topbanner_forum
  *

avatar image

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Login with username, password and session length
  • Thursday March 28, 2024, 6:03 am
  • Proudly celebrating 15+ years online.
  • Donate now to become a lifetime supporting member of the site and get a non-expiring license key for all of our programs.
  • donate

Last post Author Topic: Gadget WEEKENDS  (Read 582859 times)

Deozaan

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Points: 1
  • Posts: 9,747
    • View Profile
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #575 on: December 31, 2020, 02:07 AM »
Actually, I think we've all kind of missed the point, me included  :-[

AnyDesk, NoMachine, VNC, etc are for controlling the computer remotely. Client controls host.

I thought the point was that even though something like AnyDesk is intended for remote usage, it can still be used for "screen sharing" and allow someone to remotely see what the local user is doing. Or in other words, you can still control the Pi using a keyboard and mouse connected to the Pi while seeing the results "remotely" (i.e., wirelessly) on your tablet. And it also provides the benefit of granting you touch controls if you want to use the tablet as an input device as well.

Nod5

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 1,169
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #576 on: December 31, 2020, 05:24 AM »
I think you need to look for something that implements the WiFi Display protocol (MiraCast), for example MiracleCast.
Interesting! Have you used it? I hope these kind of tools evolve to open, near turnkey, inexpensive two-part wireless hardware kits: plug in a caster/sender device to the PC or Raspberry HDMI out port and plug in the receiver to either the HDMI in port on a display/TV or to USB OTG on an old android phone/tablet (maybe flashed with a custom ROM) and shazam: wireless screen over direct Wi-Fi. Pair them by temporarily connecting a cable from receiver to sender and press a hardware button. Bonus feature would be to allow multiple simultaneous receiver devices for one sender device.

4wd

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 5,641
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #577 on: December 31, 2020, 06:21 AM »
Actually, I think we've all kind of missed the point, me included  :-[

AnyDesk, NoMachine, VNC, etc are for controlling the computer remotely. Client controls host.

I thought the point was that even though something like AnyDesk is intended for remote usage, it can still be used for "screen sharing" and allow someone to remotely see what the local user is doing.

There you go, I've officially used up whatever brain cells were allocated for this year ... I'm dumb  :-[

And I just discovered NoMachine can do the same with a little fiddling ... I think I'll shutup until my brain cells are replenished next year.

wraith808

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • default avatar
  • Posts: 11,186
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #578 on: December 31, 2020, 08:22 AM »
I'm officially confused.  The original video was about setting up a display that's not a display for the raspberry pi, which was really interested in, and thanks for the video.  The other things were a tangent I guess?  I think?  Maybe?  I dunno.

Deozaan

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Points: 1
  • Posts: 9,747
    • View Profile
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #579 on: December 31, 2020, 01:22 PM »
I'm officially confused.  The original video was about setting up a display that's not a display for the raspberry pi, which was really interested in, and thanks for the video.  The other things were a tangent I guess?  I think?  Maybe?  I dunno.

  • A tablet is not a display for the Raspberry Pi.
  • If you use an HDMI -> USB -> USB OTG converter, and your tablet supports USB webcams, you can wire up the tablet to be a display for the Raspberry Pi.
  • Or if you use remote desktop software like AnyDesk, you can accomplish the same thing wirelessly.

wraith808

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • default avatar
  • Posts: 11,186
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #580 on: December 31, 2020, 05:25 PM »
I'm officially confused.  The original video was about setting up a display that's not a display for the raspberry pi, which was really interested in, and thanks for the video.  The other things were a tangent I guess?  I think?  Maybe?  I dunno.

  • A tablet is not a display for the Raspberry Pi.
  • If you use an HDMI -> USB -> USB OTG converter, and your tablet supports USB webcams, you can wire up the tablet to be a display for the Raspberry Pi.
  • Or if you use remote desktop software like AnyDesk, you can accomplish the same thing wirelessly.


The video was about using a tablet as a display for a Raspberry Pi.  I, of course, know that a tablet is not by design a display for a Raspberry Pi.  But the video was about repurposing a tablet in a unique manner.  Therefore, I thought that everything else, since it was answering that post, was about that.  Anydesk lets you remote into the raspberry pi.  I have an all in one raspberry pi, so it has a keyboard attached, and a mouse on it.  That wouldn't work for me, as i said before, so I wasn't interested in that.

