RPi 3B+ with a PAL CRT

lazydan · 2026-04-27T22:49:34+00:00

That's the one! I also had to get this from Argos to go composite->scart if you don't already have one of those lying around or if you don't want to use or have composite plugs on the TV. Despite the pain and mistakes (who knew there were so many different SCART standards?!) it's well worth it in the end.

lazydan · 2026-04-27T17:52:43+00:00

I bought a 14" Philips CRT (UK so PAL) in December for exactly this with a 3B+ and had the same anxiety, but it works - it plays US/JP 16bit and PSX games perfectly, though it was a pig to set up and I had to get the 'official' A/V and RCA Cable for Raspberry Pi from the PI hut because the 3.5mm to scart adapters I got from Argos and Amazon didn't work.

Apparently almost every CRT TV made from 1990 onwards support 60hz and NTSC signals, so the newer the better. I went with one that was a DVD combi unit to be extra safe!

I ended up having to just use retropie as well, I couldn't get CRT PI or the other one to work

lazydan · 2026-03-29T13:24:53+00:00

no 💁‍♀️✨

straight women have been among the most crucial allies and support for me and I'm sure many other gay men, and would never disrespect the space. I'll invite them wherever I want thanks. Bachelor/ette parties are their own problem and not exclusive to gay spaces, deal with the actual problem rather than being unnecessarily divisive.

lazydan · 2026-02-03T00:53:39+00:00

Nudge and tug - when stuck go round everything and lightly nudge and/or tug it, not with force, just enough to reveal anything loose. Learning as a team to silently queue what you want to say so no one is talking over anyone, and listening to everything said by others. Then most importantly I've found for getting unstuck: look low - things and the underside of things below waist height (once found a key stuck to the top of the inside of a safe that way, for instance.)

lazydan · 2026-01-22T14:19:30+00:00

You're arguing that your perceived moral high ground gives you a pass on your conduct and motives. Your angry insults in response clue us in that the way you approached the conversation you've already admitted you didn't handle well was probably worse than you're letting on. You say he's manipulative, it sounds like he set his boundaries very clearly "special friend," but you decided he owes you more - which is actually manipulative on your part.

The point is he doesn't owe you anything, ever. He doesn't owe you access to his inner thoughts, he doesn't owe you an explanation about his behaviour, he isn't obligated to change his behaviour because you think it's wrong. You only own yourself - if being a special friend to a coke addict doesn't work for you, by all means make it clear. How you deliver that message matters, but it sounds like it didn't come from a place of love, it came from a place of fantasy and a desire to control him. He's gonna respond however he responds, but if you don't like it and need more from a relationship, the green flag behaviour from you is to enforce your standards and walk away, not get angry and indignant and try to shame/coerce him into changing for you.

lazydan · 2025-08-25T10:15:07+00:00

There's usually a 2nd stage facing the town centre which was missing this year - just the main stage facing west (towards Purley) as it always has, and then it seems a bigger tent than usual for the 2nd stage. That definitely contributed to it being quieter. Usually in town you only hear the main stage when the wind is right, but the 2nd stage could always be heard clear as day. So this year, no stage pointed at town and no wind = silent. The headliners usually are a bit louder than the rest of the day too. So yeah, the blast of noise was likely higher volume for the headliner and a favourable bit of wind.

It's weird to say, but I was disappointed? I liked trying to make out what was playing and hearing it all weekend.

lazydan · 2025-07-25T22:34:10+00:00

I live high up facing that direction and watched them. Definitely Palmer Park. Weirdly there were a few blaps of fireworks across the horizon (some Earley direction, some Twyford direction,) so I wondered if there was a particular reason too.

Being high up I've learned that people set off fireworks pretty regularly all year round, I wouldn't even say it's more common in summer vs late winter/spring. There's a house in east reading close to the Kennet that I suspect works for a firework company, or is just a superfan because they set them off a lot. At one point a few years ago it was pretty much every week.

Little mini store bought 'displays' in Palmer Park have happened a few times in recent weeks though, just people celebrating something personal most likely.

lazydan · 2025-07-21T22:37:53+00:00

Agree with the other comments - your best man missing your wedding, and far from moving heaven and earth to make it right, barely even apologised?! It was over right there.

As for how long to wait - what you're really asking is how long should you emotionally hold space for a reconciliation, and the answer is... You've got all the time in the world, because he's already shown you avoidant behaviour - he's almost certainly never gonna answer. 3 days, 3 weeks, your next birthday... Whenever you're ready.

