Hot Electronics Posts

How To: Fix a broken, skipping CD with toothpaste at home

Those discs you thought were done for because of scratches and years of use now have a second chance at working and all you need to do so is get some things together from around the house. You'll need toothpaste most importantly, some tissues, water and the actual CD you want to try and fix. Apply the toothpaste on the side of the disc which is to be read and the spread it around using your hands. Once its applied over the whole disc, use water to wash it all off. Then use the tissues to wipe...

How To: Clean your scratched compact discs with peroxide

This video shows you how to clean a compact disk using peroxide and toothpaste as the cleaning agents.First of all, put the disk in a mixture of water and a bit of peroxide and let it stay there for about 5 minutes. Then, you must take out the disk and apply a thin layer of toothpaste on the whole disk's surface. Let it sit like that for another 3-5 minutes. After that, clean the disk with water. Use it only when it is dry. If this method does not work, then you should either take the disk to...

How To: Simply read a binary clock

Sydus 93 teaches You Tubers how to read a binary clock by demonstrating the following process: A binary clock is made up of four rows and six columns of colored or uncolored dots. The rows, from bottom to top, represent the numbers one, two, four and eight. From left to right, columns one and two represent hours, three and four minutes and five and six are seconds. In order to tell time using the binary clock, begin at the left of your chart and simply determine which dots are filled in and a...

How To: Digitize VHS tapes to burn to a DVD

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to convert VHS tapes to DVD. Users will need a computer with an analog input or an external converter. If the computer has an analog converter, simply connect the RCA cord from the VCR to the computer. If the computer does not have an analog input, connect it to the converter with the USB/fire wire cable. Then connect the RCA cable to the VCR and external converter. Now open a video editing software and capture the video from the VCR by pressing play....

How To: Copy iPod music that's synced to a different Mac

This video tutorial from Muaaz5903 presents how to copy music from an iPod that is synced to another Mac computer. First, visit Senuti, download and install Senuti application.Make sure your iPod is connected to your computer. You can use the application free for 30 days after that period you will have to buy it for 18 $.Once it's installed, run the program. Senuti main window will show all music files on your iPod. Select songs you want to copy and click Transfer on top menu and dialogue box...

How To: Clean your CDs or DVDs with a banana

This video answers the question "does cleaning your CDs or DVDs with a banana work?". First, take a freshly cut piece of banana and rub it in circles on the disk gently. Rub it well for about two minutes. Then, take the peel and rub the inside of the banana peel in circles on the disk for about three minutes. The peel apparently provides some wax for the cleaning process of the disk. Next, take a cotton cloth and wipe it around the disk for as long as it takes to clean up the banana from the ...

How To: Update iPod Touch and iPhone to OS 3.0 firmware

In this how-to video, you will learn how to update your iPod Touch and iPhone to the OS 3.0 firmware. Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes and the firmware copy. Also, backup the contents of your device before proceeding. In iTunes, check for update in the device screen. Next, hold shift and click restore. Navigate to where your firmware is and select it. This will give you an update screen. Once finished, you will have to setup your device again. You can select your backup if you ...

How To: Update your iPod Touch and iPhone to 3.1.2 firmware

In this how-to video, you will learn how to update your iPhone or iPod touch to 3.1.2 firmware for free. First, make sure you have iTunes installed on your computer. Download the correct firmware for your specific model on the internet. Once this is download, open iTunes and select your device. Hold the shift key and click restore. Select the firmware file and open it. Hit the restore button in the new window. This will then update the device. This may take a while. Once it is done, the updat...

How To: Update your iPhone and iPod Touch firmware 3.0

In this Electronics video tutorial you will learn how to update your iPhone and iPod Touch firmware 3.0. You will need iTunes 8.2 and the firmware from Deposit Files. Go to the website and download the firmware. This will take some time. Use Firefox browser for the download. Now make sure your device is clean, i.e., it is not jailbroken and connect it to the computer. Then open up iTunes on the device for this hold down ‘power’ and ‘home’ until the device switches off and then powers on. Once...

How To: Skip previews and ads on your DVD players

Remember the last time this happened to you? You got home, put on a DVD to watch, and got stuck watching about 12 trailers and ads before you even got to the movie. Pressing the menu button didn't help, and you felt powerless against the MPAA. Well, check out this tip from CNET. All you have to do the next time you pop in your DVD is the following: 1. Play DVD. 2. When the trailer starts, click Stop twice. 3. Then click Play. Voila! The DVD will now play your movie.

