***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 193 *****
In this thread you may ask any question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.
It does not need to be motoring related. In fact, in this thread it should not be.
No Questions About PCs. Please use the current "computer Related Questions" thread instead.
No politics
No Speeding, speed cameras, traffic calming
No arguments or slanging matches
Nothing which we think is not following the spirit of the thread
Nothing that risks the future of this site (please see the small print for details
www.honestjohn.co.uk/credits/index.htm )
Any of the above will be deleted. If the thread becomes difficult to maintain it will simply be removed.
However, as has been said a couple of times, there is a wealth of knowledge in here, much of which is not motoring related, but most of which is useful.
This is Volume 192. Previous Volumes will not be deleted,
A list of previous volumes can be found here:-
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=18847
PLEASE NOTE:
When posting a NEW question, please "Reply to" the first message in this thread, i.e. this one. This keeps each question in it's own separate segment and stops each new question from getting mixed up in amongst existing questions. Also please remember to change the subject header.
|
>>L'escargot
>>Next question ~ does a text to a UK number in USA cost the same as in the UK?
>>
NO. it is a lot more expensive.
The sender gets charged the usual UK rate ( whatever they currently pay)
The receiver on a UK number, while in the USA, also gets charged for the international auto transfer process.
This is why kids on a trip ( I never sent anything or phoned anyone, Mum honest !) get home to a BIG bill cos all their friends have been texting or phoning them and the receiver picks up the tab.
So may be worth asking friends to desist in phoning / texting unless urgent.
( if two Brits are in the US, with UK phones and one texts the other, the msg will go to the UK - its home country - and it will then be sent to the US where the other phone is.
Each will get an international charge)
|
And there is no EEC stepping in to cut the cost here either.
If there is the need for uk to us regular communication, has the use of skype, (or other internet phone) or PC to PC instant messaging been considered? (yahoo chat or Microsoft messenger?)
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
Thanks everyone. That puts texting USA into the "in case of emergency only" category.
The next question is what causes a text (in UK) to not transmit? The mesage was to a tried and tested destination.
(I've only got into texting since dumping my 7-year old monster in favour of a modern compact user-friendly mobile.)
--
L\'escargot.
|
reasons for text to fail.
1/ the recipient was not recognised on any network
2/ invalid destination (ie wrong number / country code)
3/ Network Message queue full (happens from time to time - a retry will get through)
4/ your message centre number is not set up on your mobile.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
|
|
I think charges for texting depend a great deal on the Network.
For instance on Virgin it is not expensive. It cost 20p to to send a text to any international destination(including USA) and it is free to receive texts in the USA. It costs 35p to send a text from the USA.
I spend a lot of time in the USA and for $5 upwards you can buy a phone card on line that enables you to ring UK for about 1p a min from a land line.
You can also buy a cheap 'pay as you go' phone or SIM . Calls on these(to receive or make) are normally between 10c -30c a min.
|
|
|
|
|
Think this may have been asked before, but i can't find it, so here goes!
just been watching the News re- the blind water skier deliberately breaking the speed limit on Windermere.
Apparently he was doing it as a protest, and eventually got "pulled" by the "Park Rangers", noticed that their boat was fitted with "Blues 'n' Two's", so my question is:
Are Park Rangers designated as Police and actually "allowed" to use them, I always thought that only designated Emergency Services were entitled, and I wouldn't call Rangers an emergency unit??
Can Anyone confirm?
Ta Billy
Subject line altered to show the question being asked - PU
|
The Thames Conservancy (now the environment agency) River police had Blues and twos on the their police launches. They had no power of arrest or investigation for criminal offences. (ie when they haul a body out the thames, where it gets landed becomes the responsibility of that force (ie could be surrey on one side of the thames or the met on the other)
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
Hmm! Yes, just been doing a bit of Homework, (don't know why i just don't Google first!) came across an interesting point though, apparently, it is "an offence" for even a Police Officer to stop a vehicle whilst it is underway with "blues 'n' two's" in use, - even if the Officer suspects that they are being used illegally!.
