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Ask HN: What lesser-known accessories do you use with your computer?

• katzenversteher 4y ago
  Not connected to my computer but I have an electric infrared heater next to my chair that I use to keep warm when it's exceptionally cold.
• pokstad 4y ago
  Cheap Wacom tablet for virtual white boarding. Zoom annotations are a great way to quickly draw things in a shared space during a call.
• WorldPeas 4y ago
  I use a usb polycom deskphone I trashpicked(bluetooth sucks, and I don't want another potential stop to the "oops, sorry" cycle when I join a video call), and a usb to ps2 for the microsoft ergonomic keyboard I've used since I was little. Also, I recently acquired a perixx vertical mouse that felt like holding a cheap taco so I filled it with pennies wrapped in gorilla tape. No problems so far
• pixelbreaker 4y ago
  I use a Bastard Keyboard Charybdis Nano. It's an ergo 3x5 keyboard with built in trackball. I built it myself but you can get them pre built too. https://github.com/Bastardkb/Charybdis https://github.com/Bastardkb/Charybdis
• gcr 4y ago
  two important things: - i'm a stickler for input devices. I have a split keyboard and a Wacom tablet in the middle with a little pen stand that's always close by. I keep daypages in beta.tldraw.com, which has excellent pen and touch support. It's super handy. - a good field mic for video conference calls. I use a Zoom H1 with a fuzzy pop shield and a little stand to minimize microphonics. I'm perceived as quite feminine and it's sometimes hard to speak up, so it's amazing how much more respect I get on conference calls when I have the confidence of excellent sound quality to back me up. If I could add something to my setup, I'd like to hook up a small trackball that somehow only emits mouse scroll events. That would really help move around PDFs and webpages.
• laylomo2 4y ago
  I use a Japanese keyboard because it comes with additional thumb keys. I use software to remap the thumb keys to additional layers. For example, if I hold thumb+a, the alpha keys under my right hand turn into a numpad. If I tap the thumb key by itself, it turns the keyboard into a mouse.
  • HungSu 4y ago
    How interesting! Any more details on the brand, or model? Any photos?
• adolph 4y ago
  Angled USB adaptors. I keep my laptop in an edge holder to free up work space. The angle adaptors keep the two USB cables from protruding too much.
• caboteria 4y ago
  I built myself a small special-purpose keyboard with two parts: the main part is a 5-key board to control music players: play/pause, volume control, next/previous. The second (and more fun) part is a big blue arcade button that locks the screen. I worked for a while for a federally-funded R&D center where we could get in trouble if we left a computer unlocked and having a big blue button that I could slap as I stood up from my desk helped me stay in infosec's good graces. Now that I'm WFH I still enjoy it.
• silverlake 4y ago
  Adjustable keyboard tray, negative-tilt split tenkeyless keyboard, vertical mouse. The height and angle of your arms and wrists is critical to reduce carpal tunnel syndrome. https://ergo.human.cornell.edu/DEA6510/dea6512k/ergo12tips.html https://ergo.human.cornell.edu/DEA6510/dea6512k/ergo12tips.h...
• wtk 4y ago
  (not all are computer peripherals, but other comments seem wider than initial criteria) * whiteboard placed on a painting easel next to my desk (when I don't use whiteboard, I can use the easel it to paint acrylic) - about 90x120 cm. I put my tasks for work, but also pick exercises with checkbox to do during the day. * AKAI mpk mini - when tired of work, can jump over to Ableton like software and relax * MX Master 3S - ordered kind of accidentally, stayed as solid replacement of previously used Apple Trackpad. * cutting board as mouse mat: https://www.olfa.net.pl/products/Mata-do-ciecia-CM-A4-RC.html https://www.olfa.net.pl/products/Mata-do-ciecia-CM-A4-RC.htm... If I need to cut something, it's there. As a downside - it might be wearing off my mouse quicker. * wifi/assistant controlled light bulb behind the monitor. Easily to regulate light around my screen - bright when needed, switched to blue in the evening. * Varier Variable Balans (bought 2nd hand for 20% of original price) - works nicely with electric-standing desk from Ikea.
  • WorldPeas 4y ago
    wait I thought that blue light at night was bad for your sleep? Are you using it as some sort of sleep suppressant?
    • Karawebnetwork 4y ago
      Recent studies I've read explained that it's not so much the color that's the problem as when and how much we're exposed to it.
    • wtk 4y ago
      I haven't tought about it, but now that you mentioned it seems obvious. It's more of a background color, when I for example watch tv in another part of that room. It gives an ambient so I see shapes of furnitures but it doesn't attract attiention. Also it's subtle dark blue, nothing like the one that shines brightly from your phone straight into your eyes (I think it matters). I also never have problems falling asleep, since I get up early, I fall asleep in a matter of few minutes around 10-11pm.
    • daveloyall 4y ago
      Correct, our eyes have cells that respond to certain wavelengths ("blue light") and send signals through nerves to the brain, but those nerves aren't attached to the visual cortex, they are attached elsewhere. And that's why "blue light" inhibits sleep. ...I wish I could provide a citation, these details are something I just heard late last week...
• stevenjgarner 4y ago
  Slightly off-topic, but a "lesser known accessory I use(d)" back in the 1970's was the Microwriter [1], a chording keyboard that provided for a typing speed not possible with normal keyboards. I am a proficient (Pitman) touch typist, but after a clumsy learning curve, the Microwriter more than doubled my input speed. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwriter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwriter
  • netcraft 4y ago
    I had forgotten all about these! I have a vague memory of being a kid and seeing someone in a store with one of these hammering away - I assume doing inventory of some kind? I was amazed at their speed. Interestingly I cant seem to find any youtube videos if someone using one.
• terrabitz 4y ago
  I have a cheap drawing tablet I purchased for about $20. It works wonders for whiteboarding and diagramming things for my remote coworkers. Especially when used in conjunction with tools like Google Jamboard, it's almost as good as an in-person whiteboard.
• stevenjgarner 4y ago
  Presonus STUDIO 26c Audio Interface [1] [1] https://www.presonus.com/products/studio-26c https://www.presonus.com/products/studio-26c
• Karawebnetwork 4y ago
  For me it would have to be the DELTAHUB Carpio 2.0 Ergonomic Wrist Rest. Contrary to other wrist rests, this one is tied to your wrist using a magnetic clasp. I'm aging, or perhaps I just gamed too much using cheap peripherals. Either way, my wrist hurt a lot when using the PC and this helped me a lot.
• measure2xcut1x 4y ago
  Rearview mirror at the top of my 52" curved widescreen monitor. I work at home in limited space with family around and there's always activity behind me, doors opening, etc. I also work with noise cancelling headphones. Hard to explain why, but the mirror stops my constant need to turn around to figure out what's happening. It took me a minute to hang, with fishing line and zip-ties. Way less cognitive overhead and fewer self-made interruptions since implementing this. $13 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MFD7BT7 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MFD7BT7
  • red-iron-pine 4y ago
    +1. I've got a simple bike rear-view mirror, like $10 off of amazon. has a clip on thing, fits fine on my monitor stand. Same goal -- I've got big ear covering headphones w/ noise cancelling, so you feel crazy isolated and it's hard to tell if/when people, my kids, the dog, etc. is around until basically they're on top of you.
  • Connor_Creegan1 4y ago
    [dead]
• throwaway743 4y ago
  MX Master 3 mouse. Stopped the hand/wrist pain caused by other mice and can use on any surface. HDMI switch. Switch monitor between machines. USB switch. Switch peripherals between machines. Used to use an arduino with a rangefinder and led matrix to notify when coworkers would be behind me. Always had headphones on and usually would get hit with a jump scare from them tapping me or waving hands in front of my face. Also, had a coworker who routinely interrupted throughout the day just to gab and at times I wouldn't take my headphones off. A bit of a cold shoulder but they were excessive with the interruptions
• remix2000 4y ago
  I have an "unorthodox" audio-oriented "KVM" setup that looks like this: {PC; Work laptop; …} → HDMI switcher → HDMI digital sound extractor → {S/PDIF DAC → Speakers; Monitor} The HDMI switcher is actually just for A/V; I use Barrier for the keyboard and the mouse (well actually not mouse, but a trackball). Though now that I think of it, I wonder if I could cobble something together with CEC to pass keyboard and mouse inputs through HDMI. In theory, that should be possible by attaching a ESP32 or something like that to the CEC pin on the monitor side…?
• student2k 4y ago
  Split keyboard is a game changer
• calciphus 4y ago
  I have a small Bluetooth media control. Volume, play / pause, and track controls work even if I've not got the music app up, or if I need to pause something to hop on a call. Not having to find my music app because my wife calls me from the other room is really handy.
• kayge 4y ago
  Probably a little late for anyone to actually see this, but I am REALLY happy with this desk lamp solution: https://amzn.to/3MlWGhH https://amzn.to/3MlWGhH It perches up on top of my monitor (taking up no desk real estate which was my original goal), runs on USB, and puts off a pleasant light.
• newfie_bullet 4y ago
  for me having a separate Anker usb charging block (5 port, 40W) is great to minimize the things connected to my work macbook (mouse charger, airpods charger, wireless charging pad …etc) and a good laptop/mouse mat (Razer Gigantus) has been a great purchase too (provides a nice mouse surface and little more comfortable than a cold desk)
• mrob 4y ago
  A custom desk surface with a pocket cut into it to hold a glass mousepad (Skypad 3.0), so the top of the mousepad is flush with the desk surface. This means items on the desk such as the keyboard can be repositioned freely without hitting the side of the mousepad. The desk surface is a single sheet of 4'x2' plywood, with solid wood edging strips glued to it. The pocket was cut with a hand router, positioned using wooden fences clamped to the plywood. The surface finish of the inside of the pocket is kind of rough, but it's not visible through the mousepad. The whole thing is varnished, and screwed to a steel desk frame I got for free from a local school that was disposing of old furniture.
• tlavoie 4y ago
  I quite love the four-way KVM switch I use on my desk. One trackball, one mechanical keyboard, hooked up to four laptops (or occasionally a raspberry pi or two.) Couple keystrokes to switch computers, so I can bounce back and forth easily.
• joshipras 4y ago
  I work from home as a Data Scientist and I am a standup comedian on the side. I have a standing desk with dual monitors. KVM Switch has been a game changer for my productivity. When I have some downtime in my job, I can immediately switch to my personal laptop to work on my personal projects and comedy.
  • hammyhavoc 4y ago
    You're on the HN stage. I could do with a laugh!
• wopwops 4y ago
  I have a RTL2832U v3 software defined radio that plugs into a USB port. https://www.rtl-sdr.com/tag/v3/ https://www.rtl-sdr.com/tag/v3/
  • felurx 4y ago
    Cool! What do you use it for?
• juris 4y ago
  Mobile dev here; I had an issue with organizing the vast quantity of mobile devices I have been given for testing. * Significant QoL gain: take a trip to the dollar store to buy three short CD racks; if you lay them on their sides next to each other, you can mount your laptops and mobile devices vertically! Much nicer than stacking your devices screen to screen, and you can keep them charged and connect them as-needed. * Ergo Anti-pattern: I built a 35 inch deep desktop out of 2x4's, perched it on top of ikea motorized risers, all above a "LifeSpan" brand desk treadmill scrounged from Craigslist because I thought Torvalds's setup was cool (circa mid-quarantine). This year I built a wooden frame with hatch doors above the treadmill and keep my goofy gaming chair forever parked on top of them.
  • hammyhavoc 4y ago
    I'd love pics of this. Here's to your good health, mate.
  • buffington 4y ago
    Open up those hatch doors, but keep the goofy gaming chair on the treadmill and you might invent a new sport!
• 9sIX3oZ1JB5 4y ago
  digital volume control knob via usb-c. Simply controls the volume of my PC. I Got it from aliexpress
• unwiredben 4y ago
  I've got USB-powered desk fans at home and the office. I've tried a fair number, and typically get ones that have a couple of different speed settings and good bearing that are mostly silent.
• m-p-3 4y ago
  I have the (now discontinued) Logitech G13 gameboard. I mainly use it for gaming, but it's also useful for creating hardware-macros and have these be linked to the application in focus.
  • noobyme 4y ago
    Hey mp36 can I ask you about offline Wikipedia kobo? How do you split the zim files to fit?
    • noobyme 4y ago
      Eh I try 7zip if anybody is looking same as me. Also when extending partition size, may have to delete contents, then resize, then put contents back otherwise didn't work for me. Something to do with the extending partition past a certain size.
      • noobyme 4y ago
        Actually no u have to delete partition then make new one
    • m-p-3 4y ago
      https://web.archive.org/web/20170809101047/http://wiki.kiwix.org/wiki/FAQ https://web.archive.org/web/20170809101047/http://wiki.kiwix...
      • noobyme 4y ago
        Hey thanks for replying! I've ended up with an even more fundamental issue:kobo cant read my zim file, it's there on the device but it's all blank pages..
      • noobyme 4y ago
        Can I ask what firmware version you're on? It seems I'm not the only one with trouble with zim files on newer models maybe.
• throwawaymobule 4y ago
  Headphone cable extender is a must for me ever since the first time I stood on a cable and broke off the 3.5mm plug on a pair. Plus, I get enough distance to wander around the room. I'll eventually upgrade to bluetooth.
• dhg72 4y ago
  I spend all day on meetings and love my Mütesync button: https://mutesync.com/ https://mutesync.com/ Pretty basic but it's cheap and easy, works with Hangouts and Zoom, etc. The ability to know if I'm muted and rapidly mute/unmute without needing to focus the Zoom window is clutch.
• mannyv 4y ago
  Instead of a desk chair I use one of the pottery barn wells leather swivel chairs. Perfect for sitting cross legged, with a blanket, straight upright, and good for napping. One ridiculous thing I have is an old griffin usb volume knob that glows/throbs. It’s really amusing for some reason.
• gorgoiler 4y ago
  I work at my great great grandparents kitchen table, an heirloom that has a gatefold tabletop concealing a large pocket space just underneath the surface. It has in it a power distribution board, access point, switch, various wall warts for things on the desk, and a mini pc. All housed in a beech veneer dining table. I had to raise it off the floor a couple of inches to get my legs under it — folks back then really must have been smaller — and I would 100% convert a vintage dining table into a computer desk if I needed to, in the future. It’s so much more meaningful to have a dedicated place to work in the house with all the techno crap hidden out of of sight. I eschew my laptop and really enjoy having this one special place for computer stuff.
• RichardCA 4y ago
  I don't use a camera for video conferencing. I use my last-generation mobile device with the Droidcam app. Plus a goose-neck attachment to hold it to one side of the monitor about 10-20 degrees below eye level. Better picture quality and easier to "look at" people when I'm trying to get some point across. https://www.dev47apps.com/ https://www.dev47apps.com/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MZGPMPX/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MZGPMPX/
• blakespot 4y ago
  It's not an extremely unusual peripheral, but I use a rather nontraditional display with my Mac Studio, the LG DualUp. It's a 28-inch 16:18 aspect (square-ish) display with 2560x2880 native resolution (roughly the pixel density of a "4K display"). I use it rotated (for 18:16 aspect) and I love it. For general use -- web, photos, terminal windows -- it's great, and it's perfect as a dev machine, which it also is. I'm more fond of it than any display I've used in the past. The display in my setup: https://www.flickr.com/photos/blakespot/52345176302/in/album-72177720302080369/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/blakespot/52345176302/in/album...
• ivanjermakov 4y ago
  I use ergonomic low-profile split keyboard Sweep[1]. My endgame (I hope so) keyboard after a long journey through the ergomechboard rabbit hole. If you're interesting in improving keyboard ergonomics with really custom solutions, r/ErgoMechBoards's Wiki [2] is a good place to start. [1]: https://github.com/davidphilipbarr/Sweep https://github.com/davidphilipbarr/Sweep [2]: https://www.reddit.com/r/ErgoMechKeyboards/wiki/resources https://www.reddit.com/r/ErgoMechKeyboards/wiki/resources
• weitzj 4y ago
  A kinesis Advantage 2 keyboard
• Nevermark 4y ago
  (I have worked at home my whole career, so if this seems extravagant consider it is nearly my only business expense. :) I have a 98” TV on the wall, with two 55 inch TVs in portrait orientation on each side, tilted 45 degrees toward me. It turns out, the long dimension of the 55” screens equals the short dimension of a 98” screen. So all three screens have the same height. Having huge screens on the wall means I don’t need my reading glasses, can demo easily, can look at my screen while walking around the room and thinking. It keeps my desk clear of clutter, cables etc. Wireless keyboard, track pad, mouse & headphones. Furniture is minimized with a small desk and no screen stands. Clutter and crowding silently sap my productivity. I use the two side screens to constantly show my todo’s & reminders, and messages that need responses, respectively. Otherwise for me, out of sight is out of mind. The TVs are mounted low, only 18 inches from the floor, for a comfortable seated viewing angle. also this leaves room for motivational, decorative art over the screens.
