[HN Gopher] Tiny Undervalued Hardware Companions (2024)
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Tiny Undervalued Hardware Companions (2024)
Author : zdw
Score : 127 points
Date : 2025-06-21 02:19 UTC (20 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (vermaden.wordpress.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (vermaden.wordpress.com)
| o11c wrote:
| Beware: most USB-to-SATA adapters do not work with HDDs, only
| SSDs
|
| One USB A-to-C adapter I particularly like is a cable with
| adapters tied to each end, so you can use it for any combination
| of (A or C host) to (C or micro device).
|
| FM transmitters you have to be slightly careful - they need to
| get power somehow; think about how that will happen.
| pockybum522 wrote:
| If you want to be sure that a USB to SATA adapter will work
| with anything, get the style that has the power on a completely
| separate cable that plugs into the wall.
| yonatan8070 wrote:
| A lot of cars without Bluetooth have a USB-A port for charging
| or plugging in a USB drive with music on it, you can use that
| port to power the FM transmitter
| EvanAnderson wrote:
| Female-to-female RJ45 couplers ("join adapters" as described by
| the article) have been very handy in my experience. They're cheap
| enough that I don't mind leaving one now and again. It's so handy
| to be able to unplug something, splice in my laptop / tap / etc,
| and quickly return things they way I found them without rerouting
| the original cable. It's also handy when you don't have a long
| enough patch cable with you but you do have a couple shorter
| ones.
| PhilipRoman wrote:
| Agreed, they are great for messing around. I didn't want to
| bother with a proper patch panel so I just attached a bunch of
| them to my minilab and it's the best thing ever.
| epakai wrote:
| I love having so many little daptery-doos. My best hack is
| storing them though. I have a two tier desk, 24" deep main
| surface, and 10" monitor 'shelf'. I keep a half dozen tiny
| adhesive drawers under the shelf so they're always at hand.
|
| One for flash storage + usb dongles, another with every usb
| adapter + short cables, audio things + usb power meters, pens,
| and other stuff. It is so nice being able to quickly use almost
| any device without a scavenger hunt first.
| alex77456 wrote:
| I have been using stackable hardware/diy organiser compartment
| boxes for this purpose. It's great
| citizenpaul wrote:
| If you use the various Ethernet adapters make sure you run some
| speed tests when you get it.. Those cheap dongles/converters ect
| are notorious for Working but cutting your speed and reliability
| of the connection.
| quailfarmer wrote:
| Add to this list: small portable HDMI/VGA monitor for checking on
| headless machines.
| npodbielski wrote:
| It is nice but I wish there would be just a dongles of some
| kind that is like a network monitor, you i.e. VNC into from
| another place to see what error machine is spewing.
| dasv wrote:
| Like this one? https://github.com/sipeed/NanoKVM
| npodbielski wrote:
| Seems interesting. To bad you cant buy it yet.
| thatfunkymunki wrote:
| This is incorrect, I am currently using both nanoKVM USB
| and PCI models today
| nagisa wrote:
| Yes, although NanoKVM is probably a product with most
| caveats out of competing ones to recommend.
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plJGZQ35Q6I. I'd recommend
| JetKVM instead, but unfortunately it is still only
| available to obtain through late pledges on Kickstarter.
| yonatan8070 wrote:
| I got one of these which does the job pretty well
|
| https://www.crowdsupply.com/techxartisan/openterface-mini-
| kv...
| unstatusthequo wrote:
| Nice. Was going to mention TinyPilot but this seems even
| more portable.
| kevin_thibedeau wrote:
| When we attain that technology we can call it RS232.
| sgentle wrote:
| I use an iPad (that I have with me anyway) + cheap USB HDMI
| capture dongle for this.
| nicbou wrote:
| My current favorite is a 1 meter retractable USB C to C cable.
| Combined with the smaller GaN charger and the lower power
| requirement of newer MacBooks, I can pack really light, and
| that's great for bike and motorcycle travel.
|
| I also have a set of USB adapters that plug into each other and
| let me charge anything with the same cable. Again, less stuff to
| pack.
| blitzar wrote:
| Basicallly angled adaptors for everything.
|
| Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away my apple magnetic
| charger was right angled. Unfortunately the technology was
| forgotten and eventually lost with the passage of time.
| analog31 wrote:
| A couple of my favorites:
|
| 15- and 25-foot power cables to eliminate outlet strips and
| extension cords in some installations.
|
| Outlet strips with super long cords -- especially useful for
| avoiding the need to chain outlet strips in settings where doing
| so is considered to be a safety violation.
| rbanffy wrote:
| 90 degree rotated RJ-45 male-male connectors would allow very
| easy RPi-like clusters.
| gavinray wrote:
| RE: "Boom Microphone Cable"
|
| I wanted headphones for FPS games with a good soundstage.
| Generally, gaming headsets are not known for price-to-quality
| value.
|
| After researching, bought Sennheiser HD560S, but I needed a mic.
|
| V-MODA makes a $20 attachment called a "BoomPro Mic", which uses
| standard 3.5mm audio jack and gives you not only a mic, but also
| a volume dial.
|
| It turns out that having an easily-accessible volume dial is the
| best thing since sliced bread.
|
| Can't believe I never got a cable with this feature before, they
| ought to put them on all headphone audio cables.
| wesleyd wrote:
| Not tiny, but I have a corner desk, and I mounted big long 16
| port power strips under each "wing": Tripp Lite 16 Outlet Bench
| &... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000051174
|
| Roll of very sticky Velcro tape To mount things under desk.
|
| A "toaster" style sata adapter: I treat it like a tape drive,
| clunk in a "tape" (sata or spinning disk) to back up to.
| _tom_ wrote:
| Organization:
|
| I got a storage organizer with 24 drawers. One for each type of
| cable I use. So instead of one big box that I have to hunt
| through, I have instant, labeled access to all my usb cables, and
| a few other cables and items.
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(page generated 2025-06-21 23:01 UTC)