Info and forum posts by 'Ramshackle'

RE: Do you think the term Pikey is considered racist?

Quote:
IMO,if you want realistic depictions of gypos,look no further than Brad Pitt et al in `Snatch`. Some may think it some OTT parody of gypos,but I thought it was a documentary

"Do you like dags...." :D

This item was edited on Tuesday, 11th September 2007, 10:50

RE: Asda will be selling the £9 DVD Players again - but when?

For 9 squid............. not a lot of cop i would suspect....

Things that make you cringe.....

You know the kind of thing.... that ungodly noise made by fingernails being dragged down a chalkboard.... or when you get that crinkley fingertips look from being the bath to long and you have to touch a really dry towel...... :o ermm well maybe that ones just me and why i only shower now!... :p

Whats yours???


Ramshackle....

RE: Best advert at the mo - Safe For Work

:) I thought it was quite funny !

RE: Sky+ installation...

Yes you do... its part of the contract you sign for the subsidised box (s) is that you have it connected to a working BT phone line, they do not accept cable phone connections either - you only have to have it connected for the first year, after that you can ditch it (unless you have Sky multiroom, then both boxes are required to have 24/7 connection to the same phone line to make sure both boxes are in the same house as mentioned above) all upgrades to the epg and box software are done via the dish - not the phone line, activation and pairing of the box is now done via a mobile device the engineer carries with him, not the phone line..

The phone connections is for the third party stuff like ordering pizza`s playing games and of course for sky`s box office which at the end of each month will dial out and tell sky how many films you have watched.. and of course veryfying sky multiroom connections...

And be warned if you have sky multiroom installed and unplug one of the boxes for any period of time, you will likely get charged for having two seperate boxes at whatever package rate you are on....

Some people will no doubt have heard or experienced something slightly different from the above, but all of the info is verified as correct to skys actual policy as my neighbours son is a "Sky"installer not a contractor and they are told, no phone line no install...

HTH :B

RE: Free Nokia BL-5C Battery

I wish i had one now, i`m jealous.... :D

This item was edited on Thursday, 16th August 2007, 15:54

RE: DIY experts....Is this drill any good??

Nothing wrong with it as a DIY tool for the odd bit of drilling, wouldnt entertain it for myself mind it wouldnt last ten minutes, 14.4 is fine for a light hammer drill, ive had a DeWalt one for years and its still used regularly and its fine on light brickwork but useless for concrete etc, i have a DeWalt percussion drill for the heavier material which leaves a hammer drill at the starting gate for drilling into harder materials!

The cheaper down the scale you go, u will get compromises, the gearbox is usually plastic not metal, they use nylon or phospor bronze bearings as opposed to a proper ballrace, the motor also isnt usually specced for continuous use either, battery charging is important if your going to use it regulalry, no point in having a 60 minute charger if your going to be using it for a major job, like fence posts as mentioned earlier - as is only one battery, a drill with 2 batts and a 30min fast charger will take you into the higher price brackets, strictly speakin you do tend to get what you pay for.

You just need to ask yourself what you expect from it, light useage, then back in the box for the rest of the year or out most weekend perferating the garage wall!

Screwfix and B&Q do some good deals on drills pays to keep ur eyes open as they offload older models for peanuts when the new ranges come into stock.

HTH

RE: Quick Ipod question...

Nice one, cheers for that :)

RE: Quick Ipod question...

Would that be the norm for the "black" one tho? i.e anodised aluminium? (urs is posh) :p

RE: Washing Machine Problem

Check to see if the rubber is degrading i.e feels soft or cracking, this can smell, though the only rubber usually on a drum is around the front door seal and over the exterior drum casing, as suggested white vinegar and chuck ur tea towels in to help balance the drum would be a good start - sometimes over use of the powders/concentrated detergents can leave build ups on the interior of the drum (not where u stuff ur undies) which can get a bit yukky, have a look in the detergent draw as well and look for animal growth... (black mould) :o

After 7years its suprising what can grow.....

Quick Ipod question...

