The Downloader's Handbook, PC Edition : Your Complete Guide to Using Broadband for Downloading, Ripping and Converting Music and Film

The mass arrival of broadband has caused a revolution on the internet. The major activity online is now the downloading of music and video files. Music download services offer millions of songs for immediate download to users and where music has led, film is about to follow.Nearly all music and film content has now been turned into digital content and is available in some shape or form online. But where can all this be found? Is it safe to download? And what about the legal issues? These are questions which this book answers. Written in straight-forward language this book is a practical guide to: - Setting up a computer to download files over the internet in a safe environment- What programs to use to download and play music and video files- Where to find free and paid-for media files on the net- Which portable MP3 players to buy- How to navigate around all file-sharing networks- How not be fazed by all the jargon like MP3, OGG and DivX- How to understand the legal position when you download filesThe book is not for computer experts, but for people with ordinary home PCs who want to join the entertainment revolution. Your computer has turned into tomorrow's entertainment center - this book shows you how to take simple control of it. Millions of users globally are online, downloading music and video day in, day out. You can either ignore the revolution, or start downloading now! The mass arrival of broadband has caused a revolution on the internet. The major activity online is now the downloading of music and video files. Music download services offer millions of songs for immediate download to users and where music has led, film is about to follow.Nearly all music and film content has now been turned into digital content and is available in some shape or form online. But where can all this be found? Is it safe to download? And what about the legal issues? These are questions which this book answers. Written in straight-forward language this book is a practical guide to: - Setting up a computer to download files over the internet in a safe environment- What programs to use to download and play music and video files- Where to find free and paid-for media files on the net- Which portable MP3 players to buy- How to navigate around all file-sharing networks- How not be fazed by all the jargon like MP3, OGG and DivX- How to understand the legal position when you download files The book is not for computer experts, but for people with ordinary home PCs who want to join the entertainment revolution. Your computer has turned into tomorrow's entertainment center - this book shows you how to take simple control of it. Millions of users globally are online, downloading music and video day in, day out. You can either ignore the revolution, or start downloading now! Contents......Page 4 Preface......Page 8 Introduction......Page 14 1 Computer Hardware......Page 20 Step 1 - Memory......Page 24 Step 2 - USB and fireware slots......Page 28 Step 3 - Hard disk storage......Page 30 Step 4 - Motherboard......Page 35 Step 5 - CPU......Page 36 Step 6 - Graphics card......Page 39 Step 7 - TV tuner card or device......Page 42 Step 8 - Operating system......Page 43 Step 9 - Sound card......Page 44 Step 10 - Home network......Page 46 Step 11 - Streaming......Page 49 Step 12 - Modem and broadband......Page 50 Step 13 - Monitor......Page 53 2 Securing Your Computer......Page 56 Step 1 - Update your software......Page 59 Step 2 - Know the enemy......Page 61 Step 3 - Anti-virus sofftware......Page 64 Step 4 - Spyware......Page 73 Step 5 - Firewall......Page 86 3 Digital Music......Page 102 Welcome to the world of Nero......Page 105 The Swiss anry knife alternative - dBpowerAMP......Page 108 Codecs galore - which ones to use?......Page 110 How do they compare?......Page 113 Windows Media Player......Page 115 jetAudio......Page 126 Winamp......Page 131 Portable MP3 players......Page 135 Internet radio and streaming audio......Page 138 Live365......Page 139 BBC......Page 140 Audio Recorder Pro......Page 142 The Audacity alternative......Page 146 4 Online Music Services......Page 150 The world of DRM......Page 153 MSN......Page 156 Apple iTunes......Page 164 Napster......Page 181 eMusic......Page 187 Audible......Page 193 Other services......Page 196 Range of music......Page 198 Cost......Page 199 5 Digital Video......Page 202 Video streaming......Page 206 Websites with great film content......Page 209 Playing video files on your PC......Page 210 The Codec War - DivX vs XviD......Page 214 Compressing video - the DivX/XviD revolution......Page 216 DivX Create Bundle......Page 217 RAR files......Page 221 Cue and Bin files......Page 224 Playing video files in the living room......Page 226 Backing up your DVDs......Page 228 Some DVD basics......Page 229 6 File Sharing Networks......Page 258 Content galore, pity about the law......Page 260 What exactly is a file sharing network?......Page 261 Which networks to use......Page 264 eDonkey/eMule......Page 280 BitTorrent - the new kid on the block......Page 268 Other networks......Page 287 Morpheus......Page 288 BearShare......Page 292 LimeWire......Page 295 7 Copyright And The Law......Page 298 Questions about copyright......Page 301 Conclusion......Page 324 The not too distant future - what to watch out for......Page 326 Index ......Page 332 Annotation. The mass arrival of broadband has caused a revolution on the internet. The major activity online is now the downloading of music and video files. Music download services offer millions of songs for immediate download to users and where music has led, film is about to follow. Nearly all music and film content has now been turned into digital content and is available in some shape or form online. But where can all this be found? Is it safe to download? And what about the legal issues? These are questions which this book answers. Written in straight-forward language this book is a practical guide to: - Setting up a computer to download files over the internet in a safe environment- What programs to use to download and play music and video files- Where to find free and paid-for media files on the net- Which portable MP3 players to buy- How to navigate around all file-sharing networks- How not be fazed by all the jargon like MP3, OGG and DivX- How to understand the legal position when you download filesThe book is not for computer experts, but for people with ordinary home PCs who want to join the entertainment revolution. Your computer has turned into tomorrow's entertainment center - this book shows you how to take simple control of it. Millions of users globally are online, downloading music and video day in, day out. You can either ignore the revolution, or start downloading now!