techmoan

Not me - but Miikshi...and me

Ideally I'd put this in the community tab but Patreon doesn't let me post things there.

I just wanted to spread the word that one of your fellow Patrons and a friend of the channel Justin (and his team) have uploaded the latest Miikshi episode.

https://youtu.be/v7q67hoLIHk

I'm mentioning this because Justin was kind enough to give me a small VoiceOver part as a bored security giraffe.

If you liked Thunderbirds, you'll love the model work in this. The Miikshi videos don't get enough views for the hard work that goes into them so I thought I'd share the link.  

Oh and while I'm here, today I'm working on adding a bit to the 78s video about RIAA because it seems to be a hot topic in the comments. Also, DVDMike posted a link earlier to the latest upload from the BBC archives which shows a DCC type digital audio tape years before DCC https://youtu.be/EPD1IKC3myA I thought you might enjoy this too.

Anyway, apologies for the interruption...keep calm and carry on.

P.S. More Miikshi episodes can be found here. https://miikshi.com

Playing 78s properly (updated)

For this video I set myself the simple task of assembling a decent quality 78rpm shellac record player at the lowest price.

https://youtu.be/3-UMs5kvNVQ

I’ll probably need to take another pass at the editing on this one, but I wanted to get something out for you before the weekend was over and that clock was ticking.

I hope the audio in this doesn't attract any content matches, if that happens the video won't really have any purpose. It'd be like editing the dinosaurs out of Jurassic park.

I hope you’re well. Thank you so much for being here and have a good one.

UPDATE:

Looking at the comments posted so far, the number one issue regards a lack of discussion about RIAA equalisation. So before the video goes live, I’ve returned to it and added in a section explaining why equalisation wasn’t one of my concerns when putting together a minimal budget setup like this.

I’ve also added in a couple of other bits here and there to clear up other potential concerns.

The new version is the one embedded and linked to above.

Commpak - The queue-bothering proto-Powerpoint

I’ve finally completed my new video. This one is about a format that few people chose to watch, but if you're old enough you might have been forced to experience it, whether at school, in the office, a sales presentation or even while waiting in a queue.

It’s a 1960s proto-Powerpoint that survived into the 80s and possibly beyond.

https://youtu.be/WBKTDlAizSk

This has taken a while to put together so I hope it proves worth it. I might have to fast-track this one for a Sunday release as I haven’t put a lot out this month. Hopefully last week’s Patreon exclusive video goes some way towards making up for any reduced exclusivity window for this video.

Take care and have a good one.

UPDATE:

There have been complaints about background analog hiss that’s present for the last few minutes of the video. As I live with a similar sound inside my head 24/7 I hadn’t really noticed it. Following the feedback I’ve gone back, applied noise reduction and re-uploaded the video. I prefer hiss over NR artefacts, but I’m not the audience. The new video is the one embedded and linked to above. 

Patreon Update - AUDIO odd-cast March 2023

It’s that time again. This time around I have very little to pass on of any note - but somehow it takes me 1hr 25mins to say it.

Consider this the verbal equivalent of background music. Something to help block out the voices in your head. Noise to put on in the background while you’re doing something far more important.

Perhaps put it on when you leave the house in order to make any potential burglars believe that your house is occupied by a really boring man who won’t let anyone else get a word in edgeways.

You could always consider treating it like I’ve come to treat the TV news. I probably don’t need to watch it because if something affected me I’ll already have noticed. ‘Just coming in, a house in Wigan has exploded. Passers by were rained down upon by a combination of VHDs, 8-track carts and Mini Disc players’ Yep well ahead of you there - and I offer my apologies to those affected.

There’s also a video version available in a separate post. This audio version can be subscribed to as a podcast if you can figure out how to do it.

Whatever you choose to do, have a great (insert period of time) and thanks again for being here. Take care.

