OT: I need a Podcast Tech :-)))

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 4:48 pm

HA! My mom doesn't work on appreciation. Cold hard cash, MAYBE. Mostly she's just too busy, like me.

I tested the podcast and Ira Glasses velvet tones are in my ear. YAY!!! So, at least I have a workaround.

I suppose if worse comes to worse I can higher BB's GeekSquad to install this USB port for me... oh joy...

LOL,
B.

momadams · Post by **momadams** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:35 pm

Babs-
If it's anything like my Sansa Express, it may suddenly start working at home also.
I was having all sorts of frustrations at first. Sonadams1 said, let's just try hooking it up one more time before you return it. And behold, it worked.
Damned little things have a mind of their own (the Sansa AND the kids)
Shari

fatfeminist · Post by **fatfeminist** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 6:31 pm

babette, mine is a sansa too...it isnt the clip kind though...

well at least you have a work around, as for the wonky USB port, i have no idea....

i usually keep a stash of nerds around for this exact reason, but right now i cant think of anyone to call on the nerd line to give advice.

sonadams1 · Post by **sonadams1** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 10:03 pm

momadams wrote:Babs-
If it's anything like my Sansa Express, it may suddenly start working at home also.
I was having all sorts of frustrations at first. Sonadams1 said, let's just try hooking it up one more time before you return it. And behold, it worked.
Damned little things have a mind of their own (the Sansa AND the kids)
Shari

Actually, that let's just try 1 more time was fixerspeak for "I know you tried stuff, but I need to try it so I can see exactly what's happening, and poke things, so stop telling me you already tried that and go have a cup of tea while I poke it." Of course, one cannot usually straight out say that when trying to troubleshoot, as the other person is generally frustrated with things not working (I've been there myself, never a good problemsolving frame of mind).

Here's what happens when my mother connects hers:

Going to My Computer reveals an extra drive to drag the music into. Nothing opens automatically, the icon in the taskbar only appears when it's transferring info, and I was completely lost at first (I use an iPod personally, so I'm used to working through iTunes, and thus was running blind).

We had a problem with her player being blank, what had happened was she tried to update the firmware. The firmware updater got to 50% downloaded, and stopped. So she closed the window. My best guess is that stopped it mid update. What I then tried was reupdating the firmware. The download got to 50%, then stopped. There was a window in the upper right besides the download window with a message in it (I don't remember the message). I closed that one first, and a new window popped up saying something like "to complete the update click "finish", so I did. Download still at 50%, but it finished fine. After that my mother was able to drag and drop podcasts or music files onto the new drive in "My Computer" just fine.

In addition, with the Sansa Express one can sync it with playlists set up in Windows Media Player. Unfortunately, I feel thoroughly unprepared to do a blind walkthrough on that, as I only poked it once, since my mother just downloads a couple of BBC things for her walk, and has no need for music playlists.

12*2+1 year old guess at possible problem:

Not having any idea what the problem is other than "it works on one computer but not the other", my best guess is that your work computer is set up to automatically open the contents of a new drive when connected (hence the window popping up), while your home computer is not. Try going into "My Computer" and see if the drive shows up there when connected. The instructions for the Express at least imply an icon should be in the taskbar (where the clock is), but for that I have found the icon is only there when information is actually being transferred (leading to a bit of "there it is" "there's nothing there").

jskinner · Post by **jskinner** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 10:26 pm

Babette wrote: Now, how the heck do I get the podcast from the website to the player?

what player and what software are you using with your player?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:25 am

SonAdams1, well, I can tell you - I'm a big user of Windows Explorer (as in it's open 24/7 on all my computers), so I'm 8 steps ahead of you THERE. I had it open and fiddled with plugging a variety of things into the USB port to prove that A) the port does work and does recognize other objects, and B) it does NOT recognize the Sansa.

I've been reading online about people having similar problems, so I'm going to upgrade the ports to high speed 2.0. Living in the Tech Forest, there are, of course, no places locally to buy a reasonably priced port.... Best Buy is closest, at $34:

bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6307445&st=usb+pci+card&lp=2&type=product&cp=1&id=1074787928138

I could probably drive up to Frye's, an hour away, and get something similar for $20, but honestly, I don't feel like it. And I don't want to just buy online, since Mom actually bent to my whining and said she'd help me on Saturday.

I did find out yesterday that Rhapsody is a big rip off. I can only download music directly into my player from there - I can't seem to save files to my hard drive. So my flash drive work around won't work.

I'm hoping once I've got music loaded onto my player I can drag it back off to my hard drive, but we shall see.

