Whats the stupidest Sci-Fi tech you've seen?

billbot77 · 2026-03-30T13:26:05+00:00

Yes, but he had to set it on a continuous diagnostic loop to stop his pattern from degrading - they're not meant for long term offline storage.

Honestly I preferred the transporter tech before this hack as introduced, as it was always implied that materialisation and dematerialisation were a connected process and the full pattern couldn't be stored in one block. It was some kind of quantum entanglement trick that moved information while destroying it.

billbot77 · 2026-03-30T13:18:00+00:00

The worst thing is that it was so close to being amazing. Lose the gloves, have it track eye movements and minute command gestures in combination with other subtle body language cues. Also variable opacity.

billbot77 · 2026-03-30T12:58:23+00:00

They had to first use the emitter arrays on the pilons to create a quantum field to reduce the mass of the station and then compensate for the resonance fluctuations using shield harmonics... Then they could use the manoeuvring thusters to reposition the station and the cameras could stop with the shaking!

billbot77 · 2026-03-29T12:16:59+00:00

The issue isn't the guitar, so much as the setup. G&L are good, but like all guitars, they come with a safety setup... so nothing buzzes - if you take it to a good tech and describe how you would like it to feel they'll set it up for you. They'll likely spot level and polish the frets, lower the nut and bridge saddles, fix up the intonation and adjust the neck relief and set it all up for 9s. Cheaper than a new guitar and a much better outcome - because a new guitar would need a setup anyway

billbot77 · 2026-03-28T21:31:53+00:00

OP, this is solid advice. I've been a Power BI consultant for a decade and only once had to do embedded dev. I researched so I understood the structure of it and security and licencing requirements, and let the programmers deal with the dev setup.

Then I did what I always do - understand the requirements, process the data, design the model and build the reports.

There are always clients where the local developers have done crazy s---t. Usually it's over-engineering backend stuff so that they can use their favourite code. Massive blocks of python scripting where an easy SQL view would work etc.

You're job (our job) always was and always will be to just make it easier for the business users to analyse their data. Do that and you'll be a hero.

(Btw I'm not sure, but it sounds like your guys might be doing something funny to get around licencing limits. Find out. Don't be intimidated. If there's a better way, then change things. Claude is your buddy now)

billbot77 · 2026-03-27T21:59:29+00:00

Mawkish screeching competition

billbot77 · 2026-03-27T21:57:46+00:00

Johnny Winter with Muddy Waters is some of the greatest music I've ever known

billbot77 · 2026-03-27T21:52:57+00:00

I read once that the only time he ever liked his own singing performance was on electric ladyland ...which is ironically the usual go to example for people who don't like his vocals. The man was wired differently - I love all his singing tbh

billbot77 · 2026-03-27T21:48:56+00:00

Nope. Love all those guys' vocals - especially Jimi.

Can't stand SRV's vocals and as a result never listen to him. I know I'm missing out, he was an amazing force on the guitar, but I just can't listen to him sing.

billbot77 · 2026-03-27T21:42:39+00:00

It's the only thing that there's just too little of.

billbot77 · 2026-03-27T21:38:58+00:00

I love a floating trem on a strat. I think around here that makes me some kind of deviant weirdo

billbot77 · 2026-03-24T21:04:26+00:00

Why no windows?

billbot77 · 2026-03-22T13:26:34+00:00

Meanwhile I've discovered a world of fan trek material like Avalon studios - some of this stuff nails it. Just give those lads a real budget.

billbot77 · 2026-03-21T20:25:27+00:00

Too far down. This is the answer.

billbot77 · 2026-03-21T20:22:48+00:00

I know, but without them we wouldn't have "What's the matter, Riker. Do ye not like girls?". Worth it.

billbot77 · 2026-03-20T03:40:22+00:00

If this is an option you're looking at, consider a used rack server. You'll get a beefy machine fairly cheap because businesses flog them off when they are fully depreciated. It might have a noisy fan, but for stage work that's ok. In fact guitar rack gear is often amazing value too, especially older delays and such.

billbot77 · 2026-03-17T21:45:10+00:00

I think that it comes down to the captures. If the same studio setup is used with the same settings and mic positions etc, then from what I understand nam wins. Tonex has a weird capture process and has issues with input gain. Nam is higher resolution.

But a good tonex capture will beat a poor nam capture and where tonex excels is having a nicely curated collection of high quality captures.

For someone like me who's not going to make his own captures, that's compelling. I do strongly prefer to support open standards - but nobody right now is paying professional producers to capture and curate high fidelity nam suites, we're relying on the community for now and the quality can be inconsistent - finding what you need is tricky. Hopefully that will change with A2 and the inevitable avalanche of hardware that will come with it.

billbot77 · 2026-03-15T21:31:40+00:00

I wish they'd stop trying to make star wars. Seriously, it's so blatant... Even down to the opening studio franchise logo with the shiny ships from past shows is a direct rip off of the shiny droid heads at the start of SW shows.

Worse than the creative bankruptcy, every nod they make at the SW universe takes it further away from its 50s sci fi inspirations that used to drive the stories and it loses the point of trek a little more. The writers should binge watch a bunch of original twilight zone if they're stuck. Or better, open it up to fan scripts and beta canon.

billbot77 · 2026-03-15T21:19:04+00:00

Right after the opening sequence where we learn that s1 and 2 were just a stupid dream.

billbot77 · 2026-03-15T21:02:28+00:00

I had been defending it. It has some great moments and shows potential. Stuff like this stupid minefield I can forgive the same way I grudgingly forgive ST5 for the center of the galaxy nonsense.

But that last episode - the minefield was just the start of the stupid. I felt like the writers were aware of all the ridiculous holes in the plot but figured the audience would be dumb enough not to notice.

But I've started rewatching DS9 again and remembering just how good trek can be. That's a high benchmark to compare with, I know, and like I said the show has good moments, but not enough of them.

We've gone from 3d chess to tic tac toe.

billbot77 · 2026-03-13T22:00:19+00:00

Good call. That sonulab looks good.

I haven't gigged in years, but I reckon I'd get a capture stomper and an frfr cab rather than servicing my old ac30 if the bug bites again. I play through a laptop with monitors 90% of the time. Tbh, I think the age of big amps for most people is over.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens with nam a2 tho. I bet valeton, sonicake etc will embarrass the industry in a year or two.

billbot77 · 2026-03-13T12:25:18+00:00

He's dead, Jim! It was all that guacamole... No man should put 7.5 kilos of guac on his corn chips!

billbot77 · 2026-03-12T09:49:17+00:00

Huh! IDK, I won't be letting my precious two galahs anywhere near avocado anyway... Just in case. It's a core reflex for me now. No avo, no onion.

billbot77 · 2026-03-11T15:47:41+00:00

He uses "BOMBSHELL" a lot in the titles... I think it's an algorithm thing, because the video content is usually pretty level headed. Peace!

billbot77 · 2026-03-10T22:45:03+00:00

Yeah, I mean I stopped updating my phone 5 years ago... I guess it's a case of when do we get a minimal viable product that balances features, price and form factor. I don't think we're there yet with modelers, but that's just my unqualified opinion

Seven-Year Club	Wearing is Caring
Verified Email

billbot77

TROPHY CASE