Can I Watch TV From My Computer? Yes, You Can

Watch TV From My Computer

Have you ever thought to yourself "It sure would be nice to watch TV from my computer" Well, it's not the province of the super rich or ultra nerds anymore. In fact watching TV on your computer is becoming more main stream all the time. Some, including software giant Microsoft feel it is the wave of the future. They've actually staked part of their future on it. Their new Vista operating system has features designed specifically to enable this sort of functionality.

That's great, but where do you get the content? I mean, you just can't have thousands of channels pumped into your computer straight from the Internet, can you? Well, actually you can. There are really a few ways to get TV on your computer. You can buy a TV tuner card. This basically turns your computer into a high tech VCR or personal video recorder (PVR - think TiVO) device. That's pretty darn cool, but there are a couple of downsides to the approach. First of all, as was pointed out earlier, there is a content question. Where do you get it?

Can I Watch TV From My Computer? Yes, You Can

With the TV tuner card method, you're limited to what is available with a terrestrial antenna, or you can hook up basic cable TV service. Anything beyond basic cable won't work using this method, because the content is encrypted by your cable provider. You need their proprietary cable box to decode the really cool channels, or pay per view events. So, while this method of watching TV on your computer is pretty neat, there are definitely limitations with it.

You can use a pay per download service of watching movies on your computer, such as Cinemanow.com or Movielink.com. While they do offer a large amount of downloadable content, it's definitely not live TV. If you're looking for real live TV, you'll have to look elsewhere.

Another method is IPTV. TV content streamed straight over the internet to your computer or set top tuner box. There are two flavors of this. One is through a major service provider such as a cable, satellite or phone company. These are definitely capable of delivering a large amount of high quality content, but just because it's streamed over the Internet doesn't mean you'll just be pluggn' in the net straight to your PC and watching reruns of Sienfeld. You are basically duplicating the cable set top box approach, except the method of content delivery is using IP packets instead of analog or other types of digital cable.

There's still another choice. You can watch streaming live TV directly on your computer or to a TV hooked up to your computer. Using one of several software based solutions, you can watch live TV shows such as sports, prime time network programming, reality TV, and moves. It's live, and even better there are thousands of channels available from all over the world. If you are looking to keep up on world events, or want a different perspective on the news, this is a fantastic resource.

The software streaming solutions really excel for sports, though. You'll find sporting events that are sparsely covered in the U.S., such as soccer, motorcycle and bicycle racing. Another bonus is that you can get coverage of the same event form different networks. Want to see if the local announcers are a bit biased? You can do it. No matter the sport, if it's on TV anywhere in the world, you'll be able to watch it.

So, there are great ways to watch live TV on your computer. You just need to decide how you are going to do it, and grab a cold one!

Can I Watch TV From My Computer? Yes, You Can
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Don't just stare at your screen. You could join the thousands that are enjoying watching live TV on their computer. Never miss another game again. Discover what you've been missing at the Live TV on Your Computer guide.

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How Do I Get Music From My iPod Onto My Computer? Get Songs Off Your iPod!

Many people have dedicated a large part of their lives to their iPod, movies, songs, playlists, pictures etc... And sometimes you may need to get some data off our iPod and put it on the computer, unfortunately apple hasn't provided any utilities to do this so many people are left wondering, How Do I Get Music From My iPod Onto My Computer? So for anyone who needs to transfer music or videos from iPod to computer continue reading below to learn how...

Now it is virtually impossible to transfer music or videos from your iPod to the computer by simply using iTunes, the reason being is that Apple is very strict and doesn't want to breach any copyright laws. Hence they only allow one way synchronization of iPod files and you cannot get any data off the iPod back onto the computer.

If you need to get songs, videos or pictures off your iPod and want to put them on a PC or another iPod then you are going to need some proper third party software. Software designers have realized that many people wish to backup their data or simply put some songs on their hard drive so they have come up with very easy to use programs that can easily transfer music from iPod to computer. They work just like iTunes and most of them are free to download...

How Do I Get Music From My iPod Onto My Computer? Get Songs Off Your iPod!

