Electronics and technology blog    /    Materials for April 2016 year

Surely every radio amateur, and not just radio amateurs, gradually accumulates lots of different components, fasteners, and all sorts of other small bits and pieces. And all this stuff has to be stored somewhere, preferably not in one big pile. For this, people use either whatever they have on hand, such as matchboxes assembled into large organizers, or storage boxes bought for the purpose. Today I want to tell you about one such box.

I’ve already reviewed one of the boxes from the Gearbest sale, but there were two boxes, so today I’m reviewing the second one. In fact, this TV box was ordered first, but due to shipping quirks, it arrived second. We’ll take it apart, test it, and analyze it.

I’ve already told you about the kit for building a 3D printer, and today I want to tell you about my saga of building a laser engraver. It didn’t all go as smoothly as I’d hoped, but I did get a positive result in the end. Anyway, if you’re interested in little desktop machines, read on. I hope you’ll find it interesting.

Not long ago, Gearbest had a sale. I spotted a few things that caught my eye, so I decided to pick them up too. While the rest is still on its way, today I'll write about what has already arrived. Inspection, teardown, tests and analysis, as always, in the usual place :)

Memory cards are among the most popular products bought from our online stores and from stores in China. They’re used in tablets, media players, phones, camcorders, TV boxes, and so on. So when I was offered the chance to try out a new memory card, I didn’t hesitate much—it was sure to come in handy. So, here’s a brief look at a small memory card.

People often comment on tablet reviews that a high screen resolution isn't always a good thing. This time, I decided to find out how comfortable it really is to use a tablet with an 8-inch, 1280 x 800 screen, and simply see what an inexpensive tablet can do. And of course, I'll take it apart, modify it, and test it.

I recently posted a review of a TV box based on the new RK3229, and today I have a more interesting version of a box with the same processor on my desk. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), it runs the same Android version, 4.4. As usual, we'll take it apart, inspect it, and test it.

I came across a mention of this PWM controller on one of the forums. Since I occasionally build various electronic devices, I decided to order one and give it a try. And since I did order it—and even received it (which doesn't always happen these days)—it seemed like a good idea to test it before confirming receipt. Description, testing, and results are all below the fold.

I know my readers prefer reviews about amateur radio, and that will be the next one, so bear with me a little. :) But today I have a TV box on my desk, combining the new RK3229 processor with the familiar Android version 4.4. As always, a full teardown, tests, and analysis.