New Android Box.

[Colin]

Hi,

I've never hidden the fact that I'm a dinosaur left way behind with all this modern technology and I must confess it's never bothered me in the slightest in fact I've possibly saved a great deal of money; I don't feel the need to have every modern bit of electronic kit which is out of date as soon as it's out of the store; how many queue for hours in order to get their hands on the latest mobile phone because they've seen all the advertisements.

For the last few years Bron and I have enjoyed watching YouTube movies and music videos on our TV the TV being connected to my computer via a pair of TP-Links but recently this has been increasingly annoying; during mealtimes we would select a movie and settle down only for the movie to disappear; this meant coming to my computer to bump start YouTube again but a problem is that there is a solid wall between the computer and the TV so I've been up and down like a YoYo; a few times of this during a meal and I lose the will to live. Recently YouTube has changed it's format; previously I could sit here at the computer and Bron could be watching YouTube on TV; music videos I could stack whilst one was playing but not any longer I now have to stack before playing which is frustrating; anyway rather than moan I was told by our Virgin Media repair guy that I could buy "Chromecast" and once this was installed onto our TV I would be able to use a keyboard near the TV which sounded just the job; funds aren't a problem so Bron and I headed to Maplins.

In a blizzard we entered Maplins and I asked an assistant for help and advice; we were taken to the Chromecast packages I think at £30 so great we'll buy one; now we also need a keyboard to operate the Chromecast with? I just knew I was in for another fall; sorry but you can't use a keyboard directly with Chromecast you need an interface such as an iPad or mobile phone? My mobile phone cost a massive £5 about seven years ago and I think it's still steam powered; do I want a new all singing all dancing mobile phone or even a iPad; I don't think so; the assistant suggested the easiest and possibly the cheapest way was to buy a new up to date TV with everything loaded; we already had a "Smart" DVD player and it was this which allowed us to play YouTube via the computer; by way of consolation the assistant did tell us he has a constant stream of customers all with the same story as us; Virgin Media engineers are telling customers what we were told; many of these customers are visiting PC World who in turn direct these customers to Maplins; so we thanked the assistant and returned home in the blizzard.

All I wanted to do was to be able to connect directly to the TV with a keyboard then I could see what was happening? I'm not easily beaten though; I spent quite a while browsing the web and found references to "Androids" these being new to me so I then browsed YouTube to find many tutorial videos showing how Androids are set up. Now I was browsing eBay for Androids and bought an "H96pro 4K ULTRA HD TV BOX" costing £62 after checking the sellers score and the seller had already sold around 1,000 of these still retaining excellent feedback.

Two days later (yesterday) the Android arrived nicely boxed; I have problems using my mobile phone which I only use once per month weather permitting to phone home for less than a minute; I don't even know how to text and TV remotes drive me mad so I was sure I was in trouble once I tried to set up this Android.

The Android is a small box with remote control and cables; the user manual is a huge joke; I wear new spectacles but a magnifying glass is needed to read these instructions for what use they were; anyway I was pleasantly surprised and the Android was up and running in a few minutes much to our delight; YouTube is now quickly accessed without the need of my PC; it took me ages to sort out the Internet due to password etc and I hate using a remote to enter text and numbers it takes me forever. The user manual as I say is virtually useless so its a case of pressing buttons to see what I can mess up; we watched a number of YouTube videos but no way could I suss out how to pause the video? this morning it suddenly occurred to me that if I press OK to start a video then would pressing OK stop the video; yes it worked; I sure am a dinosaur. We have every season of the original Dallas TV series on disc and we had been playing these through the computer DVD player because our "Smart" player didn't want to know; I now need to sort out how to connect the computer to the Android but so far without luck; I'm sure it can be done and I've been playing around with wifi and TP-links; I'm not bothered because I'll win in the end and all the while I'm learning something new.

Last night I bought through eBay a new keyboard; hope I'm not breaking any forum rules in posting the details;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2018-H96...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-4G-Min...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Hopefully once the new keyboard arrives I'll make rapid progress because using the supplied remote for adding text/numbers is so laborious at the moment.

The weather here remains dire as usual hence once again I'm rambling wondering if other members have similar luck to mine regarding modern technology? I can do basic electronics and spent over ten years restoring vintage radios but all these modern electronic gadgets I feel are just toys after all I only buy what I'm going to use not buy on a whim.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Yes, yes I have. There is something of a learning curve, and it is more challenging due to the evolution of what these devices are capable of as well as the divergent forks as to which will be more popular as opposed to what is currently more popular.