Good job gettaway drivers dont Google then!!
Billy
|
|
|
|
Someome here must have done this, can anyone please tell me how long do goods normally take to arrive and what happens with customs? The site I'm looking at uses the US Postal Service which kind of makes me think "not fast"?
JH
|
Probably three years since I last tried it. Item was a Sony radio of a model not sold in Europe, bought from a US e-retailer carrier was UPS. Took about four days to arrive but I was able to track its progress via some US hub to East Midlands Airport then a local centre. Arrived with a customs sticker describing the contents as electronic equipment and a bill for a tenner or so which I paid to UPS man along with a small handling charge.
IIRC ordered Monday and arrived Saturday.
IIARC there is another thread on here dealing with customs etiquette in more detail, particularly in relation to private buyer/ebay type transactions. Worth a read of hmrc's website as well, I'm sure they're wise to the obvious tricks of misdescription/misvaluation.
|
I've only ordered low value, but unique computer components from the US on behalf of one of the offspring, but it has never taken longer than a week at most for them to be delivered.
No duty problems as the goods are described on the packaging; however one or US websites have required some form of confirmation of your credit card being genuine.
However, more and more American websites are refusing to export overseas, no doubt due to government legislation.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
No duty problems as the goods are described on the packaging; however one or US websites have required some form of confirmation of your credit card being genuine. However more and more American websites are refusing to export overseas no doubt due to government legislation. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now S mentions it I had to phone and provide i/d. I suspect the refusal to export owes more to pressure from manufacturers (or CC fraud Issues) than either US or EU legislation - though particularly with computer parts post 9/11 paranoia may play a part.
My Sony item was widely advertised in the US, but not all suppliers would ship outside of their territory even in 2000ish.
|
Be careful. Always check with HMRC to find out the applicable duty on anything you bring into the country from abroad.Do NOT rely on any other source of information.HMRC bite if you get it wrong
All goods imported into the UK are subject to duty at the rates set and enforced by HMRC which is why you will normally find the green declaration on any parcel sent through the post with item description and value for Customs purposes.
Misdescription or undervaluation of goods to avoid duty is treated very seriously indeed.
Believe me I know what I am talking about here , I import and export goods all the time and it can be a minefield even when you think you are correct.
I was looking at watches from US on Ebay and most of the sites emphasise that you , not them , are responsible for paying import duties.I believe a lot of US sites just can't be bothered to ship overseas.
I have bought clothing recently from US on Ebay and was fully expecting to pay import duty of 20% but had the goods turn up in the post , properly declared but with no request for duty.
I believe that under a certain value they do not bother to collect the duty because it would cost them more than its worth but do not quote me.
However just to highlight the sort of Customs traps you can fall into....
Be careful when coming back from places like Tenerife and bringing cigarettes.It is not considered part of of EEC although it is Spanish. Friends who thought it was OK to bring back more than 200 have had cigarettes confiscated and been fined.
My sister also sent me some of my favourite cigars for Christmas a few years back bought for around £13 duty free from Gibraltar a few years back and I got walloped for over £50 in duty because Gib was not considered part of EEC.
|
AFAIK theres nothing wrong with US postal service as long as its sent airmail; I have had things arrive in 4-5 days from placing the order. I have received things that do the US part of the journey by US postal service, then they are carried in the UK by a courier (as opposed to Royal Mail). Surface mail can obviously take weeks.
I bought a GPS from the US 5 or 6 years ago, was delivered to my office promptly by DHL, but I had to pay the DHL man the £28 import duty. IIRC I had to sign some HMRC paperwork.
I've not bought anything of value from there for a long time. As helicopter says, I too have received low value items with no request for import duty.
|
|
|
|
I'm planning to travel to the USA this October, flying Gatwick to Chicago with Continental, changing at Newark.
On the way back, I have a choice of flights from Chicago to Newark. One is scheduled to arrive at Newark 2 hours 19 minutes before the departure of the flight to Gatwick, but I could take an earlier flight getting me into Newark 4 hours 25 minutes before the flight to Gatwick.