  • torabravo 4y ago
    Can you show us a photo of your setup please? Very intrigued
  • llampx 4y ago
    Sounds fascinating. Do you have a picture of the setup?
  • seydor 4y ago
    This sounds like a great 'artificial window' setup https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bv88wM6AN6Y https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bv88wM6AN6Y
  • pvillano 4y ago
    98/55=1.7818181... 16/8=1.777... Only .2% off!
    • deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
• rolph 4y ago
  multi monitors, two mice/trackball.
  • HackeNewsFan234 4y ago
    Two mice at the same time? Do you use one with your feet? Do have one for each hand? Tell us more!
    • prashp 4y ago
      Maybe one is a decoy for the cat
      • kjs3 4y ago
        Cats aren't so easily fooled...
        • a_e_k 4y ago
          Mine likes to sit behind my monitor and bat under it at my hand using the mouse.
    • rolph 4y ago
      one for each hand, it takes getting used to and i have hunch it changes you, neurologically
      • capableweb 4y ago
        Guessing you have two cursors as well? I moved the opposite way and got rid of my mouse for my desktop computer, so everything (except 3D work that is done with a drawing tablet) is done with the keyboard. Web browsing was the hardest to start doing without a mouse...
        • rolph 4y ago
          if you can run 2 drivers you will have 2. this wont work with win, you have one cursor two controls. im sure this has to do with mouse_msg being the same thing[handle] across the two meese.
• shae 4y ago
  I use a board with 32 RGB LEDs to show process status: https://github.com/shapr/bloohm https://github.com/shapr/bloohm If you ever have multiple hour long builds and/or test suites running, this is is a big help.
  • brokenmachine 4y ago
    Cool idea. > time $* && fin || die I don't know zsh, but this doesn't look escaped properly to me? Bash has so many footguns. What does the bloom filter do? Is it sort of like a hash to try to make each process show up on a different LED on the display?
    • shae 4y ago
      Also bonus feature is the LEDs that light up for the same command in the same directory are also the same LEDs. That means I can tell exactly which processes are in which status.
    • shae 4y ago
      Yes, that's exactly what it does!
• dgunay 4y ago
  I use a small USB switcher box to let me control my personal machine and my work machine at the same desk. I also use a keyboard that lets me flip a switch to change between Mac/Windows layouts. It has been very helpful to let me cleanly separate work from leisure, without having to give up the ergonomics of my desk setup. The friction to switch is low enough that I don't feel tempted to keep work related stuff on my personal machine. I used to have dual monitors, but now I use a super ultrawide 32:9 monitor. It required learning to use window managers since most OS's don't support multitasking setups like that, but I can use layouts now that I couldn't before. I also use PaperWM[1] with it and it feels particularly effective on ultrawides. [1]: https://github.com/paperwm/PaperWM https://github.com/paperwm/PaperWM
  • kvandy 4y ago
    Any advice on the USB switcher? I've had a hard time finding one that was of high enough quality to be a daily driver. I need USB3 for my webcam as well
    • dgunay 4y ago
      This is the one I use: UGREEN USB 3.0 Switch Selector 2... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6GD9JO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6GD9JO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_shar... I used a cheaper one before that but it was garbage - kept dropping inputs for a few seconds here and there.
    • j_crick 4y ago
      Been using this one for a year, no issues so far https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MVXZM9G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MVXZM9G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b... A USB hub is plugged into it, and all needed peripherals go into the hub first, including audio interface, external hard drive, printer etc.
    • deadfece 4y ago
      I use this Tripp Lite USB 3.0 switch into a powered USB 3.0 hub: https://tripplite.eaton.com/4-port-superspeed-usb-3-peripheral-sharing-switch~U359004 https://tripplite.eaton.com/4-port-superspeed-usb-3-peripher... It's solid, boring, and works perfectly. I've never had a single problem with it, even with my X570 chipset constantly doing the old USB disconnect-a-roo that it's infamous for.
• coder4life 4y ago
  Lighted USB volume knob - they're inexpensive, the large aluminum knob is on a sturdy base, can be pressed down for mute. ReMarkable2 e-ink tablet -- okay, it's a standalone device, but interfaces to the computer in cool ways (like screen sharing), and it's changed my life as far as note-taking goes
  • itake 4y ago
    Just wondering, do you have good handwriting? I love the idea of hand written notes, but while my writing is legible, it’s unpleasant on the eye.
    • hammyhavoc 4y ago
      My handwriting is crap, always has been, but I take handwritten notes at times because it is convenient and fast (sometimes), I don't take them to look easy on the eye, I take them for the utility of having taken them. Usually I'll OCR anything that needs keeping long-term and keep it digitally. Things like BuJo don't appeal to me, because it strips the practical nature of handwritten notes away in favour of making something more akin to art, and thus people become precious about their aesthetics rather than quality of note taking and ability to use their notes. Sorry, bit of rant, been trying to nail notes for a long time, but my conclusion is different tools for different tasks. Trying to compile it all in one place is a nice idea, but perhaps unrealistic for a lot of fields.
  • matthew28845 4y ago
    The ReMarkable is so tempting but so expensive. It's just hard to stomach spending $500 at a minumum for the tablet + folio + stylus when I could have an iPad (a gimped base model one, but still) for the same price
    • coder4life 4y ago
      Got mine for $279 refurb on their site, $299 new. Get a third party pen w/eraser, I think they can be had for $40. It syncs to Google Cloud
    • 4y ago
• gfd 4y ago
  Monitor arms freed up a ton of desk space. Wireless noise cancelling headphones helped with concentration. UPS saved me a couple times from losing work during power outages.
  • convolvatron 4y ago
    monitor arms are _great_. you get your desk back, plus you can really just put your monitor away, or adjust it so that two people can see it, etc.
    • causality0 4y ago
      Unless you're as anal-retentive as me and are driven insane by the slightest hint of tilt to one side or the other.
      • jedberg 4y ago
        I keep a small level attached to the top so I can tweak it level.
      • elric 4y ago
        I built my own desk, and it's ever so slightly off-level. It's .... more annoying than I would care to admit.
• JohnFen 4y ago
  I use a trackball rather than a mouse. That improves my experience a great deal more than people expect. I also use a homebrew macro keyboard. It's a 16 key keyboard with nice, clicky keys and two analog knobs. It's very convenient.
• zwayhowder 4y ago
  Left handed trackball (Elecom). Sits to the left of my Moonlander while my vertical mouse sits to the right. Not only is it convenient, as an old school Diablo player I get to tell people I duel wield. I also have a cheap X-Pen graphics tablet that I use for ‘white boarding’ on zoom calls. Almost forgot I also have a usb wireless numpad that I pair with a usb hid remapped on a pi zero to make hot keys for frequent actions.
  • mattpallissard 4y ago
    +1 on the trackball. When I travel I wind up working in all sorts of odd setups. No need to find a flat place to move a mouse. It works in tight places and uneven surfaces such as a couch.
  • anon9931 4y ago
    +1 on the left-handed trackball and right-handed vertical mouse. I don't use both together, though. My trackball is a Kensington Orbit, with scroll ring. I also have a cheap graphics tables, a Huion, for some digital painting or to help with creating software architecture diagrams.
  • Yoofie 4y ago
    +1 on graphics tablet. I got a Huion HS611. Surprisingly cheap and it becomes much easier to draw diagrams, annotate images, sign signatures, etc with your hand instead of a mouse. Highly recommended for those who need to draw, make diagrams etc.
  • deckard1 4y ago
    I have an XP-Pen as well. Works great in Linux. I'm still amazed at how high quality these non-Wacom tablets are today. I had one of those cheap 6" Wacom Graphites back in the early 2000s and that was the best you could get. My XP-Pen blows that thing away. Still haven't found a great place to put it though. I'm just stashing it off to the side but it's awkward moving it around all the time. If you're on Linux, Gromit-MPX is a great companion app to annotate anything on your desktop. https://github.com/bk138/gromit-mpx https://github.com/bk138/gromit-mpx
• aezart 4y ago
  I use a drawing tablet as a third monitor, and I use a USB numpad so that I can shove it out of the way when I don't need it (I basically only use it for blender).
  • Arrath 4y ago
    For quite a while I used the Logitech G13 in the way you describe using the usb numpad. Just a big block of extra hotkeys when I was in different software. https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-G13-Programmable-Gameboard-Display/dp/B001NEK2GE https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-G13-Programmable-Gameboard-D...
• ja27 4y ago
  I wouldn't have thought they were lesser-known, but I've been surprised how many people don't know about today's cheap portable external monitors. They're essentially laptop panels with a USB-C+HDMI board. $100-$150-ish and easily found in 15.6" and 13-14", 1080p or 2K. All the ones I've tried have 2 USB-C ports, mini-HDMI, and speakers. This all depends on what USB-C ports your machine actually has and the right USB-C cables, but a single cable can do power and display from the laptop. Or plug the monitor into USB-C PD source and the same cable will charge the laptop and run the monitor. Mine even has a third USB-C "OTG" port for USB 2.0 speed devices. Good for a second screen on the go or debugging single board computers.
  • sotix 4y ago
    I’m surprised no one has mentioned repurposed iPad screens[0]. I just received mine, and it’s fairly nice given the price. It uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, but that’s fine for secondary content when working on my laptop. It also works great for retro gaming as indicated in the link I shared. I only wish it were in the original iPad case and I could use an iPad stand. As it is, it’s housed in a photo frame with cutouts for the new buttons. I selected the USB C option for mine, which is how I connect it to my laptop. Very happy for $80. [0] https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?t=3373 https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?t=3373
  • KenArrari 4y ago
    A lot of tablets also let you use them as second screens!
  • hurflmurfl 4y ago
    For people complaining about ASUS offering - it did look bad on paper with it's crappy latency and even crappier brightness, so I never pulled trigger on one. I did find some decent options on Ali Express, though. Got 2 monitors from there - one 15 inch and one 17 inch. Both run in 2k 120Hz. Brightness is OK, never had a problem in a brightly lit room, but I have not tried them out in the sun, like for "working on the beach" type of situation. When not traveling, I use the smaller one on a VESA arm (the smaller one has screw holes) in vertical orientation for extra screen space next to my 4k larger monitor. And I use the larger portable monitor for sheet music on my piano (connected to Raspberry Pi). Ordered both from "HDHIFI Store", pretty happy so far.
• pabloescobyte 4y ago
  Lesser-known keyboards: I use a small 40% (45-key keyboard) or an ortholinear keyboard for my daily work. On both I have layers for a built-in Numpad, mouse keys (for controlling the mouse cursor without taking my hand off the keyboard), shortcuts for working with text (selecting an entire line, copying and pasting, etc) and various other finger- and wrist-saving shortcuts that help me ward off the likelihood of RSI. I had a wrist injury in the past and it had a big impact on my productivity as a tech worker so using these small compact keyboards is a real godsend. Everything I need is literally just one key away from another--no more stretching or contorting my hands and fingers to do CTRL+ALT+DELETE or CTRL+SHIFT+F5 for example. The 40% keyboard can be used as a daily driver but the ortholinear keyboard is my go-to since it's perfect for both work and play.
  • edanm 4y ago
    What keyboards are they?
• hot_gril 4y ago
  I use a laptop with zero accessories, which is unusual in of itself for SWE.
  • pedrogpimenta 4y ago
    I have been doing that for years as a nomad of sorts, but it kills your back. I recently bought a small keyboard so I can get a better posture and I recommend you so the same.
    • hot_gril 4y ago
      Hmm, I might do that. It's been a year since I ditched my desk. Though my 16" MBP screen is big enough that it feels almost like a desk monitor.
  • ornornor 4y ago
    It’s not that unusual for a young SWE. If you keep this up though, your wrists, neck, and back will make you pay for it in a few years.
• cmpalmer52 4y ago
  I use a 60% keyboard that doesn’t even have dedicated arrow keys. My caps-lock is configured as the Fn key and, when it’s held down, the JKLI letters are the arrow keys. This (and other macros) are actually really convenient when you get used to them. Unfortunately, it’s hard for me to type on “normal” keyboards because when I end up tiYping thinks like that. My keyboard is a Mistel MD600 split. My favorite unusual accessory is a little 9 key mechanical auxiliary keyboard. I programmed it to be my debug keyboard with all of key combos for my IDEs debugger - run, stop, pause, next, step over/into, set breakpoints, etc. it saves a lot of time (or seems like it does).
  • fomine3 4y ago
    As who use 75% keyboard with QMK, I use both dedicated and hjkl mapped arrow keys. I don't understand why so many people love smaller keyboards for that reason.
  • 21eleven 4y ago
    I have done the JKLI to arrows thing too (well HJKL for me), huge quality of life improvement.
  • Krisjohn 4y ago
    I have a 60% without arrow keys and I really miss them. I think in part because the built-in Fn arrow functionality on that keyboard is UJHK (Up-Down-Left-Right). If it's not vi's KJHL (Up-Down-Left-Right), I can never remember it. My daily driver is a 60% with arrow keys - The CoolerMaster SK622. I tried some larger Fekir ones wit arrow keys and function keys, but I find it better to have a smaller keyboard and a Stream Deck. I moved down from a Logitech G19 to the current configuration. The ergonomics are much better with a smaller keyboard if your desk space is limited.
  • ecliptik 4y ago
    I have a similar setup with QMK. Where holding down the space bar with my thumb switches to the NAV layer and hjkl become arrow keys and other keys functions change too, like m and n to PGDN and PGUP. Agree it is difficult at first switching back to a "normal" keyboard.
  • 4y ago
• shaftway 4y ago
  I use my monitors in portrait mode. Some tools aren't great with it, but when I'm editing a doc it's amazing to be able to see two whole sheets of paper-worth of text.
• darken 4y ago
  Laptop arm -- basically a clamped monitor arm with a laptop tray instead of VESA mount. That combined with a USB-C dock and another monitor on an arm. I can quickly dock laptop and keep all my desk space.
  • nickthegreek 4y ago
    I just got one of these last week that has a second arm for my external and I am enjoying it. It really opened up my desk.
• jexp 4y ago
  Luna Display for wirelessly extending screen to ipad and teleprompter.
• guhcampos 4y ago
  I don't really use it - yet - but I have been quite interested in the concept of pedals. Some people use them to mute/unmute calls, turn caps lock on and off and even to switch between Vim modes, which is quite nice. For me, I hope it would also help me quiet my legs a little bit and keep me in an upright posture, avoiding me crossing my legs for instance.
  • zwayhowder 4y ago
    When I had a normal chair I had a 3 pedal set under my desk. It was awesome. Especially handy in gaming to have keys mapped to thinks like Heal
• genmud 4y ago
  I use a 3d mouse when I do CAD work... Its pretty nice, but takes a bit to get used to.
• romanhn 4y ago
  After working for almost 3 years with a barebones work-from-home setup (standup desk + laptop), I finally invested recently in some equipment to improve upon my crappy laptop camera and a room with little natural light. The difference in my video call quality is night and day. This is what I got: - A key light (Godox ES45) to throw a bunch of bright, natural white light at my face. Attached to the desk and positioned tilted above my head so that it doesn't blind me. I don't notice it when it's on. - A mic (Razer Seiren Mini) on a boom arm attached to the desk, positioned above my face, just out of the camera's sight. Nice, clean sound. Would sound even better if I were speaking directly into it, but I don't like having the mic visible. - Repurposed an old mirrorless camera (Sony RX100 III) into a webcam for that sweet HD quality. Way better than any of the webcams out there. Needed to buy a cam link 4K card and connect it via a MicroHDMI <-> HDMI cable. Required a dummy battery kit to connect to AC and some setting tweaking, but it works beautifully. Connected the camera to the key light stand with a clamp mount.
  • gannonburgett 4y ago
    Unfortunately the RX100MIII isn’t supported, but the Mark IV and over 30 other Sony cameras work with its [Imaging Edge Webcam utility](https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/webcam/en/ https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/webcam/en/) so you can use the camera directly as a webcam without the need for a capture card or HDMI cable.
    • romanhn 4y ago
      That's right, this was a bummer to find out
    • pimlottc 4y ago
      I tried using this for a while on my Mac and while it generally works, it just wasn’t reliable enough. Sometimes the camera wouldn’t turn on automatically or it would claim to be in use by another process. It’s also not supported in all programs, and even when it is, it can be a pain to switch cameras due to UI annoyances. In short, your webcam is one of those things that really needs to work 100% or it’ll end up causing problems at exactly the wrong time. No one wants to have to fiddle with the camera during an important meeting.
• fomine3 4y ago
  I'll never buy a new non-split keyboard
  • anon9931 4y ago
    I've been using the Microsoft Natural series keyboards for years. Split, and ergonomic.
