Things you have fixed/modded recently

[lwiz]

Welp, I did the deed to my PC.

Before:
View attachment 487599View attachment 487600

And the After [ ​

Spoiler: NSFW

View attachment 487601View attachment 487602

The tripled memory helps a lot too, 8 gigs starts to be a bit iffy these days with chromium based browsers...

 

[AncientBoi]

The tripled memory helps a lot too, 8 gigs starts to be a bit iffy these days with chromium based browsers...

I wasn't sure it would take. I bought the 2 - 8 gigs, and the PC had it's own 2 - 4 gigs. I put the new ones in the primary slots, and of course the old ones in the vacant slots, and crossed my fingers. 2 problems in the whole operation. Changing the i5 to the i7 was easy peasy, till after all said and done, I spotted the tube of guess. That I had to take it all back down to apply thermal paste it. [smh]. Then I crossed my fingers When I fired it up.

Windows decided it did not want to be found . So I had to "Reinstall" windows And lose my apps . I did manage to keep my files though [important docs, Naughty pics and game saves..]

lol, I haven't been to bed yet when I started this yesterday at Noonish. Still gotta redo all my [essential to me] apps.

 

[JFizDaWiz]

Wow. That is a cool device. Maybe you could install an sd card extender to the side of the housing to always have access to the sd card slot.

Something like this…. https://a.co/d/cRmT8DO

yup, I already ordered this
https://www.laserbear.net/products/flippydrive-sd-extension

however
"Remote SD card management in firmware (Desktop app will need to be updated before it is usable)"

 

[lwiz]

The ability to change the remote button functions alone made this worth it.

 

[CoolMe]

View attachment 488593

The ability to change the remote button functions alone made this worth it.

Glad to see another fellow Kodi user

 

[tmnr1992]

I modded my PS3 controller and turned it into a paperweight by attempting to solder a loose charging port.

 

[AncientBoi]

Finally got the Ol' clunker Asus VivoBook R540N/ Intel Celeron 3350? processer, 4gb ram [neither item upgradeable. I used the SSD from the Messed up Lapptop to run it.Then I put a used HDD [cloned] into it. I actually got to put Windows 11 Pro as the OS on it, lol. The one I was using just before when I first joined here. I shall call this "AncientBoi's Grandson"

I'll update this post with a PC Benchmark thingy

 

[CoolMe]

I'll update this post with a PC Benchmark thingy

I'll save you some time, it's 1% rated

 

[AncientBoi]

I'll save you some time, it's 1% rated

Yea probably.

But I did get it up n running

 

[notsu]

Yea probably.

But I did get it up n running

Genuine question: is it actually of any use? Like except for a [probably inefficient] media server?

 

[AncientBoi]

Genuine question: is it actually of any use? Like except for a [probably inefficient] media server?

A "Live" paperweight

 

[SylverReZ]

View attachment 488593

The ability to change the remote button functions alone made this worth it.

You running Kodi on the TV or from an Android TV box? I wonder if it's possible to run RetroArch.

 

[lwiz]

In this case WebOS LG TV, should support retroarch as well, but I have so much other emulator capable things connected to the TV already, so didn't check retroarch further.

Mostly did the modding just for shits & giggles (and to get usable functionality out of Prime Video and Media buttons on remote)

 

[SylverReZ]

A "Live" paperweight

You could probably run Linux Mint or any other Linux distro. Windows 10/11 on storage that is under 32GB is bound to fill up the disk space quickly as you update.

 

[AncientBoi]

You could probably run Linux Mint or any other Linux distro. Windows 10/11 on storage that is under 32GB is bound to fill up the disk space quickly as you update.

I'll consider it I'll have to see what it ALL entails [installing, running, etc.] I'm too old to learn all this new stuff.

 

[JuanMena]

Okay...
So, this morning attempted to play with RetroArch on my Laptop, using the PS3 controller I got recently.
Haven't used it that much because I don't like to play on my Lap, that's why I got the Bluetooth Gamepad for my Android phone.