Can anyone tell me if the 30gb Ipod has a plastic case or like the nano an aluminium one? - searched in the apple specs but cudnt find any details like that...

Cheers guys :B

RE: Another ipod question... Headphones...

Thx for all the suggestions guys, i did try the eq settings on the ipod but it just seemed to distort rather than enhance! - might give the c300`s another go, tho they were one of the pair i dismissed early on, maybe i wasnt inserting them right? i mean how far do they go in? even the sony`s i tried seemed uncomfortable to me, maybe i got funny ear canals...

anyone seen or tried the bose tri port ones? style over content or just plain kickass? reviews i have read are 50 50... damn its just headphones the OH keeps saying... :/

RE: Another ipod question... Headphones...

Thx Doc, just had a look and will check them out for home use.... but the main issue is finding some nice sounding discrete ones i can pop into my ear that dont need surgically removing.... :)

RE: Another ipod question... Headphones...

Yeah thx for looking and the reply, have seen those types and have a couple of pairs lying around the house, i kind of need the in ear ones tho as i will be wearing them at work :)

Another ipod question... Headphones...

Ok you guys, i really need some help here, recently purchased a ipod nano 8gig and have been living with the supplied headphones for a few days now and find my ears are getting larger due to having to stuff the headphones inside them, my quandry is this... i thought it would be more than easy to find a replacement pair from one of the major players i.e Sony, Senheiser etc etc to:

1. Be unobtrusive and comfortable
2. Give me a better sound than the supplied set

So far i have drawn a blank on no 2 on the list, all the ones i have tried are those little bud type designs with either squishy foam or rubbery buds to seal the ear canal, the problem seems to be lack of bass output on all those i have tried and to be honest unless i ram them in and pop down to the local A&E when i need to take them out, i cannot get anything other than a wishy washy lacklustre thin sound... now i`m not looking for hi fi quality, just something above the supplied earphones that are comfortable and sound good for long listening periods... The supplied ones seem to give the audio i`m happy with, just not the comfort...

Now i know there are some ipod guru`s on here and would really like some personal reccomendations as the Argos refund desk are getting sick of the sight of me....

:)

This item was edited on Saturday, 9th June 2007, 16:59

RE: HELP...dodgy central heating

Right that narrows it down considerably then - you will have a 2 port valve then not a 3 port - you should also more than likely have a Domestic hot water tank stat as well, though this isnt always the case, I will try and make it as simple as possible to help you fault find but there are many reasons for the fault you have!

if you have a hot water tank stat this plays a major part in the system as it is the changeover switch in their that allows the diverter valve to move and let the water flow through the rads and the hot water tank at the same time, your type of system is usually whats called water priority or "W plan" - unless the stat changes from "call" to "satisfied" you will not get water round the rads....

So you have 2 possibilities so far...

1. The diverter valve motor itself has failed or the valve has seized.

2. The domestic hot water tank stat has failed / is switching over but the contacts inside have failed and failing to send a "call" to the diverter valve which in turn fires up the boiler...

You should find the diverter valve in the same cupboard as the pump and domestic hot water tank - i would rule out the pump as if this has failed the Boiler would have come out on the internal over temperature stat and gone into "lockout" due to the excesive heat generated when a call for hot water was recieved.

To be honest unless you are handy with a mains tester and can confirm the integrity of the hot water tank stat / diverter valve switches theres not much else you can do.

Also please be aware that many older 2 port diverter valves are NOT designed to be taken apart in situ and any attempt to do so will result in lots of water everywhere.... (although if the motor has failed you can usually remove this safely in situ) newer models have removable heads leaving the valve body in place.

You shud however be able to just remove the cover plate or access the manual lever on the valve, if its just the valve stuck, you may be lucky and be able to free it up by moving the valve from auto to manual via the lever..

Do the lever test with the power to the system off or you will be fighting the actuator if the motor has already swung over..