The android platform being born of Google, I have found ease of use with the same systems. For example, we replaced our router with a multiple router "mesh" wifi produced by google, where 3 routers came in the package for 129 usd. Now that connectivity signal is consistent across the property, I brought in several "Google Home" speakers, which have the ability to not just play music or the books on tape my Becky likes to hear as she works about the house up and downstairs. The speakers take command, recognize our separate voices, and are plugged into our separate gmails for unique controls for shopping lists, calendars and such. They integrate with the chrome cast and smart devices via the mesh wifi and smartphones. You almost leave your phone on the counter most times. Its funny to have a proximity alert when you come home and the system recognizes your phone has appeared and turn on lights. Its also funny that it takes all this to not use the phone as much.

 

[marlingardener]

You two amaze me! You not only know the words, but how to use the androids (which I thought was some kind of robot in a movie), hook these gizmos up and make them function. Smartphones, speakers that integrate with chromecast, proximity alerts--simply amazing.
I will now dip my quill pen in an ink well and communicate with others who are firmly planted in the 19th century.

 

[MaryMary]

The things that can be done with a phone are truly amazing. You can install a door lock that works by proximity to your android. If you come home with your hands full of packages, and don't want to fiddle with the key, just get close enough to the door, and the phone will unlock it!! If someone in the house doesn't have a android, you can get a device the size of a key fob, and it will unlock the door, as well.

They make thermostats that will link to the phone. If you save energy by turning the heat (or air) up or down when you leave the house, you can send a message via your phone to the thermostat, so it can get the house back to comfortable while you are on your way home.

I want one that will sense the movement that means I am waking up, and make my coffee.

You not only know the words, but how to use the androids (which I thought was some kind of robot in a movie)

I am right there with you! I thought a router was a tool used in wood-working!

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks DirtMechanic. It's amazing that my Android was supplied with so little information and the bit of information needed a magnifying glass to read it not that it was of much use so I ignored it. Fortunately connecting the Android was easy but that was the only easy part. I've progressed forward quite a bit today though by simple trial and error pressing keys to see what happened; the remote is also a mouse so this is new to me; the OK key is the main key. I haven't managed yet to connect my computer to the Android but now I'm not bothered because I've found a way around it. I only wanted the computer connected to allow me to play my library of CD's/DVD's. This afternoon I copied the movie "A good year" onto my computer into Documents from the computer disc player; I then copied from documents to my external SSD (Solid state drive). Now I plugged the SSD directly into the Android and started to search for the SSD; after quite a while of key pressing and much frustration I was looking at the SSD files but couldn't find the movie because of the amount of data on the SSD. Now I know the SSD connects and is recognized next job was to transfer the movie from the documents onto a memory stick and plug the memory stick into the Android; this time I found the movie and Bron and I have just watched it without problem; it's a steep learning curve but I'm quickly learning; once the new keyboard arrives I'll make rapid progress and I've already spotted "Keyboard" under "settings". Because CD's/DVD's are now virtually obsolete I'll buy either another SSD or more memory sticks and transfer all my movies to these; a single full length movie can be transferred in less than a minute; storage of my disc's has always been a problem whereas an SSD is very small and lightweight. I think discs have a shelf life because a number of my early discs no longer play so "Solid state" appears the way to go for longevity.

Thanks Marlingardener; I'm about in your league when it comes to modern electronic gadgets but I do learn very quickly on a need to know basis and I've made lots of progress in just a day. YouTube is brilliant for tutorial videos on just about anything; I've browsed YouTube looking for instructions on how to connect the Android to my computer and it looks easy enough but I need an APP first.

Thanks MaryMary. I've done electronic projects and could rig up a coffee maker for you using a motion sensor to detect movement and this in turn would switch on your coffee maker; the sensor could be shielded to prevent you having coffee in the middle of the night should you wish to use the bathroom; a swipe of your hand over the sensor would work and even a delay could be added with the use of a common 555 IC chip.

https://www.hivehome.com/products/hive-hub

If you want to get really technical MaryMary then you could go the "Hive" route? I too thought a router was a woodworking power tool in fact I have five of these but a few days ago when I reported my Internet cable router had died the lady called it "Rooter"? Nothing like complicating things is there?

