# Gadgets



## car (12 Jan 2006)

I had put this in the wiring for multimedia but it should probably have a thread of its own.  Just some gadgets I have in the house, anyone got anything else cool theyed like to share or give ideas to others about?
anyway, heres my wireless setup..
Wireless 802.11g (get nearly constant 54mbps) LAN providing web access to 3 laptops.  Broadband supplied from BT at 2mbps.

Got an old laptop with a wireless dongle under the TV for web access on the TV, then got a 250gb disk (thanks aldi) with all my music on it hooked up to the laptop which has the headphone socket going to spare channel on the home movie system. Change AV channel on the tv to the laptop, have musicmatch or media player running, no more loading cds.   Wireless keyboard and mouse to run the laptop.  

Most recent useful wireless feature I got was a socket set that switches on and off from a remote control. aldi had them before xmas but I believe B&Q do them. Basically means I can control all sockets in the house (got 4 recievers in the set from aldi) from a small remote. Handy when going to bed or switching on the heating from the bed in the morning!!


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## DOBBER22 (12 Jan 2006)

Ooooouuuuuhhh very fancy heh heh heh


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## Diddles (12 Jan 2006)

Car it looks like you have a lot of time/money on your hands 

Best one I saw was a heating system that was controlled by mobile phone.Its probably old technology now though.

D


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## OhPinchy (12 Jan 2006)

Interesting idea for a thread!



			
				car said:
			
		

> Most recent useful wireless feature I got was a socket set that switches on and off from a remote control. aldi had them before xmas but I believe B&Q do them. Basically means I can control all sockets in the house (got 4 recievers in the set from aldi) from a small remote. Handy when going to bed or switching on the heating from the bed in the morning!!



Whats that product called - sounds class?

I've got Cat5e running to every room in the house. I built my own Windows Media Center PC with 400GB hard disk space and have it in a box bedroom (will be in PC room in extension when its ready). This PC is connected to NTL digital.

In living room I have an Xbox 360 which I use for some gaming (my recent first foray into online gaming was disastrous but fun at the same time) but mainly for its Windows Media Center Extender capabilities. Not only is it a fully fledged Personal Video Recorder (great guide, easily record whole series, pause live TV etc.) but it also allows me access all my music (complete with superb visualizations) and photos that are stored on the Media Center PC in the box bedroom. And the guide can be setup to be accessed over the Internet on phone or PC (handy when you're gonna be late home and want to record the match). It also lets me access Internet TV, Internet Radio, webcams, news, weather, google maps, Reuters, MTV Overdrive etc. etc. In short it simply rocks. 

To see what this beast is capable of check out this demo (I'm not on commission I swear, its just simply the best piece of technology I've had the joy of using):   


When the other rooms are ready I'll be using first generation Extenders to feed all this media (all TV is recorded onto the Media Center PC) to the different rooms, all through the best user interface I've had the joy of using. Anyone wants advice on building/setting it up give me a shout.

And then I've to get round to thinking of some imaginative uses of all the audio, video and VGA cables I had a friend run in for free. One sweet thing we did was embed the surround sound cables in the living room in the wall and terminate them with small faceplates which is neat. I'm toying with the idea of putting in speakers in the bathroom ceiling (cables run in already) so I could listen to music output from the hi-fi in the living room while in the bath!

If we move house I'll have to put in full automation wiring to control lighting and heating cos that sounds shlick.

Well you did ask!


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## car (12 Jan 2006)

> Car it looks like you have a lot of time/money on your hands



Aldis specials have changed the way I live my life!!   

4 wireless sockets 22euro. aldi  (think theyre cheaper in B&Q after report from a friend).  [broken link removed]are they on ebay
old laptop i got free from the job.  
250 gb external disk 129 euro aldi.   
linksys wireless router 70 euro,  elara.ie
wireless dongle for lappie under the telly 30 euro elara.ie
TV connector kit for for computer - 17 euro aldi.


I just collect along the way.


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## whiplash (13 Jan 2006)

Hi car, I like the sounds of your setup alright.  I have BT 2mbps line as well and as you know they don't do wireless routers.  I was thinking of getting the linksys wireless router myself.  Did you have any problems setting this up with the BT broadband at all ?

Cheeers,
KK

p.s. I must get down to Aldi I've been missing out.


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## car (13 Jan 2006)

I got the linksys wrt54g.  Did have some initial setup problems but they were my own fault.  Well, when I say my own fault, I just couldnt figure out what settings went where on the zyxel and what went on the linksys.  neither linksys nor BT were any use after repeated calls to both.  I figured it out in the end so if you do get the linksys (which I heartily recommend) post back here and I'll try to help you with the benefit of my experience.