Personally I use a program called Cucusoft iPod to computer transfer, it is free to download and very easy to use, you will get the hang of it in a few minutes. However the point is that it allows you to transfer music or videos from your iPod onto the computer and you can go about transferring files between iPods and PC's freely.

So if you were wondering How Do I Get Music From My iPod Onto My Computer and trying to get songs off your iPod then do yourself a favor and grab the proper tools. All you need is a proper iPod to computer transfer program and you're all set.

How Do I Get Music From My iPod Onto My Computer? Get Songs Off Your iPod!
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Check out the link below to download some free software. Need to Transfer Music From iPod To Computer [http://www.videosonmyipod.com/?p=19]? One Particular program that I have used with great success is the Cucusoft iPod to Computer. Not only can you transfer files from iPod to Computer but also transfer files from the iPhone, best of all they offer a Free Download [http://www.videosonmyipod.com/?p=19]. Download IT Now to start transferring songs from iPod to computer.

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Create Computer Games - Get Started on Creating Your Own Virtual Worlds

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How Long Do I Need to Keep This? - A Guide to Receipts, Statements and Financial Clutter at Home

In most homes, paper causes clutter. And it seems to mysteriously multiply by itself. But just how long do you need to keep all those receipts, bank and credit card statements and other financial papers? Below is a handy In most homes, paper causes clutter. And it seems to mysteriously multiply by itself. But just how long do you need to keep all those receipts, bank and credit card statements and other financial papers? Below is a handy reference that you can use for dealing with your home paper trail.

Toss after One Month

ATM and bank deposit/withdrawal slips

How Long Do I Need to Keep This? - A Guide to Receipts, Statements and Financial Clutter at Home

keep in a file folder until monthly statement received
reconcile with your statement to ensure that charges and payments have been properly processed
if for major purchase with warranty, staple receipt to the owner's manual and file for the term of the warranty
if for major purchase without warranty, keep receipt if item replacement cost is higher than the deductible on your homeowner's insurance policy
if for minor purchase without warranty, shred

Cash purchase receipts

enter into your chequebook or computer software to ensure that you are accounting for all your purchases
if for major purchase with warranty, staple to the owner's manual and file for the term of the warranty
if for major purchase without warranty, keep receipt if item replacement cost is higher than the deductible on your homeowner's insurance policy
if for minor purchase without warranty, shred

Credit card receipts

keep in file until monthly statement received
reconcile with your statement to ensure charges and payments have been properly processed
if for major purchase with warranty, staple to the owner's manual and file for the term of the warranty
if for major purchase without warranty, keep receipt if item replacement cost is higher than the deductible on your homeowner's insurance policy
if for minor purchase without warranty, shred

Toss after One Calendar Year

Keep for 7-10 Years

Keep Indefinitely

Now what?

Now that you know what to keep, where are you supposed to put it all?

Set up a simple home filing system to cover the basics, and invest in a couple of sturdy cardboard or plastic filing boxes for the information you should keep log-term or indefinitely.

And a final caution - when you decide that you no longer need to keep certain documents, make sure you shred them and DO NOT put them in the general trash or recycling. Sensitive financial information or personal information should always be DESTROYED to avoid any chance of identity theft that could lead to headaches greater than you can imagine.

How Long Do I Need to Keep This? - A Guide to Receipts, Statements and Financial Clutter at Home
Check For The New Release in Health, Fitness & Dieting Category of Books NOW!
Check What Are The Top Cooking Books in Last 90 Days Best Cheap Deal!
Check For Cookbooks Best Sellers 2012 Discount OFFER!
Check for Top 100 Most Popular Books People Are Buying Daily Price Update!
Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection

Written by Jill Chongva of TheOrderlyDiva.com ©
http://www.theorderlydiva.com
Email - diva@theorderlydiva.com
Telephone (204) 333-9438

Jill Chongva is a WordPress expert, Professional Organizer,Virtual Assistant & Life Blogger who has over 25 years experience in the Administration field. Her WordPress and marketing assistance help small business owners make the most of their message by creating branding that stands out in the crowd. Learn more at http://www.theorderlydiva.com where she shares "real solutions for real life!"

© 2003-2011

References-
Real Simple's "Getting Organized" booklet
"Organizing from the Inside Out" - Julie Morgenstern

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Your VPN Doctor for Virtual Private Network Troubleshooting VPN Guide

Here are some troubleshooting guides for particular topics.

