Info and forum posts by 'Stephen A'

This user hasn't used our main site yet, so has no main account at present.

Joined on: Thursday, 31st July 2003, 19:19, Last used: Sunday, 5th June 2005, 14:14

Access Level: Mostly Harmless

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This user has posted a total of 23 messages. On average, since joining, this user has posted 0 messages a day, or 0.02 messages a week. In the last 30 days, this user has posted 0 messages, which is on average 0 messages a day.

Recent Messages Posted:

RE: Wireless headphones

I haven`t tried wireless headphones, but I have had similar problems with combining other wireless devices which all operate on the same on 2.4GHz frequency e.g. AV sender, WiFi network, dect phones etc. It might be that you need to change the channel on of those devices rather than your headphones.

Stephen

RE: Makro W/S TV`s £139.99!!

I bought a Bush 28" wideacreen from Makro 30 months ago. Whilst the picture and sound are acceptable for the price, the build quality of the innards is dire. Mine died after 13 months :( and after a bit of hassle I persuaded them to repair it free of charge :) . Unfortunately the death proved permanent ;) and after bit more hassle I persuaded them to provide a free replacement, albeit a reconditioned model (amazing what the Sale of Goods Act can do for you :) ).

Even more unfortunately the replacement is now showing signs of the same terminal disease that the last one had >:( .

What I have I learnt from this? You get what you pay for. I wouldn`t go for a Bush again, not even at £165. To be honest I wouldn`t risk Beko, or Goodmans or any of the other cheap rebadged imports.

You may not be lucky, but I would keep an eye on the skybuy site as they have some colossal bargains on there from time to time.

Stephen

RE: WHAT IS THE BEST ALL IN ONE PRINTER FOR UNDER £150

The HP in WHS is not a sale item and is a very basic PSC1110 model which can be had from PCWorld online at £63.99.

I would go for the slightly more expensive PSC1210 from PCWord at £99.99. I haven`t got one myself, but it has had excellent reviews from the computer mags.

Stephen

RE: DVD/VCR combi

I have the Phillips DVR 755. It is OK, but I am glad I got it for £80 through the Marshall Ward misprice a few months ago. I woiuld have hated to pay full price.

Whilst it is true that you get a video and dvd combined, don`t fall in to the trap of thinking that you are getting a fully featured player for either discipline. The VCR, for eaxample, doesn`t handle PDC, nor does it handle smartlink.

Stephen

RE: CASIO CASIO QV-R40R REFURB DIGITAL CAMERA £99 on Dixons website

This offer has been highlighted before, and as usual, it is out of stock.

Stephen

RE: Help needed setting up a new Laptop (virus checker/firewall/wireless setup)

niteowl

I don`t have the netgear 834g but I have a BT Voyager modem/router which does much the same thing. You have bought an excellent piece of kit, in spite of what others might suggest. In essence it is a wireless router with built in ADSL modem. You don`t need your USB modem at all. What you need to do now is figure out how best to get your computer(s) to talk to the router.

The method I have chosen is entirely wireless because none of our PCs are located close to the modem/router. I have used one Belkin Wireless USB adapter to use with the desktop and 2 Belkin Wireless Cardbus adapters to use with the laptops. The reason I chose Belkin for the USB adapter is that it is one of the few available that works on Windows 98 first edition. The model number is Belkin F5D6050

This set up has worked for me and I am sure would work well for you.

Stephen

RE: Broadband ISP

Pipex at £23.44 for 512 wins my vote but as posted earlier it depends on what you want it for. I was tempted by the Tiscali 150 service becuase it does appear to give most of the benefits of broadband e.g. always on, doesn`t hog your line. However, becuase we have 3 PCs in our house, I plumped for the faster service.

Very happy so far.

Stephen

RE: ADSL modem router?

I haven`t used a USB modem. However I have had a good exerience using the BT Voyager 2000 Wireless Modem Router. I have had very few drop outs and it connects consistently with my various Belkin Cardbus and USB wireless adapters.

Because they are only 802.11b, you can pick them up quite cheaply and I don`t think you need 802.11g to get the best out of broadband.

Stephen

RE: TiVo, is it worth buying..........

Buy it now, you won`t regret it. Even if you don`t subscribe you will have a dirt cheap PVR. If you do subscribe then you will have an incredibly clever piece of software which will change the way you watch tele. We have had our one for 15 months at which time we took out a lifetime subscription for £199. At the time this was seen as a bit of gamble because Thomson had just stopped supplying the boxes. However, I will break even on the monthly £10 subscription in just 5 months time and there is no sign of the listings being cut off any time soon.

On the other hand, if you don`t like it, you will still be able to sell it on ebay for a profit. I know that I would pay you more than £75 for it.

Regards

Stephen

BT Voyager 2000 Wireless ADSL Router Modem on sale PC World

PC World have reduced the price of the BT Voyager 2000 modem router to £99.95. Although this isn`t the highest spec wireless router around, being only 802.11b rather than the faster 802.11g standard, this is a good price for a piece of kit that will do the job for most people who want a wireless network at home.

