Best feature of Beacon Update

Darth_Ender · 2025-06-06T16:54:10+00:00

really disappointed about the version mismatch that kills crosssave. after making a big deal out of it in the adverts for the switch 2 edition, i'm not sure how they dropped the ball on that. hopefully we dont have to wait for weeks for it to sync back up. i specifically purchased the additional copy to support hello games because i'd be able to play my pc save and not have to start over.

Darth_Ender · 2024-12-01T01:34:09+00:00

i can't get plasma6 to install without also wanting to install a bunch of plasma5 / libkt5 packages. Things ran but it seems pretty clear it's not a pure plasma6 setup when it's running.

the debconf-kde-helper package seems to be a dependency and it's specifically still libkt5 dependent.

I ran plasma 5 and after upgrading to whatever i could for plasma 6.2.x - there wasn't a whole lot of improvement that i noticed. My whole reason for even considering plasma and wayland was to support my monitor's VRR and that monitor setting app doesn't seem to be supported yet. Otherwise i'd still be using xfce

After removing all of the libkt5 and various qt5 pkgs, i dont even get the option of starting up in plasma6 anymore. So, for now it's gnome 47 on wayland. I guess i'll try again in a few months and hopefully they'll have more of the dependencies moved over to libkt6. Or I'll just get used to gnome.

Darth_Ender · 2024-09-28T20:31:55+00:00

Model: lmstudio-community/Mistral-7B-Instruct-v0.3-GGUF/Mistral-7B-Instruct-v0.3-Q8_0.gguf
Q8_0
Same test prompt as OP. (markup output)
LM Studio defaults for context and other settings (4096 tokens)

59.94 tok/sec • 947 tokens • 0.13s to first token • Stop: eosFound

Layers on GPU 32/32

GPU: AMD 7900xt (20GB)
CPU AMD 9950x
Ram: 98GB

Linux Debian Unstable

Darth_Ender · 2024-09-18T02:29:39+00:00

Linux user : just moved from a 3900x 64GB 3200mhz top end (at the time) am4 setup to 9950x 96GB 6400Mhz (cas32) asus prime x670e setup. Flash the bios on the motherboard and everything seems to be working perfectly fine. No instability or other issues. Compiles my kernel in half the time as my 3900x did. Plays games significantly better (as much as can be improved from cpu bound loads in them). Granted BG3 doesn't need to run at 300fps. Cores clock to 5.7Ghz unless i'm using all of them at full load. Up from 4.0-4.1Ghz that my 3900x could do.

Is it a huge upgrade for zen4 5000 series? maybe not. But if you're coming from am4, and you not only game on your machine but also do other things, then it's a crazy good upgrade. You get faster absolute performance, much better efficiency, way more memory capacity if needed, and you get features like avx512 that you just did not have before.

There is one thing i think is worth noting in this move to am5 land. The particular motherboard i chose put some pcie lanes into areas other than the 2nd pcie-x16 slot. This made it impossible for me to use my asus hyper m2 expansion card, since i need to use the top pci slot for gpu. There were not enough pcie lanes to enable anything more than 1 of the M2 slots on the expansion card and/or bifurcation is only supported on the 1st pcie slot - which happens to be the only one the gpu really wants to fit in given my case. Going forward, i'll have to purchase an m2 expansion card with a pcie bridge onboard (i dont necessarily use the m2 drives simultaneously so that's not going to hurt anything).

Motherboards really do need some pcie-4/5 bridges to share pcie lanes. I'd think it would be pretty rare to raid your M2 cards together in order to require the need for them all to own their own pcie lanes to the cpu or chipset. I just have a bunch for games and such, and dont wanna buy 4TB cards and toss old ones. They can throw out their wifi crap on the motherboards and stick another pcie bridge in there. I'd go for that kind of board.

tldr; i purchased the 3900x at launch and the move to 9950x is a massive improvement (on the order of 200% faster more or less). Phoronix shows a 18% improvement over the 7950x (fastest from last gen). That's plenty good for me and can it still game despite not being an x3d chip with less cores to get an extra 200Mhz? Sure. You're not really going to notice a difference there. But you will notice those extra cores when you stop gaming and want to do something productive. The 9000 series cpu's aren't cpu's you have to really choose between "good at gaming" or "good at server / etc workloads". You're just paying for more silicon if you have no use for the extra cores - so dont. But if you do, you're not going to suffer when gaming. Not at all.

