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Tech Help (Beyond This Forum)

Rechargeable batteries/chargers. :mad:

Where to begin?

We have radios that take rechargeable batteries. Recently the batteries all seem to be dead or summat.
When I put them in the chargers the lights come on and they bleep but don't charge.

So do batches of rechargeable batteries pack up at the same time?
How can I find out which are defunct?
Could the chargers be worn out instead if lights come on?

I'm about ready to lob the lot and buy new but don't want to wastefully chuck out anything good.
Also, if I buy new and it all goes pearshaped again we're back to Square One.

Does anyone have advice?
 
What's the battery chemistry? NiCd, NiMH, Iithium ion? They all go bad eventually, but they usually last a few years with regular use. Quite a few radios and other such devices (headphone amps, headphones, measuring tools, LED lights) now use USB connections to charge lithium batteries of various chemistries. Those seem to last a long time and it's very convenient if you have phone chargers all over the place. Now if the various industries will just settle on the newish USB C plug and stop changing every few years, we'll be in great shape. It's kind of sad and amazing that it's taken this long to come up with a symmetrical version.
 
escargot said:
Rechargeable batteries/chargers. :mad:

Where to begin?

We have radios that take rechargeable batteries. Recently the batteries all seem to be dead or summat.
When I put them in the chargers the lights come on and they bleep but don't charge.

So do batches of rechargeable batteries pack up at the same time?
How can I find out which are defunct?
Could the chargers be worn out instead if lights come on?

I'm about ready to lob the lot and buy new but don't want to wastefully chuck out anything good.
Also, if I buy new and it all goes pearshaped again we're back to Square One.

Does anyone have advice?
Click to expand...
It may be just one battery the charger is rejecting if you’re a trying a few at once. Try them one by one and see if you get the charging light. One will probably be gone. It seems unlikely they’re all kaput at the same time.
 
Analogue Boy said:
It may be just one battery the charger is rejecting if you’re a trying a few at once. Try them one by one and see if you get the charging light. One will probably be gone. It seems unlikely they’re all kaput at the same time.
Click to expand...
I did that and weeded out the ones the charger rejected. Tried both radios with ordinary batteries and they worked, but neither works with apparently freshly-charged batteries.

I do also have USB-charging radios but I wanted to keep those in the house and run the battery ones in the garden.

I dunno. :dunno:
 
escargot said:
I did that and weeded out the ones the charger rejected. Tried both radios with ordinary batteries and they worked, but neither works with apparently freshly-charged batteries.

I do also have USB-charging radios but I wanted to keep those in the house and run the battery ones in the garden.

I dunno. :dunno:
Click to expand...
It may be the charger rather than the batteries, I've had that with power tool battery chargers, I've thrown away perfectly good batteries thinking they were dead only to find out later it was the charger.
 
Any MIDI experts out there?
For a few weeks I've been learning to play keyboards using the Skoove application on my Windows 10 laptop.

My keyboard is the older type, with separate MIDI in and out sockets, which connect through a splitter box into a USB on the laptop.
Until yesterday all worked fine - I play something on the keyboard and I see the notes displayed instantly on the laptop.
Unfortunately yesterday my wife unplugged the power to both laptop and keyboard while everything was connected and now, whilst the laptop and keyboard work fine separately and the MIDI splitter still has the power light on, the MIDI connection refuses to work.
I've tried the obvious - rebooting, unplugging and reconnecting, but no joy.
Any ideas?

midi.JPG
 
blessmycottonsocks said:
Any MIDI experts out there?
For a few weeks I've been learning to play keyboards using the Skoove application on my Windows 10 laptop.

My keyboard is the older type, with separate MIDI in and out sockets, which connect through a splitter box into a USB on the laptop.
Until yesterday all worked fine - I play something on the keyboard and I see the notes displayed instantly on the laptop.
Unfortunately yesterday my wife unplugged the power to both laptop and keyboard while everything was connected and now, whilst the laptop and keyboard work fine separately and the MIDI splitter still has the power light on, the MIDI connection refuses to work.
I've tried the obvious - rebooting, unplugging and reconnecting, but no joy.
Any ideas?

