What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[bitseeker]

I haven't seen one of those ModemPhones either. Were they in the RadioShack catalogs?

[Specmaster]

That 102 look very much like what we used to call a Newbrain over here, but I doubt it is the same machine though.

This one?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grundy_NewBrain

Not that particular one, IIRC they introduced another model after that one and then disappeared, Epson also had one that looked like the Tandy 102 but they had a little microcassette in the top right corner and a thermal printer in the top left corner, they didn't last long as I recall.

[Fleetz]

Interested to find out where you got the smd practice boards from?

Looking to get some to be able to profile a home made reflow oven I am working on.

Cheers...

[rsjsouza]

That 102 look very much like what we used to call a Newbrain over here, but I doubt it is the same machine though.

This one?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grundy_NewBrain

Not that particular one, IIRC they introduced another model after that one and then disappeared, Epson also had one that looked like the Tandy 102 but they had a little microcassette in the top right corner and a thermal printer in the top left corner, they didn't last long as I recall.

That Epson is pretty cute! I absolutely love the amount of integration of these early laptops.

I haven't seen one of those ModemPhones either. Were they in the RadioShack catalogs?

I didn't search. The most relevant Google hit I found is a 1982 Byte magazine at scribd - but it is paid subscription

[netdudeuk]

That 102 look very much like what we used to call a Newbrain over here, but I doubt it is the same machine though.

I used to use the Tandy Model 100 over here, as on the magazine front cover.

It included a built in modem and a terminal emulator which could be used to access British Telecom Gold.

[Specmaster]

In my thirties I used to go the Tandy shop in Tottenham High Road and drawl over those TRS models they had on display in the window. In those days as a young parent etc, I just could not afford a computer of any kind. A few years later I did get my first by using all of my money I got given to me for birthday and christmas presents and then I could only afford a pocket computer, little more than a calculator, a Sharp PC1211 which ironically was also badged as a Tandy TRS80, pictures attached. I still have the PC1211 somewhere and it works and looks much better than both of those in the photos 

[Fleetz]

received some smd soldering practice boards

Interested to find out where you got the smd practice boards from?

Looking to get some to be able to profile a home made reflow oven I am working on.

Cheers...

[nanofrog]

received some smd soldering practice boards

Interested to find out where you got the smd practice boards from?

Looking to get some to be able to profile a home made reflow oven I am working on.

Cheers...

Have a look:

• Banggood
• Aliexpress
• Ebay

Links ^ show SMD practice boards available.

FWIW, if you go into your user profile and set your country, its flag will be displayed beneath your userID. Makes it lot easier to post relevant links. 

[Fleetz]

received some smd soldering practice boards

Interested to find out where you got the smd practice boards from?

Looking to get some to be able to profile a home made reflow oven I am working on.

Cheers...

Have a look:

• Banggood
• Aliexpress
• Ebay

Links ^ show SMD practice boards available.

FWIW, if you go into your user profile and set your country, its flag will be displayed beneath your userID. Makes it lot easier to post relevant links. 

Cheers NanoFrog appreciated.....never thought to set my country have now. Makes sense thanks...

[rsjsouza]

In my thirties I used to go the Tandy shop in Tottenham High Road and drawl over those TRS models they had on display in the window. In those days as a young parent etc, I just could not afford a computer of any kind. A few years later I did get my first by using all of my money I got given to me for birthday and christmas presents and then I could only afford a pocket computer, little more than a calculator, a Sharp PC1211 which ironically was also badged as a Tandy TRS80, pictures attached. I still have the PC1211 somewhere and it works and looks much better than both of those in the photos 

Nice that you have one; I remember drooling over their pocket computers PC-1211 and PC-1500 back in the 1980s. Living in Brazil, we never had anything like the TRS80 Model 100 there - only the Brazilian clones of the TRS-80 Models I and III (DGT-100 and Prológica CP500).

[deadlylover]

Ordered a Pressmaster crimper for insulated terminals from ebay, link here. (no affiliation with seller)

It's in Australia, $43 which is a bargain as that tool usually goes for $170 or so brand new from RS.

Anyone know if it'll work okay with the TE Connectivity/AMP PIDG insulated terminals? (specifically the common Faston-type for IEC socket wiring and such, I could always just get the normal non-PIDG type terminals)

I thiiiink it'll be fine since it's only the adhesive lined heatshrink terminals that need a special tool as to not damage the heatshrink, can anyone confirm?

[nanofrog]

Ordered a Pressmaster crimper for insulated terminals from ebay, link here. (no affiliation with seller)

It's in Australia, $43 which is a bargain as that tool usually goes for $170 or so brand new from RS.

Anyone know if it'll work okay with the TE Connectivity/AMP PIDG insulated terminals? (specifically the common Faston-type for IEC socket wiring and such, I could always just get the normal non-PIDG type terminals)

I thiiiink it'll be fine since it's only the adhesive lined heatshrink terminals that need a special tool as to not damage the heatshrink, can anyone confirm?

You basically stole it for that price.   

As per working with the TE Connectivity/AMP PIDG terminals, it'll do them quite well.  Or any other decent vinyl or nylon insulated terminal for that matter (Pressmaster is a truly top quality tool, and ODM for a multitude of terminal manufacturers). It'll even do the heatshrink terminals quite well also, but will deform the heatshrink portion of the terminals (would do for hobbyist use, but wouldn't pass inspection when it matters).

