Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Mr. Scram]

It's pretty close to becoming a browser monoculture again. That didn't end well last time.

[beanflying]

Only reason I got into Chrome was the web forum I was looking after making sure it was fairly much cross browser compatible and Chrome was becoming dominate over the others at the time. As i kind of like some of the features over FF at the time I switched. Think at one stage I had 5 browsers on the PC.

Off to the FF website for a download to play with. 35+Degrees 1:42pm Christmas Eve truck unpacked time to crack a Beer to help the possible conversion

[DaJMasta]

It's pretty close to becoming a browser monoculture again. That didn't end well last time.

Not likely, at least with Safari and iOS devices being around vs. Chrome on Android.  I think Firefox still has a bit of pull left in it, and Edge probably doesn't have great numbers, but for the people who can't be bothered to look for something else, I'm sure it still sees use.

[beanflying]

Firefoxing and a painless transition of all my former Chrome Junk. If only a conversion away from Windoze 10 was so easy.

I could drone on here about the technicalities of the measurements I have recorded today and their statistical value and the certainty or lack thereof but alas it is Christmas Eve and the top just came off the second one and probability and sadistics is not much fun with or without beer

Cheers everyone and Merry Christmas for those that don't get back here before the Day proper in your part of the planet.

Taking one or two or ? for team TEA in what is now 38 degrees 

[bitseeker]

Howdy folks! Been buried with mundane life stuff, new job, holidays, etc. Since I'm 30 pages behind on the thread now (oy!), figured I'd drop a note to wish everyone happy holidays while I catch up.

[xrunner]

Howdy folks! Been buried with mundane life stuff, new job, holidays, etc. Since I'm 30 pages behind on the thread now (oy!), figured I'd drop a note to wish everyone happy holidays while I catch up.

Wow about to send PM to see if you were beamed up to Mothership. 

I got one new TEA and a lot more from others - take your time. 

[mnementh]

So... out of sheer curiosity, I popped the top on my $21 router; just to see what color of aquarium gravel they'd filled the bottom of the box with. 

To my surprise, a proper 2X2 dual-radio arrangement that should in theory be able to produce at least 8 channels with multiplexing. Mediatek-recommended AC2100-compliant configuration of MT7621AT/MT7612/MT7602, with separate PA/LNA on each antenna.

MT7621AT provides one SD card slot, one USB3.0, two USB2.0, five-port GbE switch and since it's paired up with 128 MB of 800MHz RAM, is probably running pretty close to max speed of 880 MHz, and MediaTek recommends openWRT for this chipset.



However... I suspect I may know why this lot of them was being sold so cheap... take a look at the closeup of the 5GHz radio. That is some quality rework right there...

mnem
"Weeth seex joo get egg loll."

[0culus]

Wow that rework is a hot mess!

[beanflying]

Do we have a thread with the worst rework or manual soldering jobs? My Victor and your router are worthy 

[bitseeker]

I recall there was a thread about poorly executed repairs. Something to the effect of post your worst repair.

[Brumby]

While I resisted opening up WiFi for years, the pressure got too much from those in the household wanting access, so I had to capitulate.  In doing so, I wanted to make it as awkward as possible for anyone to hack in - including guests giving away the password.  I make a ceremony out of the process of setting them up on the network (adding the new device to the Whitelist) - just to put people off.

I can be reasonably sure the average script-kiddie is gonna get bored and move on to the next, easier target.

Be a PITA. The bastards will move on to greener pastures... or bury you in one.

That's why I have a Whitelist on this network.

[mnementh]

Howdy folks! Been buried with mundane life stuff, new job, holidays, etc. Since I'm 30 pages behind on the thread now (oy!), figured I'd drop a note to wish everyone happy holidays while I catch up.

Merry Christmas from the monster you unleashed upon eevBlog!!! 

mnem
grr. arrg.

[0culus]

While I resisted opening up WiFi for years, the pressure got too much from those in the household wanting access, so I had to capitulate.  In doing so, I wanted to make it as awkward as possible for anyone to hack in - including guests giving away the password.  I make a ceremony out of the process of setting them up on the network (adding the new device to the Whitelist) - just to put people off.

I can be reasonably sure the average script-kiddie is gonna get bored and move on to the next, easier target.

Be a PITA. The bastards will move on to greener pastures... or bury you in one.

That's why I have a Whitelist on this network.

The annoying thing is that wifi it still vulnerable to drive by attacks with the right knowledge and equipment. Always turn off WPS and UPnP for sure. WPA's encryption isn't exactly the best either IIRC. The system is good enough to deter the neighbors from using your wifi to stream p0rn but not sufficient to stand up to a determined attacker.

[edit] I'm planning to go with ubiquiti in my next house. It's not perfect, but at least the tools it offers are a step above consumer stuff.

[bitseeker]

Merry Christmas from the monster you unleashed upon eevBlog!!! 

mnem
grr. arrg.

Too funny!

[bitseeker]

Hey mnem, I've been using for a few weeks now those KZ ZSE ear buds you posted about a gazillion posts ago. I got the ones with the microphone. They, and the "remote" control button, work great with my phone.

The frequency response varies a lot with their position in your ear canal. That took some getting used to and choosing the correct size earplugs for the sound you want.

The only thing I don't like about them is the silicone wire. Although it's supple, it's too grippy. As a result, if I run the wires behind my head to keep them out of my way when working on stuff, they tend to yank on the earbuds and work them loose.

Other than that, I like them. Good sound and so cheap as not to worry about them getting lost or damaged.