(1) Your Virtual Network Connection

(2) VPN Troubleshooting Error Messages

Your VPN Doctor for Virtual Private Network Troubleshooting VPN Guide

(3) VPN Modems Troubleshooting Guide

(4) VPN ISP Troubleshooting Guide.

(1) Your Virtual Private Network Connection

Having trouble connecting to the Internet at home try these steps before calling for help.

1. Do you have an IP address? Try ipconfig /all. If you do not have an IP address reboot your PC. If that doesn't work power cycle your Cable/DSL modem and routers and reboot your PC again after the network devices are up and stable. Be sure all of your network cables are plugged in tight.

2. After your PC reboots check that your network adapter is active and packets are flowing. Perform the ipconfig /all check again.

3. Check your connectivity by pinging several Internet sites. If that does not work, ping the loopback address 127.0.0.1. If that fails, your adapter may not be working or it is not properly configured.

To check your IP address. From command prompt enter ipconfig /all (as shown in the picture) you should see an IP Address and several DNS Server addresses. The domain name system (DNS) is the way that Internet domain names are located and translated into IP addresses and is required for browsing the Internet.

Ping 127.0.0.1 - loopback Test (as shown in the picture). The loopback test is used to check if the IP stack is responding. If it times out or you get an error the problem may occur if any one or more of the following conditions is true:

*The TCP drivers are corrupted

*The network adapter is not working

*Another service is interfering with IP

Check your network adapter, click the Start menu, Settings, Control Panel, and select Network Connections. Double click on the Local Area Connection or the Wireless Adapter whichever one you are using. Be sure its Connected. If you have multiple network cards disable the one you are not using.

There should be Packets displayed in both the Sent and Received counters. If the Received counter is 0 check that the adapter has an IP address. Select Properties.

Click the check boxes for Show icon and Notify me below. A twin PC icon will appear on the lower right portion of the taskbar in the tray area and will flash while sending and receiving packets. You can place your mouse over the icon to get the status and click on it to get more details.

Tracert displays the connection path to the target location and the number of hops. Each hop is the trip from one router to another. Tracert is a handy tool both for understanding where problems are in the network and for determining latency between hops.

Ping is used to determine whether a host exists and is active on the network and can determine the round trip time to the device. You can enter a host name or an IP address if you know it. If the request times out then the host is not reachable because it's offline or there is a problem with the connection. Try several sites, if none work then ping the loopback address 127.0.0.1 Also, if your DNS is not working or properly configured you can only ping the host with an IP address and you will not be able to browse the Internet.

If you are having intermittent problems, perform a ping -t for 5 to 6 minutes then hit CTRL C to see the results of the test to determine if you are dropping network packets (lost packets). If you are, this usually indicates an ISP problem or Cable/DSL modem problem. See VPN ISP Troubleshooting Guide

(2) VPN Troubleshooting Error Messages

Q1 Error Message: Remote Host not responding: or Unable to Resolve the IP address of the Remote Server

Cause: This indicates that the Contivity VPN Switch never responded to the connection attempt. The problem could either be with the Contivity switch itself, (switch may be down) or your machine may be having a problem resolving the IP address.

Action: Try pinging your destination name (Example: VPN.something.com). If you received a message that says "Request Timed Out" from the ping command, call your ISP to make sure that their DNS is functioning correctly.

Q2 Error Message: Maximum number of sessions reached

Cause: This indicates that the maximum number of users for the account you are using are currently logged on.

Action: If you are the only user with VPN to your account, it is possible to get this error if you restarted a connection immediately after losing the dial-up connection to your ISP. This is because the Contivity VPN Switch takes up to one hour to determine that your connection has been dropped and log you off from your account.

Q3 Error Message: Login failed, Please consult the switch log for further information

Cause: The User Name or the Password is incorrect for the user name entered.

Action: Verify that the User Name you entered is correct and retype the Password before trying the connection again.

Q4 Error Message: The physical connection has been lost

Cause: Your connection to your ISP was disconnected.

Action: Re-establish your connection to your ISP before you re-establish the Contivity connection to the remote network.