  • cduzz 4y ago
    Windows works fine if you just plug 2 keyboards into it. Left hand on one keyboard, right hand on the other; works exactly as if you had one keyboard. Uses a bit more desk space but way cheaper and super easy to manage in an office setting. I only recently tested this out on a mac and was sad to see that shift/ctl/buckey on one keyboard didn't affect keys on the other keyboard. Probably not worth opening a bug with them.
    • WWLink 4y ago
      And if you take a sawzall to it, you can get rid of the unnecessary part to save desk space! :D
      • cduzz 4y ago
        I've found that the "dedicated" split keyboards don't necessarily have a comfortable distance in the split. The two keyboards end up about about a body width apart especially if I use a standing desk. These days I use an old M4-1 keyboard (first gen thinkpad keyboard / trackpoint in a standalone keyboard) because I just don't type as much as I used to and I value the desk space.
• steponlego 4y ago
  Lap desk for my laptop. It's really the way to go.
  • monroewalker 4y ago
    Which one did you get?
    • steponlego 4y ago
      The black one with a pen holder!
• forgotmypw17 4y ago
  I wouldn't call it lesser-known, but I tend to use a full-size standard 104-key keyboard with my laptop. It's nice to be able to reach all the keys by feel and to have all those extra keys like Page Up and Page Down, etc. available without having to use a modifier.
  • a_e_k 4y ago
    I like my tenkeyless for that. Slightly more compact than a full-size, but still has PgUp and PgDn and such, and in the right place.
    • forgotmypw17 4y ago
      I rarely use the numpad, but I generally stick to salvage equipment, so standard is what I get. :)
• rr808 4y ago
  Audio Interface which I plug XLR mics into. I use a shotgun mic (Deity S-MIC 2S) so dont have a stupid boom in your face like most podcasters.
  • chowells 4y ago
    Don't forget that most audio interfaces also let you hook up a good pair of studio monitors for output. (And there are compatible subwoofers as well, if you really want more bass.) Mine also has a headphone jack and independent analog volume controls for speakers and headphones. It's amazingly nice to not worry about the operating system switching audio devices properly on headphone connect/disconnect.
  • papandada 4y ago
    I hide the boom pretty well out of sight but it nags at me. I looked into shotgun mics but there seemed to be a lot of advice to avoid using indoors because of comb filtering. Have you noticed that?
    • rr808 4y ago
      Honestly I haven't analyzed detail of what it sounds like, its mostly for online calls. My mic is shorter than most shotguns, I think the longer ones might have more issues.
• bdkoepke 4y ago
  External dedicated GPU enclosure. Turns a Thunderbolt-3 laptop into a workstation for CAD & AI workflows.
  • kinow 4y ago
    I love my old Thinkpad, but its old nvidia is not enough for blender. How's the performance of your setup? Could you share the exact model & gpu you are using?
  • arvinsim 4y ago
    Shame that Apple Silicon Macbooks are not able to take advantage of dedicated GPUs.
• rationalist 4y ago
  I was going to joke and say a cup holder (one company actually made a legitimate cup holder that fit in a 5.25" bay back in the '90s or so), but when researching for this comment, I discovered there are actual modern cup holder products that either clamp or magnetically attach to desks or other surfaces now.
  • Aardwolf 4y ago
    I remember long ago a file "cupholder.exe" for windows, which when executed would open the CD ROM tray
    • rationalist 4y ago
      In high school, we had computers with Windows and individual logins. When people weren't looking, I would copy over a file I made to their startup folder that would wait a random amount of time before opening the CD tray. It was great.
• lylejantzi3rd 4y ago
  Keyboard with a left handed number pad and a thumb trackball to the right. The keyboard is a bloody light strike optical gaming keyboard. The trackball has macros set to open a new tab, close a tab, and to use the ball to scroll when you hold down the right mouse button.
• Mengkudulangsat 4y ago
  I have multiple of these boom arms [1] clamped all around my desk. Great for things that require frequent fiddling (webcams / mics / lighting) https://www.ulanzi.com/collections/desk-set-up/products/vijim-ls01-desktop-extendable-light-stand https://www.ulanzi.com/collections/desk-set-up/products/viji...
  • convolvatron 4y ago
    I do the same with 1/4" brass or stainless rod..you can make little clamps to attach them to a desk or an item by drilling and tapping a screw. to attach to the rod, drill a 1/4" hole, and a perpendicular one which you tap. all easily obtainable at a generic hardware store and requiring only a hand drill
    • lookdangerous 4y ago
      Got a picture? Sounds cool
• guilhas 4y ago
  HP E273d monitor with an HP S101 Supports both a desktop USB-B and a USB-C laptop with PD, with auto switch Has built-in camera
• Our_Benefactors 4y ago
  Here’s an actual lesser known accessory: a mouse bungee. It is a small weighted disc with a spring arm that holds the mouse cord up and away from the mousepad. I don’t like the lag, connectivity, and battery issues of wireless mice, this fixes all of that! It feels _better_ than a wireless mouse, because it has no wires in the way also with zero lag.
  • rldjbpin 4y ago
    as a person who knew about this because of its gaming background, nowadays (as the others pointed out) a wireless gaming mouse is good enough to bypass the issue altogether. unless you like a lot of buttons or specific ergonomics for your mouse, give them a try!
  • aceazzameen 4y ago
    I've used a black binder clip to do just that for a long time. I'd route the cord through the silver clips and pinch the main black clip on whatever was above my mouse pad.
  • kgwxd 4y ago
    I don't use a mouse pad but I taped the wire to the top of my desk with a just enough slack to cover my typical range of motion so it doesn't slide behind the desk when I move up, causing drag when moving back down.
    • kenhwang 4y ago
      I'm laughing because I did the same thing. Just a loop made with tape so the cord doesn't stick to the tape and then taped somewhere slightly higher. But mouse bungees are cute, so I might upgrade and retire my tape solution.
  • riceart 4y ago
    There’s essentially no lag in a dedicated wireless receiver mouse - the additional latency is dwarfed by the baseline latency of the hardware and software. https://www.rtings.com/mouse/tests/control/latency https://www.rtings.com/mouse/tests/control/latency Yes connectivity issues can be a problem in certain environments but luckily this has usually not been a problem with receivers not in close proximity to interference, including USB3. Battery wise I have had cheapie mouses that last months on a pair of batteries and expensive mice like the Mx master that are pretty no fuss recharging. But you do you with the mouse bungee cord :).
• SoftTalker 4y ago
  I use a Thinkpad keyboard with a track point mouse. So nice to not have to move my hands off the keyboard to move the mouse.
  • causality0 4y ago
    Except for their damnable placement of Fn where Ctrl should be.
    • SoftTalker 4y ago
      I'm one of those weirdos who remaps Caps Lock to Ctrl. Really cuts down on the hand contortions when using emacs.
    • oefnak 4y ago
      You can change that in the bios.
      • IYasha 4y ago
        Yeah, I did that. But I'm not sure now if that was that necessary - sometimes fingers slip to the nearby Ctrl key.
      • causi 4y ago
        Not on the Thinkpad Trackpoint Keyboard II.
• bloodyplonker22 4y ago
  I built one of those custom mechanical keyboards with some "fancy linear switches", but I am not a fan of the mechanical keyboard enthusiast community because it is so sanctimonious, elitist, and close minded.
  • SethKinast 4y ago
    I feel like this sort of broad-brush can be applied to almost all communities larger than a trivial size. Guns, cars, collectibles. There are pockets of elitism where people are comfortable in their insular group and use it as a status symbol. But there are plenty of welcoming subgroups; it's just that they may take a little digging. For keyboards, RGBKB, customMK, and Zenclack have been some of my favorite little Discord communities.
    • tehnub 4y ago
      Agreed. I also like the BastardKB community, and happily own one of the keyboards: https://bastardkb.com/ https://bastardkb.com/.
• sleepybrett 4y ago
  Kinesis Advantage 360 pro. Apple magic trackpad. Savant Elite2 Triple Foot pedal. Left Click, Right Click, ESC.. currently. Still playing with them. IPEVO DO-CAM USB document camera, doubles as my face camera, but I do a lot of 'whiteboard' sketches on paper which I later translate to lucid if it needs to be kept.
  • xupybd 4y ago
    I use and Advantage but have not tried the 360. How do you find it? Have you used the older models to give a comparison?
    • sleepybrett 4y ago
      I have two advantage 1s and two advantage twos. All are modified with either the blue-wizard board or the tint (or predecessor) boards as well as other mods (sound dampening, switch swaps). All but the blue-wizard runs QMK. I've been using this line of keyboards for over 20 years at this point. The 360 is quite nice with a few caveats. 1) the split is excellent, the extra buttons are great. 2) the backlight is kinda pointless, I have it off, why waste the battery. I don't understand why they didn't put it in the non-pro... BOM price i'd guess. 3) I got the palm rests, they are comfortable and kinda a little leatherette material so they won't get gooped up as badly as the old advantage 2 cloth pads. 4) the keycaps that come with it are SHIT. Buy the PBT caps with it, or do like i did and buy them two days after you get your keyboard.. Even the the home row is shit if you are used the adv1/2. I took the homerow off of one of my original advantages and put it on the pro. You might be able to swap all the caps over, but there are a few extra keys on the 360 series that it won't cover, and some of the legends will be wrong. 5) The adjustable tenting is nice but somewhat limited, it has essentially three settings. 6) It certainly sounds better, not the hollow of the adv1/2 (which i stuffed with foam to suppress). 7) You might want to buy from upgrade keyboards unless you are ok with browns. I haven't opened it up to see how hard it would be to do a desolder/switch swap. Brown are ok for me, but I do enjoy my adv2 with silent reds.
    • monroewalker 4y ago
      I also bought the 360 and I love it! Haven't once thought about going back to the Kinesis Advantage I was using before it. I went with the wired / non-pro version since I've had too many bluetooth issues with peripherals to trust that it wasn't going to be an issue. Sure enough, I asked on the subreddit and some others have reported connection issues or flakiness. The only issue I've had with it is that sometimes my laptop doesn't receive any input so I have to unplug the keyboard and plug it back in. This could just be due to my setup and unrelated to the keyboard, but I didn't have that issue before. The magnetic snap-on wrist pads are really nice. They snap perfectly into place and haven't moved unless I want them to. The keyboard overall feels solid and ergonomic
• me-vs-cat 4y ago
  VR headset, swivel chair, and 270° of screens. What's bigger than ultra-wide? I use both a Quest 2 (running Immersed on Linux) and a Valve Index (running Virtual Desktop on Windows).
  • Turskarama 4y ago
    Bigger, yes, but much lower resolution.
    • me-vs-cat 4y ago
      Both higher and lower resolution, since resolution can colloquially mean either pixel count or pixel size. I have more pixels available since rotating my view reveals more screen space, yet all of that screen space is at less pixels-per-degree. For some, less PPD is intolerable. What I have works for me most of the time.
    • vxNsr 4y ago
      Yea, I've been really temped to try something like this for travel but I don't wanna spend the $500 for potential disappointment, what is the real resolution?
      • me-vs-cat 4y ago
        If you're interested in VR in general, the Quest 2 is a great option today. However, I can't recommend any current option specifically as a monitor replacement when traveling. https://simulavr.com/ https://simulavr.com/ will be interesting, when it eventually becomes available.
      • faeyanpiraat 4y ago
        The resolution is: [disappointing × disappointing]
      • Turskarama 4y ago
        The oculus quest 2 has a resolution of 1,832 x 1920. If the virtual screen takes up half your field of view (usually it will be less, even if it looks big in your field of view) then it might be effectively 900x1000, but then you have to keep in mind that none of your screens sharpening tricks are in effect, so it looks even lower.
• idontwantthis 4y ago
  I recently ditched my external monitor and I’m finding myself less distracted. 16 inch MacBook Pro screen is all I really need. Anyone else prefer working with minimal peripherals?
  • ja27 4y ago
    That's me. I definitely feel like I focus better with a single display and not having things like Slack, Spotify, etc. visible. The 16" MBP is about the minimum screen space I like.
  • kps 4y ago
    Honestly, it baffles me how people can do this. I would typically have four working windows across a pair of monitors: one for the current primary code file, one for its interfaces (header file), one for its unit tests, one for documentation. Similarly I resent the loss of 16:10 or taller monitors — I want those extra few lines of context. Now, there was a time long long ago when I could work with a single 80x24 screen. But then I had a huge L-shaped desk with one printed listing for the current primary code file, one for its interfaces (header file), one for its unit tests (who am I kidding), one for documentation.
  • joshfee 4y ago
    This is much worse for posture though. I much prefer having a monitor that is elevated so that when I sit up straight it is directly in front of me
    • idontwantthis 4y ago
      I do put it on a stand and use a Magic Keyboard and trackpad.
      • arvinsim 4y ago
        Tried it but the viewing distance makes it too small for me.
    • kitsunesoba 4y ago
• habosa 4y ago
  Wired headphones. I’ve never had to start a meeting by trying to mess with my audio settings, or had to think about charging another battery.
  • kimburgess 4y ago
    I’ll add moderately high quality mic to this. If you’re spending a lot of working hours on calls, putting the resources into providing clear, intelligible voice for the people you’re working with will definitely be appreciated.
    • massysett 4y ago
      I have a Plantronics (now Polycom, or Poly?) wired headset. Makes me look like a call center worker but the audio and mic are great quality. Sometimes I’m on a call and can’t hear someone well over the bad speakers I have in my monitor. The headset always clears it up.
      • kimburgess 4y ago
        > now Polycom, or Poly? HP: https://press.hp.com/us/en/press-releases/2022/hp-inc-to-acquire-poly.html https://press.hp.com/us/en/press-releases/2022/hp-inc-to-acq...
    • esafak 4y ago
      Like what?
      • ianburrell 4y ago
        I like V-Mode BoomPro which is boom mic that connects to any headphones.
      • kimburgess 4y ago
        For my personal setup: Rode NT-USB Mini (https://rode.com/en/microphones/usb/nt-usb-mini https://rode.com/en/microphones/usb/nt-usb-mini). It also give me a physical volume control for attached headphones.
• hipplec 4y ago
  I have a heating pad under my keyboard which keeps my hands warm in the winter. Was like $20 on amazon, and I can't even begin to describe how amazing it is, since I was really tired of always having a mug of hot water / tea / coffee to hold and didn't want to keep the heat on my house super high when I could just wear a sweatshirt and be fine except my fingers.
  • rymawby 4y ago
    This is a genius idea. I’ve been using fingerless gloves. Is there anything in particular to look for when buying one?
    • andrenotgiant 4y ago
      I used this one through this winter and it worked fine: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09C5LQ86D/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09C5LQ86D/ I'd just look for what people say in the bad reviews. I generally use mine on the lowest temps, 80 or 90. I don't know what kind of maniac would use them at the higher temps. Every time I turn it on I have to press the button to cycle through the temperatures, a mild annoyance but NBD. It automatically turns off after a few hours which is a feature, not a bug. It used to be that I'd sit down at my desk and my hands would never warm up, now they warm up from the mat and stay warm even after the thing turns off.
      • rektide 4y ago
        That is a much bigger pad than what I've used! Wow. That's amazing. I've used a oversized body wrap pad (120V input) and a 24V pad with wall-wart designed for mini-green-house seed planters. The former was comfortable & wrapped in soft, but wasn't a great mousing surface. I do want to point out: in my experience, these are nice for the arm, but notably the keyboard and mouse never really warmed up very much, both remained a bit chill, back when I was in a fairly un-warm draft-y room. It was still really nice to have, but my hands could remain kind of chill, I'd still keep on my nice fingerless gloves. Still, a great addition.
