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#265314 - 16/09/2005 17:57 Question thread
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
I've had a bunch of questions lately. Most of them seem like pretty simple questions, and most I'm able to find out on my own through various forms of research. However, I've been keeping a running list of questions that I haven't been able to answer. Instead of creating a bunch of threads, I thought I'd post one post with the contents of my "Things to ask the empeg board" list. So, here they are:

1- Phonograph amplifiers
As new receivers start dropping phono inputs, is there something I can plug my turntable into and then plug that into something like a standard audio input.

2- Firefox upgrades - why full install?
Why is it that when there's an update to Firefox, it's a completely new installation?

3- what controls thumbnails in Windows
There is a particular person who works near me who wants to see all his images as thumbnails. The problem is that in thumbnail view, some images show thumbnails and some don't. It doesn't appear to be confined to certain file types, either. what decides whether a thumbnail appears?

4- importing cell phones
There's a Korean cell phone that I'm thinking about importing over here, since it meets the things I'm looking for in a phone. Does anyone know how well a phone like this would work on Verizon's network?

5- where is Count Chocula?
Count Chocula is a widely used cereal mascot, particularly in cartoon shows (The Simpsons sugar episode springs to mind). Why is it that it's impossible to find in the DC Metro area? It seems like General Mills got rid of it to foist upon us the horrible Chocolate Lucky Charms.

6- has anyone noticed the personal Google?
I always use the search bar in Firefox, so I only recently noticed that on the main Google page, the upper right-hand corner has a link to a Google portal. If I used GMail more, and didn't need quite as many links for my homepage, I suspect I'd use this pretty religiously, as it appears you can add RSS feeds as well as a number of other things.

7- SATA controller opinions?
I just bought two 300GB SATA hard disks. My mobo has two SATA ports, one of which is filled. So I decided to look for controller cards. Would I be crazy for looking at this one?

So there you have it. A list of questions. If this was a really stupid idea, I appologize. I thought it would be better than flooding. Thanks for any and all responses.
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Matt

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#265315 - 16/09/2005 18:15 Re: Question thread [Re: Dignan]
robricc
carpal tunnel

Registered: 30/10/2000
Posts: 4931
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Quote:
1- Phonograph amplifiers
As new receivers start dropping phono inputs, is there something I can plug my turntable into and then plug that into something like a standard audio input.

Yes
_________________________
-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736

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#265316 - 16/09/2005 18:33 Re: Question thread [Re: Dignan]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31597
Loc: Seattle, WA
Quote:
2- Firefox upgrades - why full install?
Why is it that when there's an update to Firefox, it's a completely new installation?

Easier distribution. If it were segmented, it'd be a PITA to maintain by the people doing the installer. You'd need a lot of back-end support for that. Much easier to just have one absolute-certain-it-works distribution.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#265317 - 16/09/2005 19:06 Re: Question thread [Re: Dignan]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
Quote:
3- what controls thumbnails in Windows

Good question. I'd look for some setting to make sure windows generates thumbnails. Some photo editing programs embed the thumbnails in the files, so they show up without windows having to generate them. This might be why some have thumbnails and some don't. Try switching to filmstrip view and back?

Quote:
4- importing cell phones

Hmmm. They claim to have both a CDMA and a GSM version. Verizon is CDMA, so in theory it might work. I've heard the occasional tale of getting a non verizon phone activated on verizon, but not too many. You'll have much better luck with the GSM version. Unfortunatly, it looks like their GSM phone is going to come in two dual band varieties, so if you were going to switch to cingular, you'll still be pretty much out of luck unless cingular picks it up. You could order the Eruopean GSM phone and use it with tmobile, but if having your phone work indoors is important to you, that's not a great idea. It's a nice looking phone, I hope it has Edge.

Matthew

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#265318 - 16/09/2005 19:31 Re: Question thread [Re: Dignan]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
5) Count Chocula is allegedly still for sale. The Food Network just did a spot on their show "Unwrapped" about Boo Berry. From what I understand, it is a limited production run around Halloween. Watch your stores over the next few weeks! Current box image from the General Mills site. How hungry are you?
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#265319 - 16/09/2005 19:34 Re: Question thread [Re: pgrzelak]
Robotic
pooh-bah

Registered: 06/04/2005
Posts: 2026
Loc: Seattle transplant
"Boo Berry"?
What happened to Frankenberry?

/out of the cereal loop
//thinking outside the box
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10101311 (20GB- backup empeg)
10101466 (2x60GB, Eutronix/GreenLights Blue) (Stolen!)

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#265320 - 16/09/2005 19:38 Re: Question thread [Re: Robotic]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
Quote:
"Boo Berry"?
What happened to Frankenberry?

/out of the cereal loop
//thinking outside the box

Originally it was the three (I believe just three): Count Chocula, Boo Berry, and Frankenberry. The latter two I haven't seen on store shelves out of the Halloween season for at least a decade, but the Count was usually on sale year-round.

Thanks for the responses, folks, I appreciate them!
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Matt

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#265321 - 16/09/2005 19:38 Re: Question thread [Re: pgrzelak]
eliceo
enthusiast

Registered: 18/02/2002
Posts: 335
I bought a 3 pack with chocula, boo berry, and the other guy at sams club about a year ago. What was the other guy again? Frankenberry?

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#265322 - 16/09/2005 19:43 Re: Question thread [Re: Dignan]
Robotic
pooh-bah

Registered: 06/04/2005
Posts: 2026
Loc: Seattle transplant
Quote:
4- importing cell phones
There's a Korean cell phone that I'm thinking about importing over here, since it meets the things I'm looking for in a phone. Does anyone know how well a phone like this would work on Verizon's network?


