Personal Tech: Wireless Media Receivers

Rob Pegoraro (The Post)

Personal tech columnist Rob Pegoraro was online to talk about recent columns of wireless media receivers and Internet telephony. A transcript follows.

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Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Rob Pegoraro: Another Monday, another virus outbreak. I've deleted several dozen copies of the latest out of my inbox so far today, so I must re-issue this public service advisory: Please, either a) curb your instinct to click on random attachments in your e-mail, b) keep your anti-virus software up to date, c) run software that's not so prone to viruses, or d) stay off the Internet for a while.

So, on with today's questions...

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Washington, D.C.: Rob, Great column as always.

Something that hasn't been totally clear about the Airport Express -- if I already have a 80211g network, would I use this as an add-on to connect my stereo or would this just be a replacement? My existing network using a Buffalo Tech. router works great and I see no reason to replace it.

What do you recommend for an add-on to send audio files to the stereo?

Rob Pegoraro: Yes, the AirPort Express can either join an existing wireless network or be used to create a new one. In both roles, it can be connected to your stereo; it also has a USB port that a printer (or other shared peripheral) can be plugged into.

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Alexandria, Va.: How come the new entrants to the VOIP competition are not even trying to compete on price with Vonage and others? I'm a Vonage user for the past 18 months and am very satisfied. Quality has rarely been a problem and when it has, the customer support easily remedied it. I was hoping AT&T, Verizon and the cable companies might force more of a price war -- or give me a reason to switch to them. But nothing.

Also, on your complaint a week or so ago about sound quality using Vonage, it's never really been a problem, but maybe that's because I'm using cable and not DSL. Also, you can adjust the sound quality online my modifying its bandwidth saver feature. The only time I have ever had a problem where sound quality or Internet speed has been affected is when downloading a monster file while talking on the phone.

Rob Pegoraro: This refers to my column of two weeks ago. I thought there would be more price-based competition so far, but it looks like AT&T and Verizon, at least, are aiming to compete more on reputation than cost: "You could go with some random company you've never heard of, or you could go with us."

I did try the bandwidth-saver option in Vonage (since 50 kbps sounded just like 90 kbps, I don't know why the lower speed isn't the default), but that didn't help things. It wasn't a question of available bandwidth--I had more than enough both up and downstream--but one of how the Vonage hardware was allocating that bandwidth.

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Princeton, N.J.: Great reviews as always. It certainly sounds like VOIP is getting better all the time. Do you have any feeling or time frame when video phones could become mainstream, kind of like the way VOIP is gaining traction?

Rob Pegoraro: Videophones won't go anywhere in the mass market until you can call somebody using a different carrier and a different make/model of videophone, and the call will just work. That's not yet possible, although there are standards in existence that could allow for this.

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Mebane, N.C.: Would the Linksys wireless-G notebook adapter that I use at home be considered card WiFi? I recently stayed a hotel with GoldenTree WiFi and was able to connect. Thank you.

Rob Pegoraro: Yes, your card is WiFi--any device that supports the 802.11b, 802.11g or 802.11a standards counts as such.

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Burke, Va.: What do you think about the announcement by RealNetworks that its songs will now work on iPods?

washingtonpost.com: RealNetworks Upgrades Software for IPod

Rob Pegoraro: Seems more like a PR stunt than anything. Real's store, as I wrote in January, isn't effective competition for iTunes or Napster when you look at the terms of use applied to each song, and how hard it is to move your purchases from one computer to the next.

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Falls Church, Va.: Another option on the wireless home media front. For those who have Tivo or are thinking about it - the service now comes standard with a home media option, which allows you to connect to your network (wired or wireless) stream mp3 and view photos. I can navigate my entire audio collection through my current remote. It is not as feature rich as the standalone products, but it gets my music collection into my Stereo/TV,is simple to use, and I didn't have to spend more cash on an additional piece of hardware.

Rob Pegoraro: That's the big phrase--if you have TiVo or are thinking of it. Because if you're not already spending the $13/month for TiVo's service (either because you're paying for a competing video-recording service, or you're using something that doesn't charge a fee at all), this Home Media Option isn't going to be too appealing, I think.

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Ithaca, N.Y.: I'd like to deliver music to stereos throughout the house SIMULTANEOUSLY. The ideas is to have music in every area of the house during parties, etc.

I would like to use a wireless media server (Airport Express, or maybe the new Roku Labs Soundbridge, which I'm hoping you'll review soon) to deliver music simultaneously to rooms throughout the house. Rather than buying a multi-zone amp and running speaker cable through my walls, it seems easier to just delivery the same signal to the stereos I already have in various places. Unfortunately, I've read that Airport Express will only also music to be played on one stereo at a time. Is this correct? How could they have left out such an obvious feature of a wireless network? Do you know of any plans to overcome this limitation?