BTW, it really frosts me that Circuit City has NOTHING in the stores... And, my local (read, blocks from my house) store that's been there for 20 years is out of business. My Mom is heartbroken about THAT. Me too.

Anyone else got an idea on a computer parts source in the South Puget Sound? Prefer Federal Way to Olympia.

Cheers,
Babs

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:26 am

jskinner wrote:
Babette wrote: Now, how the heck do I get the podcast from the website to the player?
what player and what software are you using with your player?

Fixed this particular issue - Right click on the icon.

Player is a Sansa Clip. I'm now dealing with upgrading the USB ports because they don't recognize the player.

Cheers,
Babs

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:28 am

fatfeminist wrote:i usually keep a stash of nerds around for this exact reason, but right now i cant think of anyone to call on the nerd line to give advice.

Which is why I posted an "OT" topic here. I know this place is crawling with Nifty Nerds and Darling Dorks.

GEEKS RULE! Particularly single, wealthy geeks...

LOL,
Babs

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:36 am

Babs --

I am jealous!!! I don't even know how to access my voice mail -- and don't particularly want to. I tell everyone that knows me -- don't leave a message as I don't use that feature. Of course this deals with my cell phone. I hate the technology on the cell phone as it is just too complicated and I am bull headed and refuse to learn.

At school it is a joke on my knowledge of remote controls. I hate remote controls and for years if my son had it set up for him and so I knew that when I turned it on I was going to be watching some horrid show that I wouldn't wish on my enemies.

I can remember back a year or so ago I purchased a dvd / vcr combo player for my classroom. It was installed and ready to go -- except I couldn't get the remote to function and I HAD to have the remote to do whatever it was so being the good teacher I am I called the office and had the principal come and help me out . Took awhile to live that one down.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:48 am

Well, I can't get my DVD/VCR combo at home to tape movies correctly. I've got it all set up, and it records something completely different...

Found a port card at Office Depot. Same thing as Best Buy, and OD is closer to me - just around the corner. I'm stopping there at lunch to check it out.

Cheers,
B.

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:08 am

Let me guess your computer is old enough that the USB ports are 1.1 and not 2.0. I was told at one time it did not matter just took longer to transfer. When I had to buy a new printer it would not work on the 1.1 USB ports and I had to upgrade my card at that time also. It was not much of a job to change it out. Took out the 2 little screws in back and unplugged the card. Reverse and I was back in business.

That being said, You will have to pull the computer out of its hiddy hole to work on it!

Jerry, who is just trying to help!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:24 pm

Yeah, It's already dragged out. It's really a pain. I'm going to have to disconnect it and drag it up to Mom's.

The upside is with this change, I can then plug just about everything in "hard" and then leave an extension cord coming around to the front to plug miscellaneous stuff in. And then NOT DRAG IT OUT AGAIN for awhile!

I pasted some felt on the bottom the other night, so I wouldn't scratch up the desk everytime I dragged it in and out.

Computer armoires are great. Until you need to fiddle with the back of the PCU.

I'm really kinda worried. The cards I've seen have a different configuration for the ports than my current tower ports. I'm hoping Mom sees a quick fix. I REALLY WISH there was a way we could make these come out the front, but I'm too stupid to figure it out. MOM!!!!!

LOL,
Babs

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:30 pm

Babs,

What is your mother -- a nineteen year old computer geek?

I tell my grandkids all the time I am only 22 -- until the 11 year old asked me a few years ago how come HER mom (my daughter) was older than me.

Although I wasn't so nice and told my kids at school I was 22 and one of the students believed me (I teach special ed).

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:21 pm

My Mom is an annoying pain in the butt. Both she and my Dad are certifiable geniuses. I kid you not. And they have all the attendant personalities flaws that come with at.

People think I'm socially challenged - I say meet my parents.

That said, my Mom had the first desktop computer ever. She brought it home to torture me with. I played alot of blackjack. Yes kids, this was "pre-pong". She WAS (not sure is she still is) a Beta tester for MicroSquish. She's built her own computers. I must say, though, I type faster than she does. And I'm regretting teaching her to use Ebay... I just told her about eSnipe. Look out!

LOL,
Babs

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 2:03 pm

Yep, I was right a nineteen year old computer geek in disguise!!!

Then there are those (me) that live in the dark ages as my kids say.

OT: I need a Podcast Tech :-)))

Re: OT: I need a Podcast Tech :-)))

Re: OT: I need a Podcast Tech :-)))

Humidifier

Additional Comments: Pressure 16 cm H2O at altitude 6550ft