UPDATE - The film I’m trying to think of at the end has been identified as a TV movie - with Roger Moore as Sherlock Holmes (?!) called ’Sherlock Holmes in New York’

Patreon Update - VIDEO odd-cast March 2023

It’s that time again. This time around I have very little to pass on of any note - but somehow it takes me 1hr 25mins to say it.

https://youtu.be/6_CNF9mP27g

Consider this the verbal equivalent of background music. Something to help block out the voices in your head. Noise to put on in the background while you’re doing something far more important.

Perhaps put it on when you leave the house in order to make any potential burglars believe that your house is occupied by a really boring man who won’t let anyone else get a word in edgeways.

You could always consider treating it like I’ve come to treat the TV news. I probably don’t need to watch it because if something affected me I’ll already have noticed. ‘Just coming in, a house in Wigan has exploded. Passers by were rained down upon by a combination of VHDs, 8-track carts and Mini Disc players’ Yep well ahead of you there - and I offer my apologies to those affected.

There’s also an audio version available in a separate post. That one doesn’t require you to watch an old chap talking…you can still hear him though.

Whatever you choose to do, have a great (insert period of time) and thanks again for being here. Take care.

UPDATE - The film I’m trying to think of at the end has been identified as a TV movie - with Roger Moore as Sherlock Holmes(?!) called ’Sherlock Holmes in New York’

Interesting things in cases #1

I often get sent links to things people have found for sale that they think I might be interested in. One of the more frequently suggested items is the subject of this video. There must be something about the way this looks that makes people think it’d be right up my street. While I do like ingenious, high tech gadgetry with plenty of clever features, this isn’t that - it just looks like it, provided you don’t look too closely. Its most interesting aspect is that it comes in a case…hence the video title.

Here’s the video: https://youtu.be/Nkd0b4qh8E8

Perhaps in a way this device could be categorised as a ‘Future-mugs eyeful’. By that I mean fifty years ago, when this was new, buying one would definitely not have been a foolish decision. The manufacturer wasn’t trying to deceive the customer into thinking it was any better than it was. It did exactly what it claimed to do and at a fair price. However with the passage of time it has managed to accrue a level of retro charm that now has the power to attract an unwitting person from 2023 towards it. Many who see one of these for the first time think they’ve uncovered a hidden gem from the past. The reality is rather more mundane. It’s still charming though, in its own simple way.

I had a lot of fun making the short intro to this video. Ideally I’d have shot this section in a city, with me wearing a sharp suit, walking past office blocks holding this briefcase, ascending up the outside of skyscraper in a glass lift, you get the idea. A 1970s look, 16mm film grain, accompanied by a soundtrack that mostly consisted of a rhythm played out on a high-hat and triangle. A bit Dirty Harry a bit New Avengers. However shooting this would have required a two person team, (I work alone) travelling to the nearest city (a lot of hassle), shooting in and around office buildings (that I wouldn’t be allowed in), composing a tune (with no musical abilities) and spending a couple of days (that I didn’t have) to shoot a few seconds of video (that in the grand scheme of things didn’t really matter). So I recorded it in a car park up the road with my camera on a tripod while avoiding people walking their dogs. I still like the results though…but it’s not exactly what I envisioned.

Anyway, that’s the video - hope you find it to be slightly interesting. Perhaps something to watch in the loo, I don't mind. Take care and enjoy your weekend.

Bird Buddy - The reluctant Twitcher

This is a video about a Smart Bird Feeder.

A few of my recent videos have been lengthy and quite sedate, so as a change of gear, here’s one that’s short and snappy. Just something frivolous and intentionally unmemorable that should help pass a few minutes.

https://youtu.be/4rgAq9IFUHM

There’s nothing I can add to this one.

So I’ll just wish you the best. Enjoy the remainder of your week and take care.

UPDATE: Managed to cut 12 seconds out of it, to stop things dragging.

j/k - The real reason for the cut was that Dan via the YouTube comments answered my question on to how to change a gallery cover image. Since that bit was no longer relevant, it got removed. The new slightly shorter version is the one embedded above. Also fixed a typo with another quick re-up.

