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spog
Aug 7, 2004

It's your own bloody fault.

mobby_6kl posted:

I got the cheapest 18650 based "cree" light off eBay and although I'm sure it doesn't have the crazy lumens they claim, its bright as gently caress anyway, lasts a long time and is very solidly made so I can't really complain.

Ditto: I have a few of these in different sizes and they all work very well. 3xAA for the car, 2xAA for taking the bins out, 1xAAA pocket carry and they are all as bright as gently caress and cheap enough not to worry about.

I have a 3xD cell that uses standard LEDs that I keep by the front door.


SEKCobra posted:

I like Nitecore, Fenix, Led Lenser (too expensive for what they are), with nitecore having the best firmware on the market IMO.

Firmware for a flashlight? Have we finally reached that stage?

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KozmoNaut
Apr 23, 2008

Happiness is a warm
Turbo Plasma Rifle


I only buy AA and AAA flashlights anymore. They're more than bright enough for what I need, and I don't ever have to worry about charging or being able to find batteries, no matter where I go.

Sure, it's cool to have a 10 million billion lumen LiPo-powered monster, but it's kinda useless if you forget your charger and can't just buy a fresh battery. I can get AAs and AAAs for next to nothing at every store, everywhere in the world.

The Claptain
May 11, 2014

Grimey Drawer
I recently bought ten of these, threw a couple into my car, one for my pocket, few into the different jackets, the rest are either around house or given to friends.

They're bright, and not terribly made, plus cheap as gently caress, you can't really go wrong.

Pilsner
Nov 23, 2002

mobby_6kl posted:

I got the cheapest 18650 based "cree" light off eBay and although I'm sure it doesn't have the crazy lumens they claim, its bright as gently caress anyway, lasts a long time and is very solidly made so I can't really complain.
I've been through a few of those cheap LED flashlights also, and I'd say around 50% of them have failed. Either they stop working, or get flimsy - sometimes requiring jiggling, or working sporadically.

My latest purchase was this one:

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01LXZEXZ4/ref=pe_3044161_189395811_TE_dp_1

So far so good, but time will tell. Still, if the difference between "fine" and "high quality" is like 100+ Euro, I'd rather buy and burn through the cheap ones. Some middle-ground would be nice, though.

The Claptain posted:

I recently bought ten of these, threw a couple into my car, one for my pocket, few into the different jackets, the rest are either around house or given to friends.

They're bright, and not terribly made, plus cheap as gently caress, you can't really go wrong.
And they are definitely not 4000 Lumen, but they might still be fine for your purpose. They're probably around 200.

Pilsner has a new favorite as of 13:31 on Feb 2, 2018

3D Megadoodoo
Nov 25, 2010

I found all my flashlights under my bed and I needed to use my phone to see them. That's my flashlight story god bless.

blugu64
Jul 17, 2006

Do you realize that fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face?

KozmoNaut posted:

I only buy AA and AAA flashlights anymore. They're more than bright enough for what I need, and I don't ever have to worry about charging or being able to find batteries, no matter where I go.

Sure, it's cool to have a 10 million billion lumen LiPo-powered monster, but it's kinda useless if you forget your charger and can't just buy a fresh battery. I can get AAs and AAAs for next to nothing at every store, everywhere in the world.

They also make LiPo monsters that can have an onboard charger and recharge via MicroUSB. Come on in, the water is great ;)

The Claptain
May 11, 2014

Grimey Drawer

Pilsner posted:

And they are definitely not 4000 Lumen, but they might still be fine for your purpose. They're probably around 200.

Oh, of course they are not, never trust chinese specs. I remember once seeing a chinese torch advertised as 10000 W.

Theye are "bright enough, though i wouldn't mind if they were little less bright for purppses I am using them".

Iron Crowned
May 6, 2003

by Hand Knit

empty baggie posted:

The education market was definitely one of the things keeping Apple going throughout the 90's. For example, all of the liberal arts colleges around here used macs exclusively in their photography/graphic design and teacher education departments.

That's a good point, I think again it has to do with prior to Windows 95, it a computer that didn't require any special training to use. Up until about 8th grade we did only have Apple II series machines in school, when they started getting performas.

High school was definitely a mixture though, started with mostly performas, and I took the last Basic class (which ran on Apple IIs). Typing class used a PS 2, I had an introduction to drafting that used some kind of PC. and then in junior year most of the Performas were replaced with iMacs.

