Danie van der Merwe

7 non-SSD devices you may be able to use in your M.2 slot

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 11:04:05 +0200

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

7 non-SSD devices you may be able to use in your M.2 slot

The M.2 connector, formerly known as Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF) was created to replace the older mSATA and mPCIe connectors, which it successfully did. You might be familiar with the M.2 slots on your PC's motherboard that are commonly used to connect M.2 SSDs (NVMe or SATA), but they're not the only devices compatible with M.2.

The M.2 connector was meant to be flexible to accommodate a wide variety of devices. So, if you have a spare M.2 slot gathering dust on your motherboard, you might want to know the types of devices you could install on it.

What I really wonder about, is I'm pretty sure my M.2 connector said something about it being in combination with some existing SATA ports i.e. if I use the M.2 connector I lose 2 or 4 of my SATA ports. Just something to keep in mind if you have already maxed out the use of your SATA ports.

See 7 non-SSD devices you may be able to use in your M.2 slot

If you have a spare M.2 slot on your computer, you could use it to connect these 7 different devices. And none of them is an SSD.

#technology #hardware

technology hardware

10 mistakes you should not make when building a new PC for the first time

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:30:10 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

Buying a ready-made PC is full of compromises. I've always built my own PC's ever since I moved from an Amiga to using DR-DOS. It's one way of ensuring you get all the components you really want, and you can easily swap out upgraded parts as well.

In the later days, if you did not want to pay for Windows, you had to build your own PC with hard drives you sourced.

The linked post has some practical tips to consider. The power supply section is especially important. A quality PSU will not only give you many years of use, but can help prevent freezes etc. Here in South Africa, we have constant load shedding, and what I've noticed is my PC has no issue with the 20ms switch-over to back up power, whilst my wife's PC shuts off. The difference is her PC sits with my older cheap PSU in it still. The PSU is actually the last line of defence between any grid power issues and your expensive motherboard, CPU, RAM and storage. Buy well once and get many years of trouble-free use out of it.

See 10 mistakes you should not make when building a new PC for the first time

Look out for these common mistakes before you start working on your new PC

#technology #hardware

technology hardware

3 concept PC parts that you may want in your next gaming PC

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 22:07:18 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

Say goodbye to visible cables – Concept PC parts from MSI, Asus, and Gigabyte eliminate cables by routing connectors to the rear of the motherboard.

Motherboards leading the way – MSI's "Project Zero" motherboards and Gigabyte's "Project Stealth" line already offer rear-connected motherboards, perfect for clean builds.

Graphics cards follow suit – Some new graphics card designs, like Gigabyte's "Project Stealth," draw power directly from the motherboard, eliminating the need for visible power cables.

So, yes, most of it is around cables, but cables are the messiest part of most PC builds today. It really does make sense for a complete rethink around cabling and cases.

See 3 concept PC parts that I want in my next gaming PC

PC building can sometimes get stale. But with these concept PC parts, things could be about to get exciting

#technology #hardware

technology hardware

Computer Storage Choices: It's no longer just SATA Hard Drive vs SATA SSD as motherboards often support even faster options now like NVMe SSD

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 22:07:36 +0200

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

I'm starting to find my external backup drive is getting too small to back my data partition up fully (I have a large second internal hard drive that does still get the job done automatically every day) so I was looking at possible options. I always just gone straight for SATA connected drives, and have small SSDs for boot, and then 4TB SATA hard drives for data and internal backups.

But I had a good look at my motherboard (which is not very old) and noticed it has two M.2 2280 M-key socket which support both SATA and x4 PCI Express (yes I'm still figuring out the generations). Supposedly then, a NVMe SSD drive card can fit into that socket.

And it seems that the NVMe SSD (non-SATA) is blindingly faster than a SATA drive! Yes it can cost maybe 25% than a SATA SSD, but speeds can be easily 6x or 10x faster than the SSD.

So I'm doing more homework on this, as my older 120GB SATA SSD drives are getting a bit tight on space too for my Linux boot drive. I'm considering maybe 256GB for the boot drive and 2TB for the data drive.

The linked video did give me some overview as to the different choices regarding drives and their connectors and protocols.

The thing is to have a good look first at what your motherboard can fit. Buy something faster, as long as it fits, because if you later upgrade the motherboard, you'll gain that extra speed for your faster storage device.

See

https://youtu.be/s-2VrxgI49Q

#technology #hardware #storage #NVMe

technology hardware storage NVMe

How to Test Your Computer’s PSU With a Normal Multimeter

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 23:20:03 +0200

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

If you have a digital multimeter on hand, it’s pretty straightforward to test your PSU and rule out power gremlins as the source of your computer problems. Standalone PSU testers are great, and we always have one on hand to get quick results. They can even give you useful values like the Power Good (PG) value that shows you how quickly your PSU comes up to full power—that’s something a multimeter can’t do.

But lots of people have digital multimeters on hand already and don’t have a PSU tester lying around. So while it’s nice to have a PSU tester for those little extra features like the PG value, you can get almost all the same data with a more hands-on approach using a multimeter.

These tests will work fine for the start-up and idle voltages, but won't be testing the PSU under high load (which is only applicable really when gaming or rendering video files, and the PC fails during those types of activities). I'd also do the inverse of these tests to test all the ground wires are good, i.e. put the red probe in one of the working positive voltage pins, and then use the black probe to test all the ground pins.

