Archive for the Entertainment Category

Creative Zen NX and Vista, Working Together Finally !!

Posted in Entertainment on March 10, 2007 by mrinternet

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<updated 3 January 2008>
Happy New Year !
Just a further note that  when you complete the install on vista, you should have the ‘nomad’ explorer logo showing per the image above regardless of whether or nt a device is connected.
When you click on it, it will show its state as connected or not (per the images above) and change when you connect the device(s). I also use the 3rd party ‘notmad’ product by ‘redchairsoftware’, and it requires the creative driver to be installed and working 1st.
Hope that helps . 
 <Updated 4 November 2007>

I decided to give my already updated PC to my wife, and build myself a new Quad Core PC (why not).
I also decided not to install any software that came with my Zen NX to see if I could make vista work without it this time. It was harder this time but took 10 min. vs 3min last time.

Note: MAKE SURE YOUR ZEN IS NOT PLUGGED INTO YOUR PC’S USB PORT yet..!!

1) So you need to decide if you need the creative media player/converter (media source) or just the explorer program so you can sync programs.(file explorer).
2) Either way you will need the program “JB3MV2_PCWDRV_US_2_01_00.EXE”. It is on creative .com or around the globe just google it. You need to run it in windows xp compatability mode (that’s right click properties, seciurity run as xp sp2). Also run and install as administrator (right click, properties, run as admin.) This is the zen driver for your PC.

Note: If you intend to use a 3rd part product like red chair, you also need this driver above.
Note: I have tried it not doing this way and it gives you errors.
Note: In installing it with the player plugged into the USB it killed other USB ports, that I then needed to unplug and replug into, no biggie either way.

3) On installing the jbmv2… diver it appears to hang at some number 52% say… after it is there for a while you may need to manually cancel it (do not turn off your pc). This is because the code written for XP is nto written for Vista so it appears to hang when it really has not). Once you manage to kill it then it says it is in installed.
4) Depending if you want file explorer (for syncing NMEX_PCApp_3_01_10.exe) or the media source program for playing and converting (CMS_PCAPP_LB_3_30_21.exe) they should install fine now.

Note: I suggest installing media souce 1st as it works witohut rebooting, file manager for syncing required a re-boot).

5) Note: desktop shortcuts might not appear but will be under programs/creative via your start button.
6) Enjoy (or reboot and enjoy).

Original Story

A Little Tweaking and your Zen NX is now Vista Compatible..Chew On That Creative March 2007- Melbourne Australia
Not thanks to Creative Labs that ignored all contact on the subject (from me and the rest of the world) all but to say the Zen NX is not Vista Compatible Bull Sh**. So why would they say that if it wasn’t true? So you buy a new MP3 Player.. maybe.
Because they couldn’t be bothered to support a last generation MP3 Player.. maybe.
Or because they were perhaps too lazy to spend some time finding out how to do it…likely. So I have to start this quickly to say I was a Zen fan boy, from the original hi-tech 8-bit PC soundcards, other incarnations of mice, and yes MP3 players.
I started with the original NOMAD MP3 for $300 US, then when the NX came out I had heard the spec and that it had essentially a laptop battery inside…hmm what would happen if I hacked it and added a 60gb HD into it..hmm.
OH MY GOD! It worked a 60 gb Zen NX and I used to amaze my friends (the geek ones of course then). SO when I finally went to install my little friend on Vista, I was more than a bit saddened by the fact I had to use my XP machine to update my music.. But wait a minute, Vista can see the player but the drivers are pooched .. SO after a bit of trial and lots of error (days) I got it to work on my new M90 Dell laptop but I don’t know how I did it. Time to try on PC, this time it took 45 minutes to figure out how I did it, so simple I can afford the waffle on.

1) Install original software that came with nomad.
2) Sometimes it will install other times it will all run but in the end after all the software (media source) etc is installed it will see the Zen NX, but not work.
3) Reboot
4) Go to creative.com and download the lasted media source program (currently Creative MediaSource Player/Organizer 3.30.21 and is about 52mb.. I know some are going tried that..
5) Install the software (currently at http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/download2.asp?MainCategory=213&Product=4836&dlcentric=8681&Product_Name=NOMAD+Jukebox+Zen+NX&filetype=3&OSName=Windows+XP) 6) Run it, it should install (but still won’t work on the Zen NX)
7) Reboot
8) Go to your original software disk and under drivers run the Jukebox driver driver_JB3.exe It will say it cannot read your disk on this and windows will say this is not a legal driver. Just keep installing it, and saying yes or ignore.
9) It may ask you to reboot, if it does reboot
10) Enjoy
This should leave you with your portable device icon being live and the latest media source software. If the latter doesn’t happen you can now reinstall the latest media source (or firmware etc) and all works fine. For me it was installing Notmad Software from my friends at redchairsoftware.com/notmad.
That now also worksAny
questions leave a comment on my blog here, I will answer all. Except why didn’t creative do this themselves in the 1st place..

Updated 19 September 2007

Hi all,

I tend not to edit unhappy comments, so all comments appreciated.
I am sorry if any of you have had trouble getting this to work.
I have recently spoken to Creative Labs and Redchair Software (or at least tried).
Thus far neither are willing to offer any patches for their products to make this easier for folks to use their Zen NX.
Their view off the record, is they see the demand for a fix, not worth their time in revenue.
I can appreciate it (even though I disagree with it).

