Peripherals Books - Page 6

Epson Complete Guide to Digital Printing, Revised & Updated (A Lark Photography Book)

Rob Sheppard

Amazon Price: $18.96 List Price: $24.95 In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. By: Lark Books Amazon Marketplace: 27 new & used starting at $1.69

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Digital Photography
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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Reference

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The best, full-service guide to the best full-service printer is now thoroughly updated, with the latest information on the new Epson printers, materials, software and other products.

Epson is the company at the cutting edge of digital photo quality printing, and their superb equipment makes possible for everyone to print sparkling photographs at home. With the help of Rob Sheppard, editor of Outdoor Photographer and PCPhoto magazines, and this fully updated manual, amateurs can enter Epson's brave new world with all the latest information on printers and papers. Two-page spreads with write-ups and pictures from acclaimed photographers George Lepp, John Shaw, Greg Gorman, Jack Reznicki, Joyce Tenneson, and others explain how Epson printers and digital photography have enhanced their art and expanded their business. There's advice on choosing a printer, selecting standard and specialty papers, using image processing programs to refine photos, adding finishing touches that turn a good print into a great one, and much more.

The Book of Nero 7: CD and DVD Burning Made Easy

Wallace Wang

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: No Starch Press Amazon Marketplace: 45 new & used starting at $10.99

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Computer Science -> Software Engineering -> Information Systems
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

States the obvious on usage of an inferior product 1 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

If you have no clue on how to use Nero, and somehow managed to get it cleanly installed (in itself not a fun process) then this book will re-state the obvious. All in all, given the horror of trying to install Nero 7, if you might have benefited from this book, you'll never get far enough on the software install to make the book worth buying.

Editorial Review:

Ahead Software's Nero program is the most popular CD and DVD burning software in the world. While it seems like it should be easy to burn CDs and DVDs, doing so can be much more complicated than it appears, and many users reach high frustration levels after burning multiple coasters that don't work.

This simple, task-oriented, step-by-step book covers the entire Nero program suite, including audio CD burning, data backup, managing photos, DVD video burning, designing CD/DVD labels, editing sound, creating a virtual drive and CD/DVD data disk, and playing audio and video. This updated revision to the bestseller (nearly 20,000 copies sold), has been completely rewritten to focus on the tasks that most people perform with Nero 7.

Virtual Serial Port Cookbook

Joe Pardue

Amazon Price: $44.95 List Price: $49.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Smiley Micros Amazon Marketplace: 11 new & used starting at $44.95

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Hardware -> Peripherals

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This is a cookbook for communicating between a PC and a Microcontroller using the FTDI FT232R USB UART IC. The book has lots of software and hardware examples. The code is in C# and Visual Basic Express allowing you to build Graphical User Interfaces and add Serial Port functions to create communications programs.

Part 1 - Serial Port via USB Made Almost Easy -- In the first section you will learn the basics of serial communications using a USB UART bridge. You will further learn to write a simple terminal program in C# and Visual Basic Express .NET.

Part 2 - PC to Microcontroller Conversations -- In the second section you will build on what you have learned and get into more details about GUI programming, using the SerialPort class, and some useful software tools such as XML. You will bring it all together by building a Developer Terminal, which will have most of the bells and whistles that you would want for communicating between a PC and a microcontroller. You will end this section with some neat hardware experiments.

Part 3 - The FTDI FT232R -- In the final section you will chuck the serial port paradigm and communicate directly with the FT232R. You will learn how to use the Smiley Micros port of the FTDI D2XX driver, you will do some more hardware experiments bit-banging the BBUSB pins, and finally you will build a software programmer for the FT232R.

The Rough Guide to the iPhone (Rough Guide Reference)

Peter Buckley, Duncan Clark

Amazon Price: $9.89 List Price: $10.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Rough Guides Amazon Marketplace: 26 new & used starting at $2.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A+! Best book about the iphone!! 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

This book was even better than I was expecting. I found it very entertaining to read. It teaches basic principles about the iphone and then goes into a lot of advanced depth, including work arounds and extras. It mentions third-party sites and other things to make using the iphone even more fun. This book is monochromatic--blue and white--with no 4-color photo images. I thought this would bother me, but it doesn't because the layout is simple and clean. I'm glad they went that route to keep the price around 10 bucks. I found this book more helpful than other books about the iphone and for half the price. For instance, Scott Kelby is really great (I saw him at Photoshop World), but I was quite disappointed when I didn't really learn anything from his book. Maybe he'll publish a second edition that will have more info.

I bought this book about 3 weeks ago and I still find myself picking it up every now and then. I always find something new to learn. It's small size (about 5x6) makes it easy to transport in my bag so I can take it anywhere.