Sorry for the long reply, and hope you can sort it from the info above... and yes i am a plumber.... ;)

This item was edited on Wednesday, 2nd May 2007, 20:23

RE: HELP...dodgy central heating

As Sashendon sez, its likely to be the diverter valve..... but there could be other reasons for your problem - depending on the system, you will have whats called a 2 or 3 port diverter valve, (check the obvious first by bleeding the rads at the highest point in the system just to satisfy yourself there is water in all of them) - post back and let me know if you have a time clock or programmer on the wall, also can you have the heating on seperate from the water? i.e is the clock mechanical and u have to slide switches or toggle switches over to select the mode? - water only or water and heating - or water or heating seperately controlled.... if the former u are likely to have a 2 port valve, if the latter it will be a 3 port valve - 2 many variables to go into without some more info :B

RE: DVD RIPPING

Take a look at the default audio track you are using when in Shrink - also check in the preview window in Shrink and right click in the window and choose an audio stream, if you cant hear it in there chances are you are not using the correct one.

Its not a problem i have ever had to be honest, but i do know of DVD players that cant downmix a 5.1 soundtrack to 2 channel sound. If you are not using an AV amp this could be why you have no sound if you are just using RCA phono plugs for your sound.

Also check when you play the DVD in your player you have selected the right audio stream, that will be in the players options somewhere.

Lastly while i remember, Shrink also allows you to tick a box to force the DVD player to play a particular audio stream, worth looking in there as well you have the correct one... if your player is on the pc, same advice applies.

RE: New Car Security Advice Please :D

its just jealousy i tell you! ;) the diesel is well pokey thats what i had, loads of punch and used to cruise all day at 70 at ridiculously low revs in 6th gear - enoy it lol

RE: New Car Security Advice Please :D

Unfortunately you cant stop anyone smashing your windows and grabbing anything thats on view, it takes less time to do that and get away than it does for the alarm to go off, so as advised by others, just never leave anything on show in the car :D

I had a new shape megane for a few years, you will find the keycard system very cool, if u have whats called the comfort pack installed as well its pretty much secured, just keep the key in ur pocket and it will take care of itself, doors unlock just by putting ur hand under the door handle! u dont even have to put it in the slot to start the car - it comes with a reasonable cat1 immobiliser on the engine management system and alarm on all doors, boot and bonnet and utrasonic sensors inside which can be isolated if required - wouldnt waste ur time on a mechanical deterrents such as crooklocks etc iv`e seen most of them removed in under 45 seconds by some tame security experts!

nice car what model u getting?

RE: Pet Hates.

People in supermarkets that insist on holding a conversation at the bottom of an aisle with a long lost "friend" who between them and there trollies block the whole aisle so you cant squeeze a sheet of bog paper between them, and THEN look at you like you have taken the last box of al bran when you have the audacity to ask them to move... >:( >:( >:( >:(

RE: DVD Shrink Re-author mode?

As RJS said above you can define what streams are defaulted to when you re author in Shrink, by default "show subtitles" is always turned on for some reason, assuming you have dragged the main movie files and extras over to the left hand pane, right click on each file and choose "set default streams" from the drop down box to choose what audio or subtitle stream you wish your DVD player to default to... the audio always seems to be the 5.1 stream which is ok as most DVD player will downmix to a stereo signal if you are not using a AV amp - the subtitles need to have the "hide" box ticked or they will show the minute you run the disc....

p.s you need to do that for each file you have in ur re author pane..

HTH

This item was edited on Saturday, 17th March 2007, 20:26

RE: Electrics keep tripping out.. Help please!!

Need more information.... when u say "trip" does all the power get cut or just that particular circuit your appliances are on? - does the consumer unit have trips or wired fuses? is their an RCD in the main isolator of the consumer unit? - all of the items you have listed would not be enought to normally trip or pull a fuse if all the equipment was connected to a ring main....

Floyd, i think you are confusing amps with watts... 60 watts is your average light bulb... 60 amps would be more akin to a 12kw shower...

If your consumer unit has an RCD in circuit its possible you have a fault in either the plug connections in one of your appliances, or an appliance has developed a fault causing the trip to trigger - more info would help, but to be honest dont touch or tamper with nowt... get a sparks in...

Retired sparks....

