Top products from r/AskTechnology

Cool! Hope you survived the flooding.

That is a cable modem so: Motorola 6121 or 6141 to replace the modem part

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ref=zg_bs_284715_2

Ubee makes this, but I have never heard of them before. Recommend: Motorola. The quality goes in before the name goes on. Or was that Quasar?

Regardless: you need a router/wireless router too, and have about 70 bucks left.

IF you can afford an Apple Airport Extreme, and don't have game consoles, please get that. It's a great router and just works, and if the Ubee combo unit was good enough for you, the AAE will be great.

Failing that:

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Dual-Band-Wireless-N-Router-RT-N56U/dp/B0049YQVHE/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1370541191&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+rt-n56u

Asus RT56U is in your price range and works great.

If that does not work for you, check back....

>My questions are: is there a special kind of ethernet cable used for VoIP.

Nope - any CAT5e or CAT6 cable will do.

>is there an adapter that I could use to connect multiple ethernet cables?

Possibly. But the easiest (and most reliable) thing would be to install a switch somewhere along the line. A 5-port switch can be had from Office Depot for as little as $10... although I would prefer this TP-LINK gigabit switch from Amazon for $21.22. [NOTE: all switches should support speeds of 10Mbps and 100Mbps, also called "10/100". This should be fast enough for most people, and the $10 10/100 switch should work fine. However, a switch that supports the newer, faster 1000Mbps (gigabit) standard only costs a few dollars more, and offers 10x the speed. Essentially, if money's tight, get a 10/100. If you want something that's more futureproof, spend the extra $10 for a 10/100/1000 model.] Also, if your home internet is faster than 100Mbps, you'd obviously want to skip the 10/100 models and go straight for a 10/100/1000 switch.

Setting it up is super-easy: plug an Ethernet cable into your router and run it to wherever you want to put the switch (it will only need a power outlet). Plug the power adapter into the switch, then plug the cable (from the router) into any of the ports. Then, plug in a new cable into any of the remaining ports, and run it to your GF's PC. Done!

EDIT: If Wi-Fi isn't an option, another would be a powerline adapter, which uses your home's electrical system and only requires electrical outlets on both ends, and Ethernet cables from the router to adapter #1 and from adapter #2 to the PC.

Another option would be to take an old (or a cheap new) wi-fi router that supports client mode and use that. Basically, the old router acts as a "reverse wi-fi hotspot", in that takes your home's existing Wi-Fi signal and makes it available via its ports to Ethernet devices.

EDIT:
You might also consider an HDMI switch. which will allow you to just click a button and switch between PC input and PS3 input. Most of these (Unless expensive) don't include any alternative audio option, just HDMI <-> HDMI

.....

EDIT 2:
If you JUST want to record the video on your PC, and don't want to display it live, any capture card will do, whether internal or external, and is just about the only way to go - very, very few video cards have bidirectional HDMI ports, so you likely only have output on your PC

.....

The linked item (The Easycap) is along the right lines, but not quite there. The PS3 will not allow dual video output in this manner. it only supports one output, and you can only switch between the two, not have both.

The better way is to stick with HDMI, but install a video capture card with HDMI passthrough in your computer. Plug PS3 HDMI into the capture card, and plug the cards output to your monitor. I know they can be expensive, but it's the proper way in this case. The one I linked is relatively nice, there are probably cheaper options with passthrough capability - I just don't feel like searching through results for the best bang/buck ratio.

This should also allow you to use the capture card's audio output (3.5mm on this card) to connect to your speakers for sound that's pulled from the HDMI - meaning you can forgo the component cable entirely.

Without passthrough it'd still be possible, but you'd basically have to stream the video to yourself- meaning there's likely to be some video lag compared to passthrough or direct connection. The one you linked would require this kind of setup, which is not ideal.

The motorola surfboard modem is fairly popular, I have one but it is a more expensive model than this.
Also, the asus RT-N66U router is fantastic and works like a dream for me.

I am sure with a little digging you can find them within your price range.

I've been using this ($15) from Kensington since June 2012, pretty nice mouse. Comfortable, fairly large. Adjustable DPI (up to 2400) and two extra side buttons. Only buy it if you're right-handed.

There's also this ($12) cheap one from Cobra. Similar deal up to 2400 DPI. Haven't tried it.

If you want something nicer and similarly minimal, there's the G400 ($74) from Logitech. Goes up to 3600 DPI.

All of them have two side buttons and a middle button to scroll through four different DPI settings. Nice and sensitive. I know the Kensington and Logitech should be pretty comfortable unless you have tiny hands.

You can get a mouse similar to the G400, but toned down, only 1000 DPI, but a lot cheaper, here.

I think you may also want to look up the G500.

get a usb to ide/sata cable like this http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-CB-ISATAU2-Supports-2-5-Inch-5-25-Inch/dp/B000J01I1G/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382998317&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+ide+sata+adapter
and then run file recovery on the hard drive with a file recovery program
Free version for windows: http://www.piriform.com/recuva
Good luck!