In the end of the day, it all comes down to how cautious I want to be, but what is the conventional wisdom? Is 2 hours 19 minutes safe enough?
|
Assuming you are flying Continental on both sectors.
There is no conventional wisdom provided you are prepared to arrive back in the UK later than scheduled.
There are tables in all the airline reservations systems called MCTs ( Minimum Conection Times )
These even work across multi airport cities, terminals and inter airlines.
If the reservations system accepts your booking without flagging up the warning ( MCT!!!) then if the connection fouls up for any reason then the airline should look after you - alternative flights/ routes / hotels etc.
There are exceptions to this ( as you might guess) but in general it works.
Try making a new reservation online with both the flights to see if it works ( without going to the payment phase) and that will tell you if the connection is within the guidelines.
Some business travelers with hand luggage only will chance a tight connection, hope the incoming flight is on schedule and run for it!.
|
|
|
2 hours is loads of time - especially on the way back(no immigration to contend with)
I routinely connect in Boston and Chicago and even outbound with customs, immigration and change of terminal by bus/train it normally takes less than an hour, and coming back is quicker.
Besides Continental will know you are on the plane incoming from Chicago(and probably other passengers) and will normally hold the Gatwick plane if you are late.>> I'm planning to travel to the USA this October flying Gatwick to Chicago with Continental
|
|
Thanks, gentlemen. That's helpful.
|
|
|
|
|
Not being enormously computer literate, is there a site that will tell me who flys from where to where? I'm trying to book flights to Salzburg in the autumn from an airport close to Sheffield (Donny, Manchester, East Mids or Leeds Bradford). Is there a site that will tell me who goes from where? It's a bit tiresome going to each airline site in turn, and I might not know about all the carriers.
Ta,
O
--
Career: (n) Job, profession.
(v) Downhill, rapidly, out of control.
|
Perhaps using one of the airline flights booking websites might prove easier, such as:
www.cheapflights.co.uk/
www.expedia.co.uk/default.aspx
www.robinhoodairport.com/page_flight_bookings_38.h...l
www.justtheflight.co.uk/scheduled-flights/destinat...l
Many more.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
|
The one i use is skyscanner.net. Choose the airport you wish to fly from and it shows you who flys from there and where to. My latest result is return flights from East Midlands to Brittany in early september for 2p return all in!
|
|
|
|
Most airport websites will show avaialble destinations and name operating airlines, often with links straight to carriers site. Using airline or agents sites without local knowledge can be tiresome. BA's site does not admit the lack if direct flights LHR to Belfast, trying instead to route via a change. A well known cheap flights site's results for Glasgow to Cardiff were truly bizzarre, suggesting a routing via Amsterdam at a time when there were direct flights from either GLA and PIK.
Leeds to Salzburg will be Jet 2
|
|
Why not go to the Salzburg airport website? I just did a quick Google which showed that Thomsonfly use manchester.
|
|
|
|
|
You might recall some time ago I asked for advice with some essay questions... well, yesterday I was told I was an excellent candidate for the course and start (provisionally) in September at Oxford Aviation Training. :)
I took the Class One medical today and passed that too, and - tenuous motoring link - driving home I used the M6. Which was awful.
Thanks again - can't wait until September! :-D
|
|
Congratulations Dave.
|
Congratulations Dave.
I second that.
|
Best of luck! So you made Oxford and then onto Gatwick without (too many?) problems after all.
So what you training to fly and for who. Sounds exciting.
|
|
|
|
- tenuous motoring link
there's a motoring link? Mods, remove this from the thread and ban him for a week!
Congratulations David.
|
|
|
|
What is in boot polish that requires that you now prove that you are over 18 to purchase it?
I know that no self-respecting teenager would be seen dead with polished shoes; but Kiwi doesn't seem explosive, you surely can't get high as a kite on Cherry Blossom and it's graffiti potential seems very limited - so why the restriction?
