briley

Has this anything to do with the Sony copy protection debacle? Is so the sony web site has some information, as has Microsoft, on how to remove it.

I got offered windows media player 10 (refused it) plus a number of hardware updates that loaded no problems.

I did wonder, if you do a check to see if you have genuine windows does that raise a flag that causes problems later even if you disable windows genuine advantage?

Early this morning (Friday 30th) a very noisy plane landed or took off at about 2.30am - not sure which as I was a little sleepy.

This is the second flight at about the same time this week.

Anyone awake enough to say who, what or why there seem to be night flights from Chiang Mai? (And where they are going to/coming from?)

Thanks Guardian, works a treat, except

You must first have updated install shield or whatever it is called. Run windows update and agree to what it asks then you have to restart computer. Next try and update and it asks to check you have genuine windows.

Now when you follow guardian's advice you will find the windows genuine advantage on the list, but only using guardian's method and not using IE - Tools - manage add ons.

I can't find information on 009 for internatinal calls - any enlightenment?

i do not recommend this because you are putting yourself at the mercy of a third party which may modify the windows update or include virus and other spyware at their freewill. Use internet explorer its the best!

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62nds web site gives you the actual link to the Microsoft update file. Very nice when you want to download the file and use it to update a number of machines that are not net connected or store the updates for a re-install.

Admittedly you can't use IE but every cloud has a silver lining (mind, looking out of the Chiang Mai window today I'm not so sure ....................)

Maejo Man - I posted as there seems to be some dispute on this, especially the medical. Last Tuesday they had printed paper saying you had to have medical and the girl said I had to have medical (I went without one) for renewal. She also said the law had changed in October?

You could easily be correct about photocopy of old licence. The expired bit seems to be important for your first 5 year licence as if the 1 year licence hasn't expired you can't get a 5 year licence since you have to have had a licence for 1 full year - Makes sense????

As an extra when does your expire? Ours (mine and my wifes) expire in 5 years and a bit, the bit being from now until our next birthday. Seems odd.

Having just renewed my license I find a few changes from last year - all for the better So a simple (??) update.

Driving license place has a list in English of requirements and you go to counter 21 upstairs for a very good English speaker to do everything (except sign the form) for you.

You need:

Residence certificate from Embassy (expensive), Consulate (ditto), Immigration office (see below note 3), Work Permit with Chiang Mai Address or Residence Book

Copy of passport pages: Non-immigrant visa extensions, Passport photo page and last entry stamp (and the passport of course!)

Medical certificate (within 1 month) for driver's license - some people say you do not need this but I did, the list says you do, a friend of mine did - so take your choice!)

2 photos 1 inch by 1 inch taken within 6 months.

Old EXPIRED licence and photocopy - has to expire to be renewed!

505 baht for a car, 255 baht for a bike paid to the nice lady PLUS 10 baht a licence to be plastified (paid as you get the licence). Add 50 Baht per licence if also a change of address.

Notes:

1. Photos and photocopies are now over the other side of Hang Dong road (allow an hour to cross) and costly - 90 bhat for 4 photos and 2 baht a sheet photocopy. The photo's from the pretty booths all over town are acceptable, 40 baht for an A5 sheet with 16 photo's.

2 If you go for both bike and car license you need two sets of papers, but a photocopy of originals (residence and medical) are OK for the second license.

3 The letter of guarantee of residence from immigration is now free , you need:

2 colour photo's, it says 1.5inch by 2inch but around that size is OK

Passport and copies of Picture page, most recent entry, arrival/departure card, original non-imm visa and visa extension page.

As proof of address your rental contract or ownership documents of the house (photocopy that big thing but have it reduced to A4 size!)

Either TM47 (90 day reporting certificate) or TM28 (notification of place of residence) but if you have neither as you haven't yet needed to do either then this is ignored.

4 Don't forget to sign all photocopies.

Allow an hour in immigration and about the same at Licensing.

And US$5 for Burma - can get for 250 Baht at the border or cheaper at the bank before you go.

What is wrong with File sharing?

It is the fact that too many people associate file share with sharing copyrite material the makes things like Bit Torrent get a bad name. As a programmer I often file share and use bit torrent as an efficient means of legally distributing programs and other files.

Don't worry I do understand the change but do get annoyed that something is banned because it "can" be used for illegal purposes.

As a curiosity an expired UK passport is always valid for entry to and leaving from the UK.

Virtual dub will not edit AC3 files. But thanks!

VideoReDo is working excellently - and it is a 30 day free trial.

MarkUK - the OP did state he would be in the UK next year so the air fare does not need to come into the equation

- when is Thai visa going to add a speel cheker?

The OP will of course know that:

1 UK passports are cheaper in the UK (no consulate fee)

2 Prices go up, quite a lot, is it in Januaray?

3 If you have time left on your old passport it can be transfered to your new passport, up to 9 months, ie your new passport runs for 10 yrs and 9 months.