I like to learn cellphone tips from this group:
http://howardforums.com/
Certainly phone import has been discussed.
Edit: ah- I see you post there already.
btw- that phone is sweet!
Edit again:
This article says:
Quote:
... it is scheduled to be introduced to the markets in China, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Americas with the price set at an affordable $100 range.

So, waiting is an option.


Edited by Robotic (16/09/2005 19:53)
_________________________
10101311 (20GB- backup empeg)
10101466 (2x60GB, Eutronix/GreenLights Blue) (Stolen!)

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#265323 - 16/09/2005 19:44 Re: Question thread [Re: eliceo]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Frankenberry. Originally, it was Frankenberry and Count Chocula. Boo Berry was introduced later on. From the look of it, all three brands are still manufactured, if only occasionally, by General Mills. All three brands / boxes are on their site, and the box copyrights are all 2005.
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#265324 - 16/09/2005 19:49 Re: Question thread [Re: pgrzelak]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#265325 - 16/09/2005 19:49 Re: Question thread [Re: pgrzelak]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
Apparently there was Fruit Brute and Yummy Mummy as well

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#265326 - 16/09/2005 19:50 Re: Question thread [Re: tman]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
...Wow... You're right... I had forgotten those guys...
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#265327 - 16/09/2005 19:50 Re: Question thread [Re: pgrzelak]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
It's only on Amazon.com because it's via third party seller. They don't stock it themselves.

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#265328 - 16/09/2005 19:51 Re: Question thread [Re: tman]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
True, but I still find it scary the realms Amazon is dipping into...
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#265329 - 16/09/2005 19:52 Re: Question thread [Re: Dignan]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
Quote:

7- SATA controller opinions?
I just bought two 300GB SATA hard disks. My mobo has two SATA ports, one of which is filled. So I decided to look for controller cards. Would I be crazy for looking at this one?


Find out whether it works with Linux before you buy one. Linux has drivers for:

(Intel) AHCI SATA
NVIDIA nForce SATA
Promise SATA
Pacific Digital Corporation QStor SATA
Silicon Image SATA (this covers the one you pointed to)
Silicon Integrated Systems SATA (but problems reported with some of these)
ServerWorks / Apple K2 SATA
ULi Electronics SATA
VIA Serial ATA controllers
Vitesse VSC7174 4 port DPA SATA

Cheers


Edited by mlord (16/09/2005 19:57)

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#265330 - 16/09/2005 19:52 Re: Question thread [Re: Dignan]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
Don't forget Fruit Brute and Yummy Mummy.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk

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#265331 - 16/09/2005 20:07 Re: Question thread [Re: Dignan]
JeffS
carpal tunnel

Registered: 14/01/2002
Posts: 2858
Loc: Atlanta, GA
Quote:
6- has anyone noticed the personal Google?
Yeah, a guy at work uses this. I don't really care for that type of thing, but the technology they're using (allowing you to drag stuff around without reloading the page) is very cool.
_________________________
-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.

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#265332 - 16/09/2005 21:26 Re: Question thread [Re: pgrzelak]
larry818
old hand

Registered: 01/10/2002
Posts: 1039
Loc: Fullerton, Calif.
Quote:
True, but I still find it scary the realms Amazon is dipping into...


They had to do something, they didn't make $ selling books.

I guy a lot of 'puter hardware from them. And diapers.

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#265333 - 17/09/2005 05:42 Re: Question thread [Re: pgrzelak]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
Quote:
This is scary - Amazon.com sells Count Chocula...

That's amazing. For most of the year, when I have a craving I can just get on Amazon. And the price is around what I would pay for it in these parts.

Thanks for all the answers, folks. I think I have responses for pretty much everything, but I'm still not certain about the thumbnail issue.

Mark, why do I need to be sure it works with Linux? I'm pretty much looking for a really cheapo one because I'm not doing all that much with the drives except for data storage.
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Matt

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#265334 - 17/09/2005 06:04 Re: Question thread [Re: tfabris]
drakino
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
Quote:
Quote:
2- Firefox upgrades - why full install?

Easier distribution. If it were segmented, it'd be a PITA to maintain by the people doing the installer.


Well, they just never got around to it until Firefox 1.5. Having the full installer as an "upgrade" was very unfriendly to the many people still on dialup.

Generally maintaining a patch upgrade system is pretty easy these days with the developer tools out there.

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#265335 - 05/10/2005 19:24 Re: Question thread [Re: Dignan]
Robotic
pooh-bah

Registered: 06/04/2005
Posts: 2026
Loc: Seattle transplant
Quote:
4- importing cell phones
There's a Korean cell phone that I'm thinking about importing over here, since it meets the things I'm looking for in a phone.

Update?
Decision made?
VK Mobile lists the phone on their web site, but no manual is available for downloading.
_________________________
10101311 (20GB- backup empeg)
10101466 (2x60GB, Eutronix/GreenLights Blue) (Stolen!)

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#265336 - 05/10/2005 19:33 Re: Question thread [Re: Robotic]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
I thought about it, but I think for now I'm going to ride out the rest of my Sprint contract, then decide where to go. The way things are going, I can't even imagine what the landscape for cell phones is going to look like a year from now (my contract expires a year from...three days from now).

Plus there's a slight chance that I might get a Blackberry from my company. That would be cool.

That VK phone still looks very cool, and I want to take a look at the manual when they finally list it on their site.
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Matt

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