[mnementh]

Wow that rework is a hot mess!

Do we have a thread with the worst rework or manual soldering jobs? My Victor and your router are worthy 

Yeah, and this is what it looked like before I cleaned it up so you could SEE the horror. I mean, seriously? How do you know you don't have a whisker bridging to ground under all that snot? It's not like a continuity test will tell you squat, and I doubt they bothered to do any individual testing on the radio channels to confirm output. That would require loading diagnostic FW. I suppose I could get after it with my IRC Power Meter in ERP mode and disable power to each radio... I can see that both PA/LNA ICs are getting warm; about 25°F above ambient... but both so close to the same 89-90°F it's irrelevant.

I'm tempted to put my DE-5000 to the test; see if I can actually measure that tiny coil on the opposing channel and source a replacement.

This little bastard is actually pretty promising for openWRT or DD-WRT (it appears they don't support the MediaTek family of SoC devices); it has lots of RAM/ROM (16MB NAND/128MB 800MHz DDR3 RAM) and appears quite fast.

But for now... *YAWNNN* I am hearing Hypnos' clarion call, and I fear I must heed lest I fall down and arise with keyboard face again...

mnem
ZZZzzzZZZzzz...

[mnementh]

Hey mnem, I've been using for a few weeks now those KZ ZSE ear buds you posted about a gazillion posts ago. I got the ones with the microphone. They, and the "remote" control button, work great with my phone.

The frequency response varies a lot with their position in your ear canal. That took some getting used to and choosing the correct size earplugs for the sound you want.

The only thing I don't like about them is the silicone wire. Although it's supple, it's too grippy. As a result, if I run the wires behind my head to keep them out of my way when working on stuff, they tend to yank on the earbuds and work them loose.

Other than that, I like them. Good sound and so cheap as not to worry about them getting lost or damaged.

My findings exactly... getting a good seal in the ear canal is crucial, as does choosing the correct silicone tips. I found with mine that the ear wires are more than long enough to loop forward and then over the ear, where the grippiness actually works in your favor as strain relief.  But it shortens already short overall length, so pants pocket doesn't work.

Also, you have to be willing to tolerate the cords brushing against the side of your cheeks randomly. There are times when this annoys the hell right outta me.

But yeah... sound is so much better than they cost it's a no-brainer to me.

mnem
ZZZzzzZZZzzz...

[VK5RC]

@menmenth. -  I have seen and even done little microwave "snowflaking" but that looks like "hail-storming". 

Merry Christmas to all - take care and also of yours loved ones. Two or four legged!
Robert

[beanflying]

There are Times YouTube suggestions throws in a Gem sure beats the Christmas Eve drivel on local TV

If you haven't you need watch it and even if you have it's the same procedure as last year

https://youtu.be/zVd_VLO9xcc

Dear viewers, ladies and gentlemen,

Here we are, on the country estate of Miss Sophie. The actual name of this ancient house shall be kept quiet for the sake of discretion. Miss Sophie has invited her four best friends over for a birthday dinner, and I will now announce the seating arrangements: Miss Sophie will be sitting there, Sir Toby here, Admiral van Schneider here, Mr. Pommeroy there and Mr. Winterbottom there. Ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately, as it turns out, there is a little difficulty: Miss Sophie is no longer the youngest, we are celebrating her 90th birthday today, and she has long outlived her four best friends; the last one she buried was 25 years ago.

Nevertheless, Miss Sophie won't do without her birthday dinner, and since, for understandable reasons, the gentlemen cannot be present in person, they will be represented by her butler, James.

[med6753]

To the guys down south in OZ and NZ....hope you are enjoying your Christmas. Try not to get a sunburn. 

It's approx 05:00 AM here Christmas Eve and we got a dusting a snow last night. So that will add to the chaos today as the last minute shoppers scurry around trying to finish up.  Alas, I won't be a part of that.   

Tomorrow morning with the grand kids but today it's enjoying a day off and peace and quiet. 

[bd139]

Xmas eve here. Merry Christmas to all from everyone here, apart from SWMBO who can fuck off

On a positive note I was going to buy her an iPhone XR for Christmas so I bought myself one instead 

Back to cleaning the house... 

[med6753]

Xmas eve here. Merry Christmas to all from everyone here, apart from SWMBO who can fuck off

On a positive note I was going to buy her an iPhone XR for Christmas so I bought myself one instead 

Back to cleaning the house... 

Sounds like a win to me. 

[LapTop006]

To the guys down south in OZ and NZ....hope you are enjoying your Christmas. Try not to get a sunburn. 

Still just over an hour to go here in Sydney. My goal is not to leave my apartment until after boxing day when things have hopefully calmed down.

If you haven't you need watch it and even if you have it's the same procedure as last year

Traditionally here in Australia "Dinner for One" is played on new years eve, and I know come that time I'll do my very best.

[beanflying]

Traditionally here in Australia "Dinner for One" is played on new years eve, and I know come that time I'll do my very best.

The first time I saw it was on a Bus full of slightly boozed blokes and a German with us pulled this out of his bag. Had the bus rolling in the aisles

Pre Christmas to New Year seem to be 'traditional' but as it's a Birthday it doesn't matter to much I guess 

Much more pleasant 23 C here tomorrow after 39 today. Only 33 in Perth so looks like Roast Kiwi is off the menu there too.

[SeanB]

70% RH, 28C indoors, and the sun is shining. Under 10 hours till the beginning of Return season, the couriers will be busy fetching the boxes they delivered, and the sales will begin, followed next week by Back To School.