#Connector Reliability

[r0semultiverse]

Gonna try to convince my mom to help me get an early holiday gift by paying for half of it, wish me luck! If I succeed you may be seeing more uploads and other such things and TWITCH STREAMING AGAIN! WISH ME LUCK! 😅

[jcmarchi]

Next-Level AV Integration with Turtle AV: Dante Audio Solutions Built for Performance

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/next-level-av-integration-with-turtle-av-dante-audio-solutions-built-for-performance/

Next-Level AV Integration with Turtle AV: Dante Audio Solutions Built for Performance

Turtle AV is redefining professional AV with a suite of Dante-enabled hardware designed for seamless integration, intelligent control, and rock-solid reliability. Whether you’re outfitting a stadium, theater, classroom, or broadcast studio, these solutions deliver unmatched flexibility, redundancy, and ease of use. Here’s a closer look at the latest innovations.

DOWNTOWN: Dolby Atmos to Dante Bridge Meet the world’s first audio encoder to convert Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS:X, and PCM up to 9.1 channels into Dante. The DOWNTOWN is built for serious installs—theme parks, stadiums, theaters, and broadcast suites.

Power & network redundancy

AES67 support

Full API control

TAA compliant with a 5-year advance replacement warranty

MINEOLA 16×16: High-Density Dante–XLR Bridge Bridge the gap between analog XLR and digital Dante with 8 in / 8 out in a compact 2RU chassis. Ideal for live production, events, and fixed installs.

Dual redundant PoE

Neutrik etherCON locking ports

48V phantom power on all XLR inputs

Compatible with vMix, Vizrt, TriCaster, OBS, Wirecast, and more

PHOENIX 8×8: Compact DSP Dante Bridge Powerful audio control in a rugged, rack-mountable frame. The Phoenix 8×8 features 8 analog ins/outs with DSP control via WebGUI.

Euroblock connectors with 48V phantom power

Dual Dante network ports + locking DC connector

TAA compliant, 5-year warranty

EQ, delay, and gain control via open API

30W PoE+ Dante Power Amplifier This PoE+ amp bridges analog and Dante audio while powering two passive speakers at 15W/channel.

Balanced/unbalanced analog I/O

2-channel digital Dante I/O

DSP with EQ, gain, volume via WebUI

Plenum-rated, PoE+ or 12V powered

Learn more about Turtle AV below:

[farsight-the-char]

Old Phone has been factory reset and shall be smacked with magnet.

It served me well for 5 years. Its machine spirit has been laid to rest.

[mohammad2890]

pexetesal

Welcome to PexEtesal - Your Premier Destination for PEX-AL-PEX Pipe Fittings

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[expansionjointbellows]

Top Supplier of Flexible Pipe Connectors

In today’s industrial landscape, the demand for reliable and efficient flexible pipe connectors is higher than ever. At Udhhyog, we pride ourselves on being the top supplier of flexible pipe connectors in India, providing products that meet the highest standards of quality and performance.

What Are Flexible Pipe Connectors?

Flexible pipe connectors are crucial components designed to absorb vibrations, accommodate movement, and allow for easy installation in various piping systems. These connectors enhance the overall efficiency and longevity of your installations, making them ideal for both residential and industrial applications.

Why Choose Flexible Pipe Connectors?

Vibration Absorption: Flexible connectors help reduce vibrations and noise, leading to a quieter operation.

Easy Installation: Designed for straightforward installation, these connectors save time and labor costs.

Versatility: They can be used in a variety of applications, including HVAC systems, plumbing, and industrial piping.

Udhhyog’s Range of Flexible Pipe Connectors

At Udhhyog, we offer a diverse range of flexible pipe connectors tailored to various applications:

Rubber Flexible Connectors: Perfect for absorbing shock and providing excellent sealing capabilities.

Metal Flexible Connectors: Designed for high-pressure applications, offering durability and resistance to harsh environments.

PTFE Flexible Connectors: Ideal for chemical applications due to their excellent corrosion resistance.

Why Choose Udhhyog as Your Supplier?

Quality Assurance: Our connectors are manufactured using premium materials to ensure long-lasting performance.

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Expert Support: Our knowledgeable team is available to assist you in selecting the right connectors for your specific needs.

Applications of Flexible Pipe Connectors

Our flexible pipe connectors are used in various industries, including:

HVAC Systems: To connect ducts while allowing for thermal expansion and contraction.

Plumbing: Providing reliable connections in water supply and drainage systems.

Industrial Applications: Used in manufacturing processes where flexibility and movement are essential.

Customer Feedback

“Udhhyog’s flexible pipe connectors have improved our system's efficiency significantly. Highly recommend their products!” — Innovative Engineering Ltd.

“We trust Udhhyog for all our piping needs. Their connectors are reliable and cost-effective.” — Streamline Plumbing Solutions

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Explore Our Range: Check out our selection of flexible pipe connectors here.

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Simple Ordering Process: Enjoy a seamless online ordering experience with prompt delivery across India.

At Udhhyog, we are committed to providing you with the highest quality flexible pipe connectors to meet your needs. Trust us for reliable solutions that enhance the performance of your piping systems.

[flangeswale]

Durable Flexible Pipe Joints Available Now

When it comes to maintaining the integrity of your piping systems, durable flexible pipe joints are essential. At Udhhyog, we provide a wide selection of high-quality flexible pipe joints designed to meet the needs of various industrial applications.

What Are Flexible Pipe Joints?