Anyone?
|
Solid contains 'sniffable' solvents
Liquids contain alcohols and can be drunk - seriously
|
|
|
|
Is it just my computer or is there a problem with the site ?. For the past few days it has been like being on dial up, it is the only site that is running slow for me everything else is fine. Has it something to do with the autotrader site as their url always appears on the bottom of my screen while I am waiting up to a minute for pages to load.
|
mal
it's working fine for me. 'fraid it looks like it's at your end.
JH
|
Mmmmmmm, this is weird it has suddenly reached full speed !!!.
No other site has given me any problems, just don't understand how these problems occur.
|
It was a bit turgid at around 5.30 when I logged in. It may be some updating work, I'll ask Stephen....
Thanks.
|
This site periodically is slow when other sites are working at normal speeds .I put it down to a popular site that cannot cope with demand.Just come back a bit latter.Its usualy slow at week lunch times and evenings.
--
rustbucket (the original)
|
|
|
|
I currently have my landline with BT and Tiscali supply the broadband. I have been looking at the Talk Talk website and I reckon I could save quite a bit by switching. I would be interested to hear anyone elses experience on this, is it as cheap as they say and how painless is the switchover?
Ta in advance.
--
|
I've been with TalkTalk since a year last April, after finally ditching Tiscali.
Apart from a few early hitches due to the sheer overwhelming early demand, it's prove first class.
For £20.99 a month (now down to £20.50) on the TalkTalk International3 package, I get free AnyTime calls to UK landlines (except, as expected, the 0845, 0870 varieties); free AnyTime international calls to 36 countries including the States, Europe and Australia and the price also includes the BT line rental of £11.
Oh, and on top of that I got a 2MB broadband service which was faster and more stable than Tiscali. Since early March I've been on TalkTalk's LLU equipment housed in my local exchange and speeds are consistent between 6MB and 6.9MB, about what I'd expect in view of the 580 yards as the crow flies from the exchange.
As it used to cost me £14.99 for Tiscali's 2MB BB and £11 to BT before even taking into consideration the cost of phone calls, you can work out for yourself the cost savings. Billing is spot on.
I would suggest you sign up, if you do decide to switch, at a Carphone Warehouse mobile phone outlet - it's quicker and more reliable than by phone.
My best mate signed up in May and was up and running in just 13 days - he didn't have a BB service at home before that though.
You'll need a MAC from Tiscali - mine was sent by e-mail within 15 minutes. Don't let them persuade you to stay....:-))
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
re. talktalk
i too can recommend them as excellent value and mostly ( i reckon 99%) of the time very good service. however, you will find also forums with dissatisfied talktalk customers who are unhappy with the service. but then you will find that with most isps.
also, they are offering the free broadband service for a talk2internationsl pack for £16.39 per month (talk2 excludes weekday daytime free calls, whereas talk3 includes 24/7 calls).
[note to l'escargot - talk3international pack includes free calls to usa landline and mobile phones ]
:: ;-) :: unlike stuartli who seems to be getting between 6 and 7 megabytes, i only manage about one-eigth of that speed, i.e. 6 megabits. :: ;-0 ::
p.s. the best place in my view to get good advice on this is to check
www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-broadband
|
I hear varous horro stories about TalkTalk, customer service and how problems are handled, however they clearly have some satisfied customers.
I can recommend Plusnet, a very flexible service, excellent portal, less that £30 month includes 8Mb BB, line rental, inclusive anytime calls including your choice of international destinations ans all of BT's std services such as 1571 voicemail etc.
|
PlusNet, now under the BT umbrella, has had its own horror stories this year...:-)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
Thanks for that information. Do Talk Talk handle the transition from BT for you, and did you keep your existing modem? Mine is a Sagem.
--
|
You can use the Sagem (F@st 800?), but a modem router would be superior; TT's is pretty average and costs about £30, better to buy your own.
Once you have got your MAC and let TT have it, TalkTalk handles the changeover.
