The "New Toys" Thread

I love mine.

I still need to get used to Android Pie though.
 
Got myself a new RC transmitter for drones and stuff. Yes, again :) This one is awesome though.

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Old one on the left (FrSky Taranis X9E), new one on the right (FrSky Taranis X-Lite), swiss knife for scale. Less than half the size and weight of the old one, running the same software, with none of the functionality lost - just a couple fewer programmable switches and sliders that I mostly don't use anyway, and that can be replicated with some clever programming of the remaining ones and the added D-pad.

Basically allows me to only carry a backpack to the field with all my equipment in/on it - before I also needed a toolbox, otherwise no spare parts or tools would fit properly. Also allows me to fly standing up without using an unwieldy cross strap contraption to support the huge and heavy transmitter. Had I gone for the X-Lite before the roadtrip, it could've enabled me to bring a racing drone in addition to the Mavic... oh well, next time :)
 
But now it has a smaller, angrier face instead of a big friendly one. I suppose that could be fitting for intense flying, though.
 
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New bluetooth mechanical keyboard with MX browns, so much nicer than the steam punk crap I had before. Lack of wires helps as well. And a nice BT mouse to match
 
And another addition, LG 27UD68 - UHD 27" monitor, Amazon Warehouse had one in like new condition for $100 off so was hard to resist
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As I mentioned in an earlier post I've been looking to replace my old Razer Blackwidow Ultimate keyboard, not because it was worn out but because I wanted something other than the Cherry MX Blue switches,. Specifically I Wanted Cherry MX Brown or similar. As I use the desk top for soldering, sanding 3D prints and the like I also wanted to be able to move the keyboard out of the way and also wanted some smaller overall, as the Blackwidow is actually quite large with the macro keys on the side. The macro keys on the Razer board also presented a problem when it came to the backlight too, as after replacing the keycaps with these DSA Dolch ones I had none for the macro keys. As a result, having the backlight on would blind me with the blue LEDS.

So the requirements were:

Cherry Brown or similar mechanical switches
Full size board with numpad (I considered tenkeyless but I use the numpad too much in spreadsheets)
minimal borders, as small as possible with no macro keys.
RGB backlighting.
Floating key design.
Wireless or at least an easily removable cable.
UK layout (this was a killer of most potential options on Amazon)

Apparently wireless in this configuration simply doesn't exist, there's a gap in the market there. Why, I have no idea as adding a numpad surely doesn't eliminate the use of a wireless transmitter. Logitech make a full sized wireless board but it's rather large, expensive and doesn't have any backlighting. As I said in the first paragraph I was tempted to go for a DREVO tenkeyless Bluetooth board but I just wasn't happy with the idea of losing the numpad. I considered the ASUS ROG Claymore as it's Aura compatible and fitted most of the needs but it wasn't small enough, especially with the detachable numpad attached. It was very expensive too. Anyway, it turns out the right board was under my nose all along.

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Sorry about the mess. This desk is multi-purpose, hence wanting to have the ability to get the keyboard out of harm's way.

Behold the Cooler Master Masterkeys MK750. A nice full-sized board with minimal overall size, RGB, a nice floating key design and genuine Cherry MX Brown switches. The compromise I had to make is that it's wired, but has a USB-C connector on the bottom so I can easily disconnect it. Getting a short USB-C extension isn't hard either so I'll probably get one and make it even more convenient.

The RGB is very nice and because of the floating key design I can still see the backlight with my DSA Dolch keycaps without windows for the light to pass through. I might have to drill small holes in the num lock and caps lock keys though because rather than an individual light on the keyboard their status is indicated by a variation in the backlight intensity. Maybe I can just set them to red or green so It's obvious at a glance. Currently it's set to mimic the Aura colour as it's not directly Aura compatible, however when copying over the RGB values there's quite a significant hue shift on one of the two systems that has to be corrected. It's not a big deal and I wonder if the ROG Claymore would've been the same. Probably not.

Currently it has no Windows menu key, just the Windows key and the function key, but as I won't be using the function key at all (I have no idea what the keys do now I've changed the keycaps) I'll swap that out for the menu keycap I already have and remap it in the software. :)

I also made a second, significantly less sane purchase this week in the pursuit of nostalgia. A Dolch PAC 62 computer, complete with a whole 100MHzes and 32MB (I have to double check every time I type that as I automatically go to type GB) of RAM, replicating the first machine we had as a family in 1998. This is the picture from the eBay auction, it's probably on a plane from the US now. Yeah, I'm importing a 20+ year old computer that is outclassed by watches these days. Why are you surprised, you all know I'm mad. :D

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I've been watching a lot of retro tech videos in the last six months so obviously I wanted to get something of my own and the Dolch PAC seemed to suit perfectly, a whole machine complete with LCD screen and keyboard with Cherry MX Blue switches all in one package the size of a big old radio. A luggable machine built originally to sniff out network issues and with a whole stack of PCI slots I can add on whatever I want from that era of computing and still pack the thing away. I simply don't have the space for a big old white box and associated CRT screen.

First thing I need to do is fit a floppy drive as it doesn't have one currently, then I intend to use an SD card to install Windows 98SE on to. I'll need a USB PCI card so I can use an external, USB CD-ROM drive as this model has no space for one (the later PAC 64 and 65 had slimline CD and floppy drives but the machines are considerably more expensive) and I can get some old games on there. I'm thinking that I might start with Worms. :D
 
It was time for a new keyboard. My cheap keyboard backup got pulled out last year when I built the new PC, I just never got around to upgrading. The old piece was starting to have issues with buttons sticking or missing their inputs, so I bit the bullet and bought a Corsair K55.

