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Post by Boomzilla on May 17, 2024 14:49:38 GMT -5
Weather is what it is. Don't like it? Wait an hour or two & it'll be different.
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,172
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Post by KeithL on May 17, 2024 15:03:11 GMT -5
Arggghhhh.... Yeah... And I'm sure more people buy iPhones and Samsung Galaxys than all of them put together... sadly. Here's my guess... More or less the same number of serious photographers are buying serious cameras as ever... More or less the same number of GOOD photographs are being taken as ever... (Quite possibly more, because cameras have gotten better, and even cell phones can occasionally take decent pictures.) Many of the not-so-serious photographers are no longer buying serious cameras. (Because they honestly think that the camera in their cell phone is "just as good".) (Which accounts for the drop in serious camera sales.) (Those cameras were probably "wasted" anyway... but they did contribute to the bottom line for the camera manufacturers.) And... Thanks to the fact that taking photos on a cell phone is so easy... More of those not-so-serious photographers are taking a LOT more not-so-good pictures... But, even worse, is the insidious effect of the advertising that claims that "with this new cell phone anyone can take great photos"... Because that nonsense convinces so many of them that "all of their pictures are worth showing to other people"... So now everyone has become "that guy who insists on showing you ALL of the snapshots he took on his summer vacation"... .............................. ............................... Since Keith loves his statistics? Go look at the sales of Cameras. Last time I looked? (again, no pun intended) sales of 'serious' cameras were down year-over-year for over a decade...... www.statista.com/statistics/799526/shipments-of-digital-singe-lens-reflex-cameras-worldwide/Yet the number of photos taken has increased beyond comprehension. All due to the CELL PHONE 'camera'........Which now even has its own category at various shows and fairs..... Some sales categories have improved, like 'Mirrorless' but overall? In a slump. And as it turns out? Nikon is now #3, with SONY taking over the #2 spot due to incredible products and a good campaign. And to think, it all started with the acquisition of Konica / Minolta back a decade and a half now... www.lightstalking.com/minolta-sony-relationship/
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,172
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Post by KeithL on May 17, 2024 15:48:14 GMT -5
This reminds me of an old joke (sort of)... A guy calls up a car company.... Guy: Hi, I'd like to speak to a manager please. Operator: Who do you need to speak to? Guy: I'd like to speak to a Vice President. Operator: Which one? Guy: I'd like to speak to the Vice President in charge of head rests. Operator: Would that be left or right? ......................... Autos are still a good analogy for what's going on in the larger world. Up until about maybe 1960 to 1965......give or take.....you could find a SINGLE guy to work on your car. With the exception of bodywork.....the more complex type.....he could work on engine, transmixer, electrical and everthing else. That's out the window now (no pun intended) with specialists in virtually every automotive subsystem. Interpretation of those pesky 'Error Codes' is an art unto itself. Sound familiar? ................................. ...
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Post by Boomzilla on May 17, 2024 19:14:48 GMT -5
I had a fun today. I went to the hardware store. While in the aisle, two women entered the aisle with a young female clerk in tow. Spotting me, the clerk asked if I was with the women, and I cheerfully replied "I wish!" After they all chuckled, one woman said to the other "We need to visit the hardware store more often!"
I call this "gentle flirting." It's always done in a public place with other people present (I wouldn't want anyone thinking I was a creep). It's good for me and for others at the same time, and everyone leaves more happy than they arrived. It has to be practiced. For some men, and, I guess, women, it comes naturally, but in general it has to be practiced.
Another example: Once I was in the serving line at a restaurant, and a woman immediately in front of me was chatting with her friend "When we first came here from New Orleans, I wasn't sure I'd like it, but now, I'm glad we came." Sensing the moment, I replied "and we're glad to have you here." I got the most beautiful smile! I'm blessed.