      • j45 4y ago
• aceazzameen 4y ago
  I have a Roccat Vulcan 120 RGB keyboard which has a sweet volume knob on it. Don't use the software that comes with it though. I use Project Aurora[1] to control the lights on the keys. I'm able to program color/fx/animation per key per program that has focus. It's useful if you have new software or a game you're not used to. For example, you can highlight all the relevant keys to help you memorize them. But mainly I use it to play an audio waveform of any music that's playing. And highlight caps lock whenever it's on. [1]: https://www.project-aurora.com/ https://www.project-aurora.com/
• rektide 4y ago
  "Tryone" Gooseneck tablet holder to hold my Linux-running x86 2-in-1 tablet. I get like 2 people a week asking me what the fuck this is and how they can get one ASAP. Unbeatable ergonomics at any place; your screen where you want it. Paired with a Lenovo Thinkpad Trackpoint BT keyboard, and sometimes a mouse. Gas-spring monitor mounts are well known by now. I semi-recently hacked together a wall mount gas spring arm & am surprised how much more flexibility & space going from desk mount (first clamp then through-hole) arm to wall-mount gave me; better range of motion, zero desk-space is amazing. I used to dearly love my Griffin PowerMate jog-wheel for volume control. I really wanted to create a morse-code system for it & got quite far but stopped 50% of the way through. But still, jog-wheels are lovely devices. I'm on split keyboards now but I love so much the old Logitech MX keyboards that I had that also had big job-wheels & media-buttons; having on-tap control over devices was so nice. AtomCube RX1 (now RX7) has a pretty nice battery-powered videography light that also works great as my key light. I hope one day to figure out how to reverse engineer the bluetooth control protocol for it, but haven't started digging in to how to intercept/reverse engineer the Android app. I also really dig the very cheap the Aputure AL-M9 deck-of-card sized light that works great with my camera; just so versatile a light & imminently affordable. Fiber optic displayport/hdmi cable. I used to use a 50ft 1080p hdmi cable & some active USB extension cables to put my computer in the hallway or bathroom, connected to a separate terminal, so I could have a no-noise environment. Now, my AIO coolermaster watercooled computer is quite quiet. But there are some very cheap fiber optic cables of up-to literally hundreds-of-feet of length for incredibly cheap prices. The no-name brands seem to work fine. Now I can play games on my roof just fine, thanks to these absurd cheap luxury devices. I've tested up to my gaming monitor's 1440p170 and they work great. A $20 HDMI<->USB "MS2130" converter for plugging in my cameras as webcams. Present as standard usb-video devices. Alas the frelling monsters making Android phones still don't include the kernel module to support these; how very badly I want to be able to use my phone to control & connect to my cameras, but nooo. Tick the kernel module box on for usb-video, you jerks! ElecJet Ultra is the most interesting battery pack I have. It's only 10k mAh- <40WHr- which is low capacity. But it charges at 100W across a huge part of the charging curve. This makes it an idea travel unit: wherever I am, I can accept wall power at 100W. That's 3x the rate my laptop accepts. I have some ZMI 20k (mAh) Pro packs that I adore as my mainstay everyday travel units, lots of juice, very compact, nice usb-hub features, but they only charge at 45W, or a ~2hr+ charge time. Being able to get a fully charged pack in ~30 minutes is incredibly useful if I'm on the go & trying to keep a couple devices charged. That said, I often have two ZMI Pro packs, and my multi-output charger will do 90W into both packs, and thus the ElecJet often stays at home. It's still a rare noteable gem of a device to me.
• klyrs 4y ago
  A document camera. Just an ordinary webcam, but pointed straight down at a blotter. It's much nicer than all of the "whiteboard" options I've tried.
  • kimburgess 4y ago
    For home use, Logitech have just recently released a webcam for this: https://www.logitech.com/products/webcams/brio-500-webcam.html https://www.logitech.com/products/webcams/brio-500-webcam.ht.... Built in tilt stand and an internal vertical image flip when pointed down. For commercial setups (or personal use where money is no object): https://wolfvision.com/en/products/vz-c6 https://wolfvision.com/en/products/vz-c6.
  • ramg 4y ago
    What is the camera mounted on? Do you have a picture of the setup?
    • klyrs 4y ago
      It's on a springy swing arm from a decapitated lamp. Googling for "camera swing arm" brings up a few images and products that look better than my hackjob.
    • ciberado 4y ago
      I'm using a simple support arm[1]. It is not even a camera, as I mounted a smartphone running a remote webcam app[2]. [1] https://www.amazon.com/OXENDURE-Webcam-Stand/dp/B07RNHZYGW https://www.amazon.com/OXENDURE-Webcam-Stand/dp/B07RNHZYGW (look for a cheaper vendor) [2] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pas.webcam&hl=es&gl=US https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pas.webcam...
    • ninjin 4y ago
      Most document cameras come with their own stand. I have an IPEVO VZ-R [1], which you can route through your capture card with an HDMI switch if you already have that kind of setup. Being able to draw on a piece of paper to explain a concept feels amazing compared to whatever drawing tools one otherwise would have in software. [1]: https://www.ipevo.com/products/vz-r https://www.ipevo.com/products/vz-r
• wrbishop 4y ago
  kensington expert mouse trackball Cloud Nine Ergonomic illuminated keyboard with Cherry mechanical keys
• pama 4y ago
  Not much is less known in the tech world, so I use as a dock the CalDigit TS3 Plus, connected to two external mechanical keyboards, the blue yeti mic with wired headphones, a Logitech MX vertical mouse, and a huge monitor with a simple ring light and a webcam on top. My favorite headphones throughout the pandemic were the Drop THX pandas, but they broke a month ago and I haven’t fixed them yet, so now I use the Monolith M1060C.
  • deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  • qwerpy 4y ago
    I got that thunderbolt dock for my work MacBook, and now that I own a steam deck I wish I had gotten a USBC hub instead. The dock is great, just doesn’t work with the steam deck, so I can’t swap devices quickly.
    • roxgib 4y ago
      I have a Stream Deck XL connected to the TS3, seems to work fine (although I'm using BetterTouchTool to power it rather than the default software)
    • kitsunesoba 4y ago
      I'm guessing it's a TB3 dock? TB4 docks usually work with USB as well.
  • tehnub 4y ago
    >two external mechanical keyboards How do you make use of two keyboards?
    • arvinsim 4y ago
      Actually I am thinking if we one could use 2 keyboards to have a makeshift "split" keyboard setup.
      • 4y ago
• abeyer 4y ago
  A speakerphone box for meetings. Good audio both ways, while much more comfortable than having a headset on all day when the meeting schedule gets out of hand, and has a hardware mute button and indicator.
• rootusrootus 4y ago
  During colder weather I use a heated water bottle under my feet. Warms me up and keeps my fingers from getting stiff.
• Awelton 4y ago
  A 3d mouse for modeling, and a second ten key on the left side of my 3d mouse so I can enter dimensions while my hand is still on the regular mouse.
• rgoulter 4y ago
  I think the most significant keyboard feature is "small spacebar". Most keyboards have a spacebar which is the size of 5 or more keys. It's more convenient if this very wide key gets replaced with Esc, Tab, Space, Backspace, Enter. (Which saves the pinky from having to reach for those keys). For better or worse, keyboards which do follow this "no large spacebar" approach then tend to have other design improvements: e.g. the columns will be aligned, & not have the asymmetric row-stagger that normal keyboards have; or they'll be split keyboards (like ZSA's moonlander). -- Many will also opt to have fewer keys, so that layers can be leveraged to allow for a smaller keyboard.
  • shortrounddev 4y ago
    I just checked on my own hand; I think I only use my pinky to hit Enter. Other keys: Esc - Left Middle Finger Tab - Left Ring Finger Space - Either thumb, but usually right thumb Backspace - Right ring finger Enter - Right Pinky I do use my left pinky for shift and caps lock though
    • rgoulter 4y ago
      Sure, but it's quite a reach to hit Esc where it is. You either need to move your hand, or to really stretch the fingers. With more thumb keys, it's much easier to have access to these keys with hands rested on home row.
      • shortrounddev 4y ago
        Escape isn't a key I find myself using very often. I think I probably just lift my hand up off the keyboard since it's used so infrequently.
• sourcecodeplz 4y ago
  A compact radio.
• deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
• jodrellblank 4y ago
  Sadly, not much. The Datahands[1] are long gone. The keyboards I bought for their n-key rollover for Plover[2] are there but I can’t stenography. The Cykey chording keyboard[3] gone I think. The software I made to use a normal keyboard as chording input like that, unused. https://talonvoice.com/ https://talonvoice.com/ free edition couldn’t make any sense of my accent I think. The webcam from when multitouch was new and could be done in software with the shadows of your hand on paper and camera, I still have but don’t use. The Remarkable tablet and pen mostly unused. Going back a lot further the infra red receiver and software to use a standard TV style remote control, nope. I never got the Griffin PowerMate or the Leap motion or the new LED button boards aimed at streamers. Just AutoHotkey survives. And it’s sad, computers could be so much more but I guess I don’t have much use for anything else. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DataHand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DataHand [2] http://www.openstenoproject.org/plover/ http://www.openstenoproject.org/plover/ [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CyKey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CyKey
  • kjs3 4y ago
    I like my USB Griffin PowerMate. Shame Griffin basically dropped all support for it.
  • argiopetech 4y ago
    Have you considered ASETNIOP [0]? It offers stationary hands benefits like Datahands or Cykey without the complexities of full-blown steno. G Heavy Industries formerly built the Ginny, a keyboard designed to run ASETNIOP out of the box, but the owner appears to have had a rough few years and shuttered the business. A possible alternative to a used Ginny might be this open source system [1]. Still working on my steno (with a StenoMod). It's taken some time, but I'm finally at the point where I can derive more satisfaction from success than my aggravation due to lack of speed. [0] https://asetniop.com/ https://asetniop.com/ [1] https://github.com/kbjunky/Chordie https://github.com/kbjunky/Chordie
• DanHulton 4y ago
  - Dygma Raise split keyboard (https://dygma.com/ https://dygma.com/) with IJKL + a layer key mapped to arrow keys, similar to some other folks on here have set up. Massively improved my posture. - MuteMe physical mute button (https://muteme.com/ https://muteme.com/). No longer need to have to dig through windows to find the Zoom window to un-mute when I want to speak, but I have to look at another window.
• kinnth 4y ago
  Caldigit TSM3 - It's a usb hub + all sorts of other cables connect into it. You can then connect one cable to your mac and have everything boot up each time you reach your desk. It's expensive but worth it.
  • kitsunesoba 4y ago
    Have used the TS3 in the past and have since upgraded to the TS4, and yeah it's solid. Much better than your average USB-C port expander thing. With an additional Thunderbolt cable serves nicely as a KVM-on-a-budget, which is what I've been doing since I've started working from home — swapping one cable switches my whole desk setup between my work/personal machines.
  • roxgib 4y ago
    I got one of these recently, it's great. If you don't have too many peripherals you can achieve the same thing with a USB-C hub, but the TB ones obviously have the bandwidth you need for multiple monitors etc.
• anotherlab 4y ago
  UPS that can run my PC, monitors, USB hub for 10-30 minutes. I rarely have power outages, but when I do have one it's a non-event Cheap boom arm for the webcam. Stream Deck makes it was to quickly control audio and lights and aps Tourbox makes it easy to edit video Elgato Keylight Airs for video calls Neumi powered speakers. Corsair K100 keyboard. I love the feel and being able to disabled the capslock key Logitech MX Vertical mouse. I hate using any other mouse at this point Syba Sonic USB DAC. Better audio to the headphones plus a big volume knob Jabra Evolve2 30 wired headset. They are comfortable and I don't need to charge them. Since they are USB-C, I can plug them into my phone for longer calls. Audio-Technica ATH M50 headphones. When I want to listen or work on video. Under the desk headphone mount. The convenience of being able to quickly grab either headset without having to look away Desktop mat from drop.com. It looks better and it's another layer of padding for your hand. ErgoFoam Adjustable Foot Rest. It makes my feet happy Steelcase Leap chair. Spend the money on a good chair. Your back will thank you STEALTHO Office Chair Caster Wheels Set. Replace the wheels of your office chair with polyurethane wheels and skateboard quality bearings. Amazon Echo Show 5. It's a desktop clock and a display for the doorbell camera.
  • CameronNemo 4y ago
    Can you please reformat this comment it is really hard to read.
    • selcuka 4y ago
      [flagged]
    • Cyphase 4y ago
      Sometimes people forget that you need two newlines to break text into paragraphs on HN. I opened the browser inspector and copied the raw text, which still has the single newlines, then doubled the newlines. --- UPS that can run my PC, monitors, USB hub for 10-30 minutes. I rarely have power outages, but when I do have one it's a non-event Cheap boom arm for the webcam. Stream Deck makes it was to quickly control audio and lights and aps Tourbox makes it easy to edit video Elgato Keylight Airs for video calls Neumi powered speakers. Corsair K100 keyboard. I love the feel and being able to disabled the capslock key Logitech MX Vertical mouse. I hate using any other mouse at this point Syba Sonic USB DAC. Better audio to the headphones plus a big volume knob Jabra Evolve2 30 wired headset. They are comfortable and I don't need to charge them. Since they are USB-C, I can plug them into my phone for longer calls. Audio-Technica ATH M50 headphones. When I want to listen or work on video. Under the desk headphone mount. The convenience of being able to quickly grab either headset without having to look away Desktop mat from drop.com. It looks better and it's another layer of padding for your hand. ErgoFoam Adjustable Foot Rest. It makes my feet happy Steelcase Leap chair. Spend the money on a good chair. Your back will thank you STEALTHO Office Chair Caster Wheels Set. Replace the wheels of your office chair with polyurethane wheels and skateboard quality bearings. Amazon Echo Show 5. It's a desktop clock and a display for the doorbell camera.
• King-Aaron 4y ago
  I've got a Yamaha RX-V863 running to some very nice custom built monitors I put together for the stereo channels, and just some yamaha 5.1 component speakers for the rest of my home office. Nothing sucks more than having to listen to crap music while you're working.
  • jay_kyburz 4y ago
    I had a giant Yamaha receiver under my desk for about 15 years, but not long ago I lost all sound out of the right channel. I couldn't bring myself to buy a new one so I have this tiny Fosi Audio amp on my desk now. Works fine, takes up a lot less space, powers the same passive speakers.
• xupybd 4y ago
  I use a Kinesis advantage keyboard. It's expensive and ugly but comfortable. I would not go back to another keyboard ever again. Have a look at this review https://www.anandtech.com/show/7125/kinesis-advantage-review-longterm-evaluation https://www.anandtech.com/show/7125/kinesis-advantage-review...
  • microtonal 4y ago
    Also Kinesis Advantage, but with the KinT mod to run QMK, the default firmware is pretty limited.
  • copperx 4y ago
    While great, the Kinesis Advantage is perhaps the most famous keyboard in the tech world, so I wouldn't say it's lesser known.
  • rektide 4y ago
    I came from using two Microsoft Natural keyboards at once, as my "split" keyboard. I eventually upgraded to a Kinesis FreeStyle 2. I've tried some ortholinear keyboards but hated hated hated every minute of it. I'm back on the FreeStyle 2 at work and a newer FreeStyle Edge at home.
    • joshschreuder 4y ago
      I have a Freestyle Edge as well and highly recommend it.
    • ycombinete 4y ago
      it makes me very sad that I can't get a microsoft natural ergo keyboard in mechanical switches
    • sethammons 4y ago
      Look at the cloud nine split mechanical ergo keyboard. Feels just like a microsoft ergo snd I was able to type full speed immediately. I had to shelve my ergodox ez - just too foreign with moved keys.
  • 4y ago
• kimburgess 4y ago
  A large format (A1 or A0) roll plotter, pencils, compass, protractor and set squares. Obviously highly dependant on what you do. After being heavily screen only for most of my professional life, having the ability to print off a table sized drawing of an engineering diagram, review it, mark it up, and work with others in that process is really nice. It’s definitely more efficient in pure IO terms to work solely in the digital realm, but the forced interaction barriers help provide a little more room for rough thought before returning there for fine tuning.
  • snickmy 4y ago
    can I ask in what field you work ?
    • kimburgess 4y ago
      Audiovisual systems integration. It's a mix of systems engineering, software development, DSP, acoustics, interaction design and physical infrastructure. Think of the tech that makes or captures sound or light at a venue, in meeting room, stadium or other bits of built environment. It's a fairly eclectic mix of disciplines and a lot of fun.
  • themodelplumber 4y ago
    I did something similar for a while with a drafting setup. One thing I liked about it was the utility in simple visualization techniques like drawing quickly in perspective or in various media. After doing that for a while, I found Inkscape and Free mind/Freeplane to be pretty reasonable alternatives that are still digital. Even in plain text mode I learned later that there are some practices that also help the big picture emerge faster, so the spacial effects aren't as necessary in many cases. Still, it's fun sometimes to get out the supplies and work in that way...
• analog31 4y ago
  It seems like I'm the only person in the office or at home who uses a touch screen on my laptop. I like it, but there are some issues with software that gets too clever with UI widgets, rendering them unusable without a mouse. Routine things like web surfing are great, coding is almost impossible with a touch screen. So I wish I could say that it works better than it really does. And touch screen support for Linux distro's has been hit-or-miss so far.
  • vorpalhex 4y ago
    My current laptop I wanted a touchscreen so badly I custom ordered my laptop. Got it setup, works under PopOS and... I literally never use it. Works fine, just always less convenient than a mouse.
    • jay_kyburz 4y ago
      My laptop in not my main machine, I only use it when traveling. I will never go back to a laptop that I can not flip the screen and turn it into a tablet. Its a laptop when I need to do some work, and a tablet when I want to watch some TV.