View attachment 45558
Click to expand...
You may need to go into the menu on the keyboard and set the MIDI details there.
Just guessing - my knowledge of MIDI is rusty.
 
Mythopoeika said:
You may need to go into the menu on the keyboard and set the MIDI details there.
Just guessing - my knowledge of MIDI is rusty.
Click to expand...

I tried removing and reinstalling through Device Manager, but still no good.
In desperation I've just ordered a new MIDI to USB cable, in case that is the problem.
If that doesn't help, then all I've lost is a fiver.
 
Did you cross up the connectors when re-installing it? Here are the instructions for that unit from an eBay listing. Note the seemingly backwards way you're supposed to match the adapter's labeled connectors to your MIDI device's labeled ports.
Instructions for use:
Please follow these steps
Connect the cable marked "IN" to the MIDI "OUT" socket of a MIDI keyboard (or MIDI device).
Connect the cable marked "OUT" to the MIDI "IN" socket of a MIDI keyboard (or MIDI device).
Plug the USB cable into any free USB socket on your computer, the red LED will light to show power on.
Open you music software program, e.g. Cubase, Sonar, MIDI connections, etc.
Set the music in programs MIDI in and MIDI out devices to "USB Audio Device".
Your USB to MIDI interface is now ready for use.
To save potential problems, it is recommended that this interface is always connected to the same USB
as it was originally installed on to prevent multiple installations of the driver.

SOURCE: https://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-2-0-To...2026?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c1#viTabs_0
 
EnolaGaia said:
Did you cross up the connectors when re-installing it? Here are the instructions for that unit from an eBay listing. Note the seemingly backwards way you're supposed to match the adapter's labeled connectors to your MIDI device's labeled ports.
Instructions for use:
Please follow these steps
Connect the cable marked "IN" to the MIDI "OUT" socket of a MIDI keyboard (or MIDI device).
Connect the cable marked "OUT" to the MIDI "IN" socket of a MIDI keyboard (or MIDI device).
Plug the USB cable into any free USB socket on your computer, the red LED will light to show power on.
Open you music software program, e.g. Cubase, Sonar, MIDI connections, etc.
Set the music in programs MIDI in and MIDI out devices to "USB Audio Device".
Your USB to MIDI interface is now ready for use.
To save potential problems, it is recommended that this interface is always connected to the same USB
as it was originally installed on to prevent multiple installations of the driver.

SOURCE: https://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-2-0-To...2026?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c1#viTabs_0
Click to expand...

Thanks Enola.
That was my initial mistake a couple of months ago!
Once I realised that the MIDI out plug has to go into the MIDI IN socket, everything worked perfectly - until yesterday.
My new MIDI splitter cable should arrive on Monday and I'll report back if that resolves the issue.
 
EnolaGaia said:
To save potential problems, it is recommended that this interface is always connected to the same USB
as it was originally installed on to prevent multiple installations of the driver.
Click to expand...
I know you are quoting their instructions but this part is nonsense. USB plug and play uses a device and vendor ID system that the OS uses to fetch the driver. The device and vendor ID is transmitted in the handshaking process, the OS then checks if it has an appropriate driver and/or downloads and installs one accordingly. Plugging the device in to a different port won't cause a duplicate driver installation.
One OS, Windows, may create harmless duplicate entries in its device manager database but this does not mean it duplicates the driver installation. Even Windows isn't that inefficient.
 
blessmycottonsocks said:
Any MIDI experts out there?
For a few weeks I've been learning to play keyboards using the Skoove application on my Windows 10 laptop.

My keyboard is the older type, with separate MIDI in and out sockets, which connect through a splitter box into a USB on the laptop.
Until yesterday all worked fine - I play something on the keyboard and I see the notes displayed instantly on the laptop.
Unfortunately yesterday my wife unplugged the power to both laptop and keyboard while everything was connected and now, whilst the laptop and keyboard work fine separately and the MIDI splitter still has the power light on, the MIDI connection refuses to work.
I've tried the obvious - rebooting, unplugging and reconnecting, but no joy.
Any ideas?

