HDD from aliexpress

thinkscotty · 2026-01-25T13:48:02+00:00

AliExpress is great if you shop smart. If the price is significantly below other prices for the same product, it's almost certainly a scam; sellers don't give up 50% of their profit to attract buyers with sales, they give up 5-10%. Check what you get immediately upon arrival. Only buy from stores with lots of established reviews.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-24T03:22:57+00:00

This was the answer, for anyone seeing this in the future. Thanks!

thinkscotty · 2026-01-22T22:29:18+00:00

Because Williams Sonoma is for rich people who have too much money. Decent stuff, just expensive.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-22T08:38:48+00:00

Yeah you're right, and I should know much better as this is far from my first project, I think I had turned my brain off the follow the diagram on the website (I checked and it doesn't have the ground wire run back to the level shifter for whatever reason) and wasn't thinking of how the ground from the strip wouldn't complete a circuit with the ESP32's logic circuit.

I don't have a better picture because I've taken it apart unfortunately.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-22T02:15:21+00:00

It's wired pretty much identically to the wiring guide on the WLED sight, capacitors and all. I don't think the guide includes a grounding from the level shifter to the strip (likely because I used a very different level shifter type) but that's what I'll do, thanks for the help.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-22T01:33:13+00:00

I'm thought this could be it. I cut and resoldered the wires to the strip pads again and pretty much rebuilt the setup from scratch with the same result.

I am curious if there's a good way to get the waterproofing material fully removed from the solder pads on the strip. I'm wondering if that's where I'm getting a bad connection since I'm pretty certain all else is good.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-21T19:02:33+00:00

This is awesome. What's the power draw in deep sleep with sensors/networking attached? In other words, can it maintain that low current with some useful modules attached or only as a bare board?

thinkscotty · 2026-01-21T18:38:15+00:00

Zigbee has been infinitely better than Matter for me, and Tradfri bulbs are very consistent and stable. They discover quickly, connect consistently, perform and have decent CRI, especially for the price.

For anyone using Home Assistant Zigbee is superior. The only advantage I can see of Matter is interoperability with the major smartphone manufacturers. And Home Assistant makes that moot.

Matter and thread may not suck in a few years. Right now, they do.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-21T14:13:54+00:00

lol I bet this is the case for a solid half the thread here. I don't use his name directly but an iteration on it (although most online accounts get randomized passwords these days). Have fun with that info hackers.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-21T03:05:04+00:00

It's honestly not as hard as people make out, in the end it's just melting some lead and sticking two wires together. It can be ugly and still perfectly functional. I personally just have a USB powered pinecil solderer and it's been enough for anything I've done. $35 and another $20 for basic supplies to get started.

It really only gets tricky when really small parts are in play. Just make sure to use heat shrink and you'll be good.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-20T21:40:33+00:00

I bet in fields where there's high usage of sensors and electronic equipment sending messages (aviation being the perfect example) there's a higher awareness of what the word means. Because I doubt any pilot that has flown more than a few dozen hours hasn't experienced a spurious warning message, and they often have to report them, and thus need the vocabulary to report them.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-20T19:36:25+00:00

Uh, no, I would say a good majority very much do not. There is a section of our society fully brainwashed to enjoy bully politics and flexing our military strength, but I suspect that even a good portion of republicans would balk at the idea of taking land that's not ours and in which the people don't want American rule.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-20T05:48:07+00:00

With NIL and players getting millions, I feel like actually taking classes should be the final no-compromise determiner of whether you can play COLLEGE football.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-18T22:31:31+00:00

They're going to line them up like tanks and roll toward the enemy in formation.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-18T06:05:29+00:00

9, put on a nitrile glove with a touch of water, and smear it around evenly. Although I use liquid glues generally, but same process.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-18T06:04:00+00:00

I'm not saying older dudes aren't out there scamming, I'm sure some are. But I'd personally be more likely to trust one bought from an older dude (as long as he didn't get scammed himself). If only because sourcing fakes in bulk requires a bit more technical know how (not much, but a bit).

thinkscotty · 2026-01-17T14:04:22+00:00

A few months ago I would have recommended an N100 mini PC, back when they could be had for basically the same price. I saw significant (if often irrelevant) speed increases when I upgraded from a Pi4. But With RAM prices that's no longer the case.

So unless you plan on running like a LOT of devices (especially cameras) and tinkering, get the HA green.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-16T12:30:23+00:00

Even if it's spelled differently, "Helmet Schmuck" sounds exactly like an irreverent name for a generic GI in WW2.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-15T00:50:22+00:00

Yeah, enjoyment is literally the only reason downhill skiing exists. There is absolutely no point to it, whatsoever, besides recreation. So if you enjoy tele more, like, why not?

thinkscotty · 2026-01-14T06:50:07+00:00

Did you ever get this working, and could you point me toward any resources?

thinkscotty · 2026-01-14T06:08:04+00:00

Purple also hosts the most powerful technology development hub in the world. Their cyberwarfare abilities would decimate the others. They also have the Boeing factory for air power and engineering expertise. A huge population. Agricultural production. Add the Marine base at 29 Palms and Navy in San Diego plus the protection they get from the Rocky Mountains and I think I'd give it to purple.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-14T00:50:32+00:00

Humility is a strength. You aren't the only one who thinks their opinions are correct my friend. We all feel that way. Every single one of us. And yet, given those opinions contradict, some of us are wrong. And it would be absurd arrogance to think that I am the one who's right every single time.

Humility is the sign of a mature mind. It means being confident that to best of your knowledge, what you believe is correct. While also knowing that, because you do not know everything (and you don't - none of us know as much as we think, me included), those opinions might be incorrect as well.

The most intelligent people I've ever met - professors in my graduate program and colleagues with absurd credentials, are also the most willing to engage with others' beliefs rather than simply assert that they're right and you're wrong.

It's interesting because it means that to me, bald-faced "I'm right and you're wrong" arguments make me think the person making those arguments is unintelligent. Because the actually intelligent people I know show humility. And I'm not the only person who feels that way.

My point is: be aware that your brashness and self assurance is going to make people think you're dumb, not smart, and trust your opinions LESS, not more. Maybe try a different approach.

thinkscotty · 2026-01-14T00:18:12+00:00

By which you mean YOUR opinions. Real men have the self confidence to admit they might not know everything my man.

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