geekhack

geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: tp4tissue on Wed, 29 April 2020, 20:22:43

Title: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 29 April 2020, 20:22:43
Tp4 doesn't yet own an e-scooter.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: noisyturtle on Wed, 29 April 2020, 21:02:12
Most things
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Sniping on Wed, 29 April 2020, 23:13:30
need one of them $200 dyson handheld vacuums for sure
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: HoffmanMyster on Thu, 30 April 2020, 00:01:06
Tp4 doesn't yet own an e-scooter.

Are e-scooters popular enough that not having one is noteworthy? 
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: SBJ on Thu, 30 April 2020, 02:32:47
Tp4 doesn't yet own an e-scooter.
Probably a **** ton. I generally don't browse after gadgets unless I know there's something I want, because I just know I'll end up buying something I use for 5 mins and then never again.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: suicidal_orange on Thu, 30 April 2020, 05:38:27
I don't have a "smartphone", which is to say a phone which runs common apps all the crazy sociable people in the world use on an hourly basis.

Of the things that look good but would probably not get used enough to justify buying I don't have a wifi enabled lightbulb or a video doorbell.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: yui on Thu, 30 April 2020, 09:23:36
I don't have a "smartphone", which is to say a phone which runs common apps all the crazy sociable people in the world use on an hourly basis.

Of the things that look good but would probably not get used enough to justify buying I don't have a wifi enabled lightbulb or a video doorbell.
The funny thing is that i only own a "fast" smartphone to have google map and barecode/2dcode scanners (i work with a lot of then, useful to have a fast scanner to debug) running smooth and have access to 2FA authenticators, i have uninstalled or disabled all the games and social stuff from it, and i am not even old.
To answer the original question it somewhat depend on your definition of electronic gizmo, most of what would fall in that category for me is useless tat that will break within a year, and so i do not bother buying those anymore and you, great preacher of the clean life, should be the last person to own more electronics that went 3 times around the world before reaching you....
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Thu, 30 April 2020, 11:29:16
Are e-scooters popular enough that not having one is noteworthy? 

But you see um' on the internet, and all these people look like they're having fun.

Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Findecanor on Thu, 30 April 2020, 12:13:45
I don't have a smartphone either.

I'm have been looking for one for a while though, but mostly to replace my old point-and-shoot camera where the auto-focus and screen are busted.
However, the more I have learned about them, the more critical I have become. I don't care about performance but I want a small one with a good camera and not abysmal battery life that does not cost an arm and a leg.

Tp4 doesn't yet own an e-scooter.
Get a real bike! E-scooters are toy bikes that go at unsafe speeds — which has resulted in more accidents than usual. We were better without them.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: absyrd on Thu, 30 April 2020, 14:52:14
3D printer.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: fohat.digs on Thu, 30 April 2020, 15:24:20
3D printer.

+1

What is the sweet spot between price and quality at the lower end of the market?
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: absyrd on Thu, 30 April 2020, 16:53:43
3D printer.

+1

What is the sweet spot between price and quality at the lower end of the market?


No clue. All I know is my wyfe had to drag me away from them at Microcenter a few months back. I couldn't even start looking at prices and specs. Then I came home and didn't want to dig in as I'd make a purchase she'd make me regret.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: switchnollie on Thu, 30 April 2020, 17:04:43
need one of them $200 dyson handheld vacuums for sure

Yeah I've been eyeing those, look very convenient.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Sintpinty on Thu, 30 April 2020, 19:40:56
Tp4 doesn't yet own an e-scooter.

A phone
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Leslieann on Thu, 30 April 2020, 22:10:43
3D printer.
What is the sweet spot between price and quality at the lower end of the market?
It sort of depends on your comfort level with searching for answers vs how much you want plug and play.

First thing I would say though is have a purpose in mind for it before you even start looking. For one this plays a part in the type, but also if you have no idea what you want to do with it it's just going to sit. It's a tool, a very slow tool and while it's amazing to watch something you designed on a computer rise out of nothing to a physical thing, it's a lot of time and money to invest if you have no use for it. You don't buy a laser level unless you need it.