See: tinyurl.com/2ujom5
TalkTalk's Help and Support pages are pretty comprehensive.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
|
|
|
PlusNet now under the BT umbrella has had its own horror stories this year...:-)
>>
Owned by BT though independant as per Dabs etc.
Re Horror stories Plusnet had an over dramatised e-mail security issue a few months ago though on balance the flexibility of the service, stability, the portal and service level cant be faulted IME.
|
|
A colleague had a 6 week nightmare swapping from Tiscali to Talk Talk. First they took three attempts to send hime the MAC code, then BT couldnt take the flag off his line. In all he was without broad band for 4 weeks.
|
This is Tiscali's official BB cancellation number: 0845 077 4488
But, IIRC, I used: 0870 744 2922
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Does anyone know which TV service will be showing RWC games live?
|
ITV has exclusive UK rights and will screen all 48 matches plus supporting feature programmes.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
|
Yes unfortunately ITV get it - as they only get this tournament every 4 years and the odd 7s coverage don't expect Sky quality coverage. On the plus side the BBC didn't get it. IMHO (and thousands of other RU fans if you read RU message boards) their coverage of the 6 Nations this year was absolutely dire.
|
What we can look forward too:
From times online:
"Stade de quoi?
I was at ITV's launch of their rugby World Cup coverage today, where Jim Rosenthal, looking rather orange-faced (clearly had a good summer, unlike the rest of us), was dwarfed by the guest analysts that the channel has lined up to front their broadcasting: Martin Johnson, Martin Bayfield, Sean Fitzpatrick and Will Greenwood.
Jim has been a stalwart of ITV's four-yearly rugby coverage since 1991 but clearly old habits die hard. Introducing the tournament, he said that everyone was looking forward to "that first whistle in Parc des Princes when France play Argentina". Poor Jim: Parc des Princes has hosted rugby World Cup matches, but only in the rugby league global tournament in 1954. Stade de France hosts the curtain-raiser this time, and indeed was hosting World Cup matches as far back as 1999."
Apparently ITV have secured Miles Harrison and Stuart Barnes from Sky for some commentary duties, so at least two will know what is going on!
|
I think the problem with all TV companies is that they get too clever - going from long shots to close ups, switching to cameras on the other side of the pitch and back again - very confusing!
A plague on all their houses, I say, at least with the Beeb you dont get interruptions for ads and you are not putting even more money into Murdoch's pocket.
I 'work' with Sky ocassionally in one of my part-time activities and they can be a pain.
|
|
|
|
I dropped off my son at the Scout camp at Waddicor in Lancs a week or so back and visited the Scouting Museum there.
Two old boys run the place with inspiring amounts of enthusiasm and they took great delight in showing me and my son around.
In one of the glass cases they had a "Baden Powell Unilens" and no-one knows what is. It's a circular piece of glass about 2mm thick and about 5cm across with a steel 'clip' on it. To my eye it was a flat piece of glass rather than a magnifying lens. The steel clip was like a horseshoe in the same plane as the glass but didn't extend beyond a semi-circle ie you couldn't use it to clip on to something like gun barrel because there was no inherent spring/tension to it.
The whole thing came in a leather pouch with the word Unilens on it.
If anyone knows what it is I would gladly write to the museum to let them know.
|
There is a company named Unilens, but it was only formed in 1989.
www.unilens.com/products.asp
Perhaps the device was intended to focus the sun's rays onto paper or similar to light fires?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
|
|
|
Our estate was built in the 1980s by Broseley Estates Ltd. There was a piece of land that was a playpark but is now totally derelict. I asked my Councillor to look into it and he advised, after checking, that the Council have no liability for this, nothing in the way of "maintenance" was signed over to the Council on building the estate.
At the back of my head is a plan to buy this land and build a house on it.
I have completed an enquiry through Registers Direct Land Register which basically says that this land is owned by Broseley Estates. As part of this report there is a "Burdens Section" which looks like it was all the criteria at time of building eg no building of walls at front of houses etc etc. Included in this is a quote which seems to suggest that any "common ground" is the responsibility of all the house owners .
