Hot Electronics How-Tos

How To: Reboot an iPod Touch 2G after shutdown

This instructional video shows you how to reboot your iPod Touch 2G after shut down. First shut down the device and plug it to a computer via USB. Use the links in the description if you have the newest version of OS X. Put the device in to DFU mode by holding the home and power key for 10 seconds, letting go of the power key keep holding the home key. Download the RSlite folder from the link in the description. Open the terminal, change the directory to the Rslite folder and type the code re...

How To: Set a custom white balance on the Canon 5D Mark II

Most DSLR's like the Canon 5D Mark II come with pre-programmed white balance settings: daylight, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent. But what do you do when you're in a mixed lighting situation and you want to balance between exterior daylight and interior tungsten light? If you set it to daylight, your tungsten light will be too orange. If you set it to tungsten, your exterior light will be too blue. The solution: set a custom white balance to balance the disparate lighting situations.

How To: Mount a Canon 5D Mark II on a Glidecam 4000 HD

Dave Williams from Lens Rentals demonstrates how to properly affix a Canon 5D Mark ii to a Glidecam's 4000 HD rig. Laying out all the included parts, he explains how to assemble and balance the rig with the camera attached. It's important to note that you'll need to rebalance the camera with each modification: lens, follow focus, filter, etc.

How To: Print 2-sided (duplex) w/ an Epson all-in-one printer

The Epson video describes how to print two-sided on one piece of paper. When document is ready, go to "File" and then "Print". Click the "Properties" button and select Page Layout tab and turn on the two-sided printing option. Click "OK" in print window. Wait for Epson printer to complete the first page. Take paper, flip over and put it back upside down in the paper feeder. There are instructions that will pop out on screen for this. Click resume and the second page will be printed on the bac...

How To: Connect your laptop or PC to an LCD or Plasma TV

Have you ever wanted to play on your computer on your Plasma TV? If so, this is the video for you. This tutorial teaches you how to use the Plasma TV as your computer screen. With its simple instructions and detailed explanations, you will learn how to turn your Plasma TV into a giant computer screen. In addition, this video teaches you how to identify all of the equipment you will use to make your Plasma TV become a computer screen. By the end of this video, you will be able to experience th...

How To: Connect a laptop to a TV using an S-video cable

Have a laptop and a TV? Want to use your laptop on the bigger screen? Well, here's how. This video offers the viewers a detailed step by step explanation on how to connect their laptop to their TV and to use their TV as their new laptop screen. More specifically, this video offers the method for anyone with an S video cable and HDMI connection. The instructions are clear and precise, and viewers should have no problem connecting their devices after this.

How To: Download songs from iTunes to your iPod

This video goes step by step in teaching you how to download songs from iTunes to your iPod or iPhone. The video is for a true beginner, even explaining where to plug the USB into the computer. The tutorial is easy to understand and shows how to select your audio files and import them onto your iPod. The video also shows you how to navigate the iTunes store and point and click your way to filling your iPod. This tutorial is a must for anyone new to iTunes.

How To: Download music to and from your iPod Touch or iPhone

Have you ever wanted to listen to a random song at the brink of a moment and realized you only wished you had the means to listen to this song? Well, for all of the proud owners of iPod Touch or iPhone, you can now do this by simply downloading the music directly to your device. No computer necessary! Watch this video and learn how to install and use the following programs: Mew Seek, and Pwn Player.

How To: Fix a broken click wheel, select button on your iPod

In this tutorial video, hosted by harrymedan, you will learn how to fix a broken or nonfunctional select button on your iPod, as well as the common causes of the select button no longer working. According to the host this problem is usually caused by the battery in the iPod itself. He suggests opening up the back of the iPod and replacing the old battery, which is usually swollen from being charged so many times, and puts pressure on the select button causing it to become inoperable. If you a...

How To: Hook up your computer to the TV

With a rather brief and obscure introduction, Brad teaches us how to hook up our computers and our laptops with a television. He starts us off by saying how this can help alleviate boredom when working out on a stationary bike. With a close up of the outlets in the back of the television, Brad shows us step-by-step how to do this process. The last few minutes he tries to humor us a bit by showing how it all works in the end.