If you want to do small stuff like earrings, rings, bracelets for your kids or wife (my mom loves the earrings), chess pieces, Warhammer stuff, a resin printer may be a good choice. Beware, these are not good in a house (messy and toxic) and they are really only good for small stuff. The good side is these are fast and have amazing detail. These are relatively new to the lower price point and I don't really recommend them as your only printer, but your use case may warrant it.

When most people think 3d printing they think FDM, where you use a spool of plastic, these can do highly detailed stuff, and when tuned pretty close to a resin printer but can also do larger objects. These can be used in a house when using certain plastics, though I developed an allergy to it so mine is in a closet with a smoke detector, camera and HEPA filter.

If you want easy peasy, look for an Prusa, not a clone, the real ones. They are often backlogged and run $800, but they are pretty much the printer for ease of use and quality. If you want larger or cheaper, Creality Ender Pro  or Tronxy CoreXy models. The Ender will be around $200, the Tronxy falls in the middle,  the latter being larger and often faster, both have less factory support (Chinese) compared to the Prusa which pretty much has the best support and documentation of almost any company I've seen and not just in 3d printing. All 3 have large online support communities so help is there regardless. Don't forget, even the best ones are a hobby in themselves, even the best professional ones that cost tens of thousands require effort to maintain (same as a cnc mill) and there is always something to learn so you WILL be needing help.

Don't forget you also need to learn CAD to get the most from it which is another hobby in itself.

By the way, don't be afraid to buy used if you are willing to work to save some money, just research it first. It needs to work, have standard parts (nema 17 motors!) and you don't want to buy a fire hazard. So long as it meets this criteria even old printers can be beefed up to modern standards which haven't really changed much at the low to mid range in years and you can always use it to make an even better open source model and use it's parts. Open source dominates home 3d printers, with them being some of the best ones you can buy/build at any price. 

If you have access to one you may even want to consider broken ones, I've literally seen them given away by people who bought something better and just didn't want to deal with it anymore, but you often need access to one to make parts. Many people end up with more than one just so they can make parts when things break on the other.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Leslieann on Thu, 30 April 2020, 22:20:24
The only electronic gizmo I currently want is an E-bike.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: noisyturtle on Fri, 01 May 2020, 00:13:04
I'd really like to get a vr set, but it still feels too expensive and limited for what seems like a gimmick vehicle for experimental games.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Fri, 01 May 2020, 04:16:40
The only electronic gizmo I currently want is an E-bike.


You see, (tp4 metaphorically jumps up and down),   E-skoot/bike. Everyone nees 1..


I'd really like to get a vr set, but it still feels too expensive and limited for what seems like a gimmick vehicle for experimental games.

They have to figure out how to read the eye's dynamic focus, only then can it go mainstream.

Fix focus is no-go.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Sintpinty on Fri, 01 May 2020, 07:28:49
I'd really like to get a vr set, but it still feels too expensive and limited for what seems like a gimmick vehicle for experimental games.

I get sick as hell in ps4 vr because its 60 fps and not 90. Stutters too.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Kavik on Fri, 01 May 2020, 10:32:17
I'm not sure which of these qualify as gizmos, and I don't necessarily want the things on the list, but some would be nice to have:

-Smartphone
-HOTAS for flight games
-Bluetooth anything (except my Fitbit, which spottily syncs with a hand-me-down tablet)
-Sound system for living room
-Laser rangefinder
-Digital SLR camera (I've wanted one for close to fifteen years but never wanted to spend the money)
-Wireless/network printer


Things I do have that I never use:
-Gamebuino
-Arduboy
-Raspberry Pi
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: abstractkb on Sun, 03 May 2020, 12:06:58
Smart home devices, I want some because automation is cool.  Right now looking at motorized blinds for a friend.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: noisyturtle on Sun, 03 May 2020, 18:06:54
Smart home devices, I want some because automation is cool.  Right now looking at motorized blinds for a friend.

Smart lighting looks really cool these days, lot's of specialty options.

But I suppose first you need to have a home to put them in...
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Olumin on Sun, 03 May 2020, 18:43:27
I have an older Mitutoyo digital micrometer which works fine, but would like to have a new one, for redundancy. "Quantumike" I think they are called.

