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josef-adamcik.cz
josef-adamcik.cz
Aesthetics is subjective of course, but I've never really liked things that are added for decoration but have no functional purpose. It's like fake drawers on cabinets or fake pockets on shirts or blazers. In this case, I imagine that connector even adds weight to the cable for no reason at all. It's got to make it a bit uncomfortable when using the keyboard off the desk which I imagine is the purpose of the coiling.
My kind of beauty is the adminbook[1]. Everything has a functional purpose in that. Nothing is added simply because it looks pretty.
Is there a name for this kind of aesthetics?
What's the idea behind the key coloring on the Adminbook? (https://hsto.org/webt/2-/mh/ag/2-mhagvoofl7vgqiadv3rcnclb0.j...). I think there's a certain "it's extra bulky and ugly because it looks more functional that way" to both the Adminbook and the 4-pin industrial connector, and that's fine.
And the cable does have a microusb connector, but what I was talking about was the inclusion of some aviation connector right in the middle. Even the post said it was purely decorative.
> What's the idea behind the key coloring on the Adminbook?
The post on the adminbook does talk about the rationale behind the colors:
> To hit the buttons faster, different key colors are used.
> For example, the numeric row is specifically colored gray to visually separate it from the QWERTY row, and NumLock is mapped to the “6” key, colored black to stand out.
> the function keys can be pressed without Fn. These are separate keys that are even divided into groups of 4 using color coding and location.
> That is, it’s an LED above the display, illuminating the keyboard from the top. In this case, it is better than a backlight from below, because it allows you to distinguish the color of the keys.
> Indicators are color-coded.
With regards to:
> I think there's a certain "it's extra bulky and ugly because it looks more functional that way" to both the Adminbook and the 4-pin industrial connector, and that's fine.
I don't think the industrial connector itself is not functional, but rather its inclusion in a USB cable.
On the keyboard coloring scheme of the Adminbook, whether you would use it or not, it definitely can be used to distinguish different key groups. Besides the ones mentioned in the parts I quoted, there's also the light background color for the keypad buttons, the dark background color for the '0', '-', and '=' keys which are used for controlling zooming in multiple applications. The F key is where the nub for your index finger is to quickly position your hand correctly, etc.
Might as well go whole hog and get something that looks badass.
Lemo-style connectors are another popular option for keyboard nerds.
Of course, applying it to anything that's not actually architecture is analogizing.
Here's a TI document on USB signal PC board layout.[1] Look at all those touchy requirements. Differential lines must be the same length, down to a millimeter or so. Stubs off to the side are bad, even stubs the thickness of a PC board. They cause reflections.
USB, despite how common it is, has tough electrical specs. USB-C (which is only vaguely related to USB A and B) is even worse.
In signal integrity terms, I've found it quite robust.
Also, despite there being relatively tight tolerances, USB controls tends to be really tolerant of not meeting specs... if only because not everyone does meet spec. I doubt that 4-pin connector causes any meaningful issues, even at USB2.0 high speed.
The easy though I've seen is some folks use RJ-45 jacks with holes in the end of the connector, so you can run this excess length right through the connector, and then the crimper cuts off the excess as well.
What‽ Well that's going to make my once-in-a-while cable terminating experience better. I like the idea of knowing each wire made it to the contact, and being able to audit them on the outgoing side before trimming.
A quick googling says the wording to search for is "RJ45 Passthrough Connectors", then be careful because the #1 Amazon hits are not actually CAT6 connectors despite their titles, and some of the other top ones are of, let's say variable quality.
Believe me - you'll love it.
I bought my house in 2002 and ran Cat5e to a few places in the home (not everywhere), running 100 Mbit. Last year I decided I wanted to upgrade things to gigabit speeds, so I bought a new router, modem, and switches. I did some online checking and everything seemed to indicate that for short runs (sub-100 meter IIRC), Cat5e would work for gigabit. I didn't want to crawl back into my attic for new runs, so I tried it out.
Everything worked fine except for one run - the longest run - which spanned the width of my house (about 50-60 feet). It would only detect and run 100 Mbit - not gig. Some further testing and checking revealed that I only had 4 of the 8 wires working properly (2 pair) - and those just happened to be the ones needed for 100 Mbit! Somehow I got lucky and only lost connectivity on the other pairs. My other shorter runs all worked fine. Had that cable not failed, I would have been golden...but nope.
So I had to run a new line. I decided after some research that I would run Cat6 (couldn't afford the tools or whatnot to do Cat7 or I would have) - and I found those pass-thru connectors and crimpers. Cheap enough - bought a box of Cat6, the connectors and the crimper (plus rubber boots for the ends) and then crawled into the attic early one morning (about 4am - I live in Phoenix, and this was right at the end of "spring" going into our hot season - so it was coolest in the attic at that time) and got to work.