Panasonic’s response to the Sony Walkman

You may remember me mentioning that I’d suffered from a few failed/aborted projects in a row and how I planned to try and salvage one of these and make it into a video. This is that video.

https://youtu.be/Uf-kDNFMCD0

The most interesting period in the life of any new tech category for me is when things haven’t been fully ironed out and standardised down to mundanity. This is what drew me towards the National Panasonic RX-2700. It’s a Walkman from an alternate timeline.

You might spot that I’m speaking more clearly in this video, I think my latest medical trial might possibly be working. Either that or it’s a very convincing placebo. I’ll speak more about this in the next update just as soon as I’ve collected enough other things to talk about to make it worthwhile.

Take care and have a great weekend.

UPDATE: I’ve managed to trim a minute off the running time by removing some redundant sections - hopefully this makes the video flow a tad quicker. This new version is now the one embedded above.

UPDATE 2:

FAQ

Q) You should send it to….they’d/I’d fix it.

A) It really is not worth anyone’s time.

This cost me £44 - I bought it to use in a video and that video is done.

The disassembly was recorded across two days. The section at the end where I throw in the towel was shot after I’d spent the afternoon of day two stripping down the tape mechanism to get the belts in place. This involved removing multiple split washers and e-clips the size of a pinhead. Once those parts were reassembled a couple of the vital ones were no longer securely held in place. It’s likely some microscopic, important and irreplaceable components pinged off during disassembly, never to be seen again. Whatever the reason though - the mechanism is a write-off.

Whenever something broken appears in a video I understand the desire to see the thing fixed. This is a heavy, compromised personal stereo cassette player that even if functional would be destined to sit unused. Given that the mechanism relied on dried up rubber friction wheels it’s unlikely it would be trustworthy. I'd rather play my cassettes using something else.   

It was bought as 'junk',  to enable me to tell the story of Panasonic's responses to the Walkman as well as to demonstrate the potential complexity/futility of performing some belt swaps. It's performed a useful function - that job is now done.

If anyone wants to take on the challenge of swapping the belts on one of these - the RX-2700 appears on eBay quite frequently. I believe other early Panasonic models are equally complex internally. If you bought one of these at least you’ll be starting off with a complete unit, with all the parts intact. You don’t want to go into something like this following on from someone else’s half-finished repair  - you don’t know what damage has been done or irreplaceable parts lost. Rather than start with a bag of assorted bits, probably not all the bits,  you'd be better to start from scratch with an unmolested example. Good luck if you do, but there are way way better personal stereo cassette players out there far more worthy of your time.

V-Lite Videocassette

This proved to be an interesting little topic for a video (well I think so). A stripped-down disposable VHS tape. I was amazed to see how much you can simplify a VHS cassette while still keeping it playable in a regular VCR. The V-LIte is a great little time capsule to demonstrate the challenges of direct-to-home short-video distribution in the late 1990s. Something that the internet and video compression went on to make trivial in the 21st century. You don’t even have to be home to watch this video…crazy.

https://youtu.be/hIsmde9ubCM

A bit of behind the scenes info. I tried the DJI mics again on this one. This time I took the backup precaution of having them record locally to internal storage as well as transmitting wirelessly to the camera. Despite rearranging any potential sources of interference well away from myself and the mics, a good amount of the video still had to be overdubbed with the backup audio due to interference. I’m reluctant to use them in this location again now. It’s a shame, but the re-work required just isn’t worth taking the risk.

I hope you enjoy the video, but if the audio is a bit variable in places, it’s because it’s a patchwork made up from different clips.

Hope your week is going well - take care and thanks for all your support.

UPDATE

As the most common concerns are regarding the aspect ratio of the video capture or rewinding the tape, I’ve taken the opportunity before the video goes live to adjust the aspect ratio of the clip to 4:3 and also include a clip of the cassette being rewound. This updated version of the video, the one that will go live on YouTube, is linked here: https://youtu.be/yHnYVeaTLsY

(UPDATED) Coturn CT-01 Revised & re-tested

I originally intended just to shoot a quick update to my 2021 review of a portable record player. Somehow this new video expanded, perhaps beyond its worth. 