The same offer is available online and in the stores.

if you are lucky, you may manage to get one that is a further 10% off, like I did. This was becuase somebody had opened it in the shop and they couldn`t then sell it as brand new. Before anyone starts, it wasn`t me. :D

They have also reduced the Cardbus cards for use in your laptop and the USB adapter for desktops.

Stephen

RE: Frasier season 1, £14.99

I got one for £14.99 from my local Woolworths (Corstorphine, Edinburgh) on Saturday. The family are now enjoying one episode per evening.

Cheers was also going for £14.99.

Stephen

RE: Bargain of the year 2003. What was yours ?

I got the Gamecube, official memory card plus game of my choice for £79.99 from Argos in April. I know it doesn`t sound cheap now, but it was then.

The Philips DVD/VCR combo at £79.99 from Marshall Ward was also special.

Unlike other posters, I didn`t rate the Viking leather chair that highly. Maybe because I didn`t get the free tele or shortbread :(

Regards

Stephen

RE: Cheap secondary DVD Player for the bedroom

I agree with Mark, the Pacific 1002 from ASDA works well, or rather the 1002W does. I had to return the 1002 because it made an annoying vibration sound at the start of each DVD.

If a 3 year warranty is important to you, then ASDA includes this free.

Stephen

RE: ONE-FOR-ALL REMOTE

I use the One For All designed to control 5 devices. It is the newer model which has the built in modem so that you can download the codes fro new devices.

I like it because it does it exactly what it is supposed to do but the rest of my family, all females, find it a bit large and clumsy, particulalry when compared with the peanut that came with our Tivo.

Stephen

RE: Gamecube-Nightfire, Fifa 2003 & Medal of Honour - £9.99 each !

Even more fun is to pop in to Comet, which is trying to sell these at £39.99, and get them to price match. Including the 10% of the difference that they give you, that means that I got Harry Potter and Nightfire for £6.99 each. :D

Stephen

RE: Philips DVD/VCR £99

I got the 20% discount and the player arrived in about 5 days so I`m very happy. My colleague who also got the dicount hasn`t her player so she is lot less pleased!

Stephen

RE: DVD Player under 60pound

The current Pacific model from ASDA is the 1002W whcih differs only in the remote control which is incredibly long and thin with very small buttons.

As posted by others it plays loads of formats and is easy to region hack. My only real issue is that it has taken until my third machine to get one that plays reliably. However, with ASDA`s no questions asked attitude to returns, this hasn`t been too big a problem.

Stephen

RE: Decent spec laptop for a decent price!!

Dell sell decent laptops but are normally pretty expensive. However if you go to their site via ukfrenzy.co.uk, then you can get a bit of a bargain.

I have bought 2 in the last month and have been well chuffed.

Stephen

RE: Pacific DVD-1002

Schneider make them and can be contacted at P O Box 231, Sale, M33 7WF.

They have good functionailty for the price but it took me 3 me before I got one that worked consistently.

Stephen

RE: Philips DVD/VCR £99

I think you may be too late Tarzan as the site is showing out of stock. Assuming they get any more in, I suspect they will get the price right this time.


Stephen

RE: Philips DVD/VCR £99

Marshall Ward are just one of the many names that GUS uses. Others include KAYs.

You could tell it was GUS when on the Marshall Ward website because part of the address included the letters gus.

Anyway, the good news is that mine arrived today and my credit card company has confirmed that only £82.98 has been debited to my account. I remember the first post on this thread speculated on whether the advertised price of £99.99 was too good to be true and would prove to be a mistake. Little did we know that it was a mistake and the actual price was going to be even cheaper. :/

Of course, the next question is what to do with all the catalogues that I have let myself in for. :D

Stephen

RE: TiVO for 99pound....

I don`t know why it worked before, but that link to Dixons doesn`t work now and nor should it have done. Dixons have been out of stock for ages, as have all other major UK retailers for some time.

As commented by others, this is, without doubt, the best pieve of kit that I have ever bought and I didn`t manage to get it for quite as cheap as £99. I didn`t look on the £199 that I paid for the lifetime subscription as a subscription but more like part of buying the machine in the first place. As long as Tivo keep supplying me with my TV listings I will be well pleased.

Although it is pretty academic now, I don`t think clayts is correct. My understanding is that under the current version of the software i.e. 2.5.5, you can use your Tivo as a programable VCR without the subscription. Personally I would never do this but some people on the Tivo froum have done, especially on their second machine.

Stephen

RE: Anyone know the difference between the Pacific 1002 and the 1002W

I have had 2 of the 1002 models and 1 of the 1002W models. They seem to be functionally identical. The only difference I have found is in the remote control which, in the case of the 1002W, is very long and thin.

The other difference, and why I have chosen to keep this one is that it works.

Both of the 1002s I had went back to ASDA for a full refund. The first one had a very annoying vibration sound at the beiginning of most, but not all DVDs. CDs, VCDs etc were not affected.

My second one went back because the playback on a number of DVDs was very jerky.

So far, my 1002W has not suffered from with of these faults. Fingers crossed

Stephen