How To: Make a TV remote jammer

Televisions are an amazing innovation that allow for endless hours of entertainment and information dissemination, but sometimes you just want them off! Make a TV remote jammer as a joke, to get a few hours of quite or just for fun.

How To: Make a microphone wind screen for a Zoom H2

For anyone who has ever used a microphone, trying to record something during a windy day can be a bit of a pain. Of course we can eliminate most of the interference with a simple wind screen that can be purchased at the store, but many times they can be a bit pricey. Well, in this tutorial find out how to make your own wind screener for a Zoom H2 mic. Enjoy!

How To: Delete apps off an iPod Touch or iPhone

In this video you will learn how to delete apps off of your iPod Touch or iPhone. All you need to do is press select the app you wish to delete. And instead of tapping it you hold your finger until the X pops up on the top left corner of each of the apps. Then simply press on the X and it will bring up a menu asking whether or not you would like to delete the app. Then all you will need to do is either choose yes or no. Then there you have it you have successfully removed the desired app.

How To: Unfreeze a clickwheel iPod

Learn how to unfreeze a click wheel iPod properly in simple steps. If your iPod freezes suddenly while using it, you can easily unfreeze it. Just hold the 'Menu' button and the 'Center' button on your iPod for a few seconds until the iPod turns off and a apple logo appears. Now release the menu and; the center buttons and wait for your iPod start again. Your iPod will be ready to use when is starts again. If this doesn't work let your iPod as it is for a few hours to let the battery die and t...

How To: Set up the D80 pop-up flash as commander for Nikon CLS

These are the steps required to set your D80's pop-up flash. First, go to the "Custom Shooting Menu." Then you choose #22 on the screen: "Built in Flash." Choose the "Commander Mode" option. The modes that are available for the pop-up flash include TTL, AA (Auto Aperture) M (Manual) and Off (no flash). If you are using an external flash unit, you use either group A or B. The light frequencies and proper settings are related to how much light compensation is needed. +3. 0 is high power, 1. 1 i...

How To: Disassemble a first-generation iPod Touch

This video describes how to take apart a first generation iPod. To open the iPod, the video recommends using a putty knife or similar flat tool to gently ply open the casing. The presenter recommends being especially careful if this is the first time opening the casing. Once you have the first side open slightly wide work your way around the casing, making sure the entire casing is spread evenly around. Once all the sides are loose, the back casing just slides off. There are then two componen...

How To: Turn off your iPod Nano or iPod Classic

You can turn off both the iPod Nano and the iPod Classic the same way. To turn it off you have to push a button on the click wheel of the iPod. You will push and hold the play pause button until the iPod goes off. The play pause button is the one that has the two lines and the triangle side by side. Once you have held them down and the iPod has gone off then there is one more thing you need to do. On top of the iPod there is a lock button just move that button to the lock position and you are...

How To: Use Auto-FP high speed sync for Nikon SB speedlights

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to use Auto-FP high speed flash on the Nikon SB camera. Begin by attaching the SB speed light onto the camera and turn on the speed light. This video will be setting up vie the camera menu. In he menu, set it at 1/250s and exit out the menu. The "FP" icon will now appear on the LCD panel. Increase it to 1/8000s or stop up to F/2. 8. This video will benefit those viewers who are interested in photography and would like to learn how to use Auto-FP on a ...

How To: Use the SD-8A battery pack for the Nikon SB-800

This video demonstrates how to use a Nikon SD-80 Battery Pack with a Nikon SB-800 Speedlight. The first step is to identify the different power adaptors on the ends of the cable leading to the battery pack. This pack is powered with AA batteries. Remove the outlet plate on the SD-80 and insert the power cable into the SB-800 Speedlight. Then attach the communication cord to the Speedlight. Now place the Speedlight in the hotshoe of the Nikon camera and let the battery pack dangle or attach it...

How To: Clean the rear LCD on a DSLR

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to clean the rear LCD on a camera. Begin by dry cleaning using Giottos Rocket Blower and nylon fine brush. Users will also need a isopropyl rubbing alcohol and microfiber cloth. Users may also need gloves to protect their hands from the alcohol. Begin by blowing off any dust and brush it with the brush. Now users will be wet cleaning using the isopropyl alcohol and microfiber cloth. Users are advised to clean weekly. This video will benefit those view...