Rob Pegoraro: Correct, the AirPort Express only sends music to one stereo at a time. I don't know why Apple did not include that, or if it has plans to do anything about it; my guess, however, would be that it decided that adding that capability would increase the thing's cost and complexity (for instance, how do you guarantee you don't have weird timing/latency delays when streaming audio to multiple receivers over WiFi?). I also suspect that the number of customers looking for this feature is far fewer than the number of people who only need one-stereo-at-a-time support.

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Washington, D.C.: Enjoyed your review of the wireless media receivers on Sunday.

My question: Wireless media receivers seek to integrate the best functions of digital music (easy access, portability, playlist customization, etc.) with the best features of the traditional home stereo--the high quality of sound from a real receiver and a good set of speakers that can't be duplicated with a rinky-dink computer setup. With this in mind, why are there no products that support streaming for lossless audio formats (FLAC, APE, etc.)? This would allow CD-quality sound from a wireless receiver. As it stands now, with products supporting only MP3, WMA or maybe AAC, you're -always- going to get worse sound than you would from a CD, and you're wasting the potential of that expensive receiver and set of speakers you've got in your living room. It also seems like a fairly easy feature to add to any product.

Rob Pegoraro: Actually, the AirPort Express does pretty much that--it sends along all of your music, in whatever format it was originally, in Apple Lossless Encoding format to the stereo. This won't increase the quality of your MP3s or AACs, but it also *should* guarantee that you won't lose any quality in transmission. (I don't have the ears to confirm this for sure.)

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Washington, DC: Thanks from here too on yesterday's column -- perfectly timed for my own WiFi shopping, and I was confused about Airport Express. One question though: last week you discussed the regular PC options, this week you talked about Airport Express -- did you ever touch on the Apple Airport? And if not, what are your thoughts, particularly for use with PCs?

(Apologies if you talked about this in last week's online discussion...)

washingtonpost.com: Rob hosted his last discussion on July 12.

Rob Pegoraro: Here's what I wrote in this a.m.'s newsletter:

While I'm on the subject of the AirPort Express, it's worth taking a look at what this does to Apple's other WiFi access point -- the AirPort Extreme base station. With the launch of the Express, Apple got rid of the entry-level Extreme base station and cut the price of its higher-end sibling, which adds a modem port and an antenna jack, from $249 to $199.

I'd previously criticized Apple's entire line of WiFi hardware as being dramatically overpriced compared to the competition. I think the Express is a great bargain at $129, given everything that it does. But I can't see the Extreme as any kind of a great deal. For that price, it should have at least two local-area-network Ethernet ports, instead of just one (in addition to the one reserved for the Internet connection). It ought to support the "power over Ethernet" capability of its discontinued sibling, which can eliminate the need to plug the thing into the wall.

[ more at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11453-2004Jul24.html ]

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Capitol Hill: Hi Rob -- Thanks for all the great info every week. You're one of the reasons that the Post Sunday Biz section is my favorite part to read.

I've got an Win XP Dell desktop with DSL, so no need for a wireless network in the house. I'd love to play my mp3s thru the stereo, but the 'puter & stereo are on different floors with no easy connection path. Is there a wireless way I can connect the 2? Is it worth the cost of setting up a wireless network? Thanks again, & cheers!;

Rob Pegoraro: With an introduction like that, of course I was going to take this question :)

For what you're looking to do, you could save a little bit of money on a non-WiFi wireless system; RCA sells an analog wireless relay system that might suffice for you.

I'd go ahead and set up WiFi, myself, but that's assuming that a laptop will be part of the picture at some point, either as a second machine or as a replacement for the desktop.

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Washington, D.C.: Excuse my rant, but when will standard makers learn? The average consumer and average tech aware consumer wants flexibility and function without a lot of compromise. I own lots of cds but have hesitated to convert them to a digital library. Each standard is limited; songs purchased on-line may not be streamed to some wireless audio devices; wma, aac, and mp3 may limit future choices; every piece of hardware comes with its own software with more limits.

And now I hear that Verizon's long-awaited bluetooth Motorola phone, is "limited" and connects only with certain Verizon approved software.

What is a tech-lover to do?

Rob Pegoraro: Keep ranting about standards! I do this all the time.

FWIW, if you're looking for maximum compatibility in ripping your CDs, there's still no replacement for the MP3 format.

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Scenic Downtown Merrifield: I am new to DSL and the wireless internet world and am trying to decide between the following two routers: D-Link DI624 and Linksys WRT54G . The D-Link is a 108 mbps while the Linksys is 54 mbps (with an optional 35% speedboost model available, too.) The prices are roughly equivalent. I live in a two story house with a basement. My primary concern, above even speed, is being able to use my wireless connection on all three levels. Second highest priority is security with speed a close third Would you recommend one router over another based on this?

Rob Pegoraro: Ignore the extra-speed claims on both of those--IIRC, you won't see that added performance unless you standardize on the same line of WiFi hardware throughout your home. (And since WiFi comes built into so many laptops these days, that's just about impossible.

Not knowing the exact specs of these routers, I'd shop based on these criteria:

* How many Ethernet local-area-networking ports it has

* Whether it supports WPA (WiFi Protected Access) encryption out of the box.

