Things that make you go aaarrrggghhhh thread

[servodude]

A simple fan helps

Do you get many Rangers supporters in Italy?

Hey! If it weren't for them we wouldn't have toothbrushes

[Dicky99]

I've had my Pure One Classic DAB radio for about 15 years. I like my radio, it does exactly what I need it to do which is play Classic fm perfectly.
Today I discovered that as of January, Classic fm will be broadcast on DAB+ and are advising that listeners will either have to listen on analogue, which is terrible reception, or replace it with an new DAB+ compatible radio. Looking at the Pure website my model is not one to benefit from a DAB+ firmware upgrade.
It probably won't cost very much to replace it but it's really rankled me all day the thought of having to replace something I value due to intentional obsolescence.
I wonder if others have also had to junk their perfectly good radio due to this upgrade.

[SimonS]

We have just had a smart electric meter installed, not our choice but the company insistence.

The first bill came in with several of the noted usages being "Smart meter reading" and others being "Estimated reading" though the end result seems to be roughly right. However it has been accompanied by an increase in the efforts to force payment by direct debit. It's very simple; my wife is disabled and finds using a computer very difficult, she likes the 'reliability' of a paper bill.

But at the same time she hears horror stories from others in the area that even or especially with smart meters the energy companies run up large credit facilities that if they are not regularly pushed end up with people being threatened with their accounts being handed to debt recovery, while the account is thousands in credit. This seems to be triggered if the bill is larger than the averaged amount taken for that month. Today she was surprised to find that the usual Quarterly bill has now been replaced by a monthly one which arrives at about the same time as the expiry date of the period of grace (ie a bill for the end of October arrives on the 15 November, demanding payment by the 14 November.

(Our Royal mail deliveries appear to be accumulated until the postie feels that it is worth his while to bring them).

It is the casual way that these companies are now able to change the terms of their contracts without consulting the client and always (like the Post Office scandal) to their own benefit. Indeed I now spell that benephfit to symbolize their eff in benefit,which is silent!

(Yes, she could ask for my help but I'm one of those whose cancer treatment got delayed by backlog and strikes with severe outcomes for me, so she is trying to become more independent once again)

[csearle]

We have just had a smart electric meter installed, not our choice but the company insistence.

I was surprised to read this. I didn't think they had the authority to insist.

Mine have been insisting for several years and I just keep saying no.

C.

[scotia]

I've had my Pure One Classic DAB radio for about 15 years. I like my radio, it does exactly what I need it to do which is play Classic fm perfectly.
Today I discovered that as of January, Classic fm will be broadcast on DAB+ and are advising that listeners will either have to listen on analogue, which is terrible reception, or replace it with an new DAB+ compatible radio. Looking at the Pure website my model is not one to benefit from a DAB+ firmware upgrade.
It probably won't cost very much to replace it but it's really rankled me all day the thought of having to replace something I value due to intentional obsolescence.
I wonder if others have also had to junk their perfectly good radio due to this upgrade.

We have also suffered similarly. We have two Pure Evoke DAB radios which can't be updated. So we have purchased a modern replacement. The old ones have been relocated to a guest bedroom and my workroom - so I won't be able to use classic FM to put me to sleep at my PC.

[servodude]

I've had my Pure One Classic DAB radio for about 15 years. I like my radio, it does exactly what I need it to do which is play Classic fm perfectly.
Today I discovered that as of January, Classic fm will be broadcast on DAB+ and are advising that listeners will either have to listen on analogue, which is terrible reception, or replace it with an new DAB+ compatible radio. Looking at the Pure website my model is not one to benefit from a DAB+ firmware upgrade.
It probably won't cost very much to replace it but it's really rankled me all day the thought of having to replace something I value due to intentional obsolescence.
I wonder if others have also had to junk their perfectly good radio due to this upgrade.

We have also suffered similarly. We have two Pure Evoke DAB radios which can't be updated. So we have purchased a modern replacement. The old ones have been relocated to a guest bedroom and my workroom - so I won't be able to use classic FM to put me to sleep at my PC.

Apologies if it's of topic... but can you stream Classic FM on the PC (it would probably sound better than DAB+)?

[MuddyBoots]

We have also suffered similarly. We have two Pure Evoke DAB radios which can't be updated. So we have purchased a modern replacement. The old ones have been relocated to a guest bedroom and my workroom - so I won't be able to use classic FM to put me to sleep at my PC.