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Post by Boomzilla on May 17, 2024 19:30:50 GMT -5
BOOM? You OK? I see some weather blowing thru LA......and it ain't pretty...... If I lived back there, I'd have a storm cellar equpped for a couple days....... Hi leonski - First, thanks for your concern - it's appreciated. In answer, we're fine - everything seems to have gone around us. ...which brings up a strange (maybe even really strange observation. I've lived in Baton Rouge my entire life. Despite the potential for tornados, I've seen two (and only two) in my life - one north of here in mid-Louisiana (about where novisnick lives) and one while I was on a fishing boat about 30 miles offshore (I guess, technically, that one would be a "waterspout." But the phenomenon applies to ALL severe weather. When a squall line approaches Baton Rouge, it either mysteriously breaks up and then reforms East of here, or else it splits, causing damage South or North of Baton Rouge. Maybe there's a scientific explanation? We have Exxon-Mobil refinery and several other heat-producing plants in town, and perhaps the rising heat from those permanent facilities causes disruptions in organized fronts approaching us? Since we're right on the Mississippi River, perhaps the contrast between the (relatively) cold river and the heat sources immediately adjacent? I don't know. But I've observed the phenomenon too many times to think it random. Hurricanes, unfortunately, are another story. They DO come through here with minimal abatement. But they're not every year. And they generally come from the South - not the West (as do most fronts). I'm definitely not a meteorologist, but I am a (sometimes) acute observer. And due to the water table here being from a few inches to a few feet underground, there are no such things as "storm cellars" here. Thanks again for your concern! Glenn
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Post by leonski on May 17, 2024 23:14:22 GMT -5
Arggghhhh.... Yeah... And I'm sure more people buy iPhones and Samsung Galaxys than all of them put together... sadly. Here's my guess... More or less the same number of serious photographers are buying serious cameras as ever... More or less the same number of GOOD photographs are being taken as ever... (Quite possibly more, because cameras have gotten better, and even cell phones can occasionally take decent pictures.) Many of the not-so-serious photographers are no longer buying serious cameras. (Because they honestly think that the camera in their cell phone is "just as good".) (Which accounts for the drop in serious camera sales.) (Those cameras were probably "wasted" anyway... but they did contribute to the bottom line for the camera manufacturers.) And... Thanks to the fact that taking photos on a cell phone is so easy... More of those not-so-serious photographers are taking a LOT more not-so-good pictures... But, even worse, is the insidious effect of the advertising that claims that "with this new cell phone anyone can take great photos"... Because that nonsense convinces so many of them that "all of their pictures are worth showing to other people"... So now everyone has become "that guy who insists on showing you ALL of the snapshots he took on his summer vacation"... ............................... Since Keith loves his statistics? Go look at the sales of Cameras. Last time I looked? (again, no pun intended) sales of 'serious' cameras were down year-over-year for over a decade...... www.statista.com/statistics/799526/shipments-of-digital-singe-lens-reflex-cameras-worldwide/Yet the number of photos taken has increased beyond comprehension. All due to the CELL PHONE 'camera'........Which now even has its own category at various shows and fairs..... Some sales categories have improved, like 'Mirrorless' but overall? In a slump. And as it turns out? Nikon is now #3, with SONY taking over the #2 spot due to incredible products and a good campaign. And to think, it all started with the acquisition of Konica / Minolta back a decade and a half now... www.lightstalking.com/minolta-sony-relationship/The way it works out? More than 1/2 of all photos EVER TAKEN have been taken by some non-photographer with a Cell Phone....... Newborns today are 'documented' like NEVER before by parents with cell phones. Videos, too! Not to say that some users aren't pretty darn good. Go to the photography exhibit at any big county fair or state fair and you'll see a division devoted to cell phone photographs.... And Keith? You are 100% Ask around and you'll find MANY buyers of DSLR cameras use them as doorstops...... I'm glad I've got a GOOD Nikon F2 so I can go get some FILM and have a serious afternoon.......F2? Made during the 1970s....... And is widely considered the best 'mechanical' SLR ever made. The advantage? After the Nuclear war, it'll still work fine..... No electronic to 'zap' from EMP.....
