Monkhai

You are correct to a point. Hepatics can be well implimented, such that certain buttons will pulse at different speeds/vibrations. A bit like morse code for the finger tips. If you for example put the two heater dials either side, then a recirculate button in the middle, you can set the vibrations to be a specific set for recirculate and a variation if it's on/off. In terms of the on/off, the button colour can also change, much like a tell tale on an existing car. Personally I like physical buttons, with touch for complex stationary setting. The above I describe probably with a single central button would probably be acceptable to me also, as long as they don't put things like wipers etc on that system (Certain car manufacturer stand up). The current non hepatic, purely visual screens are completely inappropriate and even with hepatics, they would have to get it so right before I'd consider it to be acceptable for me. Gesture controls... I wonder what gets assigned to one finger raised, two fingers raised, shaking a fist and an open fist being moved side to side. That could be quite ammusing.

More batteries for lower prices for those who are willing to pick up the slack from LG I imgaine. The whole debate on pouches vs prismatic vs cylindrical has a lot of facets to it too. I would imagine the truth probably includes a degree ofcheaper batteries from China per kWh, particularly as a lot of the raw materials are owned/contracted by China. That combined with the Chinese market being a big one for VW. It will be interesting to see how many companies still want to get involved with VW in a few years, or if they will get involved but the cost for VW is greater combined with lower investment by the other side.

The MK3 Octavia has touch screen for radio, with steering wheel controls plus a volume/station turn/press button. The other things are traditional buttons/knobs, which can also be set through the touchscreen if required. Going only touchscreen, is definately something I won't do, at least not without hepatic feedback and even then it would need to be good.

I would still ignore it on a diesel and just give it a good drive from time to time. Should it happen again it’s worth checking the better charge, the temperature sensors and coolant temperature sensors are reading as they should be and that the glow plugs are all heating. Also has the fuel filter ever been changed?

Don't really see what that has to do with Chinese ownership. They're the production for the DBX, which is a v8 powered SUV. That vehicle has a very limited market and it's not one that's going to grow going forward. A v8 SUV probably weighs almost as much as a BEV, has a higher Centre of Gravity, is slower to legal speeds and costs lots to run. In the main markets for big cars like that Electric is coming, so it makes sense for the company to trim that line. I would suggest that there is a reasonable chance that the plan would be to get rid of or retrain the powertrain team, because they won't be needed to integrate a v8 when the plant is converted to produce the electric SUV.

Here are the court cases I posted in the other thread: A bit older: https://www.driving.co.uk/news/dashboard-screens-risk-drivers-lives/ More recent and interesting: https://www.theweek.co.uk/98481/are-in-car-touchscreens-safe-to-use-while-driving German court decided a touchscreen alternative to a physical control is a driver distraction very recently: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-53666222

Personally I think it's a terrible idea and I believe there have been court cases in Germany, where the driver lost (Details on the below thread) Lots of discussion on this thread. I've also moved the thread to somewhere which will probably get a wider audience

The flow of electrons requires a circuit, so that they go from +ve to -ve. So that old it's not suitable for charging, but it is for supplying is a bit of a joke. Perhaps they relate to the max current, but as long as you're only trying to stick 5-7 amps down it it will be fine. Trying to fast charge at 20A through the lighter/12V socket would just be asking for trouble anyway. I regularly charge via the boot socket using a ctek and have no issues. I have to say, I thought there were problems with some of the MOLL batteries in some cars and that people were just replacing them with larger capacity (possibly 096) varta or similar batteries.

I think the red ones at Awesome are in fact OEM parts, but check with them before accepting my word for it. I assume you've inspected the spark plugs also?

You had that car since new? Looks to me like somebody probably put massive bulbs or oversized Xenons in the lights, pulled too much juice then went back to standard. That or they put a far larger fuse in than should have been there and the box couldn't take the heat (But that seems unlikely tbh) Another option, could be that water has got in there, rusted the fuse and caused heat at the function where there has been arcing etc.