• j45 4y ago
  - Sit with a white wall right behind you. Clean, fresh, quality paint, like Dulux really seems different for some reason. Put the desk in the open facing out. No blurry backgrounds, green screen, bad background edges. While everyone's modifying you're just appearing clear and less reasons to be choppy. - Three 2K screens - 23 to 25" (2560x1440). 3 of these have more usable pixels than a 4K. I have used 3 monitors so long that breaking work into screen 1/2/3 becomes a quick and helpful thing. I don't always use the third but have told people if I'm having a 3 monitor day, to keep on sliding by. - MIC: I am heard better by sounding the clearest. I recently bought the best wired mic headset I could find. Steelseries Tusq for $50. Voice quality has been through the roof and close to the best, to the point that almost every call someone is asking me what I'm using. Won't cancel noise, but good otherwise. - SOUND DAC: Soundblaster G3 - Makes good sound even better. Optionally adds the ability to output to both headphones and speakers. Handier than I thought it would be. Also allows cleaning up your voice with a pre-set and outputting it through a "Creative Microphone". Works great. I had my eyes on a nicer one but don't see myself getting rid of this. - WEBCAM: Logitech Brio 4K - Clearest low maintenance 4k image wins. Lots of other options emerging, but this one whether I'm sitting in the dark, monitor bias lights or have my overhead light on adjusts quickly enough. I like that it has it's own onboard electronics to do image smoothing or it's other features so zoom doesn't clog.. It's mic isn't bad as well in a pinch. - AC Infinity Cabinet Fans - Quiet fans placed underneath any Apple or other laptops that are unable to manage their thermal selves. One is up at an angle and draws air away, and the other blows across. I like it enough that I would cut a hole out in my desk with the fans inserted and let the air blow down. Can be dremeled and put into ikea lapdesk laptop holders. Especially helpful for i9 laptops. Quiet. - Heated desk mat. Use on floor as well if the floor is cold, or get a dedicated one for that. Edit: added a few more.
  • j45 4y ago
    1 more: - iPad Mini with Cellular. I avoided an iPad for a long, long time, and now exclusively as my communicator to dial into meetings. It reduced my phone and laptop usage significantly in some cases. Rarely run into video issues with lag, slow downs, and can present with a whiteboard if needed. Can take a minute to unplug, and walk away with the meeting at anytime into a car. Cellular is handy in a pinch if the personal hotspot isn't going to the phone. Big enough to see the screen and presentations, mic/camera/speakers are well tuned, good battery life.
• proactivesvcs 4y ago
  A mousepad. I don't often see them used by people with mice any more and stopped suggesting them since almost everyone turned down the idea.
  • deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  • sufehmi 4y ago
    I used to own the original 3M gaming mouse pad. It felt amazing, just a bliss to use everyday. Sturdy, it was abused everyday yet showed no sign of any damage. It just works - it does not move from its place, felt rock solid, yet very thin. It always looks clean; they say that there are microscopic ridges designed to trap dirt etc, so it stays clean, yet cleanable. Small things - but everything adds up, making it the superior mousepad. I have yet to find a mousepad capable of all those. Sadly lost it when I moved abroad. Your comment made me remember this - so I looked around. Turned out now there's 3M Precise mouse pad - however, there are quite some negative comments. Too bad. Tried to look for that old 3M mousepad instead - no luck so far. Sigh. Currently using a hard metallic mousepad, it's almost as good, except that it looks dirty rather quickly.
    • proactivesvcs 4y ago
      A hard metallic one? That is hardcore. I prefer the fabric/foam ones for the comfort. Perhaps I have a wimpy thumb.
  • is_true 4y ago
    I think most people used mousepads so the mouse could work properly
    • proactivesvcs 4y ago
      I find that they're more comfortable than a table surface for my wrist and lower thumb, and depending on the table mean that the mouse doesn't make that horrible sandpapery noise if it's running on grain, imperfections or uh, a few months' lunch ;-)
• bitwize 4y ago
  I dunno. My ancient, wired Logitech trackball maybe? I also have an m.2 SSD on a USB3 dongle which I've used as a Raspberry Pi boot drive.
• gameshot911 4y ago
  A ZoomSwitch which lets me switch my wired headset between my PC and telephone with 1 button press. I used to have a job which involved a ton of calls - both telephone and virtual meetings. This device let me easily switch my one headset between the two.
• Saigonautica 4y ago
  I have an Atmel-ICE for embedded systems development, however I was too cheap to buy their cable and case (over 200$ vs 80$ for the raw board). Turns out the board has the SWD header installed backward, and their cable assembly silently reverses it back. So I had to build a similarly weird thing to fix it. Also a Hemmi slide rule. It mostly just sits there to make me think about what accuracy is actually relevant in calculations -- e.g. with what I know about the system, is the answer really 0.6012, or is it really about 0.6 and that's all I know?
• jdietrich 4y ago
  The vast majority of people still haven't realised the productivity benefits of properly big monitors. The desktop UI metaphor actually makes sense when you've got a monitor that's the size of a desk.
  • kps 4y ago
    Big and/or multiple monitors. I'm baffled that some people apparently work entirely on laptop screens.
    • lobocinza 4y ago
      I tried to work as a nomad. I really missed my monitor and chair.
  • ha1zum 4y ago
    I'm with you. Mine is not particularly big either, just a common 27" 4k monitor but it's already a game changer for me because I used to only use 14" or 19" 1080p, it's night and day.
• Brajeshwar 4y ago
  I'm not too fond of seeing or using big headphones or even smaller earphones (wired/wired) during video calls. I believe even Apple haven't found a design that is more natural with their AirPods. I also don't yet trust wireless for audio. I have a much cheaper version of those costly wired earphone studio monitor that musicians used on stage/studio -- the one where the wire goes around the ear and hidden behind. I sometimes combine that with a wired Lavalier Mic. Both of which are tucked and hidden under my table for quick and easy access. I have very clear audio and people on the other end have told me that I'm very clear too. Very discrete while audio being clear on both ends. I want to set up something similar but less messy for travels. However, in most common day-to-day meetings (teams, quick calls), I default to an XLR pointed from above the display.
  • yaomtc 4y ago
    > costly wired earphone studio monitor You're talking about IEMs (in-ear monitors)
    • Brajeshwar 4y ago
      Thanks. Now I realized I didn't even know the correct terminology.
• deadfece 4y ago
  I got a ModMic USB after being pretty unhappy with the samples of mic quality that I heard from headsets. I have received a number of positive comments on my microphone quality after switching. It also gave me back a hardware mute button, which I missed from prior USB headsets. I have a preference for just USB wired hardware. A number of laptops and sound card addons have some whack spatial audio stuff they do in their chipsets that you have to go trawling through forums to find out how to disable. Since the USB devices bring their own hardware, they get past this a bit.
• stn_za 4y ago
  I have a mouse cable bungee. Particularly useful for twitch based FPS shooters such as Counter Strike, but overall ensures never to get the cable in your way. PS: You don't use wireless for competitive shooters. LAN Cable, cable mouse, etc. See: https://www.amazon.com/Glorious-PC-Gaming-Race-Bungee/dp/B07MVMPX9D https://www.amazon.com/Glorious-PC-Gaming-Race-Bungee/dp/B07...
  • Draiken 4y ago
    Several pros today use wireless mice. I think your notions of wireless is a bit outdated :) In CS:GO tournaments basically everyone uses wireless now. Logitech G PRO X Superlight is amazing. Never used a lighter mouse and will never go back to wired. https://liquipedia.net/counterstrike/List_of_player_mouse_settings https://liquipedia.net/counterstrike/List_of_player_mouse_se...
  • Encrust6221 4y ago
    For mice they may have used to be the case, but recently wireless has become more popular (at least in CSGO.) 3/5 of the most popular mice used by pros are wireless (including the #1 spot.)
    • stn_za 4y ago
      Highly doubtful
      • fallenhitokiri 4y ago
        https://prosettings.net/games/cs-go/ https://prosettings.net/games/cs-go/ Logitech X Pro Superlight seems pretty popular and sadly doesn’t work via cable but only Logitechs lightning receiver. I’ve played with the Superlight for a year or so and and couldn’t notice the difference to the mouse is used before and am using now, both with a cable.
        • stn_za 4y ago
          Ah, interesting. I haven't heard of these yet.
• domrdy 4y ago
  A Tidbyt: https://tidbyt.com/ https://tidbyt.com/ It's next to my computer, and I use it for notifications and smaller dashboards: https://github.com/tidbyt/community https://github.com/tidbyt/community
  • cbm-vic-20 4y ago
    Bonus points for a fun promo video: https://player.vimeo.com/video/521081003 https://player.vimeo.com/video/521081003
  • notelectronic 4y ago
    What are its power requirements?
    • kleer001 4y ago
      USB-C plugged into mains electric
  • twiclo 4y ago
    Can you expand on what you use it for? What dashboards? Why do you like this more than a regular desktop notification?
  • joshschreuder 4y ago
    Is there anything like this but... not as nice? (and not as expensive) I wouldn't mind having something like this to mess around on but not for $180 USD
    • kfarr 4y ago
      Yes! This one is half the price, but a bit more fiddling is required: https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/cosmic-unicorn https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/cosmic-unicorn
    • theshrike79 4y ago
      Before the pandemic I would've suggested raspi & the official raspi display. But those are damn expensive. The second option would be any cheapo Android tablet + Kiosk browser. It lets you have any web page visible and the screen turns on at voice/motion. Or a more ready-made option would be an Elgato Stream Deck. You can customise the buttons pretty well.
• rqtwteye 4y ago
  Left handed mouse. Saved me from RSI.
  • mrweasel 4y ago
    May I ask what brand and model? I'm left handed and a symmetric mouse it pretty much the best I can hope for in terms of a mouse.
    • rqtwteye 4y ago
      Mine is from a company called Perixx. It’s pretty cheap and works well.
      • mrweasel 4y ago
        Thanks, that's amazing, I can even get it in Denmark at the regular price.
• modeless 4y ago
  Gaming wireless headphones, not for gaming but for videoconferencing. Bluetooth headphones are universally terrible for videoconferencing because the Bluetooth standard sucks and requires downgrading to telephone audio quality whenever the mic is enabled. Plus terrible latency. Gaming wireless headphones that come with their own dongle completely fix these issues and are perfect for videoconferencing. Someday the Bluetooth ecosystem will get their act together, but it'll be a while and you'll have to buy all new devices because it's a standard made by hardware manufacturers for hardware manufacturers. Also, some of those magnetic USB charging cables to keep them charged without fiddling with plugging in cables. The nice thing about these is that the same magnetic cable can attach to both microUSB and USB-C dongles, so you can charge any small device with one cable. And the dongles are tiny so you just put them into all your devices and leave them there, super convenient.
  • eddieroger 4y ago
    This is a real MVP of the work from home life. Some of them, like the Arctis I have, will present two devices to the computer, so you can have music playing quietly under a meeting, but still have voice for calls at a good quality and controlled independently.
  • kotaKat 4y ago
    Odd, I went the opposite way -- a full blown high-end Bluetooth headset. I'm also a field warrior as well part of the time, so on-the-road audio is important to me and my callers. The Blueparrott B450-XT is an amazing headset. Did I buy it at a truck stop? Yeah. But I've been on an audio call where I literally stood in front of a box fan with my face against the fan and nobody could hear the fan in the microphone at all. The noise cancellation on the mics is downright amazing and everyone heard me loud and clear over fans, datacenter environments, the works.
  • mikesholiu 4y ago
    do you have a recommended brand/model?
    • modeless 4y ago
• jen729w 4y ago
  I just bought a laptop stand/riser. AU$69 from Officeworks here in Australia, just a basic hinge/arm with a plate on the top. First day using it today as I like to sit in the garden with the laptop vs. in the office with the monitor. Game changer for posture. I'm looking directly ahead!
• GuB-42 4y ago
  A Shure SM-58 microphone, with a XLR soundcard to go with it. I always wanted to get a good microphone for voice calls, thankfully a friend of mine had more than a dozen of them, of all styles: dynamic, condenser, long range, cheap, expensive, etc... We spent a couple of hours trying them. First thing: condenser microphones are great... in a studio. You are probably not in a studio, so if you use one of them, people will hear all the noise around you. Dynamic microphones, usually cardioids, are definitely the best as they, are less affected by outside noise. You can even use speakers and not get annoying feedback. There is one inevitable drawback: you need to have it close to your mouth. It wasn't a problem for me, but it is something to consider if you are doing video, because it will most likely be in frame. It also makes aesthetics a valid consideration. Now, why the SM-58. Well, it is possibly the most famous microphone in existence, for good reasons. At around $100, it is relatively affordable, it is indestructible, it is an industry standard and it sounds good enough for famous singers to use it. There are cheaper alternatives, some of them excellent for less than half the price, like the Lanen TT1, and higher output level too, but I just like the way the SM-58 sounds, and it was within my budget. There are also podcasting mics like the Shure MV7. A bit expensive, sound quality wasn't worth the extra for me, but it has convenient features, and arguably looks more in place in a video call. And generally, you should get a XLR microphone, they tend to be much better value for money than the USB or Jack type. That's what the pros use, and getting a XLR input is not expensive. I bought a Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD for a bit less than $100, but there are cheaper options that work fine (and also better, more expensive ones). Note that for dynamic microphones, you don't need phantom power. Note that these are wired microphones. The wireless kind tend to be prohibitively expensive. You can get wireless kits for XLR though, they start at around $100.
  • sideshowb 4y ago
    > Now, why the SM-58 You also fail to mention that, presumably, if you ever need to assert yourself in a meeting you can use proximity effect to sound like a movie trailer ;-)
  • 7839284023 4y ago
    I use the same Behringer UMC204HD interface but I paired it with a SM-58 "clone": the Behringer XM8500 [1]. I think its performance is unbeatable considering the price. I love the combination. [1] https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_xm8500.htm https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_xm8500.htm?
• Kemschumam 4y ago
  I have two circular gel disks to protect my elbows from rubbing the desk too hard (I've put holes in several uniforms). The product is called jelbows.
• nanumbat 4y ago
  An ancient 8 channel Mackie sound mixer to the left and slightly north of my keyboard. Other than inputs from the main computer, it pulls in audio from a bunch of other stuff/computers in the room, has a handy 1/4" headphone jack with volume control, and lets me instantly mute/mix any way I want without fiddling with keyboards or mice. Output is to the CD inputs on a Sony mini audio system I bought on my way through Singapore in 1989.
  • jedberg 4y ago
    I have the same mixer but it doesn't work how I like. I can't get the phones to output unless I have the main turned up, so I can't go headphones only unless I turn off the speakers independently. Is that how yours works? Right now I have the headphones on main, and the speakers on aux, so I can set their volumes completely independently from the mixer, but the problem is the aux only outputs the left channel to the speakers. I'd love to send the main to the speakers and headphones on the headphones, but then I have to control the speakers on the mains independently. How do you have your outputs wired?
    • nanumbat 4y ago
      It's an 802-VLZ3. All inputs have MUTE ALT 3-4 selected. ALT 3-4 is selected for Control Room Source. Assign to Main Mix is selected. Ctl Room/Submix level is at the Unity detent. Main Out L/R send the final mix to the amplifier inputs. Headphones in Phones. This keeps the headphones working independent of the Main Mix level setting. Did I have to stare at page 26 of the manual for about an hour to figure this out? Well, yes. :-( https://images.thomann.de/pics/prod/209011_manual.pdf https://images.thomann.de/pics/prod/209011_manual.pdf
      • jedberg 4y ago
        Ah thanks for the details. I have a different model that sadly doesn't have the Assign to Main Mix button. :(
• surfsvammel 4y ago
  I use one of those desktop whiteboards. Love it. I’m used to use post-it notes all over my desk, but not anymore. https://fluidstance.com/products/slope https://fluidstance.com/products/slope
• entropicgravity 4y ago
  Mx Ergo (by Logitech) is far and away the best "mouse" for me and probably for you. It only takes about two hours to transfer your motor skills of regular mouse to the Mx Ergo. Because this "thumb ball" mouse only involves your thumb to work the mouse you won't get the full wrist, shoulder and neck pain that you can get from a normal mouse. If you have any kind of arm pain then check this out.
  • erremerre 4y ago
    I have got a Mx Ergo, and to everyone else out there asking questions about this trackball. Let me tell you. As long as you are not using the mouse to draw (photoshop, gis software, cad software etc...) you will adapt. And the thingy is comfortable to use. If you need to do some of those tasks that requires drawing a polygon, snap vertex into other things etc... The MX Ergo is not for you. You can do it, but you will be significantly more slow, even after months of practice. Look something else. I wish someone would have told me this before.
  • archarios 4y ago
    If you're having those issues, please address the underlying problem instead of thinking that having the perfect ergonomic setup will fix your body. Getting up from the desk each day and getting some physical activity in will help your body a lot more in the long run.