So, I note that there was a more recent release version (version 5) of the media source organiser. It did not work for me with the Zen NX. Nomad, or Zen (the orignal 10gb model) on Vista.
So to date I am still happily using the tweaked 60gb zen nx 110% with vista. If anyone needs help just ask.

Enjoy

 

 

Chowhound Digg for Food !

Posted in Entertainment on August 24, 2006 by mrinternet

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This cnet site offers a digg-like site offering a whole community for food recipes, places to eat etc.

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David Letterman and Bill O’Reilly go at it.

Posted in Entertainment, Humour, Video on July 31, 2006 by mrinternet

An interesting conversation from two of America’s biggest blow hards. Who do you think had the upper hand?

read more | digg story

Internet Helpdesk Training Video!

Posted in Entertainment, Humour, Internet/Telco, Video on July 30, 2006 by mrinternet

Perhaps where AOL get’s their training from?
I have used the mp3 of this for years at presentations around the world.

read more | digg story

Where do Band Names Come From ?

Posted in Entertainment, Music on July 30, 2006 by mrinternet

Here is a list of where most the most famous rock bands in history got their names.

read more | digg story

Digg Swarm for Windows Desktops

Posted in Design, Digg Stuff News, Entertainment on July 28, 2006 by mrinternet

A quick and dirty how-to on getting Swarm to render on your Windows desktop. Literally. It uses Active Desktop which - well, yuck - but it’s a cool little trick you might enjoy. Good luck.
Remember you can resize it to cover your whole desktop and shrink it by grabbing an edge if you want to stop it

read more | digg story

Aussie ISP Netspace has bought online dvd rental company Webflicks

Posted in Entertainment, IPTV, Internet/Telco on July 27, 2006 by mrinternet

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This is a good thing if Netspace can maintain their QoS that they have had more than a little problem with. It is a logical step to offering online movies.

Melbourne

Aussie-based Internet service provider (ISP) Netspace has bought online dvd rental company Webflicks.

In a statement issued, Netspace noted both its own customers and those of Webflicks would be offered incentives to use Netspace’ other services, through product bundling.

Webflicks allows customers to select via a Web interface a list of movie, television and music DVDs that they would like to watch. The DVDs are then delivered via post in batches when they become available.

Customers post the DVDs back when they have finished watching them.

Netspace’s entrance into online dvd rental is symptomatic of a trend in the wider ISP market.

As Internet services are gradually becoming cheaper and faster, ISPs are increasingly bundling value-added services on top of basic Internet connectivity.

For example, Telstra’s retail ISP division BigPond offers Internet customers discounts on its DVD and video-on-demand service Big Pond Movies (Telstra).

In Netspace’s statement, the ISP’s managing director Stuart Marburg said his company saw content initiatives such as Webflicks as providing an opportunity to drive demand for higher broadband speeds than the base 1.5Mbps offered by most ISPs.

Marburg said at that point Netspace would be poised to offer video content online.

Netspace also has ambitions to offer a full-service telephone solution, including an Internet telephony (also known as Voice over Internet Protocol or VOIP service.

The company will launch a full telephony offering in the third quarter of this year.

Digg Story 

In week William Shatner Does it All, Starts DVD Club & Prepares For Comedy Roast

Posted in Entertainment on July 17, 2006 by mrinternet

& THREE 2006 Emmy Nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Outstanding Nonfiction Special!

& Is to be inducted into the Television Hall of Fame!

The roast  will air on Sunday, August 20 at 10:00 p.m.
The DVD club is here 

The guy is into everthing, bless.

Tim Russ (Tuvok) To Direct Original Star Trek Stars (Nichols And Koenig) In Fan Film

Posted in Entertainment on July 17, 2006 by mrinternet

The team behind the Star Trek: New Voyages fan films announced they will be co-producing a feature-length miniseries starring close to a dozen actors from the official Star Trek series.

Entitled Star Trek: Of Gods And Men, the series started shooting on the 12th of July under the direction of Tim Russ (Tuvok). Russ will also be appearing in the film as a young Tuvok, joining a whole range of established Trek actors such as Nichell Nicholes (Uhura), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov). The story of the film will be set during the Enterprise-B era, as also featured in Star Trek: Generations.

In addition to the above actors, the film will feature Garrett Wang (Harry Kim) and other stars from various Star Trek series, but did promise that in addition to the above actors, the miniseries will feature some “surprise guests.”

The executive producer of Of Gods And Men isSky Douglas Conway, who also produced the recent Trek-related projects Lady Magdalene’s and Roddenberry on Patrol. Conway wrote the script for the film together with DS9 alumni Jack Trevino . Finally, some of the behind-the-scenes crew will be made up of people who used to work on the Star Trek series, such as director of photography Doug Knapp.

For more information on Of Gods And Men, head over to the project’s official web site.

To download last weeks press release go here (its a PDF)

Iniital Story Courtesy of Christian Höhne Sparborth

J.J. Abrams talks about Star Trek XI

Posted in Entertainment on July 14, 2006 by mrinternet

Good Story (but short)

read more | digg story