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Lord Tin Foilhat

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I was at MicroCenter (Westmont) this past Monday night. Managed to get out the door for $30, only needed a new soldering iron. But damn there were a few things I easily could have grabbed, like a 32" monitor.
I just picked this up online. Can't wait to use it. I tested it out and it heats but goddamn near instant and all usb-C powered.

Plus you can update the firmware and update it as needed.

 

SpeedSpeak2me

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I just picked this up online. Can't wait to use it. I tested it out and it heats but goddamn near instant and all usb-C powered.

Plus you can update the firmware and update it as needed.

Man, talk about progress and evolution. The cheap $20 one I picked up is dial-a-watt/temp, and that's about it.
 
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SpeedSpeak2me

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The framework laptops are getting pretty cool.


1679780312731.png


Im Out Shark Tank GIF by ABC Network
 
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Mr_Roboto

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Just hooked the wife's desktop a kvm so she can split work and personal systems out. I got a CKL HDMI dual monitor dual computer kvm with the remote buttons. I also got a bunch of HDMI to display port and HDMI to DVI cables. I learned it works fine using a display port source, however it will not work with my display port monitors.

I returned the second one and now need to buy a display port KVM. Thinking three head units.
 

GTvert90

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GTvert90

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I feel like a this might be a dumb question but I don't often play in the rack mount space.

A guy local is selling 2 APC SUA1500RM2U UPS with bad batteries for 100/ea. So far I'm sold. He bought them refurbished 3 years ago, I can get batteries for about 40-50 per set off battery shark. I asked him for the date code. manufactured in 06 and 08. I did see these were just discontinued last year but I passed on them when I found out how old they were. I am now second guessing myself. Would you buy these being into 2 2u 1500va UPS for $280ish with batteries or pass?
 

Mr_Roboto

Doing the jobs nobody wants to
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APC batteries are jelly bean parts. You can probably go to Batteries+ or whatever and get some new ones without it being a huge deal honestly. The lead acid stuff is somewhat "safer" than the Lithium Ion shit that'll burn everything down if it charges wrong. Look around online too, some of them have hereditary problems batteries won't fix. Varies from model to model.

So, a few things on KVMs since I have one successful and one not successful install at the moment:
-If your monitors take HDMI or DVI input you're good to go. You just get the adapter cables and go.
-Displayport, HDMI and DVI outputs from a computer are fine going through an HDMI KVM.

This is where problems start. My work has issued me a set of Displayport only Dell Monitors. They DO NOT work with HDMI or DVI adapter cables using a DVI Source to drive them. I have tried a few different adapters and both an HDMI and a DVI KVM. For me to make use of this setup, I'm going to have to change monitors. The other options are that I get a DisplayPort video card or that I get a USB keyboard/mouse switch and return this then run monitors separately.

My wife running HDMI/DVI monitors works perfectly though. Her thin client is displayport while her docked laptop is DVI through an HDMI KVM. The one I got seems nice enough, for an extra $15 or so you can get a nice remote button too.
 

Thirdgen89GTA

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I feel like a this might be a dumb question but I don't often play in the rack mount space.

A guy local is selling 2 APC SUA1500RM2U UPS with bad batteries for 100/ea. So far I'm sold. He bought them refurbished 3 years ago, I can get batteries for about 40-50 per set off battery shark. I asked him for the date code. manufactured in 06 and 08. I did see these were just discontinued last year but I passed on them when I found out how old they were. I am now second guessing myself. Would you buy these being into 2 2u 1500va UPS for $280ish with batteries or pass?
Depends on their condition.

Almost all APC UPS of that age are using your basic 12v sealed lead acid battery, or a 6v SLA. They wire them in parallel, or series to get the voltages they want. Most of the rack stuff is using I think a 12v 7amp hour battery. Standard sized. So you could take an old cartridge, strip the batteries out and replace them yourself.

Most of it for me is about the network connectivity technology. I want network enabled (aka, has an ethernet port) so I can use the UPS services built into things like TrueNAS, or the APC software clients to control when system shutdown or not. I don't really care about cloud connectivity BS. If it can send an email when there is a power event, that's good enough for me.

My APC UPS is a SMT1500C with the LCD panel, which is nice for direction interacting with it. But I do most things through its web-portal on the network management card.
 

Mr_Roboto

Doing the jobs nobody wants to
TCG Premium
Feb 4, 2012
25,665
30,537
Nashotah, Wisconsin (AKA not Illinois)
APC batteries are jelly bean parts. You can probably go to Batteries+ or whatever and get some new ones without it being a huge deal honestly. The lead acid stuff is somewhat "safer" than the Lithium Ion shit that'll burn everything down if it charges wrong. Look around online too, some of them have hereditary problems batteries won't fix. Varies from model to model.

So, a few things on KVMs since I have one successful and one not successful install at the moment:
-If your monitors take HDMI or DVI input you're good to go. You just get the adapter cables and go.
-Displayport, HDMI and DVI outputs from a computer are fine going through an HDMI KVM.

This is where problems start. My work has issued me a set of Displayport only Dell Monitors. They DO NOT work with HDMI or DVI adapter cables using a DVI Source to drive them. I have tried a few different adapters and both an HDMI and a DVI KVM. For me to make use of this setup, I'm going to have to change monitors. The other options are that I get a DisplayPort video card or that I get a USB keyboard/mouse switch and return this then run monitors separately.

My wife running HDMI/DVI monitors works perfectly though. Her thin client is displayport while her docked laptop is DVI through an HDMI KVM. The one I got seems nice enough, for an extra $15 or so you can get a nice remote button too.
Figured this out, it appears that DisplayPort Cables are uni directional; The adapters to go drive a DP Monitor are about $20 each minimally. I'm thinking for that kinda bread $85 to get a video card with DP outputs is going to be the solution.
 

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