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Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 10:23 am
by Blackhawk
Perhaps instead of paying for a half a dozen different sets, find one set that has everything except the battery life, and buy two.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 11:02 am
by Daehawk
Or go to a place like Best Buy and try some on before ordering.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 1:28 pm
by Kasey Chang
Unfortunately, these items aren't available in BB, and/or they would require a Lyft or Bus trip and my time could be better spent elsewhere.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:03 pm
by Daehawk
Kasey Chang wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2020 1:28 pm Unfortunately, these items aren't available in BB, and/or they would require a Lyft or Bus trip and my time could be better spent elsewhere.
Like shipping returns :P

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2020 4:19 am
by Kasey Chang
Got my bluetooth "dongle" in, which converts my bone conduction wired headphone into a wireless headset. And it works. I've been playing audiobooks non-stop since 11AM. I've got it to 12 hours of virtually non-stop playback, so that aspect is at least a success. Right now, I just need to "package" it better, a little Velcro to tie them together, and stuff like that to make it easier to move around. This may be my goto audio setup from now on.

EDIT: The original died, had to order a replacement, and Amazon only gave me $4 bucks back, and I had to mail it in, which cost me more than $4. ARGH. Net loss. I think putting it on a QC3 charger killed it. *sigh*

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 1:49 pm
by Kasey Chang
I decided to try my BT headset as my general computing headset, My old pair of Avantree Audition is not low-latency nor APTX, but it's actually quite adequate as a normal headset when connected to a PC, and due to its design, more comfortable to wear than that Roccat I ordered a while back. While it's solid as a rock and MUCH more durable than that Logitech that cracked, I can't wear that long term (more than a few hours at a time), hurts my ears despite the soft foam ear cups, too much pressure on my ears. The BT headset works fine playing video. Don't know how it'll stand up when playing games, will the slight lag in audio be an issue, blah blah blah.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2020 8:03 pm
by Kasey Chang
FWIW, I've been using the BT headset as general purpose headset, even use it for Cortana. Works fine. Didn't really notice any lag in games either.

----

Seems my internet went kaput. Need to reboot the router, except it's locked in a room rented to someone else and he aint' home yet.

----

Internet's back on. Had to power-cycle the modem.

-----

My computer keeps going to sleep while download the humongous Steam download (Dirty Rally 2.0, 97 GB). I know I have the timeout set at 1 hour, but I'd thought Windows would be smart to know NOT to sleep while download is ongoing.

Then I read that Steam knows not to go to sleep while itself is downloading, but if you also have OTHER clients loaded, like UPLay and GOG, they may force Steam to sleep. (?!) so you need to close them so Steam can continue its work in peace. Weird.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 9:49 pm
by Blackhawk
I replaced my motherboard, processor, and RAM two months ago. I then almost immediately went into a gaming slump and didn't really use it much until the past week. Since I started using it regularly for gaming, I've been getting BSODs and hard locks. The BSOD messages have been all over the place - at least four different messages in the last three days. As long as I'm not gaming, I'm fine, but if I game, bam. So I decided to run MemTest86 overnight. I didn't need to. It took less than five minutes to give me 300+ errors.

#($#&#*! I cannot afford new RAM, and this computer is used constantly for non-gaming stuff by the entire family, so I can't send parts off and have it down for weeks waiting for an RMA.

Every time stuff like this happens I wish I could just hook my PS4 up to my monitor and give up on PCs.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 11:15 pm
by Daehawk
There were so many Kasey posts I thought your's was Kasey too and I sat here wondering why you couldn't afford ram. I read your post 3 times before I saw your avatar.

I get where you're coming from though. Do you have multiple sticks of ram? If so add / remove to see if you have a good stick. Doesn't take a lot of ram these days.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 11:39 pm
by Kraken
Daehawk wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2020 11:15 pm There were so many Kasey posts I thought your's was Kasey too and I sat here wondering why you couldn't afford ram.
Kasey does love his tech toys. Half the time he's writing about things I didn't even know existed. :lol:

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:27 am
by hitbyambulance
Blackhawk wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2020 9:49 pm
#($#&#*! I cannot afford new RAM, and this computer is used constantly for non-gaming stuff by the entire family, so I can't send parts off and have it down for weeks waiting for an RMA.

what kind of RAM modules are these?