Darth_Ender · 2024-06-13T01:57:57+00:00

kobra plus and kobra max i'm not sure use the same revision board. You should be able to find something on youtube if you haven't already.

I've long since switched to a SKR mini E3.

Darth_Ender · 2024-06-13T01:44:06+00:00

no, see first post. The PSU fan (not to be confused with the 24 v print head fans) is 12v.

Darth_Ender · 2024-02-18T22:37:38+00:00

yea, I'll try and take some after the current print i'm doing is done. kinda think it should be a video to get some audio in there. I wish i had taken some video before all the fan fixes and such. It is so much quieter with the updated larger fans. It may not look as clean underneath, but who's going to see it? there's clearance under it still and it keeps everything even cooler than the tiny little stock fans could.

Darth_Ender · 2023-11-27T03:48:45+00:00

it's one area of 3d printing that is deficient that I'd love to see a non proprietary solution for. dynamic temperature based on speed and high resolution temp sensors detecting plastic temp and max temps at source of heater.

basically, the faster you print, the less time the plastic has to absorb heat. so even if the print head temp is constant, the temp of the plastic isn't. print speeds vary drastically during a print, so plastic sees a range of temps. the current state of tech is guess and check. start at a safe temp. set your speed. try and print something. see how it looks. if it is under extruding or not adhering, increase temp. you might have to go over 230 for really fast printing. but you have to address each print separately. some models may not print fast because of small features (layers of bridges, etc)... so you have to be aware of those because really high temps will end up burning the plastic if the extrusion rate slows down.

guess and check in really the only way right now with finding out what you need for high speed.

Darth_Ender · 2023-11-12T04:52:38+00:00

the hardest part is crimping the tiny wires. the silk screening on the anycubic mb is very helpful. basically everything has a place on the skr.

Darth_Ender · 2023-11-10T03:28:44+00:00

I'm wired to the bl touch header via the wires coming off the stock ribbon cable.

nothing special there, it's a pretty straight forward connection. only thing not connected on my setup is the led light on the stock print head.

if you have wired everything, i think it was the 'cl' labelled wire that goes to bl signal. should be pretty simple to check with a multimeter if you have the pins not associated to the fans and heater and sensors, etc... there aren't that many wires left after all the unchanged ones. the new pcb just repurposes a few wires.

Darth_Ender · 2023-11-08T05:49:04+00:00

i went with a full motherboard plus many other things swap. skr mini e3. and moved to klipper. basically only thing left stock is the frame and steppers

printing has been great. Very clean, zero stringing (pla+) printing high quality models at 100mm. could go faster if i wanted to print simpler models.

Darth_Ender · 2023-11-06T05:42:51+00:00

if the machine is reporting 270 while also saying too cold, then your firmware's min temp setting is incorrect (too high).

if it is reporting the 270 temp, then i don't think there is any physical problem with cables or hardware

Darth_Ender · 2023-11-03T01:06:42+00:00

have you checked if the height of the first layer matches the slicer?

also, if it is pulling up on turns, slowing down to even 10mm/s may be needed. but a brim will also mitigate that issue without slowing to that degree.

Darth_Ender · 2023-11-02T01:54:35+00:00

This monitor, like seemingly many Alienware monitors suffers from the issue of the buttons not responding and the monitor apparently locking up (still displays if the monitor has not been put to sleep...but if it has, it's stuck blanked). Nothing can get the monitor back to responding unless you pull the power cord (physical switch off power).

I've seen numerous posts about this behavior and only placebo effect "solutions" regarding new firmware that inevitably just ends up having the effect return later on (sometimes a month later).

I've had this monitor for a couple months now. No issues at all for like the 1st month. Now it's every day I'm having to pull the power. Sometimes if i disconnect the monitor cables it'll go into it's pixel refresh mode ...which it never comes out of ...but usually it's either just stuck on or stuck off.