Flexible pipe joints are specialized connectors that allow for movement and flexibility in piping systems. They help accommodate thermal expansion, reduce stress, and absorb vibrations, making them crucial for efficient operations.

Why Choose Udhhyog for Durable Flexible Pipe Joints?

High-Quality Materials: Our flexible pipe joints are manufactured using robust materials that ensure long-lasting performance even in demanding conditions.

Versatile Applications: These joints are perfect for use in a variety of settings, including plumbing, HVAC systems, and industrial processes.

Expert Assistance: Our knowledgeable team is ready to assist you in selecting the right flexible pipe joints tailored to your specific needs.

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Excellent Flexibility: Designed to handle movement and thermal expansion, our pipe joints help prevent stress on pipelines.

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How to Order Durable Flexible Pipe Joints from Udhhyog

Browse Our Selection: Visit our Pipe Fittings category to explore a wide range of flexible pipe joints.

Select Your Preferred Product: Choose the durable flexible pipe joints that best fit your project requirements.

Order Online: Enjoy the convenience of our straightforward online ordering process for fast shipping and delivery.

Ensure your piping systems are equipped with the best flexible pipe joints available. Trust Udhhyog for quality products that enhance the performance and longevity of your operations.

[creativeera]

Press Fit Connectors: Enabling Reliable and Durable Connections in Electronics Manufacturing

Automating Connections With Press Fit Technology Press connectors provide a simple yet robust method for creating secure electrical connections through automated assembly processes. By utilizing a press or insertion tool, press connectors can be rapidly installed with minimal labor costs compared to traditional wiring methods. This makes them well-suited for high-volume manufacturing environments where quick and reliable connections are essential. Press connectors work by using a mating male and female connection design where the male pin is pressed or inserted into the female housing. The housing features a series of contact beams that flex inward during insertion of the pin. Once the pin is fully seated, the contact beams resiliently grip the pin to hold it securely in place without the need for soldering or crimping. Some key advantages of this press-in joining technology include: - Speed of installation. Press fit connectors can typically be installed in less than a second using automated insertion tools, significantly increasing throughput compared to hand-wiring methods. This reduces assembly time and costs. - Secure, vibration-resistant connections. When fully seated, press fit connections experience contacting pressures of around 40 pounds per square inch, ensuring a tight grip that withstands shock, vibration, and thermal cycling better than loose wire connections. - No heat or complex tooling required. Press Fit Connectorsutilize cold metal-to-metal joining, avoiding the use of soldering irons or crimping tools and heat that could damage sensitive components. Simple automated press tools suffice. - Repeatable connections. The consistent mechanical joining process of press fits provides highly repeatable connections from one unit to the next, improving product quality and reliability compared to hand-wired versions. - Ease of inspection. Fully seated press fit connections are self-locking so visual inspection confirms proper installation. Any missing or loose connections are obvious. - Compatibility with automated assembly. The simple press-in action is easily implemented using pick-and-place robots, conveyor-based presses, or other automated assembly equipment suited to high-volume manufacturing environments. Variations in Press Fit Designs While the general principle of press connectors remains the same, connector manufacturers have developed various innovative designs optimized for different application needs. Some common variations include: - Board-to-board connectors. Often used to make connections between circuit boards stacked vertically in enclosures. Board-to-board press fits feature male pins on one board that press directly into plated-through holes on the mating board below. - Box-header connectors. House receptacles or sockets in an insulating box or header, commonly used for applications like motor controls that need to break out many individual connections. The box speeds assembly and adds grip retention. - Power connectors. Larger press fit connectors may be designed to handle heavier loads like battery connections. Overmolded plastic housings provide strain relief while metal inserts securely join high-current power pins. - Compact right-angle connectors. Useful in space-constrained designs, right-angle press fits allow headers and receptacles to mate vertically instead of inserting straight inline. This saves valuable board area. - Water-resistant connectors. Gaskets and seals incorporated into the connector housing design provide an extra level of protection against moisture ingress for applications demanding an IP rating. Get more insights on Press Fit Connectors

Priya Pandey is a dynamic and passionate editor with over three years of expertise in content editing and proofreading. Holding a bachelor's degree in biotechnology, Priya has a knack for making the content engaging. Her diverse portfolio includes editing documents across different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemical and materials, etc. Priya's meticulous attention to detail and commitment to excellence make her an invaluable asset in the world of content creation and refinement.

(LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/priya-pandey-8417a8173/)

[balajiswitchgears]

LAPP EPIC Connectors, the reliable connector for industrial applications.Quick and easy assembly, high reliability, and long, uninterrupted service life in tough industrial environments.

www.balajiswitchgears.com

Mail: mktgindia@balajiswitchgears.com

[conveyorsjointonline]

At Conveyors Joint , we understand the critical importance of reliable conveyor belt connections in maintaining the efficiency and productivity of your industrial operations. That's why we have developed the state-of-the-art Conveyor Belt Quick Connector, designed to revolutionize the way you connect conveyor belts.

[rassicas]

today on splatoon mythbusters: is Agent 4 a country bumpkin?

no lol this is probably the funniest widespread misconception to come out in recent years A big part of it is because people misunderstood this map.

I came across this trivia point on the wiki page for agent 4 while making this post LOL agent 4 has better access to public transportation than 95% of you With all that green on the map and nothing marked in between, It seems that people have been assuming the population density of inkopolis looks something like the image on the left. While it's unclear exactly how big the population is of inkadia and the surrounding area is, going roughly off of how irl east Tokyo and neighboring Chiba prefecture look, i think its safe to guess were dealing with an urban area that looks more like whats on the right.