If you follow the Patreon updates you’ll know that my history with the Coturn record player has been a bit of a saga. Hopefully this is the final chapter. Just one more trip to the post office to post the old one off and I can finally draw a line under it.

https://youtu.be/XaIsBkalFC8

I thought a simple video like this would be a good opportunity for me to try out the new DJI wireless mics on a real project. As you'll discover, that turned out to be a mistake. As much as I appreciate the enhanced functionality and extended battery life of the DJI microphones, it seems I’ll be reverting back to my old R0de mics for any future videos I record in the ‘studio’.

The rest of my week seems to consist of medical appointments, so I was happy to get a video out first, even one that's by no means a must-see. If I categorised this as a ‘cheese sandwich video’ - it’d be one made with two day old bread and missing any Branston pickle.

Anyway, try to find fun in whatever you’re doing and take care.

UPDATE: I had to swap the video out as my testing method for the tracking force on the Coturn was wrong. Apparently they'd emailed me regarding the fact it has a spring-loaded arm, but Yahoo mail rather presumptuously and inconveniently decided all Coturn's emails were junk. So that's a few days work wasted. Ho-hum. 

The funkiest CD player ever made?

Hey look, I managed to get a video finished - and I think it turned out fine. Yes I’m as surprised as you are - although there’s a strong chance this is all just a dream.

On the off chance it’s not, the subject of this video is a unique and eye-catching CD player from Technics that I suspect passed many of us by. Hopefully this should bring everyone up to speed.

https://youtu.be/BfID_ZpHC5k

As always, being a Patron means you see this early, so if after watching the video you’re tempted to buy one from eBay, now might be an opportune time. Triple check those ebay listings though,  it's a gamble.

Oh and as usual the video is ad-free until I set it live on YouTube.

Enjoy what remains of your week and I hope to put this video out at the weekend.
Take care. 

UPDATE: Re-uploaded (Snipped a fraction of a second to correct a verbal typo…a verbo?).

Patreon Update - AUDIO odd-cast January 2023

Here's a rambling Audio update for January 2023.

You'll find the video version posted separately. 

The downside with this audio version is that you miss out on all the visuals.
The upside though is that you do get to miss out on all the visuals. 

Patreon Update - VIDEO odd-cast January 2023

Here's a rambling Video update for January 2023.

https://youtu.be/Wc-fvpl-chA

You'll find the audio version posted separately (that one also works as a podcast).

The upside with this video version though is that you get images to accompany the audio.

UPDATE to the section at 55mins in : It turns out you can add emojis to the blocked words list - so I've done just that. I downloaded a list of all the emojis separated by commas and put this into the list. Yes unfortunately it'll catch some comments from people who want to just post the odd smiley, but it'll also stop a lot of the spam. Until YouTube does a better job of stopping it their end - this is the best I can do. 

Amstrad - The Mug’s Eyeful

I’m revisiting a painful collective memory, one that’s shared by many people my age in the UK…the 1980s scourge of the Amstrad ‘Hi-Fi’.

After I slept on this last night I feel that the video could do with being cut down by a few minutes to make it flow a little quicker. If I get the chance I’ll be doing a re-edit to snip some stuff out before the final version of this goes live. However as a Patreon subscriber you get to see this original edit and without adverts.

https://youtu.be/JYOU28dVUuk

It’s been a bit of a struggle getting back into the swing of things this year. After my holiday was followed by the Christmas break and all the disruption that goes along with that, I’d almost forgotten how to do this. In addition I've been spending time trying to move things along regarding the sale of my fathers house. This involved an unplanned two day trip across the country.

It’s also a rather fallow time of the year for interesting new tech, although I have just invested in the new DJI wireless mics. Those are more something for behind the scenes, although you might see one pinned on a shirt at some point. I need to spend time testing them first though before I could trust them in a real video. 

Oh and I also ordered a car to replace the Smart, I’ll talk more about that nearer its delivery date - and perhaps I’ll go into why electric cars didn’t make it to my shortlist.

