www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Wes wrote:Yea, I bought a Samsung dongle to make sure the compatibility was ok...Worked but only for around four months...On LAN cable now and it's fine. I wouldn't expect to much from it though SE. It's nowhere near the same as a PC (Unless they've had some leaps over the last year, which wouldn't surprise me).

Well if Samsung televisions are anything like their fridges, I'm not at all surprised.

I have a fancy TV with all the gadgets too.

I find it most of it a bit useless. Unless you have a keyboard, trying to type something into a TV web browser takes forever with a remote control

One good thing is to have a media server on your PC and have a home cinema system. It means you can watch movies, listen to music via your wifi. Handy if er, … you might have an inclination for download movies …

I also have no interest in 3D TVs, but the manufacturers seem to be pushing them. You need a 3D bluray player and subscribe to sky 3D

Why two TVs, did I miss that?

What's wrong with standby? If it's got a physical off switch, then you have to root around and turn it on everytime you use it......don't get it? Do you turn your laptops, computers, phone charges and just about every other appliance off when you are not using it (broadband router, modem)???

I'm not sure what I'm impressed with these days.....I'm very unimpressed with wireless technologies of late, that much I know. It's been an incentive to get my patching done up in the loft so most my stuff is wired. Had to download something the other day using wireless. Connection was at 150mbps and the estimated time was stupidly high (like 8 hours). Remote desktop to the server, which is connected direct to the router and done in just under and hour.

I like the idea of gadgets, but rarely use them when I get them.

My missis says the best thing I've ever brought was a wireless light switch for the outside garage light. Just sticks to the kitchen wall and works, everytime. It's also got a remote in the car too for when she pulls up. Typical, the simplest thing is the best....

BG

DIY_Johnny wrote: One good thing is to have a media server on your PC and have a home cinema system. It means you can watch movies, listen to music via your wifi. Handy if er, … you might have an inclination for download movies …

I agree about smart TVs. Ours can access the internet, but wireless connection is a bit hit and miss, probably because of the thick wall between the TV and the router! I suppose we could connect it with an ethernet cable.

On the other hand, it's easy to plug our laptops into the TV and watch films* and other programmes on a big screen.

(*Not 'movies' - horrible Americanism.)

John Robinson wrote: On the other hand, it's easy to plug our laptops into the TV and watch films* and other programmes on a big screen.

Yeah to avoid the wifi issue I often just transfer it to a USB stick.

I have a hard wired connection too but I find that I often have to 'fix' the movie first as the mapping is incorrect or won't pick up subtitles

I 'suspect' the lack of on-off switch allows the TV to download updates, schedules etc whilst you're sleeping???? Those of a suspicious mind could claim it was 'reporting back to HQ' your watching habits for advertising purposes????

For me the only well-used technology apart from my PC (or lappy) would be my Kindle - this device is used every single day and has been for a couple of years now. I'd actually be upset if it failed or was lost!

I have a huge quantity of magazines and technical books that require a colour viewer and Santa is obliging this year (he'd better ) so maybe a 'pad' of some sort will equal the status of the Kindle?

Now if there was a decent COLOUR Kindle (e-paper) I'd be as happy as a sandboy.

BillyGoat wrote:What's wrong with standby? If it's got a physical off switch, then you have to root around and turn it on everytime you use it......don't get it? Do you turn your laptops, computers, phone charges and just about every other appliance off when you are not using it (broadband router, modem)???

Well actually, yes. Going out, switch it off. (We had been unplugging the TV's until today. New 4 way socket with switch arrived)



Found a short Ethernet cable, brought new TV to the router...............
That is my Tv you are looking at, connected to the internet. I am not too sure what I expected, but it is nto quite what I wanted. It seems to rely on apps. I tried the youtube one, and it let me in, but wouldn't let me sign into my own account, but then again, why would I want to watch my own videos on a tv, if the orignal is on the pc?

I tried another app, I tried its search facility, took almost 90 seconds to use the on screen display to type in one word, yes its clever, but compared to a pc and keyboard, no thanks.

Now I am happy I only spent a couple of quid for the 20m Ethernet cable (Don't think I will bother)

I agree...The smart tv's just aren't up to the task just yet...Probably are if you're going into the thousands of pounds ones..

I decided that the problem of spelling words out with the tv remote (up, down, left, right etc) on the internet search wasn't for me, so I ran out and bought a compatible wireless keyboard...Well, what a load of shite that is Stick to your pc's for now people

I've got an all singing all dancing Samsung. Problem with that make is all the apps are held on their servers so whenever you pull something up it goes through their systems, hmmm not keen on that one.

The first week or so most TVs are pretty useless whilst they sequentially work their way through the firmware updates.

Would I buy another? Probably not. Next time I would just add a tiny pc for proper net access just like the weeny shuttle the Goat kindly donated to the cause That's going up in the bedroom very soon and has much more power than the Smart tv

We use our XBox 360 for a lot of TV-access stuff. A £5/month Gold account plus LoveFilm and FreeSatHD is all we need for entertainment (qualifying statement.... all that MRS k_e needs, I rarely watch TV anyway).

At a total outlay of £10/month (only £5 if you leave out the Gold account but Mrs k_e uses it for gaming ) it's far better value than any Sky account who I wouldn't EVER pay a penny to after they 'stole' the F1 from the Beeb .

Oh, and I have a small PC connected to the TV as well - just in case

So why two tv's??????

Razor wrote:So why two tv's??????

I take it you're not married then.......

John Robinson wrote:All these amazing advances in televisions and they still haven't managed to produce one that automatically turns the sound down in the adverts.

Or, better still, to cut out the adverts altogether.

easy peasy
i watch bbc channels and record all the others so fast forward through the advert

modern audio video appliances are less than 1w on standby so not worth bothering about as 10 appliances on standby will waste around 15w a day or 100w a week a massive whole 1.5p or 6p for 4 weeks or 75p a year
just not worth any spending at all

big-all wrote:modern audio video appliances are less than 1w on standby so not worth bothering about as 10 appliances on standby will waste around 15w a day or 100w a week a massive whole 1.5p or 6p for 4 weeks or 75p a year
just not worth any spending at all

Money aside, that is not the reason I want an on / off switch. Have you ever seen a TV catch fire? Not supposed to but they can.
Yes, it is unlikely, but even if its one in a million, that does once every 10 years, it won't be my TV.

Smart TV ?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/you-think-you- ... ml#cRg3RZE