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HD in Washington, D.C.: Rob - submitting early because of a meeting today. I am in the market for a new TV and while I can't afford a plasma, I am interested in the Sony Wega projection LCD. Do you have an opinion of these? Also, this will be my first digital TV, where does it stand on HD compatibility? I admit I'm a novice at this!;

Rob Pegoraro: We're planning a big package of stories on digital TV in late August--you're asking at the right time! Rear-projection LCDs, with sets built on two comparable technologies called Digital Light Processing (DLP) and Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS), constitute a particularly interesting part of the HDTV business--they offer most of the thinness of plasma or LCD sets at far lower cost (think, under $3,000 for a 45-50-in. set, maybe under $2,000 by the end of the year?).

I'm almost positive that all of Sony's Wega rpLCDs are HDTV-compatible--meaning they'll need an external over-the-air, cable or satellite tuner box before they can show an actual HD picture.

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Washington, D.C.: Rob,

I have an eMac (and no current wireless network)in my upstairs den, and a stereo system in my living room downstairs. I would love to program music from the Mac to the stereo. Your article yesterday mentioned a "$39 bundle of analog and digital audio cables," but it didn't say whether the bundle is optional or required. Do I need a hard cable connection somewhere in this loop or is it all truly wireless?

Rob Pegoraro: Audio cables are required, but Apple's bundle of them is not--what you need is an analog or Toslink optical-digital adapter cable, with a miniplug at one end. Apple's bundle includes both, plus an extension cord for the AirPort Express.

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Leesburg, Va.: My daughter is an incoming freshman this fall at a private Virginia university. I queried the university's computing department about the possibility of my installing a WAP connected to the Ethernet jack in her dorm room, which does not have wireless access, thus eliminating the need for her laptop to be connected to a cable. (I bought her a BlueTooth enabled printer, also for this reason.) I received this reply to my query:

"We do not have a policy against setting up WAPs in student dorm rooms, but we may by this fall. During the past three years we have had to ask a number of students to disable their WAPs because they were interfering with the ability of other students to access our wireless network, and in one case, our wired network. Even Help Desk student employees, who have a fairly sophisticated knowledge of the wireless network, have inadvertently caused interference with the campus network by setting these up at work.

While it is our goal to allow students to make as much use of new technologies as they can, the amount of time lost by students when things go wrong on their subnet, and the amount of time we spend trouble shooting these problems when they occur have led us to strongly discourage this practice in the past."

I replied and suggested:

"I have given some thought to the concerns you expressed concerning WAPs in dorm rooms. One solution might be is for the university to buy specific network hardware and have it on-line with a few simple instructions. The university would always know what the hardware configuration would be.

It would seen a simple process for the university to pick a single box (i.e., a wireless router/firewall), stock it in the book store (it could also be purchased at almost and computer supply store or online), and provide a one sheet set-up guide for use on the campus network. A turn-key consumer box like a Linksys WRT54G, which is a router/firewall and wireless access point, would be an ideal box. The configuration is web-based, so it would be the same set of instructions for all computers. I have this box on a wireless network and find it reliable and extremely easy to configure."

I don't understand how the WAPs could interfere with the wired network, but I can appreciate the need to standardize on the WAP setup. Any other solution or suggestions would be appreciated.

Rob Pegoraro: Hmm... I imagine that a lot of students just leave their access points wide open, which can raise all sorts of security and interference issues. I, too, don't know how a wireless access point could affect the *wired* network, though.

I also hope that when this college's IT department is considering policies in this area, that's because it's already insured that its students have their (Windows) PCs properly set up so a virus or worm doesn't take out entire dorms at once. If that's not the case, these folks are wasting their time worrying about WiFi networking manners.

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Columbia, Md.: Hi Rob-

I'm moving in a few weeks and am mapping out how to set up my media/computer. The grand plan is a 15" lcd monitor in the kitchen with a wireless keyboard/mouse on the counter. This would be powered by a PC directly below in the basement that has an All-in-Wonder card so we can have TV, etc., upstairs. (Oh, and speakers upstairs, too)

Besides convincing my wife that this is a great idea (which I could use help with, too) - I'm wondering if running a monitor cable about 10 -12 feet will cause problems? Is there a limit?

Thanks!

Rob Pegoraro: There is a limit to either VGA or DVI monitor cables, but I, um, don't know what it is. I've never even seen a monitor cable run more than three feet... Googling... apparently, the answer is maybe 25 feet if you've got quality cables.

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Boston: I am starting to look at getting a wireless media receiver to replace my 400 CD Jukebox (too much effort to program and update). Before I start to save all my CDs on my computer, I want to make sure I am putting them in the best audio format. Should I go MP3? If so, is 128kbps good enough or would 192kbps make more sense if I am moving my whole audio collection to be used with a wireless receiver? Also, should I use normalization when ripping the audio?

Rob Pegoraro: I'd go with a medium-high variable-bit-rate setting (this option squeezes a little more quality into the MP3 than the fixed-bitrate options you listed).

