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The Tech Thread


Steve Justice

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I've not dabbled in tech and laptops since my days working as an electronics seller and repair guy at Staples way back in 2013, so I'm unschooled on the whole scene now and what makes a good deal and a good spec.

Anyway, I'm after a 13 - 14 inch portable laptop for the wife. She's going back to uni and it's mainly for Office suite tasks and Teams, but maybe some light Steam gaming too (stuff like Stardew, Sims 2/3, maybe Fallout 3/Skyrim on super low settings).

She's picked out this one, which seems good but has a dim screen and crap battery by all accounts: https://www.currys.co.uk/products/lenovo-ideapad-3i-14-laptop-intel-core-i5-256-gb-ssd-blue-10228900.html?fbclid=IwAR0BNeBL_iDBcwdsdkleG8OpksOrTXoHUZFZctbZJLP7WFDhEHNgXO_u1n8

I've had a look round, and this one seems a bit better, but also maxes out the budget (£500, tops): https://www.box.co.uk/NX.A4KEK.002-Acer-Swift-3-Intel-Core-i5-8GB-RAM-512GB_3207689.html?fbclid=IwAR0sNjLU6gJdDlfFJADzpUq3KQj0cvEhogvUQM7xdGI67LpIWM510mcbY_0#DetailTop

Are either of these good? Or even good for the cash? Anything better out there?

Christ, it used to be ME dealing out this advice, now I'M the old man asking for IT help. I never thought this would happen, haha!

Edited by Accident Prone
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1 hour ago, Your Fight Site said:

Sorry for reviving an old thread.

Competent with computers. Terrible with TVs. My LG TV has lost a load of channels and it’s not finding them when doing a retune/programme search. Any one have any idea as to what I might be missing?

Probably quite a few TV shows.

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On 11/1/2022 at 7:09 PM, Your Fight Site said:

Sorry for reviving an old thread.

Competent with computers. Terrible with TVs. My LG TV has lost a load of channels and it’s not finding them when doing a retune/programme search. Any one have any idea as to what I might be missing?

If you mean digital channels/terrestrial is an aerial connected? If it’s app channels, it often happens when a software update happens and the smart tv isn’t supported anymore.

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1 minute ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

If you mean digital channels/terrestrial is an aerial connected? If it’s app channels, it often happens when a software update happens and the smart tv isn’t supported anymore.

Freeview channels. So in my programme guide, there’s a handful of programmes but gaps in the numbering where it hasn’t picked a load up.

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47 minutes ago, Your Fight Site said:

Freeview channels. So in my programme guide, there’s a handful of programmes but gaps in the numbering where it hasn’t picked a load up.

Some have gone recently (here is the current list of channels as a TV guide https://www.freeview.co.uk/tv-guide?userNid=64257) But in our place we have a plug in aerial booster. It doesn't need to be on all the time (it was in when we moved in) but during bad weather, or if we are retuning it always goes on. Could be something as simple as that.

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22 hours ago, Your Fight Site said:

Freeview channels. So in my programme guide, there’s a handful of programmes but gaps in the numbering where it hasn’t picked a load up.

I think theres a website where you can enter your postcode, and it will tell you what transmitter you are getting your signal from, and what channels you should be getting. If these channels dont match up, maybe theres a problem with the aerial itself. Most TVs show you (I think?) the signal strength that you have. If its bad, then I assume your aerial has maybe been affected by some bad weather. A signal booster could then help I guess, too.

 

Been as Im here, I have two USB related questions:

- Two of my USB ports on my laptop seemingly have weak power. The connection is solid, but when I use them, they constantly connect/disconnect whatever is being used. Ive had to stop using two of three USB ports, and have now bought a powered USB hub. Even when using a mains powered hub, when I connect an external hard drive to this hub, the disconnecting of my bluetooth mouth starts up again. Could this be a software issue? Is it just wear and tear of the USB ports? Also, is replacing USB ports a fairly simple DIY job on a laptop (I have never opened up this laptop to see whats inside)?

- The USB port on a TV has stopped working. Whats the cheapest way to watch video files on a USB stick on this TV through HDMI? I see those HDMI android boxes on Ebay for around £30, would they do the trick? Ive also seen a cable where you can power your firesstick and connect a USB drive to it as well, has anyone done this? Cheers.

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Has anyone purchased additional lenses for their iPhones, in which case what would you recommend? Mrs Facesitter is after one for Christmas - she's doing a local photography course and wants something with a better zoom for capturing wildlife etc from a distance. I've had a butchers at a few on Amazon but have never used any before. 

Of course sods law says I get one and then she'll need a new phone anyway, thus rendering them obsolete. But I'm a hopeless romantic and it's the thought that counts.  

Edited by Fatty Facesitter
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32 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said:

I want to get my 15yo a gaming laptop for their birthday. My upper budget is a grand. PC World had fuck all. Any recommendations for machines or places? Much appreciated.

This is a decent option. Nice 1TB SSD storage, acceptable graphics card. Battery life will be for shite, but they all are. 

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/msi-katana-gf66-12ue-15.6-gaming-laptop-intel-core-i7-rtx-3060-1-tb-ssd-10242836.html

 

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