[LordOpie]

MUSIC MANAGER
I’m looking for something that can mass-edit the properties, like genre, artist, title. Something easy to use.

Whatcha recommend?

LAPTOP BATTERY, AIRPLANES and SOLAR CHARGER
I just bought a Compaq 420 and want a back-up battery for when we travel. I want the longest running battery available. How are batteries rated?

Does anyone make a solar charger that could, say, connect to the top of the laptop and do a decent job of charging?

How do people use a laptop for 5+ hours on a plane or just away from a electrical outlet? (we’ve got several trips planned for the next six months -- Syracuse, Sonoma CA, Italy )

WI-FI in ITALY?
First, do coffee shops or similar have wi-fi over there? If so, (stupid question?) do they use the standard 802.11g connection?

VIDEO CAPTURE
Is anyone making an HDTV capture card? I’d like to record from my DVR to my harddrive in 720p.

 

[binary visions]

Winamp can mass-edit ID3 tags.

Sure, you can get HDTV capture cards. You search for exactly that. Example:

http://about.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=13037466/search=kworld&mode=about_dvr&

I don't have a specific recommendation though since I don't use 'em, but they're around

 

[LordOpie]

Thanks BV! I assume you're talking about the free version of WinAmp?

 

[binary visions]

Yeppers

 

[Kornphlake]

AFAIK 802.11b/g are pretty much universal, all newer standards are reverse compatible so you should be okay wherever you go. I could be very wrong though, it's been quite a while since I was looking into the wireless thing.

 

[LordOpie]

Thanks Korn. I suppose if we get to Italy and something is different that they'll probably be selling 'em in the airport.

 

[binary visions]

Nope, Kornphlake is right on (I didn't notice that question the first time I read it) - 802.11a/b/g/etc. are international standards.

 

[H8R]

More info than you can handle about wireless:

http://forums.wi-fiplanet.com/

 

[syadasti]

If you have more advanced tagging needs (and a really good player/encoder/transcoder front end), check out Foobar2000

 

[H8R]

LAPTOP BATTERY, AIRPLANES and SOLAR CHARGER
I just bought a Compaq 420 and want a back-up battery for when we travel. I want the longest running battery available. How are batteries rated?

Does anyone make a solar charger that could, say, connect to the top of the laptop and do a decent job of charging?

http://www.gaiam.com/retail/product/53-0112_MSTR

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Winamp can mass-edit ID3 tags...

OK, how and in what circumstances? I got WinAmp but don't see anything obvious that would let me edit mp3 metadata.

 

[binary visions]

You have to be in the "Local Media" section instead of in a playlist itself.

Highlight whatever files you want to edit, right click, click "Edit Selected", check off the fields you want to change and change 'em.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Got it, thanks.