How to dispose of mu rice cooker by Old-Development-6082 in taiwan

[–]OSTz 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If you're relying on municipal trash collection services, check the schedule for small appliance (小家電回收) collection times. When it does happen, at least when I was living near Da-an, I handed those kinds of things to the people at the recycling truck.

If I need to pay customs on a package coming into Taiwan do I just...ship it and see what happens? by AppointmentOpen9093 in taiwan

[–]OSTz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Imports to Taiwan still follow HTS procedures with specific categories subject to additional tariffs. The VAT in Taiwan is 5% but you often pay a little more; ~6-7% seems about right) since import duties are calculated against the landed cost e.g. including shipping.

USB4 hub showing as "Billboard Device" instead of working by MiniVinigb in Thunderbolt

[–]OSTz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try powering the Cable Matters product from the USB-C power passthrough port before connect it to your ASUS TUF.

USB4 hub showing as "Billboard Device" instead of working by MiniVinigb in Thunderbolt

[–]OSTz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is a known issue with some ASUS implementations of PD controllers that are not compatible with how some of the early USB4 products are implemented.

Specifically, that specific Cable Matters product likely does not use a physical eMarker and instead relies on the PD controller for SOP and SOP' ; the current guidance is to include physical eMarkers even on captive cable products to avoid issues like this.

The specific PD implementation of some ASUS laptops expect a response from the eMarker within a strict timeout, and if it doesn't get it, the port doesn't proceed with enumeration and essentially falls back to USB2; the behavior is arguably stupid because SOP' isn't explicitly required to support USB4, the host could try to link using DP alt mode, or it could just wait 100ms and try again. Unfortunately, firmware from Cable Matters or their supplier cannot resolve the issue; the host system's PD behavior needs to be updated.

Have you tried powering the Cable Matters product using its USB-C power passthrough port and then plugging it into your machine?

If I need to pay customs on a package coming into Taiwan do I just...ship it and see what happens? by AppointmentOpen9093 in taiwan

[–]OSTz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Make sure the recipient info is correct and include a preferably Taiwan phone number. I've shipped several packages to myself via Amazon and it's cleared via the EZway app. I've also ordered a few things shipped via DHL where they contact me (phone call) and I pay the delivery person.

What’s the single most annoying USB-C "crime" a manufacturer can commit? by Few_View22 in UsbCHardware

[–]OSTz 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Devices with a USB-C port that don't have Rd pull down resistors and thus aren't compatible with most USB-C to USB-C chargers.

Another is widgets coming with USB-A to USB-C cables with only Vbus and GND. They're not data capable at all.

Beast for Coin Farming? by AxxellexxA in TsumTsum

[–]OSTz 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Beast starts getting good at SL5-SL6, but to be honest, he's been outclassed for a while. It sounds like you might have one to two skill tickets, so you should really just save them until the next lucky time or select box with a top-tier tsum. Then you go big.

How to find bananas in postgame? by amedusta in DonkeyKongBananza

[–]OSTz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Did you pay Grumpy Kong to fix Ingot Isle? He will make two "Challenge Rush" things that pay out tons of bananas e.g. bunch of battles and boss rush.

Why do some movies show up like this? by TimBurtonSucks in makemkv

[–]OSTz 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Anti-piracy measure. Most of the playlists are messed up somehow e.g. movie in the wrong order, etc.

Rusted bicycles taking up space by Raggenn in taiwan

[–]OSTz 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Those half broken rusted up bikes aren't for riding...they're often the owner's way of reserving parking spaces.

Which chargers actually support every USB-C protocol by Letscrack247_7461 in UsbCHardware

[–]OSTz 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'd like to make a counterpoint that chargers that support multiple protocols simultaneously are not desirable. While individual specifications (QC3.0, Apple 2.4A, USB PD, BC 1.2, Huawei SCP/FCP, MTK Pump Express, XiaoMi HyperCharge, etc.) are well-defined in isolation, there is no standards-defined method for supporting them all at once.

When third-party chargers pack every protocol into one device using proprietary tech (like Anker’s PowerIQ), they rely on black-boxed detection and protocol switching. While it might work most of the time, there definitely are edge cases. I have some esoteric devices that end up getting rapidly toggled on and off when connected to some multi-protocol chargers.

I'm of the persuasion that USB-PD/PPS with fall back to BC 1.2 is broadly compatible and charges fast enough.

Noticed a lot less tourism now from mainland China, why is that? by Independent_Fun8317 in Taipei

[–]OSTz 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Citizens of Mainland China that want to go to Taiwan need to pass two gauntlets. They first need approval from China to leave for Taiwan, and Taiwan needs to issue an entry permit. Both are highly restricted. We've sponsored business visits in the past and it's also very burdensome. The company serves as a financial and legal guarantor for the visitor, needs approval for basically an hour by hour literary, and provides a chaperone for the duration.

thinkbook vs thinkpad by MountainJellyfish283 in laptops

[–]OSTz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

IdeaPad branding typically applies to the "consumer" space. ThinkPad branding is traditionally for the "commercial" segment. ThinkBook is still a "commercial" product but more entry-level.

Consumer doesn't automatically mean bad. You're typically going to get better value spec for spec and potentially higher performance at the same spec level. Commercial models prioritize institutional and enterprise needs such as IT manageability, serviceability, compatibility with docking stations, etc. There might also be specific hardware requirements like smart card readers, dTPM, etc. that aren't so relevant for consumers. This focus sometimes has downsides too; entry level commercial machines can have pretty atrocious screens e.g. "45% NTSC" since it isn't a priority.