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## whiplash (13 Jan 2006)

Good man car, I'll give you a shout when I get the Wireless router

Cheers again
/KK


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## Vanilla (13 Jan 2006)

Had to read this a couple of times to check car wasn't in fact Mr.V, my own king of gadgets! Still am not sure!

But as for



> Most recent useful wireless feature I got was a socket set that switches on and off from a remote control.


 
we have those too, but at least one of ours has a mind of its own, switching off by itself after a while- interference?


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## car (13 Jan 2006)

Yeah, Ive got mine about a month and one of the sockets is prone to a bit of sporadic switching on/off as well, but its only done it a couple of times.  I have a suspicion that one of the neighbours has one of them too and is on the same frequency.  But the remote has a 40 meter range so it could be picking up anything.


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## ClubMan (13 Jan 2006)

car said:
			
		

> Yeah, Ive got mine about a month and one of the sockets is prone to a bit of sporadic switching on/off as well, but its only done it a couple of times. I have a suspicion that one of the neighbours has one of them too and is on the same frequency. But the remote has a 40 meter range so it could be picking up anything.


What frequency do those devices operate on? Hopefully not 2.4GHz which may clash with your wireless _LAN_?


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## ClubMan (13 Jan 2006)

car said:
			
		

> Got an old laptop with a wireless dongle under the TV for web access on the TV


How do you hook the laptop up to the _TV_?


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## euroDilbert (13 Jan 2006)

car said:
			
		

> Yeah, Ive got mine about a month and one of the sockets is prone to a bit of sporadic switching on/off as well, but its only done it a couple of times. I have a suspicion that one of the neighbours has one of them too and is on the same frequency. But the remote has a 40 meter range so it could be picking up anything.


 
If these are the Aldi/Lidl (?) ones you can change the frequency with a little reset button (in the battery compartment) on the remote control.
Of course, you then need to reset the 4 switches, but that's easy.


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## car (13 Jan 2006)

> How do you hook the laptop up to the _TV_?


There was an S video cable in the ALDI TV/computer pack. My laptop has an SVideo out port. I had 2 ways to connect to the TV, my TV had an S-video in port on the side, but the ALDI pack had a scart connector which took audio and S-Video. Using that, I could have hooked the audio from phono out on the laptop so I would get the laptop sound on the TV but as I mainly use it for music I ran that to a spare channel on the (bog standard) home cinema system to get surround sound. Again, the ALDI pack had a single phono to L/R for this.
After that just press the AV channel on the TV remote til you find the channel the laptop is coming in on. You'll also have to set your laptop to TV mode, theres usually a function button above the F keys for this. You'll just get a black screen otherwise. TBH, although I can use it for web access, I mainly use it as an entertainment center, music/dvds etc.

The day I seen the ALDI pack I was just browsing and it was the last one they had, but I seen the potential straight away. You should be get all the relevant connectors in peats. But I suppose it would depend on your lappie having an S-Video out, Im sure you can get a USB or pcmcia S-Video to do same if not though. 

Hope thats all clear.

edit.. Glad you moved the post.  will probably get more press here!


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## car (13 Jan 2006)

I spotted [broken link removed] pc to tv wireless transmitter on a site _wexfordman _posted on the original multimedia wiring post.  This should do the job a lot cleaner but is probably a lot more expensive.  
If youre a parent concerned as to what your child is doing on the PC upstairs it would be useful.


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## ClubMan (13 Jan 2006)

_Lidl _and _Aldi _sell similar _AV _senders for a lot less (c. €40 a pair) from time to time. 

I'm not sure if/how they could be used to monitoring _PC _usage in the way suggested though - e.g. I'm not clear on what connections would need to be made and if the parents would have to sit watching the _PC _output or could flick to broadcast _TV_...?


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## car (13 Jan 2006)

Yeah, I suppose it would work if the child was upstairs on the PC, with the pc transmitting the TV downstairs on a spare AV channel. Parent flicks the AV switch and can see the monitor output on the TV. 
Most TVs have 4 or 5 AV channels, with TV, Satellite, playstation, video and DVD possible channel users. A casual flick on to the PC one now and again would keep a parent happy I suppose.
I havent seen the PC to Tv senders in aldi/lidl, must keep the eye out.  Would be interested.


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## ClubMan (13 Jan 2006)

car said:
			
		

> Most TVs have 4 or 5 AV channels


 I would not have thought so. Most that I've seen have one (_SCART_) with the odd one having a second _SCART _and/or some other AV input(s) (co-ax,_ S-Video _etc.). Higher end _TVs _are more likely to have more inputs. Maybe that's what you mean? Of course an external _SCART _switcher could be used but unless it is remote controlled the user will have to get up to switch it manually (a shocking idea I know! ).


