EEVblog #787 - Mailbag

[EEVblog]

More Mailbag
Forum:

SPOILERS:
Zhiyun Z1-Evolution 3-axis GoPro IMU based handheld image stabiliser gimbal:
http://www.zhiyun-tech.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=lists&catid=54
http://www.skytechinnovation.com.au/

Nagle Industries Glow-Tie, RGB LED Bow-Tie:
http://www.nagleindustries.com/
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nagle-industries/795935220

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gooligumelec/wombat-a-prototyping-platform-for-raspberry-pi/description

Raspberry Pi Wombat Prototyping board
http://www.gooligum.com.au/raspberry-pi/wombat-proto
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gooligumelec/wombat-a-prototyping-platform-for-raspberry-pi/description

Casio FX-991EX Calculator with engineering notation display.
http://edu.casio.com/products/cwiz/fx991ex/

Hobby Creek Third Hand Tool:
http://www.hobbycreek.com/shop/

KVM switch teardown

[janoc]

Dave, the third hand kit is originally a SparkFun product:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11784

They have licensed (?) the idea from someone who has described this on Instructables (the link is on the SparkFun website). The "arms" are actually lubricant hoses for machine tools (like a lathe or a mill). The large holes in the base allow you to screw in additional ones or one with a different attachment (magnifier, fan, etc). There is actually a screw under the orange tip, just "break off" the tip (it takes quite a bit of force to spring out the spherical joint, don't hesitate to unleash brute force on it!) and then you can replace the crocodile clip with something else. SparkFun has a video on their website on how to assemble these hoses - it is quite difficult!

I have the SparkFun one and it certainly doesn't tip over like the one you have - the base seems to be larger a bit. You can solder on it if you hold the board using 3 of the clips, then it is pretty rigid even though clunky. I cannot imagine using it to hold probes, though, because the hoses are very "springy" and it is difficult to get them positioned accurately.

[ornea]

FYI

Not sure if it should be but this Mailbag video is not on the main page at http://www.eevblog.com/ ... update, it is now.

Not up with exactly what open source hardware is about but I was not expecting to see patent pending on an Open Source Device 

[firewalker]

I have seen machinist using soap water hoses as third hand for decades. Mainly for mounting magnifying lenses and lights.

Alexander.

[hikariuk]

If you'd watched the "I Dream Of Wires" documentary you had on one of your earlier mailbags you'd know Muff Wiggler :p

I am happy to say I get the Shermer Illinois reference...although this shows my age.  I think I may need to re-watch the relevant film now (fortunately I have it on BluRay).

[Harrkev]

Sorry Dave, but I can't take a man seriously if he doesn't like peanut butter and chocolate together.  It makes me question all of his other decisions.

[Fungus]

Those calculators are way cheap, $26 on eBay with free shipping. I was expecting more than that. I might have to get one, my current calculator sucks. OTOH you're right, VPAM sucks for basic, quick calculations.

PS: Calculator review and you didn't calculate '69!' ??


PPS: Aluminium for a counterweight on a stabilizing arm? Fail. I'd glue some nuts and bolts to it.

[steve30]

I noticed the bow tie said 'Pending Patent Pending'. Presumably that might be a joke to mean that it is not patent pending.

The calculator looks good, but why does it use that Chinese style serif font? Looks weird.

[max666]

That ServSwitch KVM switch teardown was much more interesting than I expected. That's to no small part due to your excellent teardown skills, Dave. 

I always have my Ti-92 Plus in arms reach, and the Infix Notation certainly has it's pros and cons. I prefer it for more complex calculations though.

[adrian]

Aw Dave, you didn't see the Game of Life generations going on the Glow-Tie? It is the 4th mode shown in the video after the VU meter one. Got really excited when I saw the Game of Life going!

[apis]

I'm thinking about buying the fx991ex now, because I have been wanting one that does complex numbers in a convenient way. Made me take a look at my old (>15yr) fx-82LB, it's rated as 0.4 mW and still use the original casio branded alkalines!

Those prototyping boards look nice but I wonder how much protection/regulation there is, I've had cheap ones before (ie not the wombat one) and it's easy to mistakenly short something on the board since it's unprotected and can damage some of the components. It might have been better to put some acrylic over the board for protection?

[Razor512]

$500 is way too much for that gimbal ($500 is DSLR compatible gimbal territory), especially since it stabilizes similarly to those $50 gimbals for quad copters, though their build quality is lower, with exposed PCBs, and thinner aluminum construction material, at least based on rough comparisons from what I can find on youtube of people testing the cheap ebay gimbals.

Though I did not see anything with vigorous movements like in the EEVblog video.

[Porto]

SJ4000... a rip-off of a rip-off? 

[cteffects]

Very sexy shirtless flash-frame at around 9:20. 

[Neganur]

Those calculators are way cheap, $26 on eBay with free shipping.

That's some 28 EUR for me after adding VAT
Indian Amazon sells them for ~15 EUR/17 USD incl shipping to Mumbai.
Local shops in Helsinki: 35-38 EUR. Crazy.

[apis]

That's some 28 EUR for me after adding VAT
Indian Amazon sells them for ~15 EUR/17 USD incl shipping to Mumbai.
Local shops in Helsinki: 35-38 EUR. Crazy.

I see a lot of the cheap products you can buy for 1$ on ebay (including airmail from China) being sold in local shops for 10-20$. I'm guessing the Chinese sellers have a nice profit margin as well and most of that price is the shipping cost...

Makes you wonder about what it actually cost to produce things and why the market prices are so different from production cost. Of course, market prices are not supposed to be production cost, rather it reflects what people are willing to pay. But in a free market economy they should be relatively similar? My theory is that there isn't nearly enough competition in most markets for it to be considered a working free market. For example, there is only one brand of razors you can buy around here. In any case, something isn't right.

[max666]

Aw Dave, you didn't see the Game of Life generations going on the Glow-Tie? It is the 4th mode shown in the video after the VU meter one. Got really excited when I saw the Game of Life going!

I didn't notice the Game of Life, but Game of Life for the win!
Nice profile picture by the way 

[acourtois]

I guess I am Dave approved.

[pickle9000]

Brushless gimbal

Here's an example of the kinds of shot's you can achieve. Lots of good shots on this channel.



- Keep in mind that rapid changes in altitude will show as shake. An extended arm helps.
- Framing is tricky, remote monitor is very helpful.
- Use "follow mode" for most shots.

[EEVblog]

Aw Dave, you didn't see the Game of Life generations going on the Glow-Tie? It is the 4th mode shown in the video after the VU meter one. Got really excited when I saw the Game of Life going!

Ah, missed that!

[EEVblog]

I guess I am Dave approved.

Not with that TI you ain't 

[Christe4nM]

You just got me to order a FX 991ex on eBay. It got my attention on looks then hooked me by being able to do binary and hexadecimal calculations and conversions. Smaller than my good old TI-84 too.

[redshift]

Very sexy shirtless flash-frame at around 9:20. 

I noticed that too... Some kind of bizarre subliminal message?

Maybe one leftover frame from a scene that he decided to take out?

Any explanation Dave? 

[pickle9000]

Very sexy shirtless flash-frame at around 9:20. 

I noticed that too... Some kind of bizarre subliminal message?

Maybe one leftover frame from a scene that he decided to take out?

Any explanation Dave? 

ha ha.... awesome and juvenile

[steve30]

Ah ha!. I thought I saw his shirtless for a fraction of a second, but didn't bother to go back and look  .