Info and forum posts by 'I. Merriman'

RE: Tester DVDs - What do you use to set up your AV system?

It`s best to use a film you`re familiar with.

I tend to use the THX setup facility which comes with the Terminator 2 DVD.

RE: Anyone else having problems with itunes 5

iTunes 5.01 is now available.

I dont know exactly what it fixes (and haven`t had any problems myself), but it might be worth giving it a go...

RE: PHOTO elements 3 . . .language change

I don`t think it can be done from the Preferences screen, so I guess you`ll have to uninstall & re-install

RE: sky + pvr 3 problems

If you have the default settings then Sky+ adds 2mins on the start & end (I think, not sitting next to my box at the moment)

So you can get clashes, which cause the "part rec" but when you check the recording you`ll only have missed the first 1-2 mins (which are generally adverts anyway) so it`s nothing to worry about.

Also you can get a "part rec" if the weather`s bad (i.e. heavy rain caused the signal to be lost)

RE: Quality SCART LEADS.....Are they worth buying?

I agree...

If you have a very cheap player then it`s probably not worth getting an expensive cable (garbage in, garbage out)

But if you have a quality player then it`s definately worth getting a quality cable.

However, there is a "cut off" point. A £100 cable maybe better than a £30 cable, but is it three times better? (probably not)

As a rough guide spend about 10%-15% of your player`s cost on a cable.
i.e. If you have a £200 player, pay £20 - £30 on a cable.

RE: If a TV has integrated Freeview can I record from it?

Quote:
Merriman,

do you think it`s a good tv ?
And does it have both analog and digital tuners?

I`ve heard that panasonic tvs are very good .

I guess it depends on the model, but I have a Panasonic & so does my mum & the picture quality is very good on both.

Yes, the TV does have analogue & digital capability.

RE: Connecting PC and Amplifier question.....

I guess it depends on your sound card. You`d then need the right sort of connector cable between your sound card & amp.

Alternatively, you can connect an MP3 player to your amp & play the MP3s that way (they sound surprisingly good)

RE: If a TV has integrated Freeview can I record from it?

The old dear has a Panasonic integrated TV and you can definately record Freeview channels from it (providing you get all the cables set up right)

You don`t have to have the TV actually switched on, but Freeview has be on & tuned to the right channel (but there`s a "program" facility to do this)

RE: MP3 Player

It`s really a matter of personal choice...

I looked at lots of MP3 players, in the end I went for iPod because:
- it was easy to use (I didn`t like the joystick or screen on some other players)
- it was well built
- it`s probably the best option for use with iTunes
- I liked the range of add-ons available (speakers, dictaphone, radios, remotes etc etc)

There are lots of players that are cheaper than an iPod, or maybe offer features it doesn`t have (e.g. FM radio) but if you dont need a radio, or want quality rather than a low price then it doesn`t matter.

I suggest you decide what features you do & don`t need & then go in a shop & actually handle a few of the players. You`ll soon decide which you do & don`t like.

This item was edited on Monday, 5th September 2005, 16:35

RE: Ghosting software for copying old HD over to new HD

I use Acronis at home and it`s been well worth the money (about £20).

It has an option to create a hidden partition which you can then boot into (even if your main partition won`t boot) and then do a full or partial restore (it`s got my mum`s PC up & running a couple of times)

RE: DVD Player that will play PAL,available in the U.S.

Try searching Amazon.com for "pal dvd player" it should come up with a few.

Bear in mind, your friend`s TV will need to support PAL as well.

RE: AV Sender

Argos sell one called an "AEI DigiSender"

It`s much better picture quality than my previous sender & supports several frequencies.

I can`t guarantee you won`t get interference (our microwave certainly gives problems), but at least if you do, you can take it back & Argos will give you a no quibble refund.

RE: DVD Audio............Where?

They sell them at a few web sites, including Play, MVC & HMV (they tend to be in the "music" section, rather than the "DVD" section)

My local high street MVC also used to sell them, but doesn`t seem to stock them anymore (I guess they didn`t sell many)

This item was edited on Monday, 29th August 2005, 18:11

Philips 32PF9986 LCD TV - your opinions please

The above TV seems to be getting very good reviews for it`s picture (if not it`s sound)

For example see the review here

I wondered if anyone had actually seen one & what their opinion was?

In particular how does it measure up compared to CRT & Plasma sets for picture quality (I`m not that bothered about sound, or connectivity)

Thanks...

This item was edited on Thursday, 28th July 2005, 20:46

Tesco sale

The Tesco summer sale has mostly the usual stuff, but a few bargains

Godfather Triology £6.99 each

Sharpe box set (14 DVDs) £39.99

RE: Web hosting

There`s a directory of web hosts here: http://uk.tophosts.com/

It`s also worth having a look at the opinions & advice here: http://www.webhostingtalk.com/

If money`s that tight then you might be best to go with a free web space provider such as Geocities & then register a domian name with some like www.oneandone.co.uk (I think it`s about £2.99 for two years)

But please remember cheapest often isn`t the best

This item was edited on Sunday, 17th July 2005, 17:41

RE: Jar files

Yes you can use .JAR files on a PC, providing you have a copy of the Java Runtime environment (JRE) installed.

If you don`t have a JRE installed then you can download a copy of the JRE from java.sun.com

Whether Nokia games will work on the PC I`m not sure (it depends if Nokia have any special library files that are installed on the phone, but don`t come with the standard JRE)

RE: hi fi with built in hard drive ?

The choice is a bit limited, but yes there are...