(side note about population count: i take the account of the Low Water Party with a grain of salt since that isnt even a real number they used. something that is more reliable is that graffiti artist Sally has over 240k followers on social media. while followers can be from anywhere in the world ofc, it sounds like her fanbase is largely in inkopolis. i think its safe to say inkopolis is a very big city!)

If we're to look more at the irl equivalent of the area, it seems the Inkopolis Coastal Connector is based on the Keiyo Line. Following that line roughly to where 4's house is lands us in a ward in Chiba city. It doesn't look like much, but about 100k people live in that area. Not a super crazy urban area like tokyo, but still urban.

(incidentally, a major landmark on the Keiyo line is Makuhari Messe, where 3 of the irl splatoon idol concerts have been held. maybe a coincidence but maybe gives more credence to the idea that that's what the coastal connector is based on?) Apparently on the Japanese side, there's a theory that 4 is from Yotsukaido, which is a little further north of the area i circled. why there? Yotsukaido means "4 town street"...4...haha

Ok enough guessing based on "vibes" and real maps that may or may not be accurate to how things are in the splatoon world. The Actual lore: On Splatoon base it's confirmed they grew up about 40 minutes away from Inkopolis by train, close to the city. That's like a nothing amount of distance.

Another developer interview from 2017 goes into more detail.

Inoue: Agent 3 had a very "I've finally made it to the city" feeling, with a strong desire to become fresh. 4 on the other hand, not so much. Rather than being someone from the countryside, they're more like someone who came from a commuter town within the greater metropolitan area. It's like a place where the limited express trains wouldn't stop at, but the semi-express trains would (laughs).

so agent 4 is very clearly, a city kid. agent 3 is the country bumpkin, from an area so far away its not even on the map. According to splatoon base...

Far enough away that they moved to inkopolis alone. meanwhile 4 lives close enough that they could just go home to their parents after battling.

Also this is something that I never see brought up. Amidst the dubiously canon early concept comics in the back of the artbook, there's a comic about agent 3 leaving their hometown, mentioning they live in a seaside town called [REDACTED] with a population of 5000.

Again, these comics are dubious since theyre so old. but there are ideas in these comics that have carried over to the final games in some form, and this is consistent with agent 3's final characterization that they come from a far away small town and had a longing for the city.

anyway tldr i think its funny how agent 4's fandom characterization/backstory got swapped with 3's all because of a misread map

[typewritingyip]

The Arcturus Missions

Part Forty Three - Deeper Connections

Part Forty Two

Warning: Violence

———

Compatibility is a finicky process, whether it is someone struggling through the written or physical testing, or just the system's lack of reliability. Compatibility is necessary to operate a mech suit based in the current technology.

All pilots, once found compatible, have implants installed at the base of their skull with connectors to their nervous system and the neural pathways of the brain. 

It creates an interface between the pilots and the suit that makes it possible to control the suit at large. There is of course the main system a pilot can control by hand, the monitors in front of them and the systems attached to the piloting seat, but some pilots have that deeper connections.

When that deeper connection is established, it is hard to pull away from and remove oneself from said connection. It can cause permanent damage to both pilot and the system, whether from lack of awareness to surroundings or an overload of the system itself during connection.

Pilots that start to experience these deeper levels of connection are generally in one of two situations, pilots that organizations want or pilots that will be reassigned to a new class when possible. Specific types of coding which typically are found in Hunter class and older classes such as REDACTED, are what have been found to cause these deeper levels of connection.

It matters less the level of compatibility initially, but the compatibility with the specific class. 

Pilots are often rotated out of their initial class when not immediately assigned to striker class for the safety of the suit, then the pilot. When they remain in the more intense classes for an extended period of time, without disconnection, it can cause severe damage. 

Recommendations are offered to the extended mech suit family by the leading scientist in the field, to rotate out their Hunter, Rescue, and older class pilots to striker units after the first five years. Remove the extended coding from both pilot and suit, then refuse transfers back.

Ten percent of pilots survive the reclassifying process. 

Severe damage from prolonged use of mecha connection is labeled as the cause on autopsy reports. 

Implants are removed upon the death of the pilot, as resources grow scarce and the need for pilots grows. 

This deeper level of connection, referred to as over-connection, has been said to cause abnormal situations. Pilots and suits in specific classes have previously been noted as experiencing abnormalities upon the reinforcement of the deeper connection.

Little is known of how the specific side-effects harm both suit and pilot.  

—

The thing spoke in some guttural language that Hound could not understand, briefly shorting his translator as it attempted to use the Cybertronian translation it was building to translate. His speakers shrieked in his ears and with a wince he killed it before setting up the next scanning for language. 

Shifting his stance, he was still breathing heavily, “I don’t know what you’re saying, but I doubt it’s ‘take me to your leader.’” He almost cracked a smile, almost, this was a worse situation than they were in when they crash landed on Cybertron. Worse still than probably the whole assault on New Kaon.

With a flick of his arm, his gun slid back into his hand and he leveled it at the weird Quintesson, they looked similar enough to know this was just a different type, “Alright then.” And he pulled the trigger as many times as he could as the mega-quint ran at him. Foot coming up to try and kick it off.

His back hit the building outside the ship, a good ten yards from the glass he’d been sent through. Alerts popping up throughout his vision, bright red and screaming at him. 

Everything from crush alerts to zero-g and of course impact alerts. More alerts than he got when the building fell on him and his head swam for a minute, “Oh fuck,” dragging his arm under him, he looks down at his destroyed gun. 