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klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,924
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Post by klinemj on May 18, 2024 0:18:07 GMT -5
The bottom line is that, if you buy a new computer, from a real vendor, with a specific version of Windows INCLUDED, then you know what you're getting. If not, then it gets really complicated, and you really need to know what you're doing "to avoid later regret". Some of this is because some vendors are a little bit, or more than a little bit, "shady". Dude - you don't need to explain this to me. I get it. You get that? You should from what I wrote. We both said that what they did to lure Boom in was shady/not right. There are too many people out there these days preying on trusting people. And they are darn good at it. Net, enough said. It's clear we both understand the ripoff that occured. Mark
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Post by leonski on May 18, 2024 2:30:30 GMT -5
The bottom line is that, if you buy a new computer, from a real vendor, with a specific version of Windows INCLUDED, then you know what you're getting. If not, then it gets really complicated, and you really need to know what you're doing "to avoid later regret". Some of this is because some vendors are a little bit, or more than a little bit, "shady". Dude - you don't need to explain this to me. I get it. You get that? You should from what I wrote. We both said that what they did to lure Boom in was shady/not right. There are too many people out there these days preying on trusting people. And they are darn good at it. Net, enough said. It's clear we both understand the ripoff that occured. Mark Before I buy anything from ANY of the online vendors? I put on my Lawyer Hat and read everything twice. What is NOT said is easily as important as what IS said. I'm looking to buy a tire inflator. You know? Safety on trips in the car. But the 50$ or 70$ inflator? You might need to spend another 50$ on a battery and charger. Will a cigarette lighter version work? Sure. But can you get to all 4 corners of your car with a 10 foot cord? JUST READ IT ALL 2X..... My first computer was a PII / 266! The 333 (fastest at the time) was not available. My computer genius neighbor came over with a copy of Windows 95 on FLOPPY and we spent some time loading. Fine. But I later went and bought a copy of 95b on CD which was sort of easier......You had to copy some stuff to the HD so it would have the drivers and be able to read the CD.....this is IF I remember correctly.
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Post by Boomzilla on May 18, 2024 9:59:12 GMT -5
I want to clean up my equipment rack. As it currently sits: FRONT: BACK: POWER STRIP TOP: POWER STRIP BTM: Audio amigo suggests following modifications: * Move surge suppressor to far end of rack from mounting screen * Cut power strip feed wires to length & reterminate PROPOSED STRIP MTG. FRONT VIEW: PROPOSED STRIP MTG. REAR VIEW: PROPOSED STRIP MTG. SIDE VIEW: The only change to amigo's suggestion is that I'd prefer that the power strips be centered from side to side in the rack rather than offset to the surge suppressor side. This will (hopefully) allow me to reach all equipment with the one-foot AC to IEC connectors that I have. If I have any that CAN'T be reached with the one-froot connectors, I can create my own custom-length power connectors easily enough. Thoughts? Thanks - Boomzilla
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Post by leonski on May 18, 2024 14:06:17 GMT -5
When you break open the power strip to reterminate? ADD some surge suppression devices. You'll need the appropriate voltage MOV in sets of 3.......L-N / L-G / N-G.
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,172
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Post by KeithL on May 18, 2024 14:21:31 GMT -5
POWER STRIPS
If you want to see a MASSIVE selection of power strips then you need to check out Newark Electronics.
They are generally NOT especially cheap, but they have a huge selection, and a great selection of "commercial type products". (In this case they have a good selection of long metal outlet strips like you would install on a workbench - or equipment rack.)
www.newark.com/c/electrical/power-outlet-strips?ost=power+strips&rd=power+strips
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Post by Boomzilla on May 18, 2024 14:37:14 GMT -5
Thank you, leonski and KeithL, but my power strips (from Amazon) are already here. I'll be working on installing them tomorrow. Once I get the rack "spruced up," I'll post some "after" photos.
