Hot Other Devices How-Tos

How To: Troubleshoot common problems with a CD player

CD players are largely a thing of the past, but their audio quality is still top-notch. If your old CD player is broken, watch this video for ideas on ways to troubleshoot common CD player problems and repair them.

How To: Print 2-sided (duplex) w/ an Epson all-in-one printer

The Epson video describes how to print two-sided on one piece of paper. When document is ready, go to "File" and then "Print". Click the "Properties" button and select Page Layout tab and turn on the two-sided printing option. Click "OK" in print window. Wait for Epson printer to complete the first page. Take paper, flip over and put it back upside down in the paper feeder. There are instructions that will pop out on screen for this. Click resume and the second page will be printed on the bac...

How To: Transform Multiple Screens into One Big Virtual Display

The Junkyard Jumbotron is an amazing project that allows a collection of random web browser enabled displays—laptops, smartphones or tablets—to share a single image split across the group, creating one large virtual display. Created by Rick Borovoy at MIT's Center for Future Civic Media, the app is completely free and open, meaning you can do it yourself in a matter of minutes. It works like this:

How To: Begin circuit bending

Looking to get into the weird world of circuit bending? In this four part video tutorial geared towards beginners, learn in thirty minutes how to circuit bend. Tools you will need include a soddering iron with innerchangeable tips (thin pencil preferred), thin sodder, hook-up wire, a wire cutter, a wire stripper, a drill with drill bits, plyers (needle nose included), and screw drivers of various small sizes. Other useful tools include cresent wrenches for toggle switches, jewelers files, & a...

How To: Calculate compound interest using a TI-84 and solver

This is a video tutorial in the Electronics category where you are going to learn how to calculate compound interest using a TI-84 and solver. Press the apps button on the calculator and press enter to load the TVM Solver which is the 1st choice. Here the meaning of various notations are N is time, I% is the percentage, PV is present value, PMT is payment, FV is future value and C/Y is compounding period. The problem is find the compound amount and the interest earned on $12,903.45 compounded...

How To: Make your laser pointer run on AAA batteries

This video shows us the method to make your laser pointer work with AAA batteries. Take a metal casing made of metal. In the video, we take a Duracell mini flashlight and remove the front and back part. Unscrew the top and back of the laser pointer and remove the batteries. Roll some aluminium foil and put it in the metal casing. Put the AAA batteries in the casing with positive side inside. Put the casing and the laser pointer together and the laser works. Bind the two together by two rubber...

How To: Use magnetic card readers and writers with your PC

Magnetic card readers can make e-transactions far simpler, especially for people who are running their own small business. You can also watch this video to learn about card writers, which can let you create your own magnetic cards (such as a membership card) to track your customers' activity.

How To: Troubleshoot ink cartridge problems on the Brother MFC-240C

Replacing ink cartridges can be a pain, but a bigger pain is when they don't work correctly. Even after you put them in, some Brothers will still show that there is no ink, or that you're still low on ink. In this video you'll learn some of the various troubleshooting steps that you can take to discerning the problem and correcting it.

How To: Hack someone's web cam or online security camera

This tutorial will let you hack into a wide selection of web cams and online security cameras. The hack is actually quite easy, and is best done with a browser like Mozilla Firefox. Navigate to Google in your browser, and then type in "inurl:viewerframe?mode+refresh". This piece of code will open up a list of active webcams. Then just surf through your choices and watch whatever you want. You can even change the camera angle and zoom in and out of the picture!

How To: Graph Mario on a TI-83 Calculator

When it comes to graphing and comparing functions, the TI-83 graphing calculator is the end-all device for math and science students. But one of the most entertaining aspects of Texas Instruments' powerful algebraic and trigonometric calculator is not the equations themselves, but rather the art that can be "equated" on them—just think of them as the mathematical equivalent of the Etch A Sketch.

How To: Make a door alarm using a rat trap

In order to make a door alarm out of a mouse trap, you will need the following materials: a mouse trap, a clamp, 2 screws, caps, a piece of string, scissors, a screw driver, a drill bit, a hex-head screw, an a piece of aluminum from a soda pop can.

How To: Make an electromagnet with household items

Playing with magnets can be fun for people of all ages. Making your own magnets can also be a great way to keep yourself and young ones entertained as well. This tutorial will take you through the motion of making an electromagnet using items that are regaularly found within your home. Enjoy!

