1. Connect Raspberry Pi to a computer monitor with DMT

    On Raspbian, using a HDMI to DVI-D cable tvservice cannot detect any possible EDID combination and defaulted to 640x480 with unnecessary overscan. Upon running
    tvservice -d edid
    you get "nothing written".

    So you'll have to refer to the table here and use the correct EDID combination and stick it into the /boot/config.txt file.

    Next open up the /boot/config.txt by typing

    sudo nano /boot/config.txt
    and uncomment (removing the #) hdmi_group and hdmi_mode and set them to the correct values. For computer monitors which uses DMT, the hdmi_group=2, while for TVs, which uses CEA use hdmi_group=1. For example, for our purposes we use the following combination DMT output with 1920x1080 60Hz resolution.
    hdmi_group=2
    hdmi_mode=0x52
    Then disable overscan by uncommenting disable_overscan=1. After that press CTRL+O and press enter and then CTRL+X to exit the editor, and finally type the following to put the resolution in effect.
    sudo reboot
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  2. Recover passcode from an iPod touch.

    Prerequisite (Important)

    • Make sure your Windows user account name has no space in them. (e.g. "John Stewart" will cause redsn0w to fail to parse the directory string and giving the "unexpected parameter error") If you are using such account, create a new account with no space in them and work in it.
    • iTunes must be installed in order for the software to detect the iPod in DFU mode.
    • Version of Windows does not matter (32/64-bit, Windows 7 or Windows 8 or Vista or whatever)

     Steps

    1. Download Gecko iphone toolkit.
    2. Run it, and select your idevice's name and click boot.
    3. Note down the required ipsw file name in the pop up and close the browse window.
    4. Go to http://ipswdownloader.com/download-ipod-ipsw-files.php and download the corresponding ipsw file.
    5. Turn your ipod off, and plug it in to your computer.
    6. Go back to Gecko iphone toolkit and click boot, and select the downloaded ipsw file.
    7. Follow the instructions displayed.
    8. You're basically done.
    I have done the above steps and successfully recovered the passcode for an iPod touch 4th gen on a Windows 8.1 computer. If your device is not listed in the Gecko iPhone toolkit list, please consult Google.

    
    iPod touch 4th gen on the key recovery stage




    Continue reading »
  3. What to do with a VPS

    Now you got them spanking new VPS. What should you do with them (if you are not a developer)?
     
    1. Seedbox - high availability high speed torrent client
    2. VPN Server - exist as someone your VPS is located
    3. HTTP server

    To access your VPS in a command line environment, you need a SSH client like PuTTy, and use it to connect to your VPS with your VPS's public facing IP address.

    Setup Seedbox

    We'll be using uTorrent. Assuming you're using Ubuntu and logined as root.
     
    1. Go to http://www.utorrent.com/downloads/linux and click on the corresponding Download Now. At the download page, copy the "Click Here" link.
     
    2. At the SSH console, type this.
    wget <copied link>
    3. Type
    ls -l
     4. You should see something like this
     root@server:/home# ls -l
    total 9212
    -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2246586 Nov  5 13:09 index.html
     Rename the file by typing
    mv index.html ut.tar.gz
     Then untar the whole thing by typing
    tar xzvf ut.tar.gz
     Type ls -l again and  the file should be untarred.
    root@server:/home# ls -l
    total 9212
    -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2246586 Nov  5 13:09 index.html
    drwxrwxr-x 4 1000 1000    4096 Dec 26 02:42 utorrent-server-alpha-v3_3
    5. Create a folder that will contain your torrent files and torrent by typing this
    mkdir /home/torrent
    and
    mkdir /home/torrent/temp
     
    6. When you're done, cd into the untarred folder by typing
    cd utorrent-server-alpha-v3_3 (or whatever name the untarred folder is)
    7. There, to start the client, type
    ./utserver
    The console will show nothing. Relogin to your VPS by duplicating the session or creating a new session.
     