It's been worth the £62 I paid for the Android just for the entertainment and interest I'm experiencing in setting it up; as I type Bron is watching a YouTube movie through the Android; I now need to sort out the fine tuning; the Android though is a nice bit of kit; I think I'll call the Android Twiki;

Playing with the Android sure beats getting another soaking trying to play in the garden.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[alp]

MaryMary: Don't you know you can buy a clock which comes with a tea or coffee making facility? This does seem to be a bit passé though!

 

[MaryMary]

I've done electronic projects and could rig up a coffee maker for you using a motion sensor to detect movement and this in turn would switch on your coffee maker; the sensor could be shielded to prevent you having coffee in the middle of the night should you wish to use the bathroom; a swipe of your hand over the sensor would work

You have my undivided attention. (I have questions!) Once I am asleep, I sleep the sleep of the dead. The position I fall asleep in, is the position in which I wake up. I do not roll over, or even move, until about 20 minutes before full wakefulness. Then I start moving my arms and legs about. Could the motion sensor somehow be programmed to take 10 minutes of movement as the signal? Or perhaps a weight sensor of sorts under the mattress which would take 10 minutes of movement to trigger? That way the coffeemaker would have a 10 minute head-start on my wanting coffee?


I prep the machine before I go to bed. I wake up, go directly to the kitchen, push the button, go to the bathroom, then go back to the kitchen to see if it's done yet. It's not.


The cats will be making coffee is the middle of the night!!

If you want to get really technical MaryMary then you could go the "Hive" route?

No, I don't think that's for me. We got a new Samsung TV, and I am still quite bothered by the fact that it is watching me. I had to agree to letting it "monitor my habits," or it wouldn't let me use the remote. A television without knobs or buttons is quite useless without the remote. They want to tailor the commercials to things I would enjoy... sure.


If I went with a Hive house, the whole house would be watching me. What if it suddenly refused to bow to my authority? What if it locked me in, and turned up the heat, and refused to make my coffee? It would end in total anarchy and tears, I'm telling you!!


There used to be a series on SyFy, called Eureka. It was a funny, science fiction "what if" show. A small town full of geniuses, hidden away by the government, and the big-city lawman (played by Colin Ferguson) brought in to "police" them. His daughter was a genius, and he was needing a job, so it was a good opportunity for both of them. I loved that show!

In Season 1, Episode 11, the house took over.

http://eureka.wikia.com/wiki/H.O.U.S.E._Rules

Playing with the Android sure beats getting another soaking trying to play in the garden.

Now, don't you dare go find some techno-cool "look what my fancy phone can do" forum, and leave us!!

 

[alp]

You know, MaryMary, you can put a big round RED tag near your alarm on your non-working day and gradually train your cat to sleep a bit longer. I am sure it can work out/

 

[MaryMary]

MaryMary: Don't you know you can buy a clock which comes with a tea or coffee making facility? This does seem to be a bit passé though!

Oh, they've made those for years! The problem is, I wake up at different times of the day. I hate alarms, and I usually let myself sleep as long as I want. I find I am a much happier person that way. The body has its own clock, I let mine follow it.

You know, MaryMary, you can put a big round RED tag near your alarm on your non-working day and gradually train your cat to sleep a bit longer. I am sure it can work out/

I can tell that you've not had cats!! (Why RED? .)


The sandpaper tongue to the eyelid cat was one I had a long time ago. That cat (and that job) was one I had almost 30 years ago!!

 

[Colin]

Hi,

2C (35.6F) forecast for today it's white over with deep frost and now the snow is coming down; another normal day here on the valley so here goes with a reply.

Thanks alp; yes automatic tea making has been around for many years;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teasmade

Thanks for your interesting reply MaryMary and yes if you really wanted to get deep into electronics you need to find a home workshop guy interested in electronics whom I'm sure could help you; just for interest if you had a standard tea/coffee maker which plugs into your normal electrical socket; 115VAC for you 240VAC for us this side of the pond then a bit of electronic wizardry could be employed; A low voltage supply would be needed say 12VDC supplied by a transformer; a relay would be needed to handle the current needed by the coffee maker; one side of the relay switches the power to the coffee maker the other side of the relay which actuates the relay could then be coupled up to a motion sensor but as you say you would like a delay from when the sensor is tripped (activated) a 555 IC timer chip could be added between sensor and relay? Here's a bit of information to make you feel a bit giddy;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/555_timer_IC

If you would like a TV/Radio still with control knobs then how about my 1957 17" Ekco which I fully restored years ago; I have an Aurora electronic box that converts the signal allowing input from other devices at the moment I only ever use the TV as a demonstration of how vintage TV used to be; this TV is also a radio but with very few radio stations to choose from;

As you rightly say though MaryMary so many things these days are remotely controlled and who indeed is spying on us without us being aware; big brother or sister is constantly looking over our shoulder?

