Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

Erm, exactly. 50km is not a movie scenario where the comely blonde female detective says "Can you track his IP address?" and the geek with the Goth/RPG fixation says "Sure" and their computer zooms in on a map with a street address and the IP address next to a flashing beacon and the geek says "They're in the back southeast corner of the 3rd floor apartment at 123, 45th Street.".

That only happens if the IPv4 address is from the Hollywood allocation block, starting with 320.0.0.0/8 and up. (Of course an 8-bit byte can reach a value of 300+ in decimal. In the USA everything is bigger, so their bits hold much more data! 

Stay the fuck away from my bits widdat scope, ya perv!!! 

mnem
oh, okay... maybe just a little ...   

[mansaxel]

4x dc-dc buck convertor modules, 2.5A, 4-30V in, 1.5-30V out (that must be a typo, it has a minimum 1.5V drop so 28.5 would be the max output) @£1.29 each shipped, only ordered them yesterday afternoon! These are for making some usb charger ports in places that don't have them.

That reminds me that I need a few of those, the smaller size the better.
Do you mind sharing how they work out, since the price was so cheap, and the seller?

If you mind the EMI / RFI environment, do budget for inductance and capacitance to somewhat limit their emissions. The el-cheapo buck/boost circuits are in general sound silicon, which in application notes and data sheets come with considerate advice on filtering.

This the sweatshops promptly ignore, since coils and caps cost real money. One has to retro-fit such things.

[mansaxel]

For instance Avast says suggested similar to what I posted https://www.avast.com/c-static-vs-dynamic-ip-addresses and as such, they have no personal axe to grind so to speak. 

Yes, they do. The more scared you are, the more you are going to buy from them.

Today, you can scan the entire IPv4 Internet in a couple days time.

Or faster, if you can get your head around some parallel programming and all this for beer money.  This people do, all the time. The baddies thus have updated info on every reachable computer on the Internet, and as such the difference between fixed or dynamic is a big fat moot.

Also, one of the more important things to understand is whether you are interesting to them. The answer is a resounding, undoubting "yes". To be precise: They don't give a flying fuck about you, but the computing power and network bandwidth your computer possesses is a commodity to them, and they will use it if they can control it.

As a consequence: You can't hide. You must care for the security of your computing environment, even if there are only pics of planes you were allowed to make on your computer. And the complication is: Most of the damage done by failing to do this is going to be hitting others. Your computer, if invaded,  will be a weapons resource, access to which is being sold by the minute by bad people.

[mnementh]

So now the moment you  were all waiting for, due to the small apartment where I'm living one of the TDS scopes HAS to go, there is literally no place for it, so I'm dong this poll of what should I do, please answer in your comment with the number of the option:

- 1) Change the attenuator board to the TDS724A  and flip the TDS520A with reduced price (eventually sponsor a student/forum member for a token plus shipping, PM me in this situation, I have the packaging saved, tomorrow it cold leave to you).

- 2) Flip the TDS520A as a perfectly working device for some extra shekels and wait another nine years until a ceramic section will be available.

- 3) Flip them both in the most profitable configuration, you have enough scopes.



Cheers,
DC1MC

Seems obvious to me, but maybe we have different criteria for such things. Fix the 724, flip the 520.

The 724A has a colour screen, 1Gs/s, 4 channels, bigger sample memory, 50kpts basic, up to 4Mpts with the 2M option.
The 520A has mono screen, 500Ms/s, 2 channels, 50kpts because it has the 1M option.

The only possible advantage I can see for the 520 is the 12-bit adc in Hi-Res mode (is that real 12-bit or some interleaving trick with the 8-bit adc's for 2 channels?).

Am I the only one here who sees the recent cal (provided it is from a reputable source) as having at least some value worth considering...? 

mnem
 

[Cerebus]

@bd139,
Looking into the ZEN package in more depth, they give you a static IP address, I'm not so sure as that's an advantage, it costs more and as I see it is more of a benefit if you're running a server or a business as it makes it far easier for customers to both find your website and reach you. The downside of that is that with the right tools, people can pinpoint your location and makes it so much easier to hack into your computer.