If you've got a *lot* of hard drive space, you could also rip the CDs into a lossless format--Windows Media Lossless, Apple Lossless Encoding, FLAC--and then downconvert them into MP3s or whatever other format you want, as needed.

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Fairfax, Va.: Well, after some miscues and late night hair pulling I finally managed to complete my Mac OS upgrade from 9.2.2 to Panther. With the installation of Office 2004 I have a suite of OS X applications to run, but now I need to figure out how to take advantage of the features and power of OS X.

Can you recommend any books or guides that can help me to get the most out of this upgrade. The early reviews from my wife and kids were not positive, but iTunes alone has changed their opinion slightly. They still cannot find things due to the major UI change.

A couple of quick questions:

Is iChat an equivalent application to AIM? Should I use iChat instead of AIM?

I have yet to set up multiple users...is that recommended and is there anything that I need to be aware of before doing this?

Rob Pegoraro: Yes, iChat blows away AIM. I don't know why AOL even bothers developing a Mac IM client.

Yes, you should set up multiple users. You can all stay logged in simultaneously, and this way y'all can each have your own preferences, desktop pictures, e-mail accounts and whatnot.

Not sure what book I'd recommend--the For Dummies titles, despite their (to some) annoying title, tend to cover the basics well. You might also want to look at the "Missing Manual" book for Mac OS X, written by competitor David Pogue :)

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Ballston, Va.: Rob, I got an AT&T solicitation for Callvantage recently, and $34.95 does not seem like a bad price for local and long-distance, given that Verizon charges me nearly that much now just for local service.

Questions: (1) With Callvantage, would all of my phones have to plug into my computer? (2) Would Verizon let me keep my Verizon DSL service even if I am no longer getting local phone service from them? (3) If I switch to Callvantage, do I have to change my home number?

Rob Pegoraro: 1) You'd have to plug your phones into the telephone adapter box AT&T provides; the only way to use multiple phones would be to get a multi-handset cordless phone system.

2) Right now, you could not keep the Verizon DSL. There are plans afoot for the company to offer "naked" DSL, without a mandatory voice line, but that's not supposed to happen until this fall.

3) No.

You should compare CallVantage's pricing to those of other VoIP services--you'll find that most undercut it by a fairly large margin.

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Denver: I downloaded the upgrade of Mozilla Foxfire. Now I cannot get the downloaded Google Toolbar to stay on the page. It was fine before. Coincidence? I think not!;

Vickie

Rob Pegoraro: I don't know how you ever got the Google Toolbar to work in Mozilla Firefox--that's an IE-only add-on, one you don't even need in a browser (like Firefox) that already includes a Google search and pop-up blocking.

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Guide, ME: You're early on the laptop guide this year, but late on the digital cameras (June 2003) -- I'm in the market for both. Is that coming soon, or does Sunday's piece on the small ones cover that? (And cell phones would be next, in the fall?)

Rob Pegoraro: I decided not to do a big all-in-one guide to digital cameras this year. The field is changing too rapidly, and there are too many worthy contenders to cover effectively in one package of stories. Instead, I'm going to run these shorter comparison pieces on a regular basis.

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Crofton, Md.: Rob,

While I enjoy the reasonably good selection of songs available on i-tunes, I am continually aggravated by the aac format, and the inability to convert a LEGALLY PURCHASED song into the infinitely more usable wav or mp3 format. Any other way than by burning it to cd. I have 3 different programs that have file conversion utilities, but none convert the i-tunes songs. do you know of any?

thanks, jim

Rob Pegoraro: Try this URL: www.hymn-project.org. Please be aware that using the utility offered there will, AFAICT, break the terms of user agreement you accepted when installing iTunes.

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Washington, DC: Thanks for the laptop guide - is there/will there be one for PDA's? Looking at the Palm brand, aiming for under $200. Any recommendations - even beyond Palm? (like avertibility, quality, and usable on both pc & mac)

Also... mp3 players. Will Rio be coming out with anything new soon? IE new Cali model?

Thanks!;

Rob Pegoraro: Three words (the same three words I offered the last time I got this question!): Palm Tungsten E. It sells for $199, it's got a great screen, it syncs to a Mac or PC, and it's compact enough to fit in any pocket.

Haven't heard much about new Rio models.

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Washington, D.C.: I would like to store internet radio broadcasts on my computer to allow me to time shift and transfer the programs to a portable listening device (ipod). I would also like to download and store programs that are available on demand.

How do I do this?

Rob Pegoraro: I've got a writer about to start work on a program, Radio Recorder (http://u1.netgate.net/~snowcat/RadioRecorder.html) that claims to do just that... should be in print in a couple of weeks.

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Annandale, Va.: Rob,

In answer to Ballston's question about plugging all your phones into the adapter, your answer was not totally correct.

In theory, you're right. But with little trouble you can hook your connection into the existing phone lines in your house. There's lots of information about this online.

You would have to do this to correctly use a VOIP system with a burglar alarm, Tivo or anything else that requires a phone line.

