Electronics and technology blog    /    All publication of the user kirich    /    Page 56

Today, a clamp meter landed on my workbench. When I was looking for one, I specifically wanted a model that could measure DC current with the clamp, and it absolutely had to have True RMS. I need both features for working with uninterruptible power supplies (and not only those). As always, all the details, teardown, and measurements are below the fold.

I've described components for DIY chargers several times and shown how to use them. This time, I decided to take a look at what a factory-made charger is like. Of course, I've seen the insides of chargers before, but I initially liked this one simply for its looks. We'll take a look inside, too :)

I've been working with video surveillance systems for many years. Like everyone else, I used to install analog cameras. These days, of course, I've switched to digital, and I wouldn't go back. I've tried various cameras, but I kept coming across products from ILDVR and Hikvision, mostly because of their convenient software. This article is about cameras from the latter manufacturer—or rather, one particularly successful model. If you're interested, read on.

I have a set of electronic scales at home that I bought about 5 years ago. They’re pretty good, and sometimes make an appearance in photos in my reviews. But they have one quirk: besides weighing things, they can measure the air temperature, show the time, and rob caravans. But they chew through batteries so fast that sometimes I feel like I replace them more often than I use the scales. Anyway, I got tired of all that and decided to order a set of scales that are just scales.

With this review, I’d like to continue introducing readers to all sorts of useful electronic components. Reviews like this don’t come along very often, but I hope they can be useful too. Anyway, as always, the rest is after the jump.

I know quite a few people who would like to replace their desktop with a small mini PC. They want to browse the internet, watch movies on a big TV, and still be able to use it like a regular computer, albeit a small one. So, let me introduce you to a mini PC running Windows 8.1

Not long ago, a friend asked me to help him buy a drawing tablet. We picked one, placed the order, paid, and started waiting :) Anyway, the rest is below the fold. If you're interested, come on in.

In my work, I sometimes need to measure distances. Mostly, this means calculating how much cable is needed for an installation or measuring a room for drawings, but sometimes it’s to convince clients whose sense of distance isn’t quite up to scratch. We used to make do with a tape measure, or pace it out if the distance was long. It was rough, but it worked—we’d just allow extra cable. I got tired of that, so I decided to add a laser distance meter to my toolkit. If you’re interested, read on.

I felt like adding a TV to the bedroom. In this situation, an ordinary person would go to the store and buy a new TV. But that didn’t interest me, and it seemed too easy, so I decided to build a TV myself—well, almost build one :) If you’re interested, come on in. I hope I won’t disappoint.

I know there are plenty of flashlight reviews on Muska. But this model caught my interest for its own reasons. I also wanted a simple flashlight for around the house—nothing fancy. I wanted one, and I got one, but things aren't quite so straightforward. Read on if you're interested.

There have been several reviews of popular wattmeters here, and I needed one too. But given the specifics of my work, I decided to get one with room to grow, so to speak. After the jump, you'll find photos of the outside and inside, along with a few measurements.

Recently, single-board mini computers such as Cubie, Raspberry Pi, and the like have become quite popular (in certain circles). But sometimes enthusiasts use these devices to build NAS storage, torrent downloaders, or something similar. These applications usually use high-capacity 3.5-inch hard drives, which in turn require two supply voltages: 12 V and 5 V. This power supply was intended for just such an application.

While browsing various flash drive reviews online, I came across quite a few positive comments about SSK flash drives. I got curious, so I decided to try one myself. Read on to find out how it turned out and what USB 3.0 looks like from SSK.

Somehow, I got sidetracked from reviewing the various DIY projects that are my usual subject. In this review, I decided to make up for that. So, here it is: a charger with balancing for a battery made from two lithium cells.

There aren't many operating systems for personal computers, tablets, and other devices. But only relatively recently has Windows begun making an aggressive push into the mobile device market. Some people are used to this OS on their home desktops and don't want to switch to another one. This review is intended mainly for that group of users. For me, a Windows tablet is primarily connected with my professional work. Anyway, if you'd like to learn more and see the tests and comparison, come on in.

A friend recently asked me to order him a little set like this on AliExpress. Why not help, I thought, and clicked the Buy button. Read on to see what I ended up getting.

Another small addition to my collection of measuring instruments. This time it’s a small tweezer-style multimeter. This type of multimeter is primarily intended for working with SMD components. If you’re interested in the testing and teardown, read on.

I got a similar power supply, and naturally I wanted to see what they have in common and what’s different. I’ll also share my own power supply design. If you’re interested, read on.