Question - Do I need a mains surge protection device in UK

and could someone explain exactly what they do?

Also, could someone point out why they still make standard screen format
TV's since widescreen is infinitely superior?

ta,
g.

On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 10:27:10 +0100, Fat Freddy's Cat
wrote:

and could someone explain exactly what they do?

Attract american usenet cranks?

Also, could someone point out why they still make standard screen format
TV's since widescreen is infinitely superior?

Because people like SWMBO exist who don't like widescreen for no
apparent justifiable reason :-)

Her idea of a suitable TV for the house is 14 inch in the corner where
no one can see it properly. Preferably with a built in DVD player so
it doesn't take up any space that could possibly be occupied by an
extra fish tank or three.

My idea of a TV is a FOAD 42 inch plasma that I can hang off the wall
and appease her by running a fish tank screen saver on it. She didn't
appreciate me wanting to spend 2 grand on a TV though as double
glazing and a laminate kitchen floor is apparently more important.

We compromised and I got a 32 inch pure flat widescreen Sony when I
went to the shops without her and I installed a laminate floor.

The TV by volume is bigger than the plasma so that will be my argument
next time we look at a TV and I start pushing for a plasma TV. I'll
tell her its that or I buy myself the Triumph TR7 I have always
wanted.

Fat Freddy's Cat wrote:

Also, could someone point out why they still make standard screen format
TV's since widescreen is infinitely superior?

Because lots of people will want to buy them? Widescreen TVs are still
typically more expensive than a 4:3 which will display the same size
16:9 image, and which will display a much larger 4:3 image.

Bagpuss posted:

I buy myself the Triumph TR7 I have always
wanted.


Why would anyone want a TR7? Unless it's one of the Grinnell
modified-to-TR8 spec ones?

--
Paul-B

"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
- Mario Andretti

Reply to address is spam-trap. Use paul at streetka dot biz if you
really must!

Bagpuss wrote:

Also, could someone point out why they still make standard screen format
TV's since widescreen is infinitely superior?

Her idea of a suitable TV for the house is 14 inch in the corner where
no one can see it properly. Preferably with a built in DVD player so
it doesn't take up any space that could possibly be occupied by an
extra fish tank or three.

That's overkill! A suitable TV for the house is 14 inch wrapped in a
black bin liner and consigned to the friggin loft where it belongs!

My idea of a TV is a FOAD 42 inch plasma that I can hang off the wall
and appease her by running a fish tank screen saver on it. She didn't
appreciate me wanting to spend 2 grand on a TV though as double
glazing and a laminate kitchen floor is apparently more important.

Even if it were free it's a good waste of a perfectly good wall to
fill it with the utter sh*te which appears on TV.

I'll
tell her its that or I buy myself the Triumph TR7 I have always
wanted.

If she's got any sense she'll take the TR7. ;-)


--
iv Paul iv

"Bagpuss" wrote in message
...
snip
The TV by volume is bigger than the plasma so that will be my argument
next time we look at a TV and I start pushing for a plasma TV. I'll
tell her its that or I buy myself the Triumph TR7 I have always
wanted.

Don't you mean a TR6? Or are you really trying to scare her?!

Steve

On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 10:27:10 +0100, Fat Freddy's Cat
somehow managed to impart:
[see title]

Probably not.
and could someone explain exactly what they do?

Spikes aka transient, high voltage pulses can be generated when the
mains supply is interrupted, e.g. by substations switching over.

When the supply is cut off to electrogmagnetic devices (car ignition
coil, transformer etc) the collapsing magnetic field induces
'back-emf' in the coils of wire and a high voltage pulse is created.

A relay is a good example: Current flows through a coil of wire round
an iron core. The magnetism closes or opens a switch. Relays
traditionally had a diode across the supply to conduct the back-emf
away.

Inductances (coils of wire) in a surge protection circuit partially
block the pulses, and semiconductors called Voltage Dependant
Resistors cause them to bypass the protected device, effectively
providing a short-circuit for the the spike. VDRs measure open-circuit
with an Ohm-meter but the resistance lowers when a high voltage
appears across it.

PC power supplies have VDRs. I've known people to switch the mains
input to 120 volts instead of 240 in the mistaken belief that they'd
be overclocking their PC. This usually blows the VDRs to smithereens
with an extremely loud bang! Often, if the carbonised remnants are
removed and the fuse replaced, the PSU will work again. Beware 320
volts DC *long* after the mains has been disconnected from the PSU.

There are sometimes capacitors and gas-discharge devices involved too,
but let's keep it simple! Remember, Voltage is the pressure which
forces current through a circuit.

Also, could someone point out why they still make standard screen format
TV's since widescreen is infinitely superior?

Well it's not even infinitely wider, only slightly wider. ;o)

Dave.

2000 hi-resolution photos especially Edinburgh &
Scotland. Also 3D rendered art & altered images.
* No advertisements * http://www.henniker.org.uk

"Bagpuss" wrote in message
...
The TV by volume is bigger than the plasma so that will be my argument
next time we look at a TV and I start pushing for a plasma TV. I'll
tell her its that or I buy myself the Triumph TR7 I have always
wanted.

Plasma TV's have a comparatively short shelf life in comparison with CRT
tv's and are not repairable so that £2000 will end up on a skip in 4 years
time whereas your CRT should keep going and going.

"Fat Freddy's Cat" wrote in message
...
Also, could someone point out why they still make standard screen format
TV's since widescreen is infinitely superior?

Some movies are even wider than 16:9 widescreen. Mioght we soon see wider
TV's?

On 13 Jul 2004 17:29:52 GMT, "Paul-B - the original and the best!"
wrote:

Bagpuss posted:

I buy myself the Triumph TR7 I have always
wanted.


Why would anyone want a TR7? Unless it's one of the Grinnell
modified-to-TR8 spec ones?

Don't like the look of TR8s. Dunno why but I've always liked the look
of a TR7. My plan is to get a 500 or so quid 1 yrs MOT TR7 run it
until it will MOT no more (I would guess the following year :-) ).