I'm not a million miles away, but won't be going near anyone else until I've had the vaccine/lockdown is gone, so that wouldn't be until much later in the year. Sorry. Worth checking the hoses/secondard air supply and also that the electrics are all dry. Just been on Eurocarparts and using their usual offer codes (today is PAT75) Bosch coil packs for your car are less than £32 each or approx £125 for all 4. By the time somebody has come to you, you've spent and hour and diagnosed the car, then replaced the coild you need it's probably no more expensive to just change all 4. That plus when 1 starts to go, the others probably are not far behind. If it was me, rather than paying £60-100 for a garage diagnostic (Assuming people can't help due to COVID), I'd take a punt on £125 of new coil packs and if it's not you can always ebay the known working old ones. EDIT - Here is the link to the part: https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/bosch-ignition-coil-413440467

Zero as it’s vga and will cost more. The hdmi still won’t carry audio as the vga doesn’t put it out. if you’re adding cables in the wall get a vga to vga + audio and hdmi to hdmi run into the face plates. That way you’re somewhat future proof for up to 4K without having to rip the wall apart again.

You could use vga to vga cable, but resolution may be limited to a 4:3 ratio. good to see the product information sheet from TV vendors is just as accurate in France as the Uk 😂 The lack of female threads on laptop is usual. Plug a vga cable into the tv and screw the threads in. Then just tuck it out of the way and push the unused end onto the laptop as you need it 👍

That’s a hdmi. The manual for your TV doesn’t list a vga so I would be surprised if it’s actually there.

You can just use a hdmi to hdmi cable as long as your laptop has hdmi out. FYI your TV has hdmi but not vga If you had a smartphone/tablet the app on there allows you to use that keyboard to control the Roku or just to mirror it to the TV.

No worries... you've been polite, which is more than can be said for some people I've had to do paid support/consulting for over the years. If it aint broke and does what you want.... don't fix it. The VPN would allow you to use UK catch up services on your laptop or a ROKU etc. You set it up and only things connected to the VPN wifi network use it. Everything else just uses normal internet through your normal wifi connection. At the end of the day, if you don't want UK catch up services, again no need for it. Youtube is easy, because you can use the arrows to type in an on screen keyboard on the roku and search through that. If you're just browsing on the PC and then find something long you want to watch on the TV then then you can just type in the title on the ROKU and watch it. Another option is that ROKU allows you to play content from your phone/laptop onto the TV (you need an app or driver) You can then search there and play there, but it appears on the TV when you select the ROKU as an output. Pretty much. (EDIT: see below) If you had a VPN for the UK and a UK bank/credit card, then you can actually set up your Roku account (No monthly charge by default) in the UK and the device will set up in the UK. It's a bit of a faff and to be honest, I have never confirmed iplayer works that way. Probably best done when in the UK or via a friend/family in the UK who would take delivery, set up an account/test it for you on a UK connection, then post it over to you in France. EDIT: Actually this is quite interesting... The BBC has this list of iplayer compatible devices: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/help/questions/supported-devices/roku-nowtv On the bottom of that list you will find these two: Roku Streamer 2020 9101EU Roku Streamer 2020 9102EU The 9102EU is the soundbar. https://ao.com/product/9102eu-roku-soundbar-black-80462-111.aspx As they are EU, it means (at least right now) there appears there isn't a UK specific version, so you should be able to add iplayer if you wanted the VPN in the future. It also appears that the BBC sounds radio channel is available for the ROKU devices too, so you can listen to UK radio in real time or on catch up from the device. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/help/roku-nowtv Again both devices are on that list, so you could use this too. I also know for a fact that as BBC radio doesn't require a licence, then you can use this without a VPN. I use the BBC sounds phone app all over the world, without a VPN. Finally Roku have added apple airplay2 and homekit, so you can use it direct from an apple computer/phone/tablet: https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2020/11/12/roku-os-9-4-introduces-apple-airplay-2-and-homekit-support/

Worth adding if you want VPN, but are not technical, you can buy a box like this for not much: https://www.amazon.co.uk/GL-iNet-GL-MT300N-V2-Converter-Pre-installed-Performance/dp/B073TSK26W/ref=psdc_430579031_t1_B017W43M4M Then you can choose which of the VPN providers it supports you want to use, set up an account to appear in the UK and all works as if you were.

