Sod your work bench, what can you see from your window!

[kolbep]

Oh, and here was the view from my workbench last night :

(yes it is meant to be a black rectangle)

For those of you who don't know, our (South African) Electricity provider is very clever,
they cant make enough electricity, so they tell you to stop using so much of their product,
when that does not work, they start charging more,
then because you are using less, they make less, so they charge even more
when that does not work, they do load shedding (meaning they switch different areas off for 2 hours at a time, to lower the load)

I have never known a company that encourages you NOT to use their product.

Now I just need to repair one of my inverters (went off with a BANG - Literally), and then I should be able to carry on for some time.

[Mechanical Menace]

What are others doing for lab security?  Alarms?

I'm in England and well known as "that weird guy with the swords, shotguns and rifles." Haven't had a problem yet...


Probably helps that it's the sort of area that's only had 1 break in in 8 years, and that was kids messing about. But my confirmation bias makes me think it's the weapons lol.

[smjcuk]

What are others doing for lab security?  Alarms?

I'm in England and well known as "that weird guy with the swords, shotguns and rifles." Haven't had a problem yet...


Probably helps that it's the sort of area that's only had 1 break in in 8 years, and that was kids messing about. But my confirmation bias makes me think it's the weapons lol.

It's the weapons. They know you're tooled up ...

Where I live the crims are numerous but pretty polite.

I caught someone climbing in my back window a few years ago. We stared at each other for what felt like 10 seconds, then he politely apologised and climbed back out and walked off as if nothing had happened. Police sent me a letter saying 'sorry we couldn't attend' after calling 999. Typical.

Glad I don't live in SA though. Biggest crime this month in my street was someone obviously with a pet tyrannosaurus or something leaving a massive poop outside my gate.

[jlmoon]

Well I mean't that to be funny but maybe  it wasn't 

Seriously though,  I have conisdered security bars on my basement lab's window - mostly for the times we are out of town for several days.  I live in a rural area but occasionally neighbors have had someone break into their place when they're away.

What are others doing for lab security?  Alarms?

A 130 - 150 lb well trained Dovie or Rottie comes to mind when I hear the term Lab "security"

[rolycat]

A 130 - 150 lb well trained Dovie or Rottie comes to mind when I hear the term Lab "security"

I would use a Lab for lab security. No-one would dare enter for fear of being slobbered to death.

[mtdoc]

Well I mean't that to be funny but maybe  it wasn't 

Seriously though,  I have conisdered security bars on my basement lab's window - mostly for the times we are out of town for several days.  I live in a rural area but occasionally neighbors have had someone break into their place when they're away.

What are others doing for lab security?  Alarms?

A 130 - 150 lb well trained Dovie or Rottie comes to mind when I hear the term Lab "security"

I've got a big dog and a 12 gauge so I'm not worried about a lab break in when we're around. It's when we're gone for 2 weeks during vacation that concerns me.

[SeanB]

Even if they're African peafowl they aren't native to SA are they? Shouldn't you just run them over?

Not if they belong to the State President. They roost in his yard, and between there and District 9 there are a good few of them.

[Fred27]

What are others doing for lab security?  Alarms?

I use a NFC tag implanted in my hand.
https://0xfred.wordpress.com/2014/05/23/my-nfc-implant/

Yes - I know someone could easily smash that glass window. I got it 'cos I like the convenience and geekiness of it rather than because it secure.

[Muttley Snickers]

We have a pet Galah (parrot) on the back verandah in a large aviary overlooking our rear yard, the cars, the boat and the workshop. He will notify us and carry on like a two bob watch if there is any activity in the vicinity of our property except for accompanied visitors and guests. He has particular sounds for various intruders and we know straight away whether is a cat, a fox, a possum or the local magpie's turning up for a feed.

If the phone rings he mimics the sound and is a handy phone extension ringer, if visitors arrive he will notify us and then start a conversation with them, saving us the trouble, he can go through timber better than my chainsaw and strips up
cable like nothing you have ever seen, he will swear at people that don't scratch him on the head and tell them where to go, this is probably where I got it from as he is a bad influence, anyway if I was on the computer I would post some pictures of our top notch security management system but he's gone to bed right now.


Muttley

[tautech]

We have a pet Galah (parrot) on the back verandah in a large aviary
overlooking our rear yard, the cars, the boat and the workshop.

He will swear at people that dont scratch him on the head and tell them
where to go, this is probably where I got it from, he's a bad influence.

Muttley

Yeah right. 
You taught him those naughty words didn't you. 

