Barb's Connected World

I’m really enjoying the Media Center Extender functionality of my new Xbox 360. Last night I was watching Crimson Tide (one of my favs) on the MCE Always Ready computer in my bedroom. Couldn’t keep my eyes open so paused it and grabbed eight hours sleep. This morning, I finished watching the movie with morning coffee in my living room. Resumed from right where I’d left off. Here you can see that I’ve selected the Media Blade on my Xbox 360 and the connection is automatically made to the host MCE 2005 machine. I select Crimson Tide from the list and am offered the option to Resume (yeah!). The quality is stunning streaming over my wireless network.

The Xbox 360 rocks. I spent much of Black Friday playing this awesome game. The graphics at 720p are cinematically gorgeous. These games are tough to photograph as they are dark and swift, but here are a few shots that aren’t too bad. (Oh, and I got a blue faceplate for the console itself).

Microsoft and Pharos seemingly don’t want to support 64 bit Windows computing on XP x64 or Vista Betas x64 with 64 bit GPS drivers. Here’s how I got everything working on both platforms and with Mappoint 2005 and MS Streets and Tips 2006.

1. Download the Prolific driver from http://www.prolific.com.tw/support/files//IO%20Cable/PL-2303/Drivers%20-%20Generic/Windows/wd_pl2303h-hx-x_64-bit_v2018.zip and expand/extract to a folder on your hard drive

2. Edit both inf files and change all instances of the ID to USB\VID_067B&PID_AAA0

3. Plug in the GPS 360 and use the browse option to point to the folder where the files including the edited versions reside. Accept the unsigned driver if it displays.

4. Open Mappoint/Streets and set the comport (most likely the highest one displayed).

5. Enjoy 64 bit support!

Currently trying the Media Center Extender functions on my Xbox 360.

Connected via a D-Link DGL-3420 gaming adapter.

Running wide screen 1080i and Dolby Digital 5.1

Diversified Multimedia LLC let me preview an incredibly elegant solution to easily and quickly get your non content restricted Recorded TV from MCE 2005 to an Apple Video IPOD. Quickly. I will repeat Quickly. No audio/video sync problems. Absolutely seamless. I've been using it for about two weeks and it's been working flawlessly.

It's available for purchase now and a 14 day trial download is also available.

For me, the best news is that you can transcode your content without having iTunes and/or Quicktime installed on your Media Center computer. I converted 19 Battlestar Galactica one hour shows in less than 9 hours. That’s the fastest transcoding I’ve ever seen.

Look for an Expert Zone column in the near future that goes into more details.

Anti-Malware Engineering Team : Sony DRM Rootkit

“..We have analyzed this software, and have determined that in order to help protect our customers we will add a detection and removal signature for the rootkit component of the XCP software to the Windows AntiSpyware beta, which is currently used by millions of users. This signature will be available to current beta users through the normal Windows AntiSpyware beta signature update process, which has been providing weekly signature updates for almost a year now. Detection and removal of this rootkit component will also appear in Windows Defender when its first public beta is available. We also plan to include this signature in the December monthly update to the Malicious Software Removal Tool. It will also be included in the signature set for the online scanner on Windows Live Safety Center..”

Thank you, Microsoft. The sooner, the better.

Sophos: Troj/RKProc-Fam and Troj/Stinx disinfection instructions

“Troj/RKProc-Fam and Troj/Stinx disinfection instructions

Resolve is the name for a set of small, downloadable Sophos utilities designed to remove and undo the changes made by certain viruses, Trojans and worms. They terminate any virus processes and reset any registry keys that the virus changed. Existing infections can be cleaned up quickly and easily, both on individual workstations and over networks with large numbers of computers.

This version of the tool detects and disables the Sony DRM cloaking copy protection technology (which Sophos refers to as Troj/RKProc-Fam). It also detects and disables other Trojans, including Troj/Stinx variants, which are stealthed by Troj/RKProc-Fam. “..

Unsecured Wi-Fi would be outlawed by N.Y. county | CNET News.com

This is amazing. Outlawing unsecured wireless by requiring a hardware or software firewall.  Encryption appears not to matter. Thats’ plain wrong.

UPDATE- Link to download removal tool is at http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html

--

Sony BMG and First 4 Internet have just released an update that will completely
remove the rootkit based DRM content protection software and replace it with a
non-rootkit DRM technology that is compatible with all current security
protocols. To ensure the security of your system, please visit their software
update website to obtain and install Service Pack 2 at:

     http://updates.xcp-aurora.com

If after this update, you still wish to uninstall our software, please visit the
form below using the computer where the software is currently installed and you
will be emailed an uninstall link within 1 business day (M-F).

http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/form9.html


TIP: Our uninstall request form will require a small ActiveX plug-in
        (from First 4 Internet). Be sure to also temporarily turn off any
        pop-up blocker software. Although a non-ActiveX process is in
        development, currently, our online process is the only option.
        Should you prefer to wait for the next uninstallation version,
        one is due to be released later this month at:
        http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html

Thank you for the opportunity to be of assistance.

http://america.giga-byte.com/Communication/FileList/Driver/64bit_wlan42052bin.zip seems to have generic drivers for 64 bit Windows posted.

Use at your own risk, if something explodes, it is your problem not mine.

There is no mention whatsoever of the new support for WPA2 in the version info/release notes for the latest mini pci driver for most newer IBM Thinkpads. But, it’s in there. Definitely and positively.

http://www-3.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-52527

has a download for driver 4.0.100.140a which enables WPA2 support for

- IBM 11abg Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter
- IBM 11abg Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter II
- IBM Dual-Band Wi-Fi Wireless Mini-PCI Adapter ( 11ab )
- IBM 11bg Wireless LAN Mini PCI adapter

for the following Thinkpad systems:

- ThinkPad G40, G41
- ThinkPad R40
- ThinkPad R50, R50p, R51, R52
- ThinkPad T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p, T43, T43p
- ThinkPad X31, X32, X40, X41–

This is totally unsupported, at your own risk. It will void your warranty. Microsoft won’t support you, I can’t support you. Your computer will report that you have a Dell True Mobile card after you perform this update. It’s fun to lie to your computer! It shows you are the boss.

You’ll need the MS update installed to enable WPA2 before you attempt this.

1. Go to

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R90501&fileid=117983 and Download Now. 

2. Use Winzip or Winrar to expand to a directory on your hard drive, do NOT run the EXE.

3. Open device manager (right click my computer, manage, device manager)

4. Go to Network Adapters, Select the MN-720

5. Right click it and select Update Driver

6. Don’t connect to the Internet, Manually select the driver to install, do not search.

7. Browse to the directory where you extracted the files and select bcmwl5.inf

8. Have Disk, select the True Mobile 1350 PC Card

9. Your laptop will now think you have a Dell True Mobile Card —

10. You’ll be WPA2 empowered

I’m sure that similar steps will work with the MN-730 PCI card by selecting a 1350 PCI Card but I have NOT tried this myself.

If you are not happy with the results, use Driver Rollback in Device Manager.