@steve@prattle.org.uk
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

steve

@steve@prattle.org.uk

Rarely toots.

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fanf, (edited ) to random
@fanf@mendeddrum.org avatar

2022 retro-link! https://jointakahe.org/ - Takahē: An efficient multi-domain ActivityPub server.

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@fanf 404 File not found

It looks like they have reorganised. https://jointakahe.org/ is still sensible.

Edent, to random
@Edent@mastodon.social avatar

🆕 blog! “Thoughts on building an NFC reader for the Framework laptop”

The Framework laptop has several little slots which can be used be used to expand the functionality of the laptop. They convert the internal USB-C ports into a different sort of port. For example, Framework sells an official HDMI card and Ethernet card: But the community have bu…

👀 Read more: https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/03/thoughts-on-building-an-nfc-reader-for-the-framework-laptop/
⸻
-c

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@Edent You're probably going to want the antenna to stick out of the case at least a little bit? The expansion slots sit underneath the mid plate (see photo) which is a solid bit of metal and might block NFC signals.

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@Edent Yes they are. See https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/InputModules

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@Edent You can see a picture of the mid plate here: https://frame.work/gb/en/products/16-mid-plate-kit

There are five USB connections — the three at the left and the two at the right. These are used for keyboard and other modules in the top row.

The remaining three connections in the middle are not USB, they are I2C for the three possible locations of the trackpad module in the bottom row.

The spacers that go next to the trackpad don't get USB connections, unfortunately.

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@Edent Electrically free, but mechanically very difficult to get to!

Here's a picture of the underside of my number pad module. You can see the indentations made on the black insulating rectangle by the pins of the unused USB connection.

The number pad is held in place by strong magnets either side of the connectors on the mid plate — they pull it down with quite a lot of force.

cybergibbons, to random

I needed a wallwart capable of >13.5V DC, and one off Amazon looked like it would work.

It's looking a bit jank. I wasn't expecting the world... but this seems not brilliant at all.

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@simonzerafa "Wall wort" sounds sticky!

revk, to random
@revk@toot.me.uk avatar

Damn, just realised the chance of my PCBs ordered today getting here this week is approaching zero, and the two bank holidays next week just make it drag on to Wednesday!

I want my toys before Christmas!

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@revk @tripplehelix We have a similar thing in my company's admin code. It includes some non-standard entries, though, like "Star Wars Day" and "Start of tinsel drinking".

revk, (edited ) to random
@revk@toot.me.uk avatar

An interesting thought does strike me as I create some tools and automations. I was pondering the new door sign doorbell thing and making it have seasonal displays and automating it all.

And I pondered that it is not impossible that a lot of these silly little things could out live me.

In decades to come, a doorbell sign in Abergavenny could do a Halloween theme automatically because I made it so, even long after I am gone, maybe even long after the house is sold to someone else.

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@revk Passing IoT devices over to new owners is currently an open issue. (Open research issue? Very likely.)

Even "inheriting" something as simple as an analogue phone line is difficult, and that has no local state. Handing over a broadband connection is also difficult - I've done the "transfer of billing" procedure with Zen a number of times, for example, and I still have some measure of administrative control over connections that haven't belonged to me for years.

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@revk Handing over administrative control of a complicated system of routers, access points, some kind of uplink, possibly a Zigbee or Thread network, and a bunch of devices with local state currently can't be expected to work smoothly.

If I was the incoming owner/administrator I'd be expecting to wipe everything and start again at the very least.

A naive incoming owner wouldn't even know that that was needed. Expecting stuff to just keep working isn't really reasonable at the moment.

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@revk Just telling the system as a whole that it has a new owner is, regrettably, still science fiction.

https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2013-08-09

dancinyogi, (edited ) to random

Do you know your spouse/SO's cell phone number (without looking it up)?

Please boost for a wider demographic 😉

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@dancinyogi I say "Nope" because she doesn't have one

revk, to random
@revk@toot.me.uk avatar

There are a few things where the “commercial” software it comes with is just crap, but the chipset or hardware is good.

These lead to some fun cases where the open source code is just so much better.

Good examples being Tasmota on ESP8266 and ESP32 home automation. And the PVVX stuff on Telink temperature/humidity sensors.

If I was making these I’d be tempted to ship with open source code!

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@revk For example @localbytesshop

revk, (edited ) to random
@revk@toot.me.uk avatar

Unusual to see wine by the glass cheaper than by the bottle?!

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@revk @dakkar 750ml is normal for wine, 700ml is normal for spirits.

steve, to random
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

Just received a Hildebrand Glow display to connect to my electricity meter.

https://shop.glowmarkt.com/products/display-and-cad-combined-for-smart-meter-customers

So far, very impressive — publishing data from the electricity meter every 10s over local mqtt, easy to pick up and feed into the Energy dashboard in Home Assistant.

They were able to get this set up and working before data from the smart meter has even started appearing in the Octopus dashboard.

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@jonty I will keep that in mind if I'm ever tidy enough to need to wall-mount it!

It's currently occupying the same shelf as my router, a switch, an access point, some 1999 Histon Beer Festival pint glasses, and all my regularly-used cookery books...

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@mattgrayyes It's a bit of the smart metering infrastructure that appears to Just Work, which surprised me considerably!

revk, (edited ) to random
@revk@toot.me.uk avatar

Is anyone else (not Nigel Farage) having issues with (business) being stupid?

They say they want us to confirm our business details. Well, OK, but they are all on Companies House, so seems a bit silly. But yeh, OK, will do.

They say they sent a form - we never got one, and it is not online. [found it now, its a stupid form, and no address to send to]

They sent a letter saying we have not filled in the form, but don't include the form with the letter!

Just getting really silly now.

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@revk Yes, frequently! I think they ask us to go through the full KYC procedure every two years at the moment.

Every time this procedure begins, they have forgotten all the information we gave them the previous time and have reverted to details that ceased being current around 20 years ago. They always reject the form and require us all to visit branches with documentation. (Not just the directors, some of the shareholders as well.)

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@revk After the most recent go-around, they now refer to our company as "The Devonshire Arms" because there's a box on the form for "Trading as" that won't accept multiple values. (We currently have three sites.)

The form instructions say to put one name on the form and attach additional trading names in the supplementary information. That then appears to be ignored.

There doesn't appear to be an option for "just call the company by its name, dammit"!

revk, to random
@revk@toot.me.uk avatar

Hmmm.

As a consumer, if I buy a 10000mAh battery pack I would expect it to be able to provide 10Ah, i.e. 1A for 10 hours.

As this is 5V output, that is 50Wh capacity.

It seems, however, this is 37Wh.

So at the rated output of 5V, this would do 1A for 7.4 hours. It is, at the stated output voltage, a 7400mAh battery pack.

I can only assume the internal battery pack is 3.7V (typical LiPo). But that make the headline rating of 10Ah misleading at best.

steve,
@steve@prattle.org.uk avatar

@revk This has bugged me for years!

I think the battle is lost, though. Every manufacturer appears to do it.

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