    • slow_typist 4y ago
      Working with a computer is the underlying problem here. If a special mouse reduces tension, nothing wrong with that. Also you cannot know how often and intensely the parent poster exercises already.
      • archarios 4y ago
        True. I am speaking from my own experience of having a lot of pain at the desk at one point in my life. After I started exercising regularly I have had zero problems for years.
• glacials 4y ago
  A desk mat, like the ones by Nordik [1]. It's like a giant mouse pad that also goes under your keyboard. I can't stand the size of normal mouse pads and I can't go without one because the years wear on my desk. Plus it also serves as coaster, art, and "clean zone" that my cats know to avoid. You can get them custom printed with anything you want. [1]: https://amzn.to/3ZyXiU5 https://amzn.to/3ZyXiU5
• kristopolous 4y ago
  USB foot pedals and midi controllers, use them every day for development and productivity tasks. They're just input - do whatever you want with them.
• bb88 4y ago
  Space mouse for cad. It's pretty wonderful.
• deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
• mmzeeman 4y ago
  Some fountain pens and a notebook. This allows me to quickly write down notes before jumping into my editor. This makes a big difference.
  • Karawebnetwork 4y ago
    If I may piggyback on this, I would recommend the "Uni Jetstream 4&1 4 Color 0.5 mm Ballpoint Multi Pen + 0.5 mm Pencil". It costs only $10 and is available everywhere. It's one of those pens that has 4 buttons to change colors but this one also has a 0.5 mm pencil built in and a tiny eraser in the cap. Having the option to add color to my notes easily made them a lot easier to read, especially for code.
    • mmzeeman 4y ago
      Currently I use two Jinhao X159s, which cost about $3 on aliexpress. Pretty decent writers. Cheap does not necessarily mean bad.
• akiselev 4y ago
  3DConnexion SpaceMouse series [1] 6DOF mice for CAD, Photoshop, and pretty much every 2D/3D editing workflow [1] https://3dconnexion.com/us/spacemouse/#compare https://3dconnexion.com/us/spacemouse/#compare
  • tonylemesmer 4y ago
    Came here to add this. Use for Solidworks not so much the other 2d apps. Really speeds up my workflow.
• dallas 4y ago
  A "Logitech G213 Prodigy Gaming Keyboard with RGB". Bought on a whim on sale. Not unhappy with the keyboard itself, but its killer app is being able to tell at a glance, by backlit keys, if my work laptop has accidentally un-hibernated after I've finished work (I work from home).
• janci 4y ago
  I used to have a control panel [1] with physical switches for various tasks on my desk. I built it mainly to switch between multiple VPNs and switch bluetooth audio mode between high-quality unidirectional A2DP and low-quality bidirectional HSP for meetings, mounting network drives. But once I moved from XFCE/xubuntu to KDE (on gentoo, later opensuse), I noticed I don't need it anymore. Bluetooth switching works automatically and NetworkManager has nice widget, SMB/SFTP works out of box. Now it become a toy space rocket control panel for my kids. [1] https://tomas.janco.link/projects/?control-panel.html https://tomas.janco.link/projects/?control-panel.html
  • kickaha 4y ago
    How does this have no replies? So effing cool. When your kids get tired of it, can I buy it?
• tomatocracy 4y ago
  I travel a fair bit for work. A while ago I bought a thin tenkeyless external keyboard (Cherry Stream - it has laptop-style scissor switches). Being tenkeyless it's small enough to fit comfortably into the bag with my laptop yet has full sized keys and layout. Makes a huge difference (along with a laptop stand) to using a laptop to work in a hotel room.
• sufehmi 4y ago
  ::: MIC ::: too often I heard people in Zoom / Teams / Meet sounded so bad, at times I couldn't hear what they're saying. Cheap gaming microphones, like my HyperX Solocast, is massive change from those. It's probably the best bang for the buck of all other accessories that I bought so far. ::: NOISE-CANCELLING USB MIC DONGLE ::: sometimes my work environment can be very noisy and nothing I can do about it. In those cases I plug my mic into Asus Noise Canceling adapter - and instantly all the noises are gone: https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Noise-Canceling-Artificial-Intelligence-Background/dp/B08DR4YZ2Z https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Noise-Canceling-Artificial-Intel... At $35, it's an absolute steal. Unfortunately it only accepts 3.5 mm jack as input - so no joy for the USB mics. ::: EARPHONE ::: when I'm mobile or need to use my Asus Noise Canceling dongle above - I use Apple Earpods. It's light, it's very comfortable inside my ear for prolonged periods, it sounds amazing, even better than some of my expensive wireless headphones, and it include mic as well, a good quality one too. At $16, it's a steal: https://www.amazon.com/Apple-EarPods-3-5mm-Headphone-Plug/dp/B06X16Z7DZ/ https://www.amazon.com/Apple-EarPods-3-5mm-Headphone-Plug/dp... ::: WEBCAM ::: at first I was like the others, and use Logitech's webcam. Soon I found out that even its most expensive one suffer from stupid AF (autofocus) problem - it kept making my face out of focus at random times, it's so embarrassing. So after checking many reviews; I bought Nexigo N60 - and I still can't believe a webcam this cheap actually produces better picture than my previous more expensive webcam, wow. And no more stupid AF. And it works straight away in Linux. It also claim to have noise-canceling mic, but I haven't tested it yet. https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-NexiGo-Computer-110-degree-Conferencing/dp/B088TSR6YJ/ https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-NexiGo-Computer-110-degree... ::: PORTRAIT MONITOR ::: I bought a cheap HP E190i monitor - which can be turned into a portrait monitor. Suddenly editing documents, Terminal/SSH, etc become much, much more comfortable. ::: Ultrawide Screen Monitor ::: it's a game changer - bought LG ultrawide monitor, and it's so comfortable. I can put 2 portrait document side-by-side, and quickly compare them, or reference from each other, etc. Not to mention editing those wide spreadsheets is becoming so much more bearable now. It's also so much nicer watching movie and playing games using it. ::: GAS-SPRING MONITOR MOUNT::: use it to mount the ultrawide monitor above ; and it's even more comfortably positioned + frees up so much desk space. ::: VACUUM-COOLER ::: my brand-new laptop used to suddenly slowed down to a crawl at times, not only puzzling but of course also, very, frustrating. Turned out it's unable to expel heat efficiently. Damn this thin laptops. So I plugged a vacuum cooler on its exhaust port - and instantly it no longer throttled the CPU at random times, yay. It's now able to consistently run at its peak frequency. When gaming though it still overheats. I've bought a Carbonaut pad, from Thermal Grizzly. It's supposed to conduct heat about 5 times better than a thermal paste, so hopefully it'll help.
• ornornor 4y ago
  Dual arm monitors to free up lots of space on my desk and more easily hold displays at eye level so I don’t get pain. A split ortho homebrew keyboard (helix) that I can program with qmk so that I have shift esc enter space and special keys on other layers right where I want them. Or a dedicated Ctrl-a key for tmux. It virtually eliminated my pain. The OLED screens are useless though and I retrospect I should just have skipped them. I should also have put the two arduinos in it on sockets right away because that USB port will of course break and it’s a pain to desolder it. A “clearly superior technology” (CST) trackball in the middle of the split keyboard that I try and use most with my left hand to give my right hand a break. It’s chunky, well made, uses standard pool balls as the trackball, and can be easily taken apart for cleaning or servicing. Wasn’t cheap though.
  • whitemary 4y ago
    What kind of trackball?
    • helloplanets 4y ago
      Clearly Superior Technologies (CST) is the brand :) After a quick search, I think they're being manufactured by a different company now: https://xkeys.com/xkeys/trackballs.html https://xkeys.com/xkeys/trackballs.html
      • crimsontech 4y ago
        I've been using mine for 9 years, I just wish they would make a bluetooth one which can switch between mulitple devices like my keyboard does. I did email them asking but they said they had no plans to do this.
        • ornornor 4y ago
          Yes it seems like they’re set on a proven design. I used to use a USB hub and have the two cables next to one another on my desk, manually unplugging replugging it to transfer keyboard and mouse at once. With USB extenders so both machines have their plus right next to another. But I saw in this thread there are USB switchers so maybe that’s a solution?
• trabant00 4y ago
  Jabra Speak 510 or 710 portable speaker with microphone, USB and bluetooth connection. If you work in a dedicated room and don't need the isolation that headphones provide. More comfortable than any headphones, excelent voice in and out, buttons with lights for volume and mute control, wired for good quality and latency, can also work wireless for phone. Works with Linux, no drivers needed for any functionality.
• bullen 4y ago
  - DK2 VR camera so I don't need lights. (infrared) - GV-USB2/Elgato HD60S to capture C64/Amiga1200/Raspberry 4 on Windows my desktop and/or display them on monitors. - Many screens in a compact area (all 4:3/5:4, matte and low res): http://move.rupy.se/file/station.jpg http://move.rupy.se/file/station.jpg - 40% keyboard for that Raspberry 4 so it fits in front of my HHKB JP: http://move.rupy.se/file/last_computer.png http://move.rupy.se/file/last_computer.png - Recently started using my old "Tab A" tablet with bluetooth Thinkpad keyboard and mouse, much lighter than a laptop, just wish I could install vanilla linux on it. - UrbanEars Plattan 2 bluetooth (about 10+ of them) because it has wired and bluetooth. (sold out now unfortunately) - Røde USB mic.
  • ragazzina 4y ago
    What is the benefit of having low res monitors?
    • bullen 4y ago
      - It uses less power to render to and light up. - It's smaller. - I can read them without expensive advanced rendering = standard bios/boot/terminal bitmap fonts are large enough. - It looks better imo. - It probably lasts longer. And probably more that I forget now...
  • aaronbrethorst 4y ago
    Indenting your lines wraps your content in <pre><code> tags. Remove the indent and your links will work again.
    • bullen 4y ago
      Thx!
  • ycombinete 4y ago
    Is this a streaming setup? I'm quite interested in seeing point 1 in action, do you have some videos of it?
• cranium 4y ago
  I bought an Elgato Cam Link 4K to use my Sony A7II for video calls. I didn't have a webcam before the pandemic so I would have spent at least 100$ for a passable one. Sound was already solved with an Antlion ModMic 5 on a good pair of open headphones (Drop x Sennheiser HD6XX). I like to have a modular setup to reuse/upgrade independently each component. I use the Logitech MX Ergo as my go-to mouse. Once adapted to the thumb trackball, it's really comfortable. As an added benefit, you need very little space on your desk and no mouse pad because it's stationary.
  • bakoo 4y ago
    Late question, but how do you deal with the audio lag when using the Elgato? Got the same dongle, and an old Nikon, but never got a handle on the lag.
    • cranium 4y ago
      Mic is plugged directly on the camera, so audio and video are always in sync.
• ajb 4y ago
  I use a clear acrylic keyboard protector to prevent my cats from treading on the keyboard, while still allowing me to type. Oddly, the version I have was originally marketed as an underwater camera stabilizer for divers called "Sea Cine FISH". Because I use it with a laptop, I had to cut gaps in the sides to allow cables to be plugged in. You can now find ones where this has been provided for.
• enigma20 4y ago
  Portable screen. Didn't know that such exists, till about few weeks ago. Have a small apartment and sometimes have to work at the dining table. Using a big screen is not an option. Portable screen is light, size of the laptop and charges/sends data through one cable. Perfect!
  • chandureddyvari 4y ago
    Wow. Nice! Didn't know this exists. Planning to get one. Do you have any recommendations?
    • enigma20 4y ago
      I got ASUS ZenScreen MB16AH. Choosing one it's a bit confusing, Asus offers many models, and hard to understand the difference. There are some which have separate display port and power. Different covers. With a battery etc. I really wanted just one having only one cable. On Amazon there are some other less/not known brands, offering bigger screens, but I felt more convinced by the mainstream brand. Remember that your laptop has to support this. I tested it with an older MacBook Pro, and Lenovo ThinkPad. On my old Ideapad I don't have such port.
    • tjbiddle 4y ago
      Not OP, but I've been using the Asus ZenScreen and been happy with it. Right now I'm at a co-working space and I have: - My MacBook on a stand to the left - My Asus ZenScreen to the right - The monitor the coworking space provides at some desks (If you get there in time before it's taken, lol) in the middle Pretty great setup to know I'll have 3 screens and barely need to pack anything when I come in.
  • raffraffraff 4y ago
    I've been looking at these. Any time I meet the team at a rented office space I really miss my dual monitor setup.
    • red-iron-pine 4y ago
• howon92 4y ago
  A 2-1 HDMI connector so you can hook up 2 computers to 1 monitor without having to wait while switching from one computer to the other
  • Ldorigo 4y ago
    How do you switch then, is there a toggle? Mind sharing the link?
    • v7n 4y ago
      As an example, this bi-directional HDMI switch allows you to either connect 2 devices to 1 monitor, or 1 device to 2 monitors and switch with a button on top. https://cdn.nedis.com/images/products_high_res/VSWI3482AT_P66.JPG https://cdn.nedis.com/images/products_high_res/VSWI3482AT_P6...
• donatj 4y ago
  Macropad mapped primarily for my email client. Row 1: Delete, Archive, Mark Unread and Advance Row 2: Undo, Next, Previous It’s simple and I know the shortcuts for all of this, but it’s honestly drastically reduced the time spent triaging my email.
• edent 4y ago
  I have USB footpedals. https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/01/review-usb-foot-pedals-fs3_p/ https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/01/review-usb-foot-pedals-fs3_... I joke that I have them programmed for select all, copy, and paste. But, really, it is for microphone mute, camera toggle, and boss key. Takes up a small amount of under desk space, but worth it.
  • gleenn 4y ago
    What pray tell does the "boss key" do?
    • tester457 4y ago
      Closes HN and opens up tabs for work I reckon.
    • specproc 4y ago
      This is old school: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boss_key https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boss_key I think Wolfenstein had one.
• svendahlstrand 4y ago
  I don't have it connected at the moment, but I built this rotary dial accessory for my Mac [0] so I could make FaceTime calls in an old-school fashion. The signification impact it had on my workflow? It forced me to take it slow, I guess. :) Petmoj is Swedish slang for a rotary dial. [0]: https://dahlstrand.net/2016/01/24/petmoj.html https://dahlstrand.net/2016/01/24/petmoj.html
• princevegeta89 4y ago
  I have an audiophile speaker setup that has a bit of a complicated setup - it either takes an SPDIF or 3.5mm jack, however the SPDIF way was recommended to me to achieve quality and get rid of DC POP. For this reason I bought a 4k HDMI splitter that extracts from a HDMI signal the different video and audio channels if needed. So I connect my MacBook pro to this splitter through hdmi and run another hdmi between this and the monitor. The spdif goes to the receiver that drives my speakers. What's cool is that the video still is at 4k@60hz and I could still get audio through my monitor if I turned on its internal speakers. It has been working flawlessly for me for years and I've only spent about 30 bucks to buy it. Here is a link to the product if anyone wants to take a look https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07BHYXVTY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07BHYXVTY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_...
  • kiranthind 4y ago
    Which speakers?
    • princevegeta89 4y ago
      KEF LS50
• Aardwolf 4y ago
  A Big Knob Passive (not powered), which can toggle audio independently between two inputs (laptop and pc), and two outputs (speakers, and bluetooth transmitter) using tactile toggle buttons with immediate response, and it also has a big volume knob, and a button to turn stereo into mono which has turned out useful for some badly encoded videos having audio in only one channel. The Bluetooth transmitter is used with sony WH-1000XM3 using the aptx standard and latency this way is good enough for gaming (I know what bad Bluetooth latency is like, and this setup does not have it) The fact that pc and laptop output to audio jack and don't know I use wireless headphones (or which input or output I use at all) is a feature, not a bug, since I actually don't want the headphones to be able to change state of music players or volume on the pc as it's buggy and annoying if it does that. The only thing the big knob passive lacks imho is an ability to mix both input sources together passively.
  • bbsimonbb 4y ago
    Is this a big knob you can buy?
    • Aardwolf 4y ago
      Yes, Big Knob Passive is literally its product name, you can search for it (edited original post to capitalize it)
    • omnibrain 4y ago
      https://mackie.com/en/products/studio-monitoring/big-knob-series/big_knob_passive.html https://mackie.com/en/products/studio-monitoring/big-knob-se...
• cloudengineer94 4y ago
  Poly Headset for video conferences! Quite happy with them. I also use my iPhone as the camera for my setup.
• haunter 4y ago
  An Elgato Stream Deck but for general purposes https://www.elgato.com/en/stream-deck-mk2 https://www.elgato.com/en/stream-deck-mk2 Basically imagine having 15 physical buttons to use with any kind of actions, shortcuts, macros etc. but you have a visual feedback too. It’s pretty great! I know there are alternatives like the Adafruit RP2040 https://www.adafruit.com/product/5128 https://www.adafruit.com/product/5128 but the visual knobs make the Stream Deck much better imo.
