DVD-Audio Discs (DVD-A)

 Step 1. Determine that you actually have a DVD-A disc.

DVD-Audio discs are a special format of disc that contains audio-only tracks, encoded using Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP).
MLP requires a special decoder, which is not supported by Media Center or most other players.
 
To determine whether the disc you are trying to rip is DVD-A, or a regular DVD video disc, open its AUDIO_TS folder.
If there is no AUDIO_TS folder, or the AUDIO_TS folder is empty, it's not a DVD-A disc.
 
If it's a DVD-A disc it will look something like this:


If it is a DVD-A disc, continue with this guide.
If it is not a DVD-A disc, you want this guide for ripping Music DVDs to audio tracks: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,119957.0.html


Step 2. Installing and configuring the software.

After confirming that it is a DVD-A disc, you need to download the required software.
You will need Foobar2000: http://www.foobar2000.org/download
And the DVD-A decoder component: https://sourceforge.net/projects/dvdadecoder/files/foo_input_dvda/

With Foobar2000 installed, open it and go to File > Preferences > Components, and install the DVD-A decoder component from there.
With the DVD-A decoder installed, open the preferences window again and navigate to Tools > DVD-Audio.
I recommend that you enable the "do not load stereo downmixes" option. If you only want to rip stereo tracks, you can set that as well.



Step 3. Rip the disc.

File > Add Files > AUDIO_TS.IFO will add the DVD-A tracks to the playlist in Foobar2000.
Depending on the disc, there may not be much if any metadata - the disc I used as a test imported like this:


Tracks are named in their encoded format:

• Lf-Rf-Ls-Rs 24/48000 + C-LFE 24/48000 are multichannel 24-bit 48kHz tracks.
• L-R 24/96000 are stereo 24-bit 96kHz tracks.

Select the tracks you want to rip, right-click the selection and use Convert > [..]
Select FLAC as the Output Format, with the output bit depth set to "Auto" and dither set to "lossy sources only".

Foobar2000 should convert your DVD-A tracks to FLAC, ready to be imported to Media Center and tagged.

Music DVD to audio tracks.

 https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=119957.0

Step 2. Ripping the disc to MKV.

Converting a DVD to audio tracks involves two steps, first ripping the disc to MKV, and then extracting the audio track we want from that to make MKA files.
To rip the disc to MKV, use the free MakeMKV tool: https://www.makemkv.com/download/

When you open MakeMKV it will scan the disc, and present a list of titles:


Select the titles and tracks that you want. We're going to split these out later, so you really only need to select the title. The process will take a few minutes.


Step 3. Extracting the audio tracks.

For this we need to use MKV Merge, which is part of MKVToolNix: https://www.fosshub.com/MKVToolNix.html
Its interface might seem a bit overwhelming at first, but it's not too complicated.
 
Drag the newly created MKV file to the source file section of the input tab in MKV Merge.
This will scan the MKV and list the tracks it contains within.

Now deselect everything but the audio track you want to convert to MKA, and the chapter file.
Though it won't prevent you from selecting multiple tracks, I recommend that you only select one.

I have selected the 5.1 DTS track for this example:


Now switch to the output tab.
The only thing we need to change here is setting the split mode to "Before chapters" and telling it to split before "all" chapters.


Once this is set, click the "Start multiplexing" button at the bottom of the window.
A few seconds later, and MKV Merge should have split the MKV file into individual MKA audio tracks:


In this example, the ripped DVD is 2.33GB, and the extracted DTS 5.1 MKA audio tracks are only 466MB since we have discarded the unwanted video and audio tracks.
Now all you have to do is import the MKA tracks to Media Center and tag them.

Setup PC to stream to Kodi on Firestick

 1. install Kodi on Firestick

- use downloader\browser go to kodi.tv\download to get the latest version

- change font to Arial based

- enable upnp server and airplay

2. on PC, install foobar2000 latest version,

install UPnP MediaRenderer Output component

in preference, under output, select the upnp kodi 

3. firestick is sleeping every 10 minutes without activity.

download adblink from cnet, connect to the firestick ip

Once adbLink connected to Fire Stick, select the “Utility” menu at the top and then click on “Set timers”

select “Sleep Off” and optionally “Screensaver off” and click the “OK” button.

 

Moving Whatsapp from Android to iPhone

 https://faq.whatsapp.com/686469079565350

The only free way to do it is to use the move to IOS app..