Q5 Error Message: The secure Contivity connection has been lost

This message can result due to a number of different reasons, and there are several recommended actions you can take to try and re-connect.

Cause(s):

If you receive this error before the client connects then something is blocking a necessary port (such as ESP port 50). This can result if your firewall is not configured properly and is restricting the necessary port(s).

If you receive this error during a connection and you suddenly get the error it may mean one of the following:

1. Something closed the connection;

2. The VPN Contivity switch where you were trying to connect to thought your client was down or timed out;

3. Your local ISP did something that interrupted your network connection long enough for the VPN Contivity switch to identify your client was not responding;

4. The VPN Contivity switch that you are connected to has either logged your connection off or the Switch is no longer responding, or a device that does not support IPSEC NAT Traversal is causing the connection failure.

Action(s):

1. Try re-establishing the Contivity connection by clicking the Connect button. If this works, the connection was probably lost due to the Idle Timeout configured on the Contivity VPN Switch. If no data is transferred through the Contivity connection for a long period of time, 15 minutes or more, the Contivity VPN Switch automatically disconnects the connection;

2. If you were unable to successfully re-establish the Contivity Connection, the dial-up connection may be preventing data from traveling between the Contivity VPN Client and the Contivity VPN Switch. Hang up the dial-up connection and reconnect before you try to re-establish a connection to the Contivity VPN Switch;

3. If you are still unable to connect to the Contivity VPN Switch, open a Command Prompt and try pinging the Contivity VPN Switch using the host name or address that you specified in the Destination field.

(a) If you receive a "Destination Unreachable error" there is a routing problem at the ISP.

(b) If you receive a "Request Timed Out" error message, the Contivity VPN Switch is probably not available, and you should contact your Network Administrator.

4. If you keep getting this message and are unable to connect, then it may indicate that the Contivity VPN Switch is unable to communicate with the client because it is behind some kind of NAT (Network Address Translation) device. NAT (Network Address Translation) Traversal allows a number of devices on a private network to access the Internet simultaneously without each requiring its own external IP address. Most hotels and airports that provide Internet connectivity use NAT to connect to the Internet.

Q6 Error Message: Cannot Alter Routing Table

Cause: Message means the you the user, an application on your machine, or your ISP attempted to change the routing table via an ICMP redirect attempt and it was not successful. The client detects the attempt to make the change, determines it's a security breach and shuts down the client's connection. Any time you make a VPN connection, you cannot change the routing table, because the VPN Client views this as a security risk and you will get disconnected.

Some applications require an ICMP redirection in order to work such as a game or other third party software.

Action: If you receive this error and cant connect due to an ICMP redirect attempt, shut down any other applications you are using which may be causing the ICMP redirect attempt. If it is the ISP that is doing it, you will need to block the ICMP redirect request. You can identify that ICMP redirect has occurred, by seeing a message saying there has been an IP address routing table change.

Q7 Error Message: Receiving Banner Text Information

Cause: Message means you are experiencing a Banner Sock issue, and will see a window displaying the "Receiving Banner Text" message and then gets disconnected.

Actions:

1. Disable the firewall completely to test. This is a port 500 issue and often means that the you have a personal Firewall that is blocking port 500 or you have a router that does not support IPSEC pass-through, and the you are connecting to a VPN switch that does not have NAT Traversal enabled.

2. If using wireless, temporarily remove Wireless from the picture and focus on the Ethernet card. Check the Ethernet card speed and duplex parameters and then make sure that the hub, switch, or router that is on the other end has the same parameters. If not, the VPN connection will drop as the link goes up and down, or due to a large number of errors on the port from a duplex and or speed mismatch.

3. Firewall that blocks the connection, such that system will crash. (This will rarely happen) NSDF (Norton Symantec Desktop Firewall) and NSPF (Norton Symantec Personal Firewall) can do this though, if you do not trust the IP address of the VPN connection.

If you do not trust the VPN address of the VPN client, the firewall will cause you to crash. In your Internet browser click on "Tools > Internet Options > Security > Trusted Sites > Sites" and add the destination VPN address(es) to your trusted sites.