View attachment 45558
Click to expand...
Just to follow up, my new MIDI interface, which arrived yesterday, is working perfectly.
I don't know why disconnecting the power when the old leads were connected could damage it, but it would be a coincidence if it decided to pack up at that precise moment. Thankfully, these devices aren't expensive (£4.99).
So, back to the keyboard lessons for me today, as I can't drive anywhere due to the fuel shortage!
Think I'll try this next:

 
blessmycottonsocks said:
Just to follow up, my new MIDI interface, which arrived yesterday, is working perfectly.
I don't know why disconnecting the power when the old leads were connected could damage it, but it would be a coincidence if it decided to pack up at that precise moment. Thankfully, these devices aren't expensive (£4.99).
So, back to the keyboard lessons for me today, as I can't drive anywhere due to the fuel shortage!
Think I'll try this next:

Click to expand...
One of the connections or plugs may have been damaged when you unplugged, it doesn't take much to damage cables.
 
Gloucestrian said:
I know you are quoting their instructions but this part is nonsense. USB plug and play uses a device and vendor ID system that the OS uses to fetch the driver. The device and vendor ID is transmitted in the handshaking process, the OS then checks if it has an appropriate driver and/or downloads and installs one accordingly. Plugging the device in to a different port won't cause a duplicate driver installation.
One OS, Windows, may create harmless duplicate entries in its device manager database but this does not mean it duplicates the driver installation. Even Windows isn't that inefficient.
Click to expand...

On that point, Gloucestrian, the new MIDI interface box came with an instruction leaflet recommending always to use the same USB port on the laptop, so as not to download multiple copies of the driver.
 
Yes, that is what EnolaGaia was quoting but it is nonsense. It won't do any harm following that instruction but it doesn't make it true either.
 
Gloucestrian said:
Yes, that is what EnolaGaia was quoting ...
Click to expand...
Just in case there's any confusion ... I was quoting the *old* MIDI box instructions. BMCS was quoting the *new* MIDI box instructions.
 
Looking at pictures in a Word file and trying to relate them back to my pictures file

might help if I knew their titles.

what do I do?
 
Kondoru said:
Looking at pictures in a Word file and trying to relate them back to my pictures file
might help if I knew their titles.
what do I do?
Click to expand...
Is this a Word file that you created or for which you have editing permission?

What exactly are you seeking to do? Check whether you already have the images in your pictures file? Swap out the Word file's image(s) with one from your pictures file? Or ... ?
 
A file I made

Need the original title so I can find the picture file. (Have lost it, normally very careful)
 
Kondoru said:
A file I made

Need the original title so I can find the picture file. (Have lost it, normally very careful)
Click to expand...
In the Word document, try right-clicking on the picture, selecting Size... then clicking on the Alt Text tab.
An alternative text label may have been auto-generated from the picture's file name.
If not, then you probably copied and pasted it in without doing a proper file import.
 
Here's a funny'un. When I had iPhones* I created shortcuts for texting. Techy'd pick me up from work (during the Unpleasantness) and I'd have to let him know when to get there.

Like 'l l' (without the space) for 'Love you xxx' and 'c n' for 'coming now'.

I use Macs and iPads at home and Safari still deploys the shortcuts. I can't seem to find out how to get rid of them. Can be embarrassing with my poor typing. :chuckle:

Any ideas?

* After been constantly let down by iPhone batteries I have to do the Scottish Play curse-removal ritual every time they're mentioned, I hate them so much.
Like this -

(Look at Robinson trying not to corpse! :chuckle: )
 
escargot said:
Here's a funny'un. When I had iPhones* I created shortcuts for texting. Techy'd pick me up from work (during the Unpleasantness) and I'd have to let him know when to get there.

Like 'l l' (without the space) for 'Love you xxx' and 'c n' for 'coming now'.