How To: Make a simple electromagnet

Playing with magnets can be a fun activity for many young children out there willing to learn about science. This tutorial gives those science hungry kids a cool little trick on how they can make their own electromagnet from scratch. The supplies are easy to get and will take only a few minutes to prepare. So sit back and find out what it takes. Enjoy!

How To: Make your own 6v battery pack for the Vivitar 285HV

You can make your own 6 volt battery pack for the Vivitar 285HV camera. The Vivitar 285 is known as the "cockroach" flash because it is well put together and it is very hard to kill the flash. Manual mode settings and the color setting are explained briefly. Instead of using four double A batteries to power this flash you can make your own 6V battery to power it. This is beneficial because the 6V battery will last longer and some of them have the ability to be charged up.

How To: Control AppleTV with your iPhone

All you need to remotely access your AppleTV library is your iPhone. Learn how to control Apple TV with your iPhone with this Howcast guide.

How To: Use a TI-84 calculator as an MP3 Player!

With the help of a program called TItunes & standard earbuds (and adapter) we can listen to music played by a TI84! Mod you calculator to play music. This only works on a TI84, not a TI83.

How To: Set up an X10 spy camera

The spy camera shown in this how-to video has a 60 foot cable, and is full color and has audio. This spy cam can be used as a security device, or to feed paranoid delusions or stalking urges. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to set up an X10 spy camera.

How To: Load paper into a Kodak EasyShare G600 Printer Dock

This interactive Kodak printer tutorial takes you through every step necessary to fully load paper into a Kodak EasyShare G600 Printer Dock. If you have a Kodak EasyShare digital camera, you probably have one of these G600 printers, and you've probably had a problem with it, or not, like a stuck printer cartridge, but lets not get into that. Just follow this tutorial to see the steps to load paper into your G600. Let Kodak teach you how. Load paper into a Kodak EasyShare G600 Printer Dock.

How To: Upgrade the hard drive & battery life on Epson P-2000

Are you looking for a way to increase the storage space and the battery life on your Photo Storage Viewer? Take a look at this instructional video and learn how to upgrade the hard drive and battery life on the Epson P-2000. The tutorial goes through the disassembling and upgrading process step by step.

How To: Read a binary clock with the BCD format

Check out how to read a binary clock in this how to video. You'll see how to read the BCD (binary-coded decimal) format like so many can't. Just watch this if you have trouble determining the hours, minutes, or seconds on your binary clock. You can read it in standard or military time if you'd like.

How To: Resurect your dead lighter

Need some fire in a pinch? Try this trick. It really works! 1 bad lighter + 1 bad lighter = 1 GOOD lighter.

How To: Make a laser out of a lighter

Kipkay has a new cool project for you. In this video, you'll learn how to make a laser out of a lighter. All you need to do is a cheap butane lighter. Any one will do, including one bought from a convenience store. Just watch this how-to video, and you'll be playing with your laser pointer in no time at all!

How To: Create a radiation detector using a digital camera and a plastic scintillator

If you're interested in creating a dosimeter using simple tools, take a look at this video. Using a digital camera, a plastic scintillator, and some tape a radiation dosimeter can be crafted allowing for radiation information to be collected with simple materials.

How To: Add Mic Input and Headphones Output to Samsung HMX-T10 Camcorder

This is the cheapest device to gather interviews as a small, easy-to-carry recorder. I started to use it for preproduction and film documentation after I bought it in a Polish discount shop for about 100 Euro. The only problem was very poor sound quality.

How To: Use a metal detector to find gold and gold nuggets

This video will show you how to use a metal detector to look for gold. There are gold nuggets in rivers and hillsides all over the United States, waiting for you to find them. With the proper equipment and a little know how, you can strike gold!

How To: Use Huluplus to watch movies and shows on the Roku Digital Video Player

The Roku Digital Video Player is one of the best of the net-video-streaming boxes to come out over the last few years, and now is partnered with Hulu to offer Huluplus on it's devices. This video will show you how to use Huluplus on a Roku to watch all your favorite Hulu content quickly and easily.

How To: Stream any video to your AppleTV with a jailbroken iOS 4.2 device

So you've got an AppleTV, but you can't watch half the stuff you want because it won't play it. Well, do you have a jailbroken iOS 4.2 device? Sweet! Just follow along with this video, and pretty soon you'll be watching any sort of video you want in no time at all.