[CJay]

Ordered a Pressmaster crimper for insulated terminals from ebay, link here. (no affiliation with seller)

It's in Australia, $43 which is a bargain as that tool usually goes for $170 or so brand new from RS.

Anyone know if it'll work okay with the TE Connectivity/AMP PIDG insulated terminals? (specifically the common Faston-type for IEC socket wiring and such, I could always just get the normal non-PIDG type terminals)

I thiiiink it'll be fine since it's only the adhesive lined heatshrink terminals that need a special tool as to not damage the heatshrink, can anyone confirm?

You basically stole it for that price.   

As per working with the TE Connectivity/AMP PIDG terminals, it'll do them quite well.  Or any other decent vinyl or nylon insulated terminal for that matter (Pressmaster is a truly top quality tool, and ODM for a multitude of terminal manufacturers). It'll even do the heatshrink terminals quite well also, but will deform the heatshrink portion of the terminals (would do for hobbyist use, but wouldn't pass inspection when it matters).

It's even less no0w, it's down at $32Aus, if it shipped to the UK I'd have already pressed buy it now.

[nanofrog]

Ordered a Pressmaster crimper for insulated terminals from ebay, link here. (no affiliation with seller)

It's in Australia, $43 which is a bargain as that tool usually goes for $170 or so brand new from RS.

Anyone know if it'll work okay with the TE Connectivity/AMP PIDG insulated terminals? (specifically the common Faston-type for IEC socket wiring and such, I could always just get the normal non-PIDG type terminals)

I thiiiink it'll be fine since it's only the adhesive lined heatshrink terminals that need a special tool as to not damage the heatshrink, can anyone confirm?

You basically stole it for that price.   

As per working with the TE Connectivity/AMP PIDG terminals, it'll do them quite well.  Or any other decent vinyl or nylon insulated terminal for that matter (Pressmaster is a truly top quality tool, and ODM for a multitude of terminal manufacturers). It'll even do the heatshrink terminals quite well also, but will deform the heatshrink portion of the terminals (would do for hobbyist use, but wouldn't pass inspection when it matters).

It's even less no0w, it's down at $32Aus, if it shipped to the UK I'd have already pressed buy it now.

Same here. The frame alone would be well worth having at that price, and other dies are available to make a really nice dedicated crimper.

FWIW, I've one of their MCT frames that take interchangeable dies (I've multiple dies for it). For insulated terminals, I use a Panduit CT-1550 (rebranded Wezag CK100 with a custom die set for Panduit).

[Terry01]

I haven't posted here in a wee while so...here goes!

[Terry01]

Some amount of JUNK!!

[rdl]

There were two things I wanted, then I spent another $22 to get a free tracking number.   



Can you guess where it's coming from?

[Kjelt]

There were two things I wanted, then I spent another $22 to get a free tracking number.   

Very recognizable, if you need something small and have to have it, you are tempted to order all kinds of things you actually don't need asap but are nice to have because the shipping costs are there anyway or if you buy more they are reduced. Marketing knows how to lure engineers 

[Zucca]

A new laptop for a new job. My research assistantship has ended, and my postdoc is just about to start.
Which means, I can't work from home only anymore. I need to have a regular office hour from now, so I need to be able to do works (Altium, FreeCAD, a lot of IDEs, Ansys, Matlab) on a computer that travels with me.
I got it for much lower than web price since I have a friend who works for Lenovo, and he got me an employee voucher.

I would like to have a friend at Lenovo like you. Why not a P51? With the P52 out the price is even better now.

[nanofrog]

...[snip]...he has friends working there that still have employee voucher quota available.

Lucky b******.   

I would like a thin and light with 4 CPU cores.

But can your software actually utilize them?

Sadly, I find that most stuff can't, even technical software (more likely to run GPGPU than on multiple CPU cores IME). 

[nanofrog]

make -j6

Please forgive me, but at a cursory look, I'm not seeing that the latest software has the ability to utilize the additional cores. 

Even if you do use the heck out of a 3D printer.   

[rsjsouza]

Nanofrog, if you use your workstation to build code (like I do and probably blueskull as well), the multiple cores help a great deal by the -j option of make/gmake. Also, several technical applications use multiple cores (Altium is one of them) and, even if an application does not use this capability, it still helps by having them offloaded to other cores.

[precaud]

Been keeping an eye out for a used Cleverscope for quite a while, and picked up a base-model CS320A last week. I ordered the isolated sig gen for it, which should be here next week. It will be used mostly for FRA stuff. I'm especially interested to compare it to the transformer-coupled measurements I've been making.

[capt bullshot]

Some SMA adaptors and patch cables from china

[URI]

I bought a HP 4338B millohmmeter from a seller in Great Britain.

Watched it for quiet a while being offered on evilbay without being sold and being re-listed over several months.
A few days ago I negotiated the starting price of the auction with the seller and after all I was the only bidder for the price we agreed on. 

Had to hurry a bit before GB exits the EU to get it without having to pay customs fees..   

_{BTW: I'd like to see the Brits not leaving the EU, but that's only my point of view. Don't want to discuss politics here.}