All through that time, my family which had been a mac family since my dad bought a Mac Plus in the early 80s, switched to a PC.

empty baggie posted:

A/V production was also a big deal to Apple back then, too. Sadly, Apple appears to have lost a lot of that market in recent years.

Although admittedly I'm not up to date on Macs these days, I suspect that's because they're still all-in-one machines, and PCs can be customized to hell for specific tasks

Krispy Wafer
Jul 26, 2002

I shouted out "Free the exposed 67"
But they stood on my hair and told me I was fat

Grimey Drawer

Pilsner posted:

Reviving this flashlight chat, because it's interesting.

Back 20 years ago when I was a boyscout, the hot stuff to have was a Maglite, naturally powered by alkaline batteries and with a small incandescent light bulb. Weak and yellow-ish color, pathetic compared to what we have today. I just had the small one with 2 AA batteries, but always window-shopped the huge 4D one.

I recently started researching buying a decent flash light again (just for around the house and garden), and of course it's all LED these days, and all Made in China. What's more interesting is that 99% of flashlights claim to have a Cree LED, and are either powered by regular alkaline batteries, a rechargable LiPo battery, or hybrids that can accept either. There is so little variation.

From what I read, the cheap "ultra bright 10000 Lumen Cree LED" flashlights on China are bullshit; the Cree LEDs mostly only go up to around 1000 Lumen per LED. Also, it makes no sense that supposedly cheap flashlights around the world use genuine LEDs from American manufacturer Cree - it must be 99% unauthorized copies.

Which suppliers sell genuine, good quality (housing and electronics) flashlights with Cree LED's, anyone? It's hard to tell junk from gold, since of course even a pretty cheap China flashlight works okay, particularly for the price. I've found the SureFire brand, but they are over £200 for a tiny one smaller than a hand - that is way more than I want to spend.

Here's some reading:

http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/chinese-clone-leds-cree-vs-latticebright-1000703.html
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/41084
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/please-explain-confusing-lumenscree-variants-on-cheap-chinese-lights-to-me/

A friend convinced me to buy one of those SureFire lights, but he was a private military contractor and probably needed that extra .9 on a regular flashlights otherwise 99.9% reliability. I'm not a military contractor in a war zone without a Walmart nearby and it was a big waste for me.

Now all you need are multiple cheap flashlights/lanterns because at least one will work when you need it. I think you can still get Made in the USA MagLites with LED's installed if you want something murderously solid. Having to keep D batteries around sucks, but they probably sell AA to D adapters

PhotoKirk
Jul 2, 2007

insert witty text here

Pilsner posted:

Reviving this flashlight chat, because it's interesting.

Back 20 years ago when I was a boyscout, the hot stuff to have was a Maglite, naturally powered by alkaline batteries and with a small incandescent light bulb. Weak and yellow-ish color, pathetic compared to what we have today. I just had the small one with 2 AA batteries, but always window-shopped the huge 4D one.

I recently started researching buying a decent flash light again (just for around the house and garden), and of course it's all LED these days, and all Made in China. What's more interesting is that 99% of flashlights claim to have a Cree LED, and are either powered by regular alkaline batteries, a rechargable LiPo battery, or hybrids that can accept either. There is so little variation.

From what I read, the cheap "ultra bright 10000 Lumen Cree LED" flashlights on China are bullshit; the Cree LEDs mostly only go up to around 1000 Lumen per LED. Also, it makes no sense that supposedly cheap flashlights around the world use genuine LEDs from American manufacturer Cree - it must be 99% unauthorized copies.

Which suppliers sell genuine, good quality (housing and electronics) flashlights with Cree LED's, anyone? It's hard to tell junk from gold, since of course even a pretty cheap China flashlight works okay, particularly for the price. I've found the SureFire brand, but they are over £200 for a tiny one smaller than a hand - that is way more than I want to spend.

Here's some reading:

http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/chinese-clone-leds-cree-vs-latticebright-1000703.html
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/41084
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/please-explain-confusing-lumenscree-variants-on-cheap-chinese-lights-to-me/

I put one of the LED conversions in my big 5D Maglite and keep it in my truck. Much brighter and I can use it as an improvised hammer.

KozmoNaut
Apr 23, 2008

Happiness is a warm
Turbo Plasma Rifle


blugu64 posted:

They also make LiPo monsters that can have an onboard charger and recharge via MicroUSB. Come on in, the water is great ;)

No reason to.