I was going to do it myself, but had our alarm company do it to make sure it was done correctly. It took less than 30 minutes and cost a max of $75.

We previously used a multi-handset phone, until I realized our alarm no longer could call the police. Fortunately, I set off the alarm myself and it wasn't an emergency.

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks for the followup... what, exactly, is involved in this procedure? Is this the workaround I've heard of, in which you completely sever your home's phone wiring from what comes in off the street? (I see how this would work, but I would also be *really* reluctant to rush into this)

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California, Md.: Hi Rob,

Thanks for the information on Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird. So far they are serving me well. Now to my problem. I will be moving to a vacation home in a rural location in Maine. My goal is to cut my expenses for communications. I'm interested in finding the best, least expensive, way to receive telephone, cell phone, television, and internet service. There is no cable tv, so I will need a satellite. The phone service is provided by Fairpoint. Verizon, etc. is not available, and my Verizon cell phone does not get a signal there. Is there some way of combining services? The dial up internet service there is even slower than the 50.6 kbps I have here. TIA for any suggestions you or your listeners can provide.

Peg

Rob Pegoraro: You'll have to use a satellite-based Internet access service, such as the DirecWay system that some DirecTV users employ. As for cell phones, I'd ask the locals what they use. It may be that no cell phones work there at all.... sometimes, that's the breaks when you're looking to get away from it all.

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Fairfax, Va.: Rob -- I have a 17 inch iMac (for 2 1/2 years now) and was thinking of upgrading to a G5 Mac. Should I wait to upgrade my iMac?

Rob Pegoraro: You will have to--Apple's stopped selling the iMac and won't resume until a G5 model debuts, which the company says will happen in September. Then again, Apple was so sure it would have a G5 iMac ready for this summer that it stopped production on the old model. D'oh!

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Monroe Township, N.J.: I'm a senior with recent carpal tunnel operation but still suffering with mouse. Need easy to operate laptop. Had Webtv and loved it for its ease of handling. Is there any laptop out there with more comfort than the mouse?

Rob Pegoraro: Hope your wrists are feeling better soon!

Pretty much all laptops these days use either a pointing stick or a touchpad as their mouse substitute (touchpads are now well in the lead). I can't tell you which one you're going to find more comfortable; you should go into stores or borrow friends' laptops to see which one suits you better.

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Tungsten E: Do you put much stock in the VERY negative consumer reviews of the Tungsten E on Amazon.com?

I try not to heed these as people generally like to complain, but there are 176 reviews and MANY, if not most, are negative on its reliability. Plus - Palm cheaped out and went with a 90 day warranty on it.

Rob Pegoraro: I liked the Tungsten E just fine when I reviewed it last year, enough that I put my own money down on one last month. No complaints here. The batteries do drain a bit fast if you leave the screen at maximum brightness, and the screen could be easier to read in daylight, but overall I'm quite pleased with the purchase.

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Falls Church, Va.: Revealing my ignorance here... I love ITunes and like to store purchased CDs in my ITunes folder. But every time I put a new CD in, MusicMatch jukebox automatically loads. How can I get that to stop?

Rob Pegoraro: Run iTunes and, from the Edit menu, select Preferences. If "Use iTunes as the default player for music files" isn't checked, check that box.

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Arlington, Va.: I'm considering partitioning my WinXP hard drive, both to separate my system files onto a separate partition (I've heard that that can make one's computer run marginally faster) and to establish a partition for Linux.

Common sense suggests that I should back up my hard drive before monkeying with the partition utility. My question is, back it up onto what? I don't have a zip or jaz drive. It's a 120gb hard drive, with about 40gb full, so if I back it up onto CDs, I'll need over 50 of them. I may be able to get an old 40gb hard drive from my father; is it possible to back up one hard drive onto another?

Rob Pegoraro: Yes, you can use an external hard drive to back up another hard drive. You can also wire an internal model cannibalized from another computer into a PC temporarily for backup purposes. (FWIW, I've got a writer working on a review of a backup system from Iomega called the Rev drive, which uses removable 35-gig cartridges.)

You didn't ask my advice on this, but I don't advise partitioning a hard drive just to put Windows system files on a separate chunk of the drive. Any improvements in performance are unlikely to make up for all the time you'll waste in backing up your files, partitioning the drive and (ick) reinstalling Windows. Plus, you'll never be able to keep your program and system files truly separate--Windows commingles those by design.

If, however, you want to experiment with Linux, go right ahead!

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Austin, Texas: A couple of quick but important questions.

As most people that want to put "Network Media" or "Media Extenders" in the home we want to be able to do anything on a computer from any room and not just Media. Meaning other files or internet commerce that may need to be secured. My first question is:

Question 1: Have you investigated the security of these wireless devices and are they encrypted?

Question 2: I have Microsoft MCE and am actually doing development towards a piece to integrate with MCE. I have asked them numerous times to create a HDTV card/solution so that we can record/instant replay HDTV and not just Standard TV. Have you heard anything relating to such from any manufacturer?

