Development support hardware

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by knc1

Earphones I have, I'll include a set in the package.

The mic/headphone China-Dongles that GM links to - I don't have those.
But the mic input might be fun to play with.

As I mentioned in a (unanswered) PM, I can donate a couple (for you and NiLuJe) if you PM me your mailing address. I have 10 of them, after all... Then you can record your beer farts, or whatever, on your kindle, for posterity.

And as I mentioned elsewhere as my own possible plans, you might want to hack one to install permanently inside your kindle, like you did with your USB serial adapter.

[knc1]

I don't need them.
And it is cheaper for NiLuJe to order them directly (France is closer to China than we are).

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by knc1

I don't need them.
And it is cheaper for NiLuJe to order them directly (France is closer to China than we are).

Though at the current ebay price of 88-cents and free shipping, I do not know how he can beat that. Of course, it costs more for me to ship from Minnesota to Texas than from China to anywhere in the world (though the long wait for delivery is an added time-cost).

However, I once received a free shipping package from China the SAME DAY (though a 36-hour day with timezone shifts) that I ordered it. I was astounded, and some of my friends do not believe me -- I wish I took pictures of the shipping manifest and such to prove it. I doubt we can accomplish that feat shipping from the USA unless we pay outlandish fees.

[knc1]

I have been getting 2 day service from Hong Kong -
Just choose DHL when you have a choice.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Well, that was kind of impressive. I don't really know what to say, so I'll keep it short and sweet: thanks, everyone . Promise I'll try to take good care of it and do fun stuff with it .

Well, unless I have my eyes crossed while doing the measurements:

This will fit inside of the PW-3 at the top frame edge:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detai...SJCT-ND/659940

and the matching plug:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detai...01SP-ND/408546

Then do the internal mount similar to:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...1&postcount=15

I might have to put a small notch in the front/top edge of the case, but this connector **should not** put a bludge in the bezel.
You'll have to turn the Kindle around and look at the top case edge to notice any modification.

[geekmaster]

If there is a bulge, you might be able to sand a little off the connector housing to make it thinner.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

If there is a bulge, you might be able to sand a little off the connector housing to make it thinner.

It was just a measurement error on my first one.
I didn't account for the solder bumps at the connection points.

I will not make **that** mistake on my KT2.
Which is still apart and waiting for its serial port.

Maybe I will do my KT2 at the same time I do NiLuJe's PW-3.
You know, once you have the major part of the job done, the rounding up of the tools, the rest is easy.

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by knc1

You know, once you have the major part of the job done, the rounding up of the tools, the rest is easy.

In my case, it is FINDING the tools that is the hard part. Wifey loves to keep everything out of sight (even in MY office space), and when she puts stuff away, I have NO IDEA where to look. Of course these days, I cannot always remember where *I* put stuff, either. ;(

Back when I was single, I could just leave stuff laying where I last used it. When I needed it, I could (and still can) easily remember where I last used it, and BOOM, there it is! Putting stuff "away" often means I will not find it again (no matter how much I search) until the day AFTER I purchase a replacement; I think that is one of Murphy's laws... Such is the case of my USB serial adapter collection, and all the dev kits and such that they are "stored" (i.e. "lost") with.

The problem is that I have more 18-gallon boxes full of "tools and parts for projects" than I can count (many hundreds), plus many more smaller storage bins (with only a fraction of them wall-to-wall and floor-to ceiling in my office). Then of course there are all those shelves full of cardboard boxes full of parts, in my basement, in the spare bedroom, in the garage, and in the storage shed. At my age, I suspect that most of those projects will not get any time allocated to them, so I might as well find a new home for all those (still valuable) parts (including my hundreds of kindles for my "eink wall" perhaps), eh?

Time to triage and decide which projects can fit in my remaining lifetime, I suspect... ;(

I suppose now that I have no savings left to support me (as they have done nicely for years), I may need to convert "project parts" into money -- wifey wants me to have a garage sale (and spend my money on a vacation trip to Cuba). But I am still emotionally attached to my projects (and my wanting to live long enough to accomplish them all). What to do?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

In my case, it is FINDING the tools that is the hard part. Wifey loves to keep everything out of sight (even in MY office space), and when she puts stuff away, I have NO IDEA where to look. Of course these days, I cannot always remember where *I* put stuff, either. ;(

Back when I was single, I could just leave stuff laying where I last used it. When I needed it, I could (and still can) easily remember where I last used it, and BOOM, there it is! Putting stuff "away" often means I will not find it again (no matter how much I search) until the day AFTER I purchase a replacement; I think that is one of Murphy's laws... Such is the case of my USB serial adapter collection, and all the dev kits and such that they are "stored" (i.e. "lost") with.

The problem is that I have more 18-gallon boxes full of "tools and parts for projects" than I can count (many hundreds), plus many more smaller storage bins (with only a fraction of them wall-to-wall and floor-to ceiling in my office). Then of course there are all those shelves full of cardboard boxes full of parts, in my basement, in the spare bedroom, in the garage, and in the storage shed. At my age, I suspect that most of those projects will not get any time allocated to them, so I might as well find a new home for all those (still valuable) parts (including my hundreds of kindles for my "eink wall" perhaps), eh?