Lights that run on standard alkalines are cheap and more than bright enough. If I was a security guard or nighttime wilderness tracker or some such thing, I would bring a monster crazy LiPo searchlight.

For finding poo poo that rolled under the fridge or for finding my way home at night, my trusty little AAA keychain light is plenty. And it's always in my pocket, I don't have to remember to bring it.

A light that I actually have on me is a million times more useful than one that is at home in a drawer.

KozmoNaut has a new favorite as of 16:12 on Feb 2, 2018

Geoj
May 28, 2008

BITTER POOR PERSON
Flashlight chat: I have a Convoy S2+ (Chinese 18650 tactical torch), can't tell if it has a legitimate Cree LED but it gets plenty bright on its highest setting and runs forever on a single charge on the low and middle settings.

Only drawback is you have to wait upwards of a month for it to slow-boat over from China, unless you want to pay a 300% markup from someone selling them on Amazon.

GRINDCORE MEGGIDO
Feb 28, 1985


Laser pointers are kinda cool, the high ish power ones.

Only mentioning because there's a crossover between laser pointer and flashlight fans.

Arivia
Mar 17, 2011

GRINDCORE MEGGIDO posted:

Laser pointers are kinda cool, the high ish power ones.

Only mentioning because there's a crossover between laser pointer and flashlight fans.

Can’t get the FAA mad with a flashlight though :smith:

Explosionface
May 30, 2011

We can dance if we want to,
we can leave Marle behind.
'Cause your fiends don't dance,
and if they don't dance,
they'll get a Robo Fist of mine.


GRINDCORE MEGGIDO posted:

Laser pointers are kinda cool, the high ish power ones.

Only mentioning because there's a crossover between laser pointer and flashlight fans.

I know someone who recently came back from China with a purple laser pointer that can (at minimum) burn paper.

Warbird
May 23, 2012

America's Favorite Dumbass

It's like I'm in a F Plus episode

chitoryu12
Apr 24, 2014

Explosionface posted:

I know someone who recently came back from China with a purple laser pointer that can (at minimum) burn paper.

In my senior year of high school, my astronomy teacher had a green laser pointer that I believe wasn't legal to sell in the United States that he used to point out stars and planets during night observations. When he first showed it off, he let anyone who volunteered have it put against their hand and turned on. It stung and left a little darker spot where it burned me. It was so bright you could see the beam shooting off into the sky at night, and we were able to see things like satellites flying overhead as little twinkles of silver.

He was a really cool guy. He unironically wore bow ties as a serious fashion choice, went on a long bike ride before dawn every day, and ended each year as "DJ Laser Luther" where he would set up complex laser rigs that could manipulate sound played through speakers when he broke or modulated the beam. He once built a sort of roller treadmill for his racing bike and spent an entire school day riding it while raising money for charity and livestreaming the physics of biking, and he raised over $1000 more than he intended.

spog
Aug 7, 2004

It's your own bloody fault.

You may mock, but you can't help be impressed at these things:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vgNh3fLxJc

GRINDCORE MEGGIDO
Feb 28, 1985


Explosionface posted:

I know someone who recently came back from China with a purple laser pointer that can (at minimum) burn paper.

Nice. I've got a supposedly 200mw Red pointer that bursts balloons (if you put a Black sharpie mark on them). Have to be super careful with the higher powered ones, UV / damage even by reflecting off white walls, etc.

Even low powered Green pointers look like death rays, my cat loves them.

Unperson_47
Oct 14, 2007



The constant desire for brighter flashlights than needed for general use is really stupid. I should know because I fell down that rabbit hole myself a few years ago and have a drawer of them.

Der Kyhe
Jun 25, 2008

Unperson_47 posted:

The constant desire for brighter flashlights than needed for general use is really stupid. I should know because I fell down that rabbit hole myself a few years ago and have a drawer of them.

Im not actually looking for a maximum power, I am looking for a rugged, easy-to-fix design with longevity and a flashlight on which the batteries do not completely die on the freezing temperatures. My garage is a communal one, and has piss-poor lighting; being able to use that same flashlight as a baton or hammer substitute is just a bonus.

SEKCobra
Feb 28, 2011

Hi
:saddowns: Don't look at my site :saddowns:

spog posted:

Ditto: I have a few of these in different sizes and they all work very well. 3xAA for the car, 2xAA for taking the bins out, 1xAAA pocket carry and they are all as bright as gently caress and cheap enough not to worry about.