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 4:20 am
by Kasey Chang
I'm afraid I don't have any spare DIMMs at the moment, or I'd send them. I have a spare old Pentium Dual-Core PC around, but it'd cost too much to ship it.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 10:48 am
by Blackhawk
hitbyambulance wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:27 am
Blackhawk wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2020 9:49 pm
#($#&#*! I cannot afford new RAM, and this computer is used constantly for non-gaming stuff by the entire family, so I can't send parts off and have it down for weeks waiting for an RMA.

what kind of RAM modules are these?
G.Skill RipJaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 288-Pin SDRAM PC4-28800 DDR4 3600 CL16-19-19-39 1.35V Dual Channel Desktop Memory Model F4-3600C16D-16GVKC

I left MemTest running overnight. 1300+ errors. I don't think there is any real option except to replace the RAM.
Spoiler:
Image

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 11:42 am
by Anonymous Bosch
It may well be a long shot, but have you tried reseating the RAM?

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 12:04 pm
by Blackhawk
Yeah, and updating the BIOS, and checking all the power connections, and resetting the BIOS to default.

What I'm doing now (and what will hopefully be an interim solution) is testing each stick separately. If I find that only one stick is throwing up the errors, I'll run with half RAM until I can afford the ~$80 for a replacement. Once I get that in, I'll probably RMA the stuff I have, which will either give me more RAM than I have any use for, or give me a backup set.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 1:56 pm
by Daehawk
G-Skill has a lifetime warranty on ram.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 2:24 pm
by hitbyambulance
Blackhawk wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 12:04 pm If I find that only one stick is throwing up the errors, I'll run with half RAM until I can afford the ~$80 for a replacement. Once I get that in, I'll probably RMA the stuff I have, which will either give me more RAM than I have any use for, or give me a backup set.
ermmmm... if only one of the two modules is bad, just RMA that one. running with 8GB as opposed to 16GB for several weeks is not going to cause any adverse effect on that machine or the usage thereof. this way, you're not paying any unnecessary costs that you can't afford (except possibly the shipping cost of the defective module to G.SKILL - that'll be around $6 to $12 - we're assuming it's not under seller warranty still).

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 2:42 pm
by Blackhawk
G.Skill requires that both sticks in a kit be returned for RMA. I checked into that yesterday.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 4:13 pm
by hitbyambulance
Blackhawk wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 2:42 pm G.Skill requires that both sticks in a kit be returned for RMA. I checked into that yesterday.
i have an 8GB DDR4 module i could loan you whilst you RMA those, then.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 4:51 pm
by Daehawk
Good on ya Hit

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 5:38 pm
by Blackhawk
hitbyambulance wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 4:13 pm
Blackhawk wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 2:42 pm G.Skill requires that both sticks in a kit be returned for RMA. I checked into that yesterday.
i have an 8GB DDR4 module i could loan you whilst you RMA those, then.
Thanks! I am looking into another option, but if that doesn't work out, I will drop you a PM.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2020 5:19 am
by Kasey Chang
I didn't figure I'd use "Mouse Without Borders" again, but it seems to be the best way to work with both my new 17 inch laptop AND my dual-24 monitors PC. I can move files and clipboard from one PC to another almost seamlessly. I can watch video on my desktop PC while working with code on my laptop to take with me.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2020 4:13 pm
by Daehawk
Whats happened to the advancement of PC tech? Im basically using a 2011 era hardware PC. Back when I got my first PC in 1994 I couldn't imagine trying to play games on a computer from 1985. Yet thats sorta what Im doing now. Or imagine me taking that 1994 486sx33 and using it to play games in 2003. Its crazy talk.

But today Im still using my cpu,memory,mobo,case and many other parts from 2011. The video card is circa 2015. SSD is 2015 or 2016. Thats it. And I use it every day. Not that Im complaining. I couldn't afford to upgrade like the old days. Back then I rebuilt every couple years with parts in between that even. Im glad I dont HAVE to even if I need to sometimes.

It just feels strange.....as if tech sloOooOoowed way down.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 7:05 am
by Kasey Chang
True, PC desktop advancement has slowed a bit in the past 5 years or so. It's pretty much down to AMD and Intel slugging it out on the CPU front, and AMD and NVIDIA slugging it out on the GPU front. Nobody cares about DDR6, and sockets aren't growing in size as they used to be. We've about reached the plateau of x86 architecture as a whole. Even SATA has settled down and SSDs have evolved into the m.2's attached straight to PCI. yes, there's another PCI coming. But Microsoft is already talking about Windows on ARM architecture... (Surface Pro X). Without a breakthrough, this may not bode well for the future of x86, say, in 10 years.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 5:04 pm
by Daehawk
Well another day in the everyones at home epidemic and Im getting 3.5 meg instead of 100

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 6:02 pm
by Z-Corn
Not me man, got two new routers installed in mesh configuration and I'm getting 239 Mbps down on my kitchen laptop via WiFi.

That's easily 100 Mbps more than I was getting previously.

Downside is, I can't even get my wife's old-ass iPad to connect to the new network. Guess who is getting some of her Trumpbux$ spent for her on a new one!?