I hope we can lay this to bed at this time.  The thread went off on a tangent, and I got a bit confused by that.

Onward!  :Thmbsup:

4wd

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 5,641
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #581 on: December 31, 2020, 07:49 PM »
Just one more point regarding the screen share aspects of AnyDesk, NoMachine, etc - they all presuppose that you have a hardware monitor connected in the first place.

As such I think the MiraCast, OpenWFD, WiFi Display route is probably more geared towards this, seeing as it was billed as being "Wireless HDMI".

A couple of my old Android phones had MiraCast and WiFi Display in their settings but haven't seen them in any later phones.
Pretty sure that they would have been for sourcing rather than sinking, (which is what you want).

There are some MiraCast receiver/sink apps on the Play Store.

... and now back to our regularly scheduled program :P

PS. MiraCast is an optional feature in Windows 10 2004+ so it might give you something to play with.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2020, 07:56 PM by 4wd »

wraith808

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • default avatar
  • Posts: 11,186
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #582 on: December 31, 2020, 10:23 PM »
I ordered the capture card and the converter cable, and they should be here on Sunday.  I'll try it and see how that goes before looking into any other options.

Nod5

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 1,169
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #583 on: January 02, 2021, 02:52 PM »
I ordered the capture card and the converter cable, and they should be here on Sunday.  I'll try it and see how that goes before looking into any other options.
Keen to hear how well it works. Including which Android app to use - there are a few in the in Google Play and some appear to show ads.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2021, 05:17 PM by Nod5 »

wraith808

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • default avatar
  • Posts: 11,186
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #584 on: January 02, 2021, 10:04 PM »
I ordered the capture card and the converter cable, and they should be here on Sunday.  I'll try it and see how that goes before looking into any other options.
Keen to hear how well it works. Including which Android app to use - there are a few in the in Google Play and some appear to show ads.

So it worked quite well, with negligible perceived lag!

20210102_224943-1280x960.jpgGadget WEEKENDS
The cable connection- the HDMI from the Pi is at the bottom, then the capture card, then the adapter (used micro usb as that's what my old Samsung tablet has)

20210102_224932-1280x960.jpgGadget WEEKENDS
So when I first connected it, it asked if I wanted to open the app, and had a tick for always perform this action, which I did not tick.  After that, a dialog warning to safely disconnect came up.  I went ahead and connected- bad choice.  As soon as I connected, I couldn't click the dialog as its over the display area.  I had to reboot and try again, clicking the dialog before I connected the Pi.  It comes up not in full screen, but if you tap the display, it expands.  Tap it again to unexpand.

20210102_225253-1280x960.jpgGadget WEEKENDS
The Pi fullscreen.

20210102_225309-1280x959.jpgGadget WEEKENDS
A closer view of the screen.

I used USB Camera Pro - Connect EasyCap or USB WebCam (https://play.google....p;hl=en_US&gl=US).  They have a free version with ads, but with the refund policy on the play store, I figured I'd just go with the regular one, see if it worked, and if so keep it.  Better than even starting out with ads as it was only $5.49US.

micro usb to HDMI - https://smile.amazon.../product/B00LN3LQKQ/
capture card - https://smile.amazon.../product/B08CH9FC22/
usb-c to HDMI - https://smile.amazon.../product/B072V9CNTK/

The capture card appears to be out of stock right now :(  This looks like the same one - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08CXMLZCY/.  It's about $5USD more than I paid though.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2021, 10:11 PM by wraith808 »

Nod5

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 1,169
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #585 on: January 04, 2021, 04:07 AM »
So it worked quite well, with negligible perceived lag!
Great, thanks for the details.

I used USB Camera Pro - Connect EasyCap or USB WebCam
Good find. Though this is such a neat way to reuse old devices that I wish Google adds its own USB webcam functionality for it to Android. Also wishing Raspberry Pi OS came with some send-HDMI-over-USB functionality to make the converter hardware redundant.

mouser

  • First Author
  • Administrator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 40,896
    • View Profile
    • Mouser's Software Zone on DonationCoder.com
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #586 on: January 15, 2021, 09:19 PM »
The microphone line I hear most often recommended is the Blue Yeti.