Time to triage and decide which projects can fit in my remaining lifetime, I suspect... ;(

I suppose now that I have no savings left to support me (as they have done nicely for years), I may need to convert "project parts" into money -- wifey wants me to have a garage sale (and spend my money on a vacation trip to Cuba). But I am still emotionally attached to my projects (and my wanting to live long enough to accomplish them all). What to do?

My hubby and I have one rule. I don't mess with his desk and he doesn't mess with my craft stuff. Makes our lives much simpler.
Now the kitchen is another story. I rearranged it here while back and he still can't find some stuff.

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

My hubby and I have one rule. I don't mess with his desk and he doesn't mess with my craft stuff. Makes our lives much simpler.
Now the kitchen is another story. I rearranged it here while back and he still can't find some stuff.

I lived in this house for more tha 35 years, and I had "traditional" places to store stuff (including in the kitchen). My wife did not like my traditions (she is Russian), so she rearranged everything, and now I can no longer find ANYTHING. Sadly, when I do figure out the new location of some stuff, she finds a NEW location to store it.

I recall reading somewhere that one of the "rules" for females is if she suspects that her man has figured out any of her rules, it is time to change those rules. That seems to be the case here, after almost 12 years of marriage.

But really, I could use some ideas on how best to use my remaining useful years. A year ago I believed I was still a young man, just approaching "middle age". But recent health issues have made me realize that I have the body of an "old man", and life will just keep getting more difficult for me. I want to make the best of the remaining productive man-hours I have left, before the next health issue kicks me in the behind telling me to get busy and do something meaningful with the rest of my life.

My friends keep telling me that time spent on kindle projects is not productive, though to me it is far better than focussing on health (and pain) issues. I am no longer able to take the pain meds I had become dependent on for the past 20 years, so interesting and educational projects are a great place to allocate my full attention.

Now, from the peanut gallery, do y'all have any useful ideas how I should spend my (remaining productive) time in a useful and meaningful way (with or without kindles)?

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

Now, from the peanut gallery, do y'all have any useful ideas how I should spend my (remaining productive) time in a useful and meaningful way (with or without kindles)?

I suggest that you take a break and watch this TV show.

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I suggest that you take a break and watch this TV show.

But those folks hoard garbage. Up until recently, I have been spending about $10,000 USD each year (for MANY years) on USEFUL tools and components for COOL tech projects. I think there is a difference. My collection is a bit more like that wall of parts bins you can see on some episodes of Mythbusters, except I have WAY MORE cool stuff than that... However, I do not have enough useable workspace to use the stuff in. I need a huge workspace like they have...

Even my friends agree with my assessment (except for my wife, that is, but then her shoe collection is WAY TOO LARGE, IMHO)...

[knc1]

You should study one of those DIY shows - woodworking is probably the most useful.

In the background, there are a huge number of clamps on the wall . . .
And no matter how many clamps the current project uses, the wall is always full.

I think that back wall might be something like the 'foldbox' from Heinlein's Glory Road.
https://www.amazon.com/Glory-Road-Ro.../dp/B00BFIMCWU

Evidently the process can be reversed and you can 'put away' on that wall an infinite number of tools when the project is done (without crowding).

[Cinisajoy]

You should give her a spa day and while she is gone graciously rearrange her clothes and the kitchen if she uses it more than you do.

Now a funny one on a wife rearranging her hubby's stuff. She decided his books would look better arranged by size. I think she also did color. Then couldn't understand why hubby got upset.

As per your collection of goodies, might I interest you in a locking file cabinet.

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

You should give her a spa day and while she is gone graciously rearrange her clothes and the kitchen if she uses it more than you do.

Now a funny one on a wife rearranging her hubby's stuff. She decided his books would look better arranged by size. I think she also did color. Then couldn't understand why hubby got upset.

As per your collection of goodies, might I interest you in a locking file cabinet.

I have "quite literally" more than 10,000 books in my possession (not counting ebooks). I used to buy entire book collections from other collectors (making me a meta-collector, I guess). In the pre-internet days I had them arranged like a library, with rows and rows of double-sided shelves. But these days you can find stuff on google faster, even if you already have the book open in your hands, so they are mostly all in storage (for SHTF, ya know?)...

Anyway, I had a bookshelf that was a perfect fit beneath our bedroom windows, filled with only my MOST useful books (which I used OFTEN for reference, or if I wanted to read my few favorite Sci-Fi books again). Anyway, after a business trip, I found my bedroom bookshelf in the kitchen with HER knick-knacks on it (still there). I have never seen my MOST IMPORTANT books again. She has a habit of putting stuff "away" in places I would never even THINK of looking... Not at all happy about that, especially when all of our OTHER bookcases cannot fit next to my side of the bed without partially blocking a window.

And for that "other guy" recommending I watch a TV show, I rarely even turn on the TV (and then mostly just to watch a 3D movie). But the particular TV show he linked takes away my ability to be distracted away from my pain -- it was like a poke in the ribs to me. If he thinks I am wasting my time doing kindle stuff (and hanging out here again), then what the heck is HE doing posing in a kindle forum?

I thought I had grown a reasonably thick skin since I was (mostly) away from here for a few years, but apparently not enough... Shit folks say to make themselves feel superior to me still hurts (or at least makes me more aware of the pain I already have). I like doing cool stuff -- it makes life worthwhile. Not having tools and parts for such projects causes envy and disappointment and longfulness. My main problem now is that I need to figure out how I can trade this old worn-out body in on a new one (like a used car)... Or at least a virtual body:


https://xkcd.com/1666/