Shattered beyond repair and hand plating splintered, sharp pain shooting through it. For a moment he couldn’t breathe, thinking of his suit as his body before looking up.

It took several long moments for him to realize his comm wasn’t full of static but shouting, “Hound, answer!” Glancing up towards the ship, Jazz was waving, “Yeah, yeah, I’m here.” His head spun as he started to drag his suit up from the ground. Hand grasping at the wall of the building he’d slammed into. 

He just managed to dodge the spear thrown at him, it lodged in the wall, “I wish I wasn’t but I’m here. We’ve got a big enemy that is in the process of trying to destroy my suit.” Pulling the spear from the wall, he was still heaving for breath, “God damnit,” He hardly had a moment to get it up before he was stabbing the spear into the executioner. 

These things were big and fast, as well as seemed vaguely intelligent to have tools and some sort of language, “Holy shit, what is that thing?” Sideswipe’s voice was strained and Hound could only guess why at the moment, “I don’t know but it's what threw me from the ship.” He only had a moment to respond before kicking out at it, pulling the spear back sharply and stabbing it again. 

Green splattered across the ground with a far to satisfying squelch, Jazz looked back over and swore, grabbing hold of Sideswipe’s arm, “Hound needs our help.” With a glance, Sideswipe frowns, “Why?” 

“That is what command calls an executioner, if the flying Quints we normally fight are us without a suit then that thing there is their striker.” His voice rang in Hound’s ears, especially as he stabbed it again, kicking it off the end of the spear and jabbing it again, “Oh, that’s just wonderful. Why haven’t we fought one before?” His voice was harsh, he hadn’t meant for it to be so bad but he was grunting with the effort.

Risen from his piloting chair without even noticing, Hound kept jabbing it as the translator whirred somewhere in the cockpit.

Jazz eventually spoke up though he was still panting from the efforts of his own fight, “Because they are few and far between, thankfully and only used when they are close to getting what they want. Whatever the hell that is.” He spun and hit one of the approaching Quints, “Hound, just, hold on. Alright?” Grunting with the effort, he stalks towards the executioner.

”Yeah, I’ve got this.” And his foot collided with the chest of the so-called executioner before spinning the spear, raising it up to point at its chest. He heaved for air, closing his eyes for a moment to adjust his mask, but as soon as he opened them again he was thrown into another wall. Spear clattering to the ground. 

It laughed this deep and guttural laugh, then Hound got the ping of a partial translation, quickly turning it on, “What the hell are you?” His voice sounded horrible through the translation, dragging himself back to his feet, “I am your enemy, one who is thrilled to destroy you completely.” He blinked.

That wasn’t exactly the answer he was thinking he’d get, taking a slow breath, Hound crouches, “Yeah, good luck with that.” Then charged at the executioner, slamming into him and kept pushing as hard as he could till they slammed into the side of the ship. It went back to the typical Quintesson shrieking as Hound slammed his fist into it’s side over and over. 

Green was splattering up his arm and his hand was able to grasp something inside the body of this thing, so he pulled hard. Plating his knee into its stomach while yanking out its entrails. It screamed and started to bash its fist against the head of his suit, blurring his vision.

The further the damage, the more focused he got and it was just tunnel vision, the comms clicking off instinctually as he methodically starts to tear the thing apart. Warnings flashing through his suit, plating cracking and breaking as it screamed and laughed.

—

He couldn’t see Hound, but he and Jazz were retreating, starting to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of Quintessons crawling out from the remains of their ship, that and Prowl was in Jazz’s ear for the first time since they had started attacking these things.

Nearly as soon as Hound had been thrown from the spaceship, communications had cleared up, whether from something he had done or by preventing whoever was blocking the signals from getting out into Iacon, now there was backup approaching rapidly. 

“Fall back to four hundred feet, the seekers are going to hit the ship then we have a unit coming your way from central and will be there in less than five minutes.” Prowl’s voice was smooth, calculating, “We have some heavy craft coming in with bombs to try and eradicate the remaining Quintessons.” Sideswipe paused for half a second, even as he tore tentacles free from the body of a Quintesson.

Glancing towards the sky, he could see seekers streak past, moving to get into position, he blinked even as he hurles the Quint towards the ground and off the ship, “We can’t just carpet bomb this side of Iacon!” Sideswipe’s voice was higher than it typically was.

The chuckle through the line was unsettling, “Believe me, that is far from what they will be doing. It is banned on Cybertron even in times of war, article 468 of the Cybertronian Peace Agreement.” He paused and stared at the Quint in his grasp for a long moment.

”You had to put that in your peace agreement?” With a hum, Prowl disconnected and Sideswipe couldn’t help but shake his head. Cybertronians had all tried to kill each other even more than humans had it seemed.

Jazz almost ran smack into him, shoving, “We’ve got to move.” Swearing, he slid down the side of the ship even as more Quintessons started to peel themselves from inside, breaking open the plating on the exterior of their odd ships. 

He collided with the ground hard as a Quint wrapped it’s tentacles around one of his legs, “Fuck!” His head slammed into the monitors in front of him, his connection being yanked hard and he screamed from pain.

His vision blue screened like a computer.

It was like he couldn’t breathe when everything went blue then black, he couldn’t see even the hands in front of his face, but the sensors were still working. He could vaguely feel something grab him under his arm to pull him to his feet, “Sideswipe, we need to move!” Jazz’s voice was still clear at least.

Today really wasn’t going his way and all he really wanted to do right now was cry.