Q8 Error Message: You already have the maximum number of adapters installed

Cause: You may have installed to many virtual adapters in your IP Stack

Actions:

1. Remove any unnecessary adapters;

2. Create multiple boot scenarios disabling the adapters that are not required for that function;

3. You may also get Banner Sock errors on Win 95 & 98 units with this condition;

4. For more information, see this Microsoft article: KB217744: Unable to Bind Protocols to More Than 5 Network Adapters (copy and paste into the search tool bar > enter).

Q9 Upgrade Errors: The following are some errors that may occur when trying to upgrade / install the Nortel VPN Client 4.65

Error (1): Failed to get Registry key value for NT_IPSECSHM

Cause: This is caused because an important registry key that cannot be found in the system registry.

Actions:

1. Uninstall and Reinstall the VPN Software

Error (2): Login Failure due to: Driver Failure

Cause: This is generally caused by either not having Admin rights to the PC or by trying to install/use a Nortel VPN client that predates the operating system.

Actions:

1. Ensure that you have admin rights to the PC.

2. Update/Install the most current version of the Nortel VPN client.

Error (3): Create socket failed with 10048.

Cause: This problem generally will occur whenever you have another VPN client software installed on the system. The most noted conflicting clients are: AOL, Cisco VPN Client(s), SSH Sentinel and PGP.

Actions:

1. Removing these clients will in most cases, resolve the issue.

(3) VPN Modems Troubleshooting Guide

Q1 Are Cable Modems supported for VPN Access?

Yes, you can use cable modems for VPN access. However you must be aware of the following conditions and be able to work within them:

*Some cable modems require that you log into an NT network to get authenticated.

*Some cable modems use a client similar to the Extranet Client for VPN and both will not run at the same time.

*Some cable modem Contracts/Acceptable Use Policies specify that you cannot use them for business purposes or they want to charge you another fee to use them for business purposes. Make sure you read your contract thoroughly.

*Your Cable modem provider is your ISP. Please see the VPN-connection-guide.html">ISP Troubleshooting Guide for more information.

Q2 Why does my modem seem to perform erratically?

Always make sure that you do not let the operating system select a generic modem. If required, go to the appropriate web site for the vendor of the modem and get the updated INF file so that the proper parameters are configured for the modem.

Q3 Why do I always seem to get a slower connection speed than others with the same modem?

1. Always check the modem configuration to verify that its maximum speed has been selected.

2. It is common when auto-installing modems that the highest speed is not selected automatically.

3. Do not check the box that says run at maximum speed only.

Q4 I plugged my modem into the phone line at the hotel or customers office and now it does not work.

Always make sure that the phone line you are plugging into when visiting somewhere is an analog line not a digital one. Plugging into a digital line can permanently damage your modem, requiring a replacement unit. To avoid these situations please contact the local site phone support personnel.

Q5 Why cant I get a 56Kb V.90 connection from some locations that I go to?

Here are some of the reasons why you might not get a 56K connection:

1. You are located more than 3 ½ miles from your telephone companys central office (CO).

2. A SLICK or Subscriber Loop System is used in your area.

3. You are calling from a digital PBX system, which creates a Digital to Analog conversion and then an Analog to Digital conversion.

4. Your line contains digital pads or Robbed Bit Signaling (RBS), which can degrade your connection speeds.

5. Your wiring may be of poor quality.

6. Your modem's firmware may not be up-to-date. Check that your modem has the newest V.90 code installed with all the patches from the vendor's web site.

Q6 Why cant I get higher speed on my 56K v.90 modem into some NAG?

Here are some possible reasons:

1. A 56k v.90 modem is asymmetric by design where download speed can be as much as 56k but upload speed will be up to 33.6bps. For 56k to work, there must be only one analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion in your local phone loop. Thus when modems at both ends are analogue, 56k speeds will never be achieved as most PSTN exchanges run digital routing between the exchanges.

2. Some NAG sites use analog phone lines with Cisco and standard 56k modems, and most PC's dial-ups use a similar modem. Between the two modems, it limits the download speed to about 33.6kbps maximum.

3. Also, many users might experience lower connection speeds due to other reasons, such as more poor line quality. These factors will also contribute to the quality and speed of the line.