Don't believe the movies. There is not a database of IP addresses that allows you to instantly geolocate someone. Anyone who tries to geolocate me via my fixed IP address gets the physical address of A&A in Bracknell. As to "easier to hack" - if one's security stance relies on one's IP address changing once in a while then one is also the kind of person who eschews body armour in a shooting war for a wet paper bag. If someone wants to hack you they don't give a flying fuck whether you're on a fixed or a dynamic IP address.

Thanks for the input, but here's the thing, I genuinely don't know the advantages and disadvantages as I'm neither into programming or involved with any form of IT. So what I did was to use Google so no movies or anything else was involved, and I deliberately avoided sites such as internet providers who have a vested interest in promoting whatever their system is. For instance Avast says suggested similar to what I posted https://www.avast.com/c-static-vs-dynamic-ip-addresses and as such, they have no personal axe to grind so to speak. 

Really? Avast are trying to sell security products. So they have no axe to grind in, say, exagerating security risks?

Disadvantages of a static IP

A static IP address isn't ideal for all situations.

• Static IPs are more hackable: With a static IP address, hackers know exactly where your server is on the Internet. That makes it easier for them to attack it. Avast Internet Security can help you in this regard.
  
• Higher cost: ISPs generally charge more for static IP addresses, particularly with consumer ISP plans. Business ISP plans often include static IP, at least as an option, but they are more expensive than end-user plans; be sure to ask if it’s an extra cost.
  
• Real-world security concerns: Anyone with the right network tools can find where you and your computers are located. VPNs, such as Avast SecureLine VPN, can help alleviate this concern by hiding your physical location.

They even helpfully underline the bits where they are trying to sell you something.

Note the weasel words: "With a static IP address, hackers know exactly where your server is on the Internet." Omitting to say, "With a dynamic IP address, hackers also know exactly where your server is on the Internet." because of course with any IP address you know exactly "where on the Internet" something is becuase that's the exact function of any IP address, static or dynamic. It's the same as saying "with your permanent address people can send threatening letters to you", when even if it is a temporary address like a hotel people can still send threatening letters to you there too.

Ditto, they deliberately omit that geolocation is only approximate for any IP address; country, county or city level at best and works, if it works at all, for both dynamic and static addresses. Then go on to try and flog a product that is superfluous from a true security point of view, unless you are actively trying to avoid rough geolocation like, say an American trying to stream from BBC iPlayer. In security terms VPNs are only useful for controlled penetration of firewalls and the like - they provide no general security protection.

[Cerebus]

Erm, exactly. 50km is not a movie scenario where the comely blonde female detective says "Can you track his IP address?" and the geek with the Goth/RPG fixation says "Sure" and their computer zooms in on a map with a street address and the IP address next to a flashing beacon and the geek says "They're in the back southeast corner of the 3rd floor apartment at 123, 45th Street.".

That only happens if the IPv4 address is from the Hollywood allocation block, starting with 320.0.0.0/8 and up. (Of course an 8-bit byte can reach a value of 300+ in decimal. In the USA everything is bigger, so their bits hold much more data! 

Stay the fuck away from my bits widdat scope, ya perv!!! 

mnem
oh, okay... maybe just a little ...   

Guys, can someone get out the extra-large Probulator? The fireproof one.

[AVGresponding]

4x dc-dc buck convertor modules, 2.5A, 4-30V in, 1.5-30V out (that must be a typo, it has a minimum 1.5V drop so 28.5 would be the max output) @£1.29 each shipped, only ordered them yesterday afternoon! These are for making some usb charger ports in places that don't have them.

That reminds me that I need a few of those, the smaller size the better.
Do you mind sharing how they work out, since the price was so cheap, and the seller?

Well it's a UK drop-shipper, you might have to click through a few links on ebay to find a Canadian one. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154308593100

The module itself is based on the LM2596, and measures 21mm x 43mm and change. The highest component is actually the adjustment screw on the multi-turn cermet at just under 14mm. The decoupling caps are a little over 12mm high.
It has the obligatory annoyingly bright blue status LED.

