OVER 2 YOU, 156 (18/11/03)

REMOTE CULL

My living room is being overrun with remote control handsets; I am convinced they are breeding! I would like to thin them out so does anyone know of any programs that will allow my laptop, which has an infra-red window, to control my television, video recorder, DVD player and hi-fi system? Ideally it would be able to operate all of the various functions using simple mouse-clicks.

Peter Thornhill, via email

If you are technically minded then you should have a look at Chris Dodge’s web site at: http://www.ee.washington.edu/circuit_archive/

circuits/PCIR/Welcome.html.  Here you will find details of his experiments into using a PC to control TVs and hi-fis. There’s a circuit diagram of the adaptor he has designed and links to the software needed to control the system.

Jeff Ackerman, via email

Full details of a DIY PC-based infra-red remote control project for your TV and VCR etc. can be found at: http://www.armory.com/~spcecdt/remote/remote.html

J.D. Luton

I don’t know about controlling your TV from your laptop but ironically there is a piece of software that lets you control your PC from your TV remote box! It’s aptly called PC Remote Control and it lets you move the mouse and work the mouse keys; you can adjust the volume, log on or shut down and change Windows settings. It can be used to control your laptop for presentations or connect your PC to the TV and drive it from the comfort of your armchair. It’s shareware and costs $17 to register, you can download it from: http://www.pcremotecontrol.com/info.html

Steven Williams, via email

There seem to be plenty of options for PDA owners but very few for laptop owners. Have you considered an all-in one remote control? Richer Sounds (www.richersounds.co.uk) sell the £49.99 Cambridge Audio M1, while Maplin Electronics (www.maplin.co.uk) stock the E-Pilot SRC-9200 remote at £39.99.  Both devices can replace up to 8 remotes, have touch-screen displays and are wallet and eye-friendly.
Nick Welch, Herts

The infrared port on computers is only meant to be used for close links between laptops and printers, or laptops to laptops, and it has a very short range, normally not more than 1.5m (5ft) or so. I doubt that this would be a valid option, as you would then end up moving close to each item in order to reach it with your laptop "remote" control!
Jean-Marc Graumann, Hamburg, Germany

CLOTHES WARE

I find it hard to keep track of all the various clothes in my cupboards and want to create a small digital library of what I have without creating a digital photo of each garment. Can anyone suggest a program, using simple icons e.g. pullover, skirt, blouse etc. and a full range of colours so that I can combine items, for example a black skirt with a red jumper so that they form an outfit, which I can then save for reference purposes?

Margit Appleton, via email

I’m embarrassed to say that such software actually does exist. In the course of some research into organisational software came across a program called Clothing Management (http://www.timesavingsoftware.com/

Clothing-Software.htm). It purports to ‘organize your closet’ (yes, it’s American…), by remembering combinations of clothes you’ve worn, and it will even remind you when items need cleaning. Heaven help us all!

Jill Taylor, Guildford

My daughter used to have a piece of software called Barbie Fashion Designer that did exactly what Margit Appleton wants it to do (www.mattel.com). You never know it might include some items from her wardrobe already…
Chris Allen, via email

If you’ve got a Palm PDA then have a look at Closet Organizer from Comp 2 Software, it is a shareware program costing $10, there’s a try before you buy demo. It’s not very sophisticated but it does list the contents of your family’s wardrobe, along with sizes and so on, which might come in handy. You can get it from: http://comp2consultants.tripod.com/

Software/software.html

Terry Clay, via email

Clearly Margit has far too many clothes and should implement a programme of giving the excess away to charity. Won't cost a penny and no computer needed!
Stephen de Gruchy, via email
 

HEARING PROBLEMS

As I grow older my hearing has deteriorated. These days more documentary TV programmes seem to have background music. The problem is the music is not turned off during the dialogue, making it almost impossible to hear the essence of the programme. Is there any technology, which will eliminate background music and allow just the dialogue to be heard?
Peter Sheardown, via email

I can add to the suggestions already published (Over 2 You November 4th). Some TV sets have pre-set tone control settings often described as a ‘graphic equalizer’.  The manual should explain how to change the settings, older people might benefit from increasing the treble response for example.  Some films sound better if received in mono rather than stereo, again the manual should explain how to make this change. It is certainly true that listening to the sound through a hi-fi system will improve the quality bearing in mind the small speaker(s) used in a TV. 

Vic Stewart (radio amateur), via email

 CAN YOU HELP?

I run a small business letting holiday apartments. We would like to accept credit card payments for deposits via our web site. I have taken a look on the Internet and the majority of companies that deal with this (mostly American based) require monthly fees that with our turnover would not make it viable. Any other suggestions please?

Ted Wooller, via email

I do the bookings for my village hall, which also includes sending out bills, receipting them if asked, recording and banking the payments. I need a simple accounting system, which will store names, addresses and telephone numbers of club treasurers or individual hirers. Then to record dates of hiring and to generate bills, record and send receipts, and show banking details.

Has anyone, preferably with experience of village hall or similar bookings, where there are historical and ethical reasons for treating everyone as a person, who could help me to devise a system, or advise me of any suitable off-the-shelf software?

Mike Bull, via email