Final Question: I have developed and patented a way to make advertisements eCommerce and purchase items with the click of a button from your remote control. Imagine you are watching a MTV and with the click of a button on your remote you buy that song/album and download it direct to your Media Center. Cool huh. Microsoft thinks so as does TiVo. I would like to talk to you about it.

Regards,

Robin Hood

Solutions Architect

WebGlue Inc.

www.webglue.com

Rob Pegoraro: All of the media receivers that I've tried have supported the WEP encryption I use at home (I'd switch to WPA, but my work laptop doesn't support that). If they didn't, I'd have given them an F in my writeups--some of them earned a failing grade anyway!

There are now quite a few video cards that can tune into over-the-air HDTV signals and record them to the hard drive. But I don't know of any that work within Microsoft's Media Center software.

As for your last question--if you want to send me a PR pitch about a shipping or near-shipping product, e-mail me at rob at twp.com

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Annandale, Va.: On the VOIP connection to your phone lines...

yes this does mean disconnecting your lines where they come into the house, but it's real simple...and again, IU had the professional do it to play it safe. And I don't really even see it as a work around because all you're doing is tapping into take advantage of the existing lines in your house.

I've found a lot of posts on broadbandreports.com that discuss how to do this. But for $75 or even $100, hire a professional. You'll recoup the money quickly because of the VOIP savings.

Rob Pegoraro: I definitely concur on having a professional do any snipping of phone lines, if you're going to go that far. There are easier ways to save $75!

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Adams Morgan: I heart my laptop! It has liberated me! I take it everywhere and thanks to wireless access at hotels, at Starbucks, at home, etc., it is like I have my office wherever I go.

I am writing because I am about to travel through Spain and want to take the sucker with me to stay connected. I realize however I have no idea how this will work. I've never traveled abroad with my laptop before.

My first question is how do I get access to the net? Is there wireless access at the local Starbucks in Madrid? What about dialup? I know AOL has access but I left them behind years ago. Will I run into any other issues?

People do this everyday but I have no idea where to start! Help!

Rob Pegoraro: Have a look at a site called JiWire (www.jiwire.com) and search for hot spots in Spain. Er, don't do that right now--site's returning some weird error. But when it's back online, it should give you the answers that you're looking for.

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Crystal City: Do I need a wireless network to use these gadgets that connect computer to stereo?

Rob Pegoraro: The ones that I've written about so far all accept wired Ethernet connections, but I feel pretty comfortable wagering that most people *don't* want Ethernet cables snaking throughout their house--unless you've got the computer in the living room permanently, or your home is already hardwired for Ethernet, WiFi is the way to go.

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Santiago, Chile: Greetings. My apologies in advance if this is a stupid question. I'm not v. technically proficient. My wife comes from Australia and greatly misses the shows from Down Under. Currently we spend a fortune mailing bulky VCR tapes back and forth. The time delay is also great. Is there a way to record programs in Australia and send them via email for downloading onto our TV or a DVD? Short of that, is it possible to make a DVD copy in Australia that can be read on an American DVD player? Does it matter that the TV signal is a different system than in the US (PAL v. NTSC)? Thanks for any help you can provide.

Rob Pegoraro: Don't even think about sending video files via e-mail; they will take up an enormous amount of bandwidth and will probably be refused delivery for that reason. (Attaching a file to an e-mail message wastes a lot of bandwidth, much more so than simply transferring the file directly via IM or file-transfer protocol.)

You should be able to burn a recording to DVD and have that work here--there's no region coding attached to homemade DVDs.

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Washington, D.C.: A question and a request for a comment, please. First, when you were testing the Squeezebox on a PC-based network, and having such problems, was it a 802.11b or 802.11g network? I'm wondering if it's possible some of the problems you were having were due to the "b" bandwidth and that perhaps that might not be the case on a "g" network?

Second, I was surprised you made no comment about benefits of hardware that supports open standards like OOG or FLAC. Reviewers like yourself need to help consumers fight the good fight.

Rob Pegoraro: I tested the Squeezebox on a mixed 802.11g network. Since the Squeezebox's own WiFi receiver is an 802.11b part, network speed shouldn't have been an issue.

I didn't talk about that open-standards issue because, as far as most consumers are concerned, that battle is lost. There are far too many devices out there that don't support the formats you cite. I do think that something like FLAC (Free and Lossless Audio Codec) can have a future as an archival medium, but Ogg Vorbis isn't going to display MP3s, Windows Media files or AAC. Period. Not thrilled about that, but that's how it's worked out.

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Chevy Chase, Md.: Hi Rob,

I have started an effort to transfer my entire CD collection (~800 CDs) to DVDs in MP3 format. I use a Power Mac G4 and a Powerbook G4 along with iTunes to import the songs from the discs and then burn them to DVDs. I also transfer the MP3s to an external FireWire hard drive. The reason I'm doing this is to protect myself of a possible loss of my CD collection when I move back to my home country in a couple of years. Is this a good approach considering that Macs are virtually non-existant in my home country, i.e., will I be able to easily transfer the MP3s from the DVDs or hard drive to a Windows machine?