KynloStephen66515

  • Animated Giffer in Chief
  • Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2010
  • **
  • Posts: 3,741
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #587 on: January 15, 2021, 09:27 PM »
I am looking to buy myself a good microphone as I want to start streaming, which one would you actually recommend me, or in case there is anyone who is streaming in here, which microphone are you using?

Not for live-streaming (but I could), I use a selection of Zingyou (Chinese) Condensor Microphones + a Behringer (u-phoria um2) interface (to provide 48v power and physical gain control).  I know people don't usually recommend Chinese stuff, but honestly, these microphones I got were both super cheap (<£50 each), came with everything they needed (telescopic arm, leads, pop filter, etc) and I have had 0 problems with a single one of them!

I'd highly recommend a telescopic arm for your microphone + a good pop filter!

Also, as for software, a mixture of Voicemeeter and CARLA (for VST plugins/effects) should be more than enough.

app103

  • That scary taskbar girl
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2006
  • *****
  • Posts: 5,884
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #588 on: February 22, 2021, 01:17 PM »
I finally fixed the Bluetooth issues on my laptop, once and for all, with this:

Screenshot - 2_22_2021 , 1_52_13 PM.pngGadget WEEKENDS

https://smile.amazon.../product/B085LB5Y8M/


It's not just a solution, it's also a nice, inexpensive upgrade to BT 5.0. :)

It seems to have a slightly shorter range than my built-in Bluetooth, though, so my headphones start cutting out on the far side of my kitchen. I can't listen to music while cleaning my bathroom or making a sandwich. But it will do for now, since it lets me use my Bluetooth mouse without any problems.

4wd

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 5,641
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #589 on: March 07, 2021, 10:26 PM »
Something new in my quest to turn my RasPi into SkyNet: Coral Accelerator

IMG_20210308_145603.jpgGadget WEEKENDS

The Coral USB Accelerator adds an Edge TPU coprocessor to your system, enabling high-speed machine learning inferencing on a wide range of systems, simply by connecting it to a USB port.

...

The on-board Edge TPU coprocessor is capable of performing 4 trillion operations (tera-operations) per second (TOPS), using 0.5 watts for each TOPS (2 TOPS per watt).

mouser

  • First Author
  • Administrator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 40,896
    • View Profile
    • Mouser's Software Zone on DonationCoder.com
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #590 on: March 07, 2021, 10:39 PM »
love to hear how you're going to use it..

4wd

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 5,641
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #591 on: March 08, 2021, 02:03 AM »
love to hear how you're going to use it..

I'm thinking image classification atm, there's a few projects on GitHub that use TensorFlow (Lite) so I thought I might have a play around.

Having spent quite a few hours classifying hundreds of digital photos which is just a drop in the thousands I have, it'd be nice to see if the Accelerator can speed up the process by using low powered hardware rather than having a full desktop doing it.

Plus it's cheap enough that it's worth playing with.

It could also end up sitting in a drawer because I've decided to put it in the "too hard basket"  :P
« Last Edit: March 08, 2021, 02:17 AM by 4wd »

Renegade

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 13,288
  • Tell me something you don't know...
    • View Profile
    • Renegade Minds
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #592 on: March 08, 2021, 10:29 AM »
My new computer coming later this week.

Screenshot - 2021-03-03 , 11_08_15 PM.png

Slow Down Music - Where I commit thought crimes...

Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong. - John Diefenbaker

Deozaan

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Points: 1
  • Posts: 9,747
    • View Profile
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #593 on: March 08, 2021, 02:11 PM »
My new computer coming later this week.

Very nice. I'm jealous. :D

I built the PC I'm using in 2011, and the only significant upgrade it has had since that time is a newer (but used) GPU, which I pretty much only got because my old GPU was breaking down.

I've been surprised by how long I've been happy with my PC, since previously I always strongly felt the need for an upgrade after only 5 years at most. But it has only been for about the past year that I've finally started feeling somewhat unsatisfied with this machine's performance. Maybe I'll finally become so unhappy with it that I'll get an upgrade in a couple of years...

