Sunday, November 27, 2022

How to replace 2010-2015 Prius Lift Hatch Struts

This video helped me replace the Prius lift hatch struts.  I bought OEM replacements from eBay (from a dealer).  When popping off the metal tabs, you'll have to use a small enough screwdriver head.  I found a good sized one in a kit like this:



Copy the video: you'll want to pull the tab toward you, and then push the metal tab up (or down).  Be sure you don't mess with the new one:  you don't have to pull out the metal tab on the new one.  Just pop it in.


Friday, February 11, 2022

Tips and Tricks for Imation RipGo! Mini CD-R MP3 Player

I got a new-to-me Imation RipGo! mp3 player recently.  It burns and plays mini-CD's in mp3 format.  It's almost 2-decade old technology, but it's fun so far playing around with it.

Here's what I've noticed so far:

- I can't get it working with the USB connection to any computer.  Perhaps it only works with 32-bit .operating systems?  But you can burn CD-R's on your laptop, and just use those discs in the player.

- I've heard that CD-RW disks don't work.  I've heard that anything larger than 185 MB discs don't work.

- I had trouble with many mp3 ripping software programs, including ffmpeg and AIMP.  They would create mp3s fine, but those mp3s wouldn't play in the RipGo.  The filename would be read, but it would just skip to the next song.

- Instead, if you use itunes to rip the mp3, those mp3's work fine.  (Convert to wav first, then use itunes to convert to mp3)  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204310

- Don't use 48,000 encoding.  Use 41,400.

- If the battery is really drained, nothing will turn on.  Just let it charge up for an hour, and try again.  If the battery is really low, the LCD screen won't even display that it's charging, even though it is.  Just be patient.

- Yes it's slow, and there's weird noises when the track starts.  What do you expect from 2-decade old technology?