Ask the Bear & Badger - The Bear and Badger

Diluted Dante

Can you connect the soundbar another way?

[Deleted User]

Nope. The connections are Bluetooth, aux, and optical, and the TV only has optical.

Diluted Dante

What about if you connect your phone via bluetooth? Does it do the same then?

[Deleted User]

No. Although, given that that changes both the transmitter and the way it’s transmitted, it hasn’t narrowed down where the problem is with the TV linked by optical.

davyK

Could be tv firmware. Check for an update. I had sound cutting at random with my 360 over HDMI. A firmware patch fixed it.

Diluted Dante

Andy wrote:

No. Although, given that that changes both the transmitter and the way it’s transmitted, it hasn’t narrowed down where the problem is with the TV linked by optical.

Well you now know it's not a speaker fault, and it's definitely is an optical fault.

[Deleted User]

Well, I know it’s an optical fault, but I was sure of that already. I still don’t know if it’s a problem with the TV transmitting it or the speaker receiving it.

TV firmware is up to date. I can’t update the speaker firmware, as I don’t have a working computer just now.

It’s not a massive issue, I can live with it, I was just hopeful that someone else had experienced it, as searching on the web just brings back different, general faults.

Diluted Dante

With respect, you didn't know for certain. This is literally my job.

LivDiv

Definitely try Davy's suggestion.
Also double you dont have any other devices with optical out. I think the slim 360 had it, all Xbox Ones have it iirc.

[Deleted User]

Diluted Dante wrote:

With respect, you didn't know for certain. This is literally my job.

Sure. Cool.

LivDiv wrote:

Definitely try Davy's suggestion.
Also double you dont have any other devices with optical out. I think the slim 360 had it, all Xbox Ones have it iirc.

The PS4 does, it’s just a load of fucking about I can’t be arsed with right now, because the TV and speaker are wall mounted with concealed cables, and the PS4 is in a unit, so reaching the back of anything and everything is a pain in the arse.

LivDiv

Ah, yeah, I can understand that.

Diluted Dante

Andy wrote:

Diluted Dante wrote:

With respect, you didn't know for certain. This is literally my job.

Sure. Cool.

Why are you being a dick to someone who is just trying to help you? I won't bother next time.

GooberTheHat

Andy, do you have literally no idea how to talk to people or something?

Roujin

Hol' up with the fighting for a sec I have a legit question:

Do any badgers have experience using blackboard paint? I want some sort of either blackboard area or black dry wipe area so I can write down all the boring chores I hate remembering and always leave to the last minute as a result.

Obvs blackboard paint is waaaaaaaaaaay cheaper than the alternative for the area I want to cover, my main queries are how much of a fucker is it to clean the chalk off, are you finding chalk dust all over the floor nearby? I'd probably just use those chalk markers though so it should stop that, but then it comes back to how well you found the chalk actually comes off the paint.

First person to talk to me like I wasn't in school with teachers still using blackboards and chalk gets a punch in the dick tho.

acemuzzy

We have whiteboard paint at work - works pretty well. Is blackboard paint cheaper / more preferable?

Roujin

I'm a dickhead occasional architect type so I'm afraid that I MUST have a black surface just because I need it for my AESTHETIC. If I get to the whiteboard stage I'll just get a whiteboard they're pretty cheap from the looks of it.

GooberTheHat

We've got some at work. I don't use it myself, because I'm not some hipster creative type, but the chalk seems to come off fairly easily. I think a wipe with a damp cloth gets it back to its original state.

poprock

Aye. Damp cloths for chalkboards, then you’re not leaving chalk dust behind.

Kow

Never heard of blackboard paint, never even crossed my mind. Does it have some other name or is that what you'd ask for in a shop?

Eric

We have it in our house in the kids toy room, it's magnetic too and as goober suggested, damp cloth no dust. We painted some ply and fixed it to the wall.

HawBawJaws

Another tv related question - I'm considering getting a new one for the new gaff, so I can stick my current one in juniors room. Obviously I'm on a budget, so i was expecting to be lucky to get anything half decent for sub £500. But I've been seeing ultra 4k 55 inch smart numbers for around £350. Brand i keep seeing is hisense, but I've never heard of them before.

I'm basically after a half decent screen, somewhere between £300-400. Any suggestions? I'm no idiot when it comes to tech but all the options are baffling to me now. Size isn't a deal breaker, but the bigger the better. Preferably smart so i can stick the sprogs nursery rhymes on to give me a break when I've got him staying.

Roujin

Yeah I figured damp cloth standard would clean it down, don't worry dudes, I've used a chalkboard before, mainly interested in how the chalkboard paint compares.

How's it look Eric when you wipe it down? Does it clean up pretty easily or just stay kind of grey and cloudy?

Also, yeah Kow it's a thing, you should deffo check it out for baby kowlet, just ask blackboard paint in any DIY shop and they'll point you in the right direction, or just order it online.

Kow

Might make the whole room a blackboard.

The Daddy

HawBawJaws wrote:

Another tv related question - I'm considering getting a new one for the new gaff, so I can stick my current one in juniors room. Obviously I'm on a budget, so i was expecting to be lucky to get anything half decent for sub £500. But I've been seeing ultra 4k 55 inch smart numbers for around £350. Brand i keep seeing is hisense, but I've never heard of them before. I'm basically after a half decent screen, somewhere between £300-400. Any suggestions? I'm no idiot when it comes to tech but all the options are baffling to me now. Size isn't a deal breaker, but the bigger the better. Preferably smart so i can stick the sprogs nursery rhymes on to give me a break when I've got him staying.

Got half an eye on that price range too as the second telly is on its last legs. Main telly is LG, the software is mint, super smooth. Keep reading good things about the Philips ambilight though, so they might be worth a look:

Decent looking budget LG:

https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-home-entertainment/televisions/televisions/lg-55uk6470plc-55-smart-4k-ultra-hd-hdr-led-tv-10178159-pdt.html

And a philips:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07C9GQ5ND

Comments on Hotukdeals can be quite useful for getting opinions on specific models.

[Deleted User]

HawBawJaws wrote:

Another tv related question - I'm considering getting a new one for the new gaff, so I can stick my current one in juniors room.

My new TV is a Samsung. 49”, 4K, all the smart features, £380 on Amazon. It’s a cracking picture. It was the closest model I could see to the ‘best budget TV’ in Stuff or T3 or something.

[Deleted User]

No bluetooth, mind.

It does have a PCMCIA slot, though, it might be possible to make it bluetooth...

Eric

Rouj It does pale slightly. Ours has stayed black for about 6 years but I've just recoated it as it was greying slightly.

HawBawJaws

Andy wrote:

No bluetooth, mind.

It does have a PCMCIA slot, though, it might be possible to make it bluetooth...

Ach, I'm not overly fussed about Bluetooth, everything will be running through my xbox mainly, so it's not a great hardship to live without.

Cheers for the suggestions folks, much appreciated.

Roujin

Eric wrote:

Rouj It does pale slightly. Ours has stayed black for about 6 years but I've just recoated it as it was greying slightly.

Ah nice, what brand paint do you have?

Eric

Rust-oleum magnetic chalkboard paint Matt black
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rust-Oleum-750ml-Magnetic-Chalkboard-Paint/dp/B00GZL2UK6

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