  • schneems 4y ago
    What buttons/actions do you commonly use? I got one to play the DJ air horn sound effect in meetings but between google hangouts, my m2 xlr device, and the stream deck something doesn’t work quite right.
  • bentcorner 4y ago
    I was looking at getting one but couldn't stomach the price for an unknown benefit since I wasn't sure if I'd use it. I ended up using Touch Portal[1] and put a phone on an old stand, and it pretty much does everything I want to do. Integrates with teams with mic on/off, hand raise, and reactions, and I created some nice graphs for cpu/gpu/disk load and a UTC clock for when I'm not in a meeting. Desktop app is free and phone app is like $13 or so. Works on Windows/MacOS and Linux support is apparently coming. It's probably clunkier than a Stream Deck but it's a fraction of the price. [1] https://www.touch-portal.com/ https://www.touch-portal.com/
  • Pyrodogg 4y ago
    By far my most used actions for triggering Dell Display Manager to switch my monitor inputs. I don't have a full kvm set-up (separate keyboard, mouse but shared monitor) for my home desktop, work laptop. I also have media control buttons to control music playing on my desktop throughout the day without having to toggle the monitor. A mute button to silence things for calls is also frequently used. Finally, extra buttons to toggle some smart lights if I need to override some pre-programmed schedule. Other than that, It's been a bit of overkill.
  • spoiler 4y ago
    I was thinking of doing something similar, but was never sure what to use that many keys for. Can you provide a photo or list a few examples of what you're doing with yours? Thanks!
• comprev 4y ago
  I use my iPad as a second screen on my macbook air with Duet [0] Had the software for a few years now and it’s used very frequently. I don’t know if using the app hardwired requires a subscription though as mine was a one-off purchase via App Store. [0] https://www.duetdisplay.com/ https://www.duetdisplay.com/
  • Schinken_ 4y ago
    Iirc modern-ish MacOS versions (and iPadOS/iOS) allow this feature out of the box? I'm pretty sure I used it once or twice when I had my old smaller macbook from work.
    • laserlight 4y ago
      Right. It's called Sidecar [0]. [0] https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380
• fsflover 4y ago
  I am using a Librem Key, USB security token based entirely on free software, to ensure my coreboot is not tampered with.
  • jmholla 4y ago
    Can you talk a little more about your setup? How does it ensure your coreboot is not tampered with?
    • fsflover 4y ago
      It relies on Heads (https://github.com/osresearch/heads https://github.com/osresearch/heads), tamper-evident boot software that loads from within coreboot and uses the TPM chip and the user’s own GPG keys to detect tampering within the BIOS. Here are some explanations: https://puri.sm/posts/pureboot-101-first-boot-first-update-and-detecting-software-tampering/ https://puri.sm/posts/pureboot-101-first-boot-first-update-a..., https://docs.puri.sm/Librem_Key/Getting_Started/User_Manual.html https://docs.puri.sm/Librem_Key/Getting_Started/User_Manual....
      • jmholla 4y ago
        Thank you so much! I'll check these out.
• raffraffraff 4y ago
  Gigantic mouse mat that takes up so much space it covers half of my desk. I play FPS games. But it's soooo nice. The thing is so big my whole keyboard fits on it too.
  • jrootabega 4y ago
    Same here, but 51% of it is covered with miscellaneous computer junk that I'm too disorganized to find a proper place for!
• pengaru 4y ago
  USB 24-bit 48khz sound device (MBox1) outputting S/PDIF to a proper hifi preamp+amp. integrated laptop/phone DACs driving headphones sound like garbage now
• lanewinfield 4y ago
  i use this pull switch to immediately end my zoom calls. https://twitter.com/lanewinfield/status/1339257875034566656 https://twitter.com/lanewinfield/status/1339257875034566656
• IYasha 4y ago
  SCSI, SFP+ cards, FireWire audio IO interface, BD-writer (wanted to try XDCAM, but too expensive), USB Floppy disk drive :)
• sangpal 4y ago
  I used to make music so I purchased studio monitors and a mic. I haven't put on a headset in years and I can't imagine how it would feel to wear one for 8+ hours a day.
• wingerlang 4y ago
  Each one of these has been said, USB switcher, Screen switcher, and foot pedals. I have this combined, a USB + DisplayPort switcher, with a food pedal to change between the two connected laptops. It's great when it works, which it did in my previous HDMI+1080p screen setup. But as I moved to 4K, I had these issues: - The noname HDMI cables I had was not the right version, bought 3 new ones. - The old Apple dongle doesn't support 60hz, luckily I had a newer one which did, worked well on my newer Macbook Pro, but.. - ..Macbook Pro 2016 doesn't support 60hz through the dongles with HDMI, so I've got to move to DisplayPort. - Now my NEW Macbook Pro doesn't work at all with DP. Macbook issue, as my other 3 Macbooks (on the same macOS) works fine. So now I am using the KVM switcher for everything except the screen, which I have to manually change the input for, until I can reinstall macOS to see if that solves it (I have spent hours with Apple support). Overall if you use multiple laptops the KVM is awesome, and the foot pedal is doubly so!
  • eproxus 4y ago
    I’m looking for exactly something like this. What KVM switcher do you use? Does it support USB-C?
    • wingerlang 4y ago
      They are both noname but works fine (ignoring the other issues which are separate issues). The first one I used was this https://www.lazada.co.th/products/2x1-usb-2-hdmi-kvm-hdmi-4kx-20-usb-pc-hdtv-i4510632556-s18296748516.html https://www.lazada.co.th/products/2x1-usb-2-hdmi-kvm-hdmi-4k... worked well with the restrictions. The one I currently use is this one https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i2897492493-s10589620581.html https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i2897492493-s10589620581.h... I highly recommend buying one with an extended switch (or even a wireless one), even if you don't want to use it as a food pedal, being able to place it anywhere is optimal since otherwise you need all cables and the switch within arms reach, and this makes takes space and looks messy (as was the case with the first one I used).
• Semaphor 4y ago
  None of this is really unknown, but maybe not super common. * Standing desk. I work and play on my computer, so I try to spend at least half the working day in a standing position. It's an electric one, ime switching being effortless is very important for actual usage. * Wired headset. If I'm on a call (work or TTRPG), I plug it in. Otherwise it's lying on the side. I hate charging so much, I even have my wireless mouse permanently connected via USB. * Sound card. A Creative Soundblaster ZX. Probably not needed anymore, but my last laptop (2006ish) had a soundcard in that pci slot thing, and I bought one for my first Desktop afterwards and stinky kept it. I do like the Soundblaster software and it's not as if I need the pcie X1 slot it takes up for anything else. * Document scanner. Scan all paper documents I might need again and store them in paperless ngx (the scanner software scans to a smb share on my home server that paperless consumes)
• a_e_k 4y ago
  A foot rest/rocker. Specifically this one: https://www.humanscale.com/products/ergonomic-foot-rests/FR300-ergonomic-foot-rocker https://www.humanscale.com/products/ergonomic-foot-rests/FR3...
• diffeomorphism 4y ago
  Magnetic usb c adapters: adds universally compatible magsafe+data transfer to all devices for $10-20. Very convenient. Kdeconnect, scrcpy (software): notifications, reply to messages, automute on calls... what MS and apple copied. Keyboard with QMK or kmonad(software) or other software: e.g. caps works as both ctrl and caps. Easier umlauts. Multimedia keys, shortcuts etc on compact keyboards. Screenbar: convenient lighting. Droidcam, camo (software) or hdmi capture cards: again sherlocked, but the original software gives you much more control. Wacom tablet or sidecar-like: since apple and samsung sherlocked the idea, the original apps dried out a bit. Use a tablet as a wacom contiq. Preferably wired. Audio interface: use professional mic, headphones with your pc. Also eguitar.
• simon_acca 4y ago
  Made my own minimalistic laptop stands to bring its screen to a more ergonomic height https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5633824 https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5633824
• ndsipa_pomu 4y ago
  I've been using an Elecom EX-G left-handed wireless trackball (thumb operated) for ages: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ELECOM-Left-handed-Wireless-function-M-XT4DRBK-Black/dp/B016QCPRBM https://www.amazon.co.uk/ELECOM-Left-handed-Wireless-functio... I'm naturally right-handed, but learnt to use a mouse/trackball with my left hand ages ago when I figured out the twisting/ergonomic issues with a right-handed mouse and a keyboard with a numeric keypad. I was previously prone to hurting my right-shoulder blade (pulled muscle?) as there's a constant twist compared to the mid-line of the keyboard.
  • sound1 4y ago
    I use the same trackball and I love it. * can't even imagine going back to a regular mouse.
• harshbutfair 4y ago
  Wall-mounted monitor rails, mounted horizontally. Normally I work with two 24" monitors side-by-side, but I can slide them apart if the kids need to use a monitor while I'm working.
• fhcbix 4y ago
  Since I make music as a hobby, some of these are not gonna be incredibly useful for most: - Behringer XR18 digital mixer, mounted under my desk - DIY wooden stand for a small MIDI controller keyboard & an integrated XLR socket for a conference microphone (used for meetings) - the MIDI controller is connected directly to the XR18 so I have convenient faders and knobs for mic volume, mute, master volume and other stuff connected to the mixer (piano, edrums etc) - DIY shelf to have my displays & speakers at a comfortable height and distance - dishpan under the desk for the occasional footbath Not at all uncommon but still highly recommended: vertical mouse (cheap one), split keyboard (r-go), docking station (old thinkpad ultra dock) Things I still want but never got around to: - my desk lamp (cheap wifi bulb) is cold/warm white fadeable but I want that to happen automatically throughout the day based on sunset - a better drawing tablet so I can ditch my whiteboard (current one sucks)
• adrian_b 4y ago
  After experimenting for many years with many kinds of mice, trackballs, touchpads, trackpoints etc. in the search for the most comfortable graphic pointing device, I have settled to use, instead of a mouse, a small Wacom Intuos graphic tablet (usually with Linux), configured in its "mouse" mode, i.e. with relative coordinates, not with its default absolute coordinates. At least for me, using a stylus has proven to be much more comfortable, much faster and more precise than using any kind of mouse or any other pointing device. Now I regret that I did not have the idea of replacing the mouse with a small graphic tablet many years earlier.
  • bornon5 4y ago
    Nice to see this here. I’ve using a tablet for cursor movement since around 2010, and I find it amazing except for one small issue I’ve never been able to solve: tapping with the pen in order to click is finicky, because if I even drag a few pixels during the tap, it turns into a drag gesture. Right now I’m using a Huion tablet, which does not appear to allow customizing the drag-to-disable-click distance. Is there any Mac utility that would work for this?
    • adrian_b 4y ago
      I believe that there should be a way to increase the drag-and-drop threshold that is independent of the pointing device that happens to be used. I have stopped using MacOS many years ago, so I do not know how this is done there, but on Linux I always increase the drag-and-drop threshold, because on high-resolution displays this can be a problem even with traditional mice, not only with tablets.
  • mincer_ray 4y ago
    came here looking for this. i would HIGHLY recommend trying this if you, like me, suffer from wrist pain due to extended mouse use
    • adrian_b 4y ago
      Yes, my searches have also been initially been motivated by incipient problems with the wrist (and with the middle finger, caused by the scrolling wheel). All hand discomfort has disappeared after switching to a tablet with pen and the fact that pointing with a pen is much faster and more accurate than with a mouse has been an unexpected bonus.
• twawaaay 4y ago
  Toslink switch. A kind of device that can switch a path between multiple inputs and multiple outputs. Mine has 4 inputs and 4 outputs and a remote that lets me select current input and output separately with two button presses. My inputs: - laptop with external Behringer audio interface with optical output, - bluetooth receiver/transmitter with optical output - PS4 (through toslink output) My outputs: - DAC (with optical input) into headphone amplifier into headphones - "large" amplifier (with optical input) for my bookshelf speakers, - bluetooth receiver/transmitter with optical input The bluetooth receiver/transmitter is a funny device that can perform one of two roles and has separate remote to toggle. It is connected to the switch twice, once for output, once for input. I use this to send signal to up to two pairs of bluetooth headphones (for example for watching movies on external monitor). I also use this to capture output from my phone or laptop when the laptop is not connected to the docking stotion. What all this does is it allows me to send any listed input to any listed output, except bluetooth into bluetooth -- that device can only operate in one selected mode. For example I may play PS4 on my speakers and with one button press send it to my bluetooth headphones or my wired headphones. Or I can use my bookshelf speakers with my laptop on my lap. Everything without connecting any cables at all -- just up to three presses on two remotes. I had non-optical solution before but this caused a lot of interference. Rather than try to debug and fix this I decided to just not have any copper between devices. Optical cables fixed it all for me.
  • CarVac 4y ago
    I have a similar setup, but with Monoprice coaxial audio cables that seem totally immune to interference, and using mixers so there's no input switching. I have simultaneous inputs from my old analog consoles hooked up to a CRT, my OLED TV's analog out (meaning that automatically gets audio from whatever HDMI source), my turntable, and my computer. The only switching I have is for the output: to my home theater speakers (2.1) or to headphones.
• yread 4y ago
  A 3D mouse like https://3dconnexion.com/nl/product/spacemouse-wireless/ https://3dconnexion.com/nl/product/spacemouse-wireless/ is really nice if you need it. It's basically a 6 degree of freedom input - you can move in x-y, up and down, tilt it or rotate it. Even for working in 2D it's useful. And it's a bit more ergonomic than a mouse as well. I've also tried this weird mouse replacement: https://www.marzhauser.com/en/products/operating-devices/ergodrive.html https://www.marzhauser.com/en/products/operating-devices/erg... It's basically the controls of microscope with a USB cable. So that people who are used to working with a microscope can continue to work the same way. These are the only 2 lesser-known accessories, I used. Not sure why everyone needs to talk about mice and usb hubs here
  • causi 4y ago
    Those seem wildly expensive for something you could replicate by adding a force sensor to a trackball mouse.
    • yread 4y ago
      trackball mouse gets you the x-y. Force sensor could get you the z. You get also the rotation and tilt, see page 4 in the manual https://3dconnexion.com/manuals/spacemouse-wireless/en/Manual_3Dconnexion-SpaceMouse-Wireless_EN.pdf https://3dconnexion.com/manuals/spacemouse-wireless/en/Manua... But yeah pricing is based on value not cost I guess. People who need it (architects, 3d designers, mechanical engineers) often have high end workstations so price of the mouse is a rounding error (and like 1 hour of their salary?)
• Netcob 4y ago
  I have an ARTcessories mixer and amplifier stacked on top of each other. Very compact, both are 4-channel stereo. I don't really use the mixer as much anymore, but it used to be connected to my desktop, laptop, phone and guitar amp. The (headphone) amplifier I connected to my headset, desk speakers and for a short time to a second headset and some recording device (I know, bad idea). When I was playing Rocksmith (think of it as Guitar Hero with real guitars) this was my contraption for routing the guitar sound through a real guitar pedal and maybe playing with a friend now and then who could also wear headphones. Nowadays it's mostly so I can switch between headphones and speakers quickly by basically just turning the speakers on and off. The other thing are the lights that light up the walls behind my screens. I don't have a window there so it's easier on the eyes when the lights are on while I'm at my PC. They are controlled by a wi-fi power socket running Tasmota. On my NAS I got Node-RED running which pings my PC. I have an "automatic" setting for my lights so they are on if the PC is on, or when it's dark and before midnight. The "dark" part is currently determined by the time when the sun starts to set, but I'm planning on using a light sensor I already have somewhere else in my apartment instead. And I still need a better trigger that turns it off for the night - I think the humidity data from my bathroom might be the one, since the last thing I do before going to bed is showering.
• elorant 4y ago
  I’ve got a wired button to turn on and off my PC without having to bend to reach the power button in front of the PC case. Cost me like $15 from ebay, and also has a reset button, and two usb ports which come very handy in case I want to attach an usb stick.
• zh3 4y ago
  A Crystalfont 2x16 LCD with 4 cursor and tick/cross keys which sits just below the middle monitor of my triple-head programming setup. Normally displays date, time, media volume and incoming email/voicemail counts. When a call arrives it shows the Caller ID (and contact name if recognised). The keys are used to adjust media volume and mute/unmute (and in hot weather, the left/right keys adjust the speed of a pair of 120mm PC fans that blow air over the keyboard).
  • shortrounddev 4y ago
    I used to work for a company whose core product took forever to build (in maven) but we had to build it all the time. A coworker hooked up a USB LED traffic light to his macbook and wrote a driver for it that would display yellow when building, green when successfully built, and red when there were errors.
    • wink 4y ago
      Two companies ago we had an actual old traffic light hooked up to that, but that was maybe a bit over the top.
