Okaaaayyyy...... If I run HDMI, I would also want the Cat5 for the IR (since the TVs would be on different levels of the house). If I did HDMI over Cat6, I'd probably also need another line for IR in that case too, plus expensive "converters". Does (can) the Cat 5 run along with the HDMI cable? Where would you have them located in relation to each other? If I use HDMI for the main HDTV where the cable box/DVR will be located, I can't then use the component output at all for other TVs--I would have to split and use HDMI, right? It's one or the other signal? Thanks! I'm meeting the LV guy at the house tomorrow to mark what I want and where. Maybe a few more questions: I think we'll use TWC telephone, but I only see the need for 1 actual phone location, the rest will be "satellites" of this. This will be Cat5, right--and you just plug the plug the phone into it? If there are other Cat5s run for computer, do we need to differentiate these (from that used as phone line)? Anything else I need to keep in mind, or consider, or ask of the LV guy??? Thank you all for your help! Tracey

Hi, Mikie. Thanks. I guess I will look for a 1.5TB drive (unless I don't find any with very good reviews - I know I've seen some 1 TB drives that get great reviews for around $100). I know I have one open sata port (I did have my computer open last week to take my Tivo original hard drive and copy it to a new 1TB hard drive - with all the snafus this 1- 1/2 hr. project took 8 hours on Saturday - and on and off all Sunday to complete). There is definitely a bay for a second hard drive. I had 2 sata ports but just added an esata cable so I'm using one of those now. I definitely don't have such huge files (maybe 10-15GB at most for a long high-def movie), so I'll look into partitioning the drive (which is an intimidating idea now, but I'll work up to it). I'm not sure what you mean by break-away covers. But this computer comes with an empty slot in front where a firewire port can be. I think this is what you mean by does the faceplate have provisions for it. I've looked through Dell forums. I'm copying the link here: http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/18748278.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=04&s=bsd&PageIndex=1 It's amazing that for over a year folks have been trying to add this front firewire port after the face - and most of them cannot get a straight answer from Dell. The variety of responses - including it can't be done, it can only be added to the rear, a suggestion of different needed parts - and then perhaps one answer that seems right - but they got the part number wrong and it took the woman 30 minutes to find the information out. Anyway, I've read through it several times bc. it all seems to unclear. I wish I could have read that several people did the same thing and it worked. But people had different solutions. I think I'll call Dell parts and ask about this one: Part #J4975 ($32.99): * IEEE 1394 PCI Card (all internal cables included) for Dell Inspiron 530 Desktop * One end has FireWire port that will be accessible on front of computer (i.e., via the existing slot) * The other end is the PCI Card (which connects to the motherboard) and also has three additional FireWire ports accessible on back of computer. * Internal cables (included with purchase) connect the two ends. * All four FireWire ports have 6-pin heads. But even that part number is wrong - it's supposed to be Y4975. It sounds like the right thing to me. Then I can just plug in my Lego parts. Dell support is just so uninformed. Back to the hard drive, do I need to get cables as well as the drive? I'm sure I need 1 or 2 cables to connect the drive to my computer - and I'm asking in case that answer is more clear. Thanks. Lynn. PS - I'm not mechanical - but I'm determined to learn.

Most are powered only by an AC adapter, but I've heard there are a few that also have battery power,. Check the specs on any frame you are interested in: many of them can handle 100-240V AC input, which means you would not need to buy a special transformer to make it work in England, just a couple dollar adapter plug to allow the U.S.-style plug to mate with a British receptacle. (See the link below for a kit with several adapters; this would handle whatever you encountered in England.) The most important thing to me is the screen resolution: some of the less expensive ones have pretty low resolution and the pictures look grainy. If it were me, I'd pick one with the best resolution I could afford, and just get a plug adapter. Here is a link that might be useful: Plug adapter kit

OK - I tried uploading directly from my camera to Photobucket - and you cannot do that. DANG! Here is an easy way to upload your pics to a computer (you never need to use the camera software - I really dislike Kodak especially, but if you are comfortable with it, that is ok) Plug your camera in to the computer, or place card into card reader. Go to MY COMPUTER and find the device. Double click on it and your images should pop up. You may see them as thumbnails, tiles, icons, or list - depending on how your computer is set...you can always change that. Click on the first image you want to copy - then hold down the shift key and select the last image you want to copy - this will select all of them in between also. Right click and select copy. Go to the Desktop of the computer. Right click on a blank area and mouse over NEW-> go over to FOLDER and click on that to create a new folder. You can rename it when you create it or just leave it named NEW FOLDER (it doesn't matter). Double click on the folder to open. Right click and select PASTE. Your photos will be zipping into this folder! You can upload to Photobucket like normal from there. This will NOT remove the pictures from your camera card. Delete your folder when you are done. DON'T forget your card if you have removed it from your camera!! You can create the desktop folder at any time - you also don't have to have it located on the desktop - but this would be easiest while you are traveling so you don't forget to delete. You should be able to practice this at home. If you can't shut down the Kodak program - just let it do it's thing - then try it after it has finished. Or try it at a library. The little thumb drives (USB drives) and camera memory cards are the same thing - just in a different package. An external hard drive is just like a thumb drive, just bigger. THumb drives are so easy to lose! They are just the handiest things - but they go missing for me all the time.... Buy some extra cards before you travel. Try them out before you go. Format them in your camera first!! They are cheap and you can NEVER EVER take too many pictures :) If this doesn't make sense at all -I can post screen shots later (probably tomorrow)