How To: Fix an iPod with a "sad face" warning

In this video, harrymedan offers a do-it-yourself remedy to fix an iPod that has the "sad face" warning screen on it. As you follow along, he explains all the tools and supplies you will need to get started on this project. He demonstrates how to force the iPod into disk mode, leading you through, step by step. Once you achieve this he tells you how to connect the iPod to your computer and "Restore" the iPod back to factory settings, which usually fixes the problem.

How To: Restore an iPhone or iPod Touch to factory settings

This video demonstrates the steps to restore your iPhone or iPod Touch to original factory settings. This is a way to undo or repair any damage to your phone caused by downloading unauthorized files or corrupt files. Be aware that this will delete all the files that are on your device including music, pictures, videos and contacts, so use this method when all others fail. First connect the device to a computer via USB and select the device in iTunes as shown. Go to the device's information pa...

How To: Reset your Ipod shuffle to fix freezing

To start resetting the iPod shuffle, disconnect it from the computer if it is connected. Slide the switch on the iPod shuffle to off. If the iPod is off the green coloring near the switch will not be seen. After you turn the iPod off wait six seconds before doing anything else. After six seconds move the switch to the play position. This will fully reset the iPod shuffle and fix the freezing problem.

How To: Select the AF points with the Canon 40D

Watching this video will teach you a couple different ways to use the auto-focus function on your Canon 40D camera. You can set the auto-focus to the same for every shot, or you to change it for every shot very easily. Whichever one you choose, this video makes it easy to understand.

How To: Convert cassette tapes to CDs with Audacity

Dave Andrews gives a simple overview of how to take a cassette tape and convert it to a CD using Audacity. First you will need a cassette tape player, like a boom box, with a microphone jack. Then you'll want to download the free program called Audacity. To begin recording music from the cassette tape simply press the record button on the audacity application while you press the play button on the boom box. You'll want to make sure the audio cable is connected from the boom box to the PC. Fin...

How To: Safely remove scratches from an Apple iPod

This video shows the process of removing scratches from an iPod. The video demonstrates the best way to remove scratches not only from the metal but from the front viewing screen also. One starts with the recommended Weiman Metal Polish and 100% cotton cloth. To achieve best results and a scratch free finish, the video also gives tips like shaking the polish before use. Your iPod as well as any other similar piece of equipment will look scratch free and as good as new by following these simpl...

How To: Download music to a jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch

TysiPhonehelp will show you how you can download music directly to an iPhone or iPod Touch for free. He states that he will be showing an example on how to do this using MewSeek Pro. Next he will walk you through the steps it takes in order to make this successful. Last he proves that this actually does work by playing downloaded music. If you follow the steps in this video, you should also be able to download music to an iPhone or iPod Touch.

How To: Make a lemon battery

VieDo expert Alan Puccinelli shows us how to make your own battery with a simple lemon. You might think it's impossible, but if you follow the instructions in this tutorial, you will find out that it is actually really simple. The video gives you a lot of information about electricity and about the way this lemon provides energy, so you will easily understand not only how to do it, but how does it work. Even though it's a very interesting experiment, such a lemon only gives you about one volt...

How To: Reset your frozen Apple iPod

This is a video good for people who have problems with their Apple iPod. It uses simple steps in order to tell you how to successfully reset the iPod to its default state. Though it works primarily on the older models, viewers will learn which buttons on the machine allow you to completely reset the system in case of a system freeze or other problems. These easy to follow instructions will allow even people who have problems with technology to clean their system and get the iPod back to full ...

How To: Connect your laptop to an older version television set

First you need a CRT TV, one Laptop, Headphone jack, Male and Female RCA jack, and output and input male female jack. And than one is audio cable and another one is video cable, and than connect it to your TV video out and audio out, and another one are connect to Laptops video out and audio out. And to get the video quality is good let set the Graphics property on your laptop and there are one option to TV set graphics and set them. And set the Screen Resolution and video stranded, and then ...

How To: Fix a wet iPod or iPhone

Have you ever dropped your iPhone or iPod in water? Learn how to fix it here. Water can be very damaging to electronics because of its conductivity. You can avoid short circuiting your device by following the directions in this tutorial. Discover why water can hurt your electronics and how to dry out a wet device from the inside out. Find out how to open the device and access the logic board. With materials as simple as a hair dryer and guitar pick, your device can be as good as new!