A few years ago I became fed up of buying door chimes which worked a short while before expiring these being wireless and bought cheaply through eBay all being junk so I decided to do something about it; I know a little of electronics so browsed the web for ideas;

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=s...iU--jYAhXEDewKHfNfDZsQsAQIMA&biw=1874&bih=922

We now have Startrek red alert each time a visitor rings our doorbell and boy its loud; this is based on the 555 IC chip I've already mentioned; with one press of the bell I can control the duration of the alert by adjustments; this is hard wired in through a 12VDC control box located in the workshop; I enjoy all these challenges but restoring the TV was a bit more complicated; playing with electronics though can be interesting and fun whilst being safe due to low voltages involved supplied by a cheap transformer.

I've never heard of the Eureka TV series MaryMary so I'll have a look out of curiosity. I could rig our bungalow up to run from a remote control but Bron and I are are retired and not too idle yet to wind our roller blinds up or open/close curtains etc. Keep it simple; the more electronics become involved the more complicated it becomes usually with high cost in monetary terms; just look at modern cars; I feel our Skoda Yeti is like mission control each time I drive it; we've owned this Yeti for 18 months and there are lots of electronic items installed I haven't a clue about; I thought Bluetooth was tooth disease?

Thanks MaryMary I think I'll hang around for a while to bore everyone with my stories; if only the weather would improve then I could get stuck into something really interesting.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[MaryMary]

Here's a bit of information to make you feel a bit giddy;

Colin, your paragraph made me giddy! I don't think my brain can take much more.

As you rightly say though MaryMary so many things these days are remotely controlled and who indeed is spying on us without us being aware; big brother or sister is constantly looking over our shoulder?

I don't really mind that there are cameras almost anywhere you go outside in cities. I like that the police can go where there has been a crime, and find a security camera that may have gotten a clear shot at the criminal's face, or a license plate.

I am slightly bothered that at every job where I have been robbed - when we watched the video - the camera is pointed at the cash register. More specifically - to what the cashier is doing at the register, they are not angled to provide a clear picture of the man with the gun in her face.


I think the Samsung is programmed to let you watch "x-amount" of hours before it seizes up and won't let the remote work unless you agree to be monitored. (Makes you think it is just another appliance..) Then, it wants to monitor what you watch, and what makes you change the channel. How long you watch a commercial before you change the channel. What commercials you sit through... I just don't like it.

I was watching a show on CNN, and they were talking about phones with voice recognition. The host of the show (Michael Smerconish) said that his son had commented that he was thinking of growing a beard, and suddenly, his phone was trying to sell him trimmers, combs, and "beard accessories." A woman had commented to a friend that she liked the lemon pie at a certain restaurant, and the next thing she knows, her phone is telling her where there are lemon pies on sale. Trying to direct her to websites with recipes for lemon pie.

Ads targeted at a man trying to sell beard accessories might be a coincidence, but of all things to randomly try to sell a woman... lemon pie?


It just makes me wonder who is listening, and how much they are listening to!!

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks MaryMary; until recently my hobbies have been many and varied hence I can add lots of stories unrelated to gardening and the way our dire climate is going it's a good job I've got a good stock of stories and pictures; gardening is just a dream; the endless rain drives me mad but today it's been mixed with snow and frost. I hope you didn't fall from your seat trying to understand what I was on about?

We are spied on from all angles these days and every keystroke made using the Internet can be traced; I use Google Chrome browser which has an "Incognito window" this hides much of my activity on the Internet but certainly not all as seen here;

Every bit helps when it comes to security. YouTube is now riddled with commercials and it's getting worse daily; even short videos tend to have a commercial which I can clear in x number of seconds; if football or sport commercials start to appear then I'll call it a day with YouTube because sport dominates BBC1 or it appears to every time I switch the TV on.