Where do I go from here? Companies House, although having various Broseleys, does not have one of this name. Is there any more research I can do myself or do I need to hand this over, and if so, do I need a lawyer at this stage or is it an architect?
If its relevant, the property is in Scotland.
Any help / direction would be much appreciated.
--
2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
|
In the UK, I would say the next step is a land agent. Also in the Uk I would also say forget it as you chances of buying the land are small.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
Get hold of a set of accounts from the 1980s - you may have to pay real money to companies house for a photocopy (£25?) and see if you can track down the directors; one may not have moved. Find out the history of the company; when was it liquidated and by whom - their accountants/solicitors may be able to forward a letter to their former client.
I don't rate your chances, and I doubt it will be cheap!
|
One of the directors of Brosley Estates in 1988 was Iam Rowson. He is now a partner at the law firm of Freeth Cartwright LLP
I think brosley became part of Ideal Homes.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
This website confirms that Broseley Estates Ltd. was aquired by Ideal Homes Ltd. in 1986. It is a newsletter for Woodford Group PLC. (Look Ron Starkie on the Major Appointments page).
www.sarahnuttall.com/downloads/woodford2.pdf (2.6mb pdf)
Did the councillor talk to the local authority planning department about the land. It may have a covenant on it that it must remain as public recreational space?
|
And Ideal Homes Ltd was aquired by
Persimmon Homes
corporate.persimmonhomes.com/psn/aboutus/history/
So Bobby G, our bill for tracking down the ownership of your parcel of land is £500 please, cheques payable to the HJ Drinking Foundation,
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
You guys are amazing, how do you find this information??
Instead of the £500 charge, I will invite you to the house warming where you can drink as much as you want for the full weekend!!!!!!!
--
2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
|
|
|
|
If, when, I have a Sky mini-dish installed, is it possible to have more than one TV running from the one mini-dish?
If so, would each TV require its own box thing?
For the record, I am looking at the 'Pay once, watch forever' deal.
|
One box can send signal to more than one TV but the signal will be the same e.g. watch BBC1 downstairs and you can only watch BBC1 upstairs.
If you want to watch Sky in 2 different rooms and have the ability to watch 2 different channels at the same time then you will need 2 different boxes and viewing cards. You will also need 2 cables from your dish.
There are 2 ways of achieving this:
Get a standard subscription and additionally get Multiroom installed where you pay an extra £10 per month.
Get Freesat installed. There is a one off charge of £150 but the channel selection is extremely limited. I'm not sure if there is a further charge for a second box and line for the additional TV.
Speak to Sky about actual costs because the Freesat option may be quite expensive up front - £150. Whereas the Multiroom gets you more channels and will be free to install with the main subscription.
|
|
If the freesat channels are enough for you another option is take out standard sky for 12 months with mimimum channels. You get free install, thus saving £150 upfront. After 12 months cancel Sky subscription and use the receiver for Freesat. Or you might find the extra channels like Sky One etc. useful.
|
... another option is take out standard sky for 12 months with mimimum channels ..
that way, in addition to extra channels for 1 year, you get to keep the reciever at the end of the year and
1. free installation; 2. sky+ ; 3. and if you get a friend/relative to recommend you, you get £30 each in m&s vouchers.
as for mullti outputs from a single dish, see
www.satellites.co.uk/satellite/archive/t-44865.html
www.satsig.net/lnb/explanation-description-lnb.htm
|
Dalglish I forgot to point out you keep the receiver at the end of 12 months.
You could also switch to Sky Broadband for as little as nothing per month if you keep the Sky package. Assumes if in your area. Might cover the cost of keeping the Sky channels.
Downside of the Sky package is it must be plugged into a phone line for first 12 months - but possibly not all the time?? I cannot answer as I have cable.
|
rtj70 -
and i forgot to say that the 2x£30 vouchers offer is available via friends/relatives who are existing sky subscribers.
as for the phone line having to be connected, i believe it is there simply to allow you to buy extras if you want
and your point about free broadband is worth bearing in mind too.
|
The phone line "phone home" to tell Sky what you've been upto I think. They give you the box and free install in exchange for info. After twelve months it can be disconnected. It dials a freephone number I believe and only occasionally.