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,172
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Post by KeithL on May 18, 2024 15:10:06 GMT -5
I think that I may not have been clear...
I DO NOT think that, with the NUC that Boomzilla bought, there was any attempt to rip-off or deceive anyone. (And, from his various replies, I believe that he agrees with me.)
My point was that the market and expectations for "a new computer" and "a used or refurbished computer" are quite different.
Most "new computers sold retail" come with a licensed copy of Windows on them. And some "new computers sold commercially" may come with a licensed version of Windows on them. But they will also have the option of having no operating system installed.
And, of course, if you buy a USED computer, from an individual or a small dealer, it's total pot luck... Whatever comes on that computer could be licensed, unlicensed, or bootleg...
But MOST refurbished computers like the one Boom bought are sold just like his - with Windows pre-installed on them. Doing so provides a way to both test the computer and demonstrate to everyone that it works. Remember that everything installed on the computer when you do this is a free download from Microsoft... It doesn't cost anybody anything to install it and run it on your computer... (I would go as far as to say that, if I bought a refurb, with no documentation, I would EXPECT it to come exactly that way.)
The LICENSE is the part with the price tag... and they aren't going to throw one in for nothing. (If you were lucky, the machine itself may already have a license, but they would have mentioned that in the description.)
There's no specific reason why someone not familiar with used and refurbished computers would know to expect that... So the sellers both assumed that the buyer would know what to expect and also described it quite accurately in the description.
I absolutely DO think that there are shady sellers who deliberately mis-state details like this... I also suspect that, in some of those cases, the sellers really are slightly ignorant about the details...
But, IN THIS CASE, nothing seemed "shady", and the description WAS correct and complete... it was simply a minor misunderstanding. The bottom line is that, if you buy a new computer, from a real vendor, with a specific version of Windows INCLUDED, then you know what you're getting. If not, then it gets really complicated, and you really need to know what you're doing "to avoid later regret". Some of this is because some vendors are a little bit, or more than a little bit, "shady". Dude - you don't need to explain this to me. I get it. You get that? You should from what I wrote. We both said that what they did to lure Boom in was shady/not right. There are too many people out there these days preying on trusting people. And they are darn good at it. Net, enough said. It's clear we both understand the ripoff that occured. Mark
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Post by leonski on May 18, 2024 18:32:52 GMT -5
The 'Edge' of 'Minor Misunderstanding' is how attorneys make a living. One lawyer in a town? He is getting by. Add a SECOND attorney and thye both clean up.......
That's why I read everything TWICE and have declared some companies OFF my 'buy list'......
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Post by Boomzilla on May 18, 2024 20:50:03 GMT -5
I spent the day today installing power strips on my equipment rack. While I was at it, I reconsidered whether I wanted the "two systems in parallel" model. It occurred to me that if I receive any electronics for review, I'd have to pull one of the two existing systems on the rack to make room for the review equipment. That being the case, I decided to act preemptively and pick only one of the two amplification systems to actively reside on the rack. Since the AVR took up less room (and didn't sound significantly worse)... I'll still have the other available should the AVR die. So here's the outcome:
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Post by leonski on May 18, 2024 22:28:07 GMT -5
www.mouser.com/pdfdocs/bourns-tips-on-selecting-the-right-mov-surge-suppressor-white-paper.pdfMOV is easy to choose and spec. Larger sizes....frequently diameter....mean higher current. Thickness is a function of required voltage. Either in VDC or VAC......In the case of an AC spec? Maximum Plus a guardband is appropriate. If room inside the outlet strip? Give me a half hour to 3/4 hour to install 3 devices or multiple thereof. If NO room? Even easier. A quick trip to Home Despot would maybe find the right stuff. A 4x4 plastic JBox? Then some terminal strips..... I'd start with 3 or 4 feet of 12-3 wire.....Maybe send off for something special from Beldin? On top of the box? A pair of 15 / 20 amp outlets...... Living in an Electrically Active area like LA? An absolute must. I'd even go for the 'whole house' solution......That may require half an hour of time from an electrician.....If he gets 1 hour minimum? Sit him down in front of the stereo for the balance of what you owe...