See How to Test Your Computer’s PSU With a Multimeter

#technology #hardware #PSU

If you have a digital multimeter on hand, it’s pretty straightforward to test your PSU and rule out power gremlins as the source of your computer problems.

technology hardware PSU

Contactless Hall Sensors can be a drop-in replacement for drifting PS4 Game Console Joysticks

Wed, 24 May 2023 19:34:19 +0200

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

Yes, if a joystick uses friction-based materials, they are going to wear out over some time and need to be disposed of and replaced. I suppose the issue is that manufacturers would just love to sell you more replacements. I would be prepared to spend a bit more on an item that is good quality and will last a few years longer.

The fix shows here is to yank the potentiometers off a PS4 joystick and replace them with contactless Hall effect sensors. The end of the shaft for each axis gets a diametral neodymium magnet attached to it, while a 3D printed bracket holds a tiny custom PCB in close proximity. The PCB has an AS5600 Hall sensor, which translates the shaft angle to an analogue voltage output. After programming the chip over its I2C bus, the sensor outputs a voltage proportional to the angle of each shaft, just like the original pots, but without all the wear and tear.

See Hall Sensors Offer Drop-In Replacement For Drifting Game Console Joysticks

#technology #hardware #PS4

No bananas were harmed in the making of this Hall effect drift-proof joystick replacement. OK, not really — two bananas were turned to mush. But it’s OK, they’re just bananas, aft…

technology gaming PS4 hardware

How to Test the Power Supply Unit (PSU) in Your PC

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 15:32:10 +0100

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

The poor PSU might get almost zero press time and none of the glory that flashier components like GPUs and advanced multi-core CPUs get, but the humble PSU is the bedrock of a stable PC build.

Experiencing computer problems? They could be caused by a failing (or outright fried) power supply unit (or an underpowered one for newer hardware devices you have added). Here are some signs your PC’s PSU hardware is the problem—and three ways to test the PSU to see if it’s still working properly.

The power supply unit is often overlooked in the PC troubleshooting process. But if you have unstable power, you’ll have numerous small and difficult-to-diagnose problems cropping up all over the place.

Testing your computer's power supply unit is fairly simple. You can test the PSU with a basic jumper test, multimeter, or power supply tester. This will help you rule out power delivery issues as the source of your problem.

See How to Test the Power Supply Unit (PSU) in Your PC

#technology #PSU #hardware #powersupply #diagnostics

Experiencing computer problems? They could be caused by a failing (or outright fried) power supply unit. Here are some signs your PC’s PSU hardware is the problem—and three ways to test the PSU to see if it’s still working properly.

technology hardware PSU powersupply diagnostics

Should You Upgrade From Your 1080p PC Monitor to 1440p (2K) or to 4K?

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 12:47:44 +0200

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

We’re rapidly reaching the point where 1080p PC gaming is considered “outdated,” and many players are looking to upgrade. Most people likely assume 4K is the natural next step; that was the upgrade path for most TV owners, after all. However, 4K monitors are more expensive and harder to come by than 4K TVs, so many PC builders opt for 1440p displays instead.

Yes, monitors can be pricey, and they are also items that can be used for many years, so are not something you just replace every year or two. It is also true that as you up the resolution, as well as refresh rate, then your CPU and/or GPU has to work harder to achieve a smooth performance.

Other practical things to also consider with a new monitor are whether you require VESA mounts (to mount on a wall or above a desk on arms), the types of ports your graphics card supports (don't just default to HDMI), and the refresh type that is compatible with your GPU card (otherwise you may not be able to take advantage of the monitor's peak performance). So I always consider these basic requirements first, so as to narrow down what I need to consider choosing. A simple spreadsheet really goes a long way!

For me personally, I'm still fine with my three 1080p, but my newest addition was an upgraded refresh rate to 144 Hz.

See Should You Upgrade From Your 1080p PC Monitor to 1440p?

#technology #hardware #monitors #4K

1440p offers better detail than 1080p, but the benefits aren't universal.

technology hardware monitors 4K

The SunFounder TS7 PRO Raspberry Pi Screen Case looks like a pretty good package

Sat, 18 Jun 2022 16:01:14 +0200

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

Yes, it is not a bargain-basement price, but it includes a lot in the package, and the wide viewing angle with 5-point touch are also very good features. It also seems quite versatile in terms of what all it can connect to.

Watch
https://youtu.be/CMfk0VNnMnM

#technology #raspberrypi #sunfounder

technology raspberrypi sunfounder hardware

Logitech’s Lift is a vertical mouse that’s 'easier' to grasp

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 13:41:23 +0200

Danie van der Merwe

gadgeteer@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

With shockingly tall stature and non-traditional curves, vertical mice require some adjustment to use. But the purported payoff, if you're to believe mouse-makers, is greater arm, wrist, and hand comfort due to a more natural hand position.

The Lift puts your hand at a 57-degree angle with the desk and in a handshake-like position. There isn't hard evidence proving that a vertical mouse can alleviate issues like carpal tunnel syndrome or repetitive strain injury (RSI). Logitech is also careful not to make any strong promises beyond stating the mouse "takes pressure off the wrist while promoting a more natural forearm posture throughout the day."

The point is, your hand does have to rest on something. Right now, for my "horizontal" mouse, my wrist rests about 15 to 20 degrees, on a cushioned pad projecting up from the mouse pad. To move my current mouse, I just twist my wrist joint left or right without moving my arm. So whether one actually needs a vertical mouse, or just better wrist support with a current mouse, really remains to be seen.

See Logitech’s Lift is a vertical mouse that’s easier to grasp

#technology #logitech #ergonomics #hardware #mouse