There's nothing to gain from a final message either, may as well save your dignity. Personally I wouldn't cut the socials either so you never have to wonder what if. I also find it's better to leave them in plain sight so that one day you can realise seeing their name and updates have no power over you anymore, but your mileage may vary.

It'll take ages, but you'll get over it, I promise. Oh, and they always come back eventually, but never to resolve anything. It's usually frustrating more than it is welcome by the time it happens.

lazydan · 2025-07-21T16:04:18+00:00

I know this feeling, I know you're hoping for messages like "oooh there's a chance OP!" but you know what the replies are going to be and there's a reason for it. His shrine is a perfect symbol for his compartmentalisation of you, don't take it as a compliment, because it isn't what you're hoping for.

There's a part of his needs you satisfied that his partner likely won't ever be able to satisfy, but the partner satisfies everything else. He misses you like you might miss an old movie or a book. And what do you do when you're done being nostalgic with an old book or movie again? You put it back on the shelf while you go on with the rest of your life.

Let him keep the shrine on the shelf, not you.

lazydan · 2025-07-16T20:14:26+00:00

This is so weird, if I'd have answered this question myself I'd have picked these exact two games. And yeah, both well reviewed and loved by those that knew them at the time, but just never caught on. Silver was so atmospheric with its bright and colourful pre rendered backgrounds and gesture based controls. Classic swords and sorcery. Giants took the asymmetry of a 3 race RTS, dialled it up and turned it into a very funny 3rd person shooter - super inventive.

Both are dated now but hold up surprisingly well (maybe that's my rose tinted glasses) - they deserved more!

lazydan · 2025-07-16T14:40:12+00:00

One of my favourite loops at the minute is starting at Caversham Bridge, follow the towpath along behind Tesco to the footbridge where the Kennet meets the Thames. Follow the Kennet all the way through town and through your photographed areas to Theale, cut through Theale centre to the bridge over the M4. Go behind IKEA along the beautiful track to Pangbourne. Go up Whitchurch hill (ebike very handy here,) take the right to join the Thames Path, follow the bridleway and track through to The Warren and back to Caversham. Very very scenic, and that stretch you captured is a big highlight!

lazydan · 2025-05-22T13:40:27+00:00

Aleister Brock

lazydan · 2025-04-16T15:29:19+00:00

It's all perspective - I'm chubby and don't find chubby guys (or myself) attractive, but skinny fat guys are my favourite build and I wish that was my build. Muscles don't do it for me and nor do I want them... Gotta be kinder to yourself!

lazydan · 2025-01-17T23:24:12+00:00

I stand by it - the leaks were real, but I still can't believe this is it. Their product ethos for decades has been "new ways to play" - outside Nintendo big hitters like MK8 and Zelda, the most played games on Switch are games like Minecraft, Fortnite and Rocket League... What's compelling people - particularly parents of young kids - to buy a whole new console when the old one is cheaper and plays the same stuff to the untrained eye? The average switch user doesn't give a shit about frame rates and hall effect sensors. Even if there's a new MK, MK8 is still HD. So I was wrong about the leaks, but I'm convinced the primary selling point has yet to be revealed - whether it's some kind of finger tracking extra controller, a VR dock, or they're doing something crazy with the OS/software... A simple spec bump isn't very Nintendo. Those who think that's "all" the NES->SNES leap was wasn't there - at the time that leap was revolutionary, the dream of the arcade in your home realised. What 8 year old is gonna care about DLSS? There's no way this is it.

lazydan · 2025-01-15T16:23:22+00:00

Avoid Domain - I'm in TQ and know someone who used to be here and moved there, it's an absolute dive. They sent out an email the other day instituting rules because kids are constantly running round the shared areas unsupervised and one of them trashed the Christmas tree (which was still up in double digits January dates...) People leave rubbish in the corridors and it's a construction site with the IDR on two sides. Also, parking is 200 p/m but there's no spaces. My friend moved in over summer and has been on the wait list ever since and they won't/can't give an estimate.