Thanks.

Rob Pegoraro: You should have no trouble at all transferring MP3 files (or any other kind of file) from a CD or DVD burned on a Mac--OS X automatically makes cross-platform discs that work in both Macs and PCs. A MAc's hard drive, however, can't be read in Windows without using some extra software that supports Apple's disk format (Media4's MacDrive is one such solution).

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Arlington, Va.: I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your chats. Lately, I've been becoming a computer hobbyist, and your chats are both a trustworthy source of answers to my questions and a source of new ideas for fun things to try. Thanks very much for doing this.

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks, Mom!

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Arlington, Va.: I've finally decided it's time to migrate from Mac OS 9.2.2 to Mac OS X. I've been doing some reading in on-line forums that offer various suggestions on how to do so, such as creating a separate volume on the hard drive for Mac OS X, but I think I'd like to get a concrete guide to help in the transition.

Do you have any recommendations for books or guides on migrating to Mac OS X? Any specific tips you'd like to offer yourself? Thanks!

Rob Pegoraro: You don't need do all that much--I don't recommend repartitioning the disk at all. What does help is to make sure all of your documents (not just your Word files, but your e-mail archives and such) are stored in the Documents folder that Mac OS 9 automatically creates for you. Then put all your application files into the "Applications (Mac OS 9)" folder you should also see there. Make a backup of your data files. Upgrade your memory to at least 256 megs if you haven't already--and then you should be set. Good luck!

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Alexandria, Va.: I thought itunes could burn into mp3?

Am I reading this wrong? I was thinking of going legit and paying for downloads.

This is from the itunes site:

Play Them Anywhere

You can play your music CDs in your car and on home stereo systems. iTunes also lets you make MP3 CDs, though iPod makes them a little less useful. Audio CDs play in CD players like the one in your car or home stereo. MP3 CDs play on Mac and Windows computers and in MP3-compatible car stereos and CD players. Data DVDs are great for archiving and backup, but they only work in your DVD-equipped Mac or Windows PC.

Rob Pegoraro: I really wish Apple didn't call its music program and its music store by the same name sometimes--this is an endless source of confusion.

The iTunes *program* will gladly rip your CDs into MP3 files; it will then make audio or MP3 CDs from the results. And all of this comes free, without any nags to upgrade to a "pro" or "plus" version.

The iTunes *store* supplies song files in a copy-controlled AAC format only. These can be burned to audio CD an unlimited number of times, but can't easily be converted back to MP3s.

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Washington, D.C.: I have to disagree on your stand on Videophones. Its usage is widespread in the deaf community as it is our "phones". We even have video relay service that allows us to make voice calls through an interpreter who would interpret the calls for us. We also use it for point to point calls. The equipment include Dlink's i2eye, Sorenson's VP100, Sorenson's Envision, netmeeting, iChat AV, OhPhoneX, AIM Video, and some others. We even dial each other by phone numbers through the directory servers. I really disagree that it would not be a mainstream in the future. It will be in the hearing community and I suggest you do some research on its usage among the deaf community and overseas.

Rob Pegoraro: Please send me an e-mail--tell me more about this. Are these software-based systems (that require you to attach a Webcam and install some software on a computer), or ones that employ standalone videophones that plug directly into an Internet connections? My comment was about the second category.

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Baltimore: I'm unclear about one thing regarding internet telephony. Part of the deal is to save money, right? Well, I have DSL, but that requires me to keep my local phone line and number so that I can keep DSL. Where would the savings come from? Or is it only a money-saving proposition for people who currently make lots of long distance calls? I'd love to give up my local phone service all together and use the internet, but then I'd lose my DSL as well, unless I am misunderstanding the whole technology.

Rob Pegoraro: See my earlier comment naked DSL (Qwest is already offering its DSL on this basis in its service territory). With that, or with a cable modem, you could use VoIP to cut down on the costs of your primary phone line.

That said, I think its best use right now is to add phone lines. Your kid's tying up the phone all the time? Stick a VoIP phone in his/her phone and your problems are solved.

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New digital cameras?: I was wondering if you have had the chance to look at the Digital Rebel or similar offerings from other companies? I am in the market for an upper level digital camera but am most interested in ones where you can add a zoom lens. Is the Rebel a decent buy? Seems like online you can get the camera and two lenses for under $1,000.

Rob Pegoraro: Here's our latest writeup of digital SLRs: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58540-2004May1.html

And here's our review of the Canon Digital Rebel from last summer: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38194-2003Sep20.html

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Washington, D.C.: You wrote:

"The iTunes -store- supplies song files in a copy-controlled AAC format only. These can be burned to audio CD an unlimited number of times, but can't easily be converted back to MP3s."

Huh? Unless something has drastically changed recently, you can just rip the audio CD to MP3 just like you would any other normal audio CD. Is that no longer the case?