”I can’t see,” His voice broke and he swore as Jazz dragged him away from the ship, stumbling in the dark as he desperately grabbed at Jazz’s arm. If this had happened to Sunny, he didn’t even want to think of how bad it would have been for his brother. 

Crashing into the ground again, he groaned and pushed up, breathing far too quickly, hyperventilating, then Jazz’s hands pressed to his shoulders and his back hit the wall, “I’ve got you Sides, disconnect and fix your cameras. Your visor went dead.” Barely able to nod, he disconnects and tears off his helmet for a moment.

The cockpit wasn’t the most well-lit place but it certainly was brighter than the complete darkness his suit had decided to put him into. Dragging a hand over his damp implants, he dragged in slow and deep breaths. He wasn’t particularly scared of the dark, but losing one of his senses while in a fight was terrifying. 

It took him a moment to calm his racing heart, grabbing up his water pouch and taking a deep drink, “Oh god, please let this end quickly.” Setting aside the pouch, he picks up his helmet again and puts it on. Adjusting the visor on it for a second until it lit back up before returning to his piloting chair instead.

Taking up his connector for the implants, he holds it for a second, staring down at it. If he lingered he knew his mind would drag him into his past, distinctly where he didn’t want to spend anymore time that particular day. Adjusting his hold, he re-connects and straps back on his oxygen mask.

Seconds dragged on, sitting in the dark, and his breathing shook again. It was nearly a minute before everything came back online and he was shaking again, sighing, “Thank you.” His suit probably needed more maintances than he realized, leaning against the wall in an alleyway. 

Jazz was across from him, staring up towards the sky.

“Any sign of our reinforcements?” His voice wasn’t as strong as he had hoped for, but today had been one of the worst days of his life, so for now he’d let it slide. Shaking his head a bit, Jazz continued to stare, “No, but the first round of bombs are gonna fall here in a second.” Nodding a bit, Sides tried not to rub at his neck.

Looking out himself, he could see the Quintessons crawling all over their ship, and then Hound still out there. Tearing the executioner apart like it was nothing, “Damn.” Nodding a bit, Jazz sighed, “And that is one of the many reasons why hunter class is dying out. They lose themselves in the fight.” 

He watched before looking around, “Where are BD and Sunny?” Standing on shaky legs, he moves to go out, but Jazz catches his hand, “They’ve moved for cover, like we did, just stay put.” He stared out and tried to look around, to spot the familiar yellow or blue.

It was then that they were blown back, both slamming into the walls of the alley, “Can things stop blowing us up now?!” Sideswipe shouted, slamming his fist into the ground, then the wave of heat hit them, “Run.” Jazz sounded horrified, so he followed suit, scrambling after him.

”Why does everyone want to kill us today?” It was murmured, but Jazz shook his head, “Just run.” Sighing deeply, he followed, exhausted. He wasn’t a soldier, yet he was here on the front lines with everyone else. 

Just managing to snag Jazz’s hand, it grounded him, and he kept running. 

—

Breakdown thought this was one of the strangest days of his life, he was carrying Hound suit's severed arm while his own suit’s head was creaking with each step. Almost flopping from side to side like when his arm would fall asleep or if he sat on his foot too long. 

To his left was Sunstreaker, making their way between buildings and back towards the wreckage of the bar now as that is where their backup would link up. This had to be one of, if not the worst mission they had ever run. This is why the humans were separated, running head first into danger without a plan.

It was likely to get them all killed, stupid, stupid. 

“Any word from the others?” Sunny’s comms were growing patchy every handful of seconds, bleating painfully and Breakdown’s seemed to have disconnected at some point, probably when his cannon started to overheat, “No, after we got around that one skyscraper I lost connection.” Sunny’s hand rubbed at his neck, sighing. 

They kept walking together, quietly, trying to listen to the sounds of battle behind them. 

With the seekers above the main noise, the loud blast that made them both stumble almost gave Breakdown a heart attack, “What the crap?” He spun and tried to bring his cannon back online, it whirred once and promptly died.

Sunstreaker turned and stepped in front of him, both pausing to wait as more explosions happened in the distance. His heart was racing but he rested a hand on Sunny’s shoulder, “They all would have left before the Seekers started to bomb the area, we need to continue to the rendezvous point.” 

Nodding slowly, Sunstreaker turned back and kept walking though there was a slight hitch to his step. The poor boy was shaking like a leaf but kept on. 

He would never look down upon civilian pilots, they had more guts than most military ones he’d ever known, and he was glad to have Sunstreaker and Sideswipe by his side.

Their record, for how young they were, was incredible and it had made him very glad to have them on this mission. Even if it was their world sending them off to die, for the sake of saving it. This bigger picture was one he’d known his whole life, but this was not how he pictured it going.

Yet, here he was, with their small crew on an alien planet making friends and moving forward with a mission that was given to them thirty lightyears away from their current position. He doubted any of them would blame him if he decided to retire to one of the neighboring organic plants in a nearby system.

Sighing deeply, he shifted the hold he had on Hound’s arm. He’d never actually retire, he would die in this suit, just like M did. He was just glad it was far from the hands of his government, so they could force one of his younger brothers into it next.

They continued to walk in silence and he was grateful for it, glancing around, he sighed a bit. The walls around them were nearly the same shade of grey as the immigration office, he could picture it nearly clear as day. His implants oozed unpleasantly and he swore, trying to blink as he stumbled into the wall. 

