Tech: Xbox360, Recording The Call, Satellite Radio, Boxes Of Slides

While your mom may have been correct when she told you that playing video games would rot your brain, there's little chance they'll do much damage to your set. The only risk that the 360 (or any game console for that matter) poses to your plasma or, to a lesser extent, traditional CRT, is the same old "burn-in" problem you've often heard about. It happens when a static image-such as a video-game score box or a TV-station logo-remains on the screen for so long that it leaves a permanent ghost image. The problem is easy to avoid, however. Before you play, dial down the contrast and brightness levels (just enough so the picture quality is still good), then turn off the set for 45 minutes or so after any jam sessions of three hours or more. (If you're watching TV, just change the channel.) You'll help ensure a longer life for your screen-and, if your mom was right, your brain.

I have boxes and boxes of slides that I shot back in the '80s. Is there a way to turn them into prints without the hassle (and expense) of going to a photo store?

MARTIN J., BOSTON, MA

Slides were great tech in their heyday, since they last longer than prints and have superior color. Now that the medium is no longer popular, however, slides have become a burden. While we respect your DIY instincts, converting slides to prints on your own may cost you more than simply getting it done by a pro. If you still want to go it alone, you can digitize your slides using a scanner with a 35 mm holder, such as the Epson Perfection 3490; if you don't already have a good printer, the Canon PIXMA MP800R is a great printer/scanner combo. For clear prints that you can blow up large, be sure to scan at 2,000 dpi or higher. Once all your images are on your PC, you're ready to make prints. Since photo paper costs about 40 cents per sheet, consider an online photo service, where prints cost 12 to 15 cents apiece (and can be put into photo books for as little as $9.99).

Is there a way to get better reception on my satellite radio? Despite Sirius radio's claim to "go wherever you go," I constantly lose its signal.

BRIGHAM M. SEATTLE, WA

Your Sirius problem may not be so serious. Satellite radio antennas require line-of-sight to receive a signal, so to tune into Howard Stern berating some hapless schmuck, your antenna needs an unimpeded view of the sky. (In places where that's difficult, such as cities with lots of skyscrapers, both Sirius and XM install signal repeaters to fill in the gaps.) The odd brief dropout of a second or two is normal, but since it happens to you a lot, your antenna probably isn't installed correctly. Move the antenna to a new location to see if that helps (in a car, higher on the roof; at home, close to a window). If it doesn't, call your provider to check for a reception problem in your area. Otherwise, it's likely your radio is kaput. If you can't take the sound of silence, the portable Sirius S50 (at right) holds up to 50 hours of MP3 tunes for when a signal is unavailable.

I have a boss who says one thing and does another. And he always calls me on my cell phone. Is there a way to catch him by recording the call?

PAUL C, COPIAGUE, NY

Um, it may be time to dust off that resume, brother. But if you insist on bugging him, the simplest way is by connecting your phone to a recorder fitted with a converter. Radio Shack's cigarette-lighter-size Wireless Phone Recording Controller works on mobiles with a 2.5 mm jack and on recorders with a 3.5 mm mic input. Another option is the fingertip-size Valdi 1000 from Quark Research, which can be custom-made to connect to any phone or recorder. In some states, however, stealth taping can result in a stiff fine or even jail time. So you might have to answer to more than the corner office if you get caught.

Source: Cargo Magazine