I use Pinterest and every day I receive an email with items selected to suit me which I don't mind but it proves exactly what you are saying MaryMary in that we are being closely watched. My mobile phone is steam powered so I'm untroubled by unwanted messages in fact I don't even know how to access texts and I'm not bothered in the least because I don't know my mobile phone number without looking it up so anything regarding texts will be junk and can safely be ignored. Strange that now with so much modern electronic technology I no longer receive the regular envelopes stating I've won £100,000 and all I have to do is to phone this number to claim the prize?

My younger brother lived in a one bedroomed council squat in Wakefield years ago and he erected a new garden fence; the following morning the new fence had gone but he had also installed a lot of CCTV kit and the video clearly showed a neighbour stealing the fence; the police didn't want to get involved saying the video pictures were not clear enough; still it was a rough area that Bron and I always disliked visiting worried if we slowed down in the car to less than 30mph we might lose wheels or tyres? No one is safe now in or out of home.

Today I've bought through eBay three Sandisk 32GB memory sticks; I'm going to transfer my CD/DVD movies to these sticks allowing me to play them through the Android; over the last couple of days I think I've been to places to man has been to before whilst setting up the Android?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[MaryMary]

I hope you didn't fall from your seat trying to understand what I was on about?

My boyfriend does HVAC for a living. Reading your posts is an awful lot like listening to him tell me about work. Taken individually, I understand what all the words mean... but sometimes, for the life of me, I can't understand how they all go together to make a comprehensive sentence. I nod wisely and keep listening/reading!

the video clearly showed a neighbour stealing the fence; the police didn't want to get involved saying the video pictures were not clear enough

Unsurprisingly, with the amount of people that were shopping online for Christmas, the theft of packages left on doorsteps increased. More people have CCTV, as well - they were posting video on the news of people stealing packages...if anyone knows this person, please contact the police. On the one hand, this is good, maybe criminals will hesitate a little before stealing things. On the other hand, with all the things going on in the world...this is news?!

I've been to places to man has been to before whilst setting up the Android?

Good to hear you're enjoying yourself, and mastering your newest toy!!

 

[Colin]

Hi,

We all have different knowledge and experiences MaryMary and although I could discuss lots of guy things with your boyfriend you can most likely baffle me with your gardening knowledge and experience; I think it really comes down to individual interests; if we are interested in a subject we tend to do well in that subject; at school I never liked religion; history; woodworking or sport so failed miserably in all four; of the four I now excel in all aspects of woodworking which over the years at first through necessity I've come to love to the point of having lots of woodworking kit and machinery. I don't know if Intergas central heating boilers are available where you are but your boyfriend would know; Bron and I had an Intergas boiler installed just two years ago and these Intergas boilers are brilliant in that they have few parts to go wrong.

I recently installed CCTV due to harassment from our immediate neighbours who constantly were looking for trouble and we also called in the police; Bron and I are very quiet but these neighbours have a long history of car theft; burglary; drugs and beatings.

Whoopee my new keyboard has just arrived for use with the Android; why is my life so complicated with the simplest of things; I've just removed the keyboard from its box and looking at the small introduction I see it only goes up to Win7? I'm running Win10; perhaps it will work OK when I try it; it's on charge now.

Not in the instructions but online states the keyboard is Android suitable so I can relax and play with it once it's charged.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

I've now played around with the new keypad but got nowhere at all; I tried lots of different settings on the Android but still without response?

Here's the instruction which came with the keypad;

"Connecting the receiver.
Slide the receiver out from the side of the keyboard and insert to the devices with a standard USB interface. Once connected, slide the power switch to the "On" position located on the left side of the unit to establish the connection."

I must be absolutely stupid in not understanding these instructions; as with connecting the Android to the TV I now once again resorted to YouTube;

Of course everyone but me knows to remove the battery cover from the keypad and remove the "Dongle" then insert this Dongle into the Android. I've just inserted the Dongle into the Android but not yet tried the connection although I think I'm now in with a chance. The YouTube video tutorial is excellent though. Even if I had removed the battery cover I think it highly unlikely I would have noticed the Dongle thinking it to be a part of the keypad?

Perhaps I should come out of retirement and start a new job in writing user instructions for Chinese manufacturers these instructions in easy to follow steps? I was responsible at work for three departments and I had to carry out risk assessments and also write up the instructions for each machine these written instructions to be placed at the machine and a copy in my my offices. DOHHHHHH

Keypad now working and it's brilliant. I'm a dinosaur; all I needed was a five year old child to set up the Android and keypad but I did it the hard way as usual; Good job YouTube tutorials are available.

Kind regards, Colin.