“Hey, Breakdown, you there?” Sunny’s hand rested on his arm and he tried shaking his head but all it did was knock loose plating off.

The office was cold and grey, there wasn’t much to it but Breakdown kept walking down the alley. Putting his arm around Sunstreaker as he nearly stumbles. The desk was solid in front of him and his paperwork was hard to understand, half of it was in English. 

He only sat there for a few seconds before an older man came in, carrying more paperwork and setting it on the desk with a sigh.

”Breakdown, snap out of it.” He blinked hard and tore off his oxygen mask, grabbing up his water pouch to drink deeply. His overuse had never gotten as bad as the others, but it didn’t change; they all still struggled with it from time to time. So long as they lived here and fought for Cybertron it would probably stick around. 

Taking a slow breath, he nodded a bit, the head of his suit now lolled at an angle that his cameras had already adjusted for, “I’m alright, thank you Sunny.” They slowed as they came back to the rubble, just as other mecha started to come to it on the other side. 

Their colors were still bright and stood out against the grey that had coated this neighbor. Suddenly it hit Breakdown as he raised his hand, which held Hound’s arm, that they might not look their best at the moment, even as Sunny also waved to the approaching reinforcements. 

—

Everything ached and it was pretty obvious as to why. The Quint had thrown him through a building just as the bombs hit, then the heatwave made the metal of his suit nearly unbearable to be in.

Hotter than running drills in Death Valley. 

Even now he was grappling with the damned thing, even when it should have already bled to death. No, he kept ripping it apart and kicking it every time it got back up. This was worse than the worst fights he’d had anywhere on Earth, this felt endless. 

Though this was the end of the fight, kicking the shit out of it as it tried to shriek, “Just shut the hell up.” He was exhausted, almost more tired than he’d been after New Kaon, but it laughed cruelly, “My kind is not done with yours Cybertronian, no, we will not stop till your planet is ours once again.” 

He almost stopped, almost listened, instead his foot crushed the things head instead, panting from the effort, “I’m not Cybertronian. I’m human.” And he sat down on the ground, putting his arm on his head to breathe easier. 

Outside still looked like hell, bombs exploding and fire roaring, they wouldn’t leave anything left of that damned ship and in a way, Hound was glad. It meant he wouldn’t have to step foot back inside, but it also meant they wouldn’t have anything for Prowl to look at. To potentially figure out past the maybe-hard drive in his cockpit.

Disconnecting, Hound cried out and grasped at his implants. They were oozing and bleeding again for the first time in weeks, his whole body hurt. It felt like he’d been in a car crash, but then again, it was nor dissimilar to how his day had gone. 

Collapsing from the weight of his own body, Hound laid on the floor of his cockpit, next to the plating from his suit and the oversized hard drive. The bombs going off outside were still audible even there, in his suit and in the building. Grabbing his water pouch, he removes his oxygen mask then his helmet. 

It took a moment to drink slowly and deeply, trying to not drain the pouch but desperate for the water. 

“Ah god,” tears sprang to his eyes as he tried to breathe normally, grasping at his overly long hair. What he needed was a haircut, probably a shave too, but now wasn’t the time. 

The bar was destroyed, the music his parents coveted had been ripped out from under him like a rug in a cartoon. He hadn’t even thought of bringing music on the Odyssey, unlike the twins, it just had slipped his mind while they trained for being in space. 

Quintessons had tried invading Iacon, they had been just outside and nearly killed his friends. They wanted Cybertron and apparently Earth, for what he still had no idea but they wanted to kill everyone and everything.

Including him.

Including his crew.

Including Mirage.

Covering his face, he took a deep and shaking breath, and sobbed. Slamming his fist into the metal flooring of his cockpit, “Oh god, fucking, stupid.” Closing his eyes, he tried to calm down.

It was overwhelming, it was too much, and he needed to pull himself together so he could get back to his team. Whether that was Arcturus or his unit.

Slowly, the bombardment outside lessened and he got up, putting his helmet and oxygen mask back on, picking up his connector and holding it in his hands for a long moment. Tossing it lightly before reconnecting.

His eyes snapped open and he gasped painfully, the feeling in his arm disappearing again with shooting pain into his shoulder, “God damnit, fucking, stupid suit.” Shaking his head, he adjusted his visor and slowly rose, turning back to the executioner to hopefully grab it to bring it in.

Green ooze was what remained where it had been, but there was not nearly enough of it to its remains, “Fuck.” Dragging his hand down his face, Hound groaned, “Alright, find the others and don’t die. Yeah.” Nodding a bit, he steps through the hole he’d initially gone through.  

The outside wasn’t much better than the inside, if he had much to say, though most of the ship was burnt to a crisp and what remained was in fact charred remains, there were still Quintessons crawling around. Tentacles whipping out and feeling for its goal. 

His foot came down on one and then swiftly turned what remained of its body into green mist with a kick and once he did one, he had to keep going. Grabbing and tearing, kicking, then dispatching. It was one step then the next. 

———

A/N

This was meant to be out yesterday, but at 11 last night I did not feel like researching how the brain works or how the world is figuring out how to integrate tech into the human body to be perfectly honest.

But yeah, I hope to still have the next chapter out on Friday, I’ve already started to work on it so we will see how that goes, so wish me luck lol.

