Just a quick one but I thought this was worth sharing. I just bought some new “external use” RGB LED STRIP from AliExpress. Not your usual 5450 strip and not the popular copper wire strip with VERY THIN coated copper wire and very small LEDS – no, this seems to…
Category: General
Sonoff NSPANEL – I STILL like It – Update
Originally blogged in here back in 2021, the now venerable NSPANEL still looks good and out of the box – it can control 2 internal relays while displaying time and temperature, local weather etc. on a pretty, auto-dimming touch-display but there is far more to it than that of course.…
Even More 4G Modems – The ZTE MF286D
In my search for decent 4g modems – that is – to use a 4G LTE signal instead of broadband in areas like ours where fibre Internet isn’t practical, I’ve tried everything from a cheap AliExpress 4G modem (no good) through GL-iNET routers to the TP-Link MR600 V2 then V3…
My New Drone/Bicycle Strobes
Well, that was all FAR too simple.. note: the image below has been through Google translate and so will likely have the odd foo-pah. And I bought these for what reason? Well, having just ordered a “new-to-me” sub-250gm drone and while eagerly awaiting it’s arrival, I watched every video going…
ReoLink CX410 and Reolink Argus PT Ultra IP Cameras
After my tremendous success with the Reolink 4K Duo+Floodlight camera and the Reolink WiFi Video Doorbell (the latter has replaced my original front door video doorbell and has proven invaluable in tracking delivery companies who say they tried to deliver but no-one was home)…. I’m ready for new challenges –…
Xiaomi Mijia 1S Second Generation Smart Vacuum
The Mijia 1S arrived in June 2021 and I wrote this original article in August 2021 but see updates at the very end – amazing. For a couple of months now now we’ve been testing the very neat 2nd generation M1S – I’ve provided a Banggood link here but I…
More from Sonoff – SNZB-06P Zigbee Human Presence Sensor
This is my initial writeup also the follow-up on the brand-new SNZB-06P Presense Sensor whose box says “Microwave Radar”, “Presence Detection”, “Light Sensing” and “Intelligent Linkage” – not sure what that last one is about… maybe causing an action on another device… The device was made available October 5, 2023…
Upgrading an old Tasmota and MUCH MORE
When it comes to upgrades, updating old IOT devices with the latest Tasmota can be quite a satisfying way to spend a Sunday. I was just tidying up my wiring in the office and noted a Tasmota’d Sonoff BASIC, so old it doesn’t even have an ID – check this…
The All-New Raspberry Pi 5 !!!
Quick thoughts about the new (at the time of writing) Raspberry Pi 5
Wifi 2.4g vs 5G – a Very short Rebuke
My wife just pointed me to a YouTube video – on the surface, innocent advice about doubling your WiFi speed. It took me 30 seconds to realise just how bad that could turn out in the wrong hands. I won’t name names and I don’t know the fellow (he’s not…
New Sonoff BASICR4 and Battery-Powered S-MATE 2
Remember the original Sonoff BASIC? – the cheapest mains controller on the planet (if a bit rough around the edges) – that was YEARS ago. I reviewed and messed around with them and I still use the original as you;ll see in another recent blog entry… along with most other…
Orein Smart Bulbs E14 RGBTW 4-Pack
Just a quick one. I received these “Elves E14” candle-style bulbs as samples to test. Good, bright white from cold to warm. Work with Alexa and Google Home. Took me seconds to link the free Orien account with my Google Home account. Nice soft-start and stop. Easy to setup thanks…
The All-New ZIMABOARD Single-Board Server Update
The Zimaboard (my original post was August 2022) is a “Single-board Server”, from IceWhale – based on The Intel N3350 or N3450 Processor. Actually there are three units in the range – the Zimaboard 216, 432 and 832 models. Which model? I’m inclined to suggest sticking with the 432 or…
Beryl-AX (GL-MT3000) WiFi 6 Router and MORE
Not GL-iNET’s most powerful or largest router, but it is NEW and features WiFi 6. The BERYL-AX router from GL-iNET looks promising and I have one in my hands at last! The naming is interesting – do you call it Beryl AX, MT3000 or AX3000? All of these names feature…
SUNLU Photopolymer Resin for 3D Resin Printing
Some time ago I had several 3D resin printers – today I have but one. Due to shortage of space I passed on all but my AnyCubic Photon Mono printer. I started this blog in Apeil 2023 and here I am printing out buddhas in September (see end). And there…
“New” Digital Camera and a Good Learning Experience
No, not a review and certainly NOT a new camera. My last “proper” camera was the Nikon P900 – which after taking countless moon photos I sold off (you can only take so many photos of the moon) in favour of my then favourite phone – Pocophone X3 (4K video…
New Router + Powerline + Tethering Story
I’ve never been a great fan of TP-Link but recently at my home in Spain I fitted an Archer MR600 V3 as I needed a fast source of 4G to feed my GL-iNET router. It’s been working a treat so when it came to getting a second router here in…
And now – the Holidays – and an Elegoo Resin mention
Some time ago, Elegoo offered to send me some of their 3D Resin printer resin. Thanks to various delays I was expecting this to arrive on my return from holiday in August – but it just turned up so I’ll just briefly mention this – obviously can’t test it as…
Tasmota and the Humble ESP8266 – Update
I’ve not written about Tasmota basics for some time and I noted this morning, when struggling with PC serial programming of an old ESP8266 board, that there is still such a lot of outdated information on the web on the subject. That led me to this quick blog entry. I…
GEEETECH Low-Cost 3D Resin Printer
Over the years I’ve reviewed lots of resin 3D printers in here but nothing recently (2023) – so I was rather excited when I was offered a Geeetech (model Alkaid – and yes, three EEEs) and even more excited when it turned up around June 19, 2023, just a few…