The Tech Thread

[TibBo]

Yeah it's an app within kodi. 

First thing you do is download kodi, and once you've got that installed you can download whatever individual apps you want to use. 

If you or the kids watch cartoons there's a kodi app called 'watchnixtoons2' which works really well and has everything animated on it

[JNLister]

Any recommendations for webhosting based on: 
 

• 5 sites: 2 static/3 wordpress, low traffic (unless you're Google's Adsense review team in which case it's huge traffic)
• I want to keep the domain names registered elsewhere and just point them to the host via nameservers.
• I want to transfer/clone the Wordpress sites without headbutting the screen in rage, so easy migration tools/services much appreciated.
• Would prefer a permanent reasonable price than an first-year bargain price that rockets on renewal as I'm mentally done with transferring every year.

[Onyx2]

31 minutes ago, JNLister said:

Any recommendations for webhosting based on: 
 

• 5 sites: 2 static/3 wordpress, low traffic (unless you're Google's Adsense review team in which case it's huge traffic)
• I want to keep the domain names registered elsewhere and just point them to the host via nameservers.
• I want to transfer/clone the Wordpress sites without headbutting the screen in rage, so easy migration tools/services much appreciated.
• Would prefer a permanent reasonable price than an first-year bargain price that rockets on renewal as I'm mentally done with transferring every year.

Interested in this too. Hosting seems to have crept up along with everything else lately. I managed to negotiate my longtime host one.com down from £100 to £80 this year but I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it any more. It was £49 in 2020!

[Browser Brady]

Has anybody ever used Co-Pilot at work for anything useful ?

[Onyx2]

45 minutes ago, Browser Brady said:

Has anybody ever used Co-Pilot at work for anything useful ?

"Here's a 10 page PDF from a consultant. Turn it into a 1 paragraph summary."

"Here's 3 quotes from suppliers for project X. Make a table listing the pros and cons for both based on Y criteria"

"This is an email I'm about to send to this third party <context>. I'm about to head into a meeting with them, what questions might I not be prepared for?"

"I can't bloody remember how to do this stupid function in Excel, how do I...?"

"Please lay out a PowerPoint structure for this piece of work I need to do / based off this email from my boss"

[DCW]

Any of ye used the Sky Stream box? they've an offer of all their entertainment channels + box sets + netflix for 24 a month for 12 months. Sadly, my dodgy box has become increasingly shitey the last few months with outages and bufferring on the live channels and the plex server with all the films and movies has been off since January as it keeps getting banned. Lad who runs it is trying to move everyone to emby but it's not reliable. I got a good few years out of it at 70 for the year, but when I get home from work I just want something that will work!

[Hannibal Scorch]

2 minutes ago, DCW said:

Any of ye used the Sky Stream box? they've an offer of all their entertainment channels + box sets + netflix for 24 a month for 12 months. Sadly, my dodgy box has become increasingly shitey the last few months with outages and bufferring on the live channels and the plex server with all the films and movies has been off since January as it keeps getting banned. Lad who runs it is trying to move everyone to emby but it's not reliable. I got a good few years out of it at 70 for the year, but when I get home from work I just want something that will work!

I switched to Sky in January with the stream box because the deal I got for broadband was cheaper with the box,. It’s fine, no real issues with it, although the adverts can be annoying for some on demand stuff unless you pay another £5 a month. But the live stuff is fine, had no issues with it.

[Onyx2]

On 1/28/2025 at 1:20 PM, JNLister said:

Any recommendations for webhosting based on: 
 

• 5 sites: 2 static/3 wordpress, low traffic (unless you're Google's Adsense review team in which case it's huge traffic)
• I want to keep the domain names registered elsewhere and just point them to the host via nameservers.
• I want to transfer/clone the Wordpress sites without headbutting the screen in rage, so easy migration tools/services much appreciated.
• Would prefer a permanent reasonable price than an first-year bargain price that rockets on renewal as I'm mentally done with transferring every year.

Did you ever find a decent host John? 