Rob Pegoraro: I don't consider that "easily"--unless you burned a complete album to disc (which will allow iTunes to recognize it automatically), you'll have to retype in all the artist/album/title info for each song.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Rob - Love your articles and chats; very informative. I recently read an article about web-based companies that give you cash for your old cell phone. You look your phone up on their website where it tells you how much they're paying for that particular model, they send you pre-paid packaging for you to send the phone in, and they send you a check. I'm pretty sure I read the article on washingtonpost.com, but I can't find it, even by searching the archives. Can you provide a link to the article, or do you know the names/websites of such companies?

Thank you!;

Rob Pegoraro: I sure didn't write or edit that--never heard of this deal myself. It seems a little fishy; how much cash would any old cell phone be worth, anyway?

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Olney, Md.: I've been dying to dump Verizon and switch to Vonage, but they tell me they can't give me my same home number. Do you know why? I know local number portability was written for cell numbers, but from what I read on the FCC web site, all areas of the country are supposed to allow you to move your number now. Is it like DSL, where the equipment has to be in place in the local office first? I'm getting impatient, I want to cut my phone bill by more than half and dump Verizon!

Rob Pegoraro: Vonage has to support your particular area code, but I'd be surprised if they had a gap in their service. But if they do--so what? Lose the old phone number and be done with it. If Verizon's cost has you that bugged, you won't mind the time needed to send out some "new phone number" e-mails.

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Rockville, Md.: Hi Rob-

I've seen 'long range' bluetooth adapters for sale that advertise a 100m range. Do you suppose this 100 completely unobstructed meters with the wind? Is it realistic to think the signal would penetrate from the first floor to the second floor of my average sized house?

Rob Pegoraro: Even a regular Bluetooth signal ought to go that far, if your floors aren't lined with metal.

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Sterling, Va.: What's up with google.com being currently inaccessible?

Rob Pegoraro: It's some side-effect of this worm or virus running around: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15668-2004Jul26.html

FWIW, Google searches done through the searchbox at the top of The Post's home page still work fine.

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New York: I recently purchased an Acura TL. The car comes standard with a hands-free system that uses Bluetooth to connect to your cell phone. Unfortunately, I use Verizon through work (so I can't switch) and have not been about to purchase a Bluetooth enabled phone through them. Any idea when they will have a phone with Bluetooth or are there any adaptors I can purchase?

Rob Pegoraro: Verizon will (finally) offer a Bluetooth phone next month, when the Motorola V710 goes on sale.

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Loudoun County, Va.: With all of this talk of Wi-Fi, and the new AirPort Express that will act as an "extender," I wonder if it couldn't help my neighbors with a problem we all share.

We live in the most connected, Internet rich, county in the country, yet my last mile is a real problem. I cannot get consumer grade (affordable) DSL from anyone, because I am fed by fiber (I am told).

Our cable company, Adelphia, is bankrupt, financially, morally, and technically. They cannot provide me greater than 700k bps on a 3,000 k bps advertised service. Worse yet, my cable modem speeds are typically 250k bps, and suffer from frequent packet loss.

I can, however, get a real connection, DS-1 (often incorrectly called T-1) and up. So, my neighbors want to share a real connection.

My question is, how can I do this in a single family home neighborhood? If I use 802.11 (a, b or g), I end up with "user units" that don't want to turn the Wi-Fi signal back into Ethernet, and I end up with the "hidden transmitter" problem if I want to share the same base station and channel with any neighbors who cannot "hear" each other. I could provide a RF channel to each user, but in the affordable band, (b) & (g) provide only three non-overlapping channels.

How can we fix this?

Rob Pegoraro: Quite a few of your neighbors have done just that, as we've written here over the years: Somebody's paid for a T-1 into their house, they've set up commercial-grade WiFi and have gone into business as their own ISP. We have some of these folks listed in our survey of Internet providers: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/technology/personaltech/isp2004_wireless.htm

But this is *not easy* to do right.

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Washington, D.C.: Subject:Vonage. I've been waiting a month now for my numbers to be ported and activated. I'm a business. My old carrier, USA Telephone, notified me that it would stop serving the District by the end of June. On July 14th, they finally cut off my dialtone. I'd initiated my order with Vonage on June 21st. Verizon managed to pick up one of my numbers (decided I needed one traditional land line) by June 30th. What is Vonage's problem? They also seem to have a problem responding to emails and phone messages...

Rob Pegoraro: I can't answer your question, but perhaps by posting it I can help you get Vonage's attention. Good luck...

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San Francisco: Even the questions here, among us who are at least tech-forgiving, seem to emphasize how hard/annoying it is to make all this stuff work. This applies both to installing & to using it day by day. How do Joe/Jolene six-pack put up with it, much less pay $$ for it? Who's doing the best at ease of use, & where's that going??

Rob Pegoraro: Can't say too much in response, except that you're definitely asking the right questions--and a lot of the industry appears unwilling or unable to make the effort to answer them.

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Rob Pegoraro: That'll do it for today--I've got to get back to deleting virus e-mail out of my inbox. Thanks for all the questions...see you here in two weeks or so.

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