best cheap/free scores 1.1

[Agent24]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Well then I wouldn't have a clue what version of the driver you have.

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Well then I wouldn't have a clue what version of the driver you have.

Should be pretty recent, an update for it came about a week ago.

[momaka]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Update on the microwave:

The good news is - it works! I tried heating a cup of water in it, and in just 20 seconds it got really hot.

The bad news: the back where the rust is also gets very hot :| . Also, as soon as the microwave inverter kicks in, you can hear all of the fans slowing down and the inside light dim a lot. I think the rust on the back is definitely shorting it.

The really bad news: I tried cleaning the microwave and unfortunately, the metal on the back has indeed rusted all the way through . As I was cleaning it with my putty knife (since the paint really was pealing in big chunks), I accidentally tore a few holes right at the bend on the back. So yeah - a new back is needed for sure. The whole thing is soft when I press it with my finger. I think I'll just cut the whole back out and screw a new one in there if that's possible.
The bottom piece has started to rust quite a bit near the edges too, though. I hope that doesn't have any areas that are rusted all the way through because that will make the repair much harder.

[goodpsusearch]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

I would try to save it

[Topcat]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

I found one of those 70's-ish Amana 'Radaranges' in the garbage many years ago....that thing would nuke your food to the glowing point, powerful bastards! I used it for ages and ended up giving it away. It had a bad door switch when I found it. 30 cents fixed it.

[larrymoencurly]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

I once found an ancient convection/microwave oven with all-mechanical controls. Convection/microwave ovens aren't cheap. The convection blower fan bearing had seized, and it was hard to find a new one because it had to take the full heat, being mounted downstream (dumb design).

I've managed to retrieve 7-8 IBM keyboards in various condition, enough to make 4 complete 101-key model M keyboards.

[momaka]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

30 cents fixed it.

So that's probably like $10 in today's money .
Nice find. IIRC, those "Radarange" microwaves were some of the first ones available to the public.

I've managed to retrieve 7-8 IBM keyboards in various condition, enough to make 4 complete 101-key model M keyboards.

Old keyboard like that are very nice for typing. I've heard some people argue that the newer "flat" keyboards are better for your hands. If anything, my hands are real tired right now from this flat laptop keyboard.
I prefer the Dell QuietKey ones - perfect standard layout (i.e. no large Enter key and small Backspace key) and the Space bar never jams, even after washing the keyboard (after taking it apart, of course). Can't say the same about newer keyboards.

[mariushm]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

The old ones are bad because of the click and the sudden stop at the end, it hurts your fingers long term.
The flat ones are bad because they have no feel, can't tell where the trigger is so without realizing you have to press much harder than normal just to get the audible feedback.

I personally find the feeling of the Microsoft ComfortCurve 2000 keyboard the best... soft buttons, short distance and keys in a slight curve which helps against RSI.. But i realize it's a matter of personal taste.

for reference it looks like this:

[ben7]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

The old ones are bad because of the click and the sudden stop at the end, it hurts your fingers long term.
The flat ones are bad because they have no feel, can't tell where the trigger is so without realizing you have to press much harder than normal just to get the audible feedback.

I personally find the feeling of the Microsoft ComfortCurve 2000 keyboard the best... soft buttons, short distance and keys in a slight curve which helps against RSI.. But i realize it's a matter of personal taste.

for reference it looks like this:

You are right, the new ones are just like snap-on and snap-off, after you apply a certain force, they just give-way and go down all the way, making noise...

I have used those Microsoft keyboards before, they are great!

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I found a Logitech Quickcam for Notebook Pro for $5 today. Other than a ripped Logitech cable tag it was in great shape (included the carry case).

Finally I can relocate my Quickcam Communicate STX to the main rig where it belongs.

[Rulycat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Should be pretty recent, an update for it came about a week ago.

Derailing other people's threads again but run glxinfo and see what mesa version you're using. Latest is 8.0.

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Derailing other people's threads again but run glxinfo and see what mesa version you're using. Latest is 8.0.

