'home media centre'

[eFestivals]

Marley bluetooth speakers on-sale...

Marley Chant £39.99 (save £40):-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00C76P7Q2/ref=pe_186441_61891771_em_1p_0_ti#customerReviews

House of Marley Get Together £122.77 (save £57):-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Marley-Together-Bluetooth-Speaker/dp/B00FONB69W/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421221887&sr=1-5&keywords=HOUSE+OF+MARLEY

House of Marley Liberate £72.99 (save £27):-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Marley-Liberate-Bluetooth-Speaker/dp/B00LC27UF8/ref=sr_1_21?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421221887&sr=1-21&keywords=HOUSE+OF+MARLEY

I'm now in a dilemma over which one(s) to buy.

[5co77ie]

does anyone know if you can get a bluetooth signal booster/extender or altternatively is there a wireless USB hub available I could plug a bluetooth dongle into?

Edited January 15, 2015 by 5co77ie

[The Nal]

does anyone know if you can get a bluetooth signal booster/extender or altternatively is there a wireless USB hub available I could plug a bluetooth dongle into?

Are you having bluetooth issues?

Do you have a wireless device and a bluetooth device working near each other. It'll fuck up the bluetooth signal if so. They both work off 2.4GHz but bluetooth bandwidth is shite so it'll get screwed up by the wifi.

[eFestivals]

Are you having bluetooth issues?

I do. The bluetooth speaker i bought for the kitchen won't work in the kitchen, it doesn't like the distance &/or walls between it and the other end of the bluetooth.

[The Nal]

I do. The bluetooth speaker i bought for the kitchen won't work in the kitchen, it doesn't like the distance &/or walls between it and the other end of the bluetooth.

How far? And, as above, what wireless devices (mouse, keyboard etc) do you have near it?

You can get a bluetooth booster antenna but if the area is a wifi hotspot it'll still struggle.

Edited January 15, 2015 by The Nal

[eFestivals]

How far? And, as above, what wireless devices (mouse, keyboard etc) do you have near it?

You can get a bluetooth booster antenna but if the area is a wifi hotspot it'll still struggle.

8 to 10 meters i'd say. Having tested where it works and where it doesn't, it's defo the thick wall that kills the connectivity.

I've just had a google for bluetooth extenders and not found any.

I have just ordered myself one of these tho, which i'm hoping I might use for the bluetooth dongle, and that my audioserver will detect that as a device it can output to...?

(i've no idea if that'll really work)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A15GMTM/ref=pe_385721_37986871_TE_item

Edited January 15, 2015 by eFestivals

[windy_miller]

8 to 10 meters i'd say. Having tested where it works and where it doesn't, it's defo the thick wall that kills the connectivity.

I've just had a google for bluetooth extenders and not found any.

I have just ordered myself one of these tho, which i'm hoping I might use for the bluetooth dongle, and that my audioserver will detect that as a device it can output to...?

(i've no idea if that'll really work)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A15GMTM/ref=pe_385721_37986871_TE_item

I think 10 meters is the average maximum range for Bluetooth enabled phone anyway, so you'd be pushing your luck even if the wall wasn't there.

[eFestivals]

I think 10 meters is the average maximum range for Bluetooth enabled phone anyway, so you'd be pushing your luck even if the wall wasn't there.

I've got two different extensions on the back of my house, one part behind the thick wall, and the other part with a big opening cut thru that thick wall - so i know it's not just the range by itself that's causing the issues. It's only when that thick wall is in the way I lose the connectivity.

I don't lose it totally, but I lose enough of it that the music isn't smooth.

Hopefully I can extend the bluetooth via that powerline and still play to it, but if not I've got several other options to achieve much the same with old kit I have kicking around.

[The Nal]

8 to 10 meters i'd say. Having tested where it works and where it doesn't, it's defo the thick wall that kills the connectivity.

I've just had a google for bluetooth extenders and not found any.

Sorry should have said "bluetooth antenna". Like some of these. Although if theres a wall there you'll need to work around it. The distances advertised are always flat open spaces with no other devices operating at 2.4Ghz.

I have just ordered myself one of these tho, which i'm hoping I might use for the bluetooth dongle, and that my audioserver will detect that as a device it can output to...?

(i've no idea if that'll really work)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A15GMTM/ref=pe_385721_37986871_TE_item

Connecting Server - Netgear and then Netgear to speaker via USB?

[eFestivals]

Connecting Server - Netgear and then Netgear to speaker via USB?

Connecting Server - Netgear and then Netgear to speaker via bluetooth dongle in Netgear's USB socket

Edited January 15, 2015 by eFestivals

[eFestivals]

Sorry should have said "bluetooth antenna". Like some of these. Although if theres a wall there you'll need to work around it. The distances advertised are always flat open spaces with no other devices operating at 2.4Ghz.

I've just had a google for more of those, including one that made all of the claims of the others but said "antenna for decoration only".

I'm currently using one of these:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009IQB3US/ref=pe_385721_51767431_TE_dp_1

Is there really any difference with the types you've linked to?

If those you're suggesting are better, the next problem might be finding one that's compatible with my NAS.

[The Nal]

Connecting Server - Netgear and then Netgear to speaker via bluetooth dongle in Netgear's USB socket

Oh, honestly don't know. But don't see any reason why not?