Supplying it with 10V and setting the output for 5V, I loaded it up with 5W 10R resistors, adding one at a time. By the time I had 5 of them in parallel, giving an indicated 1.98A, the output had sagged from ~5.02 to 4.88 volts.
After a good few minutes the ic was up to just over 80°C, with the input diode a couple of degrees hotter still. The resistors were having a hotter time of it though, hitting 97°C.
The claimed efficiency is 92% but with the setup I was using it's more like 80%.
The output is short circuit protected...   



EDIT: Adding in the equipment used for testing.
          Input: Siglent SPD3303X, cross checked with Fluke 289
          Output: HP 3478A (voltage), Fluke 289 (current)
          Thermals: Cat 61S integrated FLIR

[AVGresponding]

Am I the only one here who sees the recent cal (provided it is from a reputable source) as having at least some value worth considering...? 

mnem
 

Yes. It's an oscilloscope, not a 6.5 digit DMM

 

[AVGresponding]

Thanks for the input, but here's the thing, I genuinely don't know the advantages and disadvantages as I'm neither into programming or involved with any form of IT. So what I did was to use Google so no movies or anything else was involved, and I deliberately avoided sites such as internet providers who have a vested interest in promoting whatever their system is. For instance Avast says suggested similar to what I posted https://www.avast.com/c-static-vs-dynamic-ip-addresses and as such, they have no personal axe to grind so to speak. 

Avast have a vast interest (no, I will not apologise) in fostering paranoia so that they can shift more product. Which is a crap one btw, being such a huge pile of bloatware you may as well have viruses replicating in your HDD using up all the free space.   

[mnementh]

4x dc-dc buck convertor modules, 2.5A, 4-30V in, 1.5-30V out (that must be a typo, it has a minimum 1.5V drop so 28.5 would be the max output) @£1.29 each shipped, only ordered them yesterday afternoon! These are for making some usb charger ports in places that don't have them.

That reminds me that I need a few of those, the smaller size the better.
Do you mind sharing how they work out, since the price was so cheap, and the seller?

If you mind the EMI / RFI environment, do budget for inductance and capacitance to somewhat limit their emissions. The el-cheapo buck/boost circuits are in general sound silicon, which in application notes and data sheets come with considerate advice on filtering.

This the sweatshops promptly ignore, since coils and caps cost real money. One has to retro-fit such things.

Yeeeeah... we kindof know this in principle already. I think he's asking you to take notes in your next project using them and pass on a report card of a) what you did to make them serviceable and 2) how well they actually serve in your application.

Honestly, I am too, tho I suspect they are the same MP1584EN micro-buck converters I've been using over a decade.

The MP1584EN technically has a max rating of 30Vin, and offers great bang/buck; I never buy less than 20 at a time as you can often get them for 60c ea at that qty. Just put MP1584EN in the search on amazon, AliEx or fleaBay and pick the offer that scares you the least. 



mnem
 

[mnementh]

4x dc-dc buck convertor modules, 2.5A, 4-30V in, 1.5-30V out (that must be a typo, it has a minimum 1.5V drop so 28.5 would be the max output) @£1.29 each shipped, only ordered them yesterday afternoon! These are for making some usb charger ports in places that don't have them.

That reminds me that I need a few of those, the smaller size the better.
Do you mind sharing how they work out, since the price was so cheap, and the seller?

Well it's a UK drop-shipper, you might have to click through a few links on ebay to find a Canadian one. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154308593100

The module itself is based on the LM2596, and measures 21mm x 43mm and change. The highest component is actually the adjustment screw on the multi-turn cermet at just under 14mm. The decoupling caps are a little over 12mm high.
It has the obligatory annoyingly bright blue status LED.

Supplying it with 10V and setting the output for 5V, I loaded it up with 5W 10R resistors, adding one at a time. By the time I had 5 of them in parallel, giving an indicated 1.98A, the output had sagged from ~5.02 to 4.88 volts.
After a good few minutes the ic was up to just over 80°C, with the input diode a couple of degrees hotter still. The resistors were having a hotter time of it though, hitting 97°C.
The claimed efficiency is 92% but with the setup I was using it's more like 80%.
The output is short circuit protected...   