Roku has an channel store, where I say app, read channel. It is basically iplayer, nowTV (Sky), youtube and things like that. Essentially you don't manually install them, you just go onto the Roku and click add channels, then it shows you a list of what you can get and you add the ones you want. They then appear in the "guide" and you can click on them and use those channels. Them are the channels. If you look at the image below, that's the roku home page that shows on the TV when you go to the hdmi input. Channels can be added and removed from the list you see on the right, or for example if you never used netflix, you could move it down the list so it's not the first. You mentioned you can't watch on a laptop for hours, so the Roku allows you to use the TV for services you want to use (youtube for example) without looking at the laptop screen. You can also use it to get to VPN services either via a little VPN box or your computer repeating the service. Basically the box or computer connects to the VPN service and creates a "VPN wifi network". Essentially the VPN connects to a computer in the UK and makes it look like your computer is in the UK. Any computer, Roku, tv etc that is connected to the "VPN wifi network" looks like it is in the UK. So the Roku lets you view youtube anywhere (and a number of others), but if you wanted iPlayer, you could use the Roku iplayer/itv app to view the content as if you were in the UK by using the VPN wifi network. (To those of you who say that's not quite right, I know, but as a simplified version it's close enough to what's going on behind the scenes ) This is the size of the remote. You use it to navigate the screen above, a bit like the sky guide. This is one of the older ones as it doesn't have a standby or volume button, but the books make for a good example of size. I think you're missing the point/misunderstanding a little bit. Youtube is free to use on the Roku (just like everywhere else) Amazon prime video is a subscription service everywhere (even on the computer). If you already have amazon prime, then it's free to use the video service on the computer (I guess you have) and if you sign in to the prime video channel (shown in the first picture) on the Roku with your prime account (very simple) it's free on the Roku too. Netflix is a subscription service everywhere (If you have it elsewhere, you log in with the same username on the roku too) NowTV is basically sky (They own it) but you get to pick what you want or not and on a month by month basis. You want entertainment every month, but sport only 1 week every 3 months, no problem, you can do that. Obviously you don't need that as you have sky, but if sky put the prices up too much, you have the option. No worries, at the end of the day if it doesn't work for you it doesn't work for you. If it does it does. Essentially it's a very simple to use (just like a normal TV interface) way of allowing your TV to stream youtube and other "channels", some for free some if you have an existing subscription. Absolubtly, I run an openvpn server, so it's pretty simple, I was just pointing out they are the ones that have the issues if you can't appear as if you're in the UK.