    8. Connect to uTorrent by typing this to your web browser
    http://<your vps ip address>:8080/gui 
    the username is "admin", password is blank.
     
    Next, click on settings (green wrench) and under enter these.
     
     
    You're set to download/seed!
     

    Setup L2TP/IPSEC/OpenVPN/MS-SSTP VPN

    The easiest method to do this is use softether by Tsukuba University. Assuming you're using a 32-bit Ubuntu.
     
    1. Get the dependencies to build softether
    apt-get update
    then
    apt-get install build-essential -y
    2. Get the softether server software by typing
    wget http://www.softether-download.com/files/softether/v2.00-9387-rtm-2013.09.16-tree/Linux/SoftEther%20VPN%20Server/32bit%20-%20Intel%20x86/softether-vpnserver-v2.00-9387-rtm-2013.09.16-linux-x86-32bit.tar.gz
    3. Untar it
    tar xzvf softether-vpnserver-v2.00-9387-rtm-2013.09.16-linux-x86-32bit.tar.gz
     4. cd into the untarred folder
    cd vpnserver
    5.  Build it
    make
    Agree and accept all terms and conditions.
     
    6. If the all the test passes, which is shown during last phase of build, type this to start the VPN server.
    ./vpnserver start
    Note: The network test does not necessarily needs to be passed. If your VPS has unrestricted access to internet and has a public IP address, the VPN should work.

    7. Download VPN server manager for Windows
     
    http://www.softether-download.com/files/softether/v2.00-9387-rtm-2013.09.16-tree/Windows/SoftEther%20VPN%20Server%20and%20VPN%20Bridge/softether-vpnserver_vpnbridge-v2.00-9387-rtm-2013.09.16-windows-x86_x64-intel.exe
     
    Choose to install the server manager.

    8. Fire the Server Manager software, and click New Setting. Enter your VPS's public IP address to the Host Name field, and leave the password blank and press OK. Click connect.

    You'll be prompted to enter a new password on first connect.
    You'll be asked to setup L2TP connection, all you have to do is click Yes to everything as it will be setup automatically.
    9. Click on "IPSEC / L2TP setting" and under the "IPsec Pre-Shared Key" field enter a password. Click OK when done.

    9. There is a hub called "DEFAULT". Click on it an then click on "Manage Virtual Hub"

    10. Click on "Virtual NAT and Virtual DHCP Server (SercureNAT)" and enable the SecureNAT. Exit the window.

    11. Click on "Manage Users". Select the Auth Type as Password Authentication. Enter the desired password and username. You can leave other settings as they are optional.

    You're set to connect to your VPN!
       
    Continue reading »
  4. Compiling LAME for Windows on Windows

    This procedure works, after trial and error from following this guide.Refined some steps.

    Get MinGW (if you didn't have)
    First and foremost, have MinGW running on your computer, by downloading the installer from here.



    Choose to download the latest repository catalogue, and choose to install the following components:
    - C compilier
    - C++ compiler
    - MSYS Basic System
    - MinGW Developer Toolkit

    After installation, open a MinGW shell by Start>All Programs>MinGW>MinGW Shell then type
    mingw-get install gcc
     then
    mingw-get install mingw-utils
    Test if your MinGW is working by typing.
    gcc -version
    Something like this should appear.


    Then, install the Yasm assembler for optimal compilation of LAME by going to here (Win32.exe) and putting the .exe to the bin folder of MinGW.

     Get source of LAME
    By going here.
    Extract the tarball using 7-zip or other decompression software and place it somewhere.

     Compile LAME
    At the MinGW shell, change working directory to the lame folder you extracted by typing
    cd C:/Users/username/lame-3.99.5
    Note the slash.

    Then, type this
    ./configure --prefix=/mingw --enable-export=full
     Then to start compile type
    make
    then
    make install
    The resulting .exe of LAME is located in the bin folder of MinGW (located at the place you installed MinGW)
    To make the .dll of LAME, for use as plugin in a lot of open source audio software,change directory by typing
    C:/Users/username/lame-3.99.5/libmp3lame/.libs
     then  use a2dll to make the dll by typing
    a2dll libmp3lame.a -o lame_enc.dll
    The .dll is located in the .libs folder.