How To: Use a digital camera as a webcam for Skype

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to use a digital camera as a webcam on Skype. Users will need the AV cable and a USB capture device. Begin by connecting the AV cable to the USB capture device. Plug the cable to your computer and your digital camera. Users will need to download and install the Debut Video Recording software. Open the program and click on Device. Users may have to go to Options and configure the settings. On Skype, right-click the person you want to call and select Sh...

How To: Replace a broken iPod click wheel

If your iPod click wheel needs to be replaced, don't fret. This "how-to" video teaches you a quick and easy way to fix it. In no time you'll think yourself to be an apple expert, and able to enjoy your music and videos again. This tutorial works best for fourth, fifth or sixth generation iPods.

How To: Fix a frozen iPod in 55 seconds

You can fix a frozen iPod fairly quick. All you have to do is hold the menu and action buttons until your screen goes black. The top button on the click wheel is the menu button and it says menu. The button in the center of the click wheel is the action button. When you hold both of those buttons the screen goes black after a few seconds. What it is actually doing is restarting the iPod. It will take about 55 seconds for the iPod to reboot and when it does it will work fine again.

How To: Simply use a flash on a Nikon DSLR

There are a lot of things that a flash can do for you when you are taking pictures. It can be used to fill shadows, light up subjects, and much more. The video demonstrates the various tilt and pan settings that the flash can be used in for bouncing light in various circumstances. Ceiling bounce tends to add unwanted shadows under the chin and eye brows when doing portraits. The side bounce from a pan adds light from a specific direction. Flashes have different modes to offer including pre-fl...

How To: Set up the Pocketwizard with a Nikon SB-800 and SB-900

In this Electronics video you will see how to set up the Pocketwizard with a Nikon SB-800 and SB-900. When you use Pocketwizard as a master to trigger the flash, the remote flashes for a working distance of 1600 feet as against 33 feet. First attach a Pocketwizard unit to the flash by using the Velcro stickers. Plug in the cable supplied with the Pocketwizard in the ‘Flash’ slot. Open the rubber door on SB-800 and plug in the other end of the cord into ‘sync’. Turn it ON. When the connection ...

How To: Delete unwanted apps on an iPod Touch or iPhone

In this video tutorial, learn how to delete unwanted applications on the iPhone or iPod Touch. Begin by finding the application(s) that you want to delete. Then, press the application(s) and hold it. All the applications will have an X on the top left corner. Click on the application(s) that you want to delete and select "Delete". Another window will pop up asking for a rating of the application. Users may choose to rate it or simply select "No Thanks".

How To: Delete apps on an iPhone or iPod Touch

In order to delete an application, or App, in your Apple iPhone or iPod Touch device, go to the home screen, where all of your apps are displayed together. Each app icon visible here is a button. Press and hold the button for any app until all the apps start wiggling. Once the apps are wiggling, an X will appear next to any app that can be deleted (some apps, like proprietary Apple software, cannot be deleted). Press this X, and you will be prompted with the option to either delete the app or...

How To: Do high key video lighting for product photography

This video shows you how to do video lighting for product shots. In order to do this the presenter begins by putting the product on a plate. He has three lights that are placed around the product. 650 watt shooting onto the background. The second light is 1000 watts, with an open face shooting into a soft box. It has a flag to protect the light. The third light has an umbrella giving fill on the background. He then shuts off all the lights except for the background light giving a shot of the ...

How To: Fix your iPod nano when it freezes

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to fix a frozen iPod Nano 4th generation. This technique can be used for any other iPod Nano model or iPod Classic. This method is very simple, fast and easy to do. This video is very basic and only lasts for 17 seconds. To fix the frozen iPod, simply hold the Menu button and center button until the Apple logo appears on the screen. This video will benefit those viewers who have an iPod device and would like to learn how to fix it because it won't tur...

How To: Use the Nikon SB-400

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how learn about the Nikon SB-400. The Nikon SB-400 is consumer grade speedlight that is designed for a consumer DSLR (D40/D60). It also has a lot of limitations that prevent you from having the full control of the speedlight such as, no ability to rotate the flash head for better bouncing performance and no rear controls with a big LCD. It only has a rear on/off switch, flash ready lamp and lock switch. This video will benefit those viewers who are intere...