|
Johnny Aztec posted:You were a pretty lovely employee then. You don't correct them, you just pick up the VHS-C adapter and hand it to them. I was a lovely employee, but for other reasons. Refusing to sell someone the wrong item was not one of those reasons.
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2014 23:38
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 19, 2024 10:24 |
|
|
A FUCKIN CANARY!! posted:Don't forget to hook up your video signal stabilizer. Wouldn't want an unstable signal, right? *wink* *wink* I bought one of those on ebay and it came with a pair of six-foot RCA cables so that you could hide it. If the feds were going to bust me for copying some old commercial VHS tapes, they weren't going to be fooled by a cable that seemed to go nowhere.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2014 23:56
|
|
|
Mister Kingdom posted:I bought one of those on ebay and it came with a pair of six-foot RCA cables so that you could hide it. *feds kick door in* "FREEZE, MOTHERFUCKER! Ha, two VCR's, just like we thought." "I have two in case one quits suddenly!" "Likely story. Agent Ricks, check 'em." "Huh. No little black box. Looks like he's telling the truth." *holsters gun* "Looks like you're good to go THIS TIME, but remember--we'll be watching when you try to make an unauthorized copy of Species. Let's go, Agent Ricks."
|
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2014 02:29
|
|
|
R.L. Stine posted:
I know this was a couple of pages ago but, in TYOOL 2006 the US Navy was still using this type of dosimeter.
|
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2014 03:05
|
|
|
Laserjet 4P posted:Speaking of cards: http://blog.codinghorror.com/revisiting-the-black-sunday-hack/ is a nice read. This rules
|
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2014 03:26
|
|
|
driguy posted:It's a macrovision remover. There's a signal present in the overscan area of commercial VHS tapes that tells the recording VCR that the incoming signal is copy protected. I had a VHS Player (not recorder) that I bought in the 90s that would almost always have problems on modern rental VHS tapes with Macrovision. About the only things that would play properly on it were old and non-major releases. So, most movies released in the 80s or, essentially, anime. It did it even if it wasn't hooked up to another VCR, it could be hooked up directly to any TV through either coaxial or RCA and still did it. Ultimate Mango posted:The best thing about fancy VHS tapes: the 'counter' that let you watch movies that you weren't supposed to while nobody else was home and rewind to the exact spot where it was when you picked up the tape. I really liked it when HH:MM-styled counters got added in place of that. I used to make AMVs in the 90s as a hobby and I was SOOOO lucky that my recording VCR was exceptionally good with being relatively on-mark with how much it was recording between pauses. Then it eventually died and I fell immediately out of the hobby once I discovered my new VCR wasn't near as accurate to the point that it became almost impossibly difficult to time up clips. Lowen SoDium posted:VHS-C was the bane of anyone who worked at retail in the late 90's and early 00's. This reminded me of a guy who went into a store about 8-10 years ago having a breakdown at the staff. Long story short, he says he's looking for something that will let him play computer games on his TV. They figure he's wanting a VGA-to-TV adapter and take him to one. He keeps asking if this will let him play any computer game on his TV, and they tell him if it plays on his computer then it should. Eventually he then tells them he doesn't have a computer... It degrades pretty quickly after that. There's a lot of cussing, threats, etc.
|
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2014 04:09
|
|
"I'm looking for an 8mm to VHS adaptor"
"I am sorry, but there is no such adaptor. You probably are thinking of a VHS-C adaptor which is for..."
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT! I HAVE SEEN THEM BEFORE, MY COUSIN HAS ONE!!!!"
|
Johnny Aztec posted:You were a pretty lovely employee then. You don't correct them, you just pick up the VHS-C adapter and hand it to them. And then they bring it back and raise hell because they really did have an 8mm camcorder and they spent two hours trying to jam the wrong tape into the adapter. Photo retail sucked in the late 80s and early 90s.
|
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2014 04:19
|
|
|
Laserjet4P posted:Speaking of cards: http://blog.codinghorror.com/revisiting-the-black-sunday-hack/ is a nice read.  Wow, that was awesome; I'm surprised I've never heard of this before.Edit: Fixed the link because I'm dumb. Unperson_47 has a new favorite as of 10:27 on Dec 19, 2014 |
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2014 04:41
|
|
|
Unperson_47 posted:
What was it? It leads to a 404 now.
|
|
#
?
Dec 19, 2014 09:03
|
|
|
Johnny Aztec posted:What was it? It still works if you go to the original post; the quote was broken. Here you go.
|
|
#
?
Dec 19, 2014 09:11
|
|
|
PhotoKirk posted:And then they bring it back and raise hell because they really did have an 8mm camcorder and they spent two hours trying to jam the wrong tape into the adapter. Late 80's/Early 90's? I had that exact 8MM/VHS-C argument with customers while working at RadioShack 2-3 years ago. That says more about RadioShack than anything, really. 
|
|
#
?