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:21 pm
by Daehawk
Seems the internet is bouncing off and on around here. Thought it may be me but used a wifi scanner that usually shows 5-7 other networks near me but they were all gone too. Kinda funny mine barely picks up in the kitchen but I can pick up 7 others and theres only 3 hours close to me .

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 6:35 pm
by hitbyambulance
since it was no longer needed for Minecraft, the RPi3 is now running Airsonic music server. it's attached to an external HDD where the music files live and it seems to have buffering issues now and again (random weird noise in the audio stream) which is not particularly great - it knocks you out of the listening experience.

maybe a RPi4 would be able to fix this with USB 3.0, but i would try a different music server first. Funkwhale looks like it could be promising...


also something may be wrong with my 14-year-old Altec Lansing ADA885 speaker setup, probably the amp itself - the right stereo channel is noticeably quieter than the left. this replicates when headphones are plugged into the speakers themselves, but not when plugged directly into the audio output on the PC. checked alllll cable connections. for now, i set the speaker balance a few ticks to the right in the Realtek audio settings. these speakers already have a defective digital out connection, which necessitated switching to analog some years ago.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 11:19 pm
by Kasey Chang
Apparently, the Bluetooth (part of the mainboard) just quit working. I can't turn it on. There is no such setting available. I tried removing it in Device Manager and now it shows DRIVER ERROR. WTF...

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:27 pm
by Kasey Chang
Given that my new BT dongle plugs right in and works out of the box, I can only conclude that the BT portion of my chipset has failed. Since the WiFi portion works fine, and it's an ASROCK mainboard with an Intel chipset, I don't know what to say other than F*** this, I'm not gonna worry about it.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2020 10:34 pm
by jztemple2
Kasey Chang wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:27 pm Given that my new BT dongle plugs right in and works out of the box, I can only conclude that the BT portion of my chipset has failed. Since the WiFi portion works fine, and it's an ASROCK mainboard with an Intel chipset, I don't know what to say other than F*** this, I'm not gonna worry about it.
How old is the board?

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 9:50 am
by Kasey Chang
Should be less than 2 years.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 5:10 pm
by hitbyambulance
i was looking at local craigslist prices for used MacBook Air machines, and the lowest price for each 'model year' very nearly goes like this:

2014: $350
2015: $450
2016: $550
2017: $650

so add $100 to take off a year for this range. (2013 seems to be about $300, and newer tends to jump up at a steeper curve - anecdotally, a 2018 model was $950)

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 9:30 pm
by Kasey Chang
Kasey Chang wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 9:50 am Should be less than 2 years.
The new BT dongle works fine. I guess I can try to look for Intel drivers or some such but I already tried and didn't do anything. I *suspect* a recent BT driver update broke it. But as I said, I have BT working, I'm not gonna worry about it.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2020 9:16 pm
by Kasey Chang
Great, now my favorite set of BT headset is crapping out. It won't charge any more. When you plug it in the light no longer turns on. I left it charging for 4 hours, and I was only able to use it for 2 hours. Either the plug itself or the internal battery is cooked. :-P But given I bought it in June 2017, getting almost 3 years out of it isn't bad. I paid 55 for it back then.

I want to buy it again, then I noticed something virtually identical to it for $30. Slightly different brand, slightly different controls, but virtually the same design. And now supports Apt-X low-latency. We'll see when it arrives.

(I can buy the original model again for $45, or I can get the upgraded model for $60, which is basically the same as the $30 version I'm getting...)

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:02 pm
by Daehawk
Im beginning to wonder Kasey just how rich you'd be now if you'd not impulse bought anything in a few years :)

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:25 pm
by Kasey Chang
Everything I buy I use... at least for a little while. Hahaha. :) I have hardly any vices I spend money on. :D

I mean right now, I am making do with my Roccat wired headset, and that thing is much heavier. Plus, the microphone sucks (I think it's the soundcard's fault). I could use my neckband style BT headset, I guess, but that's paired to my tablet. :D

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2020 10:43 am
by disarm
For some people, the vice is spending money

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2020 9:22 pm
by Daehawk
Got a phishing email claiming to be paypal lol. I dont know who falls for those. Its clearly not from paypal in the address and if you hover the 'paypal' link they provide its like rgsshiv@imstupid.net like hahah.

Re: General Computing Randomness

Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 11:05 am
by Kasey Chang
Daehawk wrote: Sun Apr 19, 2020 9:22 pm Got a phishing email claiming to be paypal lol. I dont know who falls for those. Its clearly not from paypal in the address and if you hover the 'paypal' link they provide its like rgsshiv@imstupid.net like hahah.
People on mobile don't look at headers often like we do on the desktop.