Editorial Review:

The Rough Guide to iPhone is the ultimate guide to Apple''s next killer product: the iPhone, a mobile-cum-iPod-cum-PDA-cum-web browser. Full coverage of the latest product rolled out from Apple HQ, from powering up the first time to sending pictures as email attachments and hooking up to hi-fis. All the tips and tricks from uploading music, google maps and conference calls, to a full “first aid” Help! Section, and all in your pocket. Chapters include: Meet the iPhone, Make it your own, Making calls, Listening to music, Email, Web browsing, Camera & pictures, Video & TV, Syncing and updates and iPhone extras, all this plus much, much more. The ultimate reference for the decade’s definitive gadget, if you are thinking of buying an iPhone, this is the book for you.  

Hacking Digital Cameras (ExtremeTech)

Chieh Cheng, Auri Rahimzadeh

Amazon Price: $22.49 List Price: $24.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $0.56

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Web Development -> Security & Encryption -> Encryption

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Scary but Fun 4 out of 5 stars.
21 of 22 people found this review helpful.

When I see a picture in a camera book illustrating how I can open a digital camera and get at the insides to make modifications, I get scared. The thought of taking the guts out of my camera is like the thought of major surgery to my internal organs. And yet as I read through the "hacks" proposed by the author, I found just reading about them to be fun, even if I wasn't going to undertake any of these projects (or at least not most.)

Years ago a hacker was a person who modified software to adapt it to his or her own purposes. Over time it's also come to mean a malicious person who deliberately attacks the functioning of computers, but the author is using this earlier meaning.

In this book, Cheng tells of a variety of simple modifications that one can make to cameras and other photographic equipment to allow them to be used to extend their capabilities. Some are quite simple like building a remote trigger for a camera, or a battery pack that can be tucked inside the user's jacket for winter shooting. Other projects are more complex, like getting data in the RAW format from cameras that normally only deliver JPEG files. And I wondered why one would want to open up an MP3 player to remove its micro drive. (The answer is because the particular player with micro drive was at one time actually cheaper than a separate micro drive that could be inserted directly in a camera.) The projects are well explained, and illustrated with plenty of photographs. The equipment needed for the hacks is inexpensive, and the tools are readily available in most homes.

Now I have to tell you that if I wanted a camera with a tripod socket on it, I would buy one that was so equipped. But I can see that a certain kind of do-it-yourselfer might have a socketless camera on hand and regard it as a nice challenge. Ditto for a camera that shot RAW files, especially if I would have to learn how to decode the raw file after I had downloaded it. On the other hand, if I had a camera that needed a filter holder but had no provision for the device, I'd certainly consider one of the author's hacks.

Most of the projects are aimed at the modification of specific equipment but they can easily be translated to other cameras. For the more complex hacks, the author can both provide you with an idea for a project and a site on the web where you might be able to find detailed instructions.

Because this book probably only appeals to a small audience, the publisher has probably had to keep the production costs down. The quality of the paper is not high and the photographs of the project steps are of a rudimentary, but sufficient nature.

I have to confess that what this book most reminded me of was the project books that I got for my kids' science fairs. I loved to browse through these books, and I always wondered why my kids never tried any of the cool projects. Maybe now, I can try a project for myself.

Editorial Review:

Why waste a thousand words?

Photos tell stories. And the more you can do with your digital camera, the better the story you can tell. So build a remote control and sneak up on that picture that keeps eluding you. Create an adapter that lets you use SLR-type lenses on your point-and-shoot. Play with lens magnification or create a pinhole lens. Beef up flash memory. And that's just where the tale begins. The ending is up to you.

Hack any digital camera

Illustrated step-by-step directions for more than 20 hacks, including:

• Building triggers
• Accessing raw sensor data
• Making accessory lens adapters
• Eliminating the infrared blocking filter
• Extending lenses
• Making reverse macro adapters
• Building a monopod
• Creating bicycle and car mounts
• Hacking microdrives from other devices

iPod and iTunes Hacks: Tips and Tools for Ripping, Mixing and Burning (Hacks)

Hadley Stern

Amazon Price: $19.46 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: O'Reilly Media, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 50 new & used starting at $0.76

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> iPods
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> iTunes
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> MP3

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Some people are content to use their iPod simply to play music. Some people want to do much more. Those people, and you know who you are, aren't satisfied until they get under the hood and tap every iPod trick available to them.

They want to explore and experiment, create shortcuts, and unearth cool and unexpected things to do with their iPod that have never even occurred to their friends. Maybe they want to use their iPod to read email. Maybe they want to use it as a voice recorder, or a device to store their digital photos. Maybe they want to use iTunes visuals as a screensaver, use Java to expand iTunes functionally, or use a cheap Linux box as a server and access MP3 tunes. Or, maybe they just want to paint their iPod a custom color. For those people who want to get more much more out of their iPod iPod and iTunes Hacks is brimming with undocumented tips, tricks, and trade secrets for getting the very most from your iPod.

