account button
:: Select the Google account type from the drop down menu (this is also where you find Twitter)
:: Enter Google account login and password
:: Select the Setup button - gQSB is now connected to a single Google account but you can add more than one
:: Select the Searchable Items tab
:: Scroll through the list and click on preferred options - including Google Docs and Gmail accounts for this example
:: Select the General tab and make other preference selections - I recommend selecting the Open gQSB at Login option and changing the keyboard shortcut to Cmd-Space
:: Close the Preference window
:: Activate gQSB using the keystroke combination chosen - the gQSB search window will appear
:: Type in a search string that will match the title of a document stored on the Google Docs cloud - it will appear below the search string
:: If it's the top item, simply hit Return and the document will load in the default browser, if not use the cursor keys to move down the list to the item and hit Return  

Bonus: Use gQSB as an application launcher
:: Activate gQSB
:: Begin typing the name of the application - the application name will appear in gQSB
:: Hit Return - the application will launch  

Bonus 2: Perform a calculation
:: Activate gQSB
:: Begin typing a calculation such as 34+56 - the result will appear in gQSB  

Bonus 3: Display current Weather conditions
:: Activate ggQSB
:: Enter Weather 62225 - weather conditions for zip code will appear in gQSB
:: Hit Return to display more weather information in browser

gQSB is in beta; however, my use has shown it to be more stable than Quicksilver. It also supports third-party add-ons which are sure to add more functionality as the product matures. Windows users can find a scaled down version of gQSB in the latest Google Toolbar for IE. At the moment it doesn't support many of the features found in the Mac version, including Google Docs searching, but its a start. Use QSB and have another search tip? Leave a comment.

Technorati Tags: google, search, quicksearchbox, qsb, quicksilver, launchbar, docstechnotes

Arduino blinking LED Sketch

I've been experimenting with the Arduino Diecimila programmable controller for about a year and a half now and one of the things I reference regularly is a basic program that blinks the on-board LED. It's perfect for running an operations test on the board, demonstrating the board, and sharing how easily it is for beginners to get started with programmable controllers. Here's the code that you can copy and paste:

/* Blinking LED */

int ledPin = 13; // Assign LED to digital pin 13, on-board LED

void setup()
{
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT); // sets the digital pin as an output
}
void loop()
{
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH); // turns the LED on
delay(1000);                // pause for one second
digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);  // turns the LED off
delay(1000);                // pause for one second
}

Curious about the Arduino? Check out my Give Us One Minute post for more information and a couple of instructional videos I put together.

Technorati Tags: arduino, electronics, program, programming, diecimila, controller, docstechnotes

Demonstrate HTML code within a Blogger post

While working on a previous post, I had problems demonstrating HTML code. Blogger would use the code even while in Compose mode. This would produce errors when trying to save the post and the code would never display properly in the resulting post. Here's what I did to correct this problem:  

Construct/Copy code
:: Construct the code in Blogger Compose mode

:: Highlight the code and copy or copy code from another application  

Convert code to escaped characters
:: Visit http://www.accessify.com/tools-and-wizards/developer-tools/quick-escape/default.php
:: Paste the code into the Raw HTML code: area of the page
:: DO NOT select any options
:: Hit the Convert to escaped characters button – the code will be converted and the Your escaped code area will contain the reformatted text
:: Highlight and copy the converted text  

Place converted code into blog post
:: Paste the converted code, using Compose mode, into the blog post
:: Hit Preview or Publish Post - the escaped code will be converted when published and appear as HTML code  

Tip: Consider applying the Blockquote format to indent the code.

Technorati Tags: html, escaped, characters, text, blogger, blog, post, docstechnotes

Burn an .iso image on a Mac using Burn

I frequently have folks ask me how to burn an .iso file to a CD or DVD. Many make the same mistake, they copy the .iso image directly to media and press the burn button. I recorded this screencast to demonstrate the proper method using a Mac and the free Burn software. You can use the Disk Utility app, but I find Burn a bit easier and it provides some additional functionality for video.

This screencast has been extremely popular on YouTube with over 29,800 views and around 100 comments. It was time to add it to Doc's Tech Notes.

Technorati Tags: cd, dvd, burn, .iso, iso, mac, apple, osx, docstechnotes

Add a favicon to Blogger

Check out Doc's Tech Notes’ new favicon in the address bar. It should look like this, . Here's how to add your own favicon to your Blogger blog.  