Other than that, a digital height gauge within 0.01mm tolerance (with is pretty much all of them) would be great. Very expensive.

Would not complain about one of those fancy modern all-computerized 5-axis CNC machines... Not that I need that... just sayin...

 
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Mr_Spaceman on Mon, 04 May 2020, 11:49:25
I dont have a 3D Printer either, or a tablet/ an iPad. Between the smartphone and the laptop never saw the need to actually use an iPad. 3D printing however, i could see myself getting into as a hobby.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Leslieann on Mon, 04 May 2020, 22:29:32
I have an older Mitutoyo digital micrometer which works fine, but would like to have a new one, for redundancy. "Quantumike" I think they are called.
I could use a good one to complement my garbage one, but the prices are harsh.

There's also a bunch of fakes now on the market.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 04 May 2020, 22:47:30
I could use a good one to complement my garbage one, but the prices are harsh.

There's also a bunch of fakes now on the market.


It's impossible to not notice a fake, if You've held a real mitutoyo before.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: phinix on Tue, 05 May 2020, 04:37:54
Are you guys talking about caliper? I always wanted a digital one...
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Olumin on Tue, 05 May 2020, 06:19:40
I could use a good one to complement my garbage one, but the prices are harsh.

There's also a bunch of fakes now on the market.


It's impossible to not notice a fake, if You've held a real mitutoyo before.


That’s what they said about Rolex fakes even just 5 years ago, and now you sometimes can’t tell unless you open them up, and I’m saying that as a Watchmaker. Some of the more elaborate fakes even copy the movement. I would not be surprised if it went the same with Mitutoyo.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Olumin on Tue, 05 May 2020, 06:24:54
Are you guys talking about caliper? I always wanted a digital one...

"Used" Mitutoyo digimatic calipers often can be had for little on Ebay auctions. I’m putting used in quotations because often they have never been really used (once or twice). Just look out for that.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Findecanor on Tue, 05 May 2020, 06:30:08
I've got a cheap digital one. I have used it all the time for years and the other day I thought the battery had run out ... but it turned out to have been the rubber on/off buttons acting up ...
Maybe I should mod it with microswitches, but... one of these would be cooler.

I love nerding out over good tools ...
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: bananasplit_00 on Tue, 05 May 2020, 06:50:00
No 3D printer, no electric scooter, kitchen fan, smart watch, no smart home or IOT garbage..

Miss having a kitchen fan and a smart watch tho. Especially the kitchen fan
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 05 May 2020, 08:00:24
Miss having a kitchen fan and a smart watch tho. Especially the kitchen fan

by kitchen fan you mean the stove ventilation ?
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Olumin on Tue, 05 May 2020, 08:11:48
I've got a cheap digital one. I have used it all the time for years and the other day I thought the battery had run out ... but it turned out to have been the rubber on/off buttons acting up ...
Maybe I should mod it with microswitches, but... one of these would be cooler.

I love nerding out over good tools ...

Trust me I get it, I own and use many vintage tools, but a high-quality dial-calliper (especially with 0.01mm readability) will cost you more than a quality digital one, with the digital one being more reliable (fewer moving parts = more rugged) and much easier/quicker to read. With high-quality I refer to repeatability/consistency in its results. Of cause the dial ones are cool, but apart from that offer little advantage except independence form batteries. Modern digital-callipers usually also have a battery life of 2 years or more.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 05 May 2020, 08:51:06
Headsup,  DO NOT buy a dial caliper.

They're really mainly for Nostalgia at this point, still usable, yes, but Digital is far more robust.

So, if you don't take very many readings, it's fine,  but if you got a big project, and you want to get it done.. GET DIGITAL
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Olumin on Tue, 05 May 2020, 09:36:02
Headsup,  DO NOT buy a dial caliper.

They're really mainly for Nostalgia at this point, still usable, yes, but Digital is far more robust.

So, if you don't take very many readings, it's fine,  but if you got a big project, and you want to get it done.. GET DIGITAL


Now don’t get me wrong, I still use several mechanical measuring devices on a daily basis, including a few stationary dial- and mechanical micrometres, dial-gauges, mechanical height gauges and so on. I love working with them, however these are stationary devices which do not need to be moved around, so "ruggedness" is a non-issue. That is especially true since I am talking about a watchmaker’s workshop here, not a car repair shop...
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: yui on Tue, 05 May 2020, 10:08:37
Headsup,  DO NOT buy a dial caliper.

