Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2008 July 25

= July 25 =

Limiting Internet Access on a Network
I am allowing my roomate a to use my wireless router, but I would like to limit his connectivity. Are there ways to limit the bandwidth alottment for specific IP or MAC addresses on a network? Is there a way for me to easily keep track of his internet activity (sites visited, bandwidth usage, etc)? I am using this router and Windows XP Pro. Thanks. --Russoc4 (talk) 01:54, 25 July 2008 (UTC)


 * It really depends on the router. The "Guest Access feature" listed on the page you linked suggests that yours might allow something like that, but for the details you really want to read the manual.  —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 15:44, 25 July 2008 (UTC)

ATI SM BUS not working
In my PC, the direct 3D system is not working. Perhaps its drivers are corrupted. Can I download those drivers from the Internet? If so, which site should I connect to? (To be noted that my PC is of the Compaq Company)Asim Chatterjee (talk) 04:55, 25 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Look at the DirectX article and the links to the Microsoft pages there. If you're using Vista you can download DirectX 10, otherwise you need the latest version of DirectX 9. Also look at reinstalling your video card drivers with the latest version. Sandman30s (talk) 10:17, 25 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Did it work before? Have you added anything new to the computer (like a ethernet card or sound card?)? Sometimes if you add new hardware to a PC it can require some tweaking to get everything to work as the new hardware may be trying to use a similar port number to the graphics card..87.102.86.73 (talk) 12:20, 25 July 2008 (UTC)

how did I just copy a copy-protected DVD?
As a test, I tried to copy a few commercial DVDs onto my mac with Disk Utility. In one case, it didn't work: it said "permission denied" when I tried to create the disk image, which didn't surprise me. But then it worked in at least one other case: I now have a playable disk image on my hard drive, and I can copy around the individual .VOB files. So I figured "Hey, I guess I found a commercial DVD that's not copy-protected." But then I saw a tiny "Copy Protected" triangular icon on the back of the case. So is the disk not actually copy protected as claimed? Or have I not yet tried to do the thing that copy protection prevents? (The DVD that I copied was Be Here to Love Me, though I started to copy Castle in the Sky too and it seemed to be working fine, though I cancelled before it finished. One more detail that might be important: sometimes I got permission denied errors with Be Here to Love Me, but I avoided them by making the copy first thing after inserting the DVD and opening Disk Utility.)  Thanks for any help in understanding this; I looked at Content Scramble System but if the answer is there I couldn't understand it. --Allen (talk) 05:32, 25 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Wow! Copy protection doesn't really work.  News at 11, and congratulations on your newfound leet hacking skills. :-)  —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 06:11, 25 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Added redirect for News at 11. (You thought wikipedia wouldn't have that covered?) --tcsetattr (talk / contribs) 08:11, 25 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Perhaps that CD is a counterfeit ? You didn't buy it out of some guy's trunk, did you ? StuRat (talk) 07:07, 25 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Some possibilities:
 * The disc says it's copy protected but isn't. (Quite plausible, especially if it's a bootleg but even if it isn't.)
 * You misinterpreted the triangle symbol. (I'm not familiar with the symbol you're talking about.)
 * You simply copied the encrypted video to your hard drive, where it won't play. (Plausible in the case of Castle in the Sky.)
 * You copied the encrypted video to your hard drive, and your DVD playing software is able to break the encryption directly instead of getting the key from the original disc. (VLC does this, for example, but commercial licensed players probably not.)
 * You copied the encrypted video to your hard drive but left the DVD in the drive, and your DVD playing software gets the encryption key from any available DVD even when playing files from the hard drive. Unlikely.
 * Disk Utility copies everything from the DVD including the hidden keys. Very unlikely (but technically possible).
 * Only some of the video is encrypted, and you tried playing an unencrypted part.
 * You have some kind of transparent CSS removal filter in place. (Such exist for Windows at least.)
 * You made the whole thing up, or dreamed or hallucinated it.
 * That's all I can think of at the moment. -- BenRG (talk) 12:41, 25 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I'd go with the second-to-last option, especially if you, like me, have ten screens of programs listed under Add/Remove Programs (or whatever its equivalent is on a Mac). Admiral Norton (talk) 13:17, 25 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the ideas! I think the answer was probably this one: Only some of the video is encrypted, and you tried playing an unencrypted part.  I saw the intro and heard the music and assumed that meant the DVD was playing.  I had already deleted the Be Here to Love Me image when I read that, but I finished copying Castle in the Sky, and it gave an error after the intro.  --Allen (talk) 16:42, 25 July 2008 (UTC)
 * I'd recommend using Magic DVD Ripper. It's a really good program for ripping copy-protected DVDs. I believe it costs around $35. Useight (talk) 21:20, 25 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I don't recommend anything but you might want to look at HandBrake since you are on a mac. Just make sure to get the correct version, though. The latest version only works with Leopard. Kushal (talk) 15:41, 26 July 2008 (UTC)

Game studio
Could someone please have a look at Maxum Games as I'm totally at a loss as to what to do with it. It clearly requires some 'tags' but which ones?87.102.86.73 (talk) 15:41, 25 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Thanks, somebody found a suitable 'tag'.87.102.86.73 (talk) 17:08, 25 July 2008 (UTC)

.spc to MIDI
Is there any kind of way to convert .spc files into MIDI files or something? It doesn't matter if the original instruments are lost. --99.175.74.84 (talk) 23:50, 25 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Google suggests yes. TSP (talk) 16:20, 26 July 2008 (UTC)


 * It is possible, you'll find some utilities on TSP's Google search. You will have to pick your own instruments for each patch. --Russoc4 (talk) 21:48, 26 July 2008 (UTC)