Q: I used to make tape recordings of BBC radio shows for the car. Now that we have a CD player in the car, is there a simple way of doing the same thing for CDs?
CH, Surrey
A: Yes, but you'll need to capture these shows as audio files on a computer first then transfer them onto CDs. As every BBC radio station is played online while it is being broadcast, you can install software on your computer that will record the shows.
Easy Hi-Q Recorder (£18 from roemersoftware.com) has good scheduling options and can save audio files in the flexible MP3 format. Or, if you own a Mac, buy Audio Hijack Pro (£19 from rogueamoeba.com).
Q: I have just bought a wireless router, only to find that to set it up I must initially use a cable connection. This defeats the purpose of wireless technology - and my PC is 50 yards from my telephone socket. Can you help?
Advertisement
RM, Sevenoaks
A: Almost all broadband routers require you to go through the setup process while they are connected to a computer via a cable. This is because routers don't come from the factory with default wireless settings enabled.
There are three reasons: security (many people wouldn't change the settings); ease of use (others might throw away the wi-fi settings with the packaging and be unable to connect); and safety (if anything goes wrong during setup, you can easily restore it to factory settings).
So you will initially need to connect the router to your computer via an ethernet cable to set up your network. If you then enable the router's wi-fi feature, you will be able to access it wirelessly. I'm afraid that you'll have to drag your PC over to the router, use a friend's laptop or buy a long cable for the initial setup, though.
Q: When I switch on my PC, a pop-up message says: "Windows has blocked some start-up programs." If I ignore this message it disappears, but it's annoying. What should I do?
Advertisement
JP, via email
A: Windows Vista comes with a security feature that stops certain programs from starting up when you boot your machine, because it deems them to be security risks. Go to the task bar in the bottom-right corner of your screen and click on the white square. Right click on programs you want to run normally. Alternatively you can disable them, to eliminate the pop-ups (see tinyurl.com/2f5p3m for how to do this).
Best of all is to turn off the nagging user account control software in Vista that is generating the message. The option to do so is in the user accounts settings, found in the control panel.
Email your tech queries to dontpanic@sunday-times.co.uk
Advertisement
Tech tip: how best to make a video blog
Video blogging (vlogging) is sharing your talking-head film clips with the world. For the best visual impact, make sure your room is brightly lit by halogen bulbs or natural light. For the background, walls should be in light shades, and sofas should be in bright, strong colours. Use a powered mic on a directional stand or with a crocodile clip to attach to your top.
When posting vlogs to, say, YouTube, name them with sensible, correctly spelt titles. Try to post at regular intervals. Vary your clothes and hairstyle but always frame yourself in the same way in order to generate a recognisable, consistent set of thumbnail images. Good luck.