I have a 3xD cell that uses standard LEDs that I keep by the front door.


Firmware for a flashlight? Have we finally reached that stage?

Well most chinese craplights don't remember mode but have 20 because they want to be like the big boys. So to switch between high and low, you have to go through strobe and SOS as well. usually with a lovely switch. Nitecore lights have tons of small extra features that are really neat AND several programmable modes for your application. Only thing I don't like about them is the 18650 batteries, I am bad at keeping them charged. For AA I have been happy with my fenix tho.

SEKCobra
Feb 28, 2011

Hi
:saddowns: Don't look at my site :saddowns:

PhotoKirk posted:

I put one of the LED conversions in my big 5D Maglite and keep it in my truck. Much brighter and I can use it as an improvised hammer.

I have an old 3D and 4D, I thought about converting them, but D cells are expensive and hard to come by and the conversion kits are expensive, especially for what they are.

blugu64
Jul 17, 2006

Do you realize that fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face?

Unperson_47 posted:

The constant desire for brighter flashlights than needed for general use is really stupid. I should know because I fell down that rabbit hole myself a few years ago and have a drawer of them.

My dad and I constantly compare the power, brightness, and features of our latest flashlights. It’s how we bond.

GreenNight
Feb 19, 2006
Turning the light on the darkest places, you and I know we got to face this now. We got to face this now.

I thought that said fleshlights at first.

JnnyThndrs
May 29, 2001

HERE ARE THE FUCKING TOWELS

PhotoKirk posted:

I put one of the LED conversions in my big 5D Maglite and keep it in my truck. Much brighter and I can use it as an improvised hammer.

:same::

If I ever have to cave someone’s skull in, it’s an ideal implement.

Dicty Bojangles
Apr 14, 2001

JnnyThndrs posted:

:same::

If I ever have to cave someone’s skull in, it’s an ideal implement.

aka enlightenment

1000 Brown M and Ms
Oct 22, 2008

F:\DL>quickfli 4-clowns.fli

Iron Crowned posted:

Although admittedly I'm not up to date on Macs these days, I suspect that's because they're still all-in-one machines, and PCs can be customized to hell for specific tasks

If you follow music Youtubers, you'd have probably heard of Glenn Fricker or Rick Beato. They both use PCs over Macs for recording for exactly that reason.

I'm not a recording engineer, but I work in science and PCs are still very dominant because of that kind of thing too. Speaking of obsolete technology, on a daily basis I use scientific instruments that communicate via RS232/serial interface. I still need an old computer with a proper serial port as some of the instruments are quite temperamental with USB-serial adaptors.

Powered Descent
Jul 13, 2008

We haven't had that spirit here since 1969.

JnnyThndrs posted:

:same::

If I ever have to cave someone’s skull in, it’s an ideal implement.

I wonder if anyone has pitted a D-cell Maglite against a Model M keyboard. When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object...

Unperson_47
Oct 14, 2007



blugu64 posted:

My dad and I constantly compare the power, brightness, and features of our latest flashlights. It’s how we bond.

My dad and I have literally had long conversations revolving around flashlights. Advertised brightness is a ploy by Big Lumen

Unperson_47 has a new favorite as of 03:21 on Feb 3, 2018

Vic
Nov 26, 2009

malae fidei cum XI_XXVI_MMIX

blugu64 posted:

My dad and I constantly compare the power, brightness, and features of our latest flashlights. It’s how we bond.

Unperson_47 posted:

My dad and I have literally had long conversations revolving around flashlights. Advertised brightness is a ploy by Big Lumen

:3:

My dad owned a nontrivial amount of things with LEDs in them. Those tiny clip on lamps, table LED lamps you plug into your laptop, wall mounted, motion activated, battery powered lights. A desk fan with LEDs in the blades.

I asked him why does he need all that, he replied "You never know"

And I never did.

mostlygray
Nov 1, 2012

BURY ME AS I LIVED, A FREE MAN ON THE CLUTCH

Unperson_47 posted:

The constant desire for brighter flashlights than needed for general use is really stupid. I should know because I fell down that rabbit hole myself a few years ago and have a drawer of them.

I've had my 4 D-cell Maglite for about 15 years now. I've gone through a dozen cheapy AAA-cell LEDs over the years, but the Maglite is the one that always works. I can leave it in my car below zero, I can drop it down a mountain, let it kick around the bed of a pickup, ignore it for a couple years, and it always turns on. I'll take that over super-bright LEDs any day.

