DAB and loft conversions (or maybe general DAB quality)…..

….not the best idea. My old DAB set was a fairly happy bunny, often getting signal strength in the high 90’s. However the time came to move upwards. Into my nice new (and almost complete) loft. Big problem is the foil insulation around the all the walls. This reduced my quality a bit………

Very Poor

I was prepared, so I borrowed Dad’s DAB…..

Quite Poor

Better, but still a bit of Dr Who alien warbling appeared. Aerials on these devices are a bit hit and miss, you extend them and signal gets worse. extend to an angle that hits you in the face and it improves. On my Evoke-1 I used an external aerial for a while, but that progressively got worse. So in the end found the built in extension aerial was better. So where now? I like my old set but really hate the garbled/warbling mess it produces on occasion.

I could look to source a better external aerial, which may be the next logical step. I was intending to update my DAB set, but frankly it’s a no brainer as my Dad’s DAB is fairly new and the signal is poor still. I do fine it strange my DAB clock radio actually sounds o.k. though.

Next option would be Internet Radio. But the big problem here is bandwidth. How much will streaming take up, plus most devices seem to wireless which can be a pain with regards to signal strength.

Reviews

Just a random pondering……

When a website reviewer becomes well know, does it make the reviews irrelevant?

Just noticing things on the web, certain products get released and certain people slate them, their main rival produces a product and it’s praised.

Thinking about it…..

…well after some input from elsewhere I think I have the solution to the current problem.

Now it has been mentioned that we need laminate floor, which is fine. Afterall the carpet in the back room does stink of a combination of Baby Wee, Baby Sick and Dog. So it really needs to go. Seems it’ll cost around £6-8 per sq.m so that’ll be around £108 for flooring, maybe another £50 or so on top for edging. Lets call it £160 to round up.

It was also pointed out that the current MacBook is fine also – this I accept, but it’s not a new shiny one – but I think that argument has been lost.

The Aviva cheque arrived and it’s a little bit more: £791.73. Think the original offer was £760ish. So now the maths weighted in favour for a win for me (also watch out for a change of mind with regards to product – marked*)

Money in:

Cheque: £791.73
Sale of MacMini: £350 (after ebay fees etc)

Total £1141.73

Minus Floor Costs: £160-

Total £981.73

Minus Apple iMac MB950B/A 3.06GHz 21.5 Inch* £835- (12% discount – RRP £949)

Leaving £146.73 for other stuff, maybe that external drive 🙂

All subject to changing my mind, or having my mind changed.

Should I start to…..

…..think about Christmas?

Well not the religious side of it anyway as you all know that I don’t care about that (sorry sandal wearing god types) , but the important side of Christmas. The important side being, what can I buy myself.

Money is the usual constraint, Mom and Dad will give me about £100, so that’s the starter. I was thinking about a new external HDD, but to be honest that’s such a crap thing for Christmas. After unwrapping it the excitement of new storage isn’t quite as good as something you can actually use.

So gadgets, what’s left for me to have? Plenty of gadgets, and indeed the lovely Suzi Perry, the less lovely (for blokes) Jason Bradbury and Ortis Deley have been pimping enough gadgets to make my wallet break. But really still no idea what to get, or even why I need them. I could be prudent and keep the money, but that’s not me. Never has been, probably why I owe a bit to Barclaycard. Oh well.

Anyway back to gadgets, anyone who knows me knows I’m into photography and have a liking for Apple stuff.
But what and where, camera wise there’s really nothing I need – well a 1D MkIII or IV or a 5D MkII would be nice, but they’re 2k plus so that’s them out. I could go down the accessories route. But again I have pretty much all I need.

As for Apple stuff, well my next MacBook is probably going to be funded by Aviva (unless their re-attribution payment is lower than the minimum payment they said I’d get).

So I’m stuck for ideas. I’m even toying with scrapping the idea of a Macbook and getting an iMac – and I hate all in one desktop solutions!

(spoilt b’stard)

Freeview HD

Well I’m ready, I have 2, yes 2 HD ready TVs. Both Freeview, but it seems if I want Freeview-HD then I need a Freeview HD box.

So my HDTV’s are actually as HD ready as some might think. To be honest it doesn’t surprise me, my TVs are HD compliant for the current crop of HD (Sky, V*rg*n and some games consoles). Apparently we’ll have it in Brum this time next year!

Manc’s and Cockneys are getting it first. So expect a series of Da*ly M*il articles on freeview disasters.

I only found out by accident, whilst looking for F1 highlights on channel 302 I found a message. What has happened is the BBC have lost 2 interactive pages 302 and the news multiscreen. Not a big loss I guess and I suppose it had to be the BBC that lost rather than one of the many unwatched drivel stations. Personally If they culled all stations after Dave and before Cbeebies I wouldn’t mind.