Link Directly to High Quality YouTube Videos!

mix.epicfu.com

to embed a High Quality MP4 Youtube video, you need to add the following code onto the end of both URLs in the embed code:

&ap=%2526fmt%3D18

also: HiDef on YouTube



also

When you’re viewing a high quality video on YouTube, you can use the KeepVid bookmarklet to download the mp4 file for later viewing on your computer, iPod, or iPhone. I tested this with the Burn-E video and the resulting mp4 was in letterbox format (480×198, or roughly the standard 2.40:1 aspect ratio).


[plus, YouTube allows uploads to be 1GB now (still subject to 10 minute limit)]

How To Quickie: Vista Permissions - "you need permission"

How To Quickie: Vista Permissions - PaulStamatiou.com

For this example, I’ll be giving my user account full read/write permissions for a random file. Again, this is just an example and I have no idea why you would ever need full read/write permissions for such a random file. The point is to show you how to overcome a “you need permission to perform this action” situation if you ever find yourself in it. Bookmark the page as you might need it down the road.

1. Right-click the file and select Properties.
2. Click on the Security tab.
3. Click Advanced in the lower right.
4. In the Advanced Security Settings window that pops up, click on the Owner tab.
5. Click Edit.
6. Click Other users or groups.
7. Click Advanced in the lower left corner.
8. Click Find Now.
9. Scroll through the results and double-click on your current user account.
10. Click OK to all of the remaining windows except the first Properties window.
11. Select your user account from the list up top and click Edit.
12. Select your user account from the list up top again and then in the pane below, check Full control under Allow, or as much control as you need.
13. You’ll get a security warning, click Yes.
14. On some files that are essential to Windows, you’ll get a “Unable to save permission changes… access is denied” warning and there’s nothing that you can do about it to the best of my knowledge.
15. Reconsider why you’re using Windows.

That’s generally how the process goes. You don’t want to be doing this too often though. Should you ever get a virus in Vista, the files thought to have been protected, which you gave your account full permissions for, could easily be destroyed - not good if that’s a critical system file. This probably also works in XP but I haven’t used XP in a while. Vista is just a lot more protective about things so you probably never had this type of situation in Vista, or at least I haven’t.

Knowliz: 20 Things to do after installing Ubuntu Linux

Knowliz: 20 Things to do after installing Ubuntu Linux

MaximumPC: Locked Folders in Vista

MaximumPC

navigate the epaper to page 37 for article

WRT54G Firmware Upgrade Notes

WRT54G Firmware Upgrade Notes

I began by refreshing my memory about the topic of wireless router firmware upgrades and found an excellent article that provides a good history and overview of the subject: The Open Source WRT54G Story.

The Linksys Routers Tricks, Tips and Firmware page provides some very useful background information.

A variety of firmware upgrade options are available, and this 3rd Party Firmware Comparison provides details about 4 of the most popular choices.

After a while I began zeroing in on a selection, and this first-hand account of someone’s experiences upgrading their own router helped solidify my choice: DD-WRT.

I quickly found a great (clear and accurate) set of WRT54G upgrade directions and shortly thereafter was back on the internet via a router that had just had the electronic equivalent of a brain transplant. After I finished my upgrade I found another page with upgrade directions that looks pretty informative and includes a photo gallery of screen-shots taken during the upgrade process.

Just in case there were any problems, I had a great router firmware upgrade troubleshooting page open for reference; thankfully it wasn’t needed.

Overall, while this wireless router upgrade isn’t necessary, it isn’t terribly hard to perform (though carefully following the instructions is important), and does provide both a better interface and some extra new features, including the ability to increase the transmitted power (useful if you have a computer that is a bit too far away from your wireless access point).

One caveat if you’ve read this far: only a few modern routers support this type of upgrade, so carefully read the above pages to ensure you have (or purchase) a model/version that will work with these router firmware upgrades that are available. If you have a newer model, the DD-WRT “micro” distribution is said to work, and if so is still likely better than the default software provided with the unit.