I think if not connected they will eventually get in touch.
|
Thank you all for those responses.
I have now purchased (after saying many times that I would never give money to Murdoch!!) The 'pay once, watch forever' subscription free service from Sky - via Currys - at a cost of £75 plus carriage. This gives for a once-off payment the 200 or so channel plus for 6 months the Variety and Knowledge channels - plus, of course, the mini-dish, box, card and 'standard' (whatever that means) installation and setup.
So if I understand it right, if I want two different channels on two different TVs in two different rooms in the house, then I need two leads coming down from the dish, two boxes and two cards?
|
So if I understand it right if I want two different channels on two different TVs in two different rooms in the house then I need two leads coming down from the dish two boxes and two cards?
Essentially you need two Signals. This is usually achieved by having multiple feeds from the LNB (the bit looking into the dish). The signal needs to be decoded so you need a decoder for each feed.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
|
|
at a cost of £75 plus carriage. This gives for a once-off payment the 200or so channel plus for 6 months the Variety and Knowledge channels - plus of
eh? 200 channels? that can't be right. surely the watch forever option is just freeview, which ain't 200 channels.
----------------------------------------------
Aim low, expect nothing & dont be disappointed
|
>that can't be right. surely the watch forever option is just freeview>>
You are confusing Freesat (satellite FTA) with Freeview (Digital Terrestial FTA). See:
www.silvertv.co.uk/aerial/satellite_tv_freesat.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
Sorry, wrong link, though same subject. See:
www.freesatfromsky.com/?pID=2
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
I don't doubt that it will be 190 channels of seriously mind damaging, unwatchable junk; but, hey ho, that still leaves 10 channels where hopefully, I won't have my intelligence too seriously insulted.
Which raises the question - who DOES watch those appalling day-time shopping channels?
|
|
|
|
Instead of the words "on" and "off" the switches on most electrical appliances have the symbols "-" and "O". Has anyone got a way of remembering which is which?
Appliances ? - Not motoring so put in here ! - PU
|
Don't know if this helps, but I've just got it in my head that "O" is off so the other one must be on.
Chris
|
|
I don't mind the - and 0, it's the fact that there is no standardisation of button in or out that catches me. Dishwasher button out =on, washing machine, in = on.
|
|
|
>>>I've just got it in my head that "O" is off so the other one must be on.
Could lead to confusion next time you connect/disconnect your car battery!!
Clk Sec
|
|
It's 0 and 1, binary for off (0) and on (1)
|
|
|
Could lead to confusion next time you connect / disconnect your car battery!!
Not for me, I'm a compuetr engineer by trade so I just deal with "I" and "O" ;-)
Chris
|
|
obviously - you seem to have trouble with other letters... :)
|
|
|
>> >> Could lead to confusion next time you connect/disconnect your car battery!! >> >> Clk Sec >> Not for me I'm a compuetr engineer by trade so I just deal with "I" and "O" ;-)
nor me, my car battery is marked "+" & "-"
----------------------------------------------
Aim low, expect nothing & dont be disappointed
|
|
|
|
|
|
All part of the global parts bin philosophy!
It is easier to have "0" and "I" than to have on/off in a multitude of dialects!
|
All part of the global parts bin philosophy! It is easier to have "0" and "I" than to have on/off in a multitude of dialects!
Exactly - same reasoning as bath-taps all being blue and red rather than H and C. If you went to France and expected cold water from the "C" tap, you'd be in for a surprise! Supposed to be easier and more universally understood, however OP is the exception to the rule! ;-)
|
|
Hhmmm....you'd be in for a surprise if you expected cold water from the C tap in my bathroom too. But that's down to some lazy plumbing.......
|
|
|
|
>>>nor me, my car battery is marked "+" & "-"
I'm getting proper confused 'ere. Was the OP not talking about "-" and "0"?
Now where's that battery?
