Microsoft recently replaced their FolderShare product with Windows Live Sync. These are free downloads that allow you to keep folders synchronized through the internet between computers. You can use them for pure backup by using a PC (a spare, the one used by your spouse, or even one used by a friend) to receive file changes from your primary PC. The updates are nearly instantaneous and run securely and encrypted in the background - there's nothing you have to do once you setup the software.
Live Sync is installed on each of your PC's. You can decide which folders should be shared, and where those shared folders should reside on each of your computers. Then, whenever two or more of your computers are online, Live Sync works in the background to synchronize your data.
Besides backup, you can use it for collaboration with a co-worker, file or photo sharing with a friend, or to make it easy to switch from your laptop to your desktop.
The only note of caution is that it does not synchronize PST files, so you cannot use it to keep your email, contacts, tasks, etc. synchronized on two installations of Outlook. But for your documents, spreadsheets, powerpoints, photos, and music, it's great.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Storing More TV Shows On Your DVR
I have a DVR from Time Warner. I like it a lot, but I don't like that some of my recorded shows get purged before I've had a chance to watch them. Time Warner doesn't offer any service or product to expand their DVR's.
Luckily, several companies offer DVR Expanders for various models of DVR's, like my Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300. I recently purchased Apricorn's DVR Expander with 500GB of storage (http://www.apricorn.com/product_detail.php?type=family&id=37), giving me over 280 additional hours of storage in low def. (They also offer 1 TB and 1.5 TB models, and I'm sure in a few months, they'll be bigger still.) For a bit over a $100 bucks, I greatly expanded my storage capabilties.
Setup took just a few minutes and was very straightforward due to the clear instructions Apricorn provided.
There's just one weird glitch that they don't tell you about on the website, but do tell you in the Quick Start Guide. While the DVR is recording to the expander, you can't fast forward or reverse - just play and pause. After the show is recorded and you're playing back, everything is normal, but while it's recording these functions don't work. Strange. A bit of a pain. But not enough of a problem to make me not want to recommend this product.
This is a well priced, simple to install, handy addition to your home entertainment center. I recommend it.
Luckily, several companies offer DVR Expanders for various models of DVR's, like my Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300. I recently purchased Apricorn's DVR Expander with 500GB of storage (http://www.apricorn.com/product_detail.php?type=family&id=37), giving me over 280 additional hours of storage in low def. (They also offer 1 TB and 1.5 TB models, and I'm sure in a few months, they'll be bigger still.) For a bit over a $100 bucks, I greatly expanded my storage capabilties.
Setup took just a few minutes and was very straightforward due to the clear instructions Apricorn provided.
There's just one weird glitch that they don't tell you about on the website, but do tell you in the Quick Start Guide. While the DVR is recording to the expander, you can't fast forward or reverse - just play and pause. After the show is recorded and you're playing back, everything is normal, but while it's recording these functions don't work. Strange. A bit of a pain. But not enough of a problem to make me not want to recommend this product.
This is a well priced, simple to install, handy addition to your home entertainment center. I recommend it.
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