[Muttley Snickers]

No, he was listening in on our phone conversation and got it all from you.

Muttley

[tautech]

No, he was listening in on our phone conversation and got it all from you.

Muttley

Must have been what I said in reply to your price offer on a certain Siglent product. 

[TerraHertz]

The view from the sole remaining window of my workshop is just the side of my other (unfinished) workshop about 5 meters away. And it's not a pretty sight. Probably a lot of eevbloggers have very plain suburban views. Maybe you should have asked for pics of people's favorite nearby place?

Here's mine: http://everist.org/NobLog/20130704_day_at_miara.htm
A really nice place a short drive away, that I like to go for a peaceful day now and then.

[ajb]

(Well, Okay, technically that window's in my other half's side of the basement.  There aren't any windows on my side.  And yes, the window wells need cleaning)

[TerraHertz]

(Well, Okay, technically that window's in my other half's side of the basement.  There aren't any windows on my side.  And yes, the window wells need cleaning)

Wow, that's grim. Have you thought of adding some animal skeletons to lighten it up a bit?

[ajb]

(Well, Okay, technically that window's in my other half's side of the basement.  There aren't any windows on my side.  And yes, the window wells need cleaning)

Wow, that's grim. Have you thought of adding some animal skeletons to lighten it up a bit?

There might be a dessicated toad or two amongst the dead leaves, does that help?

Fortunately, the lackluster view is the only downside of the basement, at least now that we've taken care of the bizarre marble tile and faux-finished pink walls the previous occupant left behind.

[GreyWoolfe]

Not much of a view here.  A house behind us and an undeveloped wooded lot.  I would show it but I have to get the curtains away from the windows.  The house is facing east/west and the afternoon sun crossing the windows blinded me until I added curtains.  It's just easier to leave the curtains in place.  As far as security, a 70lb  male Dobie mix and a 45lb female German/Australian Shepard mix-that adds up to 115lbs of dog.  Actually, the Dobie is the scaredy cat, the Shepard is the more dangerous of the two, go figure.

[ivan747]

At uni

[German_EE]

What can I see? The next apartment block about fifty meters away and the roof of the building that houses the machines for washing and drying clothes. We did not get our apartment for the view. As for security, we live on the 4th floor. Anybody who manages to break through my workshop window and then climb out again is welcome to what he or she can carry.

[TopLoser]

The view from my 'office' in Saudi earlier this year, reminded me of 'Black Hawk Down' every time I looked out the window!

[Artlav]

Well, it's your regular apartment area in Moscow.


Wait, that's 3.4um.
We need shorter wavelength...


Ah, damn.
No, 1.7um is still too much.
And there should be narrow band separation.


No, no, no, i'm pretty sure the red colour does not reach past 650nm...


Right colours, but....
Well, maybe i should just buy a camera instead of trying to make my own...?

[SeanB]

What can I see? The next apartment block about fifty meters away and the roof of the building that houses the machines for washing and drying clothes. We did not get our apartment for the view. As for security, we live on the 4th floor. Anybody who manages to break through my workshop window and then climb out again is welcome to what he or she can carry.

Don't take that bet with our local burglars. I have resorted to coating the drain and water piping with grease, so as to deter them from climbing up there. I only do it after 4m though, so as to make the dirty piping less objectionable.  Some have climbed in through a small window 10 floors up, after walking out on a 2 inch drain pipe to get to it.

Even the windows that do not open have burglar guards on them, small enough so that they cannot get a head through. If the opening is over 15cm then they send a child through to do the work.

[tom66]

...

Looks like an interesting project - have you got any more info on it?

One thing I've been wanting to play with for a while is using an SRAM or UV-EEPROM as an imaging device - the idea is to decap the device and the exposed memory cells will then respond to light. Could make an interesting sensor for some short-wave UV stuff, silicon is pretty sensitive in that region.

[Artlav]

Looks like an interesting project - have you got any more info on it?

Sure, all about it is here.
http://orbides.org/photobot.php
A lot of it is dated (3D printed the mechanics, much better software, digital connection, no Arduinos, etc), but many pictures are recent.

One thing I've been wanting to play with for a while is using an SRAM or UV-EEPROM as an imaging device

Might be interesting.
You will only get a 1 bit image, i suspect.
Unless you use groups of bits as pixels, and average the erasures.

I did an experiment of erasing a EPROM chip with an image under power, and seeing how it decays.
Might be interesting to you -

[Howardlong]

This was my view until about eight months ago.



It is the Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park on the Thames in London. I moved to a slightly bigger place, the test equipment collection took precedence over a nice view.