How To: Use Hulu Plus on a Roku digital video player

Ever wish you could watch your favorite Hulu shows on your TV using your Roku media player? Before November 17th, 2010, you were out of luck — now, in most cases, it's as easy as running a software update! This clip will show you what to do you get Hulu Plus up and running on your own television using your Roku set-top box.

How To: Use a laser pointer without causing eye damage

Although laser pointers are the favored pointing tool of teachers at large college lecture halls and can be great for directing students to various signs or areas in the classroom, often times students and kids have these pointers as well and use them just for fun.

How To: Record your games on your Xbox 360 and PS3 using an HD PVR and EyeTV3

If you're running a Mac and have always wanted to be able to get the videos of your gameplay from your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 onto your computer to share with the world without video taping a tv screen, then check out this video! In it you'll learn how to capture your gameplay using an HD PVR and EyeTV3!

How To: Set up Google TV on Sony's Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player

Sony's new Internet TV combines the power of Google TV and television into a neat and accessible package. And setting up your new Google TV is a cinch. This video walks you through the quick setup process for getting your Google TV system going. The player in this video is model NSZ-GT1.

How To: Start using Sony's new Internet TV Blu-ray Disc player with Google TV

Google TV is a revolutionary new way to enjoy your two favorite things in life— Internet and TV. And Sony just happens to be the first company to design television products powered by Google, like their Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player (Model NSZ-GT1). If you're thinking of getting one, this video provides a hands on, showing you how to use the new Sony Internet TV, paired with practically any television.

How To: Set up and use the Sony Internet TV Blu-ray Disc player (NSZ-GT1 / Google TV)

If you've already gotten your hands on Sony's Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player, powered by Google TV, then you know how powerful this thing is. But if you're thinking of getting one soon, this video series will help you learn what you'll be getting yourself into.

How To: Repair the Vivitar 285's Flash Foot

In this tutorial, we learn how to repair the Vivitar 285's Flash Foot. First, remove the flash foot using a soldering iron. Melt the solder just enough, don't ruin the wires or the backing. Now, set the iron down and then short the wires out, you will see the flash go off when you do this. Trim of the exposed wire from the end, then wrap a small amount of electrical tape around the wires. After this, you will repair the metal around where the wires were connected. Then, solder the wires back ...

How To: Make your own solar panel

In this video, we learn how to make your own solar panel.The amorphous solar glass is the cheapest but it's also the least efficient. You can do anything you want with these and they are durable. The hexagon cells are the most efficient and most expensive as well. The poly crystalline is almost 2 watts a piece and can be purchase in lots of any size. You have to tab these cells together and they are extremely fragile. Be careful when you work with these. To make these, you will solder tabbing...

How To: Use your Mac as a wireless adapter for XBox Live

In this video, we learn how to use your Mac as a wireless adapter for Xbox Live. You will need: a Mac, monitor, Xbox, and Ethernet cord. Start out by going to system preferences, then going to the sharing folder. Go to internet sharing and make sure the Ethernet box and internet is selected. Then, click the box next to internet sharing and click "start". Now, go to the network option and go to advanced, TCIP, and then write down your sub maps and router IP address. After this, plug the Ethern...

How To: Record a song demo with the PreSonus AudioBox USB audio interface

In this video tutorial, we learn how to record a song idea with an AudioBox USB digital audio interface. Whether you're new to PreSonus' DAW or new to digital recording more generally, you're sure to find much to take away from this free video software tutorial. Take a look.

How To: Record your PC screen with the free program Microsoft Expression Encoder 4

Want to start making your own tech how tos or play alongs? It's easy, and better yet, free! All you need is to download Microsoft Expression Encoder 4. Once you have installed this program, you can easily record both visual and audio off your computer screen.

How To: Load a roll of paper into your Epson Stylus Photo R2880 Photo printer

For someone used to working in reams or sheaves, a roll of printer paper can be confusing. However, replacing the paper in your printer which calls for rolls is not that hard. This tutorial shows you a very easy to follow process for loading paper into your printer. While this focuses on the Epson Stylus R2880 model, it will still work for other models.

How To: Load fine art paper into your Epson Stylus R1900 printer

While this video uses only a particular model of printer and only one style of paper, this tutorial will work for several different varieties of paper and printer. Just follow along with the tutorial to make sure you've loaded the paper properly for highest quality printing.