I know it is not a true mechanical keyboard, but I don't care. I got tired of the guys I chat with complaining about my typing noise. It fit all my other wants. Backlit, media keys, and fairly inexpensive.

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categ...oards/K55-RGB-Gaming-Keyboard/p/CH-9206015-NA
 
It was time for a new keyboard. My cheap keyboard backup got pulled out last year when I built the new PC, I just never got around to upgrading. The old piece was starting to have issues with buttons sticking or missing their inputs, so I bit the bullet and bought a Corsair K55.

I know it is not a true mechanical keyboard, but I don't care. I got tired of the guys I chat with complaining about my typing noise. It fit all my other wants. Backlit, media keys, and fairly inexpensive.

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categ...oards/K55-RGB-Gaming-Keyboard/p/CH-9206015-NA
 
My Sony SBH80 Bluetooth headband earphone set died very early this year and I replaced it with a WI-C400 set, which has been fine and much more robust but really didn't match up. The lack of AptX becomes very apparent when it's connected to my PC and I'm watching video, much lag. Anyway, I've been looking at the WI-1000X for a while, I nearly bought one in the airport in Iceland because the price worked out to be very good but decided against it in case I had any problems. Last week it were in the Amazon Cyber Monday deals so I picked it up, not quite as cheap as the price in the airport but if I have any issues it's much easier to deal with Amazon or Sony in this country. It certainly isn't a cheap set but I was attracted by the active noise cancelling and the AptX, which both seem to be pretty difficult to find on cheaper sets. The NC really is incredible, while I type this the central heating is running in the house and even with earbuds in you can hear the rumble but with the NC running I can hear nothing. It's really nice to have the low-latency audio for watching videos too. They come with a cable to use them as wired headphones, presumably for use where Bluetooth is disallowed but I'll be making use of it at work. They sound great either way.

The earbuds themselves are quite large to house the NC tech and the larger 9mm drivers, I don't think they look ridiculous but they certainly wouldn't be to everyone's liking. Battery life is limited to 10 hours with the NC turned on, it just consumes more power.



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Today's a good day. First the forums come back, then these come in the mail:

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Hooooooooly fuck, are these good. I'm falling in love with music all over again.
 
A little while ago I started messing around with some electronics project, mostly for fun but also to learn about it since I've always been interested about it.

Here are my latest "toys", that I mostly built myself:

A Raspberry Pi powered handheld game console made out of cardboard and spare parts:
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And a robot whose sole purpose is to annoy my cat:
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I thought you would :cool:

The goal of the project is to have autonomous cat annoyance through the camera and the LiDAR system, but we’re still a ways away from that :geek:
 
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My old iPad 4 wasn't cutting it anymore so I upgraded to one of these.
12.9", 512 GB.
I splurged (what's another $110 after the price of the iPad :roll:)and got the pencil too. I don't have much experience with other styluses (styli?) but I have to say it works about 1,000 times better than the one I use at work with a Surface Pro.
 
I had to get a new TV, the old one decided to start flashing.

Got a deal just after Xmas on an Element 55" 4K TV, with Roku built in. I can say that the Roku works much better than the old Web OS based LG, and the TV itself looks much better overall. TVs have moved quite a ways in the 5 years since I got the LG.
 
Used EVGA GTX960SC for $40, new Seasonic 620W S12-II power supply for $30 - all going in an 18 month old gaming PC that someone told me to take with me rather than fix the problems it was having (bad video card, bad power supply). Works great now.

Also, after my 17+ year old microwave went on fire, found a nice almost never used gigantic Panasonic NN-H965BF microwave for $40. 2.2 cubic foot, 1250W. https://shop.panasonic.com/support-only/NN-H965BF.html
 
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Viofo A119 V2 dash camera with 128GB microSD card, a polarizing filter, and two gps mounts.

Seems to work fine and has good low light use. No real video noise but it’s not super dark at night. Audio is good and the clips don’t duplicate the last second of the previous clip so that cuts down on editing if you do that stuff.

Overall, I like.
 
While the forums were broken, I bought an MX-500 2TB SSD Drive and 64GB of RAM to upgrade my computer. In the not too distant future, I want to replace the GTX 980 video card that came with my computer, though I am still on the fence of getting a 1080Ti or 2080 Ti.
 
I changed jobs in September last year, so of course there was some crappy laptop waiting for me:
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(Apple Macbook Pro Touchbar 6-core)

And since I work from home now, coding shit and suchlike, I felt like I needed a 4K screen:
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(LG 27UD58)
 
Following a series of hardware issues with the screen since I got the battery replaced on my HTC 10 at a store that I shall forever curse under my breath, I decided that instead of trying to deal with it or slowly repair my daily driver of a phone, I should get a replacement and fix the 10 on my own time.

Ever since smartphones hit the market, I've been in the HTC camp. Started with the Touch Diamond (Windows ME with a custom skin - the first days of Sense, before it was even called that), which I tinkered with and actually got Android 1.6 to run on, followed by pure Android devices: Desire, One S, One M7, One M9 and finally 10.

But it would seem the days of HTC, after being forecasted for so many years, are finally coming to an end. They haven't produced a single device to catch my eye as a viable replacement since the 10 (which is pushing on 3 years) so recutantly and with a heavy heart I went with another brand.

I'll miss you, HTC. You were the granddaddy of smartphones, you had such potential and brought many innovations to the market. But now it's over. :(

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It's a OnePlus 6 in the lowest spec (still pretty beefy). 6GB of RAM with 64GB of storage in Mirror Black.

Now I need a case, cause damn does that rear glass look fragile.
 
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