Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Flippin' Freeview


Freeview Box
Originally uploaded by Phil_Parker.
Here’s a job that has been kicking around for a while. I have a Freeview box – great you would think - digital telly with all the exciting channels that brings with it. Trouble is that the top of the TV slopes and so I can’t sit the box on top of it. Apparently you can’t just stick a big nail through the top of both. Something to do with the electrics.

The box can’t go on a separate stand either as there isn’t one. The only place is on the shelf about the TV. But I want to put stuff on there and I don’t mean my lifetime subscription to “TV Quick” magazine !

The solution was obvious. Fix the box underneath the shelf. Knock up some brackets and fix it in position. Easy for anyone with a modicum of skill and a fine selection of tools. I’ve got the tools…

The brackets came from Focus and were bent with the aid of a big vice (stop sniggering out there, the sort you attach to a workbench) and a medium sized hammer. Bend the bracket into a sort of Z shape (look at the photo to see what I mean) and for real finesse, add a couple of soft pads where it will touch the box.

Two brackets were enough, as they just had to push the rubber feet on the box against the shelf. I didn't realise how wonky they were until I looked at the photo. You can't see it form normal angles so I'll leave well alone.All the cables were stuffed in the back and it works well. Apart from the writing on the front being upside down you wouldn’t be able to tell that the device wasn’t meant to be that way.

All done in time for me to catch the final Dr Who of the series. All I needed was an incentive…

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