> A casual flick on to the PC one now and again would keep a parent happy I suppose.


 The _PC _would presumably need a _SCART _or _RF _video out to connect to the _AV _sender unit? I'm not sure that most have these. Will such a connection work simultaneously with the normal _VGA _monitor output?


> I havent seen the PC to Tv senders in aldi/lidl, must keep the eye out.  Would be interested.


 They seem to have them in every few months - I think one of them had them before Xmas. I bought the _Lidl _ones last year and (bar dropping the sending unit on the floor and breaking the _AV _antenna which now flops about a bit - need to try supergluing it ...) they work fine. I've taken care to put them on _AV _channel D as far away from my wireless _LAN _(on _802.11 _channel 1) to minimise interference between the two since they both share the 2.4GHz band. My microwave is also at the other end of the 802.11 channel spectrum so is more likely to interfere with the _AV _senders than the _LAN _but since it's only used sporadically it's not a major issue.


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## podgerodge (13 Jan 2006)

Maplin have video senders on sale at the moment


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## Wexfordman (13 Jan 2006)

Diddles said:
			
		

> Car it looks like you have a lot of time/money on your hands
> 
> Best one I saw was a heating system that was controlled by mobile phone.Its probably old technology now though.
> 
> D


I've had mine in for the last 5 years using X10. Great system, very cheap for what you are getting (about 50 euro per switch you want to control) and very reliable. I have every light in my house, all my heating zones and a number of appliances working off X10. THere are more technologoes comming out along the same lines, including RF gear like Z-Wave, but X10 is way above them at the moment as it is well established, both functionality wise and price wise, with some great software and hardware available to operate it. The Aldi stuff sounds like something thats not going to be in use for long if its as problematic as the posts say, I know maplin sell similar stuff also, but the problem is its not as versatile.

Speaking of routers, if you are going to bu a lynksys wireless router, I bought one from blueface a couple of months ago, with an ATA in it for voip for about 20 euro more than the price of a standard wireless router with no ATA. Would be worht getting one for the few extra bob, and have VOIP!!


Wexfordman


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## dam099 (13 Jan 2006)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> The _PC _would presumably need a _SCART _or _RF _video out to connect to the _AV _sender unit? I'm not sure that most have these. Will such a connection work simultaneously with the normal _VGA _monitor output?


 
I know not all PCs have them but I have a PC with a nVidia graphics card that supports TV out (s-video) along with the regular monitor and the TV is treated more or less as if it was a second monitor (actually I can set it to either be additional desktop space, output for full screen video or mirror the other monitor). The mirroring function could possibly achieve the required goal for monitoring the PC usage.


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## MonsieurBond (13 Jan 2006)

car said:
			
		

> There was an S video cable in the ALDI TV/computer pack. My laptop has an SVideo out port. I had 2 ways to connect to the TV, my TV had an S-video in port on the side, but the ALDI pack had a scart connector which took audio and S-Video. Using that, I could have hooked the audio from phono out on the laptop so I would get the laptop sound on the TV but as I mainly use it for music I ran that to a spare channel on the (bog standard) home cinema system to get surround sound. Again, the ALDI pack had a single phono to L/R for this.
> After that just press the AV channel on the TV remote til you find the channel the laptop is coming in on.


If your hi-fi is of the AV variety, you should be able to connect the S-Video from the laptop into the amp and connect the amp to the TV. I connect a PS2, NTL Digital box and DVD all through my amp, with a single output from the amp to my TV.

Unfortunately, my current amp does not have HDMI inputs and outputs, so I also have an HDMI - DVI connection from my DVD player to the TV for optimal display.

My Dell Inspiron 510m laptop unfortunately only has a VGA output as it is one of the entry level models. Therefore, when I connect the laptop to the TV occasionally to watch AVI files etc., I have to connect it to the back of the TV.  However, it looks to me like the card is removal and changeable, which would allow me to connect it to the amp.

I have also looked at wireless amps and wireless DVD players (i.e. which can connect to your music share), but so far have not gone down this route.


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## alri (30 May 2006)

I am building a timber frame home and very interested in a home automation system,audio ,tv ,broadband & lighting,home cinema.Unfortunatly my technical knowledge is non existent> I have got two quotes and they are charging in the region of 11-14k and this is without the amplifer/computer ect.Is this a fair price?Would I be better buying the materials in the UK and getting the electrician to put it in,he has to do this for the companies anyway.Help needed.


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