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How to convert Topfield PVR .REC files to DVD

Converting Topfield .REC files into DVD compliant format is a somewhat tricky process. There are many ways to do it, which some are easier than others, some involve commercial solutions, and some are totally free. The approach to take in the conversion process depends on many aspects, like the amount of time you wish to spend, which operating system you work on (Linux or Windows) and how long is the actual recording. This article consists of several mini-guides to get you going. It does not contain every possible detail, but this should be enough to get you started. This guide is made with Topfield PVRc-5100 MasterPiece, but should apply to pretty much all non-HD models.

This guide may also applicable to other brands of PVRs that produce a similar standard program stream.

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Convert .MKV to AVCHD for PlayStation 3 using Linux

avchd_logo

Unfortunately a MKV to AVCHD conversion solution that would be as good as mkv2vob does not currently exist for the Linux operating system. But luckily you can run the very same mkv2vob on your Linux operating system, using the Wine Windows emulator. The installation process however includes one trick, as mkv2vob does not work on Wine straight out of the box. Read on to see how it’s done.

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PCLinuxOS 2009.2 fits like an old pair of jeans

pclos_2009_logoSomething has gone south in the recent developments of the Linux operating system. My old linux rig IBM Think T41 is experiencing significant slow downs with very latest revisions of Ubuntu, and other major distributions. This is most apparent in web browsing which suffers of notable slowdowns on web pages that have higher than average complexity – it feels almost like using a Vista! So what happens when you throw in a distribution that comes with out-of-date kernel, Xorg, and desktop environment? The damn thing works like a charm again. The PCLinux 2009.2 is like going back to the 2007 again.

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PhotoDVD v3 released

VSO logo smallVSO software has released a new major version update of their well known PhotoDVD slide show authoring software. This new version contains several improvements: the animation engine has been fully rewritten, the image processing is using our new vso scaler. Now the DVD slideshow software can generate automatically DVD menus with better chaptering management. You have more control on animation, better load performance and better quality due to the new engine.

Download now!

Fedora 11 Leonidas bleeds

fedora-logoHardly ever has a Linux distribution raised such a mixed feelings as the Fedora has done for us. On the other hand it represents the most up-to-date software and has some cool innovations, and is backed by one of the biggest Linux contributors – RedHat. However, the out-of-the-box experience of Fedora is far behind the other leading desktop distributions (Ubuntu, openSUSE, Mandriva..) which leaves me wondering that who is this Linux distro for? We decided to give the Fedora 11 ‘Leonidas’ a whirl and try to find out.

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VSO updates ConvertXtoDVD, hints 2-pass encoding for v4

x2d-box-boxsmallThe VSO Software has just released a new version of their award winning video to DVD conversion software. The new v3.6.4 comes with minor improvements, but the most interesting part of their announcement was the promise to deliver 2-pass encoding in the next major version update. This has the potential to introduce a nice quality improvement to their already very well performing video encoder. Click here to download the latest version instantly: Download now!

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Mandriva 2009.1 Spring shows a lot of promise

mandriva-logoI noticed readers of DistroWatch.com complaining about the small amount of attention that the new Mandriva 2009.1 release has gotten so far.  This has a lot to do with the fact that the release date was so close to the always over-hyped Ubuntu 9.04 release. Therefore I decided to write a brief article about it, as I happened to give it a few days of action on my laptop in the RC2 phase and after the final updates for the Gnome edition . My test session was brief and not very thorough, but I have to say this: Mandriva 2009.1 looks like a very promising release and should not be overlooked. It is especially interesting for those that are looking for a KDE 4.x release that would actually be somewhat usable. While Mandriva is somewhat KDE centric, they do have a good Gnome offering and  alternative desktops like LXDE and XFCE are also available.

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Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope feels rushed and premature

ubuntu-logoThey could have called it the Rushed Ram or Bugsy Bear, but instead its a fictional creature Jackalope. Ubuntu’s latest tries to bring some innovation to the table, after the intermediate Ibex, but unfortunately it doesn’t feel ready from day one. Ever since Mark Shuttleworth said that Ubuntu should be visually as cool as Mac OSX, I have been waiting for the Ubuntu release to deliver this – after all there are lots of smaller distros out there focusing on strong visual appeal.  It seems that we are still in the wait mode for this to happen, even after Jaunty’s release. Read on… [Read the rest of this entry...]

Comodo Internet Security, a free firewall and anti-virus

cis_iconOver the last months I have spent some time playing around with various anti-virus and firewall software. The problem with computer security is that while it keeps you safe, or at least safer, it tends to introduce some negative side effects as well. The PC I am writing this on is rather old, so system resource usage is always a big concern of mine – I like to keep my PC snappy and responsive, so I don’t want to install anything that slows things down significantly. This rules out popular security suites of F-Secure or Norton – especially the latter seems to be able to kill the newest of PC’s in terms of performance. For quite some time I used the combination of Sunbelt Kerio firewall (free limited edition) and Avast! anti-virus (totally free) but I felt that an integrated solution might be more convenient. I was very tempted to buy the security suite of Eset NOD, as their anti-virus engine is probably one of the fastest, but their firewall was rather spartan. So I decided to give a spin to the latest offering of Comodo and their Internet Security suite and I am quite impressed – it’s a full-blown suite of applications that wont kill your computer and you can’t beat the price – its’ free.

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Comodo Internet Security

Comodo Internet Security offers total, 360° protection against internal and external threats by combining 3 critical desktop security products in one application:

  • Antivirus – powerful protection against infection
  • Firewall – enterprise class protection against internet attacks
  • Defense + Host Intrusion Prevention System

Author: Comodo Holdings BVI
License: Freeware
Download: http://personalfirewall.comodo.com