I flew back to Salt Lake last night as I have some things to take care of at home. When I went and turned on my computer in my home office this morning, I noticed a flicker in one of my computer monitors. Upon closer inspection there is a flickering horizontal line as well as a burned out vertical row. At first I hoped there was simply a loose connection. I turned off the monitor and re tightened everything. Nope, that didn't solve the problem. Next I disconnected the monitor from the computer and saw that even when the monitor isn't connected to my graphics card, the artifacts still exist. That indicates there is a problem with the monitor and not my computer, graphics card, or cabling.
Fortunately the monitor that is going bad is my second monitor and not my primary one. It wasn't that expensive and replacing it won't be that difficult nor painful. It has lasted over 5 years and I have to say that I am grateful it has lasted this long. If you were to ask if I regret purchasing it and wish I had spent a little more on a name-brand monitor, the answer would be, "No." I think I made the right choice then. Now I just need to find something similar so I don't have two drastically different monitors on my desk.
Showing posts with label monitors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label monitors. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Monday, July 7, 2014
Back in Japan
I am back in Tokyo, Japan once again and have taken advantage of a few technologies that have always existed but I haven't used until now. The flight from the West coast of the United States generally takes about 10 hours. Fortunately there are a lot of technologies that help make the trip go more quickly.
I have known that underneath the seat in front of me contains an outlet capable of charging laptop computers but have never bothered using it until now. I didn't print out my itinerary for the trip and so as I was filling out my customs and immigration paperwork, I plugged in my laptop and pulled my hotel information from it. As my laptop was plugged in, I could use it for other things during the trip without having to worry about draining my battery. I also plugged in my iPhone to the USB port on the plane. That kept my phone charged for the trip so I could do important things like play games.
There was nobody in the seat next to me for the flight and I appreciated that a lot. I left the US on Sunday which puts me into Japan late Monday night because of the International Date Line. So my first day in the office will be Tuesday. Most people like to fly to Japan and start the day on Monday. So if I left on Saturday, the flight would have been full. My flight was relatively empty and I was able to re-purpose the screen in the seat next to me. Instead of using it to watch a movie, I had it display our position on a map of the Pacific Ocean. When I would wake up from a quick nap, I could instantly see how long I had been asleep. It was kind of nice to keep up.
At one point during the flight, I had 3 displays all going at once and they all kept me entertained. I had a movie in one, our position in another, and information on my laptop in another. It was kind of nice and I passed the time nicely during the flight.
I have known that underneath the seat in front of me contains an outlet capable of charging laptop computers but have never bothered using it until now. I didn't print out my itinerary for the trip and so as I was filling out my customs and immigration paperwork, I plugged in my laptop and pulled my hotel information from it. As my laptop was plugged in, I could use it for other things during the trip without having to worry about draining my battery. I also plugged in my iPhone to the USB port on the plane. That kept my phone charged for the trip so I could do important things like play games.
There was nobody in the seat next to me for the flight and I appreciated that a lot. I left the US on Sunday which puts me into Japan late Monday night because of the International Date Line. So my first day in the office will be Tuesday. Most people like to fly to Japan and start the day on Monday. So if I left on Saturday, the flight would have been full. My flight was relatively empty and I was able to re-purpose the screen in the seat next to me. Instead of using it to watch a movie, I had it display our position on a map of the Pacific Ocean. When I would wake up from a quick nap, I could instantly see how long I had been asleep. It was kind of nice to keep up.
At one point during the flight, I had 3 displays all going at once and they all kept me entertained. I had a movie in one, our position in another, and information on my laptop in another. It was kind of nice and I passed the time nicely during the flight.
Monday, December 2, 2013
2013 Christmas List
It is the beginning of December and so I thought I would be a bit earlier than last year and put together my annual Christmas list. The idea is to give you an idea of what I would want for myself in the hopes that it gives you an idea for others on your shopping list this year.
Unfortunately computer and electronic gadgets have a tendency to be rather expensive. I try to include one or two low-cost items for that child that wants to get their parent something special. I will start low and then get more expensive. Hopefully there is something that fits everyone's budget.
Older Video Games - With the release of the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, we are about to see a decline in the previous generation consoles. Fortunately those older systems still have a lot of life in them and you can find a number of older games for a really good price. This one requires a bit of searching on your part though. You will need to find what games are wanted but haven't been played yet. When I was at Best Buy over the weekend, there were a number of really great games for $19.95 or less. A good starting point is to figure out the genre: racing games, first person shooters, sports games, puzzles, etc. Then do an Internet search for popular games and read the reviews and you should be able to find something that will be enjoyed.