Finally I’ve also been for some tests relating to my possible medical trial. I’m currently filling in a daily electronic diary and with any luck I’ll hear about whether I’ve been accepted on this in the first week of February. I’m pinning all my hopes on this working out, so fingers crossed.

I hope you’re all well, and if this is relevant to you in your part of the world…please take extra care on those icy surfaces. Both my mother and father in law broke their collar bones in separate incidents falling over around Christmas. I fear their jugging act aspirations are now in tatters. Take care.

UPDATE

I’ve finished the final edit - it’s a bit shorter but also incorporates the updated patent information (thanks Michael).  I think it’s better video as a result. If you’re interested, here’s the link https://youtu.be/Zqzrm_4_B94

Pinball!

You might have heard me mention that I’ve always had a hankering for a pinball table. Well finally I’ve got one…virtually.

Can this tiny table replicate enough of an authentic pinball experience to enable me to cross another item off my tech bucket list? Insert coin and all will be revealed.

https://youtu.be/w5L-VDt661o

I suspect some people were starting to wonder if I was taking all of 2023 off. I’m just glad I warned about the potential for slowdown in content output this year because while I had no plans to put my first video out in mid January, things have conspired to make this happen. 

It been the usual catalogue of interruptions…hospital, illness, family etc…no one needs to hear it again. In between all that I have been working on this video though since the 2nd of January. It feels like a very long time to spend on one video.  

In that time I’ve come to the conclusion that pinball is the hardest thing in the world to record on video. Never mind all those nature documentary camera people who go on about the challenge of shooting an endangered animal in the jungle that only appears once every full moon and can camouflage itself as dirt… that’s a doddle compared to recording footage of a virtual pinball table. I'll show you the rig I used in the next update. 

I did see quite a few comments under the 2022 wrap up video from people worried that I might feel the need to make shorter videos to appease impatient viewers. This amused because these comments were under a 1 hr 18 min video.  I think that's an indication about how little I'm concerned about trimming the length of the videos. But if more proof were needed, here’s an almost half hour long video about a very niche topic. 

But as always, I like to make videos about things that capture my interest because then I can talk about them with genuine enthusiasm. I'm just not a good enough actor to fake interest in yet another bluetooth speaker or a set of earbuds. 

Finally, a massive thanks again to all the new Patrons, your generosity is humbling and your support is very much appreciated. I haven't been able to reply to all the messages you've sent, but I do read every one and they've been very encouraging and understanding. Thank you for that. Take care and enjoy your week/end.

Techmoan EOY Oddcast 2022

A quick Patreon extra video right at the end of the year to thank everyone for your support.

There’s also a section about the eclectic mix of cameras I took on holiday.

https://youtu.be/097Z9XKjB9w

The start of the video is a bit jump-cut-fest, but it settles down. I needed to get my speech warmed up, it's been a few weeks since I've uttered more than a couple of words at a time. 

If you’re having/attending a celebration to see 2023 in, enjoy yourself, take care and have a good one.

UPDATE: Seems my maths regarding the ratio of subscribers to patrons was way out in the video - I blame touch screen calculators combined with sheer incompetence. Regardless  - you're still in a very small minority when it comes to earth's inhabitants and that reminds me of a humourous saying
'Always remember that you are unique...
just like everyone else'

Thanks for holding down the fort.

After returning from my short break I’ve put together my own take on that most loved of show formats - The Clip Show.

In this one I take a look back at some of the videos I made in 2022 and then update the general YouTube viewers on some behind the scenes challenges that most Patrons will already be well aware of.

https://youtu.be/e0kh9BXzAww

I’ll probably put this video out to the public on Boxing Day (the 26th December).

As always Patrons get to see the video first (and ad-free) - but since it’s a clip show, you’ve likely seen it all before anyway.

I’d just like to finish off by thanking everyone here for your support and assistance over the last year. 2022 has been a heck of a struggle but without with the help, encouragement and understanding from the people on here it would have been much more difficult. 