(4) VPN ISP Troubleshooting Guide

Q1 If you are getting the message "Unable to Resolve the IP address of the Remote Server. Verify the Host Name in the destination field is correct." when trying to connect with the Extranet Client.

Try pinging your destination name (Example: VPN.something.com) and if it fails call your ISP to make sure that their DNS is functioning correctly.

Q2 Why do I get No Domain Available when dialing my ISP?

On your Internet Service Providers (ISP) dial connection. Right click the mouse and select the properties button. Click on the Server Type tab and make sure that the Log On To Network box is unchecked.

Q3 Why do I seem to be running slowly through my VPN connection?

Try turning off the Software Compression option on your Internet Service Providers (ISP) dial connection as the VPN client has it's own compression. Right click the mouse and select the properties button. Click on the Server Type tab and uncheck the

Q4 I keep getting busy signals when trying to connect to my ISP, what should I do?

Contact your ISP giving the numbers you are trying to connect to. Many times you will find that can give you an alternate number not published yet that will work just fine. If not you may need to find another ISP that provides better service.

Q5 When configuring the dial icon for my ISP what should I put in the DNS/WINS settings?

Your ISP should supply you with the DNS/WINS settings of your dial connection. Most only give you DNS, in this case just leave the WINS settings blank.

Q6 Why when I load the Extranet Client on my PC and Winpoet is installed on my machine it crashes or does not work properly?

There are issues running Winpoet software on the PC with the Nortel Extranet (VPN) Client.

To repair your system, boot in safe mode and uninstall the Winpoet Software.

A simple solution is to install the Linksys BEFSR41 hardware router. It has a firmware PPPOE connector, which eliminates Winpoet from the PC and provides the added benefit a NAT firewall with the ability to hook up to three other PCs.

A second option is to find a PPPOE Client that does not interfere with VPN Clients.

Please See Your VPN Doctor for Picture Guide and further Details.

Need a Qiuck Fix, Tool, Trick or Tip? Your VPN Doctor has the Cure!

Your VPN Doctor for Virtual Private Network Troubleshooting VPN Guide
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Check For 100 New Release & BestSeller Books For Your Collection

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How to Make A Great Press Kit - A Musician's Guide

As an owner of an independent record label, I often get asked how to put together a great press kit. I have found that young musicians understand their music, but are often intimidated by the marketing end of the business. In this article I will help you figure out how to position yourself, whether you are a Latin female vocalist building her base, or an upstart garage band just looking for a break.

What is a Press Kit:

First of all, there is nothing magical about the term "press kit". All we are talking about is a little background on you/your band, some basic facts, good quotes about your music, a couple of good pictures, and a sample of your music. You will use this to send to newspapers, lawyers, radio stations, A&R reps, promoters, and anyone else who is willing to spend five minutes reviewing your material. Additionally, on the internet you will hear about an electronic press kit, or EPS. An EPS is the exact same thing as a conventional press kit, except it is downloadable as an electronic file instead of a hardcopy form which must be mailed.

How to Make A Great Press Kit - A Musician's Guide

The main purpose of the press kit is to generate interest in the artist and their music.

What to include:

Include a limited amount of background information on yourself. It is fine to say where you are from, but no one really wants to hear about every singing performance you did during elementary school. Sometimes less is more.

Talk about your music. Who do you sound like, and who does your music remind people of. The reader needs to be able to have a good idea of what your music sounds like just from your description. Be thoughtful and feel free to be a little funny here (but stay professional). Saying something like your band sounds like a cross between "Maroon 5 and Green Day after 20 cups of coffee" helps the reader understand. Remember, if you don't generate enough interest in the first minute, they will never listen to your demo.

Talk about what you are good at. What makes your band special and different from others? What skills and experiences do you bring to the table? Remember if you are looking for a record deal, you need to prove to your reader that you have all the right ingredients for them to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars marketing you. Launching a new artist is risky, so you need to help the record exec understand why you are a solid investment.

Include quotes and/or press clippings as you generate them. A good quote from a reputable source (not your brother-in-law) can add a lot of credibility to your press kit. It lets the reader know that you have already been reviewed and your material is worth listening to. Ninety percent of press kits unfortunately end up in the trash, some good quotes and positive reviews can create the momentum necessary to get heard, and who knows - maybe even become famous.

