Archive for the ‘gadgets’ Category

Thanks for my Birthday Gift!

Thursday, November 26th, 2020

Many Thanks to all those that sent me gifts for my birthday.

Your contributions helped me purchase this:-

It’s called an Elgato Stream Deck XL (for the computer), which is a programmable 32 LCD keyboard. You can create complex macros using a single key push, or just assign a website from your bookmarks to a single key! 

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Return to HDCD it only took me 10 years! (Part 2!)

Monday, July 20th, 2020

I’ve recently been reminded after installing my new “balls” or Cambridge Audio “Puds” on my DAC – see here – S700 Isomagic DAC “puds” – rubber balls!,  that these outboard DACs (digital to audio converters) have the HDCD chip manufactured by  , which Microsoft purchased all those years ago. This chip decodes the HDCD information. My Arcam Alpha 5 DAC does not have this technology but roll forward 10 years, and some vintage DACs do have this ability to decode HDCD. But it is unlikely that we will ever see this technology incorporated in modern-day DACs, because rumours are that Microsoft requires a payment of $400,000 for the license!!!

and after Googling about HDCD, I found this – 10 Years ago, I blogged and wrote about HDCD, as a reminder it’s here –Hidden information on some Music Compact Discs – HDCD

I had forgotten!

It has also been removed from Windows media player in Windows 10, so it looks like the only way to play HDCD content, is on a vintage DAC!

Why Microsoft purchased the technology, not to use it, and to price it out of the market, when digital audio content is now on the rise Hi-Res Walkmans, e.g. Sony NW-A50 Hi-Res Walkman® Portable Audio Player, USB DACS, FLAC and lossless audio are on the rise again.

When we ripped to MP3, we were trying to make the rip as small as possible, to conserver storage space on our hard drives, my first MP3 player had only 128MB storage cards, today storage is cheap, and we are now ripping to lossless formats, e.g. FLAC, DSD, DSF.

In this modern-day when recording studios record to digital media and not analogue tapes, not sure why HDCD encoding is not used more, other than the lack of equipment to play it!

You need to have a CD Player that can decode HDCD or an HDCD encoded digital file. The CD I’m playing is “Brothers In Arms [2005 – 20th Anniversary Edition]”

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S700 Isomagic DAC “puds” – rubber balls!

Saturday, July 18th, 2020

These are the “puds” for my S700 Isomagic DAC!

 

Cambridge Audio "Puds"

Cambridge Audio “Puds”

These little rubber balls, sit underneath the isomagic DAC to prevent vibrations!

 

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HOW TO Rack a Raspberry Pi – RPi1B+, RPi2, RPi3

Thursday, June 25th, 2020

I’ve had a few Raspberry Pi located around the office plugged into network switches, and I wanted to tidy them up, so this is how you network rack a Raspberry Pi i 1B+, RPi 2 or RPi3.

The rack kit is available from Lincoln Binns – RP 19″ Rack Solutions

 

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Have I been deaf all the years ? Two DACs ! I’ve been re-awakened…. and MP3 suck!

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020

Finally, after almost 14 years – I’ve completed my new office layout! (Sorry Lindsey for taking so long.. I told you I would get round to it!).

Which has given me the opportunity again, to re-connect my “HiFi” which has sat in the corner of my office, gathering dust – literally? 

After re-wiring all the interconnects, making sure the cables are connected the correct way because they are “non-reversible, the signal must flow the correct way”, and re-wiring the bi-wire on the speakers.

I played the Compact Disc “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd <—– the amount of detail and the stereo separation was amazing… it’s like I’ve had my head in a bucket all these years listening to streaming music and MP3s!!!!

This is not just a normal “HiFi” – Cyrus Amplifier, Cyrus PSX-R – connected to Cyrus 782 speakers – Sony CD Transport – feed into three DACs, clock synced.

Cambridge Audio S700 DACs

Cambridge Audio S700 DACs

Cyrus 782

Cyrus 782

The DACs are Cambridge Audio S700 – Isomagic – designed by John A. Westlake of Pink Triangle (1991) fame, he later went on to work for Cambridge Audio (founded 1968), when Cambridge Audio was a proper HiFi company, not to be confused with the re-branded Richer Sounds brand, since 1994, when it was purchased by Richer Sounds.

I believe John has now semi-retired, but he left us some great legacy HiFi products, and one day I’ll own a Pink Triangle DaCapo DAC!

 

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The GoPro 3D Hero System

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2020

It’s quite old now, and no longer supported by GoPro, but it still works…

GoPro 3D Hero System

GoPro 3D Hero System

GoPro 3D Hero System

GoPro 3D Hero System

 

 

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Experiments in 3D with a GoPro 3D Hero System

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2020

Remember those goofy 3D red and blue glasses, or those 3D TVs, today we have VR headsets, like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Valve Index which provide an immersive experience!

But I’ve gone old school and put together two GoPro cameras, and you can shoot 3D photos or 3D video.

You’ll need the goofy 3D red and blue glasses to view these images.

Bee hives in 3D

Bee hives in 3D

Angus in 3D

Angus in 3D

Esther in 3D

Esther in 3D

Chair in 3D

Chair in 3D

My next experiment, is to record a video of a Goldfinch!

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POV – Andy goes for a long walk video!

Friday, May 15th, 2020

So I dusted off the GoPro that I’ve never really used, and took it for a walk!

Here is the video of the walk! 

So if in isolation, lockdown, bored nothing to do, and want to go on a virtual walk – here it is all 1hr 15 minutes!

Enjoy!

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There’s a mouse in the house! Inexpensive Wildlife camera!

Friday, November 8th, 2019

I’ve been having an issue with mice everywhere at the moment, in the “wendy house”, my car, my fish house.

A mouse in the house!

A mouse in the house!

They’ve been eating through the bird food bins in that I keep in the “wendy house”, because I think my anti-mouse deterrent has stopped working!

So I purchased a Wildlife camera, really cheap from Amazon.co.uk, and it works really well!!

Here a video of the mouse recorded with the Victure Wildlife Camera 16MP 1080P Trail Game Camera Motion Activated Infrared Night Vision with 2.4″ LCD Display IP66 Waterproof Design for Outdoor and Home Security
 

For less than £26 which was what I paid, it’s great! Considering that a Bushnell is over£300 notes!

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Upgraded the twig for my DJI Spark

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

I’ve upgraded the twig (aerials or antennae) on my Drone remote controller for my DJI Spark, from stock to the 4Hawks Raptor SR.

4Hawks Raptor SR

4Hawks Raptor SR

This is the stock controller

 

Original Drone Controller

Original Drone Controller

and the new controller with 4Hawks Raptor SR fitted.

Drone controller with 4Hawks Raptor SR fitted

Drone controller with 4Hawks Raptor SR fitted

 

Drone controller with 4Hawks Raptor SR fitted

Drone controller with 4Hawks Raptor SR fitted

and the purpose to fly far and wide…

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