[billvill]

I'll start...

Anyone have one of these? It's a solar charger for cell phones and other similar devices. Does it work? Is there a voltage regulator? How long does it take to charge?




http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Travelling-...2144&sr=8-2

[billvill]

billvill, on 26 August 2010 - 09:26 AM, said:

I'll start...

Anyone have one of these? It's a solar charger for cell phones and other similar devices. Does it work? Is there a voltage regulator? How long does it take to charge?

<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31RCW5Nok8L._SS400_.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />


<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Travelling-Motorola-Ericsson-Blackberry/dp/B003NS3UGM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1282832144&sr=8-2" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Travelling-...2144&sr=8-2</a>

[JoePa]

Bill, Did you end up getting one of those?

I've done a little research solar stuff. The Brunton Solar Rollshave a pretty good reputation.

I want to put a small panel on my shed for a basic light and the ability to charge 12V batteries. Since I don't have power in the shed it seems like a pretty easy project.

[billvill]

JoePa, on 24 October 2010 - 08:51 AM, said:

Bill, Did you end up getting one of those?

I've done a little research solar stuff. The Brunton Solar Rollshave a pretty good reputation.

I want to put a small panel on my shed for a basic light and the ability to charge 12V batteries. Since I don't have power in the shed it seems like a pretty easy project.

Nope, I opted for a 2nd battery instead. I was in the same boat as you with the shed though. I lucked into a solution however. I have power to a pool receptacle that I used for my pool filter. Well, I finally convinced my wife that the pool was a huge waste of $ (my time, effort, chemicals and electricity), because nobody used it. I just run a short extension cord with a GFI on it to the shed. Inside I have a work light with two more plugs on it.

[FanSince74]

I am having problems burning a VHS tape to a DVD. I have done it before but now it won't work. The burner is a DVD/VHS combo. It will play DVDs and VHS, but will not burn. It looks like it is burning something, the record light goes on, but when I try to play it back all I get is a black screen. I go to the system menu and it does time something like it burns, but again the black screen.

The only difference is I have it hooked up with an HDMI cable instead of the red white yellow wires and is connected to my new TV. Is the burner shot or am I connecting something wrong?

[billvill]

FanSince74, on 21 September 2011 - 10:38 PM, said:

I am having problems burning a VHS tape to a DVD. I have done it before but now it won't work. The burner is a DVD/VHS combo. It will play DVDs and VHS, but will not burn. It looks like it is burning something, the record light goes on, but when I try to play it back all I get is a black screen. I go to the system menu and it does time something like it burns, but again the black screen.

The only difference is I have it hooked up with an HDMI cable instead of the red white yellow wires and is connected to my new TV. Is the burner shot or am I connecting something wrong?

FS, you may have to finalize the DVD to apply the proper codec to play generically.

[FanSince74]

billvill, on 22 September 2011 - 05:46 AM, said:

FS, you may have to finalize the DVD to apply the proper codec to play generically.

That I know, but that option was 'greyed out' for some reason. Besides if I burn something on that burner, it will play back on said burner even before I finalize it. On the system menu window there is a list of the times that were burned and a small screen, like a picture in picture on the left that shows you what you burnt. That screen was just black.

[billvill]

FanSince74, on 22 September 2011 - 07:57 AM, said:

That I know, but that option was 'greyed out' for some reason. Besides if I burn something on that burner, it will play back on said burner even before I finalize it. On the system menu window there is a list of the times that were burned and a small screen, like a picture in picture on the left that shows you what you burnt. That screen was just black.

Ah, odd. Might be time to call product support, or maybe list your symptoms and model # in google and see if anyone else is having similar issues.

[FanSince74]

billvill, on 22 September 2011 - 08:05 AM, said:

Ah, odd. Might be time to call product support, or maybe list your symptoms and model # in google and see if anyone else is having similar issues.

It is an old one, I think from 2008. I was just tired of making coasters.

[FanSince74]

I just chatted with Sony support and the blonde in me strikes again. I just did a direct recorder to TV connection and not a recorder/cable box/TV connection in order to burn.

I feel sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo stupid.

[billvill]

Air card charges?

Anybody have any idea how these things are billed? Thinking about getting one to circumvent the gestapo tactics that conference managers use for internet access. They want to charge me $1100 for 11 hours of use for broadband access at a trade show.

[ferris274]

billvill, on 09 October 2011 - 06:40 AM, said:

Air card charges?

Anybody have any idea how these things are billed? Thinking about getting one to circumvent the gestapo tactics that conference managers use for internet access. They want to charge me $1100 for 11 hours of use for broadband access at a trade show.

I had one a couple of years ago for work through Verizon. It was basically the same as a cell phone with a data only plan, including the 2 year contract.

[billvill]

ferris274, on 09 October 2011 - 08:54 AM, said:

I had one a couple of years ago for work through Verizon. It was basically the same as a cell phone with a data only plan, including the 2 year contract.

Are there tier charges for data use?

[ferris274]

billvill, on 09 October 2011 - 09:07 AM, said:

Are there tier charges for data use?

Here's Verizon's structure: http://www.verizonwi...mobileBroadband

I was in when you could use the 2GB plan with the air card. I didn't use it often and it was mostly for remote email, but I never really came close to going over.

[billvill]

ferris274, on 09 October 2011 - 10:02 AM, said:

Here's Verizon's structure: http://www.verizonwi...mobileBroadband

I was in when you could use the 2GB plan with the air card. I didn't use it often and it was mostly for remote email, but I never really came close to going over.

Thanks

[billvill]

Boosting the gain on a cell phone antenna?? External antenna/booster cradle?

Continuing the idea from above, I decided to bite the bullet and buy the tethering package from Verizon ($20/mo up to 2 GB). My issue is if I'll actually be able to run our web app while tethering while inside a convention center, which prompts me to ask, does anyone know of a relatively cost effective way to boost the signal strength of a cell phone?

[coach bob]

I'll find out from my buddy Pete. He moved his office to his father's basement and the cell reception is crappy there. There is a base system that amplifies your signal strength, both incoming and outgoing. I'll ask him about it and send you the info.

[billvill]

coach bob, on 05 November 2011 - 07:46 AM, said:

I'll find out from my buddy Pete. He moved his office to his father's basement and the cell reception is crappy there. There is a base system that amplifies your signal strength, both incoming and outgoing. I'll ask him about it and send you the info.

It's gotta be 3G as I will not have access to wifi or a hard ethernet connection (what the criminals want to charge me $1100 for). Something to physically connect to the phone, and to complicate matters more, The Motorola Droid does not have an external antenna port.

[billvill]

Side note: I did find out how to optimize your connection based on your current location from Verizon.

Dial *228, choose option 2. This will search out the best cell towers in your current area and optimize your phone using local towers. Useful when you travel, or just good to do periodically at home to pick up new towers.

[coach bob]

billvill, on 05 November 2011 - 08:03 AM, said:

Side note: I did find out how to optimize your connection based on your current location from Verizon.

Dial *228, choose option 2. This will search out the best cell towers in your current area and optimize your phone using local towers. Useful when you travel, or just good to do periodically at home to pick up new towers.

Interesting