Accckkk! Run away, run away! China-direct LM2596-based buck converter with numbers ground off at 1/4 the cost of just a legit chip in bulk are almost certainly one of the ones made of fire!!! like fried my first T12 OLED controller back when.

Genuine LM2596 are short-circuit protected; the phonies are too, in that they fail pass-element short, protecting the converter by dumping full supply voltage across your attached device!

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg2982614/#msg2982614

 

[mnementh]

Am I the only one here who sees the recent cal (provided it is from a reputable source) as having at least some value worth considering...? 

mnem
 

Yes. It's an oscilloscope, not a 6.5 digit DMM

 

So you see no value in having at least one recently-cal'd scope in your lab...?

mnem

[GreyWoolfe]

It's more important whether you can get IPv6 or not. If you can, it's a definite benefit and should weigh heavily in favour.

which reminds me I have to contact again my ISP (Spectrum) to give me a IPv6 according to FCC...

ohhh I am saving the chat with the support they are super funny, I will post it when I get more circus.

Basically

ISP Tier 1 support: does know how to power on and off the modem (useful for 90 years old lady with brain damages).
ISP Tier 2 support: Give you a correct technical answer which is unfortunately not even remotely related with your problem.

why is it such a pain, always.... I mean I would be happy to pay more money but to deal with intelligent ISP people...

We have Spectrum here in Florida.  I recently bought a refurb computer so I backed up my PST files and wrote down all the settings for my RoadRunner and domain email accounts.  Set up outlook, configured and imported the PST files.  Wednesday night I actually had to send a couple of email from the RoadRunner account and it failed.  After the first phone call, I found Spectrum abandoned POP3 email support for 3rd party email clients and switched to IMAP. They, however keep POP3 for webmail.  After deleting the RR account and setting it up as an IMAP account, still couldn't send emails.  Second call to support and the nice young lady flew by the seat of her pants to come up with a solution.  Incoming and outgoing ports have to have SSL.  She had me try changing the outgoing encryption to AUTO and that gave me the ability to send emails.

Then I discovered more dumbfuckery.  Don't yet know if this is an artifact of IMAP or the way Outlook 2007 handles IMAP accounts, but I can no longer simply delete emails.  Instead of actually deleting an email when I click on delete, Outlook puts a line through the email and then I have to click edit and purge and then confirm that I want to permanently delete the email.   I haven't yet been arsed to try to figure the root issue yet but I do need to work on that.

EDIT:  just found out that it is the IMAP account that doesn't delete.  I found a solution.  There is a tab under general account settings that will purge deleted emails when the folder is changed.   I would abandon the ISP email in Outlook but I have had the email for years and there are too many different sources I get emails from to try to redirect to one of my domain email addresses.  I also don't want to use webmail, already do that for my yahoo account and don't want to have to do that for the ISP account.  I miss the days of writing letters and putting stamps on envelopes.

[AVGresponding]

Accckkk! Run away, run away! China-direct LM2596-based buck converter at 1/4 the cost of just a legit chip in bulk are almost certainly one of the ones made of fire!!! like fried my first T12 OLED controller back when.

Genuine LM2596 are short-circuit protected; the phonies are too, in that they fail pass-element short, protecting the converter by dumping full supply voltage across your attached device!

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg2982614/#msg2982614

mnem
 

Not entirely sure what you are saying here. If you short the o/p, the voltage on it drops to zero, or near to it, that's what a short is?   

Shorting the o/p on this gives a current of 2.65A or so, at around 240mV, using the 10A shunt in the Fluke 289. The input didn't go short, the Siglent stayed in cv at 10V and was kicking out 450mA or so.

I suppose I should rephrase what I said though; it's short circuit tolerant. I guess I could try and destroy it by shorting it with an i/p voltage of 30 and the o/p set to 28.5 or w/e the max pans out at, but I suspect it'll survive the same.

I guess the ones you bought were just shit.



