How to take ScreenShot and ScreenRecording Using MiTV4

20 October 2019

How to take ScreenShot and ScreenRecording Using MiTV4

A feature unknown to many Xiaomi TV user is 

a)  Taking a Screenshot

b)  Taking a short video clip of about 15 seconds

Directly using just MiTV’s TV controller.  This feature also  includes a screen cleaner,  wiping clean the screen for other screen capturing and recording purpose.  It has been tested to work in MiTV4.

Item	Action	Remark
1.  How to Access?	Press [Home] button twice in quick succession Doubleclick to enlarge	This screen will show   Doubleclick to enlarge With 3 buttons at the bottom Namely,  the [Cleaner],  the [Screen Capture] and [Screen Recorder] Doubleclick to enlarge
2. [Cleaner] Button	Select the button	Clears all the screens shown above the button,  leaving only main menu screen
3. [Screen Capture] Button	Select the button	Captures the screen instantly and displays a notice when completed
4. [Screen Recorder] Button	Select the button	Records a short video of about 15 seconds and displays a notice when completed
5.  Retrieve the captured screen or video	1. Fire up [ES file explorer]
	2. Scroll down to [Internal Storage] on the left side bar and click it	Doubleclick to enlarge
	3.  Click [ScreenCapture] for all the screen captured Or Click [ScreenRecorder] for the 15 seconds video clips	Doubleclick to enlarge Note that the picture are captured as png files Doubleclick to enlarge

Video Recording of the Article

How to use iPhone 6 BoostCase for iPhone 7?

20 October 2019

How to use iPhone 6 BoostCase for iPhone 7?

One of our family members was given a Carte Blanche BoostCase for iPhone 6 as a gift.  Before she could use it,  she had the iPhone changed and now has a iPhone 11 Pro.  This BoostCase was given tome to do something.  This article tells how the BoostCase was turned into iPhone 7 case instead of selling it as it doesn’t worth much/

What is a iPhone 6 BoostCase?

It is just a 2700 mAh power pack specially designed to fit iPhone 6 so that it can become part of the  iPhone.

Compatibility

There are only 2 problems if one uses this iPhone 6's BoostCase in iPhone 7

1.  First,  the camera lens will be half blocked because the camera windows of the BoostCase are too small;

2.   No wired earphone can be used as the lightning cable port will be used by the  BoostCase.

One can live without the wired earphone as there are Bluetooth earphones;  however,  it would be hard to go without the camera!!    So,  the next thing to do is to enlarge the camera window hole.

Easy Job?

It is a relatively easy job;  however,  there are things to watch out when enlarging the window holes

What’s Needed?

a)  A high speed drill like Dremel with a 6 mm grinding stone tool bit

b)  A paper template to fit and cover the camera lens of the iPhone 7.

Step by Step

Item Description	Action	Remark
1.  Making  paper template	Draw the window hole on a paper using either the existing iPhone 7 case or by measuring from the phone.	Draw the window on the front and back of the paper to check the progress of the grinding..
2.  Sticking the paper template	Stick the paper template to the inside of the BoostCase's cover using Uhu glue or otherwise	Avoid sticking to the external side of the case as it might leave ugly marks doubleclick to enlarge
3  Enlarging the window hole	Follow the template and grind away the excess plastic of the BoostCase	Again,  work from the inside of the case
4.  Checking and Finishing	Check and repeat the grinding	doubleclick to enlarge
5. Painting and Polishing	Use black color permanent marker to paint the inside edges of the window so that it will look like the original.  Polish to complete the work	Again, use permanent market to work from inside of the case to avoid leaving markings that would be difficult to clean.
6.  Repeating same for the Booster Case

How to use the New Reminder Apps in iOS 13

18 October 2019

1) What’re the Changes?

2) Why my iOS13 Reminder Apps doesn't have the new features 

3) What’re in the New Reminder Apps 

4) Add New Member or Group and then Reminders  
5) Create New Reminders? 
6) Create New List? 
7) Create Schedule Reminders? 
8) Delete a Reminder? 
9) Show and hide Tasks Completed ? 

10) How to Create and Add Subtssk ? 

How to use the New Reminder Apps in iOS 13

Apple revamped the iOS12's Reminder Apps and completely changed the apps with new features added.  The new apps allow users to  set various elements of the Reminder Apps.  It also allows the creation of reminders and the organisation of various tasks at ease,  much like any commercial Reminder apps.  This article intends to introduce the features used commonly in the new Reminder apps.  

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What’re the Changes?

iOS12’s Reminder only has 2 main screens;   the Reminder list and the Setting screens.  The new iOS13 not only revamp these 2 screens but also added many other features like image insertions etc.   It is also has a power task reminder function that will remind users at the precise date and time,  how and where to announce and sound the reminders.   All these are done easily by the users.

From These (in iOS12)	To These (in iOS13)
Doubleclick to enlarge	Doubleclick to enlarge
Doubleclick to enlarge	Doubleclick to enlarge

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Why My Reminder Apps Doesn't have All the Features?
  
