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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?

#521

Post by shortrounddev »

readingnews wrote: post #510
crimsontech wrote: post #505

Probably the most special thing on my desk is a HHKB keyboard. Other than the layout I think the killer features for the latest version is that it connects to four different devices using bluetooth (it can also connect to another using USB). You switch between devices with a keyboard shortcut (CTRL+FN+1-4 for bluetooth and CTRL+FN+0 for USB). I can type on calls without my mic picking it up, it has a custom layout sa…

I was a big HHKB fan, I actually still have the first model produced with the three cables for sun, mac, PC. If anyone is interested, I would check out not only the new HHBKB, but mechanical keyboards also, the ones you build or have someone build. The amount of programming and customization you can do on them is insane. I moved from HHKB to a 40%, for two reasons: 1) the mouse is incredibly close to the keyboard. It…

I never understood programmers who use stripped-down mechanical keyboard. I use my arrow keys, home, end, and pagedown key all the time; having to use a fn key to access those would really slow me down. Do you just tend to use the mouse more, or are you on some kind of vim-keys-everywhere kind of thing

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

#522

Post by crimsontech »

GuB-42 wrote: post #246

A Shure SM-58 microphone, with a XLR soundcard to go with it. I always wanted to get a good microphone for voice calls, thankfully a friend of mine had more than a dozen of them, of all styles: dynamic, condenser, long range, cheap, expensive, etc... We spent a couple of hours trying them. First thing: condenser microphones are great... in a studio. You are probably not in a studio, so if you use one of them, people…

I used to use an SM7B in to a DBX-286 in to an RME DA/AD but I sold them and switched to a Sennheiser Profile USB, it's much quicker for me to switch between my different systems, works without drivers or software, saves on desk space and is a fraction of the price. It sounds like a dynamic mic and doesn't even pick up my typing sounds during calls.

I'm only using it for calls, delivering training and co-working though. If I was recording an audiobook or doing music production I would switch back to my previous setup I think.

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

#523

Post by shortrounddev »

randallsquared wrote: post #503
rektide wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wireless headphones. Because sometimes I really have to go and it's literally no problem to walk to the bathroom. Or to go make tea. Or to do whatever. Freedom to not be chained up is amazing. Try it. I too don't feel like I've had to mess with audio settings. I have some SteelSeries Actis Pro's I bought a long time ago. They have bluetooth, but there's also a nice usb-based head-unit I use with higher quality, lower…

I use wireless headphones because cords get in my way, but the “step away to make tea” seems like an unlikely use case to me. It isn’t as if you don’t have to see the screen anyway… more than half the time someone is sharing a window and saying things like, “what do we do about THIS?” while waving their pointer over something.

I often do not need to see their screen because I am a vestigial appendage to the meeting

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

#524

Post by mnw21cam »

I have a 10-input analogue-to-digital converter plugged into one USB port, which allows me to log environmental things like current outside light levels, and a one-wire adaptor plugged into another, which lets me have a string of thermometers on a long cheap cable. I currently log temperature outside in the shade, in my "root cellar", in the greenhouse, 10cm under the soil, and the central heating radiator pipe inside. Helps with the gardening, when to sow seed, when to open windows in the greenhouse. Also, I wanted to know how much sunlight I get here for my plans for solar power.

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

#525

Post by 2OEH8eoCRo0 »

anonym29 wrote: post #112
riceart wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There’s essentially no lag in a dedicated wireless receiver mouse - the additional latency is dwarfed by the baseline latency of the hardware and software. https://www.rtings.com/mouse/tests/control/latency Yes connectivity issues can be a problem in certain environments but luckily this has usually not been a problem with receivers not in close proximity to interference, including USB3. Battery wise I have had cheap…

No question about it, wireless is the GOAT.

I'd like a wireless mouse but I'm worried about security.

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

#526

Post by noodlesUK »

mnw21cam wrote: post #524

I have a 10-input analogue-to-digital converter plugged into one USB port, which allows me to log environmental things like current outside light levels, and a one-wire adaptor plugged into another, which lets me have a string of thermometers on a long cheap cable. I currently log temperature outside in the shade, in my "root cellar", in the greenhouse, 10cm under the soil, and the central heating radiator pipe insid…

This is really interesting. What software do you use on your computer to interface with the ADC and 1 wire adapter? Is it something industrial like LabView or is it custom code written against whatever driver there is for the peripherals?

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

#527

Post by shortrounddev »

Idk if it really counts as an accessory, but I used to use Synergy when I had to use a company Macbook. I have the macbook on one side of the desk connected to one monitor, and my PC on the other side connected to the other. I found docker performance to be way better on my PC than on the 8gb RAM M1 Macbook pro I was given, so I tended to do everything I could on the PC and then push code using the macbook

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

#528

Post by mnw21cam »

shortrounddev wrote: post #519
toyg wrote: post #513

People will love you much more if you use a real microphone. I have a travel-sized one from RØDE; the difference it made, in how people perceive my voice, is massive - I sound like a professional speaker rather than a geek in the basement. This brought significant reputational advantages. I also have an UPS under the desk, keeping up the wifi hub in all circumstances; it has a couple of USB charging ports on the fron…

Yeah when I went full remote I decided to buy both a 4k Webcam (at the time, for job interviews) and a microphone marketed for podcasts, and everybody likes both. I do find people commenting on the background of my apartment more often though lol I use a logitech brio 4k webcam (only 4k at certain resolutions) with a JLAB Talk Pro Omnidirectional microphone. I also started recording programming tutorial videos to jus…

I have a DSLR with video capability, so I bought a HDMI to USB input dongle. Works fine with MS Teams, but for some reason Zoom selects the lowest possible resolution setting which has the wrong aspect ratio and makes me look squished. There's no setting in Zoom to get it to select a different input video mode, and I haven't been successful in getting V4L2 to pretend that the wrong video mode doesn't exist.

The advantage of using a DSLR with a nice big lens is that you can open the aperture up wide, and you'll be the only thing in focus.

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

#529

Post by randallsquared »

throw0101c wrote: post #516
randallsquared wrote: post #512

Solar wireless keyboards. I use both Mac and Windows versions of the Logitech K750. Even indoor lighting is enough to keep them charged if you don’t cover them up, but I typically want a window nearby anyway, which means never worrying about charging them. My one nit to pick is that they don’t have multiple connections, so for convenience, I just have two at my desk, one that stays connected to my personal system, an…

> Logitech K750 A review by Linus of Linus Tech Tips from 2012: * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mju3AmdoVhs

He mentions the rubber feet, specifically. Unfortunately, they are just glued on, and detach after a few years of typing and being dragged around a desk. But the keyboards are cheap enough to just buy another at that point.

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

#530

Post by Lewky »

shortrounddev wrote: post #527

Idk if it really counts as an accessory, but I used to use Synergy when I had to use a company Macbook. I have the macbook on one side of the desk connected to one monitor, and my PC on the other side connected to the other. I found docker performance to be way better on my PC than on the 8gb RAM M1 Macbook pro I was given, so I tended to do everything I could on the PC and then push code using the macbook

I was recommended Synergy and found https://github.com/debauchee/barrier

Ended up not exploring Synergy any further because Barrier worked awesome

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