This guide takes curious and clever iPod owners beyond the obvious with 100 ingenious hacks that will delight, entertain, and add astonishing power to the iPod and iTunes experience.

Easy Laser Printer Maintenance and Repair

Stephen J. Bigelow

List Price: $19.95 By: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics Amazon Marketplace: 6 new & used starting at $4.15

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Computer Science -> Circuitry -> Circuit Components
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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Computer Science -> Circuitry -> Lasers

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

OK for laser theory, NOT for printer repair 2 out of 5 stars.
42 of 42 people found this review helpful.

This book is for understanding on how the laser printer works. Unfortunately a printer is very complicated mechanically and taking them apart is very tricky. This book is not practical. It doesn't emphasize typical mechanical and electrical assemblies that need repair and replacement due to wear and tear. Such as paper pickup rollers, fuser lamps, maint kits etc. It also doesn't have any disassembly procedures and exploded diagrams that will help you. There is no discussion on important printer options, such as ethernet print servers, PostScript, duplexers, power envelope feeders. I highly recommend getting a printer service manual for your specific model instead, for example a HP single model Service manual. They are often on eBay auctions and printerworks.com .

Editorial Review:

This is a guide to laser printing troubleshooting, service and repair for all types of laser printers. It is aimed at both the non-specialist and specialist. The book provides flowcharts to analyze printer malfunction symptoms, to eliminate possible causes and to diagnose the actual problem and make the repair.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creating CDs and DVDs

Todd Brakke

List Price: $19.95 By: Alpha Amazon Marketplace: 16 new & used starting at $2.88

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

Worth Less Than Nothing 1 out of 5 stars.
10 of 13 people found this review helpful.

While the book offers some interesting info on the physical media, it covers primarily a couple software packages that the author doesn't even seem to think are really great. It really doesn't present anything that you won't get with the instruction manuals with the hardware/software you buy for burning a CD or DVD. It's "worth less than nothing" because it costs time and postage to return the book.

One word: Google 1 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

There is little, if any, information in this book that can't be found in the results from one simple Google search! Don't waste your money on this toilet paper, unless you really are an idiot!

Editorial Review:

A comprehensive, updated guide to the technology of CD and DVD recording, this third edition will feature three CD recordable and rewritable software packages.

Key software features will be presented in step-by-step tutorials showing readers how to create video, audio and data CDs, along with troubleshooting suggestions for errors in the recording and rewrite process.

New content covering DVD recording technology will be included.

How To Do Everything with Your Scanner

David Huss

Amazon Price: $24.99 List Price: $24.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $4.24

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Graphic Design -> Scanning
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Thick but not deep... 3 out of 5 stars.
12 of 13 people found this review helpful.

I saw this book at the library and checked it out to read. The book has a lot of chapters and topics, but doesn't go into much depth in most areas. For example, the chapter on Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is 5 pages total. That includes some broad statements about how scanners do OCR, but no discussion of how to improve the processing, specific OCR software, etc.

The author seems to own PhotoSuite software (or it came with her scanner) since most examples of graphics software are presented with this package. No help with PaintShopPro, Photoshop, etc. if those are what you use.

This book may be useful to home users of scanners to add graphics to documents, retouch photos, etc. but this is NOT the book for people doing serious scanning applications. It is a misleading title that states "How to Do Everything".

Editorial Review:

Scan this book! Or, read it cover-to-cover. Either way, you’ll learn which scanner to purchase to suite your needs, important technical information about pixels and digital images, installation and calibration tips, and plenty of tricks to make scanning easier and more effective. Written for both PC and Mac users.

Print Magic!: Creating Crafts Using Digital Photos and Art

Helen Bradley

List Price: $19.95 By: Creative Arts & Crafts Amazon Marketplace: 16 new & used starting at $2.93

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Digital Photography
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Graphic Design -> Printing
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great with details 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 12 people found this review helpful.

The details on doing the projects are good and most measurements are stated in imperial and metric which is useful. Both the computer steps and hands on steps are understandable. I really like the humor with the teddy bear shirt and the Andy Warhol style shirt is going to be given alot this Christmas.

Editorial Review:

With an increased popularity in the use of computers, digital cameras, and software, crafters can now create intricate artwork and customize digital projects with their home computers. Print Magic! shows how to use the latest technology to create unique, memorable pieces with professional results. The easy-to-follow instructions guide readers through simple, step-by-step projects, from children's windows and table placemats to memory quilts and advent calendars. With a few clicks of the mouse, readers can turn one-dimensional ideas into vivid, three-dimensional creations that are sure to put a new spin on traditional handcrafts.