Monthly Archives: July 2010

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26Jul 2010

ZyXEL PLA-401 Powerline Adapters Starter Kit

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If you’ve not come across Powerline adapters before, these provide a way to get a network signal around your house using your mains circuitry, rather than wi-fi. The adapters are simply chunky plugs in which you plug in an ethernet cable – one is needed to plug into your router and the other goes into your PC, laptop, whatever.

The ZyXEL “Starter Kit” is an ideal way to get started with this technology. Inside the small box are two Powerline adapters, 2 ethernet cables, a quick start guide and CD (on which is the manual and some configuration softw2re that you may not even need).

In my case I simply plugged the adapters in and they worked. There’s also an encryption button on the side, but due to the positioning of the adapter in my 8-way surge socket I couldn’t access it (it would be nice to have the button somewhere where it can’t be obscured, such as the front or bottom) – when pressed on all adapters, this will encrypt the data sent.

As mentioned before, data is sent via your mains supply, so bad wiring or the use of (ahem) adapters and extensions can affect them.

As a “real world” test, one went into the surge protector by my PC, and the other into an extension cable in the next room and connected to my Netbook. I then copied a folder across my LAN – it was around 98MB in size, consisting of 21 files (the equivalent of a music album, which I think is a fair test of the kind of use it will be put to). The ZyXEL performed the copy in 50 seconds. However, my wireless connection did it 4 seconds quicker.

Moving my Netbook upstairs, I tried the same copy again. The wireless, although now a weaker signal, did it in the same time, but the Powerline took a whole minute. All of this is probably down to the wiring in my house.

But just bear in mind that if your main use for any home network is internet connection, rather than sharing files across PCs, then these speeds will not affect your browsing pleasure (the slowest wi-fi is far quicker than internet connections).  Even if you do share files, would you really spot the difference in these speeds? And, certainly, if you have problems with wi-fi, or simply don’t want to use it, then this solution is ideal.

What I was most impressed by, though, was just how easy they were to use. I didn’t have to consult the manual on the CD at all.

The cheapest price, as time of the review, appeared to be a smidge over £52 from Amazon.co.uk.

Summary of ZyXEL PLA-401 Powerline Adapters

Incredibly easy to set up and providing wireless speeds, these are ideal for those struggling with wireless or who simply don’t want to use it.
Star Star Star Star Star


Reviewed by David Artiss on 26th July 2010.

25Jul 2010

One… just one

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Thrips. Harvest bugs. Thunder bugs. Whatever you want to call them, they’re small insects that come out during the warm weather, and mainly around fields. I’ve read in the past that because of their small size they’re prone to getting between the layers of LCD monitors and dying – and they’re not easily removable either (it involves taking your monitor very much apart).

Thankfully, I no longer live anywhere remotely rural so their blight no longer gives me problems. Indeed, I haven’t seen one for years.

Until today.

Crawling between the layers of my monitor.

Just that one, no more, and in my damn monitor. What are the chances?

23Jul 2010

Querying Microsoft licenses

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With the recent demise of my Mesh PC and the arrival of a brand-spanking-new Dell, I assumed my nice boxed edition of Office 2007 could be transferred across. I was wrong.

First of all, I thought I’d check whether I could, so I’d contact Microsoft – their EULA didn’t appear specific enough. Their contact page shows an 0844 number for contacting them (0844 800 2400). However, this appears, through a near-endless selection of options, seems to direct you to websites or to pay them to answer a technical query.

The option for activating licenses simple gives you a freephone number (0800 0188354), but this is an automated system for activation.

In the end, I emailed them using the address on the aforementioned contact page. They got back to me and, after much discussion on how I got the software and what the packaging looked like, I was told it was specific to that PC. You see,  when I bought the Mesh I plumped for the option for them to install it and send me the licence key. This would be easier than buying it separately, although it was about the same price.

I then sent off, for a small additional cost, to receive the DVD with the software on. So I now have a very official looking Microsoft DVD box, containing DVD and key. But Microsoft won’t transfer the licence.

So much for saving money.

Thankfully, my daughter has been saving for a laptop and wanted Microsoft Office – a retail 3 user licence is only £5 more than a 1 user licence. So I now have it on my home PC and on my Netbook (and my daughter will have it on her new laptop when she gets it). And, because it’s the retail edition I can transfer the licence keys.

But, I still have a perfectly good copy of Office 2007 which I can’t use or even sell. And Microsoft wonder why people don’t seem to like them? Grrrr.

20Jul 2010

eBuyer Hard Drive Docking Station

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After a recent catastrophic failure of my home PC (more of that in a future post) I ordered an eBuyer “value” hard drive docking station so that I could copy the files from my old hard drive to my new PC.

At just £14.99 it really is reasonably priced.

The box (which is very neatly made with a large black box inside the main one containing the cables) contains the dock itself, a USB cable, power connector and driver disk (for older versions of Windows).

Simple connect to the power and a USB port on your computer and drop your SATA hard drive (2.5″ or 3.5″) into the top and you have instant access. There’s two blue lights on the front – one for power and one to show drive access (it would be better if they were different colours to each other, though!), a large power button and, on the top, a lever to eject any disks.

I wouldn’t suggest this is the best way to set up an external hard drive for constant use as the drive is exposed – this is more for quick and occasional access of a drive.

I had problems accessing one of the folders on the drive with my new PC, but this turned out to be because of User Account Control in Windows 7 – this was switched off and I had immediate access again.

Anyway, it works and it’s well priced.

For a few pounds more they do an eSata version (although not the same brand and it’s unrated, so it’s a bit more of an “unknown quantity”) which would give you extra speed.

19Jul 2010

Venom Wii Controller & Nunchuk

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Up until now I’ve always bought the “official” Nintendo accessories for my Wii, expecting the quality of anything else to not be worth the reduction in price.

However, I’ve been after a third controller and Nunchuk for a while and an offer at Zavvi last week had a Venom branded set for just £181. Compare this to the £30+ for an official version. So I bought them.

And, I have to say, they’re not too bad. As you can see from the image to the right (click for a larger version), they look a little different with the black trim (other colours are available!) and have a different design of lights and speaker grill. They come with a strap for the remote, but nothing else.

Pros I’ve noted…

  • There is a rubber grip on the bottom of the Nunchuk.
  • The sound from the speaker on the remote is a LOT louder than on the standard controller (you might consider this a “con”!).
  • The sync button, residing in the battery compartment as per the official controllers, also has an extension built onto the battery cover, so that it can be used without having to actually open the cover.
  • From comments I’ve read from other owners, it appears that they’re compatible with existing accessories, including recharging docks and their replacement battery/compartments.

Cons…

  • The minus, plus and home buttons are a lot stiffer than on the official controller – not too bad, and as they’re not used for “main” game buttons it’s not too much of an issue.
  • The analogue stick on the Nunchuk is a little stiffer than “normal” and has a slightly rough feel to it as it’s moved about. Again, not too much of an issue.
  • The “B” button (the trigger on the underside of the controller) is not very responsive – this COULD be an issue and I’m hoping that after some use it will loosen up.

So, some nice improvements over the official stick but the stiffer controls highlight the quality differences. However, this is going to be a little-used third controller so it’s well worth the money. For your main controllers, I’d still stick to the official versions.

  1. this offer has now ended, but you can get them for £21.49 from Amazon [↩]

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