Category Archives: 1-By Laksh

All these articles are from Laksh’s desk

1-By Laksh, Etc.

PS3 and the mysterious case of missing 1080p.

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Yes, a few like me still use a PS3, if not for games, just as a blu ray player. It worked like a charm till yesterday, when all of a sudden, when I connected HDMI chord (I keep swapping it with Xbox one, owing to my two ports + Firestick on the TV), the TV screen kept on displaying white noise and going blank.

Quick research on the internet pointed me in the way of the following fix.

  1. Keep the power button pressed, hear beeps and release. PS3 will shut down.
  2. Keep the power button pressed again, hear beeps and release. This time PS3 will turn on and display HDMI set up screen.
  3. Go to Settings>Display and select Custom/Manual, first select 720p and wait for 25 seconds if the resolution holds.
  4. If 3 went out without a hitch, also select 1080i.

In my case, 1080p didn’t work, but 1080i does. So, back to full screen Game of Thrones viewing now!!

1-By Laksh, Etc.

Inaccessible google sheet…

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..and a few hours of troubleshooting

Movie Reviews Sheet Error

In the late 90s, the word troubleshooting was synonymous with Microsoft Technet discs, as most of our work was related to MS platforms. Microsoft on its part was pretty systematic in terms of publishing all the related updates, support information that was the first goto for anyone who had to troubleshoot.

Cut to 2021. It is all on the internet now and even if you had to find about a glitch/issue about Google Search, you can use Google search.

Well, I had a problem with Google sheets and it costed me a couple of hours.

I created a sheet a few months back and I am the owner plus only one with access. I open and edit it on multiple devices and suddenly I started receiving the above error. I spent a few hours on the internet via google, and tried out everything, but of no avail. Google Sheets allowed me to change the permissions (gave access to my other email id and tried to open) and other properties but it was not accessible on Desktop and not editable on other devices.(On Android mobile, the error was about a chnage in permissions!)

So I did the following.

  • As I was able to open the sheet in iPad, copied all the content onto a blank sheet and kept in reserve.
  • Made sure the above was accessible and editable on multiple devices.
  • Renamed the one I am unable to open. And voila it worked.

While I love the internet, and the myriad of options, I do miss the structure of Tech Net, both the offline disc and online versions.

1-By Laksh

Varavelpu (1989)

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Having the best intentions and hard work to match it, doesn’t ensure good results, especially if you are a simple and honest person. Muralidharan finds this out the hard way in the movie ‘Varavelpu’.

‘Varavelpu’ is about a sincere and honest gulf-returned Muralidharan (Mohanlal) who pours all his savings into a business and struggles to keep it afloat. His seven years of labour overseas, helps the careers of his elder brothers, but when it comes to returning the favor, they back out. His sisters-in-law, who compete to serve him lavish dishes upon his arrival, quickly downgrade him to rice gruel. Left stranded, he is forced to fight a system that is callous to new entrants’ travails and progressive thoughts.

Though this movie is set against the social political background of Kerala in the late 80s, it still mirrors the current problem of entrepreneurs and small business people. Everyone dishes out free advice but do not step forward when things go south for the individual, and worse still, pursue their personal agendas at his expense. Union Leaders, Local associations etc, do not offer any assistance and even hinder the efforts of a few helping hands like that of the mediating labour officer.

Mohanlal shines in a character, that allows him to play its various shades of innocence, frustration and finally a stoic realization. The way he internalizes all that happens to him and conveys with a simple smile or smirk, is a treat to watch.