So thanks again for being here, enjoy any time off you get, eat drink and be merry and most importantly, look after yourself.

Season’s greetings,

Mat.

Meters Headphone RE VU

This is the final video I’ve scheduled for release in my absence.

Due to time constraints it’s another review, this time for a pair of Bluetooth headphones with VU meters in the ear cups.

https://youtu.be/ZhF7y2WPSz0

With this one wrapped up I can now get on with packing my bags. So far I mostly seem to just be taking a bag of medication and an assortment of USB cables and chargers.

I hope you enjoy any festivities you get involved in - I’ll be back home a week before Christmas Day, although I think I’m going to skip the Christmas tree this year - it’d be up and down quicker than an umbrella.

Take care.

Mat

We are rewind - queued and reviewed

As previously threatened - here’s another video that I’ll schedule for release during my absence. There’s little I can add to this one - it’s a review of a new cassette player.

https://youtu.be/bxnr1k90E90

I should mention that when the CEO from the company offered to send one over for evaluation, I advised him I was only prepared to do so if I could “do one of my usual totally honest assessments with no strings attached”. He replied back confirming “Of course we want you to be honest” - which was refreshing (either that or foolhardy).

I’ll get straight onto making the next video tomorrow. I’ll need a holiday after this ;-)

Take care. 

Vinyl Noise Reduction

Here’s the first of what I *hope* will be three videos I intend to upload early to Patreon this week before my break. It’s a review of a device that claims to reduce crackles and surface noise from records.

I can almost smell the “why not use CDs instead?” comments already.

https://youtu.be/L2GzakdEERM

This will likely not be the next public video - it’s just the one I finished first. I plan for the next video to skip ahead of it in the queue, but there’s a bit of work still left to do on that one.

One limitation with videos on YouTube is that only ‘private’ videos can be scheduled for a future timed release. An ‘unlisted’ video like can’t be scheduled. However conversely a private video can’t be posted on Patreon. Therefore my plan is to make two uploads of each video. One for Patreon and one scheduled for the public. I want to mention this as any comments posted under this one will only ever be seen by fellow Patrons.

With any luck there's going to be another video along for Patrons in a day or so. You might want to ration these as otherwise there's going to be a bit of a gap before anything new appears. 

Techmoan VIDEO oddcast-lite November 2022

Not really a full oddcast this month, however there’s a bit of news I wanted to to pass on in a timely manner so here it is…

https://youtu.be/lZ0mbgOTTzM

MicroMV & me

I finally finished the video I’ve been working on for weeks. Here it is. It’s about my history with an ‘unsuccessful’ format and how its failings ultimately ended up changing my life.

https://youtu.be/JJ9M8eiRcEc

As usual Patrons have the opportunity to watch the video early and without any adverts.

I aim to shoot a short Patreon exclusive update video soon as there’s a couple of things I want to update you on, but in the meantime I hope everyone is doing well, take care of yourself and we’ll no doubt chat again very soon. Have a good one (or two).

Line-out ≠ Headphone-out

I’m still slow in getting the next proper video closer to completion. It’ll likely take me another full week. So in the meantime here’s a simple rough-and-ready video intended to clear up some confusion that until last week I was unaware existed.

Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/4rLwqQE3DJA

I suppose things like this are a sight of getting old. Knowledge that was once commonplace gets lost as time moves on. I expect my predecessors would be surprised to learn that I didn’t know how to dig coal, prepare a pheasant, weave a blanket or load and fire a musket.

So just a little video today - I’ll get right back on making the next proper one after the weekend. The annoying thing is that if/when that is finally finished it’s not going to be noticeably different than anything else I've made, it’s just proved to be inordinately slow to assemble. 

Anyway enjoy what’s left of your weekend, thanks for all your support and take care of yourself.

RE-EDIT

As there were a few comments on the first edit taking issue with the end, I’ve done a quick re-edit as I can see the way things would have gone otherwise.

https://youtu.be/4rLwqQE3DJA

New 2022 Sound Burger Review

I’m planning on fast-tracking this video for early YouTube release so I can hopefully be one of the first video reviews worldwide. I think I’ll probably put this video out on Friday and move the Lyte video on by a week.

