NSOddity

Thu, 11 Jul 2019 16:57:09 -0500 last edited: Thu, 11 Jul 2019 17:00:09 -0500

nsoddity@hubz.secretlair.me

!Digital Realms

Well, I made the prediction of a cheaper Nintendo Switch standalone box a couple years ago. That didn't pan out. But they did announce what will eventually replace the 3DS: the Switch Lite. Size looks nice, with a 5.5" screen. Should be slightly larger than many mobile phones.

I would expect the 3DS platform to be officially sunset a year after this thing launches.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59yuBFRSZdg[/youtube]

https://www.nintendo.com/switch/lite/

Image/photo

#nintendo

Need a photo printing service?

Mon, 08 Jul 2019 23:14:44 -0500

NullSpaceOddity

nsoddity@hubz.secretlair.me

This is a plug for Nations Photo Lab.

I dabble in photography, and occasionally have something that I wish to print. Because I ditched inkjet printers years ago, this means sending my files to be printed.
Since local printers are fast and easy, I've tested Walmart, Walgreens, and the local CVS. And in each case, I've experienced sub-par quality and their systems screw up the colors of my images! Every time I would send a project, they would make skin tones way too red, and delicate lighting situations would look horrible.

After a search, I sent some test prints to Nations Photo Lab. They have an option to NOT adjust colors, and offer three paper types. My prints came back looking fantastic! Very close to what I saw on the screen in Darktable.

So... if anyone else out there in the US should happen to need a decent photo printing service, there you go. They get a thumbs up from me.
As an aside, I get nothing from this. I'm just genuinely happy with the results.

https://www.nationsphotolab.com/

So I picked up a DAP...

Sun, 30 Jun 2019 11:42:00 -0500

NullSpaceOddity

nsoddity@hubz.secretlair.me

It's probably been at least 15 years since I have owned a digital audio player.
My last iPod was retired when I got into PalmOS devices, then moved to a Symbian phone, then other smart phones.

But it seems that (especially in the low to medium tier) modern smart phones have regressed a bit when it comes to using it as an audio device. Phone manufacturers are obsessed with providing giant screens, which are horrible for one-handed usability. Only certain high end models put emphasis on audio output quality (Like the LG V-series), and a lot of them don't have analog outputs at all. Which takes me to my current phone, the LeEco X522. After I broke my old Xiaomi phone, I "borrowed" the LeEco from my daughter. After flashing it with LineageOS, its not bad. However, it doesn't support SD card expansion, and eschews the headphone jack in favor of USB-C. Since my Sailfish OS phone stopped receiving SMS after the last OS update, I'm stuck with the LeEco.

Since I like to tinker, my personal phone gets wiped quite often. I figured this would be a good time to shift back to a dedicated audio device. Since Apple pulled out of the stand-alone audio player market, many options at all price points have popped up. I ended up selecting the Shanling M0. It's the size of an old iPod nano, and has a decent 32bit DAC along with good touchscreen controls and battery life. There is a single physical dial/button on the side which functions as on/off and wakes the screen when pressed. When turned, the dial controls volume. The rest of the functions are controlled via the touchscreen interface.

I do a lot of driving for work, and frequently listen to podcasts. Using the AntennaPod app on my phone, I can download fresh episodes via WiFi. The M0 has a couple of neat features which make it an excellent companion device. The first is built in Bluetooth. This can be used two-ways. I can either output to a BT speaker. Or use the device as a BT receiver and output from the analog jack. The second cool feature is the ability to use the M0 as a USB digital to analog converter. By connecting a USB cable from my phone to the device, it acts as an analog output for my phone. Pretty slick!