I've recently heard about this too, and my clock radio is only DAB. I'll have to check if I can get Scala radio as an alternative.

[scotia]

We have also suffered similarly. We have two Pure Evoke DAB radios which can't be updated. So we have purchased a modern replacement. The old ones have been relocated to a guest bedroom and my workroom - so I won't be able to use classic FM to put me to sleep at my PC.

Apologies if it's of topic... but can you stream Classic FM on the PC (it would probably sound better than DAB+)?

I haven't tried - but the main use of Classic FM on DAB was as a morning alarm - it would switch on at a reasonable hour in the morning, and we could listen to its soothing tones for an hour before we found the need to greet the well-advanced morning, with the sun up, and the birds patiently waiting to be fed. Its hard work being an oldie

[ReformedCharacter]

Apologies if it's of topic... but can you stream Classic FM on the PC (it would probably sound better than DAB+)?

Yes, I'm listening now:

https://www.classicfm.com/

RC

[servodude]

Apologies if it's of topic... but can you stream Classic FM on the PC (it would probably sound better than DAB+)?

I haven't tried - but the main use of Classic FM on DAB was as a morning alarm - it would switch on at a reasonable hour in the morning, and we could listen to its soothing tones for an hour before we found the need to greet the well-advanced morning, with the sun up, and the birds patiently waiting to be fed. Its hard work being an oldie

Ah the old... "using music that puts you to sleep to wake you up in the morning"... I get it now

[Dicky99]

Apologies if it's of topic... but can you stream Classic FM on the PC (it would probably sound better than DAB+)?

I haven't tried - but the main use of Classic FM on DAB was as a morning alarm - it would switch on at a reasonable hour in the morning, and we could listen to its soothing tones for an hour before we found the need to greet the well-advanced morning, with the sun up, and the birds patiently waiting to be fed. Its hard work being an oldie

I use it for the opposite reason. Set it at low volume on the 90 minute sleep timer until slumber enshrouds me in it's purple cloak

[88V8]

Applied for a 'Rewards' voucher last night.
Nothing appeared.

So this morning log onto their website... there is no way to contact them.
No phone no, no email... multiple references to a chatbot which is represented by a button that does not work on my PC.

So I log into the associated bank a/c that generates the 'rewards'.
Same situation, same non-existent chatbot.

An hour wasted.
Now I will need to write a letter, on paper, put it in an envelope, apply a stamp and send it to my bank branch.

It should be illegal for companies to have no phone or email contact.

Arrrgh.

V8

[88V8]

It should be illegal for companies to have no phone or email contact.

But fortunately there are third-party websites where some nice person has captured hidden bank phone nos, so after 14 minutes of waiting, I spoke with a real person. "Oh yes" she said "there was a problem with some email domains".
Nice of them to tell us.

I still think it should be illegal for companies to hide their phone numbers.

V8

[MuddyBoots]

This may have been raised elsewhere, if so please let me know where as I couldn't find it.

Is it just my neighbourhood or is the post delivery less often these days? It's dropped to 2 or 3 times a week, not just our home but neighbours too.

I know there's less volumes of letters with Royal Mail since the internet took off, but when the post does come there's usually a bundle and I wonder if the're storing it up and delivering less frequently. But I've not heard of any official changes to the rules for 1st & 2nd class delivery times.

[88V8]

This may have been raised elsewhere, if so please let me know where as I couldn't find it.
Is it just my neighbourhood or is the post delivery less often these days? It's dropped to 2 or 3 times a week, not just our home but neighbours too.

Was discussed a while ago, ummm, somewhere.

Been the case for a while, out here in the sticks. Our Postie says there are too many managers and too few posties.
He never knows which round he will be on day-to-day. Plugging holes in the roster. And country rounds are hard to learn, long postcodes, houses with a name but no number. And the rounds are getting bigger with the new housing estates.

The First Class stamp is a con, imho.

V8

[SimonS]

We have just had a smart electric meter installed, not our choice but the company insistence.

I was surprised to read this. I didn't think they had the authority to insist.

Mine have been insisting for several years and I just keep saying no.

C.

Technically yes, but recently the company has switched to monthly meter reading, demanding payment at very short notice ( ie before the Royal Mail has actually delivered the bill) and so on.

The insistence could be construed in the same light as constructive dismissal, nothing quite illegal but a whole lot of pinpricks to make life difficult for her.