Electronics and technology blog    /    Page 61

Wherever you look, there are computers all around us. Big ones, small ones, embedded ones—and now IP cameras are becoming increasingly common, not to mention access control systems and the like. Much of this equipment is connected via twisted-pair cable. Wireless systems aren't always practical, especially at industrial sites. And of course, all this equipment needs to be monitored. Read on for a description of the device that helps me do that.

I've been smoking for over 20 years, but this was my first time trying an e-cigarette. Read a longtime smoker's impressions below.

While browsing various reviews, including flashlight reviews, I realized that I don't have a single flashlight at home. Well, what I do have could only loosely be called a flashlight. So I decided to order a couple of inexpensive flashlights; this is a review of the first one. In short, it could have been better.

The first time I saw this mini computer, I knew I wanted one too. Read on for the rest of the story.

My wife had a little phone that worked great and did everything she needed, but then it suddenly started acting up. She didn't want to buy a new one—she'd already gotten used to this one. Besides, it had recently been fitted with a higher-capacity battery, so it lasted longer and was even more comfortable to hold. So we decided to fix it. More after the jump.

At work, we have quite a few portable radios, powered by Ni-MH batteries. They charge them any old way, so the batteries fail quickly. Lithium batteries were ordered as replacements. If you're interested, read on after the break.

At the beginning of last month, I reviewed the 1602 display and also talked about one way to use it. But as they say, appetite comes with eating, and I wanted to make a version of this device with a larger 2004 display. But the display model isn't the only difference. If you're interested, read on.

While I work on a short but fairly complex review, I decided to take a little break and write about a Bluetooth-UART module. Not long ago, I did a series of reviews devoted to one of the radio amateur's essential tools: the bench power supply. By the time I was writing the review of the USB-RS232 adapter, I was already planning to call it a day. But then I thought: why use wires to control a power supply in the 21st century? Read on for the rest of this experiment.

Not long ago, a member of the Muska community known as lolipop posted a review of a small monitor. Then, just a few days later, at one of my sites, someone complained once again that their video intercom screen was dying. Remembering the monitor review, I decided to order a couple for myself too. Read on to see how it turned out.

While browsing the Chinese Bay, I came across this gadget. It intrigued me so much that I decided to order one for a review. Description and photos after the break.

Some time ago, I posted a review of a USB-RS232-TTL converter. In the review, I mentioned that the package contained more than just the converter. But I was busy at work and couldn't post a review of the second item in the package right away. I'll make up for that now.

I decided to give my computer a bit of an upgrade. Since I needed two network cards and was short on slots, I needed a network card for a PCI-E slot. I had plenty of time, so I decided to buy one on AliExpress.

Quite a few years ago, I first learned about making circuit boards using the laser-and-iron method. To me, it was like the invention of the wheel. Read the rest of the story after the jump.

There's an old air conditioner at work. It works, but it doesn't have a remote, and using it without one isn't very convenient. I tried a few remotes from the market, but none of them worked so far. So when I was picking another product to review and test on the Chinabuye website, I decided to give their universal remote a try. Read on after the jump.

Not long ago, a friend brought me his beloved laptop. The cause of the failure was almost banal: it had been spilled on with juice. Coffee would have been even more banal. Read on for the rest of the story.

I have an ESR meter built using a circuit designed by GO, a fellow member of the pro-radio forum. I’m sure some of you use this meter too. I use it all the time, but when it runs on a 9V battery with the display backlight on, it drains batteries pretty quickly, so I decided to order a pair of rechargeable batteries for it. Details after the jump.

About 17–18 years ago, I saw a similar detector in the kitchen of one of my clients. While the apartment owner was away, we even tried it out with the builders. But back then they cost a lot of money, so I didn't buy one, and then I somehow forgot about it. A few days ago, a similar (if not identical) detector was sent to me free of charge for review by the chinabuye store. Read on for the description, photos, and details on how to use it.

Some readers may remember my review of a homemade bench power supply. Recently, interface converters arrived to go with it, for connecting it to a computer.