Try looking at a few specialist Hi Fi stores such as www.hifibitz.co.uk or www.superfi.co.uk

Alternatively, some DVD players can also play CDs which contain MP3s, or you can connect a normal MP3 player (e.g. an iPod) to your Amp (the results are surprisingly good)

RE: Best free wysiwyg web editor

This item was edited on Thursday, 23rd June 2005, 15:07

RE: Best free wysiwyg web editor

I`m not saying I can`t do what I need with HTML editor, just that it would be easier not to (the same way you could hand code a letter in RTF if you wanted, but it`s a lot easier to just use Word)

Up until now I`ve been using HTMLKit, which is pretty good, but it sometimes becomes tiresome switching from the code window to the preview window constantly

What I`d like to do is hand code some HTML for the complex parts (menus etc) and then just use a wysiwyg editor for the bulky text

The text will contain some (but not much) formatting (bold, italic, new para etc) so Notepad isn`t really up to the job.

The problem is a lot of wysiwyg editors aren`t true wysiwyg. They show a vague approximation of what you get on screen (which sometimes looks nothing like the real thing, especially if you`ve graphics on screen)

Also they "mangle" your HTML. I.e. They insert tags you don`t need and sometimes actually change your existing tags.

For example, my (hand coded) HTML has some text centred on the screen. If I load it into FrontPage Express & save it then the text is no longer centred (because some of the tags have been moved around)

I was hoping someone out there already knew of a decent/cheap wysiwyg editor (to save me spending hours downloading trials) but so far everybody seems to hand code everything.

No worries...

RE: Best free wysiwyg web editor

Quote:
Perhaps you could try not being so rude to me and Snaps when we were just trying to be helpful.

Hmmm, ok maybe I over reacted (or my dry wit doesn`t translate very well on this forum) and I apologise

But to ask for someone to recommend a WYSIWYG editor & being told to use Notepad & then given a link to a beginners guide to HTML, seemed like asking someone the time & being told to buy a watch (i.e. pretty rude too)

Maybe if you`d qualified your statement with something like "I`ve tried loads of wysiwyg editors & they`re all rubbish, so use Notepad" I`d have accepted your advice more willingly.

But anyway, can we call a truce now...

Thanks Craig, I have already tried Nuvo, it was the best of the one`s I`ve tried, but still not really good enough.

I agree Dreamweaver would be the way to go, but I don`t fancy the £400 price tag, for something I`m doing at home.

I might just use a blogger & then embed the RSS feed into my existing HTML, I`m still looking into it...

Unless of course, someone can recommend a good/cheap wysiwyg editor???

RE: Best free wysiwyg web editor

Thanks nickthegun for the only sensible suggestion here

But you`re right I have tried Word & it was another "HTML mangler"

As for the rest of you :p

RE: Hyundai 32

As quoted on www.eicta.org:

A display device has to cover the following requirements to be awarded the logo "HD ready":
1. Display, display engine
• The minimum native resolution of the display or display engine is 720 physical lines in wide aspect ratio.

2. Video Interfaces
• The display device accepts HD input via:
Analogue YPbPr1, and
DVI or HDMI

• HD capable inputs accept the following HD video formats:
1280x720 @ 50 and 60Hz progressive ("720p"), and
1920x1080 @ 50 and 60Hz interlaced ("1080i")

• The DVI or HDMI input supports content protection (HDCP)

This item was edited on Monday, 20th June 2005, 18:02

RE: Best free wysiwyg web editor

yeah, thanks :/

I know how to search for wysiwyg editors, but I`ve tried 3-4 already (FrontPg Express, Nuvo, Webdwarf & another I forget) and can`t get on with them.

Hence I asked for some recommendations (so I don`t spend months downloading rubbish).

I`m also perfectly capable of writing HTML, but a lot of the pages I`ll be developing are very verbose, with minimal formatting. Hence a wysiwyg editor will be quicker/easier.

Now has anyone please got some helpful recommendations...

Best free wysiwyg web editor

Can anyone recommend a free (or pretty cheap) WYSIWYG web editor

I`m currently using MS-FrontPage Express but it doesn`t work very well with style sheets & mangles your HTML.

Ideally I`d like something that:
- supports style sheets
- is compatible with IE 5/6
- won`t mangle my existing HTML
- let`s you edit in WYSIWYG or HTML mode

Thanks!

RE: Hyundai 32" Widescreen LCD TV (HDTV ready) £799 inc VAT

Are you sure this is HD ready?

It certainly has a high enough resolution, but I saw no mention of a DVI or HDMI input, nor does the web page have a "HD Ready" logo.

RE: Optical cable; any difference in quality.

Quote:
could clarify any difference between TOSlink and PCM

TOSLink & PCM are different things

TOSLink is the type of connector on the end of the cable (a square plug)

PCM is short for Pulse Code Modulation, it`s a method used to transmit an analog signal digitally (nothing to do with connectors)

You can probably find out more by just searching for the above terms in Google

RE: Films about schooldays

Ok if we`re going for old films, how about Goodbye Mr Chips

A classic (but as you say, set in a Public School which we can do)

I nearly mentioned Harry Potter in my first post (but not sure it counts as a British film)

This item was edited on Wednesday, 8th June 2005, 17:45

RE: 3x optical zoom Versus 6x optical zoom

It`s not just the megapixels & zoom you need to look at.

Think about things like start up time, lens quality, battery life, size/weight etc

Also see what the reviews at http://www.steves-digicams.com/ or http://www.dpreview.com/ have to say

This item was edited on Wednesday, 8th June 2005, 17:37

RE: Films about schooldays

I think you could say the same about a lot of genres (war, sci-fi, historical epics etc)

The simple fact is that the British film industry is much smaller than the USA and so less films get made.

There have been a few films about adolescence over the years though.
e.g. About A Boy, Anita & Me, Bend it like Beckham, Billy Elliot, Hope & Glory, Wish You Were Here, Quadrophenia, Gregory`s Girl