R2OK!

SantaFefan · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:01 pm Post subject: Back it goes..

Well this'll be the shortest time I've ever had something from my old pals at Comet...
I called in this afternoon to buy a camera ( with macro ) and was quickly drawn to the radio section. I wanted a replacement unit for my old cheap Tesco unit in which the CD drive seems a little tired.
Before Mrs SFF managed to drag me away from the goodies, I thought I'd found the ideal unit.
A Ferguson ( Confused

) DAB/FM with a MP3 CD drive, a USB port, an iPod dock and a card slot.. plus an obvious "Sleep" button. £125...

When I connected it up this evening, I couldn't believe how naff it is!
I wanted it as a bedside "fall off to sleep" unit but the amp/woofer/tuner units made more hummy, ticky noises at low volume than the radio!
Plus, and here's where I hate all this modern tech stuff... the card reader wouldn't read my SD card ( which has 11 SOTS on it )
No files it said.. Evil or Very Mad

So, out it all came, re-installed my old cheapo unit and my card is happily working again.... plus, after a quick smack on the CD lid, that's working better too now.. ( I like to listen to old radio shows on MP3 files on a CD... 250 shows on one disc! Razz

)

So, Comet here I come....
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13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Ferguson?

That name alone would have frightened me off. They used to make/sell naff hi-fi when I was a kid.
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John W

SantaFefan · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:25 pm Post subject:

I would have said Ferguson was a reasonable manufacturer back in the good old days.. we had a couple of "Tube" radiograms and they were pretty good... in fact, I still have one of them and it works great!
Also, my very first Video recorder was a Ferguson... a 3V23 VideoStar.. one of the first electronic machines.. none of those clunking great piano keys on that! Laughing

But yes, it's crap.. Rolling Eyes

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Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

SantaFefan · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:33 pm Post subject:

it does Becky! Laughing

it was common pactice back in the black and white telly days! vertical hold??? what's that? Razz

_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

ColinB · Guest

SantaFefan · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:48 am Post subject:

The firm of Architects I worked for did the work on that Lowestoft factory Razz

Yes, the 3V23 was a good machine although at about £700 back in '82-ish it was a lot of money!
I remember being pleased about how many little red LEDs appeared on the face of the unit... loads of them... and I like things with lights Rolling Eyes

but I was even more pleased when a TV programme featured some professional TV/Video/Recording type chap with a tall stack of these machines behind him... obviously a good choice on my part.. Laughing

unlike the Ferguson... Sad

_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

SantaFefan · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:21 pm Post subject:

So... I returned the unit to Comet and a sour faced manager agreed to "allow" me to upgrade or ( through gritted teeth ) a credit note.
The only alternative was a Roberts "MP Sound 53" at £215.
This offered DAB/FM, iPod dock, USB, CD mp3, SD slot and a sleep timer... I was chuffed at the checkout to find it also records too... Razz

After a bit of bargaining Wink

I got it for £195... and as it's a Roberts, it'll work nicely with my Roberts RD-41 Dab recording radio..

Upon set up at home, I was pleased to see it was easy to work via the remote and the pleasant blue light would lull me to sleep..

The Radio worked great, my iPod worked great, my mp3 CD's worked great but... my Roberts recorded SD cards won't play! Rolling Eyes

Now you would think that a Roberts recorded SD card would play on another Roberts machine wouldn't you? but no..

I nipped upstairs to my Roberts RD-41 and the cards work fine.. slipping a card into my PC, I find the file format on the card, recorded on the aformentioned machine is "Movie Clip (.MP2)" Shocked

Movie clip??? MP2?? why can't things be simple?
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Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

ColinB · Guest

SantaFefan · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:06 pm Post subject:

Is it possible for a computer dimwit like me to convert the files, or copy them to the pc and convert them to mp3 to copy back to another SD card?
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I have heard how radio should be.

ColinB · Guest

Yes, there are loads of freebie apps available online that will do a conversion for you. I can't recommend one in particular because all the ones we use here on Apple Macs are professional (and expensive) ones but just search "convert audio to MP3" and you'll be spoilt for choice.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

SantaFefan · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:45 pm Post subject:

Thanks Colin, I'll have a browse over the weekend to see what I can find... or enlist the help of my 14 year old assistant Embarassed

Maybe Helen... I thought about contacting Roberts to ask what I might be able to do about the differing formats..
I'm going to try copying the files ( SOTS ) from my SD card to a USB stick to see if that will work on the new Roberts.. if it does, it will be enough for me.
Yes, the Stream 83i is a great little unit.. I found myself looking at it again on the Comet shelf.. NO! two's enough! Laughing

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Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

I'm thinking about getting another one to have upstairs as it's annoying not to have DAB upstairs. I guess I could use the laptop but the speakers aren't as good. I keep telling myself the other radio is very old (true!) and it doesn't owe me anything...............

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

ColinB · Guest

One thing you could do is to use a USB wireless sender. It's a little USB stick (just like a thumb drive) which you plug into the computer that's streaming off the internet and it then converts it to a FM transmission (on a frequency you determine) to any FM receiver within range. It's a bit like the iTrip devices that relay the output of an iPhone (etc) in a car to the FM tuner.

And it's legal, by the way!!!