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Staying at home, suggestions and questions

Seek assistance with all types of tech. - computer, phone, TV, heating controls etc.
swill453
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Staying at home, suggestions and questions

#293397

Postby swill453 » March 23rd, 2020, 11:29 am

I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread on how we might amuse ourselves and our friends and families while in the home for long periods.

My first suggestion is a link to a page on ChatterPack with a large list of "free, online, boredom-busting resources" https://chatterpack.net/blogs/blog/list ... ed-at-home

I'll follow up with a question. A friend has asked how he can watch a DVD on his smart TV without a DVD player. He has a Windows 10 PC with DVD, and would like to copy the DVD contents to a USB stick to plug directly into the TV. It's a long time since I did this myself, what's the best/easiest way of doing it?

Scott.

Itsallaguess
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Re: Staying at home, suggestions and questions

#293403

Postby Itsallaguess » March 23rd, 2020, 11:40 am

swill453 wrote:
I'll follow up with a question. A friend has asked how he can watch a DVD on his smart TV without a DVD player. He has a Windows 10 PC with DVD, and would like to copy the DVD contents to a USB stick to plug directly into the TV. It's a long time since I did this myself, what's the best/easiest way of doing it?


Great idea for a thread Scott.

On the DVD question, he should be able to simply download 'MakeMKV', and create an MKV video file of the film, and then just copy the resulting MKV file to a USB stick and play it by plugging that into his SMART TV.

Some links -

MakeMKV - https://www.makemkv.com/

Beta key link (this changes from time to time..) - https://www.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1053

Hopefully it's fairly self-explanatory, but here's a YouTube instruction link to help just in case - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jUh7hbe4Yc

If anyone is wanting to do something similar with their phones, tablets, or laptops, then either the Android 'MX Player' or the cross-platform 'VLC Player' will also play MKV files generated using this method...

I should add that MakeMKV will also help back up both 'normal' DVD disks and will also work with Blu-Ray disks as well.

I've used it for years, and it's simple and effective...

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

TheMotorcycleBoy
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Re: Staying at home, suggestions and questions

#293416

Postby TheMotorcycleBoy » March 23rd, 2020, 12:12 pm

"Fortunately" I'm in the Fens, I will/should be able to drive out the remote woods/drove and getting some running in. Do going about once every two days. And I *may* do more of that annoying stuff in our 0.6 acre plot of hedges, trees, dilapidated structures.

I'm also on WFH orders so I've got that to go, I'd better get back in a minute or two!!

The tricky thing now is 15yr and 18yr olds are "skools out", so I need to make sure they get all the jobs that Mum has set them done :roll: . Alas KT has had her A levels cancelled too, so now has all the more reason to vegetate on goddamn Facebook!

Matt

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Re: Staying at home, suggestions and questions

#293478

Postby kempiejon » March 23rd, 2020, 3:45 pm

swill453 wrote:I'll follow up with a question. A friend has asked how he can watch a DVD on his smart TV without a DVD player. He has a Windows 10 PC with DVD, and would like to copy the DVD contents to a USB stick to plug directly into the TV. It's a long time since I did this myself, what's the best/easiest way of doing it?


Copying is a possibility or you could try plugging an hdmi cable into the windows machine if there is an output and link to a spare input on the TV and play the DVD. It does tie up the laptop though.

Gaggsy
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Re: Staying at home, suggestions and questions

#293486

Postby Gaggsy » March 23rd, 2020, 4:19 pm

Another option is to stream the DVD content to the TV.
Here's a guide: https://thetechnologyman.com/how-to-str ... o-your-tv/
It's 4 years old but still valid.
The DVD still needs to be converted to digital (MakeMKV) and the smart TV would need to be able to use Plex or DNLA. Most modern TV's have the ability to use one or both of these (or an Amazon Fire stick can do it).

AF62
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Re: Staying at home, suggestions and questions

#293515

Postby AF62 » March 23rd, 2020, 6:05 pm

swill453 wrote:I'll follow up with a question. A friend has asked how he can watch a DVD on his smart TV without a DVD player. He has a Windows 10 PC with DVD, and would like to copy the DVD contents to a USB stick to plug directly into the TV. It's a long time since I did this myself, what's the best/easiest way of doing it?


Easiest way would be to go to http://www.justwatch.com and see which streaming service has it and subscribe or buy it rather than mess around converting it.

PrincessB
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Re: Staying at home, suggestions and questions

#294183

Postby PrincessB » March 25th, 2020, 6:17 pm

I go stir crazy if I have to remain in the house for too long. I need to walk a couple of miles a day, outside if possible, to remove the nadgers.

So what about downloading some podcasts to your phone and going for a decent stroll with the headphones in and something to keep you occupied while one foot goes in front of the other. You are allowed to get out for exercise and I'm sticking to the more residential streets which are quiet and no risk to anyone, while listening to my Ipod.

While indoors, why not buy a jigsaw. There's a great series of jigsaws from Wasjig (Jigsaw backwards) that have a nice spin on how these things are supposed to work.

How about a decent board game, have a look in the attic, you've most likely got Monopoly and Cluedo in there. I'd pick Cluedo on the grounds that it is more likely that people will murder each other playing Monopoly than the murder game Cluedo.

For the younger members of the family, Ludo requires some strategy, chess is well known while backgammon is also a classic - a bit of a tricky one but that's because I never win at backgammon.

On the computer front / console front, you'll feel a bit cross if you're planning to upgade or buy something as prices have gone upwards very quickly in the last few weeks. If you dig about in drawers, you'll find all of those games you meant to sell and something ancient that still works to plug them into.

You could dig out your old Kindle and read a book - At a pinch you could download a book to your phone - If it comes to it, you could read the book in old school format with no batteries.

We've had some detailed explanations on how to move DVD films to memory sticks for smart TVs, why not catch up on all of those films you wanted to see, but never had time to.

B.

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Re: Staying at home, suggestions and questions

#294213

Postby 6Tricia » March 25th, 2020, 7:18 pm

Play Scrabble - http://www.isc.ro - against players all over the world. A warning though! It's very addictive! I've enjoyed playing opponents in Australia, India, USA, Singapore and Brazil. I became friendly chatting with a lass in Wyoming and ended up going to visit her at her horse ranch close by Yellowstone!

Very easy to sign up-and it's free.

Tricia


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