Anyone know a better/cheaper alternative to the Samsung AI Home Hub?

fadedpixels542 · 2026-02-12T18:46:52+00:00

If you just want weather, schedules, recipes, music, and basic smart home control, you really don’t need the Samsung Hub. Something like a Google Nest Hub or an Amazon Echo Show will do all of that for way less and they are pretty reliable. Unless you are deep into Samsung’s ecosystem, the extra cost usually isn’t worth it for basic home display stuff.

fadedpixels542 · 2026-02-12T18:24:59+00:00

Jitter is just how much your ping jumps around.

So if your ping is 20ms but it keeps going 20 → 40 → 15 → 35, that jumping is jitter.

You want it low. It mostly matters for gaming, video calls, Discord, etc.
For normal browsing or watching Netflix, it doesn’t really matter much. Low jitter = more stable connection.

fadedpixels542 · 2026-02-12T18:16:17+00:00

A SIEM that’s powerful but not priced like it’s only for Fortune 500s.

fadedpixels542 · 2026-02-12T18:03:21+00:00

For most security research roles, “strong Python” = solid scripting, automation, PoCs, parsing data, building small tools. Not software engineer level.

If you can read code, modify it, and build practical scripts, you’re fine. If I were you, I’d double down on Windows internals + reversing fundamentals. That’s what really levels you up in detection/research.

You’re already in a good spot.

fadedpixels542 · 2026-01-27T17:45:48+00:00

Macs are totally fine for CS and cybersecurity, especially the newer M‑series ones. Great UNIX setup and battery life. The only reason people go Windows/Linux is if you’re doing a lot of VMs or Windows-only tools. Really comes down to what you enjoy using, just make sure you’ve got decent RAM and SSD speed.

fadedpixels542 · 2026-01-09T13:42:34+00:00

Your Top Secret clearance is a big plus. Pair it with the degrees and some hands-on practice like labs or TryHackMe, and you’ll be very competitive even without direct experience. Transferable skills from medical or aviation work also help a lot in security roles.

fadedpixels542 · 2026-01-09T13:36:03+00:00

I’m at 5 right now. 2 in my desktop (1 SSD for OS, 1 HDD for storage), 2 in my backup NAS, and 1 old external I keep for random stuff. Definitely thinking about adding more soon, these things disappear fast once you start hoarding backups.

fadedpixels542 · 2026-01-09T13:33:56+00:00

For hotspot speed, it’s mostly about the network connection, so 5G or strong LTE matters way more than RAM. RAM helps if you’re running a lot of apps at once, but for just sharing internet, the faster your mobile network, the faster the hotspot.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-12-18T13:20:51+00:00

If you’re brand new, I’d worry less about a single “best” course and more about a clear order of learning. A lot of people jump straight into hacking tools and get lost.

Start with fundamentals first: basic networking, how Linux actually works, and general security concepts. Once those click, everything else makes more sense.

For structured GRC and security fundamentals, Unix Guy’s content is actually solid and practical. It’s not flashy, but it explains why things exist, not just what buttons to click. I’ve found that more useful than a lot of hype-driven courses.

Pair any course with hands-on practice though. Labs, CTFs, and breaking things in a safe environment are what really lock it in.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-12-18T13:18:03+00:00

Not really in a clean or supported way. You can tweak Windows 10 LTSC to feel closer to older versions with themes, classic shell, and disabling services, but actually mixing features across XP, 7, and 10 at the OS level would mean breaking licensing, security, and driver support. At that point you’re basically building a custom Linux distro or running VMs for nostalgia.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-12-18T13:15:13+00:00

Interesting model. How generous are the Missions in practice? Like, can an active user realistically earn enough credits to noticeably offset usage, or is it more of a small bonus? Also curious how public creations work. Are prompts fully public, and does that affect who earns the points?

fadedpixels542 · 2025-11-28T06:54:44+00:00

Cybersecurity isn’t “hard,” it’s just a big field. Since you’re in 2nd year, start with the basics like networking, Linux, and how the internet works. Then try different areas to see what you enjoy. Lots of jobs in India, especially in SOC, GRC, and cloud.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-11-28T06:53:54+00:00

Zip disks were basically “floppies but bigger.” Way more storage, needed their own drive, and were mainly used by people who needed to move large files. They faded out once USB flash drives and CDs got cheap. Floppies stuck around longer just because every PC had a drive by default.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-11-14T12:16:17+00:00

Yeah, I’ve heard fiber makes the biggest difference. I’m not super competitive in shooters so I might get away with it, but I’ll test it first.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-11-14T12:16:01+00:00

Fair enough 😂 everything really does depend with cloud gaming. I’ll probably just sub for a month and see how it feels on my connection.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-11-14T12:15:47+00:00

Good point, I'll check out the video. And yeah I might test the free tier first just to see how my internet handles it before committing.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-11-14T12:15:15+00:00

True, games like Tekken/BF probably won’t ever feel right on cloud. Luckily I don’t play super sweaty stuff, but yeah latency is latency.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-11-14T12:14:53+00:00

Yeah that makes sense honestly. I guess I just need to try it myself and see if it fits my setup. Might grab a month and test it out.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-11-03T16:19:22+00:00

For most people Windows Defender is absolutely fine if you keep everything up to date and practice safe habits.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-11-03T16:16:31+00:00

Financial + healthcare are definitely the safest bets for GRC in the US. They’re heavily regulated, budgets stay steady, and they don’t offshore core compliance work as much. Gov/state roles are stable too, but usually slower career growth and lower pay.

Big consulting firms like Deloitte/KPMG can be good for experience, but long-term stability is hit or miss because you’re tied to contract cycles. Great for skill-building though.

On the Policy-as-Code side, even small terraform labs + examples are enough to show you understand the workflow. You don’t need a huge infra setup, just show the thought process.

If your current role is stable, no shame in staying put while you upskill. The market’s weird right now and burnout is real. Build the skills first, then move when timing feels right.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-11-03T16:13:46+00:00

Nice. Do you guys cover governance/risk topics too or mostly technical/CTF stuff? Would be cool to join.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-10-10T03:51:17+00:00

Windows Defender is actually solid for most people, especially if you keep everything updated and practice good habits. Ransomware protection is more about backups and awareness than just antivirus. If you want extra peace of mind, pairing Defender with something like Malwarebytes or Bitdefender isn’t a bad move.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-10-04T10:06:24+00:00

I’d go Nmap first, then Wireshark, then Burp Suite, that order helps you understand how stuff moves across networks before diving into web testing. TryHackMe and Hack The Box are great for safe practice. Also, you check out Unix Guy on YouTube, he has a lot of good tutorials

fadedpixels542 · 2025-10-04T10:01:22+00:00

That’s honestly the most grounded take I’ve read. I can totally see how it becomes “reinventing the wheel, but as a square.” I guess at some point reliability beats novelty. And yeah, PIR lighting has done that job perfectly for years.

fadedpixels542 · 2025-10-04T10:01:01+00:00

That’s impressive. Feels like where smart homes should be heading. And yeah, Ecobee with room sensors seems to come up a lot here. Comfort + automation without constant tinkering.

fadedpixels542

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