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Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

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Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#231

Post by mikeevans »

romanhn wrote: post #38

After working for almost 3 years with a barebones work-from-home setup (standup desk + laptop), I finally invested recently in some equipment to improve upon my crappy laptop camera and a room with little natural light. The difference in my video call quality is night and day. This is what I got: - A key light (Godox ES45) to throw a bunch of bright, natural white light at my face. Attached to the desk and positioned…

Can you provide some more details about what you needed to do to set up your RX100 III? I have the same camera and would love to do the same.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#232

Post by j45 »

rektide wrote: post #182
j45 wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good to have both for different reasons. A good wired headset can be superior to wireless mic audio when presenting or interacting. If merely consuming, and hanging around wireless is good too.

I have some mid-grade Rode Wireless Go and nice >$100 Samsung lavaier mics I can use when needed, which is faultless, reliable, amazing prosumer gear no one could conceivably gripe about, but honestly the Actis Pro headset I have is probably a better choice for both cases. The Actis has better microphone positioning by far, which counts for so much. I'm interested to test the range versus the Rode, but given that I c…

Wireless bluetooth headset mics can vary wildly (rtings.com has nice breakdowns).

I have tested a few and find the noise cancelling on the mic for the other party is awful if that's something you are looking for on far too many.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#233

Post by meatmanek »

firstlink wrote: post #183
coder4life wrote: post #5

Lighted USB volume knob - they're inexpensive, the large aluminum knob is on a sturdy base, can be pressed down for mute. ReMarkable2 e-ink tablet -- okay, it's a standalone device, but interfaces to the computer in cool ways (like screen sharing), and it's changed my life as far as note-taking goes

Everyone mentions the remarkable but the degrading pencil tips have got to be the stupidest, most infuriating, most egregiously rent-seeking product conceivable by the human mind. I refuse to play that game. Why would I want that feeling anyways? On paper I choose the slickest paper and exclusively use a fountain pen as wet as practical without being messy. I understand the glass tablet surface isn't nice for writing…

There are a bajillion 3rd-party sellers for EMR nibs; they're just little bits of plastic.

You might be interested in the Supernote, though - it's a similar device to the Remarkable, but it comes with a hard-nib pen and has a slightly soft surface on the screen, which gives it more of a pen-on-paper feel.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#234

Post by Encrust6221 »

stn_za wrote: post #219

I have a mouse cable bungee. Particularly useful for twitch based FPS shooters such as Counter Strike, but overall ensures never to get the cable in your way. PS: You don't use wireless for competitive shooters. LAN Cable, cable mouse, etc. See: https://www.amazon.com/Glorious-PC-Gaming-Race-Bungee/dp/B07...

For mice they may have used to be the case, but recently wireless has become more popular (at least in CSGO.) 3/5 of the most popular mice used by pros are wireless (including the #1 spot.)

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#235

Post by Cyphase »

CameronNemo wrote: post #151
anotherlab wrote: post #135

UPS that can run my PC, monitors, USB hub for 10-30 minutes. I rarely have power outages, but when I do have one it's a non-event Cheap boom arm for the webcam. Stream Deck makes it was to quickly control audio and lights and aps Tourbox makes it easy to edit video Elgato Keylight Airs for video calls Neumi powered speakers. Corsair K100 keyboard. I love the feel and being able to disabled the capslock key Logitech M…

Can you please reformat this comment it is really hard to read.

Sometimes people forget that you need two newlines to break text into paragraphs on HN. I opened the browser inspector and copied the raw text, which still has the single newlines, then doubled the newlines.

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UPS that can run my PC, monitors, USB hub for 10-30 minutes. I rarely have power outages, but when I do have one it's a non-event

Cheap boom arm for the webcam.

Stream Deck makes it was to quickly control audio and lights and aps

Tourbox makes it easy to edit video

Elgato Keylight Airs for video calls

Neumi powered speakers.

Corsair K100 keyboard. I love the feel and being able to disabled the capslock key

Logitech MX Vertical mouse. I hate using any other mouse at this point

Syba Sonic USB DAC. Better audio to the headphones plus a big volume knob

Jabra Evolve2 30 wired headset. They are comfortable and I don't need to charge them. Since they are USB-C, I can plug them into my phone for longer calls.

Audio-Technica ATH M50 headphones. When I want to listen or work on video.

Under the desk headphone mount. The convenience of being able to quickly grab either headset without having to look away

Desktop mat from drop.com. It looks better and it's another layer of padding for your hand.

ErgoFoam Adjustable Foot Rest. It makes my feet happy

Steelcase Leap chair. Spend the money on a good chair. Your back will thank you

STEALTHO Office Chair Caster Wheels Set. Replace the wheels of your office chair with polyurethane wheels and skateboard quality bearings.

Amazon Echo Show 5. It's a desktop clock and a display for the doorbell camera.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#237

Post by modeless »

Gaming wireless headphones, not for gaming but for videoconferencing. Bluetooth headphones are universally terrible for videoconferencing because the Bluetooth standard sucks and requires downgrading to telephone audio quality whenever the mic is enabled. Plus terrible latency. Gaming wireless headphones that come with their own dongle completely fix these issues and are perfect for videoconferencing. Someday the Bluetooth ecosystem will get their act together, but it'll be a while and you'll have to buy all new devices because it's a standard made by hardware manufacturers for hardware manufacturers.

Also, some of those magnetic USB charging cables to keep them charged without fiddling with plugging in cables. The nice thing about these is that the same magnetic cable can attach to both microUSB and USB-C dongles, so you can charge any small device with one cable. And the dongles are tiny so you just put them into all your devices and leave them there, super convenient.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#238

Post by riceart »

serf wrote: post #168
riceart wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A performer will usually prefer not to drag wires around a stage just from the sheer physical discomfort from the additional weight and the worry of a trip hazard on an already hazardous stage. eh — this is not a “purely” aesthetic or superficial difference, which was the foolishness I was replying to: “Wired is ALWAYS the objectively superior option in all metrics except for superficial & subjective "aesthetics",…

Ah, I better understand. Thanks, my mistake; I had forgotten the superficial element. I'm not sure if the mocking elements that you edited in after the initial reply added much, I wasn't trying to come across as derogatory, I just speak/type like that.

Sorry. I was not appreciative of the uncalled for personal attacks (not from you) - that have now been mostly edited away.

Re: Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

#239

Post by stn_za »

Encrust6221 wrote: post #234
stn_za wrote: post #219

I have a mouse cable bungee. Particularly useful for twitch based FPS shooters such as Counter Strike, but overall ensures never to get the cable in your way. PS: You don't use wireless for competitive shooters. LAN Cable, cable mouse, etc. See: https://www.amazon.com/Glorious-PC-Gaming-Race-Bungee/dp/B07...

For mice they may have used to be the case, but recently wireless has become more popular (at least in CSGO.) 3/5 of the most popular mice used by pros are wireless (including the #1 spot.)

Highly doubtful
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