Anyway... was playing some good old StarFox and my controller disconnected. The Laptop did that typical "No USB" jingle, so I just unplugged the PS3 controller and plugged it back, worked again.
Less than a minute later, it did the same. Hm...
Unplugged it and opened it, and recently I disconnected the Battery because I've been using it with the USB at all times because somehow Bluetooth won't work.
As soon as I plugged back the battery, I heard something frying and smoke came out of the other side of the PCB.
I removed the battery, plugged it off the USB from my Laptop, and then connected the battery again... this time did a PSSSSSSSSSST hissing and even more smoke came out of the PCB.

I removed the PCB out of the shell, and saw that something indeed burned... component "C8" which I assume was a Capacitor.

Not only burned, but it actually did a hole into the PCB because when I tried to clean the burn area, my needle went all the way through the PCB in that spot.
I grabbed my Multimeter and noticed that C8 has continuity with the thing above it, and to the right of V+, and noticed that R11 was shorted because I got continuity with Ground.

I asked ChatGPT for assistance, and it asked me to show it the picture above... I did... and the motherfucker analized it, and not only that, it recognized R11, Q2 being a Mosfet and D2, which is a Diode, the red thingie on the bottom.
It told me to check for shorts on the PCB, it did not had any, then told me to check D2, and it indeed was shorted, no continuity and no reading. Fortunately, Q2, the Mosfet was working right... so I guess the Diode sacrificed itself. And ChatGPT told me to replace C8, R11 and D2.

I did... look how small the Capacitor is!

And here's the Resistor! It had no visible label, so I don't know it's value. ChatGPT suggested that it was probably a small V one, so it suggested to use a 1 to 100 ohm resistor... and I used a 100 ohm...

Anyway... I too replaced the Diode... and with some PCB scratching to get C8 to solder onto something since it literally did a hole on the PCB, and everything replaced with spares... the controller still wasn't working.

I was about to tell ChatGPT that, whatever it told me to do, didn't worked... but since I was sending pics, I reached my "message limit" and I can no longer communicate with ChatGPT... I too probably didn't used the right value for R11... the resistor...
So... I took the most caveman approach (as I usually do) before I gave up and desoldered the sticks for spares, and plugged the PS3 controller via USB to my power socket which has USB to charge USB things...
Fortunately, this time it didn't smoked... so I guess ChatGPT was right about something, but still wasn't turning on.

SO, with the controller plugged I measured wether or not the controller was receiving voltage, and indeed there was a flat 5.0V trough the Mini USB and measured the V+ and V- and too had 5V.
Then, measured C8, with the replaced Capacitor, and it too had 5V... but R11 wasn't receiving any voltage despite it being directly conected to C8... so I desoldered and the controller turned on...

And now I decided to test with my Laptop to see if I wasn't imagining things and... well...

My guess is that the rail for the battery was preventing voltage from reaching the rest of the PCB and by "eliminating it" allowed proper voltage across?
I don't fucking know...
But let's see how long it lasts this time.

 

[Exnor]

Glad to see another fellow Kodi user

Same here. I use Kodi on all of my TV's (LG WebOS in dev mode), plus on my tablet and Xbox series X (for 4K movies).

I've been using since the original Xbox project. Greatest multimedia all-in-one software out there.

 

[slaphappygamer]

Okay...
So, this morning attempted to play with RetroArch on my Laptop, using the PS3 controller I got recently.
Haven't used it that much because I don't like to play on my Lap, that's why I got the Bluetooth Gamepad for my Android phone.

Anyway... was playing some good old StarFox and my controller disconnected. The Laptop did that typical "No USB" jingle, so I just unplugged the PS3 controller and plugged it back, worked again.
Less than a minute later, it did the same. Hm...
Unplugged it and opened it, and recently I disconnected the Battery because I've been using it with the USB at all times because somehow Bluetooth won't work.
As soon as I plugged back the battery, I heard something frying and smoke came out of the other side of the PCB.
I removed the battery, plugged it off the USB from my Laptop, and then connected the battery again... this time did a PSSSSSSSSSST hissing and even more smoke came out of the PCB.

I removed the PCB out of the shell, and saw that something indeed burned... component "C8" which I assume was a Capacitor.