The stick is about 8-9cm long, plus the HDMI connector, so how far it sticks out depends on where the HDMI port is. On our TV it's quite close to the side, so the stick protrudes maybe 0.5-1cm max. Only the posh model is a stick, the others are boxes that sit under/in front of the TV and connect with a cable. They are tiny, but have to be visible so that the standard remote control can have line of sight to it to work. Obviously the sound bar is the sound bar. So the sticks have different "country identifiers". These just allow for local public broadcasters to install their "local services". This does not mean a UK stick won't work in Europe or the US etc, just you might not be able to install certain "apps". I've travelled all over the world with a UK stick, including much of Europe and France and the devices still work along with all of the apps bar the UK specific catchup services. When I say you can move them, I mean move them on the display so they appear at the bottom of the list not the top. That way as you don't use them, they're not in the way, but they're still there if you travel to the UK and take it with you. When I say added, the roku comes with a number of services as standard and you can easily new services onto the Roku. It's almost like navigating the skyHD menu system, so very simple. (Nothing needed it's just added via the Roku "guide" when you have it plugged into the TV) The only difference between UK and non UK sticks, is that the UK sticks have access to iPlayer (and possibly some of the other UK catch up services), where as non UK models do not have access to these apps. The ones at argos I linked to, for example will all have this. There may be a french version with local french free to air apps if you watch french TV. All versions have youtube and many other applications such as netflix, youtube, amazon, nowTV and if you have a subscription to them you can use them straight from the TV too. They seem to get good reviews, although I've not tried a soundbar one personally. Currently with £30 off though. For our roku "Voice remote" refers to the fact that there is an extra button on the remote, which you can press to say open netflix or a film name and it will search for it. It's nothing fancy like alexa and we almost never use it. Other than that the "voice remote" is a normal remote control, except rather than infra-red it uses bluetooth to connect to the Roku. This is great for us, as it means you don't need to worry about keeping line of sight for the remote as you do with most devices. You can point the remote control in completely the other direction or from a sharp angle and it will still work as if you were in front of the TV. The Roku remote we have has the remote controls for: The roku user interface (A bit like the sky buttons) The standby button (For the TV) Volume buttons (For the TV) It's also a tiny remote control as well, about the size of a penguin bar or two finger kit-kat. (FYI it uses 2AAA batteries and rechargables work) So outside of the UK you can get youtube everywhere. This is a fairly comprehensive list of channels: https://channelstore.roku.com/en-gb/browse There is a list of international channels: https://blog.roku.com/en-gb/23-international-roku-channels#! Here is the free to watch for the UK: https://blog.roku.com/en-gb/category/uk-free-to-watch Here is the channel list for FR: https://channelstore.roku.com/fr-fr/browse

The thing with an offer is it can be turned down. Especially when the current owner is a billionair and only recently purchased the new play thing

That was why I said if 130 is the round trip, then a 250-300 range. Half it and that's still >130 miles. Once the OP mentioned he is a bit more rural, then the 30 mile hybrid with the petrol backup comes around.

If this is the TV: https://www.e.leclerc/fp/tv-led-tucson-tl32dled309b19-3700410351194 https://www.lcd-compare.com/televiseur-TUCTL32DLED309B19-TUCSON-TL32DLED309B19.htm It is a 720p HD (HD ready standard) TV, with 2*HDMI inputs, which judging by their other models are just above/below the aerial input. There is a single USB, but I'd assume you would need to use the power adapter with the ROKU as it's probably not 1Amp, but 0.5Amp type. Hope that helps

We use a Roku stick at home as I have an old, but excellent plasma TV. Any semblance of smart TV it had has long since gone senile/non functioning, hence the ROKU. The Roku has youtube built in and if you get one from the UK (Uk model) it has iplayer and all the other bits too. You can move them and not use them, but they can't be added to non-UK models. There is also an option to mirror using an app/desktop tool to the TV from your device. The Roku stick just needs an HDMI port for you to plug it into and either a USB (1amp or greater) port, either on the TV or a plug socket charger. Really simple and you can get a normal IR remote control version or another with a bluetooth remote control, which doesn't require line of sight. Range from about £20-50, but there are often offers. The cheap version: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3269116 The middle version: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3269130 This is the posh version: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7397314 Here is another version, which is a soundbar and roku in one: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8449876

I get where you're coming from on charging. If the 130 miles is the round trip, then any electric car with a 250-300 mile range would have you safely there and back to charge at home. If you're usually doing 30 miles, then the plug in hybrid versions of the cars (Skoda do some too) would be a good fit, as the shorter journeys of 30 miles would be pretty much all on battery and the engine would only be needed if you're low on juice or gone further than the battery range. The 1.4 petrol on it's own, without any battery isn't a bad engine either. On battery you're saving fuel and cold running for short trips and on petrol for longer ones. It also means you can plug in at home to get the next day journey cheap, but you don't have any charge left/away from home you're not going to be left stranded as the petrol engine will be just fine on it's own. I believe there are IV versions of the superb and octavia, which would probably be worth a test drive.

You can set up a VPN on a windows PC and use connection sharing to allow the TV to work. You can also set up a VPN on a laptop or computer, use iPlayer etc there and apple airplay/chromecast to a TV with a suitable device... I do agree it's a bit of faff if you're not used to IT/networking so the option of just not careing is also perfectly valid