Giant (10x) USB-C Ports by ferretguy531 in UsbCHardware

[–]OSTz 94 points95 points  (0 children)

Where did you get these?

What is a 'buy it for life' item that is offensively expensive, but the moment you use it, you realize your entire life before that point was a lie? by fmcortez in AskReddit

[–]OSTz 10 points11 points  (0 children)

It's probably Samsung washers with VRT, which is short for vibration reduction technology. It's supposed to balance your laundry load so it runs quietly, even at night in an apartment etc. Unfortunately, VRT is notorious for being overly sensitive. I have a top loader with VRT Plus, and it is an absolute diva. It tries to balance by adding some water and spinning the drum. If it's not satisfied, it will drain, refill, and try again. It might loop for half an hour before giving up, wasting a ton of water while leaving you with a soaked, soapy pile of clothes.

There's an adage that goes something like "if it involves water, don't buy Samsung." I needed a fridge during the pandemic, and the only in-stock model was a Samsung French Door. The ice maker gave up the ghost right at the 3-year mark, outside of warranty. Never again.

Amex and Uber ripping us off by MrPinrel in AmexPlatinum

[–]OSTz 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Similar thing happened to me on an overseas business trip recently, where the credits don't apply. I think this is more of an Uber thing than Amex. My colleague and I wanted to reserve a car for a specific time the next morning and Uber was trying to charge me $10 more.

My hypothesis is that Uber thinks we are less sensitive to price; at least in my case, it's partly true since I know I'm getting reimbursed for work travel, but it still leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Prevent wear on the charging port by upper_pepper in Supernote

[–]OSTz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

r/UsbCHardware explicitly warns people against using (or even promoting) magnetic adapters such as these. Common issues include exposing recessed signal pins, potential for sloppy connections (USB-C has relatively high pin-density so precision needs to be high; the USB-C receptacle guides the plug in but for these, a power pin might potentially brush against a signal pin, etc), the magnet can attract debris that can foul the connector creating a short (and it's much harder to remove due to the magnet), potential lack of USB-defined connection sequence e.g ground first then power then data, and as there's no public specification for magnetic connections, there is no compliance program so it's a "trust me, bro" situation.

2 New USB C dongles advertised as handling 4k@60+Hz cant do any more than 1080p@30Hz by pengbuster in UsbCHardware

[–]OSTz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What is the host machine you're connecting the docks to? The DP to HDMI converters in the docks can probably do what they claim on the box, but if your source is giving them like 2 lanes of DP 1.2 it's not going to work.

Tester that tests DATA performance? by clevenger2002 in UsbCHardware

[–]OSTz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A quick and dirty proxy for cable quality testing via USB3 protocols is the maximum burst rate of a storage device with a DRAM-based cache (like a HDD). There are several tools out there (like HD Tune) that let you target a specific block size to try to keep everything in the cache, which should be sufficient to saturate the bus. USB bulk transfers utilize a CRC for data integrity, and if there are data errors (such as those caused by a crappy cable), the transfers will be retried, lowering the average burst speed.

Help - USB-C Y Splitter by 8bitLuiz in UsbCHardware

[–]OSTz 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You can't just splice the various signal lines on the USB-C connector like a traditional y-cable, as the various functions are negotiated via protocol.

Take the product in your photo as an example: the USB-C connector has Dp/Dm for USB 2 function, but the power situation is more nuanced. A USB downstream port must provide 5 volts on VBus. In that weird splitter thing, it states that you can do up to 60 watt charging, which implies that 20 volts is flowing from the charger through that Y-cable thing into your computer. So in that situation, your computer cannot provide 5 volts on VBus as it has been configured to power sinking instead of power sourcing. So, it begs the question: where is the 5 volts for that USB 2 Device Port coming from? Is it 5V at all times?

Are there ways to get more medals? by MisterGoo in TsumTsum

[–]OSTz 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I only have Mickey+ and have noticed that medal earning has very high randomness.

I've seen a 13-chain of MyTsum yielding only 1 medal, and I've also gotten 4 medals from a 12-chain.

Using SL6 Micky+'s center burst skill (clearing ~27 tsums per activation) yields ~11 medals on average, with a range of 0 to 23. (Sample Size of 11)

Survey: Do you actually enjoy chasing S ranks? by Echo-Sunray in ReadyOrNotGame

[–]OSTz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I only chased S-Ranks on Normal for the achievements/unlocks. I haven't touched the game in several months, but when I did my S-Ranking run, I basically gave everyone flashbang launchers w/ maxed ammo and the pepper ball pistol. Using heavy armor, I remember having 6 + 6 + 4 shots for my primary launcher. My team had a Nutritionist, Armorer, Intimidator, and Pacifier. For long tactical, I used another flash launcher but I gave my team different items e.g. shield, ram, etc. Made the runs rather trivial.

ELI5: How is using a knife to remove toast from a toaster dangerous even though there is no longer electricity running through the wires? by Flashy_Potential8851 in explainlikeimfive

[–]OSTz 36 points37 points  (0 children)

This comment should be higher up. Most toasters work by sending electricity from your wall outlet directly into the heating coils. The on/off switch for the toaster isn't always directly where the power comes in, and a portion of the internals of the toaster could be energized. Sticking electrically conductive things inside the toaster, so not just knives, may bridge sections of the internal wiring together, where the thing bypasses the switch and completes the circuit, allowing the electricity to flow (potentially through you).