I plugged in my headphones when playing my Xbox 360 the other day and realised that the jack in my TV was making a really bad screeching noise. I tried everything to get it to work, but in the end I decided that I would need something else.

I searched online and found the Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS, a small audio box that connects straight to the console and produces 5.1/7.1 surround sound into standard headsets. I ordered it from Amazon and it arrived yesterday, here are my first impressions.

Connections

The Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS has various wires to connect it to your console and headphones which can be a bit daunting, but if you follow the manual and videos online it is easy to set up and I had it working in a matter of minutes. The box can become quite cluttered especially if you are using a USB powered headset and might not be ideal for people who sit across the room from their console, but I do not have this problem as I pretty much sit next to the console and TV.

Sound

I’ve been playing some Battlefield 3 and Fifa 12 with the DSS and have to say that the sound is very good. It takes a bit of getting used to, but when your ears tune to the sound you can hear people sneaking up on you and where shooting is coming from and the crowd noises of Fifa make it even more realistic.

One thing that I will mention is that when talking to people on Xbox Live they seem to be talking from behind you, it’s not a big deal but worth pointing out anyway.

I only have the  Turtle Beach Ear Force Stereo XLC Headset to compare the device, but I think a more expensive headset like the X12 might give an even better sound.

Conclusion

I really like the Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS, it gives a great sound and adds to the gaming experience especially in Battlefield 3, although I would probably get a decent set of headphones like the Turtle Beach X12’s first before upgrading to this.

Maybe it was something about being a small country, but it took a while for Ireland to shrug off the ‘online dating ‘ stigma and embrace modern matchmaking methods enthusiastically.  There was a certain reluctance to putting yourself out there on the internet whilst there was a chance of bumping into someone you knew online.

This is where sites such as Parship really set themselves apart.  With Parship you retain complete anonymity and only reveal your photo as and when you choose to selected individuals.  This allows total discretion and allays fears of being spotted online by anyone from your close knit rural community.

Irish dating has always been unique.  Back in the 1950s matchmaking was arranged by your parents and extended family.  You chose suitors from a small circle of individuals and words like compatibility were often drowned out by words such as convenience.

Happily, things have changed and the Emerald Isle now has its fair share of Irish dating sites.  Today, online dating in Ireland could not be simpler, and the choice of potential suitors could not be more plentiful.

Regular maintenance is required in order to keep a garden looking its best and working as it should, whether it is an allotment or landscaped.

Lawnmower

A lawnmower is necessary even if the turf-covered area is relatively small, which will ensure the grass is kept under control and not allowed to become overgrown.

Fork and Spade

Planting fruit and vegetables creates the need for the soil to be turned over, which is undertaken with a fork or spade.  They also allow large clumps of earth to be broken up to make sowing seeds and seedlings easier.

Shears

Shrubs and trees must be kept trimmed to prevent them from causing an obstruction.  Similarly, the roots of many trees are controlled by cutting back the branches, which helps to prevent ground heave or property damage that can be caused by spreading roots. 

Trowel or Hoe

Removing weeds is easier to achieve with the use of a trowel or hoe, which allows the affected spot to be concentrated on, allowing a gardener to remove weeds with the roots. 

Last year I did a cigar box guitar project with my son and I’ve been building them ever since for my family and friends. After building my latest cigar box guitar for a friend I decided to put a pickup in it, but I had no way of testing if it was working right or not.

I looked at small practice amps on the internet but they are anywhere from £30 to £100, so I looked at the homemade amp scene and came across the Noisy Cricket amp from Beavis Audio. This little amp can be battery operated and uses readily available electronics; it pumps out around ½ a watt of sound and can be plugged into a speaker cabinet for a bigger sound.

I got a list of parts of the Beavis Audio website and took a trip to my local Maplins and low and behold found everything on the list, even the LM386 chip! The only thing I didn’t buy was a soldering iron as they didn’t have any cheap models in.

I ordered a soldering iron kit off Amazon and it arrived today so I think I’ll build the amp this weekend. All in all, the parts (enough to make two amps) and the soldering iron cost me just over £25.

Hope I can remember how to solder (think I’ll be looking up videos on YouTube tonight).

The HTC Radar is an ideal choice for those looking for an attractive phone that offers plenty of features.  Offering a sleek, aluminium finish and running Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, the HTC Radar is a budget-friendly smartphone that is sure to make a suitable choice for those looking for a phone that is easy to carry around. 

Although the HTC Radar offers a smaller screen than other HTC models, the phone still provides plenty of decent features, including a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, a high-quality video player and Internet Explorer 9.  The phone does not support Flash, but users can still watch videos by downloading apps. 