I'd recommend doing all of this by streaming over Twitch. That way she'll be able to watch your stream from any of her devices as they all have the Twitch app (and alternatives like Pocket Plays). This will make things much easier for what you want to accomplish.

The software you'd use to stream all of this from an external capture card would be OBS, Open Source Broadcaster (free).

And finally, you have a variety of choices as to which hardware you could use to do this all with. Here are a few choices to take a look at and depending on your price range:

• AVerMedia Live Gamer Extreme $139.99 (supports 1080p@60fps, USB 3.0 compatible)
  
• Elgato Game Capture HD60 S $149.95 (supports 1080p@60fps, USB 3.0 compatible)
  
• AVerMedia Game Capture HD2 $168.64 (only 1080p@30fps)
  
• AVerMedia AVerCapture HD $99 (if lower budget, only 1080p@30fps)
  
• Elgato Game Capture HD $125.89 (only 1080p@30fps)
  
  If I had to go with an external capture card, I'd either go with the AVerMedia Live Gamer Extreme or Elgato Game Capture HD60 S. So read up on these and see what the pros and cons of each are.
  
  Now as far as latency between you and her, that will all depend on your upstream bandwidth for your internet connection as well as what video resolution and fps you'd be streaming at. But in normal/good scenarios, this will be 10-20 seconds.

Yeah, if you want to spend ome money

You can also get wireless repeaters, etc. Personally, what I would do is grab an old laptop and have it connect to wifi and share that over ethernet. I do the reverse quite often, connect to ethernet and then broadcasting wifi. For me it would be a simple matter of switching ens5 with wls4 in my program. Done.

There is really a lot of choices. You can even share internet over powerlines. Just plug in 2, and good to go. :)

I've had bad experiences with extenders myself, you're better off putting that money towards a better router in my opinion.

Consider this router possibly: https://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY

I bought that router when it was new tech for around $200, and it was a great router. If it doesn't work you can return it fairly easy too.

You might be looking for this.
http://www.amazon.com/SF-Cable-Female-Stereo-Splitter/dp/B0016LDZ36/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_13
Your headphone goes into the female end, and you've got one mail for the piano and another for your computer. Of course you'll probably need some extensions to reach each of the devices, but you can figure that out. Good luck!

Yes! Purchasing a powerline adapter will give you the flexibility to place your computer just about anywhere because it transmits signal via your wall outlets. you need to make sure that the adapter is plugged directly into a wall because power strips will filter the signal. also side note that these adapters usually sacrifice speed for low latency. hope this helps!

I can't find, nor begin to imagine what your adaptor would look like (I do understand you though).

The best help I can give you is try a USB-3.5mm and then a mic+audio to 3.5mm. (eg. here and here)

It will be a klunky dongle mess but hey still better than the new MacBook's experience

Get an RCA to HDMI converter box, such as this.. Do not get anything that is just some cords, it MUST be active conversion. Modern TVs may well be lacking RCA depending on the model.

Also, as the other dude said, buttons are often hidden on the side or back (Just a little bit in from the edge), to provide a clean, sleek look. I don't think I've seen a TV without any buttons. As you say, it would be a silly choice, and keeping the buttons is extremely cheap. They just moved em.

You can get a converter powered from the HDMI, and you're probably going to have better luck if you search for HDMI to VGA instead of HDMI to D-sub. Here's one such adapter on amazon.

Are they passive speakers or powered speakers? Here's a non-mobile link of the one KillaCamBeck posted, which is a good bet for what you want to do as long as your speakers have a 1/8" connector and are powered:

http://www.amazon.com/HomeSpot-NFC-enabled-Bluetooth-Receiver-System/dp/B009OBCAW2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374875227&sr=8-1&keywords=HomeSpot+NFC-enabled+Bluetooth+Audio+Receiver+for+Sound+System

If that isn't the case, you'll need to think of other options perhaps. Bluetooth will stream fine from any tablet or smartphone, the iOS family of devices included.

I'd recommend the Logitech M500, it's a great mouse, very comfortable, good performance too, has the thumb buttons and an a great mouse wheel (with the "flywheel" toggle).

It's cheaper too, by being about $30 MSRP.

It doesn't have coloured LEDs on it, however. Personally, I think that's an advantage, but maybe you think it's a disadvantage. That's personal taste.

logitech.com page
Amazon, $23
Newegg, $22,50

Basically.

Let's assume you have a 1 year old computer laying around. It will have a SATA drive, which is a connection standard the drive uses to transfer data to and from the PC. Assuming the computer only has one hard drive, this will be the OS disk. As such, you can't disconnect it - you'll need it to run the OS while you grab your data at the end.

So look at the XP hard drive from the XP machine, and compare them to this picture. Not all modern computer have IDE connections any more, so if your hard drive has an IDE connector, you may need an adapter, like this one on Amazon. Connect the IDE and a female Molex connector and start the computer up. If ithe XP drive is SATA, just find an open SATA port on the motherboard and a free female SATA power connector and start up the computer. (Again, if you cannot find a free SATA port, that adapter I linked should have one.)

