No advice on the digital converter/VCR thing? If I can't record shows I will pretty much just not watch TV since I'm often working in the evenings.
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A VCR should work with a digital converter in a limited capacity. The VCR will depend on the digital converter for tuning, so you can only record whichever channel the digital converter is set to.
I'm guessing there is a "base station" that plugs into the computer that is tied with the keyboard/mouse.
There isn't a base station -just a small USB receiver thingy that is plugged into the back of each iMac. We have to have the computers right next to each other (tight space). After a little digging, I saw that Logitech recommends having computers using their wireless devices 10 feet away from each other. Damn. The weird thing is, though, that this wasn't a problem until a few days ago (we've had this set up since right before Christmas).
Try moving it, and/or putting a little barrier around it that shields it from her stuff.
Do you think I could do that by the receiver? Also what sort of thing would work as a barrier?
The VCR will depend on the digital converter for tuning, so you can only record whichever channel the digital converter is set to.
I thought that might be the case. I'm pretty sure that I had everything set up the way that page describes and I got nothing. I guess I'll try again later.
There isn't a base station -just a small USB receiver thingy that is plugged into the back of each iMac.Yes! Exactly. OK, I am guessing it's a USB thingy? Do you have a USB extender cable so you can move it to closer to your work zone?
Or, can you move the computers around a bit? What Mac's do you have. If they are towers, can you put her's on the floor and yours on the table? Or both on the floor? If they are iMac or laptops, you really don't have any options in that respect, huh?
Also what sort of thing would work as a barrier?Um. You could try taking some cardboard and wrapping it in tin foil. Shouldn't need too high, just high enough to block 'line of sight' from her K/M to your receiver thingy. 4" high or so. Maybe make a little V around your thingy so the open part of the V has the thingy in it and it opens to your K/M, like a reflector dish of sorts.
Mind you, I've never dealt with these gizmo's before. So I am guessing based on work with wireless mic's. If others have ideas, feel free to pipe up.
I'm betting those wireless K/Ms are using an infrared signal, which means pretty much anything that blocks line of sight to the wrong receiver, right? I mean, the problem is just that IR doesn't really do channels, right? It's just light, and any receiver will pick up any active mouse in it's line of sight. I think.
So if the problems recently developed, it may be something as simple as a small change of placement of an object on your shared computer work surface, or a change in the way you or DW are holding the mouse or keyboard, so the IR emitter is now pointing at your receiver as well as hers.
Also, is there anything else in that room that might be emitting IR light?
They are not IR they are RF.
Yeah, then ignore everything I just said.
You guys rule! Thanks! I'm going to try some of this stuff (moving things around on the desk, USB extender) and see if it improves. Is getting very frustrating! Last night I told DW, "Stop mousing so I can do this thing quickly!" That's no way to co-compute, man!
Apropos of nothing, I don't like the new google favicon. It seems weird to me. Fear change? Me?