A Remote Control Helicopter - This was on my list last year and I still want one. My oldest son had one and had a great time with it until his roommate crashed and destroyed it. You can pick up a number of inexpensive models including the more powerful quadcopters.
Rocksmith - A few years ago, my wife picked me up a left-handed acoustic guitar. I played that thing every night for several months but became discouraged at my lack of progress. Taking a cue from the success of Guitar Hero, Ubisoft created a similar video game that actually teaches you how to play a real guitar. I mentioned this to my wife, but she got angry because she thinks I also want a new electric guitar. If you already have an acoustic guitar, all you need is an electronic pickup, which is really inexpensive and allows you to use your existing instrument with the game.
Bluetooth Speakers - I have some really nice over-the-ear headphones (which are also a really good Christmas-list idea) but sometimes I want to share my music. A nice bluetooth speaker would make a nice addition to my music hardware.
A New Monitor - This is not a gift I need at home as I have a couple of really nice monitors already. This is something I need at work. In the office, I have 4 monitors on my desk and they are all rather old. It would be nice to replace them all with a set of 24-inch matching monitors running at 1920x1080 resolution.
A New Tablet Computer - Not all tablets are created equal and my favorite one on the market now is the Xperia Z from Sony. Why do I like it so much? It is waterproof (they claim water resistant up to 3 feet for 30 minutes). This is one that you can take with you while you read in your hot tub. Should it accidentally fall in, no worries.
Non-Computer Gifts
This year I thought I would introduce some new gift ideas. I spend most days in front of a computer and this year I find myself looking at other ideas. At the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is spend more time with computer equipment. I have some other hobbies I would like to pursue. Perhaps you have someone in your life like me and so here are some other ideas.
Ratcheting Box Wrenches - I have been working on cars a lot lately. These in both Metric and SAE sizes would be greatly appreciated. Sears also has a nice set of Craftsman that are a bit more expensive, but have a better warranty.
Wire Arc Welder - I really want a MIG or TIG welder, but they are much more expensive. However I have not done any welding for the past 30 years as my only real experience was a shop class back in junior high. An inexpensive wire welder would give me the chance to learn how to weld using cheap scrap metal before I discover I have no talent at it. With all the work I am doing on cars lately, this may be a skill I need in the near future.
Previous Years
In compiling this list, I made sure to go through my previous Christmas lists and there are a number of gifts that are still valid.
2010 2011 2012
Now all I need to do is send an e-mail to my wife so she knows what I want this year. I found out over the weekend that she doesn't really know. This is a good start.
Unfortunately computer and electronic gadgets have a tendency to be rather expensive. I try to include one or two low-cost items for that child that wants to get their parent something special. I will start low and then get more expensive. Hopefully there is something that fits everyone's budget.
Older Video Games - With the release of the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, we are about to see a decline in the previous generation consoles. Fortunately those older systems still have a lot of life in them and you can find a number of older games for a really good price. This one requires a bit of searching on your part though. You will need to find what games are wanted but haven't been played yet. When I was at Best Buy over the weekend, there were a number of really great games for $19.95 or less. A good starting point is to figure out the genre: racing games, first person shooters, sports games, puzzles, etc. Then do an Internet search for popular games and read the reviews and you should be able to find something that will be enjoyed.
A Remote Control Helicopter - This was on my list last year and I still want one. My oldest son had one and had a great time with it until his roommate crashed and destroyed it. You can pick up a number of inexpensive models including the more powerful quadcopters.
Rocksmith - A few years ago, my wife picked me up a left-handed acoustic guitar. I played that thing every night for several months but became discouraged at my lack of progress. Taking a cue from the success of Guitar Hero, Ubisoft created a similar video game that actually teaches you how to play a real guitar. I mentioned this to my wife, but she got angry because she thinks I also want a new electric guitar. If you already have an acoustic guitar, all you need is an electronic pickup, which is really inexpensive and allows you to use your existing instrument with the game.
Bluetooth Speakers - I have some really nice over-the-ear headphones (which are also a really good Christmas-list idea) but sometimes I want to share my music. A nice bluetooth speaker would make a nice addition to my music hardware.