As iPhone always syn its Reminder Apps with the other devices connected to the iPhone;  therefore,  one must either upgrade all the connected devices to iOS13 or have them  deleted if one wants all the features of new iOS13 Reminder Apps.   The other reason could be because iPhone was never backup before due to insufficient iCloud storage.  This video will tell how to do an upgrade after the iOS13 has been installed

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I)  What’re in the New Reminder Apps

Itemised Description	Actions	Remarks
1.  4 Sections of a List	1.  Tap [Reminder apps] on the icon menu as usual	This screen will show the 4  Sections;  namely,  [All],  [Today], [Scheduled] & [Flagged]. It also shows the name of the list and the numbers of task created the list.   Doubleclick to enlarge
2.  Show detail of the Tasks	1.Tap Today as example	This Task list will show up,  showing there are 3 tasks already created for this Today section Doubleclick to enlarge

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II)  Add New Member or Group and then Reminders

1.  Add member or group in My List	1.  Tap [Add List] as shown	Doubleclick to enlarge
2.  Add Reminders	After adding the member/group 1.  Tap the member/group 2.  Tap [New Reminder] 3.  Set the details of the reminder as shown	Set alarm and the way to remind such as where,  when,  how Flag the reminder if necessary for attention Doubleclick to enlarge
5. Add Attachment to the Reminder	Scroll down on the last detail screen.  one  will find [Add Image] ,  click it and the next picture with 3 options will show to ask where image will be extracted.  Proceed to add the image	Doubleclick to enlarge

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III)  Create New Reminders?

Itemised Description	Actions			Remarks
1.  Reminders		1.  Tap any of the Section e.g. [Today] 2.  Select the list and in the next screen,  tap [+ New Reminder]	Doubleclick to enlarge
2.   Add Reminder to other member/group in [Today] section		1.  One can add/change reminders settings to other members by tapping the [+] signs and type in the reminder task as shown,  then 2.  Tap [i]  to set the details of the reminder	Doubleclick to enlarge

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IV)  Create New List?

Itemised Description	Actions			Remarks
1,  Create New List		1.  In the main menu,   tap [Add List],  in the next screen,  type in the name of the Task List.  Click [Done] to create the new list,  in this example,  a list called  [Holiday] was created	Doubleclick to enlarge
2.  Add New Reminders		1.  In the following up screen,  find and tap e.g. [Holiday],  and click [Add Reminders] in the next screen, then, follow Section II's procedure  to create the new reminders’ 2.  Tap the [3 dots] on top as circled yellow when one want to change the name,  delete the list etc..	Doubleclick to enlarge

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V)  Create Schedule Reminders?

Itemised Description	Actions			Remarks
1,  Create Scheduled Reminders for the new list		1 After adding the new reminders,  one can tap the [i] button as circled yellow and  proceed to set when to remind and if the reminder should be repeated and at what location should it remind the user	Doubleclick to enlarge
2.  Set the Alarm		1.  Tap the [Alarm] and in the next screen shown,  set the date and time for the alarm to go off 2.  Click [Done] when complete	Doubleclick to enlarge

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VI)  Delete a Reminder?

Itemised Description	Actions	Remarks
Delete a Task/Reminder	Find the Task/Reminder or list to be deleted,   click the item and swipe item to the left of the screen as shown,  then click the red rubbish bin to delete.	Doubleclick to enlarge

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VII)  Show and hide Tasks Completed ?

Itemised Description	Actions	Remarks
Show Task Completed	Tap the desired list and in the next screen,  tap the 3 dots at the top,  then click the [Show Complete].  This will hide the completed tasks.	Doubleclick to enlarge

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VIII)  Create and Add Subtask

One can create a reminder for a task,  then create more subtasks with reminders so that one can get the reminders.organised properly.   Here is how

Why Video Lags?

14 October 2019

# MiBox S,  Video lags, Developer Option

Introduction

Many devices such as TV boxes,   users often experienced video lags when watching TV programs streamed from YouTube or Netflix or Kodi.  They suspected that their TV devices were the cause.  This suspicion will get stronger when they tried using other similar devices without any problem.   This article will try to explain why and attempt to describe what to do next.

Why Video Lags?

Before the TV can display a signal on the TV from the Ethernet plug,  the signal must go through several processing units as shown above.  In this complicated signal processing,  there will be video display lags.  If the delay is below 100 mseconds,  it will not be noticeable;    otherwise,  one would experience video lags such as a character “jumpings” or video “tearings” all over the screen.

What can be done?

It will depend on the make of the device and what component is the cause. The work can be time frustrating and time consuming  This article will take MiBox S as an example to solve the problem.

What is MiBox S?

It is a set top TV box developed by Xiaomi.  They have a Global model called MiBox S commonly used in countries outside China.  The box has an Amlogic 905X Soc Chip,  allowing 4K YouTube video plus Netflix video to be played.   It has a built-in Chromecast.  It is very cheap and uses Android TV OS.

What was found?

Many MiBox users tried all sort of  known methods and not able to solve the video lag problem. This is because many did not know there is a setting hidden in the Developer Module.   Most would just simply do a Factory Setting,  requiring reinstatement of installed apps again and again.

How to access this Developer Module?

Step 1 : In the main setting,  tap [About]

Step 2 : In the next picture shown in the [About] page,   tap on the [Build] tab on and off for about 7 time continuously.   Mibox will notify that the box is in [Developer] mode

Step 3:  One can check the  showing of the [Developer] mode in the main setting page

What is the use?

There are many hidden settings in this Developer mode that can mess up the Mibox operation;  for this reason,  the settings are always hidden.    However,  there is one setting change found to be useful to solve video lag in Mibox.

Step 1:  Tap the [Developer Option] as shown above and scroll down until one reaches this tab called [Don’t keep activities]

 Step 2 :  Turn this on if it is off as shown above

Why this works?

For some reasons,  Mibox likes to keep a log of  the activities when one visited a site or used a an app.  Some of these activities accumulated over time and eats up the memory. When the memory runs out of free space,  it causes video lags. 

Will there be Repercussion?

Some commented that this change might cause some videos to freeze but others said they have not experienced any problem.