EDIT: Typo correction 440mV should read 240mV

[Specmaster]

@bd139,
Looking into the ZEN package in more depth, they give you a static IP address, I'm not so sure as that's an advantage, it costs more and as I see it is more of a benefit if you're running a server or a business as it makes it far easier for customers to both find your website and reach you. The downside of that is that with the right tools, people can pinpoint your location and makes it so much easier to hack into your computer.

Don't believe the movies. There is not a database of IP addresses that allows you to instantly geolocate someone. Anyone who tries to geolocate me via my fixed IP address gets the physical address of A&A in Bracknell. As to "easier to hack" - if one's security stance relies on one's IP address changing once in a while then one is also the kind of person who eschews body armour in a shooting war for a wet paper bag. If someone wants to hack you they don't give a flying fuck whether you're on a fixed or a dynamic IP address.

Thanks for the input, but here's the thing, I genuinely don't know the advantages and disadvantages as I'm neither into programming or involved with any form of IT. So what I did was to use Google so no movies or anything else was involved, and I deliberately avoided sites such as internet providers who have a vested interest in promoting whatever their system is. For instance Avast says suggested similar to what I posted https://www.avast.com/c-static-vs-dynamic-ip-addresses and as such, they have no personal axe to grind so to speak. 

Really? Avast are trying to sell security products. So they have no axe to grind in, say, exagerating security risks?

Disadvantages of a static IP

A static IP address isn't ideal for all situations.

• Static IPs are more hackable: With a static IP address, hackers know exactly where your server is on the Internet. That makes it easier for them to attack it. Avast Internet Security can help you in this regard.
  
• Higher cost: ISPs generally charge more for static IP addresses, particularly with consumer ISP plans. Business ISP plans often include static IP, at least as an option, but they are more expensive than end-user plans; be sure to ask if it’s an extra cost.
  
• Real-world security concerns: Anyone with the right network tools can find where you and your computers are located. VPNs, such as Avast SecureLine VPN, can help alleviate this concern by hiding your physical location.

They even helpfully underline the bits where they are trying to sell you something.

Note the weasel words: "With a static IP address, hackers know exactly where your server is on the Internet." Omitting to say, "With a dynamic IP address, hackers also know exactly where your server is on the Internet." because of course with any IP address you know exactly "where on the Internet" something is becuase that's the exact function of any IP address, static or dynamic. It's the same as saying "with your permanent address people can send threatening letters to you", when even if it is a temporary address like a hotel people can still send threatening letters to you there too.

Ditto, they deliberately omit that geolocation is only approximate for any IP address; country, county or city level at best and works, if it works at all, for both dynamic and static addresses. Then go on to try and flog a product that is superfluous from a true security point of view, unless you are actively trying to avoid rough geolocation like, say an American trying to stream from BBC iPlayer. In security terms VPNs are only useful for controlled penetration of firewalls and the like - they provide no general security protection.

I hear you but Using the same logic you used above with the underlining they use where they have a product designed to help secure your computer etc, they seem to suggest that dynamic is better.

However the fascinating bit as far I'm concerned is in their conclusion section where they clearly indicate that dynamic addresses pose less of a security risk than static addresses,
QUOTE
Conclusion

Typically, static IP addresses are best for businesses, which host their own websites and internet services. Static IP addresses also work well when you have remote workers logging into work via a VPN.

Dynamic IP addresses are usually fine for most consumers. They are cheaper and typically pose a bit less of a security risk.

I therefore wonder why they didn't stress that a dynamic address is just as much of a risk as a static one which is precisely what you appear to be telling me  After all they are still offering for sale their VPN and their Advanced Internet Security packages, so why did they specifically offer both for static addresses and just the VPN for dynamic ones 

[mnementh]

Accckkk! Run away, run away! China-direct LM2596-based buck converter at 1/4 the cost of just a legit chip in bulk are almost certainly one of the ones made of fire!!! like fried my first T12 OLED controller back when.

Genuine LM2596 are short-circuit protected; the phonies are too, in that they fail pass-element short, protecting the converter by dumping full supply voltage across your attached device!