Dec 19, 2014 21:18
|
|
|
Zonekeeper posted:Late 80's/Early 90's? I had that exact 8MM/VHS-C argument with customers while working at RadioShack 2-3 years ago. I just quit RadioShack in November and I'm pretty sure I was having that argument the week I left. Other perpetual favorites included "no, USB A-A cables don't work like you think they do" and "no, you need an ethernet switch, not a that splitter, yes I realize it's $10 cheaper, no it will not work, fine buy it anyway our return period is 30 days." I hated retail.
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 01:20
|
|
|
BuddyChrist posted:I know this was a couple of pages ago but, in TYOOL 2006 the US Navy was still using this type of dosimeter.
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 01:28
|
|
|
Magnus Praeda posted:I just quit RadioShack in November and I'm pretty sure I was having that argument the week I left. Other perpetual favorites included "no, USB A-A cables don't work like you think they do" and "no, you need an ethernet switch, not a that splitter, yes I realize it's $10 cheaper, no it will not work, fine buy it anyway our return period is 30 days." I worked at a Radio Shack for about three months in late 1994. The manager got on my rear end for not trying to sell a $15 service contract on a pair of $16 collapsible Walkman headphones. That and having to do a store inventory (until 3am) after another manager quit in the middle of the day and then being asked to do it again a week later when the new manager came in. I didn't do the second one. I was let go a couple of days later.
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 03:39
|
|
|
Zonekeeper posted:Late 80's/Early 90's? I had that exact 8MM/VHS-C argument with customers while working at RadioShack 2-3 years ago. Holy. poo poo. I thought it was bad dealing with the folks who wanted Fuji Velveeta film (Velvia) for their Minolta Malox (Maxxum) cameras. The death of Ritz Camera couldn't come soon enough for me.
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 03:56
|
|
|
Heck, even that angry customer anecdote I had came from a Radio Shack. But to reference that again, do people still care about the VGA-to-TV adapters? I know they used to be relatively popular but now with so many computers shipping with HDMI outputs and/or TVs having VGA inputs, it seems like they're no longer as sought-after. I have one I've never even used I was given by someone throwing it out.
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 09:36
|
|
|
Magnus Praeda posted:I just quit RadioShack in November and I'm pretty sure I was having that argument the week I left. Other perpetual favorites included "no, USB A-A cables don't work like you think they do" and "no, you need an ethernet switch, not a that splitter, yes I realize it's $10 cheaper, no it will not work, fine buy it anyway our return period is 30 days." Does anyone even sell USB A-A cables outside of online sellers who will make any cable you ask for even if it doesn't make sense? 
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 10:41
|
|
|
BattleMaster posted:Does anyone even sell USB A-A cables outside of online sellers who will make any cable you ask for even if it doesn't make sense? I don't know about selling them, but I once had an extremely cheap digital camera that used a USB A-A cable to transfer its pictures to the computer. (It was one of those tiny cheap ones that only has its own internal memory, needs a crappy program to download the pictures, takes the pictures in like 640x480, and runs on two AAAs.)
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 10:50
|
|
|
m2pt5 posted:I don't know about selling them, but I once had an extremely cheap digital camera that used a USB A-A cable to transfer its pictures to the computer. (It was one of those tiny cheap ones that only has its own internal memory, needs a crappy program to download the pictures, takes the pictures in like 640x480, and runs on two AAAs.) What the... what was wrong with just using a USB A-B cable like everyone else?
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 10:55
|
|
|
BattleMaster posted:What the... what was wrong with just using a USB A-B cable like everyone else? I can't find a picture of one like it, but I don't think a B port would have fit in its thickness. Like I said, it was tiny. Edit: Found it. If you scroll down there's a couple pictures that show the USB A port on the side. Mini or micro USB surely would have worked fine. m2pt5 has a new favorite as of 11:05 on Dec 20, 2014 |
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 10:58
|
|
|
I have a really cheap and nasty external hard disk enclosure that uses a short A-A cable
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 11:15
|
|
|
dissss posted:I have a really cheap and nasty external hard disk enclosure that uses a short A-A cable Likewise here, I guess B ports either weren't available at the time it was made, or were too expensive. The enclosure I have is for 3.5" disks, so there would be plenty of space for the larger B-style port.
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 12:00
|
|
|
Standard size B connectors have always been in the USB spec because by definition the female A is the host and female B is the device. I don't know if mini/micro Bs have always been in the spec or if they were added later though.
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 12:15
|
|
|
My brand new keyboard uses an A to A cable, for absolutely no good reason.
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 14:46
|
|
|
DrBouvenstein posted:Plenty of movies that were recorded off of broadcast TV, though! You either had the commercials present and had to try and fast forward through them, going too far, rewinding, etc... (I mean...DVRs are like this now, but they are at least a little faster) or you were watching the movie live as you were recording and had to try to hit pause during the commercials, and then un-pause at the right time. This was much, much easier in the '80s and early '90s when you had "[TV show/special] will return after these messages / we now return to [TV show/special]" commercial bumpers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vI0UcUxzrQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BuylHRFZ8g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJFQDhq_vds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPra59Kh-qE I was the loving king of recording broadcast TV without the commercials because although it was much easier to press pause after the first bumper, there was always a 15 second low-budget local commercial or local news ID that preceded the "we now return" bumper that informed me to press play after it had finished. Like Colt 45, it worked every time.