[JNLister]

11 hours ago, Onyx2 said:

Did you ever find a decent host John? 

Yep, Krystal.io. UK based, fixed pricing. 

Can't say the screen went entirely unheadbutted, but got there in the end.

[Onyx2]

5 hours ago, JNLister said:

Yep, Krystal.io. UK based, fixed pricing. 

Can't say the screen went entirely unheadbutted, but got there in the end.

Thanks. Seems like £80pa is the floor for the basics these days.

[DCW]

We went with a new ISP (Virgin Media) last week and the router they gave us has shite wifi coverage which doesn't reach the bedroom in our tiny apartment, so work calls keep glitching and dropping out. I apparently need to buy an access point and locate it in the hall and run a cat 6 cable between it and the ISP router to ensure the wifi coverage reaches everywhere.

I've no idea what to look for in this access point and the googling I've done throws up results ranging in price between 35 - 200+ quid.

 

Would any tech savvy poster here be able to point me in the right direction? we're not gamers or anything, so doesn't need to be top of the range etc, just something that I set up once and don't need to touch again would be great. 

[FLips]

7 minutes ago, DCW said:

We went with a new ISP (Virgin Media) last week and the router they gave us has shite wifi coverage which doesn't reach the bedroom in our tiny apartment, so work calls keep glitching and dropping out. I apparently need to buy an access point and locate it in the hall and run a cat 6 cable between it and the ISP router to ensure the wifi coverage reaches everywhere.

I've no idea what to look for in this access point and the googling I've done throws up results ranging in price between 35 - 200+ quid.

 

Would any tech savvy poster here be able to point me in the right direction? we're not gamers or anything, so doesn't need to be top of the range etc, just something that I set up once and don't need to touch again would be great. 

If you're only getting Virgin for internet and it isn't part of a TV package I would honestly, if you're within your cooling off period, just leave them. Go with YouFibre instead as they're cheaper, more reliable, faster and also provide an additional access point for I think maybe £7 extra?

If you're with Virgin as part of a package and don't want to lose the TV then their website has this on it:

Quote

 

What is Intelligent WiFi?

 

Intelligent WiFi is designed to automatically sort out any WiFi issues around your home without you needing to leave your seat.

The Hub 3, 4 and 5 have Intelligent WiFi self-optimising technology built in as standard. But if you have any hard-to-reach places in your home, our WiFi guarantee has you covered.

This promises that if you don’t get download speeds of at least 30Mbps in every room, you can bag up to three WiFi Pods, on us – and if that still doesn’t do the trick, we’ll pop £100 credit on your next bill.

 

So I would contact them and tell them you're not getting internet in rooms in the house and would like a WiFi pod.

Edit: I would also be very stern with them when they inevitably try and fob you off. We were with them before they did the pods but they still had the Wifi guarantee and they will try everything they can to blame you, the position of your router, the walls of your house for it rather than just admit being a shit provider.

Edited April 7, 2025 by FLips

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

Does anyone know anything about the costs of 3D printing? I could do with getting something relatively small designed and printed. It would be plastic. Anyone have a ballpark figure?

[Onyx2]

11 hours ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

Does anyone know anything about the costs of 3D printing? I could do with getting something relatively small designed and printed. It would be plastic. Anyone have a ballpark figure?

Find out if you have a "hackerspace" or "maker space" near you. They often have hobbyist (shed type men) there who will do it for cost of filament. A few pounds. 

Edit oh if you need it designed as well you should check thingyverse to see if it already exists. 

Edited April 11, 2025 by Onyx2

[Thunderplex]

On 4/11/2025 at 12:25 PM, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

Does anyone know anything about the costs of 3D printing? I could do with getting something relatively small designed and printed. It would be plastic. Anyone have a ballpark figure?

If you need very high detail, it would be resin you need.  You can get good detail with FDM now, and I have just printed some great wargaming mini’s with my Bambu A1, but resin is still best for HD stuff.  As Onyx says, have a gander on Thingiverse as what you need may have designed.  Cost is mainly how much filament it uses, my minis cost about 20p each.