New Tech you didn't know you needed or even wanted

[Mikej]

Raspberry Pi. It's a little computer the size of a deck of cards. Runs on 5 volts from a USB port. You can run Linux on it, so it doesn't need a lot of memory or a big processor. You can do about anything with them, like set up a web/network server in your truck to connect a bunch of wireless cameras mounted all around the truck. Set an old tablet to automatically connect to that network when it's available, and put a web page on the web server that displays all of the cameras. $49. Well, and hours of fiddling. Dash mount for the tablet, another about $50. I'm thinking about a magnetic mount camera that I can stick on any trailer I might be towing. If it won't reach the Raspberry Pi from back there, for another $49 I can make another one into a signal booster.

Or with a little extra hardware, you could make one into a custom weather station for the house.

Or a file server to stream all of your movies from.

Or a VPN server.

Or a TV that mirrors what's on the main TV, but in the bathroom, that comes on automatically when you enter and doesn't turn back off while you sit on the pot.

Or a Digital Sound Processor that doesn't use expensive proprietary software.

Or all kinds of robot stuff.

Basically anything you can do with Linux, which is as ridiculously broad as it sounds. It has several USB ports and HDMI. You can literally plug a mouse, keyboard and monitor in it and you have a little Linux computer. Or not plug anything in and remotely connect to it over your Wi-Fi instead. Plus you can add a hardware controller board to remotely or automatically control all kinds of hardware.

I've got three of them laying around halfway configured for various projects right now.

And then there are Arduino controllers, which I haven't even started with yet...

Good LORD man! Speak English!

Good thing I'm old enough that I just don't care if I'm an idiot to such things.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Good LORD man! Speak English!

Good thing I'm old enough that I just don't care if I'm an idiot to such things.

I think he is talking about in the future robots will serve raspberry pie?

 

[Mikej]

Even up here when I shop for a car that is a deal breaker. I can't stand having the noise of the windows down. AC can of course be added on but, the couple times I tried doing that the cost was high enough to keep me only buying that had factory.

One thing about the '24 FR-V is that it's much quieter with the windows down when driving. I don't do it a lot, but if the temps right and you're doing 45 or under, it's quit nice actually. Compared to the '05 CR-V. There's a "But" to that though. BUT if it's raining, water drips in the car from the roof when you open the door. No gutters on the roof.

 

[Joe13]

One thing about the '24 FR-V is that it's much quieter with the windows down when driving. I don't do it a lot, but if the temps right and you're doing 45 or under, it's quit nice actually. Compared to the '05 CR-V. There's a "But" to that though. BUT if it's raining, water drips in the car from the roof when you open the door. No gutters on the roof.

I put these on all of my vehicles.

Cheap and easy to install but makes things so much nicer.

Amazon.com

 

[Alexx1401]

I put these on all of my vehicles.

Cheap and easy to install but makes things so much nicer.

Amazon.com

Interesting looking deal. May well try a set, thanks!

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

Good LORD man! Speak English!

During the Late Great Unpleasantness I was reduced to working for Comcast I could tell the phone interview wasn't going well and the recruiter asked if I had any special skills or training that might help. OH! Yeah, I'm bilingual

Great he said, which other language do you speak?

"Geek"

Hated it there, the company is worse than what you might actually think, but that stupid joke got me a job until something else came up

 

[ktgee]

Yesterday we purchased a car that DOES NOT have a factory cassette player, while Bummed, the large infotainment screen makes it much safer to check an incoming text as it comes through audibly.
I do like that feature. I hope I can find a cd player hidden somewhere

i found that most people in their 60s to 70s are still playing CD's. About 10 years ago, I bought a car that still had the CD player and the Bluetooth feature. So, basically all new and future tech is going BT. I finally digitalized all my music CD's. They're all in stored on my smart phone or in the cloud. I will be getting rid of my CD's as soon as I buy new car.

Same goes with recorded family VHS tapes. All are digitalized. I also used my scanner to digitalized all family photos. Welcome to the future.

 

[ktgee]

DVDs are also out since streaming is the new thing. Streaming services offer inexpensive subscriptions to tons of entertainment. Many free streaming services offer a lot of entertainment. All new movies can be streamed so you don't have to go to the theater and pay admission for each person.

 

[Certaindeaf]

DVDs are also out since streaming is the new thing. Streaming services offer inexpensive subscriptions to tons of entertainment. Many free streaming services offer a lot of entertainment. All new movies can be streamed so you don't have to go to the theater and pay admission for each person.

I downloaded the justwatch app yesterday but haven't used it yet.
Heard good things about it.