OpenGL vendor string: X.Org R300 Project
OpenGL renderer string: Gallium 0.4 on ATI R350
OpenGL version string: 2.1 Mesa 8.0.3
OpenGL shading language version string: 1.20

other note- under the shell performance is good but there are a lot of glitches... like it bluing out my wallpaper, not accepting mouse clicks, random self-clicking, etc. Annoying as hell and virtually unusable w/o hitting alt+F2 and entering a command.

On my 5200fx card it had the usual bugs currently reported for that card under nouveau (prop. legacy drivers are no longer xorg compatible). Performance was also fine.

[tiggerific]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Went to the friendly neighboorhood dump to drop off batteries for recycling, spotted a 46" Sony LCD box in the electronics area which actually contained what it said on the outside! Model KDL-46EX400 in a bit dusty but otherwise pristine condition. August 2010 manu date. Must have been upgraded to something better. I'll have to get around to popping the back off to check the PSU caps but for now it's going to go up in the guest room.

It's the third 40"+ LCD TV I've picked up there that either works 100% or had a couple blown caps.

Also picked up a couple laptops 3 months ago which worked fine, good batteries and power adapters.

[momaka]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Got a Westinghouse 26" LCD monitor for $10. Tested it at the guy's house and it would blink the backlights for fraction of a second (so not quite "2-seconds-to-black"). Got it home, tried it, and it works?
Granted it does squeal very loudly. Quick check leads me to believe it's not inverter or PSU (PSU has Chemicon KY all-over).
Another LCD project with backlight issue. I'm sick of them. I rather get ones with bad t-con or PSU (not caps).

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Got a Westinghouse 26" LCD monitor for $10. Tested it at the guy's house and it would blink the backlights for fraction of a second (so not quite "2-seconds-to-black"). Got it home, tried it, and it works?
Granted it does squeal very loudly. Quick check leads me to believe it's not inverter or PSU (PSU has Chemicon KY all-over).
Another LCD project with backlight issue. I'm sick of them. I rather get ones with bad t-con or PSU (not caps).

Resolder the inverter transformers. May also be a transistor issue.

[momaka]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Got a small APC UPS today from the trash can at my former job. Haven't cracked it open yet. Was told it doesn't work. Don't know if I'll fix it or not cause I don't keep anything on a UPS and I don't like to. (If power goes out, power goes out. I don't give a shit, I think I can live without my electronics for a few hours/days).

Resolder the inverter transformers. May also be a transistor issue.

The inverter joints look good (well, as good as lead-free joints get anyways ). Only 4 MOSFETs total driving all 6 transformers at once, so can't have any bad ones (there would be magic smoke if that was the case). It could well be that one of the traffos is out of spec. Now that I think about it, I forgot to check that.
I still hate LCDs, though.

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Don't know if I'll fix it or not cause I don't keep anything on a UPS and I don't like to. (If power goes out, power goes out. I don't give a shit, I think I can live without my electronics for a few hours/days).

IIRC the whole point of the UPS is to allow things to shutdown properly as opposed to a sudden reboot. Most are not meant for continuous use.

[shovenose]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

OpenGL vendor string: X.Org R300 Project
OpenGL renderer string: Gallium 0.4 on ATI R350
OpenGL version string: 2.1 Mesa 8.0.3
OpenGL shading language version string: 1.20

other note- under the shell performance is good but there are a lot of glitches... like it bluing out my wallpaper, not accepting mouse clicks, random self-clicking, etc. Annoying as hell and virtually unusable w/o hitting alt+F2 and entering a command.

On my 5200fx card it had the usual bugs currently reported for that card under nouveau (prop. legacy drivers are no longer xorg compatible). Performance was also fine.

I have a solution to all of the issues you're having with your computer and your dual monitor setup.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...products/home/

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I have a solution to all of the issues you're having with your computer and your dual monitor setup.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...products/home/

If I am gonna spend as much money as 7 pro/ultimate copy would cost (has to be pro or ultimate, its twin CPU), I'd just get a really nice GPU.

[Agent24]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I'm not even sure that the Radeon 9000 series support Aero, so that could be even worse...