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg2982614/#msg2982614

mnem
 

Not entirely sure what you are saying here. If you short the o/p, the voltage on it drops to zero, or near to it, that's what a short is?   

Shorting the o/p on this gives a current of 2.65A or so, at around 440mV, using the 10A shunt in the Fluke 289. The input didn't go short, the Siglent stayed in cv at 10V and was kicking out 450mA or so.

I suppose I should rephrase what I said though; it's short circuit tolerant. I guess I could try and destroy it by shorting it with an i/p voltage of 30 and the o/p set to 28.5 or w/e the max pans out at, but I suspect it'll survive the same.

I guess the ones you bought were just shit.

I was looking at the pic in the eBay link which looked quite disturbingly similar to the ones I had in my first go-round with cheap LM2596 modules. Even the same multi-turn pot.

Looking at the pic you've attached, I can see it at least has some part number on it. My gut reaction based on the price is still a massive *cringe* however... maybe a little PTSD. 



Mine also passed such testing while I was building the soldering station... however after a few days it failed without warning, and shorted Vin to Vout exactly as stated. And if you click the link, you'll see this was evidently a well-known fail at the time.

If I were you, I wouldn't trust that module to power anything I give a damn aboot.

mnem
*tzzzt*

[Cerebus]

Am I the only one here who sees the recent cal (provided it is from a reputable source) as having at least some value worth considering...? 

mnem
 

Yes. It's an oscilloscope, not a 6.5 digit DMM

 

So you see no value in having at least one recently-cal'd scope in your lab...?

mnem

If you've a half decent signal generator, and a decent voltmeter plus some sort of frequency reference to check the signal generator with, then you have all you need to do your own scope calibration. Most scopes are 3% stated accuracy on voltage and 10ppm on timebase. Getting scopes independently calibrated and that calibration certified is strictly for people who need the paper trail. If you just want as much accuracy as you're likely to get, you're better off doing it yourself. Relying on an 'official cal' on a scope to provide yourself with any added measurement certainty would be a false economy - spend the money on getting your best DVM calibrated instead.

[mansaxel]

I therefore wonder why they didn't stress that a dynamic address is just as much of a risk as a static one which is precisely what you appear to be telling me  After all they are still offering for sale their VPN and their Advanced Internet Security packages, so why did they specifically offer both for static addresses and just the VPN for dynamic ones 

Because they're slimey fuckers trying to make customers feel good for having bought the cheaper alternative and therefore the customer will think  Avast cares for them.

[mnementh]

Am I the only one here who sees the recent cal (provided it is from a reputable source) as having at least some value worth considering...? 

mnem
 

Yes. It's an oscilloscope, not a 6.5 digit DMM

 

So you see no value in having at least one recently-cal'd scope in your lab...?

mnem

If you've a half decent signal generator, and a decent voltmeter plus some sort of frequency reference to check the signal generator with, then you have all you need to do your own scope calibration. Most scopes are 3% stated accuracy on voltage and 10ppm on timebase. Getting scopes independently calibrated and that calibration certified is strictly for people who need the paper trail. If you just want as much accuracy as you're likely to get, you're better off doing it yourself. Relying on an 'official cal' on a scope to provide yourself with any added measurement certainty would be a false economy - spend the money on getting your best DVM calibrated instead.

That is exactly not what I was talking aboot. 

DC1MC already has a TDS520A he bought for a pittance with 2020 cal and compliance testing stickers, and near as he can see, it is in great nick and fully functional. The discussion was aboot whether to scrap it to potentially fix a 724A with similar memory depth.

Myself, I'd keep it intact for that value and cut my losses on the 724A he's been clinging to for 9 years and still hasn't found the parts.

mnem
What's it worth...? Keeping, that's what. 

[AVGresponding]

Mine also passed such testing while I was building the soldering station... however after a few days it failed without warning, and shorted Vin to Vout exactly as stated. And if you click the link, you'll see this was evidently a well-known fail at the time.