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Post by Boomzilla on May 19, 2024 14:33:17 GMT -5
Adapter issue: My Windows NUC has ONLY USB-A digital outputs (and mini-display ports) . My Arcam AVR has only Optical TOSLINK and coaxial digital inputs. I could use an analog output from the NUC's headphone jack, but then It would be converted right back to digital at the AVR (and then back to analog again). Amazon sells a direct USB-A to coaxial digital adapter, but it's $40! Ideas? I have one... My Arcam AVR-300 supposedly has a "stereo bypass" mode that prevents the AVR from digitizing analog inputs (although I read online that many Arcam owners have trouble enabling it). If I use my AudioQuest Dragonfly Red out of the NUC, and then plug the analog Dragonfly output into the AVR in bypass mode, I don't get any additional A/D-D/A conversion cycles. It's worth a try... There is another option as well, and one that can (potentially) save me quite a bit of time and trouble. Anytime that home electronics use the house grounding system, and there’s a cable tv box with its own ground, then there is the possibility of a ground loop, with hum. Although I can’t totally prevent this, any galvanic isolation I can get is a good thing. So, I’ve ordered a USB-A to optical TOSLINK adapter from Amazon. This choice is relying (heavily) on KeithL’s claim that any two files that are bit-perfect copies of each other (digital “identical twins” so to speak) absolutely MUST sound identical regardless of how they’ve been transmitted. I still have some reservations, but I’ll give Keith this one on faith. Boom
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Post by leonski on May 19, 2024 23:27:28 GMT -5
Want me to build you a surge protector? I'm thinking 2 outlet.
PM me and I'll kick down some of my ideas.....And it's NOT a lot of $$$ but will
save trouble down the lightning road.
My MkII version includes a 1.2KvA Iso transformer and IS $$$......This will be roughly the same as a very high end Power Conditioner / surge protector......
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Post by Boomzilla on May 20, 2024 7:16:59 GMT -5
Thanks, leonski, but not right now.
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,172
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Post by KeithL on May 20, 2024 9:37:52 GMT -5
If you want the most bulletproof protection against repeated surges then you want to check out these guys: www.brickwall.com/pages/the-worlds-best-surge-protectors(Their biggest competitor is SurgeX.) All MOV-based surge suppressors basically work by "shorting the surge to ground"... Series-mode surge suppressors work differently - by blocking the surge... (Check out their specs... you may be quite surprised.) Series-mode surge suppressors work exceptionally well against short surges, like the kind you get from a nearby lightning strike, or something like that. They are NOT effective against plain old relatively slow variations in line voltage (but most modern gear isn't especially sensitive to those either). www.mouser.com/pdfdocs/bourns-tips-on-selecting-the-right-mov-surge-suppressor-white-paper.pdfMOV is easy to choose and spec. Larger sizes....frequently diameter....mean higher current. Thickness is a function of required voltage. Either in VDC or VAC......In the case of an AC spec? Maximum Plus a guardband is appropriate. If room inside the outlet strip? Give me a half hour to 3/4 hour to install 3 devices or multiple thereof. If NO room? Even easier. A quick trip to Home Despot would maybe find the right stuff. A 4x4 plastic JBox? Then some terminal strips..... I'd start with 3 or 4 feet of 12-3 wire.....Maybe send off for something special from Beldin? On top of the box? A pair of 15 / 20 amp outlets...... Living in an Electrically Active area like LA? An absolute must. I'd even go for the 'whole house' solution......That may require half an hour of time from an electrician.....If he gets 1 hour minimum? Sit him down in front of the stereo for the balance of what you owe...
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