Back to basics of DVD backup

I came across an old but reliable way to convert vob files from my DVD backup.
I just use:

cat movie.vob > moviebackup.avi

Then any other conversion needed can be done from there.

Arch linux experience

Well, it's been about 4 months, and I'm still using Arch Linux.  It has a great learning experience about what Linux users take for granted in other easier distributions of Linux. The actual install time was pretty quick, but a few days to do a fairly complete setup, thanks to the Arch Wiki, which proved to be an invaluable resource.  I also dual-boot with Linux Mint 9, and as soon as Linux Mint 10 is stable, I plan to upgrade to it.  I have used Fedora in the past and also Ubuntu, but have recently started to disagree with Ubuntu's move away from standard Gnome features.  Fedora is coming along well, but I have yet to find out how it handles restricted formats (I have it installed in a VM) as freed formats are the basis for this distro, according to the Fedora home page.

Get video on the Walkman

For the Walkman E436 and A816 the video requirement are the same.
I used these setting to get a valid MP4 file for both devices using Avidemux.
Before I convert with this tool, download video.flv from youtube.
Use ffmpeg to convert video.flv to video.mpeg:
ffmpeg -i video.flv video.mpeg

Xorg.conf saved my Intrepid install

when I installed the release candidate of Intrepid Ibex, I could not get dual screen output. Lucky for me, I kept the xorg.conf file from my previous install of Gutsy. BTW, I have an Nvidia video card.

Here it is:


Section "ServerLayout"

# Uncomment if you have a wacom tablet
# InputDevice "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
# InputDevice "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
# InputDevice "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 1024 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" LeftOf "Screen0"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "blank time" "0"
Option "standby time" "0"
Option "suspend time" "0"
Option "off time" "0"
Option "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "stylus"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "stylus"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"# Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "eraser"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "eraser"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"# Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "cursor"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "cursor"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"# Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
HorizSync 30.0 - 70.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 160.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "HP w1907"
HorizSync 24.0 - 83.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor1"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "TV-0"
HorizSync 0.0 - 0.0
VertRefresh 0.0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "nVidia Corporation NVIDIA Default Card"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "AddARGBVisuals" "True"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
Option "NoLogo" "True"
BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "G84-350"
BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard1"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "G84-350"
BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
Screen 1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "nVidia Corporation NVIDIA Default Card"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "0"
Option "metamodes" "CRT: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "nvidia-auto-select"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Videocard1"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "0"
Option "metamodes" "TV: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "nvidia-auto-select"
EndSubSection
EndSection


Automount Seagate Free Agent usb drive

First, I follow this:

http://alienghic.livejournal.com/382903.html

# the drive reports something like this
$ sudo sdparm -a /dev/sde
/dev/sde: Seagate FreeAgent Pro 400A
Power condition mode page:
IDLE 0 [cha: n, def: 0, sav: 0]
STANDBY 1 [cha: y, def: 1, sav: 1]
ICT 0 [cha: n, def: 0, sav: 0]
SCT 9000 [cha: y, def:9000, sav:9000]
# when the drive was idled I got the following error message.
$ sudo sdparm --clear STANDBY -6 /dev/sde
/dev/sde: Seagate FreeAgent Pro 400A
change_mode_page: failed setting page: Power condition
# this appears to force the drive to start
$ sudo sdparm --command=start /dev/sde
# and now this command works
$ sudo sdparm --clear STANDBY -6 /dev/sde
$ sudo sdparm -a /dev/sde
/dev/sde: Seagate FreeAgent Pro 400A
Power condition mode page:
IDLE 0 [cha: n, def: 0, sav: 0]
STANDBY 0 [cha: n, def: 1, sav: 0]
ICT 0 [cha: n, def: 0, sav: 0]
SCT 0 [cha: n, def:9000, sav: 0]

Of course, if you don't have sdparm, use:
sudo apt-get install sdparm

Then copy output of
>cat /proc/mounts
entry to /etc/fstab

my entry is:

/dev/sdc1 /media/disk vfat rw,nosuid,nodev,uid=1000,fmask=0077,dmask=0077,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,usefree,utf8 0 0

Reboot. Everything auto mounts fine now.

I want to share home videos faster with Azureus

(bit torrent client)
here is how to do it, and the link where I found it:

http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/peersharing/a/torrenthandbook_3.htm

Question: How do I start using BitTorrents?

Answer: BitTorrent “swarming” requires six major ingredients.

1. BitTorrent client software (there are dozens of choices, all free to install. See next page for software suggestions.).
   
2. A tracker server (hundreds of them exist on the Web, no cost to use).
   
3. A .torrent text file that points to the movie/song/file you want to download.
   
4. A Torrent search engine that helps you find these .torrent text files. (See next page for Torrent search links.)
   
5. A specially-configured Internet connection with port 6881 opened on the server/router to allow Torrent file trading.
   
6. A working understanding of file management on your PC/Macintosh. You will need to navigate hundreds of folders and filenames to make file sharing work for you.

I made a music server

I made a music server today on Ubuntu with GNUMP3d.
Just put a symlink to both my music folders in ~/Music and voila! both my folders were on the server.
My ip is not static, so I'm trying to find out how to email myself the IP every time it updates.

(update)

This programs works for video too.
Great for sharing our home video.