Next video coming soon--but there are headaches

I don't have any specific ideas, but perhaps you could do little updates on things you've done before, or maybe a little "Quick & Dirty" or "ELI5" series, riffing on previous concepts or concepts you've got in the pipe but haven't had time to get to yet.

evistre

Yes, this! I'm not a tinkerer by nature because I'm too afraid I'll break stuff. I'd be interested to hear how more normal stuff goes together.

evistre

Basically the center mixed content goes away (which is the vocals usually). It happens because the outer ring of the jack connector is ground, and if you're not pressing the jack into the socket completly, the ground wire is not connected correctly (if it's connected at all), and the right channels connector might also partially contacts the ground part of the socket. So only the difference of the left-right channels can induce current on the headphones. At least this is how i understood, but feel free to correct me :) <a href="https://www.themarysue.com/removes-vocals-audio-jack/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.themarysue.com/removes-vocals-audio-jack/</a>

István Nagy

How about a series on different kinds of sensors (temp, motion, humidity, pressure, etc) in household devices, cars, security systems, what they sense, and how they sense it? I feel like I've had people explain things to me in the past like "and then a sensor can tell if A or B" while skipping over how it is sensing A or B.

Aleisha

Agreed!

Stephen Bell

One small thing I've previously thought you could maybe explore an answer to: why do bad headphone connections sometimes only seem to cut out the "voice" component of audio? I have a few headphone sets/audio jack combos that don't connect properly and only play the lower frequencies of the signal, which usually amounts to it sounding like the vocal part of the audio has been removed. It seems like a frequency dependent phenomenon, but it sounds almost "too clean," less muddy than just turning down the treble on my stereo speakers. Any thoughts on the cause of this? What is happening with the contacts of the headphones to cause this? If I jiggle the connection and hold it in just the right way, it goes away, so it definitely seems to be an issue with the physical connection.

Dylan Neu

Don't sweat it - your studies are definitely more important! Just make sure you don't overwork yourself, and end up burning out :) As for ideas... I've always wondered why printers still use USB type-B connectors. Why haven't they moved to mini/micro USB like pretty much everything else? I remember that external HDDs also used type-B back in the day, but even those have moved away. So what's the advantage of having that connector - to the point that it was expanded when USB 3.0 came along, instead of being removed from the standard in favor of micro USB (and now USB type C)? Not sure how much research would be needed for that, though :) Best of luck with your studies!

Good luck with your degree! It took me also much longer than usual but better late than never, right? :-)

Constantino Tsarouhas

An idea for the smaller, simpler videos: The same premise as the series on CRTs or GFCIs, but for much much simpler household electronics. Of course this may not translate to a YT audience, but I used to get kick out of figuring out basic stuff like heating elements, variable resistors, and all the stuff they're found in. It's what got me into tinkering with electronics in the first place. Once I got a handle on I=V/R and learned my way around a meter, I could entertain myself for hours and learn a ton just by taking stuff apart and poking around.

Take the time you need. I’m glad to see you have a good work ethic and set a schedule for yourself, but don’t burn yourself out over this.

I've enjoyed the videos you've done on Electric Vehicles - maybe some more short "updates" on owning one, challenges you've faced, etc?

Vince Terranova

MiniDisc or DAT would be a great follow-on to the CD videos. I'd also love to get a better understanding of DV videotapes.

Sierra Mistystep

How about grid tied solar systems?

Idea: Electrical wiring, historical up to now, residential / commercial, types like Romex, armored, etc. I live in Walla Walla, WA in a house built in 1930 and when we open up the walls there's evidence of Knob&amp;Tube. I've replaced all those circuits but it's still fun to find the old stuff.

R Brooks

Your degree is more important. Don't short-change yourself just to put out a video.

R Brooks

A video on hi-fi power amplifier classes would be cool, (and also hot, if you flip the interesting "class A" switch on some vintage Yamaha amps) - some people seem to feel that class A is no longer needed now that we have low cost power MOSFETs, IGBT's, LDMOS, JFET's, etc. - but for great sound without irritating crossover distortion and/or unpleasant odd-order harmonics, and high-order harmonics, I am not convinced.

Bill Basch

You have a very impressive depth of knowledge for an undergraduate. You videos on "ancient" video tape machines made me think you were actually alive at that time and using the equipment. So I guess this makes you a technology "archeologist"?

Tim Skloss

I know it's perhaps not quite your thing (as it's obviously less physical), but how about a series of 5-minute primers on various underlying Internet protocols and how they fit into everyday use? Like IP, TCP, DNS, HTTP, HTTPS, mail stuff like SMTP/POP? (I realise some of these may well take &gt;5 minutes to explain, and a lot of time to research - but just a thought)

I'm definitely all about quality over quantity, but the harsh reality of YouTube is that quantity matters. Granted, with the help of Patreon, money's not dreadfully tight (which of course, THANK YOU!! I don't say that enough), but I count on AdSense to fund more elaborate things, plus it helps build savings. Funny enough, though, your idea about appliances has been floating in my mind! Specifically how *to this day* some appliances are still using rotary time-dials for control. In the age of the Arduino, this seems silly! I had mused when I got my first Arduino that if the function selector had failed on my parent's old dishwasher, it would probably be cheaper to rig up a relay board to an Arduino and have it manage the pump motors, heater, and fill valve. So yeah, I'll explore it!

Technology Connections

While you're on the topic of digital audio, a side video about the Sony MiniDisc might be interesting. It's kind of a curiosity since it's digital but is on magnetic media, but it's lossy compressed not uncompressed PCM, but it's rewritable. We used MiniDisc a lot in theater in the early 2000s, as it was great for being able to edit index points and rearrange tracks right on the machine.

Matt Whitlock

Thanks for the update! First, I would say that getting videos to where you're happy with them should be a priority over a specific schedule for now. Your videos are excellent and worth waiting for! Second, I love to see some quick videos about everyday technology[ e.g. household appliances] which contain technology which is either more modern or antiquated than you'd think or is just interesting in some way.

Kevin Kostka

Ooh, I like that one! I'd want to try and get examples, though, and they might be hard to source. Though eBay is often fruitful...

Technology Connections

I’ve always wanted you to add to your episodes about magnetic audio tape with one about tape bias works. What is it? Why does adjusting the bias knob during a recording on a consumer deck help the signal “print” to the tape better? It’s one of those things I use, but don’t know how it actually works.

Thomas Smith

How about a video on differently shaped power plugs? Could be international &amp; the various ones in use in the US (various amp ratings, etc.). I think it's fascinating in a nerdy kind of way.

Thomas Fuchs