I've just had a google for more of those, including one that made all of the claims of the others but said "antenna for decoration only".

I'm currently using one of these:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009IQB3US/ref=pe_385721_51767431_TE_dp_1

Is there really any difference with the types you've linked to?

If those you're suggesting are better, the next problem might be finding one that's compatible with my NAS.

True. I was really talking about these sorts of antennas.

But I'm only going by what I've read and been told. I don't really use bluetooth anymore.

[eFestivals]

Oh, honestly don't know. But don't see any reason why not?

I do. Bluetooth is designed as an on-device technology, and not a LAN technology, so i'm wondering how my NAS will know there's a bluetooth dongle on the LAN.

There's no doubt ways it can be done, but I'd have thought they'll need software on a client computer, and chances are that won't work from my NAS cos it's likely to be windoze.

Anyway, it'll turn up today so I'll soon know.

True. I was really talking about these sorts of antennas.

But I'm only going by what I've read and been told.

an expensive option!

I don't really use bluetooth anymore.

are you doing anything clever as an alternative? Wanna share?

Edited January 16, 2015 by eFestivals

[The Nal]

are you doing anything clever as an alternative? Wanna share?

Yeah, wires!

[eFestivals]

Yeah, wires!

That looks like my only realistic option. The powerline has arrived, and as far as I can work out it's much as I suspected, that the USB is software controlled and that software is windows-only.

More than that, it's not actually a 'proper' USB, that can be used with any USB adapter - but it's probably a great Apple solution cos the USB with its included audio-out lead is Airplay compatible.

[The Nal]

That looks like my only realistic option. The powerline has arrived, and as far as I can work out it's much as I suspected, that the USB is software controlled and that software is windows-only.

More than that, it's not actually a 'proper' USB, that can be used with any USB adapter - but it's probably a great Apple solution cos the USB with its included audio-out lead is Airplay compatible.

Aha! Ebay so!

Yeah a neat wired solution is always dependable. I dicked about with POE, bluetooth, wireless, media network players on Nintendo Wii etc for a while but nothing beats a few feet of cable and a staple gun!

You're running Linux aren't too aren't you? Another issue really.

Edited January 16, 2015 by The Nal

[t8yman]

Can't get over how fucking awesome these look, just ordered one

[windy_miller]

You know, I've never thought to myself, "If only my lamp doubled as a speaker". That video just annoys me. Its a solution looking for a problem.

[t8yman]

its really not! it will go down a treat in my son's bedroom, its a docking station without the need for a docking station, and he can switch off his light without getting out of bed.

i think its a fantastic idea, imagine having a baby's room, you could play lullabys via bluetooth, and dim the lighting without having to enter the room and potentially disturb the baby.

i think its a great product.

[eFestivals]

a high-spec tablet for £35 (at over £100 off!)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00WY2NISS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00&tag=efestivals-21

[The Nal]

Dusted off the projector, don't need a new lamp as I thought. Just needed a clean.

Hooked up to Sky HD and the Raspberry Pi, projecting against the window blind - which is soon also to have a blackout blind hanging from it.

All giddy thinking "this is fucking great" and then..... no sound! Totally forgot. Moron.

Anyone got a recommendation for a decent cheap sound bar? Or should I use my existing amp and speakers I use for my vinyl? Which is over on the other side of the room.

Anyone ever ran an RCA jack stereo cable 70ft?

Edited June 9, 2015 by The Nal

[The Nal]

Blackout blind up, cables delivered, sound is fucking great!! Home cinema sorted. 

[5co77ie]

what projector are you using? I'm wanting to put one in the kitchen window and use the garden wall as a screen = big outdoor cinema.

[eFestivals]

what projector are you using? I'm wanting to put one in the kitchen window and use the garden wall as a screen = big outdoor cinema.

 

only good for night-time, and the only night-times you're likely to use it are ones where it's not getting dark as late as now, which means the weather will be cooler and you'll be less likely to actually want to do it.

 

This is one of these things which sounds like a great thing to do, but won't work in reality as great as you're thinking, I reckon.

[The Nal]

Its an Optoma HD65. 720p. 1600 lumens. Which is great. Wasn't willing to spend the extra for 1080p. Had a 1080p one before and there isn't much of a difference. Got it 2nd hand too for 300 euro, about £210, basically unused. But that was a few years back. They're cheaper now.

 

Some great offers for 1080p versions now. Like this and this.

 

Gumtree and the like have some great deals too. Its a classic "unwanted present" item. People sell them off for fuck all. Just make sure the lamp is relatively new. And that its bright enough for what you want to do with it. And be careful about the fan. Some of them are very noisy. Had a mate with a 1080p top spec model and it sounded like there was a vacuum cleaner on constantly!

 

 

only good for night-time, and the only night-times you're likely to use it are ones where it's not getting dark as late as now, which means the weather will be cooler and you'll be less likely to actually want to do it.

 

This is one of these things which sounds like a great thing to do, but won't work in reality as great as you're thinking, I reckon.

 

Yep! And exactly why people sell them off as I mentioned above. Ive had one for 5 years now and they're really only for occasional use. Took me 18 months in the new gaff to get around to getting it up and running. 

 

And don't underestimate how awkward the cabling and power can be. You'll most likely need a huge HDMI cable and extension lead. And then theres the sound to consider.

 

They're great for sport though.

Edited July 14, 2015 by The Nal