Sunday, May 25, 2008

Computer Stuff

My Microsoft Elite Bluetooth keyboard has fallen one too many times off the back of the couch as I had mentioned previously.

So, for a bit over a week now I have been using the dinky little RF keyboard that comes with the HP Z565 system; not something I would want to do on a regular basis!

I also still had that annoying problem where media center would not load on the PC and the screen would just go black. I can't tell you how much time I spent into that one, talking to three vendors, trying my own ways to fix it, and resulting to a lot of the technical forums out on the Internet. No luck!

Yesterday my friend David e-mailed me to tell me about SP1 for Windows Vista and the dramatic performance improvements he had on his laptop after installing it. That made me think about SP3 for Windows XP which has been out for a few weeks. So, yesterday, I decided to install it.

SURPRISE! Yay!! Good News! Media Center now starts up! reinstalling SP2 did NOT fix my media center issues, so I was really, really pleased.

SURPRISE! Arrrgh!! Bad News! Sound was no longer being carried via the HDMI cable back to my AV receiver!!!! After pondering this and checking some things within windows, which thought there was no problem whatsoever, I went under audio properties and chose Test Hardware. I heard some clicks and pops and after the conclusion of the 5 minute test sound was restored and worked through a reboot; being paranoid, I checked media center which still ran!

So, yesterday I thought about going out and getting a keyboard, I have been researching this most of the week. I was just too blue yesterday, and basically took a day off, staying in with Tails, playing games, listening to Music, and watching TV as much as I could get away with.

Today I was feeling a bit better so I headed over to Best Buy and picked up a Logitech wireless Wave keyboard which I am very happy with! One unexpected benefit, the sleep key works both for putting the computer into standby mode, and waking it up! With the Microsoft keyboard there was no way to turn the PC on without walking across the room and hitting the power button. A picture of the wired version of the keyboard is shown below; other than the wireless functionality the keyboards look identical.



A blow for laziness has been struck!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Chris,

That is an impressive-looking keyboard!

- David

Blandishment Blog said...

David - The new keyboard is awesome and very responsive. While almost exactly the same size of the Microsoft one it replaced, this one has a much better feel, responds quicker, and is much easier to use with it placed upon my lap while I sit in my favorite recliner.