Either way, eventually you should reach your modern Windows install, and the OS should register the old HDD as a generic hard disk. From there, you may recover any data you like, or just leave the drive connected (I wouldn't recommend it without a wipe first, but that's personal preference).

looks like you may be able to connect one monitor directly to one hdmi port


and then the second monitor to a usb to hdmi adapter


https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-SuperSpeed-Adapter-Windows/dp/B00BPEV1XK


It may not work, but worth a shot and amazons return policy is good

AFAIK those signals aren't compatible, you will need a converter box and even then it's going to be choppy. You can try something like this and it may work:

https://www.amazon.com/Composite-S-Video-Converter-Screen-Version/dp/B003NUN7DG

Mileage will vary based on the monitor, resolution, etc and you will still need to convert the audio. You can buy something that can convert it to 3.5" and use it with speakers or something else, will likely need couplers or a cable that has female ends, but it would look something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Insten-3-5mm-Auxiliary-Cable-Cord/dp/B0042DIZTE

You need to buy mic/headphone splitter (not sure about this particalar model but something like this).

There's a book about that:
http://www.amazon.com/Code-Language-Computer-Hardware-Software/dp/0735611319

It has very good explanations about everything computer related.

Foscam - http://www.amazon.com/Foscam-FI8910W-Network-Camera-Two-Way/dp/B006ZP8UOW/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1412982564&sr=1-2&keywords=foscam

Android App
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alexvas.dvr.pro&hl=en

iPhone App
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/live-cams-pro-multi-ip-camera/id428145132?mt=8

Make sure to change default password for Foscam
Configure a static IP of your foscam
Use dyndns.org and configure your Foscam with the dyndns address
Open a port on your router. ex port 9321 and redirect it to the IP address of your Foscam port 80.

If you can't run an Ethernet cable, a great option for many is an Ethernet Bridge. An Ethernet Bridge has two ends, one near your router, plugged in via ethernet cable, and the other near the TV. The two boxes send the signal thru the existing power lines of your house.

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWRUICG/ but there may be a cheaper / newer / whatever option out there.

Note this won't work for all houses, but personally, I've never had an issue. If you have multiple power circuits (like multiple breaker boxes in different locations) that could be a sign this won't work.

Maybe something like this.

So I could just use something like this to get what I'm describing?

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-SuperSpeed-Adapter-Windows/dp/B00BPEV1XK

Something like this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

I have this one, It does everything you asked for. I recommend getting a 32gb card to go with it.

It's hard to make a better recommendation than Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software if you want to learn the basics of what exactly a computer is. Read the reviews if you are not convinced. :-)

I have been looking at this one. I haven't bought it yet but it has decent reviews and it isn't to costly.

Here is the desktop version of your link

https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethernet-Adapter-without-Routers/dp/B008EQ4BQG

I've found Bluetooth to 3.5 connectors before. Just pair it with you phone and plug it into an auxiliary port. Can't personally recommend a brand but this one is $10, and 4 stars. Hard to beat.

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1407172001&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+nt-r66u I recently purchased this for my home, after using one in my office for over a year. The range on it is phenomenal and it is dual band as well (can use 5ghz if your 2.4ghz is getting interrupted too often, but the one in our office has a few wifi routers around and I've never noticed a problem).

hope this helps

It depends on your setup. Do you have inputs for a microphone separate from a headphone port? A microphone port is simply an input port, so you could set it to relay "whats being said (the music)" to your headphones. However, on my macbook, for example, I only have one combined port.

Forget the squeezebox and try this:
http://www.amazon.com/SF-Cable-Female-Stereo-Splitter/dp/B0016LDZ36/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421165632&sr=1-2&keywords=audio+source+combine

pair that with two of those patch cables i provided you with and you'll have room to move the computer around.

Use your existing setup and stick a hdmi to vga adapter before the laptop. Signal loss isn't really a concern since unless you're already experiencing it.

This one even included audio: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B008O7RH5C/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?qid=1410978555&sr=8-8&pi=SL75

I think the issue might be cctv/wifi. On wifi it wont be a closed circuit as far as i know. I was recently looking at this camera myself and it would be closest to what you're looking for. You can always get a large plastic dome to cover it for added protection if the weather is that harsh.

I have currently a GTX 650 EVGA SC w/ 1gb currently, not sure if I'll upgrade my GPU also soon, but that should be good enough? I preferably want it on my monitor. My monitor only has 1 VGA input and no built in speakers. My current speakers have the 3.5mm cable + USB which I should be able to plug the 3.5mm into the converter box and the USB into the PS2 if I'm not mistaken? If I use that first converter box you linked, https://www.amazon.com/Composite-S-Video-Converter-Screen-Version/dp/B003NUN7DG , you say the performance will be choppy. Choppy as in input lag or bad fps? Also, my monitor is 1366x768. Would it still work or not because that's not one of the listed supported resolutions there?