If you spot any massive show-stopping errors let me know. I don’t plan on making any small changes or additions to this one now. I need to try and catch the wave if possible. It’s not often I get a chance for an exclusive (or almost exclusive).

Here’s the video https://youtu.be/b48XD9P8klM

Hope you’re OK with this - it’s been a long day here and I’m just about fit to drop.

Have you seen The Lyte? - Updated

Due to reasons that I still can’t quite fathom, things have fallen way behind. As a result and in an attempt to get somewhat back on track, this week’s video is a rather simple one. That’s not to say it’s devoid of entertainment/interest, but it’s also unlikely to be something you’ll be thinking about tomorrow.

Anyway enough of this hard sell…here’s the link: https://youtu.be/OR5yhgupt0g

In other news, you may have heard that Audio Technica is bringing back the Sound Burger record player as a Limited Edition. I’ve put in my pre-order today. I just thought you might want to know in case you felt like doing the same before they all sell out. Of course once it arrives I intend to do a review. Here’s the link for the UK https://www.audio-technica.com/en-gb/at-sb2022#

   
UPDATE 1: Took off most of the extraneous intro. The video starts a bit suddenly now, but that's fine. 

UPDATE 2: Quite a few people asked to see additional tones displayed on the device, so I’ve added in a 45 second section that starts at around 08:04.

Biggest Nixie clock yet

In this video I’m admiring the giant, newly manufactured ZIN-70 tubes in Millclock’s latest and greatest Nixie clock.

https://youtu.be/S677EQZ_wns

Hope everyone is doing fine. After the recent Patreon update I don’t have anything outstanding left to mention - so instead I’ll just wish you all the best. Take care.

UPDATE: Just a couple of tiny micro edits, mostly because I realised I’d said a descriptive word twice in close succession and this jarred a bit. Also made a new thumbnail because the first one looked weird.

How to fix a faulty MiniDisc slot loader

In the Patreon update I mentioned how tech keeps failing on me at the moment. 

Here’s a short repair video showing how I got one device up and running again. I just wish every fix was as simple.

https://youtu.be/C-KWJatb440

That’s it - just a mini video this time, take care.

Techmoan AUDIO odd-cast October 2022

Hello again, here’s my October AUDIO rambleathon exclusively for Patreon supporters. 

As it’s a long one this time I’ve posted it here as an Audio only version that ‘should’ function as a podcast if you can figure out how to do this. 

You’ll find the Video edition in a separate post.

Techmoan VIDEO odd-cast October 2022

Hello again, here’s my October VIDEO rambleathon exclusively for Patreon supporters.

https://youtu.be/S4uRUJ7xBf4

As it’s a long one this time I’ve also posted it as an Audio only version that ‘should’ function as a podcast if you can figure out how to do this. 

You’ll find the Audio edition in a separate post.

UPDATE - I think Dawn has found the TV show I was attempting to remember (it turned out to be a TV movie from 1976 - more info in the comments below). 

NetMD in 2022…and beyond.

Using NetMD devices in the modern day is a topic I’ve wanted to tackle for a while. I have feeling though that the wheels might have fallen off this video, it’s perhaps a bit too dry/esoteric a topic or perhaps I just didn’t get the approach quite right.

I’m still glad I’ve made the video though as it could help some people out…all six of them.

https://youtu.be/HC-8IGkdDxw

UPDATE: The video has been reworked in places to include the new information about the various updates that occurred while I was making it. Thanks go to Kieran for pointing these out. The new version is the one embedded and linked to above. 

I’ll record a new Patreon update soon - it’s been a few weeks since I recorded the last one and I’ve got a handful of topics lined up to talk around. If you have a burning question that you think might be interesting for me to talk about, please post it in the comments.

In the mean time I hope you’re all doing well and as always, take care and we’ll speak again soon.