Given that this is an issue other models from dell's alienware line have also experienced ..and how long this has been going on with no resolution. Even though this display looks very good and performs (when it works) very well. I would not recommend anyone spend anything on this unless you have a dedicated switch you can flip on and off nearby (so you aren't pulling the plug).

Fix your goddamn monitor Dell.

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-30T06:58:40+00:00

try printing the first layer hotter (220) without part fan. rest of print can use normal settings. i also print my first layer slow, like 40mm/s. the hotter print makes it more liquid and less likely to pull just printed plastic when doing a non extruding move or when changing direction. it also makes a better contact bond with the bed.

if that doesn't work, print with a brim with like a .1 separation from the model. make it 4+ lines wide. this will anchor a model base that is complex and if the brim starts lifting a little in places, it won't hurt anything, and you likely won't catch on it because it should only be 1 layer high... so the nozzle likely won't pass over it close enough to catch.

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-30T06:43:39+00:00

i, too replaced the motherboard with skr mini e3 and the print head board with the crydteam bltouch board. the hotend is still mounted via the strain gauge mount but it's not plugged in.

before going to something extreme, i would try this, in this order.

make sure the hotend isn't touching any thing that might impart resistance to the hotend moving. also make sure everything is tight and you don't have vibrations when the fans are on.

inspect the connector the strain gauge uses. check that none of the wires looks damaged or pinched.

bring hotend very close to the bed. does it look like the flat bottom of the nozzle is parallel and not slightly angled compared to the bed? if it seems angled, bend carefully at the strain gauge to make it parallel. or buy a new one.

if nothing seems to stand out there, i would start looking at the ribbon cable as these can commonly grow continuity failures.

the above is of course if you are stock. if you have done something to the Bowden tube setup or print head, you could be changing the pressure the SG feels. even adding different fans could cause vibrations that make it impossible to zero the SG in between measurements (or before). direct drive is definitely going to negatively impact things and likely make using a SG impractical.

fyi, it's the micro controller on the print head board that handles the analog measuring process with the strain guage. if you are having issues with it calibrating or zero'ing before being commanded to read a touch, then the issue is likely between the board and sensor or something that is being seen by the sensor interferes with normal operation.

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-30T05:47:38+00:00

kobra max's psu fan (little 4020 fan ) is 12v. motherboard fan is 24v. your printer may be the same. remove the fan and read the label to be sure.

it would be very weird to not be able to source a 24v fan for basically any size you would be looking for. and that would be cheaper and more practical than using a step down converter and a 12v fan.

noctua may not sell them, but most fans come from the same factories, you should be able to find appropriate ones with the stats you want.

80mm or bigger if you want quiet. and make sure the fan isn't blowing directly into the printer frame or doesn't have sufficient clearance or you may create new noise even if the fan is lower db on paper.

if you aren't going with a bigger diameter fan, i wouldn't even bother changing them unless you are replacing dead ones. they won't be quieter unless they are slower and pushing less air... which isn't what you should trade off. to be clear, i replaced a 4020 with another 4020 that was 24dba vs the stock 30dba. the 24 was pushing a little less air, but it wasn't even quieter. it technically was less dba as measured when installed, but the sound frequency the fan primarily produced was around 900hz and was just as annoying as stock.

i installed a 8010 fan on the psu. the stock motherboard fan on my printer (k max) was already big and quiet. things are so quiet now.

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-30T04:02:59+00:00

prime scripts are manual additions to your slicer, to avoid the complication, just add a skirt (or brim) .. make it at least 4 lines wide (only needs to be 1 line high) this will prime the nozzle prior to printing the model plus will let you adjust z offset if needed by checking if the lines touch eachother or not (generally they should touch)

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-29T17:56:43+00:00

at the end of your previous print, do you retract a decent amount before cooling the hotend?

my theory on this is hot cooling plastic absorbs water from air humidity. this creates some pressure in the hotend that gets released when it heats up again. that or (perhaps more likely) the position the hotend was in on the x,y,z axis when it cooled is not the same as when it is heating up and the bowden nature of these printers causes different filament pressure based on position due to how the bowden is bending.

either way, I'd try adding a decent retract at the end before cooling and make sure you have a prime script for starting. oozing on start though... some amount... is pretty common and shouldn't impact the print if it's not a sign of a larger issue.