I messed up the first load on iPhone. I don't want to risk overwriting the eSIM when resetting the phone.

I loaded whatsapp chat to a spare phone I had, using Move to IOS. yes, I needed to reset the spare iPhone to factory settings first. Leave the two phones to do the transfers until complete. The old phone asked you to login immediately after the transfer started, it didn't say it's doing the transfer on the background. don't interrupt.

After all the chat showing on the spare phone, I did a backup all chat to icloud.

Then uninstalled and reinstaledl whatspp on the new phone, and select restore chat history.

It took sometime but it worked.

 

How to migrate your WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone

If you're moving from an Android phone to an iPhone, you can transfer your account information, profile photo, individual chats, group chats, chat history, media, and settings. You can’t transfer your call history or display name.

What do I need?

• Android OS Lollipop, SDK 21 or above, or Android 5 or above installed on your Android device
• iOS 15.5 or above installed on your iPhone
• Move to iOS app installed on your Android phone
Note: Using other data migration apps is not supported, and will cause migration issues.
• WhatsApp iOS version 2.22.10.70 or above on your new device
• WhatsApp Android version 2.22.7.74 or above on your old device
• Use the same phone number as your old phone on your new device
• Your iPhone must be factory new or reset to factory settings to pair with the Move to iOS app and move data from your Android phone
• Both of your devices must be connected to a power source
• Both of your devices need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network or you’ll need to connect your Android device to your iPhone’s hotspot

Migrate from Android to iPhone

1. Open the Move to iOS app on your Android phone and follow the on-screen prompts.
2. A code will be displayed on your iPhone. When prompted, enter the code on your Android phone.
3. Tap Continue and follow the on-screen prompts.
4. Select WhatsApp on the Transfer Data screen.
5. Tap START on your Android phone, and wait for WhatsApp to prepare the data for export. You’ll be signed out from your Android phone once the data is prepared.
6. Tap NEXT to return to the Move to iOS app.
7. Tap CONTINUE to transfer the data from your Android phone to your iPhone and wait for Move to iOS to confirm the transfer is complete.
8. Install the latest version of WhatsApp from the App Store.
9. Open WhatsApp and log in using the same phone number used on your old device.
10. Tap Start when prompted, and allow the process to complete.
11. Finish activating your new device and you’ll see your chats waiting for you.

Note: Going to Files and selecting the WhatsApp folder in the Move to iOS app isn't supported during migration.

What happens to my data?

• Transferred data doesn't go to cloud storage as a result of the migration until you create an iCloud backup.
• WhatsApp can't see the data you transfer.
• Your Android phone will still have your data unless you delete WhatsApp or wipe your phone.

What messages can I transfer to my new phone?

You can transfer:

• Personal messages

You can't transfer:

• Peer to peer payment messages

Can I transfer my call history?

Your WhatsApp call history can’t be transferred from an Android phone to an iPhone.

Related resources:

Can't migrate chat history from Android to iPhone

Compaq mini Tiny Core Linux

download TinyCore plus iso

create usb using BlenaEtcher

boot

run tc-install USB-HDD, WholeDisk

reboot from disk

firmware-broadcom-bcm43xx.tcz

wifi-tcz (enable wifi button)f

fireflysung.tcz

firefox_getLatest.tcz

pulseaudio.tcz

pauvcontrol.tcz

SAT Reading Comprehension

https://www.powerscore.com/sat/help/reading_comp_practice 

 

General

These magazines cover multiple passage types on the SAT.

Atlantic Weekly
Harper’s Magazine
National Geographic
The New York Times
The New Yorker
Time
Wall Street Journal

Social Sciences

Social science passages focus of the study of society and the effects that recent and past events have on society. Examples include the battle for women’s suffrage or the changes resulting from the invention of the cell phone.

The Economist
Foreign Affairs
Journal of Democracy
The Washington Quarterly
The Nation

Natural Sciences

Natural science articles use scientific evidence to explain a process or phenomenon. Possible topics include the sonar perception of fruit bats or the explosive ingredients in gunpowder.

Popular Science
Scientific American
American Scientist

Humanities

Humanities passages cover cultural perspectives on art, literature, and philosophy. Topics might include the need for restoration of Victorian-era homes or a comparison of an author’s first and last novels.

Archipelago
Art Forum
Smithsonian Magazine
American Journal of Archaeology
Arts Journal

Literature

Literature passages are excepts from novels or short stories, usually published in the last century, but occasionally from the late 1800’s. These passages are typically the easiest type on the SAT. The first four websites below contain short stories. The latter group offers complete novels available for download from the listed author. The SAT often uses the first 80 to 90 lines of a novel for a literature passage, so we recommend practicing with these well-known authors.