     The Binaries
    If you just want the binaries and dll (for use in Audacity etc.), you can get them here.
    lame.exe
    lame_enc.dll


    Continue reading »
  5. Add connecting/snap-to points to any shape in Word

    In Microsoft Word there is no way you can add your own connecting points to shape through the interface, because the connecting points are an integral part of the shape (as explained by a MS MVP), unless I use Visio. But I just wanted to add connecting points. So... let's add some connecting points on our own.

    Firstly, in order for the connecting point to be enabled, you have to draw the shape INSIDE a drawing canvas. So make a drawing canvas first, by going to Insert tab, Shape.



    Draw a rectangle and say you want to snap a line to the rectangle, you see that the connecting points are very limited.


    To add more connecting points, we add curves to the line. This is because in curves, you can add points, which acts as our connecting points.

    Draw a 'straight' curve by clicking one edge and double clicking the other end to draw a 'straight' curve.
    Right click the curve and you can see that you can edit points.
    Click on edit points and you're in edit points mode. In this mode, right click on any point on the curve that you want to add point.

    No sweat.

    Try snapping a line to the rectangle.
    Great.

    To make sure that the curve and rectangle are 'together', hold CTRL and select the curve and the rectangle, right click one of the shape and group them together via Grouping>Group.

    Now you realize that, the curve method is only useful for 'adding' points to straight vertices, so how about other types of shapes?

    Say you want to add a connecting point to the side of a 'moon shape' first make a circle.

    Right click it and format it.


    and put everything as No Color.
    Now that you have an invisible circle, scale it to very small size and then move it to the point of the vertice where you want to add point, such that the vertice is tangent to the circle.

    Wohoo.
    Connecting points are useful when drawing lines to shapes because the line is 'stuck' to the shape when you move the shape around it is still connected. This is very useful say when you are drawing a circuit diagram with Word.
    Continue reading »
  6. Virtual Router/AP on Windows without extra software


    Virtual Router Switch uses netsh commands to control wireless hosted network feature on compatible Windows 7 computers. Due to use of native commands, no third party software needed, just download and run.

    The script can be downloaded here : vr.bat (right click and 'Save link as..')

    To enable Internet Connection Sharing on the virtual router, follow steps below

    1. Type "ncpa.cpl" in the search box in start menu and press enter.

    2.  At the Network Connections window, right click on the network adapter that has internet and select 'Properties'
    3. Click on 'Sharing' tab
    4. Tick the 'Allow other network users ...' and under Home networking connection, select the virtual AP you created.

    5. Click OK

    To unshare the connection, untick the 'Allow other network users ...'
    Continue reading »
  7. Remove that annoying low frequency chirp.

    If you listen to music on good speakers or headphones, you will, at times notice and hear chirping or ringing sound during quiet passage with bass or low frequency, such as a beat. It is annoying, but the problem does not lie in your sound card or headphones or sound system, it is Windows's fault. This problem is apparent in Windows Vista and up, as it's due to the misconfiguration of default audio settings and in my opinion shitty DSP of audiodg.exe.

    Anyway to get rid of the chirp, go to audio properties by right clicking the speaker icon on the task bar and select 'playback devices'.


    Double click on speakers and on the 'Speakers Properperties' dialog select the advanced tab. Under default format change the format to '16 bit, 44100hz (CD quality)'. Then click apply.



    You then ask why down grade to CD quality when DVD quality is better? No, higher sampling rate or numbers does not equal to better sound quality. It is a placebo increase in sound quality and introduces unwanted noise like the chirping. You have to understand that most audio you listen to are 44.1khz sampling rate and increasing the sound card's sampling rate isn't going to improve that.
    Continue reading »
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