But right now I think I'm mostly jealous of your new machine's RAM. It will have as many GBs of RAM as I have of SSD storage in my machine. :o :)

Something new in my quest to turn my RasPi into SkyNet: Coral Accelerator

That sounds intriguing. AI and ML have fascinated me for the past few years, but apparently there are other things I'd rather spend my time on so I haven't learned much about doing any of it myself. Good luck!

Shades

  • Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 2,922
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #594 on: March 08, 2021, 06:12 PM »
You have 2 RTX3080 video cards in your new PC?  Better put in a 1200 Watt power supply. When both video cards have a 100% load, the 1000 Watt power supply will make your system unstable.

RTX3080 and 3090 cards generate really high peaks and you will find to your chagrin that the 1000 Watt power supply will "choke" on those peaks. A bit of over-provisioning in power supply capacity is not a luxury with those beasts unfortunately. A computer with a single RTX 3080/3090 and a 800 Watt (platinum) power supply is cutting it close. 1000 Watts sounds like a lot. And it is. But 128GByte or RAM consumes quite a lot already, All those drives operate at very high speeds and require quite a lot of power as well. Let alone the CPU and chip-sets on the motherboard. You'll see that even those chip-sets have (passive) cooling as well. Why? Because they use a lot of power and generate quite a lot of heat too. Combine all that with those video cards and you might even find that a 1200 Watt power supply isn't up to the task. I kid you not.

Anyway, congrats on a awesome system. Wish I had the money myself, or lived in a country where it would be easy to get gear like that. No, Amazon/eBay etc. are hardly an option here, as Paraguay has borderline criminal surcharges for importing computer gear.

Well, in my case (and if I understood correctly, also Deozaan) if can't have the gear that you love, love the gear that you have. My old 2009 clunker has SSDs and 32 GByte (4x8) of RAM. But I found that 16 GByte (2x8) performed better. Not all motherboards and chip-set combinations handle dual-channel memory well when 4 RAM slots are filled. Leaving 2 of those empty is actually faster on my machine. Video encoding (x265, 10-bit) of a 45 minute video file took 3 minutes less with 16 GByte than with 32 GByte.

To Deozaan my advice would be to get 2 of the largest size RAM modules your motherboard supports and flip your current RAM module(s) on eBay or something. As your system is of comparable age as mine, the maximum size per RAM module will likely be 8 GByte. So get 2 of those. Kingston and Corsair are decent brands for RAM that work (and keep working) on the specified speeds over their functional life. Also check the maximum speed of the RAM modules your motherboard supports.

Info like this is usually easy to come by on the support pages of the motherboard's manufacturer website.

Mark0

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 652
    • View Profile
    • Mark's home
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #595 on: March 09, 2021, 05:23 PM »
PXL_20210304_182112239.jpgGadget WEEKENDS

Got a Xiaomi Air Pump to check/fix the tyres pressure without having to move out the big compressor.
It's compact and weight less than 0.5KG. Took about a minute and a half to take a 18" tyre from 2.6 to 2.9 bar.
The car sensors agree with the set pressure, so it seems precise enough. Done all 4 wheels, and then another, smaller car before the LED signaled 25% or less charge.

mouser

  • First Author
  • Administrator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 40,896
    • View Profile
    • Mouser's Software Zone on DonationCoder.com
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #596 on: March 10, 2021, 03:10 AM »
Where are you going to find that 3080 is the question.. the graphics cards are impossible to find in stock these days..

Renegade

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 13,288
  • Tell me something you don't know...
    • View Profile
    • Renegade Minds
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #597 on: March 28, 2021, 11:28 PM »
You have 2 RTX3080 video cards in your new PC?  Better put in a 1200 Watt power supply. When both video cards have a 100% load, the 1000 Watt power supply will make your system unstable.

I wanted 2, but they'd only give me 1.

Where are you going to find that 3080 is the question.. the graphics cards are impossible to find in stock these days..

I ordered the computer built by probably the top high-end computer dealer in Canada. They've got a good relationship with the manufacturers.



KNIVES! EDC!

I finally broke down and got myself a couple decent knives. I've always had garbage knives. A good number of them cost less than $2.00. Canadian.

C209GS_Both.png

C29S_Both.png

Not the best, but decent. I still want to get a flat grind. I'm finding the serrated ones are great, but they are limited in some ways.