      • zh3 4y ago
        I have a giant knife switch bolted to what looks like a thick slate base, which (reportedly, according to ebay seller) used to operate a lift in a goldmine in Colorado. Long term plan is to mount it to the wall, so when I leave the office at night I can throw this big old switch and turn everything off.
        • julian_t 4y ago
          Many (many!) years ago I worked with a PDP-8 that had ferrite core memory. Because the magnetic state was persistent, come 5pm we'd just throw the switch and turn the machine off. 9am the next day we'd turn it back on, and it would continue with whatever calculation it had been doing the night before. It would have been cool to have a real mad-scientist switch like that, though.
• bluGill 4y ago
  A surfmouse. I use a standing desk, and shift my body to control the mouse.
  • thiht 4y ago
    Is this a real thing? I can't tell if it's a satire
    • bluGill 4y ago
      Yes,I have one. It isn't easy to use, but it is real and it works.
• ww520 4y ago
  I have a small heater sitting under the desk. Its power line connects to a WiFi smart plug. I can turn the heater on and off on my phone, without me going under the desk to turn it on or off.
  • ioman 4y ago
    I have the same thing. However, my office is in my garage and it's quite cold in the winter. I have my smart plug set to start it up at 4:00 AM to warm it up for me.
• thetoon 4y ago
  I got an used PCoIP card and compatible thin-client, and now I only move a dual-screen stand with said thin-client wherever I work in the house, while my workstation sits cool in the basement.
• vladak 4y ago
  3-color light (https://www.adafruit.com/product/5127 https://www.adafruit.com/product/5127) and associated circuitry (https://github.com/vladak/workmon/ https://github.com/vladak/workmon/) that reminds me to change the position of the standing desk if too long in the same position (using ultrasonic distance sensor mounted underneath the table) and to take a break if working for too long without a break (using smart plug to which my display is connected) and also to alert me if I have worked for too long in total that day.
  • freilanzer 4y ago
    My table even has that built in.
• Eric_WVGG 4y ago
  This little SD Card fits flush in the M1 and M2 MacBook Pro slot, provides the user with additional storage (shrug) or constant Time Machine backups (hellll yes). Almost worth giving up that fourth Thunderbolt port for. https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/21/flush-sd-card-macbook-pro-transcend/ https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/21/flush-sd-card-macbook-pro-tra...
  • sdfhbdf 4y ago
    Please keep in mind that as many Raspberry Pi owners discover SD Cards are not built to be written to constantly, they can fail in unexpected ways.
• grujicd 4y ago
  Ikea Kolon - a floor protector. It's not strictly a computer hardware but I have it for 2 main desktops. Otherwise wooden floor gets damaged when you roll your chair in-place for hours each day.
  • fnordian_slip 4y ago
    The alternative is replacing the wheels with soft ones, which you can get for about 30 bucks. They are roughly the same as those on inline skates, and after getting used to them I wouldn't go back even if I didn't have wood flooring.
  • pmontra 4y ago
    After years of use wheels wear much stronger materials than wood. When I moved furniture I could immediately notice where I've been sitting for years. I got a Kolon now. Easier than changing wheels.
• sdflhasjd 4y ago
  I have a heated mat for my cat to sit or sleep on, my workflow is greatly improved when she's not sitting on my keyboard.
• crimsontech 4y ago
  Probably the most special thing on my desk is a HHKB keyboard. Other than the layout I think the killer features for the latest version is that it connects to four different devices using bluetooth (it can also connect to another using USB). You switch between devices with a keyboard shortcut (CTRL+FN+1-4 for bluetooth and CTRL+FN+0 for USB). I can type on calls without my mic picking it up, it has a custom layout saved on device so I don't need to do any configuration for any device I connect it to and it works fine on Windows, MacOS and iOS devices. I use a JP version but with US keys on it and a US key layout which gives me a bunch of extra keys to configure. If anyone is wondering, there is a spare key on the home row to the right of the ' key which I use as backspace/del. It wasn't cheap, but if it broke I would replace it with the same model in a heartbeat. I do have a spare but it's the standard US layout with the big spacebar.
  • readingnews 4y ago
    I was a big HHKB fan, I actually still have the first model produced with the three cables for sun, mac, PC. If anyone is interested, I would check out not only the new HHBKB, but mechanical keyboards also, the ones you build or have someone build. The amount of programming and customization you can do on them is insane. I moved from HHKB to a 40%, for two reasons: 1) the mouse is incredibly close to the keyboard. It is close with the HHKB, but you can save even more time with a 40%. 2) You can literally reach every single key without moving your hands at all. I now have three or four of them, one permanently at each computer and at my work desk.
    • shortrounddev 4y ago
      I never understood programmers who use stripped-down mechanical keyboard. I use my arrow keys, home, end, and pagedown key all the time; having to use a fn key to access those would really slow me down. Do you just tend to use the mouse more, or are you on some kind of vim-keys-everywhere kind of thing
      • buffington 4y ago
        I used a HHKB for almost 10 years, and the lack of arrow keys was probably an issue for a week. After that week, the motion of pressing fn and whatever keys then represented arrows was just effortless. I'd still be using that keyboard now if the switches felt better. After ten years of heavy use as a programmer, they've either become stiffer, or I've become less tolerant (probably both) of the keys. I'm on a simple Drop ALT now with key switches that remind me of the original Topre keys of the HHKB, but much smoother. I can't recall what they are exactly. No complaints after three years of use.
• randallsquared 4y ago
  Solar wireless keyboards. I use both Mac and Windows versions of the Logitech K750. Even indoor lighting is enough to keep them charged if you don’t cover them up, but I typically want a window nearby anyway, which means never worrying about charging them. My one nit to pick is that they don’t have multiple connections, so for convenience, I just have two at my desk, one that stays connected to my personal system, and one that connects to the work laptop.
  • throw0101c 4y ago
    > Logitech K750 A review by Linus of Linus Tech Tips from 2012: * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mju3AmdoVhs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mju3AmdoVhs
    • randallsquared 4y ago
      He mentions the rubber feet, specifically. Unfortunately, they are just glued on, and detach after a few years of typing and being dragged around a desk. But the keyboards are cheap enough to just buy another at that point.
• toyg 4y ago
  People will love you much more if you use a real microphone. I have a travel-sized one from RØDE; the difference it made, in how people perceive my voice, is massive - I sound like a professional speaker rather than a geek in the basement. This brought significant reputational advantages. I also have an UPS under the desk, keeping up the wifi hub in all circumstances; it has a couple of USB charging ports on the front, so I use those with most random things that need charging. For some things I recently started using elbow USB-C connectors, or ones that can bend either way, to tidy up some corners and reduce strain on connectors. The rest is about ergonomics - screen at the right level, good chair (Aeron, although tbh I miss my previous Mirrah) to avoid back pain, good split keyboard (Kinesis, although I wish i could afford an ergodox) to take away wrist pain (massive difference), that sort of thing.
  • skwee357 4y ago
    Hey! Which mic you have from RODE?
    • toyg 4y ago
      The NT-USB. Came with a pop filter and stand. Bought it ages ago and still going, with the only problem being the USB socket at the bottom got a bit loose - my kids abused it when I wasn't there.
  • shortrounddev 4y ago
    Yeah when I went full remote I decided to buy both a 4k Webcam (at the time, for job interviews) and a microphone marketed for podcasts, and everybody likes both. I do find people commenting on the background of my apartment more often though lol I use a logitech brio 4k webcam (only 4k at certain resolutions) with a JLAB Talk Pro Omnidirectional microphone. I also started recording programming tutorial videos to justify the cost of the microphone
    • mnw21cam 4y ago
      I have a DSLR with video capability, so I bought a HDMI to USB input dongle. Works fine with MS Teams, but for some reason Zoom selects the lowest possible resolution setting which has the wrong aspect ratio and makes me look squished. There's no setting in Zoom to get it to select a different input video mode, and I haven't been successful in getting V4L2 to pretend that the wrong video mode doesn't exist. The advantage of using a DSLR with a nice big lens is that you can open the aperture up wide, and you'll be the only thing in focus.
• mnw21cam 4y ago
  I have a 10-input analogue-to-digital converter plugged into one USB port, which allows me to log environmental things like current outside light levels, and a one-wire adaptor plugged into another, which lets me have a string of thermometers on a long cheap cable. I currently log temperature outside in the shade, in my "root cellar", in the greenhouse, 10cm under the soil, and the central heating radiator pipe inside. Helps with the gardening, when to sow seed, when to open windows in the greenhouse. Also, I wanted to know how much sunlight I get here for my plans for solar power.
  • noodlesUK 4y ago
    This is really interesting. What software do you use on your computer to interface with the ADC and 1 wire adapter? Is it something industrial like LabView or is it custom code written against whatever driver there is for the peripherals?
    • mnw21cam 4y ago
      The ADC just pretends to be a serial port, so I just (sleep 3570 ; echo "~.") | cu -l /dev/ttyUSB0 --speed 115200 to get an hour's worth of telemetry and pipe that into very simple analysis software I wrote. The one-wire port exposes itself as lots of files in /sys/devices/w1_bus_master1/ that you can read that contain the temperature measurements.
• shortrounddev 4y ago
  Idk if it really counts as an accessory, but I used to use Synergy when I had to use a company Macbook. I have the macbook on one side of the desk connected to one monitor, and my PC on the other side connected to the other. I found docker performance to be way better on my PC than on the 8gb RAM M1 Macbook pro I was given, so I tended to do everything I could on the PC and then push code using the macbook
  • Lewky 4y ago
    I was recommended Synergy and found https://github.com/debauchee/barrier https://github.com/debauchee/barrier Ended up not exploring Synergy any further because Barrier worked awesome
• bakoo 4y ago
  I don't have these pedals [1] (yet), but considering how much I'm struggling with osteoarthritis at the ripe old age of 49, I do think they might offer some relief during my longer vim stints. [1] https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/01/review-usb-foot-pedals-fs3_p/ https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2022/01/review-usb-foot-pedals-fs3_...
• jrootabega 4y ago
  What do you mean by ring? Because at home in the late 1990's, I remember we had some kind of 3d ring mouse that worked with ultrasonic motion trackers clamped to the monitor. It was either this (the Kantek Spectrum Ring Mouse) or something almost identical: https://www.microsoft.com/buxtoncollection/detail.aspx?id=19 https://www.microsoft.com/buxtoncollection/detail.aspx?id=19 From what I remember, it didn't work too well. Or it wasn't worth the gorilla arm. I was only using it for clerical work and maybe some gaming.
• Tepix 4y ago
  Here's something i've tried but it didn't work out: - Using an Onyx Boox Max Lumi 13.3 eInk display as external laptop monitor to work outside. Too much ghosting.
  • phil294 4y ago
    did you put it directly into sunlight or was the screen itself put in shadow? (makes a huge difference afaik)
• Havoc 4y ago
  Long USB-C extension and a cheap-ish anker hub has proven surprisingly useful. Less glitches on wireless audio/mouse thanks to reduced distance and yubikey is in easy reach
• jrootabega 4y ago
  Hackcessories: An upside-down metal drink tumbler, with an anti-static wrist strap around it, and clamped to the chassis of the computer. In the colder months, I touch it before touching parts of the computer, or my metal keyboard (which is not great for static). Before that, I hung up my system several times from static shocks on USB stuff. A pile of random stuff with the right dimensions to put my webcam on in front of my monitor, so it looks like I'm actually looking at the person talking. This one doesn't work so well.
  • Ryrie 4y ago
    I use Center Cam and love it. https://thecentercam.com/ https://thecentercam.com/
• seltzered_ 4y ago
  I use a Tiny Tower Stand with a tablet pc, which enabled my Ergo Mobile Computer setup ( https://reddit.com/r/ergomobilecomputers/ https://reddit.com/r/ergomobilecomputers/ ) I haven't used a second monitor since, and don't need to wear glasses at the computer anymore since the setup is a few inches closer to the face.
• pedrovhb 4y ago
  Oh boy, I found/invented a tweak that I can't live without anymore. I use an MX Ergo trackball, not sure how it'd fare on a mouse, but here are the magic runes: xinput set-prop <mouse device id> "libinput Scroll Method Enabled" 0 0 1 xinput set-prop <mouse device id> "libinput Button Scrolling Button" 8 Where you'd change 8 to a chosen mouse button and the mouse device id to its appropriate value from `xinput list`. What this does is make it so that as long as that button is being held, moving the cursors scrolls instead. It's hard to describe how much better of n experience it is vs. using the scroll wheel. It's much faster, much more precise, and less finger-tiring. Here's a gist of the Python script I use to set it up - https://gist.github.com/pedrovhb/41e9d5b7b7b5c13fe2c94aa4cee1193a https://gist.github.com/pedrovhb/41e9d5b7b7b5c13fe2c94aa4cee...
  • pronik 4y ago
    If I understand you correctly, this is exactly how Trackpoints have been scrolling for decades -- hold the middle button and move the pointer.
  • _def 4y ago
    wow that's neat! I use and love the same device and while it feels a bit odd at first it also feels better than using the scroll wheel. btw in case anyone wants to try a different button (8 is "Page back") you can use `xinput test <device id>` to listen to events and see which number each button is. Good news: it seems like the Back button still works when using this. Thanks! edit: Putting this in ~/.xsessionrc seems to work fine for me on Ubuntu: xinput set-prop "pointer:Logitech MX Ergo" "libinput Button Scrolling Button" 8 xinput set-prop "pointer:Logitech MX Ergo" "libinput Scroll Method Enabled" 0 0 1
    • pedrovhb 4y ago
      Nice, using "pointer:Logitech MX Ergo" beats my hacky regex. Thanks!
  • unraveller 4y ago
    X-Mouse for windows lets you do this and it's a godsend for RSI since most mouse manufacturers have a heavy trigger weight on the middle mouse click for some reason. There is also scrollAnywhere browser extension for similar thing.
• wruza 4y ago
  Mouse: A metal padded mouse with a “speed” mouse pad. It is so sensitive and easy to move that I can’t go back to a regular one anymore. Also it has rests for a thumb an a pinky. Shaped like this: _/—\_ I believe that mine is A4Tech T70 or a very similar. The software allows for linear movement which I also like much more than default acceleration-based. I clipped the cord to the edge of the table, so it lies like S on the mouse pad and doesn’t scratch itself nor makes a sound. Display: Also I have a monitor arm - it frees so much space on the table and allows for easy monitor movement when I need to clear the table and draw on paper.
• deleted 4y ago
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• dawmak 4y ago
  Wacom Bamboo tablet instead of the mouse. Less strain on wrists. Much more comfortable than the mouse and faster with pointing when used to it after some time.
• bobdowns 4y ago
  I use a ReSound Multi Mic (see https://www.resound.com/en-us/hearing-aids/accessories/multi-mic https://www.resound.com/en-us/hearing-aids/accessories/multi...) with my MBP. It plugs into the headphone port and transmits the sound to my ReSound hearing aids. As you can see at the referenced URL, the Multi Mic has other capabilities as well. I’ve used it to hear speakers at conferences, college classes, and other talks given by speakers who were at a distance from me. And, I’ve used it to pick up the signal sent by venues’ audio loops at other speaking events. The only feature it has that I haven’t used is its “conference table mic” - ReSound says I should be able to lay it flat on a table I’m sitting at with others and it’ll automatically zero in on one speaker or another when they talk and send that person’s voice to my hearing aids. I gotta’ test that feature out one of these days soon because that sounds amazing.
• mrpointy 4y ago
  I have a xence labs quickkeys which is a macro button pad with an OLED screen for button labels. You can have like five pages of shortcuts with 40 separate functions programmable PER APPLICATION. I don't have to remember obscure keyboard shortcuts, the functions switch automatically as I change apps and the scroll wheel (the main reason I bought it) is so nice. I can't use a mouse at all without pain so I use a pen tablet for the most part, this has brought back the smooth scrolling, zooming and other things you'd use a mouse wheel for back into my life.
• sethgoodluck 4y ago
  I have a small screen for raspberry pi on a teleprompter with a Sony A6000 behind it for video conferencing. Kicks the crap out of every webcam. The teleprompter lets me look right at you while in a meeting
• emasanabria 4y ago
  I use an eye-tracker to move the mouse, voice command and a set of 3 pedals: one to toggle the eye-tracking, another to toggle voice command and third for mouse left click. I started using these during a rough patch of RSI but now that I'm recovered still used them because they prevent any of these type of issues happening again and also, they're super comfy to work with (half of my workflow is automated using voice command and moving the pointer with your eyes is essential once you've learn how to use it properly). Highly encourage to try them :D
• ergalvao 4y ago
  Definitely a vertical mouse (it's not well known in my country/outside the dev industry). I've been having occasional wrist pain for a long time (I have a mild case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome) and the vertical mouse was not only a game changer but very easy to adapt to.