If I were you, I wouldn't trust that module to power anything I give a damn aboot.

mnem
*tzzzt*

I'll give it a soak test. Would a week running at 1.5A make you happy? I'm guessing you were running yours pretty hard if it was in a soldering iron station.

Seems the alignment isn't the best when you get close up...   

[Cerebus]

I hear you but Using the same logic you used above with the underlining they use where they have a product designed to help secure your computer etc, they seem to suggest that dynamic is better.

However the fascinating bit as far I'm concerned is in their conclusion section where they clearly indicate that dynamic addresses pose less of a security risk than static addresses ,,
QUOTE
Conclusion

Typically, static IP addresses are best for businesses, which host their own websites and internet services. Static IP addresses also work well when you have remote workers logging into work via a VPN.

Dynamic IP addresses are usually fine for most consumers. They are cheaper and typically pose a bit less of a security risk.

I therefore wonder why they didn't stress that a dynamic address is just as much of a risk as a static one which is precisely what you appear to be telling me  After all they are still offering for sale their VPN and their Advanced Internet Security packages, so why did they specifically offer both for static addresses and just the VPN for dynamic ones 

Look, they are shysters trying to sell you a crap security product. You say they haven't any axes to grind - they clearly do, they run an axe factory. Do not trust any security advice they have to offer. They are not an authoritative source for network security advice. They are a source of 'information' that is pitched to make you buy product.

Anyway, they don't offer the VPN product only for dynamic addresses and anyway that's not relevant as it will offer the typical internet user zero extra security.

[Specmaster]

I therefore wonder why they didn't stress that a dynamic address is just as much of a risk as a static one which is precisely what you appear to be telling me  After all they are still offering for sale their VPN and their Advanced Internet Security packages, so why did they specifically offer both for static addresses and just the VPN for dynamic ones 

Because they're slimey fuckers trying to make customers feel good for having bought the cheaper alternative and therefore the customer will think  Avast cares for them.

Wow, you lot are just so cynical all the time  So it has nothing at all to do with companies may have very important data of a far higher commercial value than home users and therefore are going to be more of a magnet for hackers.

[mnementh]

Mine also passed such testing while I was building the soldering station... however after a few days it failed without warning, and shorted Vin to Vout exactly as stated. And if you click the link, you'll see this was evidently a well-known fail at the time.

If I were you, I wouldn't trust that module to power anything I give a damn aboot.

mnem
*tzzzt*

I'll give it a soak test. Would a week running at 1.5A make you happy? I'm guessing you were running yours pretty hard if it was in a soldering iron station.

Seems the alignment isn't the best when you get close up...   

I was running it a couple volts under max Vin, but small enough current draw it never got "hot to the touch" even running for extended periods. My point was aboot the failure mode; which, at the time, several others in this thread warned me was a known issue and suggested I was better off harvesting passives from the remaining ones rather than implementing them for anything.

Honestly, I mean no disparagement; I was just trying to Pay It Forward and save you the misery I suffered. 

mnem
 

[AVGresponding]

Mystery object time. I'm guessing it's for splicing optical fibre. I'm also guessing there'll be someone on here who knows for sure...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353673597159

[mnementh]

I therefore wonder why they didn't stress that a dynamic address is just as much of a risk as a static one which is precisely what you appear to be telling me  After all they are still offering for sale their VPN and their Advanced Internet Security packages, so why did they specifically offer both for static addresses and just the VPN for dynamic ones 

Because they're slimey fuckers trying to make customers feel good for having bought the cheaper alternative and therefore the customer will think  Avast cares for them.

Wow, you lot are just so cynical all the time  So it has nothing at all to do with companies may have very important data of a far higher commercial value than home users and therefore are going to be more of a magnet for hackers.

My experience with Avast when working for a large integrated ISD a few years back was that they are in fact Pirates selling insurance against Pirates.

They used the same "bundled malware" delivery practices as the worst of the bot-net scum... only difference is they bundled with legit installers for trial software you might actually want to pay money for as opposed to ones that were barely worth free. The only ones who were worse were MalwareBytes/Ad-Aware.

mnem
But hey... if it makes you feel more secure... sure, let them install a rootkit against you in your own PC.