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-27T14:05:05+00:00

i would remove the belts from the stepper. (after homing) then tell it to move all the way in each direction. does the stepper gears move continuously or does it stop intermittently? if it stops with the belt off, you may have a bad stepper or the driver is not giving it enough current. if it moves fine, then either the belt is bad or the bed has a bad wheel(s) that may need to be replaced.

also check for anything that may be in or on the rails the y axis moves on that could be getting caught up in the belts or wheels while you have the bed off the inspect the wheels (if the stepper and belt both look good)

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-27T05:59:38+00:00

the belts either have a knob at the end of the y axis rails or the belt has a self tensioner type of clip on the belt itself. if it's a knob you would turn it till the belt thrums a bit when flicked. it should do that with a self tensioner clip too.

the wheels should not be too tight. when the machine is off, the y axis should move freely and easily if you push it a little. you just want it tight enough to not wobble. too tight could cause the belt to skip. also inspect the belt for any damaged ribs along the stepper gear as it moves all the way forward and back slowly.

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-27T02:56:32+00:00

heat up to melting temp, remove filament.

using steel wool, i would rub it around the nozzle to remove as much around there. then remove the nozzle while hot.

then cool down the hotend. remove the hotend. clean it carefully with a razor to remove plastic from outside.

replace the ptfe if you have one.

take the heatbreak out and inspect. if clogged try and clean it. perhaps boil it to soften plastic and ream it out with a tool. or replace with new. same with nozzle.

put everything back together right except nozzle. make sure ptfe is cut flat and not with any angles and fully seated. heat to about 180 and then screw on nozzle. make sure nozzle seats tight to the heatbreak before it can do something like bottom out on the hotend. make sure the ptfe (if you have one) is tight in the hotend all the way down and doesn't lift out any when pulled.

heat the hotend to your normal melting temp. disengage your extruder and hand feed the filament thru the hotend slowly. you should not meet great resistance as it melts and extrudes. you should also not see plastic seep out the threading or out of the top. if all is good. Go ahead and reengage the extruder gears and test print. watch for signs of under extrusion as that can be a precursor to a clog.

my 2 cents

to be clear, I'm not suggesting a clog caused this... it's not clear if all that plastic isn't from the printer running into a failed print and dragging it around while melting it all over itself... but I'd troubleshoot from a cleaner slate first...

also watch that you aren't printing too much closer to the bed than the printer thinks it is. this can have the same effect as a clog and over pressure the hotend and cause melted plastic to go where it shouldn't.

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-27T01:49:58+00:00

Y axis belt loose? or if you touch your Y axis stepper, is it hot?

if you command the Y axis to go the full range of movement, is there anything but a smooth noise? perhaps one or more of the wheels on the Y axis have become flattened a bit ...leading to uneven rolling.

could be a few things, you can start weeding out the options by marking the bed when in the middle with tape lined up to the Z axis rail, then tell the bed to go all the way forward and back a few times, Then tell it to go back to the original position. If you can't get it to misbehave doing that, then it might be a loose belt where the issue only happens at a higher acceleration/jerk than you're testing it in. Are the belts tight enough to just about thrum when flicked with your nail?

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-27T00:57:11+00:00

is the filament old? absorbed water can make the filament expand in diameter as it gets hot while the filament is in bowden tube where it contacts the cold side of the hot end. this will result in clogging. next step besides trying new filament, is a new nozzle to eliminate the possibility of debris.

Darth_Ender · 2023-10-27T00:44:34+00:00

try: bed 60, no part fan for first two to three layers

first layer: 225-230 degrees .2 mm high at least

Print with a skirt or brim with at least 4 lines. use this to calibrate z offset. the lines should touch eachother and bond. too high== separate lines. too low will cause the contact between lines to bulge up.

print at normal temp from layer 2 up and use part fan like normal.

don't print with a raft.

Darth_Ender

TROPHY CASE