R2OK!

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

Following a bit electronic trickery and wiring we can now have the I-player piped directly into our main Hi-Fi system. So this morning we’re having a party , just me, Alex the DJ, Hooby ( the dog), our upright hoover, and a cup of tea. Fab music on the BTOTDS this morning. And still an hour and a half to go! Smile

Waiting in for builders.

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

Yes a good selection, by the looks of things. He obviously left the 10CC CD behind for Chris.

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

TotD

Schizoidman · Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex

Yes, looking at the playlist, there was some excellent music played on Alex Lester and Chris Evans' shows today, a good mix, from 60s (Move, Small Faces etc) to the present day. Not sure why Life Is A Minestrone had to be played twice though! Excellent song notwithstanding.

And I just love If He Should Ever Leave You by Sir Tom, from about four years ago. Even Ken played a couple of good songs, including Azerbaijan's excellent Euro entry. Perhaps things are looking up at last (mind you, there's always the inevitable ELO song).

littlepieces · Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 1098 Location: Lowestoft

I love Janice.....end of
_________________
I found out how you can hurt an insect.It's the bees knees

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

I was rather hoping that someone would ask : What’s the magic box, Rachel? So that I could tell you. But even though no one is interested, I’ll tell you anyway. Well… here goes….. and it’s a good job that techno-genius Colin chap isn’t around anymore because he would be gloating and have that , I told you so, look about him. Remember I said this would never happen. I was wrong ( again) ( write it down... Rachel was wrong... again)

We have bought a magic box for our TV called a Humax DTR Fox T2 or something like that – it has transformed our television and radio viewing and listening experience. It is truly magic. In a nutshell it’s a HD Freeview+ TV Receiver/Recorder- a bit like a sky + box one imagines, it does all those things: like you can stop the world and go to make a cup of tea during live TV – record several channels at the same time while watching something else, rewind and fast forward etc (cue Clarkson) BUT……..and here’s the biggy , if you plug in a little usb stick- wifi dongle thing, it can connect to the interweb via your Broadband Wifi, No Wires! It’s magic! Then it has this thing called a TV Portal linked to the BBC i-player as well as some other internet TV services and Youtube. A couple of audio leads later and Bingo!!!, Alex on a proper HiFi in the afternoon, or morning, or evening, or any time you like actually.

The downside is, Hubby has taken to watching BBC daytime TV via the i-player in the early evenings – Homes Under the Hammer! , Escape to the Country! , It’s like he’s practicing for retirement: he’s already very good at it- doing nothing and watching the telly while pretending to have a bad back that is.

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

A-ha! Like this one
http://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/product.asp?ProdRef=20016

"install in 30 seconds" Now you're talking my language (I bet it doesn't)

I did try one of those DAB/Stream internet radios just after Christmas and even my resident PC Wiz couldn't get it to connect so we just got our money back.

Bad back? What have you been doing to him, Rach? Laughing

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

Exactly that, Ron but not those white boxes, if you have wifi , you just need one of these and no wires...

http://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/search.asp?keyword=wifi+dongle

It all took about 15 minutes to unpack and set up - and it all just worked.... but I was only watching. Hubby is the techo-geek.

Bad back- I think it's a being really tall thing, Ron, and of course he has the heavy burden of having to put up with me- day-in day-out. Smile

I don't know how he does it. Smile

gazmando · Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 560 Location: Huntingdon

Hello everybody,
I would really recommend getting a smartphone, I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 which has the Iplayer installed, but it is freely available to download from the Play store on the phone for free.
I just plug it into my Ipod Dock or HiFi using a 3.5mm to 3.5mm lead (like a headphone socket at each end) and perfect sound with no hassle.
I also have the Tune In Radio app on my phone which lets you listen to millions of stations live across the world.
The app is free and so simple to use, either browse the categories or click on the search button, type in something e.g "60's music" and loads of stations come up.
If you like any stations just click on the heart and the station is saved onto your presets list for future listening.
Just checked and you can upgrade to the pro version for 61 pence which lets you record the station you are listening to.
It's also available on the Ipod Touch and Pad, which will slot into a dock with no wires.
Here's a vid to show it running.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul0BvzWbIMM&feature=related
PS Tune In Radio runs using your router or your 3g connection.

ColinB · Guest

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

ColinB · Guest

unclebuck · Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Posts: 276 Location: Warwickshire

This might be the right place for me to mention a gadget that I have bought and now find completely indispensable..... a fantastic bit of kit.
It's called a USB FM transmitter.
Basically, it's a small USB dongle that you plug into your PC and it transmits any sound that your PC is making as a low-power FM broadcast.
It means I can tune any FM radio in the house to the PC and listen to a 'listen again' broadcast.
It means I can listen to any DAB broadcast, such as 6Music or the cricket commentary on any old FM radio in the area.
I can use my PC as a jukebox, and listen to anything from my music collection in iTunes on any of my FM radios.
The really great thing is that all the FM radios are in synch with one another... great if you're moving from room to room, parties, etc.

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

ColinB · Guest

The problem with USB FM transmitters is that they use very low power (they have to - otherwise we could all start our very own radio stations!) and as such they suffer from squelch when the received signal strength drops. That said, they're ideal in the car in that you can send a signal from your mobile/ipod/portable wind-up gramophone to your FM radio.

It's similar to the Belkin iTrip which plugs into the bottom of an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch and sends its output to the car radio. Again, it can often be a bit squelchy but perhaps the better option to most of the rubbish that's on national and local radio for much of the day.

R2Icon · Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444

Speaking of techology: has/did anyone notice(d) that the scrolling text on DAB this morning was stuck on a scrolling "Alex Lester" over and over. Even during Chris Evans. I love technology.

unclebuck · Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Posts: 276 Location: Warwickshire

The USB transmitter I use has adjustable settings for 'gain' and 'power'. I can set it up to work very well for all areas of the house.
Again - I would recommend for anyone who does not want to invest in loads of DAB radios and uses iPlayer to be selective in their listening, as I increasingly do!