Clk Sec
|
|
|
|
Hi all. My happy go lucky approach seems not to have protected me from stupid people today.
An operator of a 'possibly rented' mini digger has damaged my property - it's tracked, and they have driven across my property and churned up the ground in the process of doing some earthworks for someone else.
The area of my property they have damaged would be my back garden (if there was a fence that is),and they have accessed the area next to it via a footpath, and crossed a clearly marked (low) dry stone wall boundary. Of course if the fence was there, this would have copped it as well as the grass, and top soil.
Does the operator of this vehicle require to have valid insurance to cover them against causing third party type of damage, and do they need to have a valid certificate showing that they are qualified to be in charge of this type of vehicle? The only way to the footpath and then to my property is via the public road, hence my questions. (Agricultural vehicles need to be registered / taxed / insured if they cross public roads regularly I beleive?)
Knowing what is needed to operate thise type of vehicle will help, as I intend to speak to the individual and the property owner who ordered the works, prior to taking it up with the local constabulary / my insurance company.
|
|
I suggest that you need to have a quiet but firm word with the neighbour suggesting that they or the plant operator make good the damage. I doubt that the Police will wish to get involved unless you can show deliberate malice was involved.
|
|
|
They should have asked permission and used boards across your property.
Phone up a digger rental company and ask what you need to hire one.
I think (not sure) that if it is on private land, then they only need to give you a quick training session/induction if it is rented and under a certain size.
|
Thanks Lokel Yokel and Saltrampen, both the type of answer I needed.
Guess coming home to find this type of thing creates a change in blood pressure linked directly to a loss of rational sense. Will go for a long walk, and give the hire company a bell in the morning - once my happy thought comes back. Sad there seems to be more of these 'care less' types.
|
|
|
|
If it's one of the 'alley digger' variety ie narrow enough to go down an average 3ft alleyway then it will almost certainly been trailered to site or possibly craned off a flat-bed not driven on the road.
If your neighbour is having building work done then any builder other than a 'cowboy' will be carrying his own public liability insurance, if not then your neighbour will have public liability on his household insurance.
Last year I was having some work done and a scaffolder dropped a scaff clip off the roof into my neighbours pond. Only came to light about three weeks later when the neighbour found the cause of the water level continually dropping in his pond was the scaff clip cracking the liner. Neighbour came and saw me, I passed his complaint on to the builder who then dealt with the repairs through his PL insurance, cost them well into 4 figures by the time they'd drained and repaired it all. An expensive slip by the scaffolder!
Hope your problem is as easily and as amicably solved.
Cockle
|
|
|
|
I'm no expert on birds but my interest was piqued by the appearance in the garden of first one, then a pair of birds I don't recognise. I would like to go to an Internet site where I can look at pics, maybe sorted by "black beak" or "red eyes". In the search for minimalism, Mrs H has chucked any reference books that might have helped. My web searches so far have resulted in several sites apparently offering a replacement for Mrs H, and various encycolpaediae where you are supposed to know what you are looking for. I have stopped short of having a tantrum, poured myself a scotch and dropped in here for advice.
Can anyone help, please?
As always, TIA.
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
|
She has chucked the books. What sort of woman is this? And you are called Hawkeye!
VVBR..............MD
|
www.surfbirds.com/asksurfbirds/askbelgium.html
Dr Google found this - any help ?
|
Dr Google found this - any help ?
Just the sort of thing I was after thank you but no sign of the blasted bird.
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
|
|
|
|
She has chucked the books. What sort of woman is this?
The sort who smiles alluringly at you when you feel like throttling her. I'm putty etc.
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
|
|
Probably the birds were misguided migrants due to the strange weather we're getting !
|
|
|
|
|
|
seeing two products has prompted this. One was a dish and receiver aimed at caravaners and the other was a load of separate bits in Lidl where you could buy all the parts (dish, receiver etc ) and then put your own system together. What would you be able to receive with these set ups and are they a viable proposition for someone who can't get freeview? (ie me)
|
|
|