The HTC Radar is ideal for those looking for a phone that offers plenty of social networking features.  Users can easily access Facebook and Twitter, and there are a number of improved messaging features that enable users to easily keep in touch with their contacts.  YouTube can also be accessed, though users may need to download an app in order to play the site’s videos. 

The HTC Radar is also the perfect choice for those looking for a phone that offers plenty of music features.  The phone comes with Windows Media Audio 9 and Zune software and supports MP3, MP4 and WMA formats.  Users can also access their Xbox account, as the phone offers Xbox Live integration. 

If you are looking for an affordable phone that looks stylish and offers a good web browser, music player and social networking features, then the HTC Radar is the perfect choice.  The HTC Radar is available in a wide range of deals and can be found on a selection of price comparison websites to help you find a deal that is right for you.  There are a wide range of review sites that provide a detailed HTC Radar review as well as information on the best HTC Radar deals available.

When looking for some local businesses the other day I came across an online local search market called City Visitor. This website offer information on local businesses much like a business directory, but also offers other local information such as things to do, local events and available local discounts.

Using the site is easy, just type in what you’re looking for and the place and City Visitor will return the results instantly. The website gives you the address and phone number of the business and also a reviews page so you can see what other people think of the business.

So if you’re looking for solicitors in London or hairdressers in Bristol, City Visitor is well worth a look.

Ski holidays are increasingly popular and affordable.  There are lots of cheap ski deals available and even those who have not taken a ski holiday before will find it possible to get help and guidance at lots of resorts. Beginners will find it useful to go to a ski area that will co-ordinate all the things necessary for a good experience such as transport, equipment, access to the slopes and instruction.

Before you go, consider the benefits of watching instructional videos, DVDs or games that can help you learn to ski.  Some include basic but useful information about how to use a ski lift, for example. When booking a ski holiday, choose a resort where the instructors are flexible enough to adapt their lessons to individual ability and skill: it helps if they are able to offer useful tips and pass on their own techniques.

A good ski school will both teach beginners the rudiments of skiing and also boost confidence. Staff should be expert at the sport and available to help and advise on selecting the right lesson programme, access to all parts of the resort, buying lift passes and getting the right clothing and equipment for ski or snowboard hire.

Remember that the standard of tuition can have a major impact on the enjoyment of a ski holiday. Excellent quality of service, access to instructors who speak fluent English and learning as part of a relatively small group will all go to enhance the beginner’s ski experience.

I went round to my friend’s house the other night and he introduced me to his new toy, the Iolite Original Vaporizer. He had an older version as well, which I have used on many occasions but he broke that so got this new one.

The Iolite Original has been fully upgraded with a new ignition system making it more reliable and a better build quality which is evident when you pick it up. It works in the same way as the standard vaporizer and come with an array of accessories including some pipe cleaners and a handy little carry case to keep it safe.

The Iolite Original is still highly portable and runs on lighter gas instead of batteries, so can be taken almost anywhere; it is available now for around £159.99 and is a great little device.

I was searching around on a few of the gadget websites I like and found the Justin Bieber singing toothbrush. Seriously!, is there nothing that the Bieber won’t put his name too?

I’m a big fan of getting your kids to brush their teeth but this has to take the biscuit. I’m sure the toothbrush is quite adequate at brushing teeth, but do we have to suffer listening to Bieber for two minutes twice a day?

Just buy an ordinary toothbrush and teach your kids how to brush their teeth properly.

Vauxhall has released the first images of its Mokka small sport-utility vehicle, which goes on sale in the UK at the end of the year after being unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March.

The Mokka will be offered with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. Power comes from two petrol engines and one diesel, all equipped with fuel-saving stop-start systems. The petrol units are a naturally aspirated 1.6 with 113bhp or a turbocharged 1.4 developing 138bhp. The 1.7-litre turbodiesel has 128bhp. Both more powerful engines will be offered with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

Front-wheel drive is standard, although four-wheel-drive versions will have a system that automatically transfers drive to the rear wheels.

Vauxhall is keen to promote the car’s practicality, claiming a generous cargo volume of up to 1,372 litres and the latest generation Flex-Fix bicycle carrier that is fully integrated into the rear underbody, allowing the carriage of up to three bicycles.

All models will have electronic stability and traction control, hill start assist and hill descent control systems as standard. Front- and rear-facing cameras will also be offered, the former incorporating lane departure warning and forward collision alerts, as well as traffic sign recognition.