View attachment 491820
Not only burned, but it actually did a hole into the PCB because when I tried to clean the burn area, my needle went all the way through the PCB in that spot.
I grabbed my Multimeter and noticed that C8 has continuity with the thing above it, and to the right of V+, and noticed that R11 was shorted because I got continuity with Ground.

I asked ChatGPT for assistance, and it asked me to show it the picture above... I did... and the motherfucker analized it, and not only that, it recognized R11, Q2 being a Mosfet and D2, which is a Diode, the red thingie on the bottom.
It told me to check for shorts on the PCB, it did not had any, then told me to check D2, and it indeed was shorted, no continuity and no reading. Fortunately, Q2, the Mosfet was working right... so I guess the Diode sacrificed itself. And ChatGPT told me to replace C8, R11 and D2.

I did... look how small the Capacitor is!
View attachment 491822
And here's the Resistor! It had no visible label, so I don't know it's value. ChatGPT suggested that it was probably a small V one, so it suggested to use a 1 to 100 ohm resistor... and I used a 100 ohm...View attachment 491823
Anyway... I too replaced the Diode... and with some PCB scratching to get C8 to solder onto something since it literally did a hole on the PCB, and everything replaced with spares... the controller still wasn't working.

I was about to tell ChatGPT that, whatever it told me to do, didn't worked... but since I was sending pics, I reached my "message limit" and I can no longer communicate with ChatGPT... I too probably didn't used the right value for R11... the resistor...
So... I took the most caveman approach (as I usually do) before I gave up and desoldered the sticks for spares, and plugged the PS3 controller via USB to my power socket which has USB to charge USB things...
Fortunately, this time it didn't smoked... so I guess ChatGPT was right about something, but still wasn't turning on.

SO, with the controller plugged I measured wether or not the controller was receiving voltage, and indeed there was a flat 5.0V trough the Mini USB and measured the V+ and V- and too had 5V.
Then, measured C8, with the replaced Capacitor, and it too had 5V... but R11 wasn't receiving any voltage despite it being directly conected to C8... so I desoldered and the controller turned on...
View attachment 491826

And now I decided to test with my Laptop to see if I wasn't imagining things and... well...
View attachment 491828

My guess is that the rail for the battery was preventing voltage from reaching the rest of the PCB and by "eliminating it" allowed proper voltage across?
I don't fucking know...
But let's see how long it lasts this time.

I fixed a speaker that had a similar issue. But instead of putting on another component, I used a small gauge wire and made a bridge. Speaker worked great! I just hated its interface……there was NONE. It was one of those shit WiFi speakers. It didn’t even have Bluetooth. Worst part was, the app that you need to operate the fucker wanted you login from Spotify, pandora, Apple Music, and anything else you want to stream from. Sonos is dead to me.

 

[AncientBoi]

You could probably run Linux Mint or any other Linux distro. Windows 10/11 on storage that is under 32GB is bound to fill up the disk space quickly as you update.

Out of curiosity, Why did you pick "Linux Mint", instead of just Linux [besides the price. lol] for me? Yes, I'm already considering installing the OS, because I'm giving up on the Win 11 for this Old Asus R540NA Laptop w/ only 4gb RAM [saw a motherboard for sale with 8gb] - 512gb HDD [going to buy a 512gb SSD for it]

Ik, it's an old clunker, but I intend to us it "On the Go" laptop because of it's light weight, and not using it for gaming. Well... Maybe light gaming on it, lol. This is what I plan for it.

 

[Flame]

Out of curiosity, Why did you pick "Linux Mint", instead of just Linux [besides the price. lol] for me? Yes, I'm already considering installing the OS, because I'm giving up on the Win 11 for this Old Asus R540NA Laptop w/ only 4gb RAM [saw a motherboard for sale with 8gb] - 512gb HDD [going to buy a 512gb SSD for it]

Ik, it's an old clunker, but I intend to us it "On the Go" laptop because of it's light weight, and not using it for gaming. Well... Maybe light gaming on it, lol. This is what I plan for it.

Well, Linux Mint is an OS. Linux is the kernel it uses. There is no OS called Linux; many OSs use the Linux kernel.

AncientBoi when or if you want to use a Linux OS I recommend you create a thread. We will help you find the perfect one for you.