TAGS

@lunarlei68 @whirlywhirlygig @loop-hole-319 @pixillandjester @alek-the-witch @not-a-moose-in-disguise @goddessofwind8water @neurologicalglitch @dersereblogger @pixel-transformers @mrcrayonofdoom @wireplaces @twilightfreefaller @original-blog-name-2 @devilangel657 @robbin-u @miniartistme @starwold @tea-enthusiasm @valeexpris606 @celticdoggo @bird599 @agentsquirrelsgotrobots @aquaioart @thatwandercat @artdagz @seisha974 @halenhusky309 @leethepiper @cat-cassette @sirassban @cosmique-oddity @garbageenthusiast @xervias @azulabutterfly @fryseem @spring-mc @echo-circuit @aghostsnail @wooblewooble @ask-glory-haddock-and-others @nonsscrapheap @magichats @iminahole247 @omgflyingderpywhale @thetrexartist @naaaafam @elegantmantaray @emichusai @waterlilykitty @diabolichare @ham4ponyo @osqindaxend @sunnyvibesanddoodles @ratatatata248 @ijustneedausernaneplease4444444 @sprook-children @fooolisher 

And once again thank you to @Keferon for this amazing AU

[commodorez]

I still believe the craziest form of computer program storage format from the 1980s is the cassette tape. Logical I get it but to store entire programs on little tape (that I only remember using to play music) is just crazy to me. Idk

Agreed, cassette tape for data storage was really clever. The concept had its heyday was the 1970s in a wide variety of encoding schemes for different computer platforms. It did persist into the 80s, mostly in Europe, while the US switched to floppy disks as soon as they were available for systems. The majority of my Ohio Scientific software is on cassette.

Talking with UK vs. US Commodore 64 users in particular will highlight the disparity in which storage mediums that were commonplace. I've got a few pieces of software on tape for mainly the VIC-20, but I rarely bother to use it, because it's slow and annoying. To be fair, Commodore's implementation of data storage on tape is pretty rock solid relative to the competition. It's considered more reliable than other company's but Chuck Peddle's implementation of the cassette routines are considered quite enigmatic to this day. He didn't document it super well, so CBM kept reusing his old code from the PET all the way through the end of the C128's development 7 years later because they didn't want to break any backward compatibility.

The big thing that really made alot of homebrewers and kit computer owners cozy up to the idea was the introduction of the Kansas City Standard from 1976. The idea of getting away from delicate and slow paper tape, and moving towards an inexpensive, portable, and more durable storage medium was quite enticing. Floppy disk drives and interfaces were expensive at the time, so something more accessible like off the shelf audio tapes made sense.

I've linked two places you can read about it from Byte Magazine's February 1976 issue below (check the attribution links).

You might recognize a familiar name present...

There are a few ways to encode binary data on tape designed to handle analog audio, but the KCS approach is to have 1's be 8 cycles of 2400Hz tone, and 0's be 4 cycles of 1200Hz tone. I say cycles, because while 300 baud is the initial specification, there is also a 1200 baud specification available, so the duration of marks vs spaces (another way of saying 1's and 0's), is variable based on that baud rate. Many S-100 computers implemented it, as do a few contemporary proprietary designs.

The big 3 microcomputers of 1977 that revolutionized the industry (Apple II, Commodore PET 2001, and Tandy TRS-80 Model I) each have their own cassette interface implementation. It kept costs down, and it was easy to implement, all things considered. The Apple II and TRS-80 use off-the-shelf cassette deck connections like many other machines, whereas the original variant of the PET had an integrated cassette. Commodore later used external cassette decks with a proprietary connector, whereas many other companies abandoned tape before too long. Hell, even the original IBM PC has a cassette port, not that anybody bothered to use that. Each one used a different encoding format to store their data, rather than KCS.

Here's a sample of what an OSI-formatted tape sounds like.

And here's a Commodore formatted tape, specifically one with VIC-20 programs on it.

I won't subject you to the whole program, or we'd be here all day. The initial single tone that starts the segment is called the "leader", I've truncated it for the sake of your ears, as well as recorded them kinda quietly. I don't have any other tape formats on hand to demonstrate, but I think you get the idea.

You can do alot better than storing programs on tape, but you can also do alot worse -- it beats having to type in a program every time from scratch.

[techav]

On Recovering From Disaster

Just before disaster struck with my 68030 homebrew, I had a plan to fork the project and take it in two directions in parallel.

The first would be my minimal Multibasic setup which was running great and was something I would be proud to exhibit at VCFSW '25.

Since that was working well, I didn't want to do anything that might make it not ready for the show. So I had assembled a second main board that I could use with other peripheral cards to continue development. My plan was to rework the memory map to move ROM and I/O addresses to the upper half of the 32-bit address space, which would allow me to use a DRAM card for up to 16MB of contiguous memory starting at address 0 — a perfect setup for running a proper OS

And then I burned up my good mainboard.

I had a spare CPLD on-hand, and I was able to get another 40MHz 68EC040 for cheap. But the 4Mbit SRAM chips are expensive, and I thought that if I was going to be paying for more SRAM, I should get the 12ns parts that would allow me to run RAM with no wait states at 50MHz. Which would require adapter boards, and more pin headers, and would have just driven the cost up even more.

Paralyzed by indecision and the rising cost, I decided to switch gears. I already have the DRAM board I built years ago, I just needed to get it working. And if I'm doing that, I may as well do the work on reorganizing my memory map.

So that's what I did. I made a new branch on my newly cleaned up repository, and set to work. I updated the mainboard bus controller logic to remove the no-longer-needed SRAM control, adjust the ROM address to start at 0x8000,0000, and move the 6850 UART address to 0x8008,0000. This freed up the entire 2GB space between 0x0000,0000 and 0x7FFF,FFFF for the DRAM card to use for main memory (my bus connector layout only allows for up to 16MB main memory, but that's plenty for my purpose).