Today I got the sharpeners for it. These ones arrived a week or so ago:

400F_M.jpg

And these arrived this weekend:

204MF_M.jpg

204UF1_M.jpg

204CBN_M.jpg

I sharpened my 2 new knives, and they're damn sharp. Like, scary sharp. Since they're serrated, I can't "shave" with them, but man... are they ever sharp.

I've tried on other old, garbage knives, and it's simply IMPOSSIBLE to get an edge like on a decent knife made with decent steel.

My old Victorinox Swiss Army Knife gets sharp... but nowhere near the Spydercos. The others? Pfft. Hopeless. Quality really, really matters.

I carry the Rescue knife much more than the Cricket. I'll switch it up & see which I like most.

The Rescue knife I got in part because of that time (posted here long ago) that I had to smash a car window to pull a guy out of a burning car wreck. Had I have had something like this, it would've been much easier & faster. You just never know.

But really, I'm using the new knives mostly for opening & chopping up boxes. It's a LOT more fun & enjoyable with a decent blade.



Slow Down Music - Where I commit thought crimes...

Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong. - John Diefenbaker

Deozaan

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Points: 1
  • Posts: 9,747
    • View Profile
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #598 on: June 25, 2022, 08:12 PM »
Pimoroni Heatsink Case RPi4 - Zircon Blue.png

I got the above heatsink case to go with my Pi. I'm normally very utilitarian and don't care too much about how things look and just go for black, but I really like the colorful options this case comes in.

My only complaint about it is that it doesn't quite fully encase the board. Which, in practice, means that the microSD card is poking out a few millimeters, exposed to damage from bumps or drops. On the other hand, this also makes it a bit easier to get in and out. But on the other other hand, my device isn't really going anywhere (so I'm unlikely to bump or drop it) and I'm not doing anything with it that requires frequent removal/reinsertion of the microSD card.

My Raspberry Pis were collecting dust, so I decided to sell them on eBay recently. I had gotten another case for my Pi 4, which didn't work out as intended, so I sold it bundled with the Pi. But that means I still have the above Pimoroni case for a Raspberry Pi I no longer have.

I'm willing to send it to any established member of the forum who wants it, as long as you're willing to pay shipping costs. If I don't get any takers in a week or so then I'll probably try my luck on eBay.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2022, 10:00 PM by Deozaan »

4wd

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 5,641
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Gadget WEEKENDS
« Reply #599 on: March 16, 2024, 06:19 AM »
It's been awhile so time for some gadgets:

Last time I was in the UK, (2022), I picked up a Samsung Gear 360 kit, (VR headset plus the camera), for the princely sum of £25 on eBay.
Wanted it for the cameraw which I've used while 4wding, works well.

attach1.jpgGadget WEEKENDS

Budi multifunction stick.
uSD storage and card reader, SIM storage and removal tool, USB-C to USB-C cable with USB-A, micro USB-B, and Lightning adaptors, plus a phone stand.

attach2.jpgGadget WEEKENDS

ZimaBoard 432, mid-range version. 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC storage, 2 SATA ports, 2 Gbe ports, PCIe x2 slot, silent.
Thinking of plugging a WiFi 7 card in and using it for pfsense or OPNsense, depending on how good wifi support is.

Shown mounted on a 3D printed 'sled' for mounting in a rack, along with two 120GB SSDs, and a 4 port Gbe card.

attach3.jpgGadget WEEKENDS

Just recently, Akaso Brave4 action cam for upcoming trip, (4 cruises back-to-back, Sydney->New York, 67 days), comes with a load of mounting accessories.

attach4.jpgGadget WEEKENDS

VEEKTOMX 22.5W 10Ah Power Bank, wanted something a little smaller and lighter than my usual Romoss 74W 20Ah Power Bank with PD and QC.

attach5.jpgGadget WEEKENDS

LENCENT 65W Universal Travel Charger to keep things charged.

attach6.jpgGadget WEEKENDS

HGFRTEE 14" 4k portable IPS display, USB-C power/video input + mini-HDMI input, stero speakers

attach7.jpgGadget WEEKENDS

Flextail Zero Pump inflator/deflator.

attach8.jpgGadget WEEKENDS
« Last Edit: March 18, 2024, 12:43 AM by 4wd »