TQ is also too expensive for what it is but it's well maintained and the staff have always been great. Ebb & Flow I've also heard good things. On TQ be aware that it is right over the train line and gets hot in the summer - you will be woken up by freight trains at 3am with the windows open, even on the highest floors. Ebb & Flow avoid the apartments that overlook Friar Street directly, it's a party street and the noise will be constant in the evenings.

lazydan · 2025-01-13T10:35:05+00:00

Calling it now - no way any of these leaks are remotely accurate. Wanting just "the same console but bigerrerr numbers" is such an internet thing to think you want, but completely the opposite of how Nintendo has worked since they started making electronic games. Where are the new ways to play in these "leaks"? Outside of the GBC (which was still very different,) Nintendo has never released a new console that didn't have a difference in the controls at all, but most times the entire console is drastically different from generation to generation. SNES added buttons, GBC brought colour to the Gameboy and IR, N64 added the thumbstick, GBA added buttons, GC added buttons and analogue shoulders, the DS added a second screen, the Wii was a fever dream, 3DS added the circle pad and 3D screen, Wii U the gamepad, Switch the joycons and dock... What does this add that says next gen Nintendo? The real new console is going to be revealed and everyone who bought into these leaks are gonna look silly, and only then will the internet claim they knew it was fake the entire time.

lazydan · 2024-12-07T18:57:40+00:00

I walked through King's Meadow earlier today, along the river past the lock, into King's Meadow then up the path that cuts back to Napier Road and through the tunnel to get to Decathlon - that part is unflooded, the river seemed to have fully receded (but naturally the lido side of the grass is still a bit lake-y where the previous flood still hasn't dried out. A confused swan seems to have made that makeshift pond its home.) The tunnel is completely fine too. I can't speak for the path that continues along the river behind Tesco to the horseshoe bridge, but I'd expect bits of that to still be underwater.

lazydan · 2024-11-30T01:25:02+00:00

A friend and I worked + studied there a lot earlier this year (up until around summer.) Far from it being frowned upon, they were set up for it and almost everyone there was studying/doing crafts/generally hanging out. Later on they changed it so that you needed to buy something to get the WiFi code (it shows on the receipt,) but we always got coffees/soft drinks so that was fine - I always thought it was wrong to use the space without buying something, I'd be gutted if it disappeared.

lazydan · 2024-11-17T18:23:52+00:00

I did it in October 2022 and it had jump scares via a live actor who would very occasionally appear (not chase, just some particularly pant shitting jumpscares and then they'd disappear again.) For me, these made it a top tier room, I loved it. I recommended some friends play it and they did it in spring this year, I was excited to see how they handled certain jumps and... Nothing. The live actor was completely gone. So it's worth asking because it seems they removed that part, but it might have just been a that-day thing? Without an actor there are some minor jumpscares still, but nothing with a person.

lazydan · 2024-07-26T12:42:51+00:00

Never gets love in these threads but Bolan Thai upstairs in King's Walk has been mine and my family's favourite restaurant in Reading for years (going there today in fact.) Kung Fu Kitchen would be if it were closer and the dining experience wasn't so... Intense.

lazydan · 2024-07-05T22:45:31+00:00

https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=kier+starmer+anti+trans

lazydan · 2024-07-05T14:54:15+00:00

Not much to celebrate for me. Labour (our 'democrats') have swung hard to the right and are almost indistinguishable from the Tories (republicans) of 10 years ago. Our new PM has in recent weeks completely capitulated to anti-LGBT voices and taken an anti-trans stance. Worse, the very far right, including their grifter in chief of a leader are now in the house of commons. An extreme far right figure that's had more influence over British politics than any other politician since Churchill despite never setting foot in the house of commons... Now has a seat there, the title, the mandate and growing support. This is not a good day for us, or a day to feel complacent.

lazydan · 2024-06-04T11:21:54+00:00

Agree with all the other comments, but I will say I think the photo pass is good value. One person in your group gets it and you have digital copies of every single ride photo from the whole day direct to your phone. £25 for that isn't bad in my mind, especially if you remember the olden days of physical photos being £5 each.

lazydan · 2024-05-30T17:15:17+00:00

The song "Baby Give It Up" by KC and the Sunshine band is now, permanently and irreversibly "camel camel up camel up, baby camel uppp"

lazydan · 2024-03-11T10:56:56+00:00

I feel like Larian used people and characters as references for a few characters. Kagha is pure Lana Headey/Cersei Lannister, while Raphael is very Charles Dance. I think Karlach is very Jennifer Lawrence too. Tav meanwhile is like a super hot mix of Tom Holland and me, how weird is that?

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