Now, all I need is a modern semi-smart phone and the circle will be complete o/

Image/photo

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 23:18:01 -0500 last edited: Mon, 24 Jun 2019 23:19:00 -0500

NullSpaceOddity

nsoddity@hubz.secretlair.me

Interesting article citing studies of nutritional value in fruits in veggies. Commercially grown produce has significantly less nutrient value compared to produce from years ago due to over farming.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss/

Life is Persistent

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 15:31:44 -0500

NullSpaceOddity

nsoddity@hubz.secretlair.me

I have a tub filled with old screws, and metal scrap by my garage. The sight of two small Maple seedlings poking out of it made me smile. I am always amazed by the ability of life to flourish in the oddest places.

#nature #mywork

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 08:53:00 -0500

NullSpaceOddity

nsoddity@hubz.secretlair.me

NullSpaceOddity updated their cover photo

Atari VCS basic specs

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 18:29:29 -0500

NullSpaceOddity

nsoddity@hubz.secretlair.me

!Digital Realms

More Atari VCS info from E3.
Of interest to me, asides from their Linux OS, they will offer "Sandbox Mode". Enabling you to install any OS on the device you wish. This is a welcome choice to those sick of locked bootloaders (IM LOOKING AT YOU 95% of cell phones!).

Asking price is $389.99, which seems OK considering it's basically a Ryzen powered notebook board in a nice case.
Not thrilled with eMMC storage.

Tentative specs:

ATARI VCS 800 SYSTEM
Dimensions
11.6” x 5.9” x 1.9” (Approx.)
Weight
3 lbs. (Approx.)
Materials
Plastic, Metal, Wood
Operating System
Atari Custom Linux OS (Linux Kernel)
APU
AMD Raven Ridge 2
GPU
Ryzen
Storage
32GB eMMC internal, unlimited external USB HD/stick, cloud (subscription required)
RAM
8GB DDR4 RAM (upgradable)
Compatible Systems
Linux, Windows, Steam OS, Chrome OS
Power
Low TDP architecture - Less Heat & Noise
Wireless Connections
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4/5GHz, Bluetooth 4.0
Wired Connections
HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, 4x USB 3.1
USB Ports
2x front, 2x rear
External Inputs
Classic Joystick, Modern Controller, Microphone, Others TBD
Mouse & Keyboard Support
Yes, USB or Bluetooth
4K Video w/ HDCP 2.2 Integration
Yes
Internet Connection Required
Not for classic gaming but required to access all features

ATARI VCS 400 SYSTEM
Dimensions
11.6” x 5.9” x 1.9” (Approx.)
Weight
3 lbs. (Approx.)
Materials
Plastic, Metal, Wood
Operating System
Atari Custom Linux OS (Linux Kernel)
APU
AMD Raven Ridge 2
GPU
Ryzen
Storage
32GB eMMC internal, unlimited external USB HD/stick, cloud (subscription required)
RAM
4GB DDR4 RAM (upgradable)
Compatible Systems
Linux, Windows, Steam OS, Chrome OS
Power
Low TDP architecture - Less Heat & Noise
Wireless Connections
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4/5GHz, Bluetooth 4.0
Wired Connections
HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, 4x USB 3.1
USB Ports
2x front, 2x rear
External Inputs
Classic Joystick, Modern Controller, Microphone, Others TBD
Mouse & Keyboard Support
Yes, USB or Bluetooth
1080p streaming video
Yes
Internet Connection Required
Not for classic gaming but required to access all features

https://atarivcs.com/
Image/photo

Rebuilt and reinstalled

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 15:46:16 -0500

NullSpaceOddity

nsoddity@hubz.secretlair.me

After a snafu involving the upgrade to 4.2, I have managed to reinstall the OS on my VM and have gotten Hubzilla running again. The downside is that my most current backup was corrupt, so I have lost a couple months of posts. But the important stuff is there (wikis, files, etc).

Feels faster (TM).

And more importantly I learned some stuff while reinstalling.

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 02:30:37 -0600

NullSpaceOddity

nsoddity@hubz.secretlair.me

NullSpaceOddity on Hubzilla updated their profile photo