Any UK/Europe individuals have advice for Tech Forums?

[Shadowrunner]

Having lived in the states for 20+ years, I've (very) recently moved back the UK and I'm about to start getting settled in my first rented house, but I've got quite a few questions related to getting tech-set up (brought my desktop, looking for possibilities).

Problem is the rules here are different in every way imaginable (what's not taxed now) and I'm on a budget for now, so I'm looking for advice and tips to maybe cut corners and save a few pounds a month.

But obviously all of the sites I usually hit up are US based. Anyone have any tips for UK based sites?

A classic example would be how in the states, I had a tv tuner card to cut off the HD Comcast Box requirement for watching TV. Didn't save me a hell of a lot, but if this option is possible in the UK, fantastic. If not, which it looks like it's not, then I'm curious as to the best options.

Just looking for a place to turn really.

[The Stig]

Are you talking about TV License?

There's not much ways to cut corners...

You can mimic Cream Soda and try to leech someone's wifi but ...

Are you just looking for ways to cut corners everywhere?

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/

That site is full of ... well, for the lack of better word, pikeys. However, with all due respect, some tips they offer are genuinely good, but the forums piss me off in such a way that they even bitch about things varying in price by say 2p.

[Shadowrunner]

I'm honestly just trying to find information before I move into a house with no power/water/internet/tv.

I've found the AVForums, doesn't seem so bad so I poped a question there and was at least guided to a site to tell me which broadband options I have (As well as just how far away I am from the main box - or that no matter what I'll probably have crap connection).

Not necessarily trying to cut corners, just trying to see what are cheap options if I have nothing to go on except a desktop PC (and a few laptops) and a desire to not be completely ripped off (by paying for 2 lines, or something).

[Ratatapa]

I'm honestly just trying to find information before I move into a house with no power/water/internet/tv.

I've found the AVForums, doesn't seem so bad so I poped a question there and was at least guided to a site to tell me which broadband options I have (As well as just how far away I am from the main box - or that no matter what I'll probably have crap connection).

Not necessarily trying to cut corners, just trying to see what are cheap options if I have nothing to go on except a desktop PC (and a few laptops) and a desire to not be completely ripped off (by paying for 2 lines, or something).

Europe AC adapter runs on 220 and not 110

Your welcome

[brozy]

Well you can save a bit by not getting a TV license, only watch stuff 'On-demand' i.e BBC Iplayer you can get away without having to get one, more info on that here: http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check/v...&WT.mc_id=r001

[Vigilia]

Would be helpful to know what part of the country you are too but in general..
if you're going to watch TV you need a TV license, above poster supplied link. After that you have a few options between digital providers for channel selection OR just get a freeview box (most new TVs have this built-in anyway). Digital Freeview (or alternatively Freesat if where you live has dish already installed) covers all basic channels- BBCs, ITVs, 4s, 5s etc for no cost aside from getting the box (and obviously TV license). If you opt for one of the smaller/cheaper ISPs they usually require a BT phone line separately, if you shop around this can be the cheapest option. Especially if you don't plan on watching TV directly (i.e. just use the online streaming services or torrent) then just getting a phoneline and ISP is cheapest. However, if you want to calculate for TV then lot of if not most people opt for a package deal with one of the bigger TV/phone/internet providers, Virgin, BT and Sky being the biggest ones. There's not a huge difference in their prices- the default set for all of them pretty much covers phone (with some free calls or other bonuses), TV box and broadband internet. You mostly just want to check what they offer in your area (some have put in their own fibre optics into certain areas while in other areas some are worse than others etc... there can be huge variance). If you are really desperate for certain TV series or movie channels then take that into account too as they don't all offer the same channels and read the contract small print.

tl;dr for budget don't watch live TV, skip TV license, torrent/stream everything, get phoneline and broadband. BUT if you own a TV for console gaming or watching DVDs or whatever then good luck trying to convince the TV license officials when they come around that you're actually not watching any TV...



For electricity/gas (the gassy gas, not petrol gas) you have a few options but in rented property those might be limited too since most require 12-month or more of a commitment to sign a new contract (they have constant price wars and give new customers better deals but if you move out before 12 months or w/e is over then it's a bit of a hassle to sort out) so landlords just tell you to stick with the one already there because they don't want to deal with that shit when tenants bugger off. Varies a lot though. For water you will generally get just one option depending on where you live and it's not usually something you can save on unless you're on meter (which most private houses aren't, we just pay a static fee very month regardless of how much water we use). Your landlord should be able to inform you of the companies currently in use and if you can change them or not.

Do not forget to add council tax to your monthly outgoings!

Food shopping is honestly the one thing where you can save the most out of your monthly bills. Stick with Asda or Tesco although honestly there's not that big a diff between them and Morrison's or Sainsburys.. more importantly learn to shop smart/buy in bulk/take advantage of offers etc. and find your local vegetable&fruit markets, butchers, farm shops and such if you have those nearby.

[Shadowrunner]

The deeper I dug, the more depressed I got about internet. I'm in Milton Keynes and they just re-did all of the exchanges for FTTC/P, but my house is supposedly (even though it's more than a mile away from the exchange) FTTP and as such, I don't get it. As such almost every company is quoting a 2Mbit connection.

Not even sure what I want to do now. lol.

[Vigilia]

If super fast internet's that important to you either find out if the companies have plans to upgrade your exchange soon too or you really have no option but to move house. There is a big drive to upgrade connections around the country so I'd try find out the plans first. Aside from phone exchanges did you check out bigger companies' own fibre optic networks if those would cover your house? I don't know about others but for example we're with Virgin and they've been pulling cables around the country like crazy for the last few years, jumped us up from 2meg to 50 three years ago and now getting close to 100. We are in Birmingham though and they are focusing on the bigger cities first.. Milton Keynes isn't that small though so it should be somewhere on the to-do list surely?

[Shadowrunner]

It's done, at least the Exchanges are, but that's where I get so hog-tied as to what that means or not. The exchanges are good, but obviously the cabinets need to be upgraded as well. Just so happens that in my block, the Center and East -just- got done, and the West is scheduled to be done in May.

But then I used websites to check these kinds of things and it said that my address was FTTP, yet still associated with cabinet 105 or something like that, so I have absolutely no idea if it's going to be working in May or not. And even then, I hear it still takes a few months for it to be accessible by the ISPs.

Fun stuff.

Sorry, just realized you said Virgin, nope MK is not at all touched by VM I don't think, or if they do they don't touch my neck of the woods . My choice is Fibre, so we'll see how that comes along. I guess. But hey Birmingham isn't far :D I'll be up there for the UK Games Expo I hope.

[Eldelphia]

Shadow I live in Mk. I moved here and fibre optic is available where I am. Virgin has nothing here it's all BT. It's historical because MK was built in the 70's and had analogue cable but hasn't been upgraded to digital. Was a headache for me when I got here last summer. You might find Sky is rolling out fibre optic deals now BT is installing cos they piggy back off BT. I'm in Walnut Tree and have 38 mb fibre - think you can go higher

[Shadowrunner]

Nice, I was looking for a place in Kents Hill but it fell through, so now I'm moving into Bradwell Commons, 2/3rds of it is 'done', but internet searching marked my house as FTTP when it needs to be FTTC to get fibre (when it is done). In the end I'm just horribly confused lol.

But all's well that ends well. I think.