You can go with one page dedicated to a bio (biography), and a separate page focused on quotes about your music, or you can combine the two into what some people call a "one pager". My personal preference is to boil everything down to a tight one pager. My desk gets cluttered and papers get separated. If you have you quotes separate from your bio, there is a possibility that I could misplace one or the other. With the advent of digital photography and high quality color printers, it is even possible to include a small picture on your one pager to make it even more complete.

Make sure the overall language and tone of the press kit is consistent with your image. If you have someone help you write your bio, make sure they have heard you music and know what you are all about before they hand you something that might sound great, but isn't about the real you.

Include a couple of different 8x10 pictures that show off different features about you and your band. Include shots that would be appropriate in a news article, but also highlight your key assets from a visual perspective. Your press kit should look professional, but your pictures should reflect your style and music, so you pictures can be much more crazy and creative. Make sure you clearly label the picture with you name and contact information.

If you don't have good pictures of your band, one of the best ways to get some is to go to a modeling agency and ask for a referral to a good local photographer. These photographers are often willing to do some great work for around 0 for the whole package. Make sure you get an agreement upfront that you own the copyrights after the shot and get the high resolution digital images on CD (with a copyright release you can print these photos at any major retailer). A photographer who does work with models is very different from a photographer who takes family pictures. They have a much better idea of what you want, they will encourage your creativity, and they are much more willing to give you the copyrights.

A current gig sheet can also be useful showing where you have recently played and where you are playing in the near future. This can demonstrate that the music is current and has a following in the community.

And of course, your music. Send a high quality CD demo, preferably mastered if you budget permits. Avoid burning your own CD on your home computer with a stick on label - it looks cheap. There are many new CD duplication services on the internet that will manufacture you CD with a printed color insert, and on disc printing even if you only want a few copies (CD replication is for batches over 1,000 but CD duplication is for batch sizes as small as 1). Expect to pay around a retail ready disc for 1-5 CDs, with prices dropping off for larger batches. Make sure you clearly label the CD and the case with you name and contact information. The worst thing in the world that could happen is that they love your music, but they have already lost the rest of the press kit and don't remember the name of the band.

What Not to Include:

Don't oversell yourself. Saying that you are the greatest band that ever lived, might be true, but it probably isn't. Be positive and promote yourself, but focus on statements that are credible. People in the music business hear hype all of the time, and for the most part are numb to it. Hype is good to use with the general public on things like posters (they often believe it), but your press kit reader is more sophisticated and will see it as cheap theatrics.

Including too much of your personal history can make you seem like an amateur with nothing meatier to talk about. Your reader wants to understand your music today, only your psychologist needs to know about every little detail of your childhood.

Don't include anything that makes you look too desperate. You want to come across as a quality professional artist. Remember, you make great music. If your band is called the Chicken Heads, then it might be cute to include a rubber chicken in the box, but otherwise I would stick to the basics - bio, quotes, gig sheet, pictures, and music.

How to Package It:

Include a professional looking, personalized cover letter targeted at the person you are sending the press kit to. Your message needs to be different if you are sending it to an A&R rep at a label seeking a record deal, versus sending it to your local newspaper for a review in their music section. Be brief and to the point. Also, be clear and state exactly what you would like from them.

Put it all together in an organized package. Since you are most likely mailing your press kits, make sure that the CD does not bend the photos, and that your kit will arrive looking the way you intend. You may even want to test a press kit (send it across the country to a wrong address, and then it will come back to your return address) to evaluate your packaging.

Your Music Is Art, But Your Press Kit Is Business:

Remember, be professional. The person you are sending this press kit to probably gets hundreds of them, most of them are garbage (and that's where they end up too). Your music can be crazy and wild, but your press kit needs to be more business like. You are asking someone to spend their valuable time reviewing your material. You may also be asking them to enter into a high risk expensive financial relationship with you. The person you are dealing with is in the music business, they need to make a living. The only way they can do that is to deal with real talent. By presenting a professional package you give them confidence that you are dedicated to making great music, and not just messing around.