They're really mainly for Nostalgia at this point, still usable, yes, but Digital is far more robust.

So, if you don't take very many readings, it's fine,  but if you got a big project, and you want to get it done.. GET DIGITAL


well depends on the quality of the thing, got a 20 euros one from the store and the thing is completely unreliable, need to get at least 3 reading each time to get something that could resemble accuracy, so even digital can take a bit of time, while verniers once you know how to read them are pretty fast, and do not eat batteries, i do not know about dial ones, never used any, and really good digitals are really the way to go, but 100 bucks is not something everybody can justify (Mitutoyo is what i know is good, as i used them at work), while ****ing up making a vernier is harder, and a good one is half the price.

all of that is from the point of view of someone who learned engineering from a fairly old school teacher (there was only vernier calipers allowed in class), so maybe biased as well.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 05 May 2020, 10:32:10

well depends on the quality of the thing, got a 20 euros one from the store and the thing is completely unreliable, need to get at least 3 reading each time to get something that could resemble accuracy, so even digital can take a bit of time, while verniers once you know how to read them are pretty fast, and do not eat batteries, i do not know about dial ones, never used any, and really good digitals are really the way to go, but 100 bucks is not something everybody can justify (Mitutoyo is what i know is good, as i used them at work), while ****ing up making a vernier is harder, and a good one is half the price.

all of that is from the point of view of someone who learned engineering from a fairly old school teacher (there was only vernier calipers allowed in class), so maybe biased as well.


If the job doesn't require that many readings, it's fine.

But if you need to take hundreds of readings in a day, you'd have to squint that many times on a vernier, even on a dial if your eyesight isn't great,  it's gonna give you wrinkles, and  what would you pay down the line to get rid of those, if it's even possible?

Digital is the way to go, for anyone on the machine path.

Vernier and Dial are also LESS Reliable due to the human factor, you're much more likely to make a mistake vs on Digital.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Olumin on Tue, 05 May 2020, 10:54:26
Headsup,  DO NOT buy a dial caliper.

They're really mainly for Nostalgia at this point, still usable, yes, but Digital is far more robust.

So, if you don't take very many readings, it's fine,  but if you got a big project, and you want to get it done.. GET DIGITAL


well depends on the quality of the thing, got a 20 euros one from the store and the thing is completely unreliable, need to get at least 3 reading each time to get something that could resemble accuracy, so even digital can take a bit of time, while verniers once you know how to read them are pretty fast, and do not eat batteries, i do not know about dial ones, never used any, and really good digitals are really the way to go, but 100 bucks is not something everybody can justify (Mitutoyo is what i know is good, as i used them at work), while ****ing up making a vernier is harder, and a good one is half the price.

all of that is from the point of view of someone who learned engineering from a fairly old school teacher (there was only vernier calipers allowed in class), so maybe biased as well.

Well, besides all that Tp already said; do Vernier callipers even come in 0.01mm? I’ve never seen one. Meaning if you need that kind of accuracy, you would have no choice but to ditch your Vernier calliper in favour of dial or digital one. Between those two, digital is certainly the way to go.

I own a few Vernier callipers from Mitutoyo, Mahr, Mauser... but these are only for quick, rough readings on parts were 100% precision is not required. Step up from that; Digital. Step up from that; mechanical micrometer, and from that to a digital one.

There are mechanical micrometers that show down to 0.001mm. Those are very cool, but really only collectors’ items.

Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 05 May 2020, 10:56:51
There are mechanical micrometers that show down to 0.001mm. Those are very cool, but really only collectors’ items.

0.001 is for temperature controlled shops. They're not for general consumer.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Olumin on Tue, 05 May 2020, 11:29:13
There are mechanical micrometers that show down to 0.001mm. Those are very cool, but really only collectors’ items.

0.001 is for temperature controlled shops. They're not for general consumer.


0.001mm is a micrometre (μm). It’s the standard resolution of any digital micrometer.