Next, I needed to build the control logic for my DRAM board. I've done this once before on my Wrap030-ATX project a couple years ago, so I used that logic as a starting point. It … kind-of worked. Sometimes. Maybe.

I was getting random errors all over the place. Sometimes it was able to copy all of ROM into RAM and verify the copy without error, but it would fail when running code from RAM. Sometimes it wouldn't even pass the first two simple tests of writing a longword to RAM and reading it back.

Back to the data sheets to plan out the logic. I drew out a new timing diagram down to 1ns resolution, accounting for the specified propagation time for my CPLDs, and the measured signal delays for my CPU. This gave me the information I needed to build out a new state machine for the DRAM controller. In the process I also caught a few other bugs in my original logic, such as not ensuring the DRAM Write Enable strobe did not get asserted during refresh cycles.

The new state machine worked much better, but I got my timing off a bit. It worked reliably at 16MHz, but not at the intended 25MHz. At least it was working though; I can move forward with 16MHz.

The next thing to do was get my 8-port serial card working with this new setup. Every time the computer tried to access one of the 8 serial ports, it would get a bus error. This was a tough one that had me stuck for a while.

It looked like the serial card was getting addressed and asserting DSACK0# as expected, but I couldn't confirm the signal was making it back to the CPU. Every time I tried to measure the DSACK signals, the probes would increase the line capacitance (I think) too much and cause the whole computer to fail before it even got to the point of trying to address the serial ports.

I have the DSACK signals in a wired-or configuration. The logic on each card connects to the proper DSACK signal via an open-collector buffer, and is able to pull the signal low to signal that card acknowledging the bus cycle. The signal is then pulled back up to +5V by a 1kΩ resistor. This works well enough for small, slow systems, but with long bus wires or lots of chips on the bus, the extra capacitance means it can take a long time for that pull-up resistor to get the signal back up to +5V.

I made a change to my DRAM controller to actively drive the DSACK signals to +5V briefly at the end of a bus cycle before setting the pin to high-impedance. This helps ensure a fast rise time at the end of the cycle so it doesn't disrupt the next bus cycle.

It didn't fix the problem with the serial card, but it did allow me to actual probe the signals live to see what was happening — the Bus Error signal was getting asserted immediately after the CPU addressed the serial card. This didn't make much sense to me. My main board logic will assert Bus Error if no peripherals acknowledge a bus transaction within 64 clock cycles. Nothing should be asserting Bus Error so quickly.

Except … the main board bus controller. My original memory map used the lower half of the address space for the main board, and peripheral cards used the upper half. So my original main board logic was built to assert Bus Error immediately for an unused address in the lower half of the address space. I hadn't properly removed that bit of logic, so it was now asserting Bus Error for any accesses to the upper half of the address space that weren't used by the main board.

The challenges of working on a project after six years. I had forgotten that bit of logic was even there.

With that erroneous Bus Error assertation removed, the machine was finally able to properly load my Multibasic kernel and run BASIC for 8 users again.

At the moment it is running stable at 24MHz on my 25MHz-rated full 68030. It may not be the 50MHz high I was at, but after the frustration and disappointment of the past few weeks, I'm absolutely taking that as a win. 24MHz is incredible.

[ghostsandguns]

141 x personality types

Price & Ghost

''As an ISTJ (Logistician), you are the backbone of society, embodying reliability, practicality, and unwavering dedication. Your meticulous nature and strong sense of duty make you an indispensable force in both personal and professional spheres. You approach life with a clear set of principles, valuing tradition, structure, and well-defined expectations.

Your strength lies in your ability to create order from chaos, methodically organizing information and resources to achieve tangible results. You excel at maintaining systems and following through on commitments, often becoming the person others turn to when they need something done right. However, your preference for established methods can sometimes make you resistant to change, even when adaptation might be beneficial.''

Gaz

''As an ENFJ (Protagonist), you possess a unique blend of charisma, empathy, and idealism that sets you apart in any crowd. Your natural ability to inspire and lead others is matched only by your deep-seated desire to make a positive impact on the world around you. You have an uncanny knack for understanding people’s emotions and motivations, often sensing what others need before they even realize it themselves.

Your gift for communication allows you to articulate your visionary ideas with passion and conviction, drawing others into your orbit and motivating them to join your cause. You thrive on meaningful connections and have a remarkable talent for bringing out the best in those around you. However, your idealistic nature can sometimes set you up for disappointment when reality falls short of your lofty expectations.''

Soap

''As an ENFP (Campaigner), you are a vibrant force of enthusiasm, creativity, and idealism. Your mind is a constant whirlwind of ideas and possibilities, each more exciting than the last. You approach life with an infectious energy that draws others to you, your charisma and genuine interest in people making you a natural connector and inspirational force.

Your curiosity knows no bounds, and you have an insatiable appetite for new experiences and perspectives. This openness, combined with your vivid imagination, allows you to see potential and opportunity where others might not. You’re not just a dreamer, though – you’re a dreamer with a mission, driven by a deep-seated desire to make the world a better place.''

[darlox1688]

Wire Harness Assembly Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

A wire harness assembly is an organized set of wires, connectors, terminals, and other components that transmit electrical power or signals in a system. The wire harness assembly process is crucial for industries like automotive, aerospace, medical devices, and industrial equipment, ensuring reliable electrical connections. This guide outlines the key steps involved in assembling a wire harness,…