Bright is nice, but "works" is better. Someday, I'd like an expensive "tactical" flashlight for fun. Until that day, I'll trust by beast of a Maglite.

TotalLossBrain
Oct 20, 2010

Hier graben!

1000 Brown M and Ms posted:

I'm not a recording engineer, but I work in science and PCs are still very dominant because of that kind of thing too. Speaking of obsolete technology, on a daily basis I use scientific instruments that communicate via RS232/serial interface. I still need an old computer with a proper serial port as some of the instruments are quite temperamental with USB-serial adaptors.


This comes up pretty regularly in this thread. I work with a lot of industrial SCADA equipment and RS232 is still the defacto standard for communication, albeit now in EIA232 variant. I think that's pretty typical in industries where you have:
- expensive equipment that is expected to last a decade or more
- infrastructure already in place and required for all that decade old equipment already there.

It works reasonably well.

JediTalentAgent
Jun 5, 2005
Hey, look. Look, if- if you screw me on this, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine, you rat bastard!
The talk of flashlights makes me think that the cheap video projectors market has somehow maintained for years without any major upgrades other than adding some HDMI inputs. They've gotten cheaper, though. I remember when you couldn't find them for less than about $200 and now they're probably had for under $50 at several times and places. This class of projector got cheaper, sure, but I don't think they really got 'better'.

With all sorts of low-resolutions that aren't mentioned on the box, with text that tries to convince you that they're great for watching movies, playing the latest video games, etc.

Cum Galleon
Oct 16, 2004

Your shipment has arrived.
The batteries leaked on my 4D maglite and glued the battery cap shut. I managed to get it off leaving vinegar in it for about a week but the switch worked very intermittently after that. My favourite thing with led torches is looking at them to see how bright they are and hurting my eyes, then doing the exact same thing next I use it.

Buttcoin purse
Apr 24, 2014

1000 Brown M and Ms posted:

I still need an old computer with a proper serial port as some of the instruments are quite temperamental with USB-serial adaptors.

Have you tried adapters made by FTDI? They are (or at least used to be, 8 years ago) decent - I never had trouble with them randomly locking up like some of the cheap lovely ones. No doubt a real serial port on the motherboard is a safer bet, though!

edit: vvv Oh, we might have had this discussion before, sorry!

Buttcoin purse has a new favorite as of 12:16 on Feb 3, 2018

Platystemon
Feb 13, 2012

as a person who never leaves my house i've done pretty well for myself.

Buttcoin purse posted:

Have you tried adapters made by FTDI? They are (or at least used to be, 8 years ago) decent - I never had trouble with them randomly locking up like some of the cheap lovely ones. No doubt a real serial port on the motherboard is a safer bet, though!

The cheap ones are lovely and lock up because FTDI sabotaged them with Windows autopushed firmware updates.

Anarchist Mae
Nov 5, 2009

by Reene
Lipstick Apathy
Here's a clip from an Australian TV show Towards 2000 from 1982 on the Compact Disc:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Tx6TYnPat8

The production company behind this later went on to give us MythBusters.

And here's a video from another show Quantum from 1988 about the greenhouse effect and climate change:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1MIV4NKp3g

I really need to send that to my dad since he insists global warming is something invented by the Elders of Zion/NWO during the 90s... of course he's just going to say it's part of the conspiracy and the video couldn't possibly have aired when it says it did because that'd be crazy, right. Also the moon landing was faked and did you know 911 was an inside job and Timothy McVeigh was a patsy and and and and and Hilary :tinfoil:

I need a smilie that combines :tinfoil: and :suicide:

Anarchist Mae has a new favorite as of 13:49 on Feb 3, 2018

evobatman
Jul 30, 2006

it means nothing, but says everything!
Pillbug
Real business computers like Dell Latitudes and Lenovo Thinkpads have hardware LPT and RS-232 ports on the motherboard today. You just smack one of these in the docking station connector, to give them the actual physical ports:

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Proteus Jones
Feb 28, 2013



Platystemon posted:

The cheap ones are lovely and lock up because FTDI sabotaged them with Windows autopushed firmware updates.

Man, that was hilarious when that happened. Everyone who bought an off-brand lovely Chinese knock-off was flipping the poo poo out about that.

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