 

[Angelfarts]

i found that most people in their 60s to 70s are still playing CD's. About 10 years ago, I bought a car that still had the CD player and the Bluetooth feature. So, basically all new and future tech is going BT. I finally digitalized all my music CD's. They're all in stored on my smart phone or in the cloud. I will be getting rid of my CD's as soon as I buy new car.

Same goes with recorded family VHS tapes. All are digitalized. I also used my scanner to digitalized all family photos. Welcome to the future.

I've had it with all of the subscription services. Blast out $50-$100 a month to have nothing in return other than the ability to watch/listen to something until the next billing cycle.

 

[Nosferatu]

I've had it with all of the subscription services. Blast out $50-$100 a month to have nothing in return other than the ability to watch/listen to something until the next billing cycle.

This is why you don't throw away all those Columbia House mailers.

 

[Angelfarts]

This is why you don't throw away all those Columbia House mailers.

I still have my Mazy Star and Nirvana tapes that I got from those...

 

[Joe13]

I've had it with all of the subscription services. Blast out $50-$100 a month to have nothing in return other than the ability to watch/listen to something until the next billing cycle.

I was there at one point until I actively went on a binge - we can't keep up with most shows and movies anyway so I paired it down to Amazon and basic Netflix.

Other then that I do have a Spotify account but it gets used SO much that it is easily justifiable. I've been pushing my wife to ditch pandora and I think I have finally done that, I just have to make a playlist on Spotify with all of her saved favorite songs and it will only cost me about $4 more a month.

At that point I think I am streamlined.

Now if I could just get my internet bill down…

 

[Angelfarts]

I was there at one point until I actively went on a binge - we can't keep up with most shows and movies anyway so I paired it down to Amazon and basic Netflix.

Other then that I do have a Spotify account but it gets used SO much that it is easily justifiable. I've been pushing my wife to ditch pandora and I think I have finally done that, I just have to make a playlist on Spotify with all of her saved favorite songs and it will only cost me about $4 more a month.

At that point I think I am streamlined.

Now if I could just get my internet bill down…

Yeah, I have mine narrowed to YT premium (for YT music and no fuggin ads). I got rid of all of the streaming services (Netflix, HBO, ect.) a couple of years ago and haven't looked back.

 

[Ben B.]

Which one? I was looking at some of the ATN offerings for my .22 bolt rifle.

Arken Zulus

 

[Nosferatu]

I was there at one point until I actively went on a binge - we can't keep up with most shows and movies anyway so I paired it down to Amazon and basic Netflix.

Other then that I do have a Spotify account but it gets used SO much that it is easily justifiable. I've been pushing my wife to ditch pandora and I think I have finally done that, I just have to make a playlist on Spotify with all of her saved favorite songs and it will only cost me about $4 more a month.

At that point I think I am streamlined.

Now if I could just get my internet bill down…

I used to use Spotify as well until I did a free trial of Tidal and discovered how horrible the audio quality of Spotify is. Tidal was only about $1/month more.

 

[Joe13]

I used to use Spotify as well until I did a free trial of Tidal and discovered how horrible the audio quality of Spotify is. Tidal was only about $1/month more.

Good to know! I'll look at it, thanks

 

[Flopsweat]

That reminds me...I have one of those little buggers around here somewhere I meant to setup Home Assistant on....

Tell me more about the weather station. I'm still getting a grasp on what these little things can do. I know, I'm behind the times.

It helps to have access to a 3D printer, but it's just for mounting hardware. I made stuff like that long before 3D printers existed. You probably did too.

https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/projects/build-your-own-weather-station

https://forums.raspberrypi.com/viewforum.php?f=112&sid=fd0218c9a5c6ff4445eb618f3b0a6eca

If you know Python it's pretty simple to modify this kind of stuff. If you don't know Python but know any other programming language, you can know Python in about a day.

 

[Nosferatu]

It helps to have access to a 3D printer, but it's just for mounting hardware. I made stuff like that long before 3D printers existed. You probably did too.

https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/projects/build-your-own-weather-station

https://forums.raspberrypi.com/viewforum.php?f=112&sid=fd0218c9a5c6ff4445eb618f3b0a6eca

If you know Python it's pretty simple to modify this kind of stuff. If you don't know Python but know any other programming language, you can know Python in about a day.

Thanks! Looks like a winter project. I have machining capabilities, so that's covered. I have used Python, but I cannot say I know Python! One thing I do know how to do is follow instructions.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

All this talk of CDs and streaming services, ain't nobody else kicking it old-school with external hard drives loaded up with music from all your friends?