Short Stories:

Short Stories
Classic Short Stories
All-Story
Bloomsbury Magazine

 

Novels:

Willa Cather
Joseph Conrad
Theodore Dreiser
F. Scott Fitzgerald
E.M. Forster
D.H. Lawrence
Edith Wharton

 

 https://mekreview.com/sat-recommended-reading-list/

Fiction/Narrative Prose

Books

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (or any of Austen’s novels!)
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• Native Son by Richard Wright
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Pearl by John Steinbeck (or any of Steinbeck’s novels!)
• The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
• Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (or Remains of the Day)
• House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Short Stories or Novellas

• Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
• The Awakening by Kate Chopin
• “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
• “The Dead” by James Joyce
• “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
• “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri
• “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• “To Build a Fire” by Jack London

Natural Science

Books

• The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
• Hyperspace by Michio Kaku
• Gravity in Reverse by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
• Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
• The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Trials by Oliver Sacks
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
• In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall
• Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life by Helen Czerski
• The Story of Science by Joy Hakim
• Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World by Mark Miodownik
• This is Your Brain on Music: The Science of Human Obsession by Daniel J. Levitin

Magazines or Scientific Journals

• National Geographic
• Scientific American
• Smithsonian
• Science Magazine

Social Science

Books

• The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
• The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—But Some Don’t by Nate Silver
• Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser
• The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat by Michael Pollan
• Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
• Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan
• The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz
• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
• One Billion Americans: The Case for Thinking Bigger by Matthew Yglesias
• This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate

Magazines or Academic Journals

• The Atlantic
• The Economist
• Time Magazine
• The New Yorker

 

Sun.	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.
Arts & culture	International news	Business	National news	Science	Local news	Whatever you like!

 https://test-preparation.ca/reading-comprehension-from-fiction/

VPN

 https://forums.redflagdeals.com/windscribe-windscribe-pro-4usd-month-no-end-date-2593101/2/

Windscribe is heavily shilled in canada and i highly recommend people do some research before proceeding.
I consider it a mid-low tier VPN service, and its quite slow -- likely due to all the lifetime members current members are paying for, but it isnt really trustworthy from everything im aware of.

If you care about privacy use Portmaster SPN for windows which is actually the only new superior than vpn tech for privacy today; cutting edge atm and it beats mass data collection.
Another option is Mullvard or Proton VPN and Firefox VPN (Which is whitelabel Mullvard) - these do not beat mass data collection, but they have a trustworthy system behind them.

Portmaster SPN is cutting edge technology focused on privacy for the user - will replace vpns for privacy.
Firefox VPN is good for business due to the paid email and phone protection extras they offer, ontop of a trustworthy VPN for privacy.
Mullvard is the benchmark for trust with your data
Proton is just overall a good service, has extras like email and cloud storage too - can be trusted.

These are the only recommended methods in high security and privacy forums, its been long discussed (other vpn services) and the reasons why their not recommeneded on deep inspection.
Needless to say, if you question this -- go refer to the post i made above, go into their forum and search your vpn - or better yet ask and you'll get a technical breakdown as to why you should avoid some.
In my opinion VPNs will be replaced within 5-10years, we will all be using SPNs for privacy and isolating most of our traffic into server nodes.

VPN reviews on google are scams and shills trying to get kickbacks and just like the hosting industry, its all bullshit to manipulate you - so do not take anyones advice do your own research and make a decision yourself -- but google is 98% flooded with affilate blogs lying to you.

Privacyguides.org and their sub reddit is really the only creditable place to learn about this stuff today, more so when their sub reddit is filled with 70,000 hardcore privacy focused people not shilling anything but proveable facts on what keeps you safe and protected in todays world.

This is my recommendation for any user here, and please do your due diligance.


Recap because there is ALOT of bad information in this thread.

--- Do not use r/vpn or any shilled and spammed vpn area, this not real advice and just companies pushing their products on people for affilate money.
--- I recommend r/privacyguides and privacyguides.org for any honest and truthful VPN info.
- privacyguides.org/vpn & privacyguides.org/dns

-- See VPN relationship map
--- https://embed.kumu.io/9ced55e897e74fd807be51990b26b415

Last edited by Mittenz on Jan 13th, 2023 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.