Video Articles
More: All Categories
Replacing Your Graphics Adapter
Graphics adapters or video cards – call them what you will, they’re one of the most popular computer upgrades. There are many graphics adapters on the market, ranging in price from under $50 to over $500. Here are some points to consider when shopping for a replacement video card...
Continue reading "Replacing Your Graphics Adapter"...Time to Buy a Webcam?
The 90's are over, and you still don't have a webcam? Lots of laptops come with built-in webcams, but if you have a desktop computer, it's pretty simple to install and use one. If you're not convinced, read on for some fun and practical uses for a webcam...
Continue reading "Time to Buy a Webcam?"...Dual Monitors: Five Good Reasons to Upgrade
"I'm considering dual monitors because my 17-inch monitor seems to be shrinking. Sometimes it seems like I spend more time scrolling and tabbing between programs than on actual work. But I'm still not sure... should I upgrade to a 30-inch monitor, or go with a dual monitor setup?"
Continue reading "Dual Monitors: Five Good Reasons to Upgrade"...Alternatives to Netflix
Netflix recently changed its pricing structure, upsetting a lot of people. The video rental giant not only jacked the price of its "DVD with Online Streaming" package by 60 per cent (to $15.98 per month), it had the nerve to force customers to make choices! Should you protest in the street, find an alternative, or do nothing? Here's my take…
Continue reading "Alternatives to Netflix"...Netflix on Mobile Devices
Netflix first made its name (and dug Blockbuster's grave) in the rent-by-mail DVD business. Today, Netflix is going all out to push its streaming video service, called 'Watch Instantly' to computers, game consoles, tablets and smartphones. But does it really make sense to watch movies on a 'small screen' mobile device? Here's my take...
Continue reading "Netflix on Mobile Devices"...Is Your Webcam Spying On You?
Someone may be spying on you via your computer's Web camera. It's an old hacker trick, dating back to the late 1990s. But don't worry, such attacks are relatively rare. Here's how to tell if your webcam is being used by someone else, and security steps to minimize this risk...
Continue reading "Is Your Webcam Spying On You?"...Webcams for Windows 7
"I recently upgraded to Windows 7 and my webcam doesn't work. It wasn't the best quality anyway, so I'd like to buy a new one. Can you recommend some good webcams that are certified to work on a Windows 7 computer?"
Continue reading "Webcams for Windows 7"...Free Video Conferencing
Free video conferencing services are popular among families, friends, and business partners. A free video conferencing service lets multiple parties exchange text chat messages, speak to one another, and exchange live video streams via the Internet. Let's take a look at what's available to you…
Continue reading "Free Video Conferencing"...Online Film Rental
Online film rental is a service that lets you rent video media online and have it delivered to you. The films you rent may be on optical media such as DVD or Blu-Ray; in that case, the physical discs will arrive via postal service and you'll return them the same way. But online film rentals can also take other forms...
Continue reading "Online Film Rental"...Make a DVD
If you download gigabytes of video files, sooner or later you will want to move them off your hard drive. The best offline storage for video files is DVD, which is designed to play video on television sets using a DVD player. But simply copying any old video file to a DVD disk will not make a playable DVD. There are a few steps you must take to make a DVD...
Continue reading "Make a DVD"...How Can I Email a Video?
Filming or downloading video files and sharing them with friends is all the rage these days. It's easy to record a video if you have a good cell phone, a Webcam, or a portable video camera. Many cell phones will send video files to other phones. You can upload videos to YouTube or your own Web site, and send people URLs to your films. But many people are stumped when it comes to emailing a video. It really isn't that difficult…
Continue reading "How Can I Email a Video?"...Graphics Card For Laptop
Laptops are full of compromises between size, energy efficiency, and performance. The manufacturing cost of components enters into the equation, too. So if you want the best performance possible from any laptop component, you must upgrade the original component with one made by a third party. This is particularly true with graphics cards for laptops...
Continue reading "Graphics Card For Laptop"...Convert DVD to AVI
"I want to copy a DVD video to my hard drive and edit it. But the file is HUGE. How can I convert a DVD movie to compressed AVI format?"
Continue reading "Convert DVD to AVI"...Free Satellite TV on PC?
"I saw a website advertising software that's supposed to give you free satelite TV on your PC. The program costs $40, but they claim it lets you watch hundreds of live worldwide channels free of charge. Sounds too good to be true... is this a scam?"
Continue reading "Free Satellite TV on PC?"...Copy DVD to Hard Drive
Have you run out of slots in your DVD storage tower? Do you find DVDs in the wrong cases, or find a case you've been seeking only to learn it's empty? Many movie buffs have such problems. You can solve this by copying all your DVD movies to a digital library on a hard drive...
Continue reading "Copy DVD to Hard Drive"...Five Reasons Blu-Ray Will Fail
There seems to be a buzz lately that consumers are just not buying into Blu-ray. Here are five reasons why I think Blu-ray will ultimately fail in the consumer marketplace...