What you are thinking of is perhaps 0.0001mm, that’s a tenth of an μm, or 100 nanometers. Those also exist, and are generally used in metrology labs.

Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 05 May 2020, 11:41:53
There are mechanical micrometers that show down to 0.001mm. Those are very cool, but really only collectors’ items.

0.001 is for temperature controlled shops. They're not for general consumer.


0.001mm is a micrometre (μm). It’s the standard resolution of any digital micrometer.

What you are thinking of is perhaps 0.0001mm, that’s a tenth of an μm, or 100 nanometers. Those also exist, and are generally used in metrology labs.


I would like to visit your machine shop which holds 0.001mm without temperature control.

(https://i.imgur.com/KJAc0O4.gif)
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: suicidal_orange on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:32:34
There are mechanical micrometers that show down to 0.001mm. Those are very cool, but really only collectors’ items.

0.001 is for temperature controlled shops. They're not for general consumer.


0.001mm is a micrometre (μm). It’s the standard resolution of any digital micrometer.

What you are thinking of is perhaps 0.0001mm, that’s a tenth of an μm, or 100 nanometers. Those also exist, and are generally used in metrology labs.


I would like to visit your machine shop which holds 0.001mm without temperature control.

Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/KJAc0O4.gif)

Still useful when trying to hold +/- 0.01 - without the extra d.p. you wouldn't know if the .01 you see is actually .008 and good or .013 and scrap.  Yes I've done it without temp control, no it's not fun!
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:42:12

Still useful when trying to hold +/- 0.01 - without the extra d.p. you wouldn't know if the .01 you see is actually .008 and good or .013 and scrap.  Yes I've done it without temp control, no it's not fun!

It's barely doable on something very small, without temp control.


(https://i.imgur.com/UqxGM5b.gif)
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: Olumin on Tue, 05 May 2020, 14:17:03

Still useful when trying to hold +/- 0.01 - without the extra d.p. you wouldn't know if the .01 you see is actually .008 and good or .013 and scrap.  Yes I've done it without temp control, no it's not fun!

It's barely doable on something very small, without temp control.


Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/UqxGM5b.gif)


It’s not like the temp. in most rooms fluctuates between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius. It usually stays around 20, which is the temperature most measuring device are designed to operate at.

As long as you make sure that the thing you want to measure is at room temperature, the few degrees -/+ do not make much of a difference for most measurements. I calibrate my micrometres frequently using Grade 0 gauge blocks, and I always stay within tolerance of -/+ 0.001mm, despite no climate control. And long as the measuring surfaces and the measured objects are clean, It’s a non-issue if one follows propper procedure.

Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: suicidal_orange on Fri, 08 May 2020, 08:51:08

Still useful when trying to hold +/- 0.01 - without the extra d.p. you wouldn't know if the .01 you see is actually .008 and good or .013 and scrap.  Yes I've done it without temp control, no it's not fun!

It's barely doable on something very small, without temp control.


Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/UqxGM5b.gif)


Yes, small.  I think it was a 20mm diameter.  By the time you've found, cleaned and measured one part the next one's already made!

It’s not like the temp. in most rooms fluctuates between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius. It usually stays around 20, which is the temperature most measuring device are designed to operate at.
Yeah the room's good, it's inside the machine that gets fun.  If you can get it up to full speed so the internal temperature stabilises, ensure the part catcher catches every part so you don't have to open the door to remove parts, have no insert failures or swarf buildup, and the bar ends exit as they should you're good but that's a lot of "ifs".
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Sat, 09 May 2020, 11:17:58
Ok, that Big wheel skateboard .. Thoughts ? vs E skooters.
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: suicidal_orange on Sat, 09 May 2020, 11:35:08
I wouldn't want a motorised anything with no handle - you fall off, it runs away (https://cdn.geekhack.org/Smileys/solosmileys/laugh.gif)
Title: Re: Which Electronic Gizmo "Don't you have" ?
Post by: tp4tissue on Sat, 09 May 2020, 12:00:45
I wouldn't want a motorised anything with no handle - you fall off, it runs away
Show Image
(https://cdn.geekhack.org/Smileys/solosmileys/laugh.gif)


Hrrrrm.. welll... the skooter is more ergonomic.