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 15:20
|
|
|
PhotoKirk posted:Holy.  Velveeta has that creamy soft saturation though!
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 18:21
|
|
|
BattleMaster posted:Does anyone even sell USB A-A cables outside of online sellers who will make any cable you ask for even if it doesn't make sense?
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2014 23:42
|
|
|
You Are A Elf posted:This was much, much easier in the '80s and early '90s when you had "[TV show/special] will return after these messages / we now return to [TV show/special]" commercial bumpers. Show > Commercial for another show in the station > Commercials for whatever > Commercial for another show in the station > Show returns.
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 00:04
|
|
|
Magnus Praeda posted:I just quit RadioShack in November and I'm pretty sure I was having that argument the week I left. Other perpetual favorites included "no, USB A-A cables don't work like you think they do" and "no, you need an ethernet switch, not a that splitter, yes I realize it's $10 cheaper, no it will not work, fine buy it anyway our return period is 30 days."
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 00:05
|
|
|
GWBBQ posted:I use these at work in classrooms and I'm thankful that Monoprice sells A-A cables because gently caress paying $30 for a 6 foot cable. I don't understand, is there just a cartel of people who have gotten together just to break one of the most basic parts of the USB spec?
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 00:07
|
|
|
Pilsner posted:How did people think USB A-A cables worked? Allow transferring files between two computers? This kind of exists.
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 00:17
|
|
|
It has electronics though, it's not just a crossover like a null modem cable or something. Connecting a straight-up A-A cable between two hosts has the potential for bad consequences for one of their power supplies since a small voltage difference on the 5V rail can cause a lot of current to flow. That's why it's pretty irresponsible for people to use A-A cables in specific applications that are blatantly against the spec.
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 00:26
|
|
|
Pilsner posted:How did people think USB A-A cables worked? Allow transferring files between two computers? Based on some retail experience from years back: absolutely yes.
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 00:29
|
|
|
Pilsner posted:How did people think USB A-A cables worked? Allow transferring files between two computers? This reminds me of the whole stupid thing where when USB 2 came out they renamed USB 1 to "USB 2 Full Speed" in contrast to "USB 2 High Speed" which was actually USB 2. mystes has a new favorite as of 00:59 on Dec 21, 2014 |
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 00:55
|
|
|
mystes posted:It's not that crazy that people think this. In the case of Firewire, for example, you can actually network two computers with a normal cable. USB just happens to be way more stupidly complicated, to the point where they had to go through the trouble to invent USB OTG later so devices can act as both hosts and guests, and it's still such a pain in the rear end that nobody actually does it. USB OTG features a lot in printers that can print directly from USB mass storage (in addition to connecting to a computer as normal) as well as on Android 4 phones.I don't think there's a desktop that has it, though, but such a thing is almost pointless except for machine to machine file transfers or something. Those A-A cables wouldn't work for that, though, because OTG uses the fifth pin that USB B Mini and Micro connectors have for determining who gets to be the host. Also the "Full Speed" versus "High Speed" isn't as dumb as it sounds because there's also a "Low Speed" that only supports HID (so mice and keyboards, mostly) out of all of the standard USB classes.
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 01:07
|
|
|
mystes posted:It's not that crazy that people think this. In the case of Firewire, for example, you can actually network two computers with a normal cable. FireWire and Mac OS's target disk mode was a great blessing when I was working on Macs a lot.
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 01:51
|
|
|
Honestly USB is a mess, but the reasons it's a mess are mostly also its strengths, like the fact that anything can use it (devices can spoof other devices) and how things are plug and play (you don't notice 'bad' devices)
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 05:42
|
|
|
Keiya posted:Honestly USB is a mess, but the reasons it's a mess are mostly also its strengths, like the fact that anything can use it (devices can spoof other devices) (Bolding mine.) That part has led to a MASSIVE security flaw. Since all something has to do to be "seen" as a mouse and/or keyboard is to simply tell the OS it's a mouse and/or keyboard, a malicious USB device can be plugged in, and almost instantly take control of the cursor and keyboard input, and start doing poo poo like modifying the host file so common sites like Google and Facebook go to spoofing sites, disable software firewalls, etc...
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 05:48
|
|
|
It simply couldn't work any other way
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 07:56
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 19, 2024 10:24 |
|
|
dissss posted:It simply couldn't work any other way If malicious devices emulating keyboard become common, one solution would be to do something sort of like bluetooth paring, so that when a not previously authorized second keyboard is connected to an already booted computer, you would have to enter a code displayed on the screen to that keyboard to actually allow input from it. This would obviously be a pain, but I'm just trying to give an example about how much could be done if people were concerned about things like this.
|
|
#
?
Dec 21, 2014 17:31
|
|