I spent all morning and into the afternoon up there (surprisingly, even as the day wore on and got into the 80s, it stayed relatively decent in my attic - I made sure to bring plenty of ice water along, though) - most of the time in the attic, stringing the lines, sometimes having to come down and go back up to pull lines and whatnot (using the old cable as pulling line).
The pass-thru connectors and everything made it all go much, much smoother than it would have otherwise, especially when I was terminating things after pulling the lines.
I used this cable:
https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Cat6-Ethernet-Bulk-Cable/dp...
Though I ended up getting the orange cable (I attached it to my roof trusses using cable clips and I wanted it to "stand out" so that anybody working up there could see it clearly - my original cable had been laying on the trusses, and it had been covered by a layer of insulation we had blown it - it's quite possible that the cable was broke at that point).
I ended up getting stranded because I wanted something more flexible while I ran it - though technically you're not supposed to use stranded cable for this kind of "run" - but for short runs (in a home, all runs are typically short) it's ok - different thing I guess if it were an office or datacenter. I also like the monoprice cable because of that plastic "cross" that separates the pairs, and works as a nice core for pulling the cable without distorting the pairs. It really was nice cable.
Then I got these pass-thru connectors:
https://www.amazon.com/ITBEBE-Plated-Through-premium-Connect...
Plus some generic boots and a generic pass-thru crimper. It made everything so much simpler. It was still a "pain" to organize the wires (color code order) and get them "just right" to go into the connector, but once in, and they passed thru - I could easily see and know they were in the right order, and that the crimp would work, unlike regular connectors. If it wasn't right, I could pull it out and try again. It was really a night and day difference from what I remember in the past. I only bought a small box of cable (250 feet - I think that's what I linked), but I still had a ton left over if I need patch cables or whatnot for later.
You won't regret it.
Do you have a link showing that? Stripping half a metre of a cable just to attach a connector seems wild.
Did you use too many zeros?
I've made quite a few in my day and it's never been an issue. I always untwist the pairs, then with the cable in my left hand, pinch the blue pair between my left thumb and index finger. I then slide the wires in between my fingers from either side in the appropriate order using my right hand. Once I have all the wires aligned, I grasp the wires between right thumb and index finger and slide my left fingers down to the sheath. Then I work the cable back and forth. I then return my left hand to pinching the wires and trim them to length before inserting.
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ml6qOAiM9Vc/hqdefault.jpg
Insert the cables through it, then cut off the excess.
If the cable he's using is shielded by ground then I think it might be up to USB 2 spec?
Edit: Interesting mini-comparison of USB 1 and USB 2 http://ww3.microtek.com.tw/tw/uploads/faq/pdf/comparison-usb...
See the USB 2.0 Cables and Connectors Class Document[1], in particular, 4.10.7 Test Group '6'.
Why speculate when the USB-IF has made their standards both free and readily accessible?
But they're a tad too tiny/frail. Anyone knows some larger micro usb connector kits ?
I use laptop USB ports for hand tracking cameras, an HMD, and related cruft. Frequent mobile use, and unfortunate ThinkPad port placement, has those port sockets mechanically distressed. I now have sticks which slide onto the laptop to brace the cables, but... a cleaner solution would be nice. A new laptop might have better placement, but would still need protective sticks.
https://www.evilmadscientist.com/2008/how-to-make-a-sawed-of...
Something that is disappointing about these keycaps is that they mostly only make these for US keyboard layouts not actual Japanese keyboard layouts. I have a Japanese keyboard that the keys were getting worn on and something like this seems like it would be a good replacement but it isn't because several of the keys that aren't letters such as shift characters on numbers and other special characters are labeled wrong for a real Japanese keyboard.
There are some Japanese layout replacement keycaps but the selection is very limited compared to how many of these stylistic kana keycaps they make for US layouts. I cringe a little bit every time I see these keycaps. I mean I get it, but still.
>USB connectors. In my case USB-Mini and USB-A but you can buy USB-Micro and USB-C too.
Sure I can buy the connectors, but soldering a USB-Micro is not exactly the same of a USB-A or a USB-Mini, let alone a USB-C.
And no, those pre-soldered to a breadboard don't count for a DIY cable.
Also, I'm not sure if it's the braiding or the Paracord (or both?) But it's very anti-tangle.
I also used cable with a thin flexible jacket, so it doesn't stiffen up like a twig in winter.
I have paracord on my HyperX headset and it's HORRIBLE, tangles constantly. I'm considering cutting it off just to avoid the tangle.
On something that never moves, maybe, but I abhor it.