This item was edited on Wednesday, 7th March 2007, 19:20

RE: More electrical help needed!!

i`m assuming u have taken all the wires out of the rose right? if so, follow the procedure below.... if you still have the rose on the ceiling let me know and i will guide u through that as well...

:/ what u have in ur ceiling is this... one pair permanently live, one pair which goes down to the light switch and one pair that loops off to the next ceiling rose... all ceiling roses come with the required number of connection points to enable all those wires to be accomodated - what u have done is connected ur ceiling light to the pair thats permanently fed.... no amount of light switch flicking will turn it off....

As you appear to have isolated them all, you will now need to find the live pair, and the switch pair and the loop pair. u will need a mains tester/continuity tester to find the live pair and the continuity tester to "ring out" the switch pair - the remaining pair will be the loop to the next ceiling rose in the loop, (chances are that some, if not all of the other lights on that floor will have stopped working as well as they have no "feed", as u disconnected it..)

1. once you have found the live pair with the mains tester TURN OFF the mains supply or pull the fuse etc to the lighting circuit your working on... mark the red wire of the live pair with some red tape.... this will tell u that that particular wire is live all the time when the power is back on... the other wire of that pair (black) is the neutral wire - put these to one side..

2. turn OFF the light switch and ring out one of the remaining pairs with the continuity tester by putting the probes of the tester on a pair of red and blacks...... then turn on the light switch, if the tester buzzes, confirm it is the right pair by turning off the switch and then back on again a few times, if you get nothing, try the other pair... once you have established the "switch" pair, mark the the wires insulation with an "SW" for switch and put to one side... the remaining pair will be the loop pair going off to the next ceiling rose...

3. For the next step you will need some appropriate connectors or crimps. Take the "live" pair and the "loop" pair you established earlier and connect them together, red to red and black to black

4. Now take the "switch" pair and connect its BLACK wire to the two red wires in the connector... insulate and tuck out of the way - the odd "red" wire u have left over will bring the "live" back from the switch and is what u will use to go to the light fitting itself.... connect the other wire from the light fitting to the two neutral black wires.

5. connect all the earth wires together and attach any earth wire that may be coming from the fitting to them as well...

6. double check ur wiring and connectors and insulate with electrical tape, attach the fitting to the ceiling making sure the excess wiring is out of harms way then make sure the light switch is turned off and turn back on the mains or insert fuse or flick trip swith back on, whatever it is u have..... try the light switch and bingo you should be all working again...

This item was edited on Thursday, 15th February 2007, 21:48

RE: MSN problems?

cheers Bats, checked it a 11.30pm last night and what do you know.... logged straight in.. 14hrs of being told your network connection has failed..... go figure... :/

This item was edited on Sunday, 21st January 2007, 12:51

RE: MSN problems?

Doubtful, i`m just getting the cannot log in error message, not wrong password message, Yahoo is working and i can smurf the net ok, web messenger give me the same error message - just run the connection trouble shooter, says i have a problem with my keyports, but gets fixed when i click on repair....

shall try hotmail acct at msn website!...... ok can sign into hotmail via the msn website, so i guess i havnt been hijacked.... weird

This item was edited on Saturday, 20th January 2007, 18:00

MSN problems?

Is anyone having any issues with MSN today? been unable to log in since 9.30 this morning, was working fine at midnight last night - getting unable to log in errors... the msn webpage is showing the usual "no problems reported" - just wondered if i should start digging a bit deeper....

:B

RE: My new hero sends the baliffs round to his bank after they refuse to pay his reclaimed bank char

:D Man i would have loved to have seen the look on the managers face.... class.... absolute class

RE: Just bought a new Gas Cooker...

Thats why CORGI direct sell GAS PTFE tape then..... because it rots....


http://www.corgi-direct.com/Product.aspx?cID=1243

This item was edited on Wednesday, 3rd January 2007, 12:10

RE: Christmas is well and truly over.....

Noticed the same in our local B&Q.... every last remnant that christmas and new years was just a few days ago has been obliterated from their banners and ads... xmas lights 50% off - didnt see any creme eggs tho! :o