A New Monitor - This is not a gift I need at home as I have a couple of really nice monitors already. This is something I need at work. In the office, I have 4 monitors on my desk and they are all rather old. It would be nice to replace them all with a set of 24-inch matching monitors running at 1920x1080 resolution.
A New Tablet Computer - Not all tablets are created equal and my favorite one on the market now is the Xperia Z from Sony. Why do I like it so much? It is waterproof (they claim water resistant up to 3 feet for 30 minutes). This is one that you can take with you while you read in your hot tub. Should it accidentally fall in, no worries.
Non-Computer Gifts
This year I thought I would introduce some new gift ideas. I spend most days in front of a computer and this year I find myself looking at other ideas. At the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is spend more time with computer equipment. I have some other hobbies I would like to pursue. Perhaps you have someone in your life like me and so here are some other ideas.
Ratcheting Box Wrenches - I have been working on cars a lot lately. These in both Metric and SAE sizes would be greatly appreciated. Sears also has a nice set of Craftsman that are a bit more expensive, but have a better warranty.
Wire Arc Welder - I really want a MIG or TIG welder, but they are much more expensive. However I have not done any welding for the past 30 years as my only real experience was a shop class back in junior high. An inexpensive wire welder would give me the chance to learn how to weld using cheap scrap metal before I discover I have no talent at it. With all the work I am doing on cars lately, this may be a skill I need in the near future.
Previous Years
In compiling this list, I made sure to go through my previous Christmas lists and there are a number of gifts that are still valid.
2010 2011 2012
Now all I need to do is send an e-mail to my wife so she knows what I want this year. I found out over the weekend that she doesn't really know. This is a good start.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Big Monitors
I had a friend come over last night and I gave him a quick tour of my home office. He was surprised by how many computer monitors I have on my desk. I have five but they only go to three different computers. As someone who sits in front of a computer all day long, I need to keep track of a lot of different things. Most home computer users can survive with a single monitor.
This morning I am working on a software development project that requires a lot of screen real estate. As fate would have it, I am using the smallest monitor for this task. So what can I do to change that?
Two of the computers on my desk have dual monitors. The third computer is my laptop and the machine I am using to work on this morning's project. Most laptops have an external monitor connection. It is generally added to laptops in case you need to give a presentation and need to connect to a projector. So all I need to do is connect my laptop to one of the monitors on my desk and I will have more space.
That will actually work well in theory because one of my computers is off right now and so I can borrow a screen to share with my laptop. When I am done, I can reconnect it with the computer where it originated. Unfortunately the extra monitor is on the other side of my desk and I really can't see it from my laptop. I already have trouble figuring out which keyboard goes with which monitor and this would make it worse.
My two primary monitors actually have two inputs each. One is an HDMI (the same as a high definition TV) and the other is a standard VGA as found on most older computers. Instead of moving monitors around for today's project, I can actually run a second cable from the monitor to my laptop. I can then use the switch on the monitor to change inputs. When I want to see my desktop screen, I use the HDMI input. When I want to see the laptop screen, I use the VGA input.
My first computer came with a ten-inch monochrome display that was 80 characters wide by 24 down. Now I have desk full of monitors that are vastly superior. However I pretty much do the same thing now as I did back then.
This morning I am working on a software development project that requires a lot of screen real estate. As fate would have it, I am using the smallest monitor for this task. So what can I do to change that?
Two of the computers on my desk have dual monitors. The third computer is my laptop and the machine I am using to work on this morning's project. Most laptops have an external monitor connection. It is generally added to laptops in case you need to give a presentation and need to connect to a projector. So all I need to do is connect my laptop to one of the monitors on my desk and I will have more space.
That will actually work well in theory because one of my computers is off right now and so I can borrow a screen to share with my laptop. When I am done, I can reconnect it with the computer where it originated. Unfortunately the extra monitor is on the other side of my desk and I really can't see it from my laptop. I already have trouble figuring out which keyboard goes with which monitor and this would make it worse.
My two primary monitors actually have two inputs each. One is an HDMI (the same as a high definition TV) and the other is a standard VGA as found on most older computers. Instead of moving monitors around for today's project, I can actually run a second cable from the monitor to my laptop. I can then use the switch on the monitor to change inputs. When I want to see my desktop screen, I use the HDMI input. When I want to see the laptop screen, I use the VGA input.
My first computer came with a ten-inch monochrome display that was 80 characters wide by 24 down. Now I have desk full of monitors that are vastly superior. However I pretty much do the same thing now as I did back then.
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