Create a favicon
:: Using Gimp or another image editor, create or modify an image so it is roughly a square
:: Save the bitmap image to your Desktop – I recommend saving as a .png no more than 128 x 128 pixels Convert the image to an .ico file
:: Visit http://tools.dynamicdrive.com/favicon/ and follow the directions – it's that easy
:: Download the favicon.ico file to your Desktop  

Upload the favicon.ico image to a storage location
:: Locate online storage that is accessible via a simple URL - in my case I sent the favicon.ico file to my web hosting space for GUOM at http://www.giveusoneminute.com/images/favicon.ico - you could also use the free Dropbox
:: Upload the file using either an FTP client or a web form, whichever your storage site allows
 
Add the favicon code to the Blogger template
:: Load Blogger Dashboard
:: Select the blog to modify
:: Select Layout
:: Select the Edit HTML tab
:: Place the cursor within the Edit Template text box (area that contains the HTML) and click
:: Use the browser's find feature (CTRL or CMD + F) to locate the following tag:

</head>

:: Paste the following code BEFORE the tag

<!-- My Favicon --> <link href='http://www.yoursavedlocation.com/images/favicon.ico' rel='shortcut icon' type='image/x-icon'/>

:: Hit the Save Template button  

Test the favicon
:: Load Blogger page
:: Save site to Bookmarks - favicon should now appear in the URL bar in your Bookmarks

You now have a shiny new favicon. Not tested on all browsers, but does work with Firefox. Technorati Tags: favicon, favicon.ico, blogger, blog, html, images, .ico, .png, docstechnotes

Get rid of Blogger template’s image borders

When setting up Doc's Tech Notes, I found that the template I was using added a 1 pixel width border around my images. Not the effect I wanted. So here's what I did to get rid of these annoying borders by changing a single character in the HTML/CSS template:

:: Load Blogger Dashboard
:: Select blog to modify
:: Select Layout
:: Select the Edit HTML tab
:: Place the cursor within the Edit Template text box (area that contains the HTML) and click
:: Use the browser's find feature (CTRL or CMD + F) to locate the following lines of code - in my case about half way down

.post img {
padding:4px;
border:1px solid $bordercolor;
}

:: Modify the line beginning with border and change the 1 to a 0 - the line should now appear as:

border:0px solid $bordercolor;

:: Hit the Preview button to verify the change is correct
:: Hit the Save Template button

Images placed on the site now appear without borders.

Technorati Tags: blogger, images, border, css, html, template, docstechnotes

Add a date time stamp during text entry using Google Quick Search Box

I've posted a couple of Google Quick Search Box notes lately (1 & 2). Here's a tip I received from Dave, one of the developers. Add date/time stamps to your Tweet or use the code to simply view the current date/time. Here's how:

:: Activate QSB (see previous post for info)
:: Hit Space once to activate QSB text entry mode followed by [dts] - the date and time stamp will appear below the entry in the search list as shown below

:: Now try Space [ds] - only the date will appear
:: Now try Space [ts] - only the time will appear

To add a date/time stamp to a Tweet: 
:: Hit Space This Tweet was sent on [dts] using Google Quick Search Box
:: Hit Tab
:: Select Twitter account to Tweet
:: Hit Return

A big thanks to Dave for taking the time to share this inside tip! Have more QSB tips? Send them to Doc via e-mail at steven@docstechnotes.com. Have additional ways to use this tip? Leave a comment.

Technorati Tags: google, search, quicksearchbox, qsb, quicksilver, docstechnotes

Install a .bin file using Fedora (or most other Linux distros)

If you need to install a program that is available in a .bin format, such as Adobe Air or Google Earth, here's the process.

:: Download the file to your Desktop (this location makes the process easier)
:: Open the Terminal
:: Type su in the terminal window
:: Enter the root password
:: Enter chmod +x *.bin - where * is the name of the file (this step makes the file an executable)
:: Enter ./*.bin to begin the installation - again substituting the * for the file name
:: Follow the installer prompts
:: Close the Terminal
:: Delete installation file from the Desktop

TIP1: If an .air application won't install and you receive an error code #5100, try the following line at the command prompt, or copy and paste, and replace the *.

:: sudo Adobe\ AIR\ Application\ Installer *.air

That's it. Its pretty easy once you understand the process, but can be intimidating to new users. I used these steps to install Adobe Air on my Fedora 10 laptop and it worked flawlessly.

Technorati Tags: adobeair, googleearth, .bin, linux, installation, install, fedora, docstechnotes