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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?

#341
post #339

I have USB footpedals. https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/01/review-usb-foot-pedals-fs3_... I joke that I have them programmed for select all, copy, and paste. But, really, it is for microphone mute, camera toggle, and boss key. Takes up a small amount of under desk space, but worth it.

What pray tell does the "boss key" do?

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

#342
I don't have it connected at the moment, but I built this rotary dial accessory for my Mac [0] so I could make FaceTime calls in an old-school fashion. The signification impact it had on my workflow? It forced me to take it slow, I guess. :)

Petmoj is Swedish slang for a rotary dial.

[0]: https://dahlstrand.net/2016/01/24/petmoj.html

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

#343
I have an audiophile speaker setup that has a bit of a complicated setup - it either takes an SPDIF or 3.5mm jack, however the SPDIF way was recommended to me to achieve quality and get rid of DC POP.

For this reason I bought a 4k HDMI splitter that extracts from a HDMI signal the different video and audio channels if needed. So I connect my MacBook pro to this splitter through hdmi and run another hdmi between this and the monitor. The spdif goes to the receiver that drives my speakers.

What's cool is that the video still is at 4k@60hz and I could still get audio through my monitor if I turned on its internal speakers. It has been working flawlessly for me for years and I've only spent about 30 bucks to buy it.

Here is a link to the product if anyone wants to take a look https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07BHYXVTY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_...

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

#344

Here’s an actual lesser known accessory: a mouse bungee. It is a small weighted disc with a spring arm that holds the mouse cord up and away from the mousepad. I don’t like the lag, connectivity, and battery issues of wireless mice, this fixes all of that! It feels _better_ than a wireless mouse, because it has no wires in the way also with zero lag.

Alone the possibility that I could suddenly have an empty battery while being productive make wireless devices a obvious bad choice for a home desktop. IMO

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

#345

I'm not too fond of seeing or using big headphones or even smaller earphones (wired/wired) during video calls. I believe even Apple haven't found a design that is more natural with their AirPods. I also don't yet trust wireless for audio. I have a much cheaper version of those costly wired earphone studio monitor that musicians used on stage/studio -- the one where the wire goes around the ear and hidden behind. I so…

> costly wired earphone studio monitor

You're talking about IEMs (in-ear monitors)

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

#346
post #341
post #339

I have USB footpedals. https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/01/review-usb-foot-pedals-fs3_... I joke that I have them programmed for select all, copy, and paste. But, really, it is for microphone mute, camera toggle, and boss key. Takes up a small amount of under desk space, but worth it.

What pray tell does the "boss key" do?

Closes HN and opens up tabs for work I reckon.

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

#347
post #315

- DK2 VR camera so I don't need lights. (infrared) - GV-USB2/Elgato HD60S to capture C64/Amiga1200/Raspberry 4 on Windows my desktop and/or display them on monitors. - Many screens in a compact area (all 4:3/5:4, matte and low res): http://move.rupy.se/file/station.jpg - 40% keyboard for that Raspberry 4 so it fits in front of my HHKB JP: http://move.rupy.se/file/last_computer.png - Recently started using my old "Tab…

Is this a streaming setup? I'm quite interested in seeing point 1 in action, do you have some videos of it?

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

#348
post #315

- DK2 VR camera so I don't need lights. (infrared) - GV-USB2/Elgato HD60S to capture C64/Amiga1200/Raspberry 4 on Windows my desktop and/or display them on monitors. - Many screens in a compact area (all 4:3/5:4, matte and low res): http://move.rupy.se/file/station.jpg - 40% keyboard for that Raspberry 4 so it fits in front of my HHKB JP: http://move.rupy.se/file/last_computer.png - Recently started using my old "Tab…

Indenting your lines wraps your content in tags. Remove the indent and your links will work again.

Thx!

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

#349

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm using a SteelSeries Arctis 1 ($69) and I like it overall. Only minor flaws: the battery life is good but not exceptional (magnetic charging helps), the charge port is micro USB (despite the fact that the dongle is USB-C), the wireless range is good but not exceptional, the shape of the dongle is wide and tends to block nearby ports, but the biggest flaw is the power button which you have to hold down for an etern…

you could get a usb extension cable and mount the dongle anywhere.

It comes with one. But I'd rather have a smaller dongle than an extra and much larger piece to carry around and lose. But like I said, minor flaws.

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

#350
post #336

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 Blu…

I've been thinking of buying a wireless gaming headset too. How good is the Linux support on the dongles?

Perfect for mine. I think they usually don't need special drivers.
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