PC Doctor February 9, 2011
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Dear PC Doctor,
I want to make a mix CD like my friend has made for me. She said that she used iTunes to make it, but I don't have iTunes to play my music. Is there a different way for me to make a mix CD or do I have to download iTunes?
Sonya
Dear Sonya,
It is much easier and simpler to use iTunes to burn a mix CD, but it is still very possible to do so without needing extra software. Take your blank CD-R or CD-RW (CD-R's can only be written to once, CD-RW's can be written to more than once— save some money!) into your computer's CD drive. Your computer should detect the blank CD and a window of options will appear. Select the option that says “Burn an audio CD using Windows Media Player”. Windows Media Player will launch right into the setting to burn a CD. On the right side of Windows Media Player, the blank audio CD will be displayed. Underneath will be the “Burn list” where you can drag and drop songs to from your music library. Browse your library, or if you already have a playlist ready to go, drag and drop the songs you want to burn onto the CD into the Burn list. Once you fill the CD with songs (you're limited by either 80 minutes or 700 megabytes or less) click the “Start Burn” button. Windows Music Player will do the rest of the work. The wait will depend on the amount of songs that are destined to being burned to the disc. However, once finished, the drive should spit out the ready-to-play CD! Label it with a permanent marker and you're ready to play your music elsewhere!
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor,
My computer monitor has two ports on it. Why would it have more than two ports if I can only use one at a time?
Mark
Dear Mark,
Foremost, your monitor has two different ports just so you have the option to use either an analog or digital connection from your computer to your computer monitor. DVI, a digital signal has the best quality, yet if your computer doesn't support it, your monitor can accommodate the less but still able, VGA, an analog connection.
However, with two ports available, this allows you to have two computers share the same monitor! While one computer will have to use VGA, the other computer will be able to use the DVI port. The monitor will probably display the digital output automatically. However, you can change the input source by pressing the menu toggle button on your monitor, then by selecting the VGA signal. The reverse can be done by repeating the process.
While, it would be difficult to work with both computers at the same time with only one monitor (you still need a mouse and keyboard for each computer) it's pretty fun to play with! Let me know if you come up with any good ways to utilize it!
PC Doctor
Until next time... happy computing!
Posted: to Athol Library News on Wed, Feb 9, 2011
Updated: Wed, Feb 9, 2011