I use Macs and iPads at home and Safari still deploys the shortcuts. I can't seem to find out how to get rid of them. Can be embarrassing with my poor typing. :chuckle:

Any ideas?

* After been constantly let down by iPhone batteries I have to do the Scottish Play curse-removal ritual every time they're mentioned, I hate them so much.
Like this -

(Look at Robinson trying not to corpse! :chuckle: )
Click to expand...
Have a look here:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchlp2262/mac

Which says:

Disable a keyboard shortcut​

Sometimes an app’s keyboard shortcut conflicts with a macOS keyboard shortcut. If this happens, you can disable the macOS keyboard shortcut.
  1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Shortcuts.

  2. In the list on the left, select a category, such as Mission Control or Spotlight.
  3. In the list on the right, deselect the tickbox next to the shortcut you want to disable.
 
hunck said:
Have a look here:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchlp2262/mac

Which says:

Disable a keyboard shortcut​

Sometimes an app’s keyboard shortcut conflicts with a macOS keyboard shortcut. If this happens, you can disable the macOS keyboard shortcut.
  1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Shortcuts.

  2. In the list on the left, select a category, such as Mission Control or Spotlight.
  3. In the list on the right, deselect the tickbox next to the shortcut you want to disable.
Click to expand...
Woohoo, thank you! :kiss:

Whenever I tried to look this up the term 'shortcuts' took me somewhere else. I've had several years of showing myself up over this. o_O
 
Since this came up on a different thread, why does my windows 11 PC most of the time think that my hp 4650 is off line when it is on all the time? Getting something scanned at my house is like using a slot machine.

And why can't we go back to DOS?
 
Last edited:
I also have a HP OfficeJet printer. I rarely have any problems with it but I use Linux (Debian).

The HP OfficeJet series has a variety of methods of connecting to your PC. It can use your wireless network, its own wireless network (to which your PC will connect), wired network e.g. over Ethernet or some models including yours, I believe, use Bluetooth.

Which of these various methods are you using? If it is using the wireless autoconnect feature then it could be wireless interference. Your wireless router might offer 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi bands but your printer may only work with 2.4 GHz.

If you are using the wireless autoconnect feature a congested 2.4 GHz band could explain why it is like a lottery to connect.

On the other hand if you are connected to the printer via your router, it is possible that you are on the 5 GHz connection most of the time* while the printer only supports connecting to the 2.4 GHz version of the network. Depending on your routers configuration this can result in problems.

* Some wireless adapters in Windows will switch between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz fairly often. This might be why you can connect sometimes but not others. You can usually set the band in the adapter properties (,depends on driver and hardware support).
 
Gloucestrian said:
I also have a HP OfficeJet printer. I rarely have any problems with it but I use Linux (Debian).

The HP OfficeJet series has a variety of methods of connecting to your PC. It can use your wireless network, its own wireless network (to which your PC will connect), wired network e.g. over Ethernet or some models including yours, I believe, use Bluetooth.

Which of these various methods are you using? If it is using the wireless autoconnect feature then it could be wireless interference. Your wireless router might offer 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi bands but your printer may only work with 2.4 GHz.

If you are using the wireless autoconnect feature a congested 2.4 GHz band could explain why it is like a lottery to connect.

On the other hand if you are connected to the printer via your router, it is possible that you are on the 5 GHz connection most of the time* while the printer only supports connecting to the 2.4 GHz version of the network. Depending on your routers configuration this can result in problems.

* Some wireless adapters in Windows will switch between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz fairly often. This might be why you can connect sometimes but not others. You can usually set the band in the adapter properties (,depends on driver and hardware support).
Click to expand...
My wireless network offers 2.4 and 5, almost everything I use will only use the 2.4 so when I attach them and I have a choice that's the one l I look for. But there are never a lot of things on at one time. Internet plus thermostat - which updates I think every few minutes - are the most frequent. I would not generally be using the printer with the wifi Roku TV set on. Might be cleaner to use the printer's network, a major problem here is that there is no unified manual from HP telling you how to do this.
 
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