Continue reading "Five Reasons Blu-Ray Will Fail"...Free Video Chat Programs
Two-way video phones have been "just around the corner" for about 40 years. I've officially given up waiting on Ma Bell to provide this feature, since you can get free video chat software that works over the Internet. Here's a roundup of free video chat solutions you can try now...
Continue reading "Free Video Chat Programs"...Portable DVD Players
"We want to buy a portable DVD player for the car, since we have kids a travel often. What features should we look for, and do you have any reviews of the best portable DVD players?"
Continue reading "Portable DVD Players"...HD Mini Cams
"I love my Flip Video mini cam, but it doesn't record in HD (high definition). Should I upgrade to the Flip MinoHD, are there other HD mini cams I should check out?"
Continue reading "HD Mini Cams"...Is Blu-ray Doomed?
"I'm thinking about buying a Blu-ray player, but I've read some reports that claim Blu-ray may not survive in the marketplace. What's your take on Blu-ray's chances of long-term success?"
Continue reading "Is Blu-ray Doomed?"...Download YouTube Videos
So you found the coolest video on YouTube, and you want to download it to your computer. But how do you download YouTube videos? There's no obvious way on the YouTube site, but there are some easy ways to download a YouTube video to your hard drive. Here's how...
Continue reading "Download YouTube Videos"...Video Hosting
If you've already decided that you want to find stardom on YouTube, good luck with that. With over 100 million videos watched every day, chances are mighty slim that you will be a star on that site. Let’s explore the good, the bad, and the easily accessible of video hosting sites...
Continue reading "Video Hosting"...Buying an HD TV
"I'm ready to buy an HD TV set, but I'm not sure how to compare the various options. Can you demystify the terminology and the HDTV buying process for me? And maybe recommend a few specific HD TV models?"
Continue reading "Buying an HD TV"...Upgrade Your Computer Monitor
"I have a really old monitor with a small screen that's starting to flicker. I'd like to upgrade to something nice that will handle web browsing, office applications and online video. What do you recommend?"
Continue reading "Upgrade Your Computer Monitor"...Small Video Cameras
"I'm looking for a pocket-sized video camera with a price tag that's just as small. Can you recommend some tiny digital video cameras that don't cost a fortune?"
Continue reading "Small Video Cameras"...What is Slingbox?
Imagine you're in a hotel room, on another continent... you fire up the laptop, and with a few clicks, you're watching the same cable or satellite TV programming that's in your living room at home. You can change the channel, or even view the shows that your Tivo recorded for you last night. It's not smoke and mirrors, it's Slingbox...
Continue reading "What is Slingbox?"...Video Conferencing
Videoconferencing, once primarily used for long distance business meetings, is becoming more accessible. Got a webcam? Here's how you can start videoconferencing on the web...
Continue reading "Video Conferencing"...What is Blu-Ray?
"I've seen ads for movies on Blu-Ray discs but I'm not sure what that means. What is Blu-Ray and how is it different from a regular DVD disc? Do I need a special player to view a Blu-Ray disc?"
Continue reading "What is Blu-Ray?"...TV as Computer Monitor
Imagine... putting that big old television set to good use as a secondary, or even primary, monitor for your computer. The thought has certainly crossed the minds of many a technophile. Here's how to hook it up...
Continue reading "TV as Computer Monitor"...What is Podcasting?
"Hey Bob, what's a podcast? Is this some kind of broadcast just for people with iPods?"
Continue reading "What is Podcasting?"...Download Movies
"I've been using Netflix to rent movies by mail, which is okay, but with high-speed connections so common now, why can't I just download movies I want to watch from the Internet?"
Continue reading "Download Movies"...Which Camcorder Should I Buy?
"I'm looking for a camcorder, but the selection and features are overwhelming. What's a good model for someone who wants decent quality without spending a pile of money?"
Continue reading "Which Camcorder Should I Buy?"...What is YouTube?
YouTube is a video-sharing website that is changing American culture. It seems that every day, some short video clip on YouTube makes headline news. Here's the story behind the phenomenal success of YouTube, and some tips on how you can join the fun...
Continue reading "What is YouTube?"...Play WMV on Mac
"I have a WMV (Windows Media) video file. But of course I don't have Windows Media Player on my Mac. Can I play this video with QuickTime on the Mac, or convert it to MPEG format?"
Continue reading "Play WMV on Mac"...Convert iTunes Videos to MPEG
"I purchased videos on iTunes, but I can't play them on my video player, because they are in some 'protected' M4V format that only works on iPods. How can I convert iTunes videos to MPEG or WMV format so I can play them on MY portable video device?"
Continue reading "Convert iTunes Videos to MPEG"...Convert VHS to DVD
Let's face it... your old VHS tapes with treasured family memories won't last forever. Even if the VCR doesn't eventually jam and eat the tape, a VHS recording uses fragile magnetic tape that degrades over time -- whether you watch it or not. Don't count on those VCR tapes lasting longer than a few years, convert VHS to DVD format today, and save those memories for posterity.
Continue reading "Convert VHS to DVD"...