A Word About Unsolicited Press Kits:

Avoid wasting your time and money sending a press kit to someone you have not talked with already. Always call and make contact first, ask who you should send it to and what their process is. If possible, have someone who knows the person act as an intermediate and make the initial introduction (this can work wonders). The music business is all about contacts, create and leverage your network. After sending your press kit, call in a couple of weeks and follow up to make sure they received it and got a chance to review it.

Example:

To see a good example of a press kit, go to Legend Vega's website at [http://www.legendvega.com].

How to Make A Great Press Kit - A Musician's Guide
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Scott Richards is the president of an independent record label, 3JVL Productions, Inc.

Want to hear great music?

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[http://www.legendvega.com]

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Laptop Buying Guide - Which Laptop Should I Buy?

You may have spent a fortune on that brand new laptop. But technology is evolving at a fast pace, and your laptop will invariably feel old in a couple of years. It is, therefore, imperative that you buy a model you will be comfortable with for as long as you want to keep it.

Basic Laptops
Before buying a notebook make a realistic assessment of your requirements. Are you a compulsive gamer? Do you tend to watch lots of HD video on your computer? Most users have pretty limited needs that extend only to web surfing and word processing. Any laptop available in the market can meet these requirements. So there is no need to spend thousands of dollars on a high end machine. Besides cost, the other factors that need to be considered are portability and usability.

Do you travel a lot? Mobile professionals need a thin and light machine they can carry around. Netbooks are a good choice for them. These machines are incredibly popular now. They are ultraportable with 9 or 10 inch screens. Another reason behind the popularity of netbooks is their price. These are cheap computers. But buying a netbook isn't a very bright idea if the machine is intended to be your primary computer. Compared to mainstream laptops, netbooks have much less powerful hardware. And the small screen size may strain your eyes if you use it for extended periods.

Laptop Buying Guide - Which Laptop Should I Buy?

Upgrading
Upgrading a laptop isn't totally impossible, but it isn't very easy either. All laptops have some parts that cannot be replaced at all because they are soldered to the motherboard. Chief among the components that can't usually be replaced are CPU and Graphics cards. There are of course some parts that can be replaced and they include hard drive and RAM.

Laptop Components
Laptop components are mini versions of their desktop counterparts. They are pricier than desktop components, but they aren't necessarily more powerful. In fact, laptops tend to be less powerful than desktops. This is because laptop components usually run at slower speeds so as to reduce heat build-up inside the chassis.

Processor/CPU
The processor/CPU inside a computer has the greatest impact on system speeds. Intel and AMD are currently the leading CPU manufacturers. There are other chip-makers too, but they usually cater to the lower-end of the spectrum. Intel processors deliver slightly better performance than AMD processors, but they are also pricier than their AMD counterparts.

Graphics Card/GPU
The graphics card/GPU is an integral part of a gaming laptop. If you are not an avid gamer, then you don't have to buy a laptop with a discrete GPU. But remember that having a GPU will be helpful while running photo and video editing applications and playing HD video. If you tend to play a lot of games, you should buy a laptop with a discrete ATI or NVIDIA graphics. Intel processors usually come with an integrated graphics solution such as the GMA950 or 4500MHD, but these are practically useless for playing graphics rich modern games.

RAM (Memory)
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. Having sufficient RAM is extremely essential for getting good performance from your laptop. For instance, you will not be able to run multiple applications simultaneously if you do not have enough RAM. So how much RAM is necessary? Well, it depends upon your exact needs. Most netbooks come with 1GB of RAM. Higher-end models will usually have 3GB or 4GB of RAM. Laptops with 8GB and 16GB of RAM are also available at the moment. 1GB of RAM is usually sufficient if you are an average user.

Storage
How much storage space you need depends upon how you use the computer. If you only store spreadsheets and your office documents, you will not need much space. But if you use your laptop to store movies, music and photos you will need to buy a model with a large hard drive. Basic laptops usually come with 80GB or 160GB hard drives. Pricier models with 500GB or 640GB of hard drives are also available.

Laptop Buying Guide - Which Laptop Should I Buy?
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The author is the editor of Notebooks Unlimited.Net, a tech blog dedicated to notebooks and netbooks. Visit her site for notebook reviews, news and tips.

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