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  1. Manually Set Netflix Streaming Bitrate

    Sat 07 April 2012

    I stream Netflix to an HTPC I have setup. Depending on what I am watching, I sometimes want to manually tweak the quality of the streaming beyond Netflix's automatic detection--for example, some videos playing in full HD overwhelm the machine's ability to decode the video, causing stuttering. Alternatively, I may want to force HD for some videos.

    There is a built-in but not easy to find way to do this. While watching the video (not fullscreen), press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+s. This will bring up an option to manually set the bitrate. Note that doing this will turn off Netflix's automatic detection for the current video, so for example if your network connection slows down, you may see stuttering and/or buffering.

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  2. Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3 Network Issues in Ubuntu

    Mon 02 January 2012

    I recently purchased a Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3 motherboard as part of a new PC build. When I went to install Ubuntu on it, my network connection was horribly slow--time outs all ...

  3. How to Move a Battlefield 3 Install Directory

    Mon 14 November 2011

    I play the occasional PC game with my out-of-town friends--we all get on a Vent server and play a few games once a week as a good way to stay ...