Nice list, couple there I hadn't tried.

Having spent all day on the net I found VideoReDo Plus - does just what I want. Was initially detered by reports that it would not do AC3 but that has been proved wrong and it has a 15 day free trial with all facilities - just enough for the current job.

I've got a number of MPEG2 files with AC3 (Dolby) audio that I want to cut up into a number of small pieces.

I do NOT want to re-compress them, just cut them up - this is partially to save time (hours!) but also to stop any quality loss.

Virtual Dub, a program I normally use, can't cut up if you have AC3 audio Shame as it splits file very fast and efficiently if not dolby sound - ie in minutes.

Anyone know any software that can do the job. Google has proved not to be my friend, nor Tocows etc.

The userid for a goldcyber (1 meg?) connection is <phonenumber>@goldcyber

for the supercyber people it is <phonenumber>@supercyber (256 kbs connections)

What's the middle one, silver cyber?

Ah - suppose the point is the slip I signed said I was withdrawing 55,000 Baht.

If I had asked for GBP750 then probably they would have gone

750 * 72 (exchange rate) and ask their little machine for 54,000 baht.

There seems to be a lot of interest so I'll give you my full details.

On 10 Nov I went to Bangkok bank and had 55,000 baht credited to my savings account with FTT in the code column. No fees, no 100 baht, nothing. My Nationwide account was debited with GBP767.39p. No other debits. Thats 71.671Baht to 1GBP.

Went outside to the ATM took 5000 baht in crisp notes and got debited GBP69.88 from my Nationwide acount - 71.551 to 1GBP

Using Bangkok banks historic rates page the rates for TT buying (they buy, I sell) were

10 Nov 71.55750 baht=1GBP (update 2, I did it late in the day)

11 Nov 71.33500 baht=1GBP

I let you figure this out, I got better than the Bangkok bank rate.

I do not know if Bangkok bank ask nationwide for 55,000 baht or the pounds, but the rate I got was not the rate the cashier quoted. I think they ask for 55,000 so you get the Nationwide rate (or visa rate or what) but that opens a whole new topic.

Suspect Nationwide will stick with their policy as it gives them a lot of good publicity for little cost, we are the exception not the rule!

Everyone has different needs - I live long enough each year in CM to make ADSL well worth while, especially compared to prices in other countries. Otherwise the TOT 1222 number (just checked the number with my always on ADSL :-) ) is cheaper than Loxinfo.

I agree Loxinfo are a good service but if I can find someone giving equivalent service cheaper then I change. If you have a TOT phone and a bill you can give them a try - for 3baht for 2 hours!

The cheapest way for occasional use has to be the internet cafe at 12 baht an hour, think that beats loxinfo and you don't have to buy a computer!

If you have a TOT line you can dial in to their - is it 1221???? - internet service, you get 2 hours for 1 phone call, ie 3 baht. You have to get a username and password, these can be got on the TOT website or any TOT office for free.

(http://signup.totonline.net/)

When I used to use it the connection was fine.

But I would seriously consider ADSL, TOT charge 500 baht a month and often have free connection periods, otherwise 1000 baht. Plus you need a modem - under 2000 baht.

Dial up, even the free one, is 3baht a call. Do that once a day and you spend 300 baht a month, not much less than ADSL which is always on. And once you've had always on you'll not want to go back.

wow no charges at all.

that's the best news I've heard today. I will transfer into my SCB bank this way in future and get ftt markings. Not dependant on UK rates but the rate at SCB. Next step see if you can negotiate better than the tourist rate for large amounts.

Cheers briley. What u havin? it's my round!

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Using Nationwide you get virtual the market rate, the difference it fractional. It is not the 'tourist rate' that can mean anything. Look at the Bangkok Bank exchange rate page,

http://www.bangkokbank.co.th/Bangkok+Bank/...es/FX+Rates.htm

Using a Nationwide card either over the counter or via the ATM you get the TT buying rate (currently 71.88500). Compared to their TT selling rate (currently 72.48000) the bank makes 0.595 Baht per GBP, or 0.83% profit.

You'd have to be bringing in a heck of a lot to get a bank to better that, after all the bank has to do two transactions (buy and sell) to make their 0.83% profit.

Rinrada: Used my Flex account direct debit card. Nationwide do make charges against the credit card.

It was put direct into my savings account with the FTT markings, forgein telegraphic transfer? BUT note that I did make a comment that I wanted the FTT for immigration so it might be optional?

Oops sorry about the duplicate posting..................

Rinrada: Used my Flex account direct debit card. Nationwide do make charges against the credit card.

It was put direct into my savings account with the FTT markings, forgein telegraphic transfer? BUT note that I did make a comment that I wanted the FTT for immigration so it might be optional?

AFAIK it is impossible to recieve short wave via a card in a computer as the interference is far too much of a problem.

The speeds used in a computer is in the short wave frequency range.